Heavy Metal

Captain MAGpie's HEAVY METAL Rhino Chassis

A Games Workshop Extra Armoured Rhino/ Razorback/ Predator Conversion

Sir, we found some plates. And a welder. And some rivets...

Redditor Ikarosswings approached me, wondering if I ever thought about doing a Rhino with extra armour. Well, I have, to be quite frank, but it wasn't a priority right then. BUT, since I was asked, I bumped it up a wee bit on the ole priority list.

Going back and forth a bit, he pointed me to this thread over at DAKKA DAKKA by Ruglud, where he saw something along the lines he imagined.

I liked the overall idea and started working on a few designs.

Most of the time, this is how I come up with some really EXCELLENT ideas...

And then I make some... changes.

Well, the premise of this did not seem to complex and to add to the heavy armour feel, I decided to go with one of my Pike-Nose designs and add some armour to that as well!

So...

The tutorial 

First, what you will need.

The list will be in 2, (1) the templates, and (2) what you will need for all the armour and a link to the pike nose build (amended with the latest design).

1) What you will need for: the template(s)

STC - Heavy Armour Rhino Chassis

STC - Pike-Nose Rhino front plate

I recommend printing the template on cardboard, scaling it so that the yellow key block is 25mm x 25mm (1 inch x 1 inch) when printed out, then cutting the shapes out with a pair of scissors and transferring the shapes to your plasticard with a fine-point marker.

Additionally, cut and make a paper-craft test-fits first before committing anything to the styrene. Cutting to big isn't really a problem usually, but to small and you will have a lot of waste.

You will need:

• The Template (Provided above)
• Cardboard
• Printer (Or a ruler and a lot of time)
• Fine-Point marker

 2)  What you will need for: the build

We got everything you need...

You will need:

• 1 x Rhino chassis by Games Workshop (fits any Rhino derived vehicle)
• 0.25mm flat Styrene Platsticard sheet
• 0.5mm flat Styrene Platsticard sheet
• 1mm flat Styrene Plasticard sheet
• 1.5mm flat Styrene Plasticard sheet
• 3mm flat Styrene Plasticard sheet
• Putty such as Green Stuff or Milliput (Optional, but I advise using this. So much easier to hide bloopers)
• A VERY sharp hobby knife
• Scribing tool. (Optional, but very useful for thick cutting. I use the Tamiya scriber, and its pretty good.)
• A fine-point marker
• Metal Ruler
• Glue (I'll level with you. Use an extra thin solvent type glue here. It just makes life so much simpler. I use Tamiya Extra Thin, and believe me, you will have a hard time convincing me to use anything else. I almost feel that I should be wearing welding goggles when I use this stuff with ABS/Styrene.)
• Sharp Cutters
• Files and sanding paper (Fine)
• Patience and a first aid kit... (just trust me -_- )

Right, so lets get into it

Step 1 - Template

Print the template onto cardboard and cut it out with scissors or a knife. Not a butter knife. Use the hobby knife I told you about earlier. In fact, just go get scissors...

Step 2 - Transfer and cut

Transfer the shapes to your plasticard using a fine-point marker and cut them out using a knife. This time I will judge if you still have the scissors with you.

Transfer the shapes to your plasticard using a fine-point marker, and cut them out using a knife.

Important! Remember to cut the green parts from 0.5mm sheet and the blue parts from 1mm or thicker, the orangy parts, 1.5mm, and the brown parts 3mm.

Usually, the build, once cut, is fairly simple. However, I built this one cut-by-cut. As there is a lot of panels that need to align specifically to the original Rhino chassis, I would recommend doing this as well.

So, I will proceed with the rest of the tutorial in roughly the same way.

Step 3 - CHOOSE

On the template you will see there are two options. On the upper left is a chassis with mud-guards, on the right, one without. This will influence the rest of the build so choose which one you want to build. I went with the mud-guards.

