Fedral Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I've been putting my new Steamborg together tonight and I have the following observation: Whoever designed this model needs to be beaten with a sock filled with rusty nails. Assembling and attaching the legs on this model is an exercise in frustration. It's a truly beautiful model, but I dont think I've been this frustrated since I put together a Tomb Scorpion and Screaming Skulls Catapult on the same night for my Tomb Kings army.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malebolgia Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Now now, easy does it. The design isn't that bad if you pin the legs. I don't know your hobby experience, so I'll do a short full tutorial how to assemble them with pinning, so they can resist a nuclear war: *Drill 1mm holes in the leg and the body. See a video with a how-to on pinning here: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KHkRKgqYdc]YouTube - Blue Table Painting- Basics of Pinning[/ame] *Take a sharp hobby knife and scratch some crosshatched pattern with the point of the knife on the balljoint. This will ensure more bonding surface for the glue and ensures a much stronger bond *Take a small ball of Greenstuff/Procreate putty and stuff it inside the cup of the joint (a really small ball of putty...the size of a small booger ). Take a sculpting tool with a round edge and flatten the putty all inside the cup so the entire cup is filled with a thin layer of putty. *Put a 1mm pin (for example, a piece of paperclip) inside the hole in the leg. *Add some glue to the leg (not too much!) and then press the leg inside the cup, making sure the pin runs inside the hole in the cup. Press firmly! Hold for several seconds. *Take your sculpting tool and remove the excess putty that was pushed out of the joint when you pressed in the leg. Done! The combination of the scratched leg and the putty-glue bond and the pin is so rediculously strong it can take a lot of beating. In addition, the bond sets superfast, so you don't have a model which you'll have to hold for several minutes in an awkward position. Assembling large multipart models this way takes some time, but it does make sure they stay in one part and assembly goes smoothly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedral Posted October 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I am not a newbie to the hobby (25+ years modeling.) and I know how to pin. The problems with the Steamborg (And don't get me wrong, I LOVE the model and it is beautifully sculpted.) is that though there is ample space in the ball joint of the upper legs to drill, the 'nipple' portion on the body leaves almost no 'meat' that you can drill without punching through the upper plate of the body. The other problem is, since pinning is or nearly is, impossible, it is almost impossible to get the legs to sit flush on the ground. The very small contact points also make for delicate connections between the legs and body. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gargathor Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I didn't pin mine. I also found it a bit frustrating, but not so much as my Cryx spiderjacks. Probably because Steamborg is lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streetsamurai Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 agreed never was so frustrated assembling a model It's a freaking cool model tough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bexley Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 I can't tell for sure (I don't own a steamborg, so I don't know exactly how the legs attach) but it looks like you could glue them in place and through-pin them. Basically, you glue the leg on, then carefully drill right through the leg into the steamborg. Place a pin into the hole, and mark it where you need to cut. Take the pin out, and cut it. MAKE SURE TO CUT IT SO THAT IT WILL BE BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE MINI. If you leave it too long, you will have to grind or file it down afterward. Then glue it in place with epoxy. I recommend epoxy over super glue for the pin, as superglue can bond quickly in such a tight space, and it may bond before you get the pin all the way into the hole. Once the epoxy has cured, you apply some green stuff or Milliput to the small indentation, and smooth it out. I use this method frequently, as it's really good for attaching small bits that have attachment points too thin to drill into without going straight through. It also solves the problem of aligning the holes, as they're both drilled at the same time in one pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushicaddy Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 I understand the need for many small parts for such a lovely piece of sculpture. However I must agree, I think the last few years of putting together plastic has ruined me for these ridiculously difficult metal models to put together. I also recognize the difficulty of producing the plastic models, so if my choice is metal, or no Mx, I will go with the metal. but yeah, it totally suxxorez... at least you can take solace that at the very most you won't need more than 2 steamborgs! (at least until there are further suppliments) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixEnvy Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 For what it's worth, I pinned mine, and it went together without an issue. In terms of not having anything to drill into, I don't really see that.. even a millimeter or two makes a huge difference, and I thought there