G1 Wreck Gar

Im not sure why I have suddenly developed a liking for small transformers that make bikes specifically and the odd small Transformer, but I have found a G1 Wreck Gar.  This will make 11 bikes.  I also have another crotch rocket that turns into a robot of some kind, but its not in the same style as the Wreck Gar or the Road Rocket.  And I want to stick with these 2 particular styles and their various repaints or this could go on forever.

Its so very odd...I dont feel the need to get these MOC.  I'm quite happy with loose figures.  Mostly because I plan on posing these bikes in the near future. 

"There Goes The Neighborhood"

This next cover that I am running on Homeworld for the next few weeks is called "There Goes The Neighborhood" By Dave Waugh.  Dave Waugh is probably the biggest Micronaut Fan on the planet, and if not then definately in the top 3.  He runs and maintians ISO  or InnerSpace Online.  There should be a direct link on the sidebar to his website.  ISO is probably the most complete Micronauts history and resource on the net.  Im going to take a better picture and crop it up nicer.

Among Dave's many talents, besides being a very fantastic person, he is an awesome artist.  More specifically tatoo's.  And more than a few devoted fans are currently walking around wearing his Micronaut artwork on their arms or various other spots a tatoo could go. 

This is an official print, # 6 of 12 that Dave offered up.  It was one of many drawings Dave made and offered prints of,  but in my opinion, one of  his greatest.

 Unfortunately, Dave seems to be taking a hiatus from the Micronauts as noone has heard from him in several years.   And thats really too bad because next to Ken Kelly and Dave Dorman.....Dave Waugh has the best Micronaut artwork I have ever seen.  Its hard finding an artist who can grab the 'essence' of what the Micronauts are.  

 As you can see...Dave had no problem with that.

S1 Micronauts

The Palisades Series 1 Cards.  Time Traveller, Membros, Acroyear and Space Glider.  Artwork by Dave Dorman.

These cards are on the back of the packing of all Palisades Micronauts including the Magno Figures.  I saved some of the cards and framed them for each Series.  I have yet to frame the Magno figures cards.  I have a Force Commander box that is in bad shape I wouldnt hesitate to cut the card out of.  But I dont want to trash an Emperor Box.  I may use a digital image of some sort to duplicate it instead.

Everyones aware of the disaster the factory in charge of making these figures created, so I wont rehash it here.  Palisades Toys had 4 variations of each figure made for a total of 16 figures in Series 1.  Also, Palisades Toys had a special figure made for Micropolis Embassy Members.  The Bioscan Membros.  The factory screwed this figure up by making the wrong colored accessories.  Palisades Toys had the figure corrected.  So there are 2 extra versions of the Membros. 

I will update this post.  I need to check and see if the cards are different.  I cant remember.  I also want to put in a few more pics in here.

Gotta have ...EVERYTHING!!!

For whatever the reason, I found all the sweat shops to work in.  Always hearing about these dream jobs that seemed to unreal to be true.  Guys making twice what I was and half my age.  I used to wonder what I was doing wrong.  Almost 4 years ago I almost walked away from the Machinist trade.  I was going to be a City Bus Driver instead.  But I had dropped off a resume at one particular company before the career change inspiration.

Well I failed the 3rd interview for the bus driver and lo and behold the one resume I put in for a machinist got me the job I currently have...my dream job as a machinist. Along with it came a pay raise.  A substantial one.  I doubled my yearly salary.  Im going to die at this company.

So with the raise in pay I became the collector I used to hate.  I remember watching items on ebay that I wnated.  Trying to see which items I could sell to get the one item I wanted.  I would go hard trying to come up with enough to get it and boom...the current price would rise and I would have to be happy just watching the auction to see what it finally sold for.  

Or worse...I would see a ebay name I recognized and would just lower my eyes in despair realizing I didnt have the resources to compete this this individual on ebay for a particular item.  Now thanks to this job...I was spending indiscrimantly.  I was buying higher end items and spending money like water.  The problem with that is that you never appreciate what you have. 

You are looking at the next item and have already dismissed the items you just bought.  You have no appreciation for the items.  Having just bought a brand new truck, that takes a big chunk of change out of my toy budget.  Now I cant buy everything I want.  And I am glad.  Sure I have to wait longer...but it makes me realize what I have and why I started collecting in the first place.

In the words of John Candy...If you arent enough without it, you'll never be enough with it.