Step 4 - Recess

The original rhino has the front and rear recesses that are quite iconic to the Rhino. I wanted to maintain those shapes without sacrificing on armour, so instead of in, I went with out.

Rear port-side recessed area

To fill these areas, just use a small piece of 1.5mm thick off-cut. As long as the top side is flat and lined up with the upper part of the chassis, the lower bit does not matter.

Just any ale off-cut will do here. Really.

Spacers in place

Also, pictured you will notice I already glued the thicker mud-guard bits in place. Test fit and glue to make sure they are in the right spot.

Soooo... how ya doin?

Once the plates are nicely set, start on the mid sections. This is where most of your effort will go in to.

Step 5 - Door plating

For this part, I would strongly recommend using a scribing tool. It will make life a lot easier.

First, just cut out the basic square shape from 1.5mm Styrene Then using the template, transfer the door shape to the door armour.

Now scribe the door shape. You can go as deep as you wish. I usually go about 80% the way, then the rest with the knife.

The reason I do it this way is simply put, 1.5mm Styrene is hella thick. Cutting all the way through that with a hobby knife takes wrists of steel and a LOT of time. I have one of those... guess which. Additionally, slipping with a knife is inevitable, while a scriber, and knowing how to work with one, will almost grantee no slipping.

About 80% the way with a scribing tool...

And the rest of the way with a knife

And voila...

Is it just me?

Anyhow, file it nice and smooth and glue in place.

Note, I already glued the spacer between the two plated under the exhaust in place here.

Step 6 - Front plates and spacers

Now move on to the front plate and basically just repeat the process of the rear plate done in step 4.

Once the plates are on, cut and attach the spacers. This is so that they will fill the gaps as closely as possible.

Spaced out!

Spaced in!

IMPORTANT! At this point, smooth everything. Once you glue the plated on top of this, you wont have the chance to come and fix gaps.

Step 7 - Second lair of plating

Again, test-fit, transfer the shapes, cut, measure, smooth, glue.

Test-fit. Front plate.

Transfer the shapes.

I did 2 at a time.

Scribe out the basic shapes.

Cut out the basic shapes.

Now, as this point, again using the scriber, I liberated the plates from the styrene sheet, but only in very straight cuts. The small details are easier to achieve in this case with cutter, knives and files, once the big basic shapes are cut.

Cut away access material with cutters and knives.

Glue in place.

Done

Next is just some small detailing work, really. Just file the gaps that are on the body. Its just a lot simpler to do it once the placed are attached so that you can use the origianl body as a guide

Make-a da holes

Smooth-a da holes

Step 8 - RHINO! plates

Now for those plates, you know, the ones that scream RHINO! The front ones are fairly simple. Just transfer and cut. The rear ones have slots in them. Here we will do some extra work.

Step 8.1: Cut the shapes out.

Step 8.2: Now, trace those slots on to the shapes.

Step 8.3: Drill small holes at the far ends of each slot.

Step 8.4: Cut the slots from hole to hole with a knife.

Step 8.5: Use a flat file, and file the slots rectangular.

Slots transferred, and ready for the drill

Once this is done, glue in place and bask in glory... and get some coffee, tee, vodka... cause the next part is a bit frustrating.

Step 8 - Door frame

On the template, you may notice the door frame consist of 4 sections. This is due to the very complex nature of the frame. If you only want to fit an actual door on there, on, its not so bad. Simply take said door, trace it on the shape and apply step 5 to the shape. If you want sponsons on there... different story all together.

So, to begin with, mark and scribe the left and right parts of the frame onto the styrene sheet, but don't cut them out yet. Due to their size, they are easier to handle when still attached to the sheet.

Now get a sponson, and mark where the notches need to go. This will ensure a perfect fit and no "unhappy accidents"

No Bob... Not this time mate.

Anyhow... test fit and make sure you are good on size.

Having successfully navigated the styrene maze avoided any mistakes, we can now cut the frames out and get the rest of the door built. Proceed with the top and bottom parts, basically the same. Once I had all 4 sides cut, I used a door from the Rhino model to build the frame around ensuring a good fit. Don't worry about how it looks just now, just make sure if fits.