was plenty of room for pins. I solved the leg-to-floor contact issue with a sculptural base and judicious placement. If I were going to complain, it would be about the arachnid swarms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireTrollJake Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Gorilla Glue makes a super glue now that is impact tough, better success than pinning for me. Dropped skorn troopers on the ground, tossed Molik Karn down the table like a bowling ball...only bent parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Khan Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Gorilla Glue makes a super glue now that is impact tough, better success than pinning for me. Dropped skorn troopers on the ground, tossed Molik Karn down the table like a bowling ball...only bent parts. I'll drink to that... Gorilla Super Glue is easily the best super glue I've ever used... Half the time I don't even need to pin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkeldar Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 The other problem is, since pinning is or nearly is, impossible, it is almost impossible to get the legs to sit flush on the ground. The very small contact points also make for delicate connections between the legs and body. This is what I think the main issue with the Steamborg to start with. The miniature was cast in a pose that requires a sculptural base. And if you wanted to mount the figure on a flat base you would have to do alot of modifications to the legs to get them to look right. I haven't started building mine yet, and the base I'm planning on using isn't flat, but it isn't a stair step either (more of a shallow V shape) . Has anyone tried the various (24) configurations to see which gives the flatest stand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEiRD sKeTCH Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I got mine mounted on one of these pretty easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 sorry to jack this thread a little but i just am ordering up bases for my ramos crew and does the steamborg go on a 50mm base ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malebolgia Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 good good got the right base inserts ordered then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkeldar Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Put together my Steamborg today, and decided against pinning his legs to the body. Instead I made sure one leg was securely glued before the next step. I still had to figure out how the Steamborg was going to fit on the 50mm factory base I found. Once the first front leg dried, I was able to start visualizing his orientation, and I found a hole to put the toe of the first of the back legs into, and cemented the leg for support. I then put glue in the socket and the toe of the front leg and carefully manipulated the legs and body till they got where I wanted. Then I held the assembly for 15-20 minutes (I don't use zipkicker) until the glue set. After setting, the assembly was firm enough for the short time it took me to glue the other back leg to its pin and the toe to the base. I only had to hold this leg for a couple of minutes, so I could set the miniature down for the 15 minutes to cure before I put on the other front leg. After thr first application cured I reinforced the joints with another drop of glue. So now he is ready for priming and painting. The body is just a bit more upright than the pictures I seen of the miniature, and all four legs are supporting him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloom Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 I'll drink to that... Gorilla Super Glue is easily the best super glue I've ever used... Half the time I don't even need to pin. I thought Gorilla Super Glue was too slow in drying? Hmm... maybe I looked at the wrong Gorilla Glue (Gorilla brand makes different glues, which I'm sure you already know), or read the directions wrong??? I'm going to have to check that out again because I've been using Zap-A-Gap; although, I've found a good cleaning, scoring, and gluing mixed with a tad of caution when transporting the models, that I didn't have many break very often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Khan Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 I thought Gorilla Super Glue was too slow in drying? Hmm... maybe I looked at the wrong Gorilla Glue (Gorilla brand makes different glues, which I'm sure you already know), or read the directions wrong??? You are probably using "Gorilla Glue" instead of "Gorilla Super Glue"... However, I have had some problems with even the super glue not drying when there isn't enough surface contact. Make sure the pieces you are trying to glue are touching flush and not in just one small point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloom Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 You are probably using "Gorilla Glue" instead of "Gorilla Super Glue"... However, I have had some problems with even the super glue not drying when there isn't enough surface contact. Make sure the pieces you are trying to glue are touching flush and not in just one small point. I'll remember that when I give it a try. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Khan Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 I'll remember that when I give it a try. Thanks! No problem... I had to learn it the hard way, hopefully you and others won't have to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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