For the first time in a long time, I watched items on ebay go by and I didnt or couldnt buy them...I looked at my collection, smiled and didnt let that bother me one dam bit.  The sole purpose of  my collection is to make myself happy with it.  And it does that.  So if I dont ever buy another item on ebay...I can honestly say...oh well...

Im happy with what I have. 

Micro Bikes

Slowly, little by little.  We are at 10 bikes so far.  And I have only just scratched the surface.  I now have to take 2 pictures to get all the bikes or they are too small for the picture.  Then you get too much in the picture and the picture is so busy its hard on the eyes. 

Yes, its nice to be able to take them all in at once for the effect, but if the picture is too busy, the effect isnt there.  So these are the 5 bikes on the right.  I just got the purple and yellow ones.  I have to watch it.  There are alot of bikes out there.  But Im only interested in these 2 styles and their repainted versions.

Except for maybe Priss.

Takara Myclone :was Kubrick TT

Quite imaginitive and these little guys are fairly articulate. I am very surprised.  I always thought they were cute.  I have been wanting a set of these guys for some time.  They were just never around when I thought of buying them.    :~)  

I had originally thought these were Kubricks.   But I have been corrected on that point.  This post has been edited to correct my mistake.  I should have known something was amiss when they werent quite as tall as the only Kubrick I really do have.  A gold/white exclusive Mickey Mouse Kubrick.

There are also some Myclone Acroyears.  Im happy enough with the set of Time Travellers. But the Acroyear IS pretty cool.

Thanks to Mutt12 for the correction notice and for the following tip.  Information about these can be found in Microforever.  The link is in the link section of the blog.

Myclone actually put out quite a number of figures.  Some bordering on the bizarre yet very imaginative.  Yes, Im definately happy enough with just the 4 of these Time Travellers.

 

Phobos has Landed

Phobos...an oddball thats for sure.   Said to be Biotron's rival.  I guess that depends which script you are reading.  The Micronauts dont have any real rooted history to fall on.  All comic book hero's/villian's all have a history to support them.  Not the Micronauts.  There is the Marvel Comics of the late 70's into the 80's.  There is the Devils Due Comic series and a few other short series attempts.  Steve Lyons wrote a Trilogy.  And just for the record, I thought the Trilogy was awesome.  There is nothing connecting any of these together.  No common history of any kind...So is he Biotron's rival? 

I lucked out.  I found a very nice Phobos in Italy.  Only thing missing was the internal inserts for the box.   Also, the instructions were in Italian.  So I bought a second Phobos for the english instructions because I thought the Italian Instructions for the first Phobos was just a spare set of instructions for an Italian Phobos. I thought it was just put with the Phobos to make it look complete.  But it wasnt. It was original. But I lucked out. The 2nd Phobos box is brutal, but it has all the internal inserts that the first Phobos box was missing.

The ad didnt mention the inserts either. They were tucked away inside the box. So I combined the best of both boxes and now have a complete Phobos box with all the internal inserts...with both English and Italian Instructions.   These photos show the end result.  The 2nd Phobos that goes with the ratty box is tight.  It needs some chrome help, but it is tight.  You can always rechrome the parts. 

But I think it just became a trading casualty.  A friend of mine has a MP Megatron...hopefully he's reading this.  :~)

Interchangeables S2 Silver CEDM

MAN...hindsight...

I used to have a MINT MINT MINT Silver Series 2 CIEL...MIB...very MIB...I never thought I would see any other S2 Interchangeables...so I sold it to Jonathon Ross of the UK...4 years later I find a Interchangeables S2 Silver CEDM...SOMEONE SLAP ME!!!

At one point I had all the S1 interchangeables...but I never expected to get anywhere with the Silver Series Interchangeables...DAM...

Well, I have just recently recieved my S2 CEDM...Its actually quite impressive to look at...now to start rebuilding my Interchangeables lot...AGAIN!!!  Dam .

Transformers Sound Wave MP3

I think Soundwave is a cool little guy.  I bought all 3 versions.  The MP3's.  I believe they are G2???

Transformers arent my area of expertise.  I just buy the ones I like.  But I cant have a MP3 and not use it.  I finally remembered to take Soundwave with me the other day and went tramping through the Shopping Mall with him in hand.  I couldnt find a place that had the right size card.  Best Buy wouldnt open a package.  The Source didnt carry the one I needed.  Neither did Rogers/Bell or Telus.  I finally came upon a kiosk in the middle of the mall that sold phone accessories. And he had a mini card that fit into an adapter that fit perfect. 

