3 foot tall lego minifig ... Making Frank an Operation Game, and adding animatronics

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Got some work done this weekend:

refined the final shapes in the foam, and the covered the entire thing in a few coats of Smooth Cast 300



Sanded and Bondo'ed


Getting smoother


Next step, smooth out the seams with Epoxy Sculpt, and more sanding and Bondo.

 

[fantomas]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Amazing work! I'm curious what the PVC diameters you used were. Do the off the shelf diameters match up with the scaling?

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Basically I modeled them up in Solidworks using a reference model i got off the internet, and good old fashioned caliper measuring. Then I went to the Menards (one of out local hardware stores, much like HomeDepot) and found the largest diameter PVC pipe I could find for the head. The piece I found was a PVC coupler that measured about 7.5" in diameter (they type used to connect 2 pieces of PVC together). I then scaled up my 3D model to match the diameter of the head PVC. After that, I used this handy website (http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pv...ons-d_795.html) to see what sizes of PVC best matched the hand and arm parts.

For the hands, i used a 3" (3.5" actual diameter) for the outside of the hand, and a for the inside of the hand I used a 2" (2.375" actual diameter). The wrist, i used a 2" (2.375" actual diameter) and a 1.25" (1.66" actual diamter.

For the arms, i used a 3" (3.5" actual diameter).

the head nub should have been a 3" (3.5" actual diameter).

The diameters are close to what they should be, but not exact.

I hope this helps.

 

[fantomas]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Thanks! Exactly what I needed. I ended up making an excel spreadsheet with all the important dimensions (based off the LEGO patent and my own measurements with a digital caliper) where I can input the height of the minifig and it will spit out the dimensions for all the parts. I found a similar chart for the PVC pieces, just wish they listed the OD of the fittings too (I'm going to guess it varies by manufacturer). I even checked a few of the manufacturer sites and they don't list the outside dimensions..

This should be a fun project. Thinking about doing a bunch of 18" tall versions and making them Jurassic Park characters to display with my JP Jeep at car shows.

 

[kibosh]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

This is really inspiring. I'd like to make a few of these to display at LEGO shows I do. Excellent work.

Any idea how much your maxifigs weigh?

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

They weigh about 20lbs. MDF is heavy.

 

[kibosh]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

That's what I figured. I assume you molded things like the hands and arms because they are the hardest to create so making casts would save time on multiples.

Would it be possible to cast the other pieces? Legs, head, torso, etc.? Vacuum mold perhaps? Or are they straight forward enough to make as needed?

KIds love seeing my LEGO movie sets throughout my display so I'd love to build a few key characters. Emmet, Batman, etc.

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

That's what I figured. I assume you molded things like the hands and arms because they are the hardest to create so making casts would save time on multiples.

that is correct. the hands and arms had a lot of sanding and filling.

Would it be possible to cast the other pieces? Legs, head, torso, etc.? Vacuum mold perhaps? Or are they straight forward enough to make as needed?

I have plans (in the future) to rebuild these guys with new hand and arm molds. All the flat pieces will still be mdf, but probably 1/2in instead of 3/4in. I think i will try and build a vac former to make the hips and the head. i think i will also cast the round sections of the legs as well, but i haven't figured out that part yet. I hope to start this second iteration in the spring. I was going to do it this summer, but a torn rotater cuff put it on hold.

 

[stromo]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

a torn rotater cuff put it on hold.

Ouch. Been there. They're not in a hurry to repair themselves, are they?

Stupid rotator cuffs!

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Ouch. Been there. They're not in a hurry to repair themselves, are they?

Stupid rotator cuffs!

Yup. I tore it in January, did 2 months of PT, and it still bothers me some times. It starts to feel better and then i go and do something stupid (like pick up a book) and it starts hurting again. It is getting better though, just taking it's sweet time though.

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Got some work done today, I filled and smoothed all the gaps and seams with Epoxy Sculpt. Now it sits for 24 hours to let the epoxy cure.




Next step is more sand and fill ..... yay

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Finished the Mad Scientist's hair just in time for Halloween. I wish i had one more day to get some of the transitions smoother (especially in the back), but its good enough.

Steps taken since the last post (sorry no process pics):
sand and smooth the epoxy sculpt
spot fill and sand
coat in plastipid
paint gray with primer gray

 

[stromo]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Seriously pro job, targus. :thumbsup

 

[Searoc]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... Finished

Great Job Targus now it time for me to make one :thumbsup

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... Finished

Great Job Targus now it time for me to make one :thumbsup

Thanks. I am glad i sparked an interest.

i have a lot of video footage of making the hair, and am currently editing it together in my spare time. How to have it up soon.

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making hair

Its Halloween again, so that means i get to zombiefy this thread ... it lives ... it lives again.

Updates to the Halloween display this were fairly basic, consisting of a table for Frankie to lay on ... with smoke effects.

IMG_4347 by Targ's Workshop, on Flickr

I didn't take a lot of process photos this year ... I have been rather busy with a new baby, so I was only able to work on this in my very limited free time.

The table top: made from MDF and PVC

20151017_165804 by Targ's Workshop, on Flickr

The Corner Nubs: made from MDF and PVC

20151017_165726 by Targ's Workshop, on Flickr

The internals for the Fog effects: A cheap fog machine from Home Depot, some PVC Pipe, Styrofoam ice chest to hold dry ice, and a vent that was 3D printed on my Taz5. The dry ice was used to cool the fog so that it hung on the ground instead of rising up.

20151031_121754 by Targ's Workshop, on Flickr

IMG_4342 by Targ's Workshop, on Flickr

IMG_4345 by Targ's Workshop, on Flickr

and a pic of the new little monster added to the family

IMG_4374 by Targ's Workshop, on Flickr

 

[Yeats]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making a table for Frank to Lay on

I have decided I must do a space man one of these. Great work

 

[zapwizard]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making a table for Frank to Lay on

Amazing, all the proportions looks spot-on.

 

[targus]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making a table for Frank to Lay on

I have decided I must do a space man one of these. Great work

Post it up when you do, I would love to see it.

Amazing, all the proportions looks spot-on.

Thanks, I based the scale factor on the available PVC size for the nubs. Everything else is measured with the calipers and scaled accordingly. I do have a 3D model of the minifig which helped a lot when making those guys.

 

[DWVinny]

Re: 3 foot tall lego minifig ... making a table for Frank to Lay on

This is fantastic craftsmanship!! I went through a very similar process with the lego costume I did for my son a couple years ago.