It’s interesting that every time I think we’ve shown you everything there is to see about our Serenity sculpture, Wolvster turns up with another delight.
All the masters and test molds have been getting packed up and shipped to The FX Company and, as a result, I’ve gotten several e-mails from Wolvster saying “forgot to send you THIS.” I open the e-mail, and my jaw hits the desk.
The man is the devil. There’s just no other explanation for how he can’t continually surprise and confound with all the little details he has managed to capture. It amuses me to imagine an army of imps doing his bidding, adding endless and insane amounts of microscopic detail to tempt us all.
Below is a gallery of the latest batch of greeblies which – I think – now accounts for everything. Of course, I thought that last week, and the week before, and the… well, you get the idea. Of particular note are the legendary engine extenders. Once you see them in action I think you’ll have a better sense of just how challenging making the engines posable is going to be.
One of the two lower reactor shutters. It was damaged some time in the past and it looks like Kaylee did everything in her power to keep it attached – which clearly didn’t work out so well.
The engine extenders. Ours don’t shake.
And here’s an extender that’s, um, extended.
From this angle it’s easier to see the problem with a posable engine: If you have the extender in place, you can’t move the engine. If the extender is retracted, well, how lame is that?
And if the extender wasn’t enough of a challenge, what do you do about the gimble lock? No two ways about it: The CG guys weren’t thinking anyone was actually going to try to build Serenity when they designed her.
Here are the two shuttle clamps.
As you can see here, the shuttle clamps may prove to be another item – like the reactor shutters – that will need to be fixed in place. Note that the rod is actually grooved into the frame which would make it impossible to move in and out smoothly.
Okay, we’re not entirely sure what this is…
…maybe a space-age cowcatcher?
Probably my favorite greeblie of them all – I just love the way these look when they ring the engine intake like a crown!
One more thing: Several folks have asked what’s up with Inara’s Shuttle. Just wanted to assure you we’re still working on it and hope to have more details soon. Also, I’m trying to come up with a way where you can apply a portion of the cost of the shuttle to your purchase of Serenity. Which I hope will take some of the sting out of the price tag of both replicas.
What a nice surprise Andy! I thought we would have a couple of months of inactivity, but of course I still check 10 times a day.
I was going to request an engine rotation of 45 degs. for my replica, but after seeing the extenders, I just have to have it in full burn mode. It would be a shame not to have the extenders attached to the engine.
Wow, that reactor shutter is amazing, with all the detail and the tiny hydraulic cylinder. Wolvster never disappoints, that’s for sure.
I’m wondering about all the plumbing on the outside of the reactor housing. Are those going to be little metal tubes/wire or will they be molded?
Again, thanks for the great update and I stand ready to order Inara’s Shuttle!
jim
Okay, we seriously have to find out what that thing is. ‘Cuz it’s not in the blueprints or anything that I can find… (You know that every last one of us picked them up as soon as you said “we’re not entirely sure what this is.”)
The engine attachment looks extremely fragile. I can see more every time you post a picture why you wouldn’t want them posable.
Hey Jim – the reactor tubes will be cut bronze and will be created in FX’s shop. Didn’t really make sense to case those parts when brass will be both more resilient and look much nicer.
What I love about that reactor shutter is the fact that the CG guys put Kaylee’s little bubblegum and bailing wire fix right into the model, even though no one could possibly hope to see it in the movie, just because it flies off in the final scene
Yeah, the cowcatcher isn’t in the blueprints because we didn’t know it was there. But it is in the CG model, so it’s on the sculpt. That’s just the way we roll
Very nice. The engines look really awesome.
There are a few details on here that are in the more complete model that you don’t see in the movie, but that weird piece is on the ship in the movie.
Nice, will there still be updates while at the FX company (test colors & lighting updates) or is it like Jim said and it will be silent for a while?
Does Wolvster have a website of other stuff he has done or is working on?
admin Says: “Okay, we’re not entirely sure what this is…”
The way it is facing forward, it could be some sort of emitter array or antenna. Dare I say it is a Star Trek like navigational deflector?
jim
You guys “roll” right. If was on the CG model, good call.
Sweet update and as you alluded, we are astonished at the continuous flow of attention to detail. Way to go guys.
I would figure it to be some kind of a sensor package too. What color is it when painted up? Is it the metal of the hull or a different material? That would help in narrowing down the options.
I love the greebly pics. And I hope we get to see things like paint tests and such like Atom brought up.
And nice desktop quality pictures of the completed model for those of us who can’t have one ourselves would be awesome.
that thing looks more like a brush guard than an array. and didn’t we already cover the fact that this is not a toy here, so the extender’s could move in and out seeing as how i doubt any of us will be playing with the goram thing. don’t get me wrong ,i want mine fixed and at full burn, but it seems we are beating a dead horse. i think we all understand that the pods will be fixed and that’s ok with me. now the only thing i would like to have a option on is the shuttle’s wings. stowed with wings back or not stowed with wings out.
i just read what i wrote the other day and feel i sounded a bit on the harse side of life. normaly i don’t give a good goram about what people think of me, so this is a bit out of the ordinary. you all have become like, well, like fellow browncoats to me and what i ment was simple. stop saying i’m sorry for the fact the pods don’t rotate. we all understand that fact. i’m sure if this was used to make a film there would be more then one model. so if i stomped on a few toes, or sounded like an asshole i am truly sorry. the option of the wings thing, the more i think on it, the more i like the wings open thing. keep flyin’
Seeing lots of updates on other projects on the site but naught on Serenity which is all I’m interested in at this point. I know it’s in a lengthy state of getting the electrics etc but how about a brief update so we know the bloody Reevers didn’t get her huh?
It would be helpful if a more convenient scale was used for reference. Only one country uses USA 1/4s but everyone knows how big a centimetre is. A ruler instead of a coin perhaps?
What are we looking at here? Are these the parts of a model that we can actually build? Or are these the beginning stages to that other replica I saw on the other link where you were doing test paint samples?
is this somrthing that i can purchase? i will purchase if for sell. is it buildable model? scale?