I now have an MP3 Soundwave that works.  However the card doesnt fit a standard MP3 player.  The sound card is a mini that fits into an adapter that fits into Soundwave.
 In order to get music onto the card I have to put the adapter assembly into another slightly larger adapter so it will fit into a standard MP3 player so I can download music to it.

 Mini + adapter = Soundwave ...  Mini + adapter + adapter = Standard MP3     So in reality I STILL dont have a Soundwave that works because I dont have the second adapter needed to fit it into a standard MP3 player so I can download music to it.  I went with a 2 gig because 8 was $50 and I didnt have that much on me.  And who knows what the next adapter will cost me.  This is getting to be one expensive little Soundwave. 

Transformer Bike Update

This is going to be so much fun.  And there are quite a few variations.  Hard to find in some cases, and I have to task the knowledge of ALOT of collectors to try and get an accurate list made of just how many variations there really are.  Im currently waiting on 3 more bikes and a friend of mine has some knock off versions he is sending my way.  I have 8 bikes now  and 2 Ultronic Scooters.  Its actually a really cool sight to see them all lined up.  The total could be in the 20's, maybe even the 30's depending on how anal you want to be about it.

Have I thought about transforming any of them?  Yes.  Will I?  Hell no.  Knowing they can do that is good enough for me.  Even with directions its not the easiest thing in the world to do...or maybe its just me.   Regardless I think they are quite a neat  bunch.

Glow In The Dark Figures

I am settin this room up to be not only my display room, but also my little afternoon getaway nap room.  A place where I feel comfortable where I can get away and have little nap if I so desire.  So recently I put in a twin bed.  Its VERY soft and comfortable.  I was in the next room on the computer and started dozing off.  So i got up and being tired and just tumbled into my display room and onto my new twin bed and crashed. 

But before I could goto sleep I gave myself a good jolt.  I have 2 Shingetter figures.  And I forgot they have GITD features.  So here were 2 nicely shaped scythes(?) or fancy long axes(?) but they were glowing in the dark.  It took me a moment to get out of my fog and figure out just what I was looking at.  But it looks really cool in the dark.  I may unpack a few more GITD figures.  I had forgotten just how much fun they can be.

Transformers Bumble Magno

A very interesting Magno figure.  A 6"  figure that uses magnets to attach the body panels to it.  You can slip the figure in tight and add the panels to make the car.  The wheels are peg/hole with magnets securing them in place tightly.  Or you can keep the figure in robot mode and have the panels on like that.

It is a cheap and cheaply made toy.  Tho I am surprised at how well it actually does fit. And only have 2 complaints.  The front grill has a little 'interlocking peg/hole' system that is too tight.  When the pin goes into the hole, the air in the hole cant escape.  So as the pin gets pushed in, it compresses the air in the hole and it pushes the pin back out.  I used a knife and scored the 'pin'.  This score allows the air to escape while the pin gets pushed in.  I also used just a teeny weeny bit of glue to give it just that little bit more holding power.

All in all its actually a really cool toy.  But here is my only other critique of it...

The front winshield and roof are together as 1 panel.  It isnt long enough.  I have this car fitted together as good as it can possibly get and it tapers from about 1/16" to almost 1/8" short, right to left.   So there is a gap between the roof and the top of the back window.  Its not a hundred dollar toy, so I can live with it.  Doesnt mean I like it, but what do you do.  I have tried to equal the distance at both the fron and back of the panel so its less noticeable.

Otherwise I really like this guy.  Most of my Transformer Bumblebee stuff is in Camaro mode.  I think its a beautiful car.

Organizing "THE WALL" ... Its called Playing

Its called playing.  Ladies...if you have a geek for a husband and he is always rearranging his figures...regardless of what he tells you...He is playing with them.  Maybe not in the same way a 6 year old might (ok maybe he does) but we feel an inherent need to touch and feel the item.  To pose it, and take pictures.  The digital camera was the biggest breakthru for collectors since collecting was invented.  It was not only expensive collecting, but there was also the price of film and developing.  And the time it took...back in the day it took weeks.  Shit I sound old.