Well... all things considered, nothing a file wont fix.

NOW, for the glamour part, and the part you may think is perhaps not required, but really may be... You see, the space between the door frame and the inner bit where the frame sit on, is about 1.75mm on the actual model.
Now, since I don't have 1.75mm thick styrene, what I did was to cut a solid frame from 0.25mm styrene (Which is REALLY easy to work with. Basically paper), and then glued it OVER the assembled 1.5mm frame. This gave me 3 things. 1) the required depth (1.75mm). 2) A smooth door frame as its not one piece, and 3)...

Moving on...

Use the assembled frame as a template to trace the "cover"

Cut it out. Can be rough here. You will file smooth once cured.

Glue the cover over the frame.

Once the cover is glued over the frame, wait for the glue to cure completely. Then file in the notches and file down all the access.

IMPORTANT! When you glue it in place, make sure you do it with the sponson fitted (not glued unless you want to) to make sure it aligned with the inner bit or you will not be able to use the sponsons without modifying them.

Step 9 - Rear door (Optional)

No need to do this, as you can go with the kits original rear door, but should you want to its quite simple. Cut the two basic shapes and have a small section of 3mm styrene round-rod available.

Step 9.1: Trace out the original door.

Step 9.2: You wont use the rod part, so draw a line for the cut and ignore it from now on. But, do prepare a length of rod, roughly 45mm in length for this. You may need to file the end a little to ensure fit.

Step 9.3: Cut out the door. NOT THE ROD PART!

Step 9.4: Attach the rod to the new inner door to the rod. Use putty to create a smooth transition.

Puttied up!

Smoothed out.

Step 9.5: Next, you will need to make a little wedge at the top of the roof of the Rhino for the door to seal against. This is done with a simple strip glued along the roof and then filed to the correct angle.

IMPORTANT! The rhino is NOT assembled yet. Not going to get the door in there is the halves are glued together.

Step 9.6: Cut the outer door armour out and prep it to taste.This is where the wedge is important, as this will seal snugly against the top of the roof.

IMPORTANT: The nose I have already assembled and is ready to fit. It can be done at any time after the halves are fitted together, so don't be stressed about it. I just did it while I waited for the putty to cure on the inner door.

For added effect, I cut a bunch of old sprues up and measured them to fit on the outer plate.

And that the door done.

Its heavy. So either glue it shut, or  magnetize it. It wont stay closed on its own.

Step 10: Assemble the model

The door was the reason for not assembling the kit. With that out of the way, go ahead and assemble the kit.

IMPORTANT! It is a lot easier to now smooth any issues you have with alignment using a file and sanding paper. Once the nose is attached (If you used the pike-nose), filing becomes a lot harder. Do that now.

Step 11: Mud-guards

The mud-guards are simply basic shapes, glued in place and filed to the right size. Very simple to do, and I feel it adds to the build.

Step 12: Nose (Optional)

You may choose to go with the standard front nose plate, but... why do all this if you want something that... flat.

Now introducing, the pike-option!

For the full tutorial on how to build the pike-nose, click here! I went for option 4, as its the heaviest armoured version.

Step 12: View port

Again, fairly simple. I used the original models view ports for this, and simply cut and filed it onto the correct shape for the nose.

Step 13: Some options

On the template, the basic shapes for additional armour around the exhaust is included, as well as 2 plates for the roof. I decided to omit the exhaust plates on mine, simply as I like how sleek the chassis looks, but did add the roof plates.

I then just added the rivets (Riveting tutorial here), and we were ready for paint.

I also used my Raptor turret design for the predator version, and took some pictures comparing both.

For the turret design, go here.

Step 14: Prime and paint

Step 15: Field and dominate!

Hope you enjoyed it. And as always, I would LOVE to see you take on the tutorial. Post up picks or links to your creations.

Captain MAGpie,

Styrene Addict