Sukigod’s AoBR Warboss

Started on my next project, the Assault on Black Reach Warboss. I\’m going to try a few things I haven’t before, like greenstuff, so I’m learning things here and if you folks have any tips/hints/help along the way, it’s more than appreciated. the AoBR warboss is a bit static (if you haven’t heard, hehe) so I’m making some changes, although subtle. I want to change the angle of the powerklaw arm and change the angle of his head. The will be an easy one, the arm, not so much.

Here\’s the base warboss parts – all washed up. The reports are true, the new AoBR models are greasy! Normally I don’t wash my plastics but you can actually feel the grease/oils on these so after awash in warm soapy water and a drying, time to start cuttin’!

First, I remove the ribbed hose, just cut that sucker right off, them trim the remaining plastic off the powercord to the klaw. Because of the way I’ll be bending the arm, I won’t be able to twist both bits and have it look right so I’ll replace the ribbed hose with some guitar string after the arm is reattached. Then I sever the arm as close to the shoulder guard as possible.

I then CAREFULLY use a candle to heat up just the wire that\’s holding everything together. This takes some getting used to and you can\’t rush it for a few reasons. Thin plastic melts QUICKLY! The other factor is heat will have a tendancy to make the plastic swell and loose it\’s shape/detail, even in the surrounding areas. I slowly warmed the plastic and bent/twisted the arm so I could get at the stump to sand a different angle into it.

When I put the angle I wanted on it (which ended up being a moot point) I reheated it and put into the angle ai wanted and let it cool.

Here\’s the new angle compared to the other untouched warboss model.

My first greensuff. tricky stuff that greenstuff. I read a lot before using it and I know it\’ll take a little time/experience to make it work better but I have to learn sometime, right? I think my next attempt will be better.

I picked up these dental tools at an antique store for $2 a piece. Glad I did!

Now it’s time to replace that hose I sliced off earlier. We’ve got a few electric guitars around the house so having wound strings for this was second nature. If you don’t have a guitar picker around the house it pays to stop buy any music store and get a pack of cheap strings, any size will work ad you’ll get two strings, roughly 3′ long. That’ll make a lot of hose.

I start by making a pilot hole for the drill bit by using a new Exacto plade point to mark where the holes center should be (left). Twist the blade in place making a tiny hole in the middle (right). This will keep your drill bit from “wandering” as you start your hole.

It’s also a good idea to pick up a rounded needlenose pliers (poorly pictured below) as these is perfect for shaping and bending guitar wire around without causing kinks to appear.

And here’s the new boss with his arm adjusted the way I want him and new hose in place.Not bad for a nights work.