Playing as an adult collector has taken on a different meaning.  Gone is the imagination of childhood replaced by a fantasy world of plastic and digital photos.  We spend countless hours arranging and rearranging our collections till we get just the right "flow"...in interior design I believe thats called "fung shway".  I most likely have the spelling wrong.

Well for now, until I get a desk and some more shelves...this is the layout of "THE WALL"  I am done "Playing" for now.  It will most likely stay this way for the next year.  I am hoping sooner, but buying the truck changed ALOT of plans. 

So here is a picture of  THE WALL.

  The most uptodate picture I have.  Nothing more will be added or removed from this wall till I get the right desk and the right shelves or wall unit or whatever.

3 Wise Dobers

These 3 wise Dobers...ok...thats REALLY bad...

Back in 06, I sold off a section of my collection for my bike.  Part of that section included a set of Dobers.  I had 2 Titan Gold Space Dobers, (which happened to be my Holy  Grail at the time and is still The most favorite item I own.) A red Dober and a Blue Dober.  I did keep 1 Titan Gold Dober...but I sold the set of 3 that I had.

The Titan Gold or Space Dober has the distinction of having the highest designation number given out by Takara...T-551  The dober is Black, with Gold Chrome Hilights.  The other 2 dobers are the Red Dober with Yellow Hilights and the Blue Dober with White Hilights.  Its now 2010 and I have FINALLY...FINALLY got them back.  ALL OF THEM!!!  I have both my Space Dobers, my Red and my Blue Dobers.  Its  a nice feeling.  I should never have sold them.  It was for a good cause, but man...4 years to replace them...Im very lucky it wasnt longer.  I am extremely glad to have them back.

Part of the Titan "Space" series included 2 Spaceknights.   The  T531 Titan Space Knight "Adonis" (White/Blue) and the T532 Titan Space Knight "Antarus" (Yellow/Black)

I have a 99% complete T-532 Antarus...however 1 of the 13 figures I am actively seeking is the T531 Adonis Spaceknight.  If you have any information on a COMPLETE MIB Adonis Spaceknight, please email me. 

The following link for information on the Titan Spaceknight is from Microman Forever.  The foremost Microman resource on the net. 

http://www.microforever.com/T53X.htm

I DECARDED IT!!!

He did what?  He didnt?  Did he really?

YES.  Yes I did.  I decarded it.

I recently got my Road Rocket...Italian version.  GIGI calls it the Goblin.  Its a G2 Transformer.  I was wondering whether or not to decard it since I bought it.  Well it arrived last night.

DOnt you just love it when sometime certain decisions are just taken away from you?  I knew the card wasnt 100%...but when it arrived, the creases were more pronounced than originally thought.  The bubble was already peeling off.  The card was frayed at the edges big time.  The figure was cherry mint.  So I just cut the paper from the bubble on 3 sides.  I will most likely be decarding ALL and any Transformer bikes I pick up. 

They look better displayed and these arent pricey figures.  So its not a big deal.  Now to go take some more pictures because the ones I jusput up are already obsolete.  lol.

Clear Yellow Karza

Even tho I am using unpressurized molds and resin, I still have a few magno figures that I think look cool.  SOme of which I want to finish 'as is'.  So they have a few bubbles.  They are my first figures.  And Im proud of them.So I have matched up a set of clear yellow missiles and as soon as they are finished curing, Im am going to put them on.  Then I just need to match up a set of yellow fists and the Clear Yellow Karza is done.  I keep thinking Lemon Merangue when I look at it.

Any future casting will be with pressurized molds and resin.  This first part has been fun, but I want it perfect now that I have a clue as to what I am doing. 

Casting Update

Its a New Year and here is where I am for casting.  Im currently doing some scratch building thats alot of fun and tedium.  It'll so be worth it when its done.  But the pressure pot I bought is quite small and Im a bit nervous about this part of the process.  Plus its minus -20 C outside and currently I dont have a heated garage.  And thats where the air compressor is.  It creates ALOT of condensation in the lines and I dont currently have a trap for it. 

So basically from now until the end of February, most likely 3rd week of March will be when I start making new molds.  I will have everything ready to go.  I will be remaking the Centaurus molds and all my Magno molds using the pressure pot.  It drives me nuts to see all these little tiny air bubbles in the clear resin.  Just knowing they are there drives me nuts.  SO I am going to experiment with this little pressure pot I bought, and I have found another more spacious one complete and new for $200.  I'll see what happens with this little one I bought and if it works as well as I hear, then I'll pick up this bigger one.  I'll pick it up anyway, there is no way I want to fool around making little tiny molds all the time.  I dont want to be 'that' limited. But I'll figure everything out with the little pressure pot first.

