Scratchbuilt Drop Pods

[gcsmith]

Hey guys, Just wanted to ask for advice, whats the best way to scratch build my own drop pods, best materials.
And are there any templates etc?

ty for any help :)

[Lerra]

It's difficult to get a final product that looks as good as the GW model.

If you're looking for something quick and easy, try using PVC pipe. The footprint is the same but it's not a very attractive solution.

I made a set of scratch-built drop pods out of PVC pip with fins made out of plasticard, and details added. It looks pretty decent, although sometimes people will complain that the model doesn't have functioning doors so it blocks LoS better than a regular drop pod.

Here's someone else's take on the PVC drop pod, with some plasticard detailing added: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55234086@N00/2325114923/in/photostream/

You can get the PVC cap + tube for about $3 at Home Depot.

[gcsmith]

sadly No home depo. im british, and no matter which way I go id be going for fin design, aerodynamicly stable so makes sence.
I could also do like object dropped by thunderhawks, that make sence?

[tongalad]

Us Brits have a home depot option...it's called B & Q & I'm pretty sure they sell plumbing stuff that would be ideal to make those.

[Grailkeeper]

I've scene very decent ones made out of Insulation foam- or what ever it is that pink fluffy stuff is that people use to make hills out of that can only be cut with a heated wire.

There is also this http://paperhammer40k.com/ which should be helpful and this which is pretty similar http://thegrimcheapness.blogspot.com/search?q=pod

[Tynskel]

Everybody Loves Drop Pods!!!!

http://sanguine-descendants.blogspot.com/2011/01/everybody-loves-drop-pods.html

This was from the French GW site 2006. I made a bunch of these--- quick n' fun, and they look pretty good. I made mine outta Cardboard, Card Stock, and elmers glue. You'd be surprised how much they look like the Forgeworld Drop Pod. I have seen really good looking ones made from foam board and plasticard.

Because it is a computer image, I just scaled them down to 'marine' size, ~80% I think (I did this 4 years ago for 'Ard Boyz).

Here's what approx the finished product looks like, although they used a different template:
http://santacruzwarhammer.blogspot.com/2007/11/low-buck-drop-pods-that-dont-suck.html

[gcsmith]

Thanks tynskel, nice pdf, Will probably use that, tho I will go a bit over board and make them be able to open. Just need to find a DIY store with plasticard and all the bits and pieces I need.

[weeble1000]

If you're looking to reduce cost, you can buy plasticard in bulk from a manufacturer. You might be able to find someone local. I like Piedmont Plastics in the US. They have locations around the country with a few in Canada and one in South America. You can also order plastic sheets from a manufacturer on the internet, but you'd have to pay shipping, although what you would save over buying styrene sheets from someone like plastruct would more than compensate.

There's also plenty of places to get printable templates. I've found that even if a template is designed to be assembled entirely out of paper, the template is usually workable with styrene sheets and a few rods. At the very least, a template will serve as a guide for shape and scale. You can use a paper template to make a mock up of what you want to eventually do in styrene, foam board, or insulation.

I'm scratch building a warhound titan at the moment, and I've been using a very user-friendly paper template to scale all of the individual components, which I'm altering to suit my individual tastes.

[chromedog]

Everybody Loves Drop Pods!!!!
This was from the French GW site 2006.


I also made a batch up from those French templates. They look close enough to the FW dread pod that it fools many people at first glance (IF you add the extra gubbins). Mine cost me a couple of dollars each in materials to make (The dread pod IS larger than the infantry carrying 5 finned pod).

There are templates for the 5 finned pod also travelling around the nets in various locations.