2011 Blog Posts
December 05, 2011:
Haven't had a lot of time for updates lately. Trying to finish up the final project for the Parametric Modeling (Autodesk Inventor) evening class I've been taking this semester. Did get a chance to add a couple of things though.
Apparently, there is now a Steampunk convention in Texas, Clockwork Con. About time.
Added a lot of new links throughout the three sections of the Links page.
Thought I'd share some more of my favorite YouTube videos too.
Best video game advertisements ever:
- HD Banned Xbox Commercial
- Call of Duty: Black Ops TV Commercial: "There's A Soldier In All Of Us"
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - The Vet & The n00b
A cool video:
November 20, 2011:
Another small update to the M9 ACE Project.
Started a foam core and poster board prototype of the complete upper dozer blade assembly.
November 18, 2011:
A small update to the M9 ACE Project.
After finding a photo of an M9 with the dozer wings off, did a new foam core prototype of the upper dozer blade side.
November 05, 2011:
Spent way too long watching/listening to music on YouTube while re-working the geometry for the M9 ACE model this morning. Thought I'd share links to some of my favorite unofficial music videos:
- ALIENS Music Video
- Don't hold back, just push things forward
- Rolling In The Beats
- Silent Monks Singing Hallelujah
- Star Wars Metal
- The Golden Age. Sing it out loud, get away with me! LONG VERSION. HD!!
- Thunder-Busters (AC/DC vs Ghostbusters Mashup)
Added 17 new links to the Manufacturing-related links section and 4 new links to the Scale Modeling-related links section of the Links page.
October 25, 2011:
Added 17 new links to the Links page.
October 23, 2011:
Small update to the M9 ACE Project.
Redoing some of the 3D geometry to make it a little more real-world friendly for the planned 1/6th scale R/C model.
October 17, 2011:
Update to the M9 ACE Project. Doing initial part prototypes with foam core.
The 3D Renders page is now working in the M9 ACE Project section.
October 15, 2011:
Added 31 new links to the Links page.
October 14, 2011:
There's not much there yet, but I've added a new section for the M9 ACE Project, button in the right-hand column. The M9 ACE-specific Links page is working.
October 11, 2011:
Added a new Scale Modeling-related links section to the Links page.
I haven't worked for a hobby shop since 1995, and I haven't bought a plastic model since 2007. So, it came as a bit of a shock to me when I recently realized Houston has become a scale modeling wasteland. Apparently there are now only 2 shops left with a moderate selection, and 1 more with a rather small selection. In San Antonio, there were 4 I could hit any one of during a lunch hour, and King's Hobby was a fun day trip. So, I've been rapidly putting together a good sized lists of links.
October 07, 2011:
Added a new link to the LEGO-related links section and several new links to the Small-Scale Manufacturing-related links section of the Links page.
October 06, 2011:
OK. My lighting could use some work, but I thought I'd play around a little with trying a night lighting setup. Probably the last thing I do in Layout. I really need to get back to Modeler on this. Bigger version available on my Flickr photostream. Feel free to leave feedback.
October 04, 2011:
Don't know why I'm continuing to do animation setup for this thing, that was never what I planned to use the 3D model for. Guess I just want to see if I can. Here's a test render of the dozer blade rigging. The overall animation is controlled by rotating the blade object on Pitch, which is constrained to 73.5°. The hydraulic cylinders move automatically through targets.
September 28, 2011:
Some people have an old car in the garage that they work on from time to time. I have a 3D model.
Not sure why, but I've been intrigued by the design of the U.S. Army's M9 ACE Armored Combat Earthmover since I first came across it. I've also been interested in radio-controlled vehicles in general, and tanks in particular, since the late '80s. So, I decided to use my experience in LightWave 3D to generate a 3D model that was accurate and detailed as I could make it, and then use the 3D model to create a set of plans to build a large-scale version in R/C.
Unfortunately, there's not a lot of reference material available for it, like there is for other armored vehicles. There was one resin kit from Japan a few years back, but $250 for a 1/35th scale model wasn't really in the budget back then. Really isn't now for that matter. So, I've gotten to where I hunt the Internet from time to time for new material. Even though I have a fairly sizeable collection now, most of it's not terribly useful, as much of it is either distance photos or technical manuals that spend more time talking about how to service the hydraulics than the dimensions I would really like to have. Silly Army thinks proper maintenance of their equipment is more important than my reference needs. :P
So, any time I come up with a new 3D modeling technique, a new piece of reference material, or just get bored with other projects, I pull this one out and start working on it again.
Here are some test still renders from different angles. Bigger versions available on my Flickr photostream. Feel free to leave feedback.
Although I never really intended to animate it, I have been playing around with rigging it all out for animation, just to see if I can do it, and practice techniques. Here's a test render of the tracks working. Each link is modeled separately. The track animation is setup with keyframing and following, and the wheels are animated with a Pitch rotation control null.
September 25, 2011:
Did another quick sketch of a design for a Maximus Decimus Meridius/Gladiator minifig head. It's posted to my Flickr photostream. Feel free to let me know what you think.
September 21, 2011:
Added five new links to the LEGO-related links section and one new link to the Small-Scale Manufacturing-related links section of the Links page.
September 12, 2011:
Posted a printout of an AutoCAD project from 2008 to my Flickr photostream, the LEGO 10205 Locomotive and Tender as a 2D isometreic.
September 11, 2011:
Links page is working again. LEGO-related links are at the top. Scroll down for Small-scale Manufacturing-related links.
September 06, 2011:
Posted a render of a couple of rough 3D models to my Flickr photostream, a Browning M2 .50 caliber and a M1919 .30 caliber machine gun. These will be used as basic reference for a project I'm working on. Will make more sense as I do more modeling and rendering.
Haven't touched LightWave in a while, but I'm not up to speed enough to do something like this in Inventor yet. Feel free to let me know what you think.
August 25, 2011:
Trying to get myself drawing again. Did a quick sketch of a design for a Rough Rider era Threodore Roosevelt minifig head. It's posted to my Flickr photostream. Feel free to let me know what you think.