Being cheap only works for so long.  So until March rolls around, its going to be mostly just hand work, getting the prep work done so I can make a few more 'tweaked' Centaurus Medic...and also...the Centaurus "Assasin".  When I am ready, I will have all the prep work for the molds done and it'll be a wing ding of a weekend.   :~)

Homeworld Cover: Bwana Spoons

Its a New Year, so I am starting it out with a different pic.  The next piece of artwork we are covering is an Iglicee by Bwana Spoons.

Super 7 Magazine put out a very limited edition Sterling Silver Time Traveller Ring.  There was the Prototype and then 10 were made.  The ring was made after a new Time Traveller Chest Plate designed by Dave Waugh.  The rings were a tandem set that also included an Iglicee by Bwana Spoons.  Both are numbered and the Iglicee is also signed and measures roughly 5 x 7 edge to edge.   I wish I could remember WHEN I picked this up.  I have had it for a number of years now. 

I believe its somewhere around a size 10 or 11 mens.

FLickr Photos Link

I have slowly been adding photo's to my flickr account.  There is a gadget that WAS supposed to allow me to display a number of the more recent photo's in the account.  But there seems to be an issue with it.  So I just got rid of it because it wasnt working. 

There is a link to my Flickr photo account in the sidebar along with some links to some very informative sites and groups and blogs as well.  Im slowly adding to it as I go.  If you know of a site that you think deserves mention, please email me.  I'll be happy to add them.

Comfort or Murphy's Law

DO I buy the truck or not?  If I do, the moment I sign anything, I have to remember that it will put me on a VERY tight budget.  Im tempting the collection gods...poking fun at them...taunting them.  I have been adding to my collection with few restraints.  And there are a couple of items that seemed to have just disappeared. 

What would be the chances that the moment I put myself out for a new vehicle, that ebay would show up with most of what I am looking for?

 I think it was minutes apart.  I brought the truck home Early Christmas Eve and noticed what I have been looking for and more shortly after getting home.  The items of significant enough value combined that I actually had to say Dam and watch them go by.  But its cool too.  Because now Im also more conscious of what I am spending.  And I am quite surprised at what a guy can get if he looks around.

I have managed to pick up a couple of really cool bootleg Transformer Cycles of one style or another.  There are so many.  I got a couple for $0.99  each plus shipping with some really good shipping rates.  2 for less than $10 including shipping.  Its always nice getting something in the mail besides a bill.  Even if it is only a cheap bootleg.  :~)

 It makes me appreciate it when I can splurge.  Reminders that you cant have everything and that even if you somehow could...it just doesnt seem like it would be all that much fun.

This picture courtesy of ebay seller hopsport.  I got this one and the green version.

New Year Collection Update

Well it is here and now its official...I have my Robotman portion of my collection complete or rather, 'my' definition of complete.  I'm only posting a pic of the side where I put it.  The other side is still the same.  I just wanted 1 decent representation of each.  If you want to get real anal about it,  there are mini Robotmen and vinyl versions and it goes on.  But this is complete to me.  I may get a MEGO Biotron just because.  But I can live without one.   Man, I sure have come along way from the completist I used to be.  I actually went from completist to realist...lol. 

So here it is...The Chromed Robotman Debut.  I bought it loose, but since this is only a regular Robotman that has been chromed, then there is NO WAY, I will ever get one that is sealed and also that means that the box is a regular Robotman box.  SO I bought a Robotman and gave the new box to the Chromed Robotman.  The remaining Robotman is being used for a custom project yet to be anounced.

Comments Turned On

I have activated the comments section for my blog.  I did a test post.  This is a google blog.  And I have 4 settings for the comments.  I dont want to allow anonymous comments, so I have it set to registered users/open id.  Its the next most open setting to anonymous.

When a comment is made, I am supposed to recieve an email informing me.  I did a test post and it worked.  However, someone tried to comment and apparently some comments are disappearing.  I am not getting a notification email and they are not appearing.  Since my 'test' post went up,  Im at a loss to understand this.

 If you are experiencing any difficulties using the 'comments' feature of this blog, please email me at the email address at the top of the blog.

Happy New Year!!!