Learning from a troll

   Today I wanted to follow up on the troll mold.  It was a learning step for me, being only my second attempt at an organic model. (The first never saw the press due to mechanical failures). Here is a pic of a prototype put out of the press and glued together.  It is again another near miss. There are a couple of things I would like to change.  I do not like the open hand and weapon laying in it. It does allow for a builder to use rocks, skulls or whatever in place of the weapon. I do not like the way it looks however.  I should have made multiple hands each grasping a weapon, as well as an open hand. Secondly, the face should be a bit bigger so the details are more noticeable. And finally, the torso needs a bit of filing before it fits into the legs.

   I put a bit of paint on the troll and it looks OK, maybe something like the quality of the Battlemasters ogre model.

  Overall I am pretty happy to see some progress towards the multi part figures I ultimately intend to make. My next mold is a custom mold being made for someone else, so it will be a while before I can get back to having another go at my own things.  I really want to have my first infantry products for sale by the end of the year. My to do list keeps growing, which is good. In addition to making "proxies" for other games I want to finish out some infantry to go along with may tanks so that can grow into a small game someday.
  Looks like I am going to be at Fall-in. Hope to sell some bases and hand out my new business cards. Get a chance to greet people and talk with other hobbyists. It has been a while since I regularly attended conventions and I am looking forward to it. I would like to have some new stuff available by then.

   There is only one thing that keeps standing in my way. The mechanical failures I so often complain about. I know this sounds like a broken record, but it is getting really annoying.

  It started off as a series of seemingly minor unrelated events. A finger chopped off here, a small fire there, a water leak, a PC power supply failure, a motor bearing siezing up, gibs on the CNC becoming rusted, etc.  But lately I have begun to suspect something more sinister. I am posting this blog report from my daughter's lap top. My main PC, with all of my files for making products has shut down and refuses to work. FOR NO REASON.  It is barely 2 years old. 
   A friend stopped by to help diagnose it and we think the mother board is fried. I am awating a new one so I can get back to work. However, the frequency of these events has led me to conclude that it is not a coincidence, the machines are out to get me.  Now that I have accurately assessed the situation I can take  measures to assert my authority over these troublesome gremlins.  And gremlins are the only logical conclusion. My shop is infested with them.   For now.