5mmToyhacker: Beast Wars

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Challenge of the Sea-Borgs

I went to Comicon NY and I had approximately 3 hours to do my business as I didn't have a multi-day pass. In my fenzied state my gaze came across Monsterpants spread of candy-colored action figures I knew then and there I was going to give this man my money and I told him this. A few days later I said I wanted to give him even more of my money. I was hooked on Sea-Borgs.

I had hacked apart an innocent Transformer (Red Alert from the Cybertron line) and noticed the clear red shoulder had a 5mm hole. Could it be that simple? I inserted a 5mm peg and voila, new arms for my Devil Pirate! The red sword adds appropriate pirate flair.

The ruby hued Regent of Hell has arms and wings from a Diaclone Diatron/Kingdam. It's Staff o' Hell is from an Energon space jet and the drill is not from Arkon/Bullmark King Joe but a Beast Wars Inferno (the big red ant). For ease of posing I drilled a 5mm hole into his foot.

This happy fellow ripped the arms off an Energon Cruellock. I don't remember where the smoke colored missiles come from.

The Shield of Marine Defense is ripped off from a 1999 Microman Kit CrabDozer. The yellow belly button plug is from a Zoids Blox upgrade kit.

Sea-Borgs can be purchased here.

previous: Ni-Stuff Gylos Micronauts Alien Hybrids

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Gigasaurus — Ampzilla toyhack

Today's project started out as a discussion thread on the Micronauts/ Microman Facebook page about the iconic and controversial Ampzilla. That link is here. The rare Micronauts toy arrived late in the toy line's run.

All this toy talk inspired me to take matters into my own hands and make my very own Ampzilla one closer to my tastes. A casual approach would most likely consist of getting a realistic looking plastic dinosaur and drilling 5mm holes into it's skull to insert 'freaking lasers on it's head' perhaps inserting some gack randomly over it's body. I opted for another approach.

I actually spent a lot of time working on the tank treads. I had some sort of Gobot which had very nice wheels. I was trying to find appropriate feet to attach it to. I had a Starriors' foot which were perfect but only one.

I had the 1999 Microman Kit Crab Dozer and found they worked well, it even had a starter hole that made drilling a breeze. The body is a 1987 Transformer Headmaster Brainstorm. Notice the large hole (roughly 10mm) for the arms?

I had Energon Barricade legs which fit nicely into the notches once I filed down the surrounding areas. The tail is made from assorted Zoid Neo-Blox toys. I drilled a 5mm hole on it's bottom and the tail is done.

The head proved difficult. I didn't want to plop on a recognizable head. It needed to be uniquely absurd. The first arrangement made from Energon Insecticon head piece and Energon Scorponok tail lasers. Colors didn't really gel. I knew it needed to be red.

I originally had Energon Cruelock arms, which gave it a very T-Rex look, much too safe. I am very inspired by Ark/Bullmark's Ultraman Kaiju line, including the glitteringly absurd Gigan. I was very tempted to give him a bulldozer scoop for a hand, but what says kaiju more than claws, provided by Beast Wars PowerPinch. The yellow guy I believe is a Converter. I added wings and a missile to him and Sky Blaster is done. He's a low-wage Minicon.