When I posted the last update I had a big pile of untrimmed, vacformed arm pieces like so:
![Jeff Trimming Genestealer Arm Parts](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53588734006_bf318fa8bb_c.jpg)
Once the edges were cut, the next step was to clamp them to their adjoining pieces either overlapping the margins or butting them together with a piece of scrap clamped behind them like so:
![Bicep Seam Glued](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53586658762_acd9ba0edd_c.jpg)
The magnets were used along the edges were I couldn't reach with the clamps.
![Tricep Seam Glued](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53587524966_bb7a2a8a24_c.jpg)
Capillary action wicks the solvent into the tiny space between the clamped parts and everywhere it touches it dissolves the plastic a little bit. As the solvent dries out, the plastic becomes solid again, but now it's all one part:
![Genestealer Forearm Clamped for Gluing](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53587528046_7a52f22cd8_c.jpg)
So, tinkering in the background over a couple of days in between projects, the arms start to come together:
![Genestealer Arm Parts in Progress](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53589176155_cb0c8ac68b_c.jpg)
Here's one complete set of arms for one genestealer:
![Full set of Genestealer arms](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53600579935_de68b75887_c.jpg)
They'll look pretty good in paint.
Meanwhile, last time I posted about the back piece, the mold looked like so:
![Genestealer carapace mold sections cleaned](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53562073290_7e23801148_c.jpg)
As usual, there were tiny flaws in the surface, so we started by giving them a quick sanding. Here's Tia working on one of the particularly problematic parts:
![20240314_150237](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53588941708_93aba5ef93_c.jpg)
A couple of days later, I found a few minutes to finish up the wet sanding of the parts prior to waxing them:
![Mold Polishing](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53590559414_590ab83610_c.jpg)
Each segment was given three judicious coats of wax. To speed the wax drying between coats, the parts were placed in front of the big circular fan:
![Force Drying the Molds](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53590446408_794480c06a_c.jpg)
After waxing and coating with PVA mold release, the parts were bolted back together and a layer of grey gelcoat was applied to the inside:
![Mold with Gelcoat Laid In](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53599450415_9d63a80c01_c.jpg)
It's a pretty good-looking mold. Look at it:
![LOOK AT IT!](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53598992366_5368b20e9a_c.jpg)
With the gelcoat applied, the mold was set face-down to cure:
![Gelcoated Mold Left Overnight](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53599321289_d9cb339940_c.jpg)
First thing the next morning, I laid up the fiberglass inside. With all of the curves and corners, it was a tricky part to lay up while also keeping it lightweight:
![First Back Pulled from the Mold Top Left](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53599321234_a29d6fd44b_c.jpg)
Here's another shot after I'd peeled off all of the release agent:
![First Back Pulled from the Mold Back Left](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53599321144_e868d93dc6_c.jpg)
And the nice, clean inside which I'm very proud of:
![First Back Pulled from the Mold Front](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53598116907_694981d54e_c.jpg)
Here it is again, weighing almost nothing:
![First Back Pulled From Mold](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53598116572_a1291dbc8d_c.jpg)
After trimming the edges and cutting out the windows where the fleshy bits will be exposed, I did a quick fitting for the arm pieces with some gaff tape:
![Genestealer Arms Test Fit Back Right](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53598989911_750a1c7c5e_c.jpg)
Since I had it all set up anyway, I couldn't resist the urge to try it on:
![Genestealer Arms Test Fit Front Crouch](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53598115107_91335fdfbb_c.jpg)
It'll be interesting once I have all of the weight of the head out in front, but for right now it's pretty easy to carry around:
![Genestealer Arms Test Fit Hunched Front Right](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53598115402_5277f22677_c.jpg)
I'm probably going to make up a backplate for the upper body to slot onto once we get the chest molded. That way I can give the whole thing a rigid mounting system. It'll be interesting working out a way to balance the weight on the nose and still keep some agility in the waist:
![Genestealer Arms Test Fit Crouched Right](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53599200093_ff521e78d9_c.jpg)
Still, this critter is going to be a lot of fun to perform in:
![Genestealer Arms Test Fit Front Wave](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53599320239_8318540c0e_c.jpg)
For now, here it sits while I work out how I want the chest to work:
![Genestealer Arms Test Fit Front Left](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53599319294_d0639b7a07_c.jpg)
Stay tuned...