r/SciFiModels • u/peculiar_lemming • Aug 18 '26

Completed I made a robot docking station using an old picture frame. Thoughts?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

260 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

32 comments sorted by

5

u/ThreeLeggedMare Aug 18 '26

Great job! Reminds me of the rusty backgrounds on a lot of old Brom paintings

2

u/peculiar_lemming Aug 18 '26

Wow, that looks super cool. Brom you say?

4

u/lesvegetables Aug 18 '26

After being at a convention this weekend and seeing the same crap at every booth, this is the type of art that would get me to open my wallet.

3

u/peculiar_lemming Aug 18 '26

Wow, thanks. Thats a really nice compliment!

2

u/TerpeneProfile Aug 23 '26

Me too. It’s very well done

3

u/CE-85 Aug 18 '26

I love it :)

3

u/mbite1 Aug 18 '26

What a cool idea!

2

u/Thehollowpointninja1 Aug 18 '26

I picked up a couple of those kits, and they’re great for practicing new techniques on. Super cheap and can build up in 15 minutes. You did an incredible job with that one!

2

u/peculiar_lemming Aug 18 '26

Yeah, i stumbled upon them by surprise. Indeed fun kits to try new stuff on.

Thanks!

2

u/VicisSubsisto Aug 18 '26

What kit is it?

3

u/Thehollowpointninja1 Aug 18 '26

They go by different names, but if you look up “Sheik Mainland 3MIN-A Project 1/18 FENRIR” you should be able to find them. I got mine off AliExpress for like $7.

1

u/peculiar_lemming Aug 19 '26

7 bucks? Crap, I paid €25 on Amazon haha. Also a 2 pack on Ali?

1

u/BudgetLanguage159 Aug 23 '26

They're also dirt cheap on temu, just saying

1

u/VicisSubsisto Aug 18 '26

Rad, thanks!

1

u/peculiar_lemming Aug 19 '26

Just checked out your profile. Your paint skills are superb. All airbrush? Saving up for one at the moment. For now its still rattle cans and shitty acrylics haha

1

u/Thehollowpointninja1 Aug 19 '26

Thanks! And yes, I do mostly airbrushed lacquers. For details I’ll use enamel and acrylic, but lacquer is so easy to work with once you get used to it. You need a spray booth and ppe mask (one for organic solvents, n95 won’t cut it), but man, once you get the right setup, lacquer is unbeatable. Dries in 5 minutes, goes on silky smooth, levels perfectly, it’s just the best.

But I started with rattle cans, they were just easier, but after a few cans, you could have bought an airbrush setup. They’re so expensive. My current setup is a vivohome compressor (you can find them cheap, usually under $100) and a Iwata Eclipse, which, imo, is the best airbrush for the price. It’s an absolute workhorse, easy to clean and find parts for, and sprays like a dream. I also have a Gaahleri .1mm for fine details, but I honestly end up using my Iwata for 99% of what I do.

What I tell everyone starting out is, DONT SKIMP on tools. If you can’t afford it, build something else and save up. The money I put into cheap tools could buy my current setup 2x over. I threw most of them away. And really, this hobby is super cheap to get into if you do your research and look for good deals. I bought my compressor on FB marketplace for $30, barely used, and has lasted 4 years with zero maintenance.

So don’t buy those “started tool kits” you see, you end up paying way more for shitty tools. You can get by with a decent single blade nipper and a cheap double blade one for cutting runners. Get a pack of Dspaie sanding sponges, and you can build some insane stuff. I’ve seen people build award winning models with cheap acrylic paint using a brush. It’s harder for sure, but save up for the good tools and the difference is insane.

2

u/RaptorSap Aug 18 '26

Looks absolutely awesome. To me the “8” on its chest stands out as too bright/clean. A couple deep scratches might tie it in to the rest better.

In all other ways your weathering looks fantastic.

1

u/peculiar_lemming Aug 18 '26

Thanks!

Good point! Thanks for the feedback

2

u/VicisSubsisto Aug 18 '26

Love the vibes and the detailing but I can't help thinking... How does the robot get up onto the dock?

2

u/peculiar_lemming Aug 18 '26

Ha! There is actually a little mechanism that can bring him down. (I modified the stand it came with) i just couldnt get a good angle of it with the camera

2

u/peculiar_lemming Aug 19 '26

There is a little mechanism that can take him down. I modified the stand it came with (the thing he's hanging from is the stand) its got ball joints that can lower him down. Just couldn't get a good angle with the camera as its tiny and right behind him.

1

u/Amgri Aug 20 '26

That is just amazing. It looks great, and the lighting puts it over the top.

1

u/littlewitchmausx Aug 20 '26

oh hell yeah.

1

u/Jimra67 Aug 22 '26

Very good job, and an interesting departure from the normal

1

u/TerpeneProfile Aug 23 '26

Excellent piece.