Studio Scale Tyrell Pyramid

[Pyramidrep]

Ok. So just after reading the last post. Not sure if that is an aspirational statement or a request. In either case the answer is , I’m afraid not. As has already been mentioned here, this is not a build for the feint-hearted and I’ve put a huge amount of time, effort into this and have at least another difficult year ahead.

 

[Pyramidrep]

So I really came here to post this. Rough assembly of one the buttress screen. You’ll notice the etch on the black paper is a segment of how the sides of the buttress are detailed.

 

[joberg]

This is crazy good; the bar is way up there in terms of details and accuracy

 

[Custard Gannet]

Watching with fascination.

Regarding the main pyramid structure, I wasn't aware of the casting technique originally employed. Do you mind my asking, are you going to attempt the same technique? The variety of methods working together will be very satisfying to watch. "Rubber molds were poured over the completed patterns. Then a new set of pyramid panels were cut from clear Plexiglas, exactly matching the pattern panels. The inner surface of the molds was spray painted with automotive primer and then opaquing fluid, then poured full of clear polyester casting resin and ‘squish- molded’ with the pre-cut Plexiglas sheets pressed into the mold. When assembled, this made up the clear plastic shell for the pyramid structure."

I have to doff my hat at your work so far.

 

[Pyramidrep]

Just came on the forum to check if it was the same Jeff Bond who posted here and who has written the Star Trek book I’ve been waiting 40 years for . Jeff , if you’re reading this, I can’t thank you enough.Brilliant. And look, some of my heroes are here too.

Custard Gannet, many thanks for the compliments.(it does help to keep going, particularity when you’ve have a difficult day). And yes, it seems that I will be building it using the same techniques. That will be some time next year. I haven’t cast resin before but read a lot , including Dave Goldberg’s excellent post on the subject a while back.
I hadn’t planned to build full scale but because of the Pandemic, its just elvolved that way. And maybe it will be something to celebrate when the Crisis is over next year and we get closer to Blade Runner’s 40th.

 

[JohnMarchant]

Ok. So just after reading the last post. Not sure if that is an aspirational statement or a request. In either case the answer is NOT a chance. As has already been mentioned here, this is not a build for the feint-hearted and I’ve put a huge amount of time, effort into this and have at least another difficult year ahead. The RPF is about doing it for yourself. And that’s all I am going to say about that.

I was just asking if i could get some high res images of the details so i could check the accuracy of mine, it was the black and white ones i was talking about. I didn't want you to send the model to me or anything like that. So thanks for the images in the next reply. I am doing it for myself, so calm down.

Well, I got warned coming here and they were right.

 

[Pyramidrep]

I hope I didn’t cause offence by that that Post of mine. Mea culpa. I suppose it’s to down to interpretation or misinterpretation.
And don’t feel bad about the RPF. The thing about being a newbie here is that you have to make the contribution here without the expectation of getting anything back. Encouragement to continue is sometimes enough. I don’t think I will get any answers to my questions here. I might ask and be greeted by silence. I’m hopeful though.
If I can give you advice because I taught art in the past and I know you’re building a 3d model, look for the actual model parts. You don’t need them all. There’s a photo of Bill George building the master on the internet. Two of the kits are on the table beside him. Buy any of those, identify and look at the parts. They give scale and a reality that looking at photos only will never give. And that will be a huge step to realising your project.
And there will be further information in what I post here that will help you along.
Best of luck.

 

[Pyramidrep]

I’ve been waiting for more of the brass etching to arrive, which thankfully it has ( Covid has delayed everything). So now I can make some progress with the buttresses. The first image shows a new sheet which I had made for the bottom half underlay grid which is slightly shorter than the top section. I didn’t want to cut down (as was originally done) the piece on the master sheet so I had one made to the exact dimensions to fit the outer layer. The second sheet is for the build up of the sides of the buttresses. I did a new drawing from the original master with all 6 of the design pieces that make up the sides. Because the etching costs are pretty expensive (in the thousands because of the quantity needed),this way I get more “bang for my buck”( value ).

 

[Pyramidrep]

I’ve recently made a few discoveries , identified some model parts that I‘ve searched for for many years and frankly I can’t quite believe I found them. They’re on their way from the UK and the US. The parts will allow me to rebuild / build new masters without the need to 3d print the parts. So my list of unidentified parts is now down to 1 or 2 kits on the main facade.
This is what I am working on at the moment. I had made enquiries about trying to obtain a slightly cleaner casting ( and I know they’re around ) and using that on this project. Now I’ve found the model parts, I’m rebuilding. The practice of detailing with such tiny parts will help with the whole project.

 

[Pyramidrep]

 

[Pyramidrep]

Apologies for the typos. Occupational hazard with me and technology.

 

[Pyramidrep]

One last thing. In case anyone was wondering about the top of the Pyramid. This is an casting of it. And the funny thing about it is that I had only just begun to start to work on the drawing of it last February based on some poor reference in Cinefex 9 and a piece owned by Ridleyville, when it came up for sale.
It shares the same pedigree of parts that are on the other master Patterns and I will also be rebuilding this.

 

[joberg]

Yep, that bar is set real high with your build. Pro-Job all the way and eager to see your next update

 

[Pyramidrep]

Yep, that bar is set real high with your build. Pro-Job all the way and eager to see your next update

Joberg,
Much appreciated. All down to passion for Blade Runner and the building. I started 5 years ago and hope it will be finished in a year or two ( fingers crossed).

 

[userd1402]

-.-

 

[Pyramidrep]

Usered1402,
Yeah. Same dimensions. That cast came from the same great gentleman from Alabama whom sold me mine. And he has a great interesting story too about Mattel and their proposal to produce Blade Runner model cars In the 1990’s. He’s on the RPF too, so he might tell that story here. Very interesting.
The cast seems to be one post Blade Runner because you can see that the etched pieces have come off the mould. The glue residue clearly outlines the impression of the etch.

That cast has been used in other productions after Blade Runner. There’s a SFX documentary on Digital Domain‘s work in the 1990’s. (On Youtube).There’s a spaceship model made using those casts clearly visible in one scene.

 

[GEEK1138]

Watching with interest...I imagine u are aware of this vid, I stumbled upon it on Youtube, there are quite a few shots of the Tyrell pyramid ;

 

[Pyramidrep]

GEEK 1138,
Good to have your comments here. Yeah. I’ve been following the Sense of Scale Facebook page for a few years. Some wonderful documentaries and info there for everyone. I knew most of what was in the interview except that the great Pat McClung also worked uncredited on the production for a few months. The thing about this project for me is to discover the techniques and even identify who built the parts, what parts etc. On some of those casts, the detail is that small, you’d think the modeller used a microscope. That bears the hallmark of McClung. Bill George work on the main facade you can tell or feel the hand is different. Chris Ross work on the buttresses is incredible, a true work of art. That they built it in such a short period of time is mind boggling. But I’ve learned that there is a secret to how the main facade was built to reduce the build time. I’ll reveal that sometime in the future. My search is never ending. I just bought some identified model parts from a guy in Paris so I’ve made good progress this week.

 

[Pyramidrep]

So, Two envelopes arrived in the post today. One contained parts I had been waiting on. The other, an unexpected present from a friend. Frankly ............... I‘m just about speechless.

 

[joberg]

You mean the white parts or the detailed squares in the pics?