I have a friend who builds those types of collectables and I can tell you its one step at a time depending on how she built it did she commission it or build it herself? Either way there is expense and knowledge to build a fully functioning clap trap one not only needs to fabricate all the pieces and paint it you're also looking at all his electronics making him move can be jerry rigged with electric car base and wheel but will they support the weight? And being his design is specific you may need to change his proportions to balance properly on the uniwheel when you drive him you might even need to add/decrease weight of all internal wiring to make sure he won't fall over the second you turn him on, and if you can't find his wheel or you can't get all the balance issues sorted with the on market wheels then that means electrical work to build the whole thing from scratch and to make your own remote to control him. At least there kits out there and this is an easier build because you don't need to hid curtain things that on on other rigs would be considered unsightly. Also how is he going to solo stand are you going to integrate kick stand? That wasn't part of the design so are you going to make the wheel so broad as its not an issue but then again you change his proportions too much and it gets to be obvious.Jadak said:
Clap Trap talking and making sounds isn't that easy, if you legally want them you have to buy them from companies authorized to sell them and that can be a pretty penny my friend's R2D2 sounds came on a chip he had to integrate into the body. If you have all the technology to record it in a quality way you still need to get it into a format that will work for your rig for instance her making a burned CD of sounds wouldn't be as cool as rigging it to the remote keys on a controller so you control what he says and when in addition to controlling his movements. My friend has taken several years to hand craft a functioning R2D2 steampunk version which he is finally proud to show off to us with light, sounds, moveable parts, controllable base, and he will never be done adding all the little extras he wants he can't stop making the Ghost Buster's pack it takes him a good month to hand craft that pack, gun, and include all the sound effects, lights (and the reason this is shorter is because he has molds he handmade and cast so he can keep doing it w/o the molds he says he wouldn't be able to keep making it) and now he's looking to complicate his life more by making it play not just its own music from the movie but also he wants it to play the customers music like their own mp3 players and such! Which will now tack on time for those seeking these complex packs.
Looking at the item it seems her budget wasn't sky high to make this character so lets just say she had $1000 to work with you aren't getting all the bells and whistles you stated w/o a whole lot more money if you commissioned it and if you make it yourself you might be able to keep it under that material wise but you have to choose do I buy all the electric stuff as pre-made as I can find it or do it myself? molding, fabricating, wood working, and wiring clap trap by yourself or with your friends who know how to do these things in these areas will keep the cost down but for the most budget friendly its best to do it yourself.
Long story short her having the eye and its standing there is a great start for her first model she can always add to it later and frankly she did it to show her man she loves him and at least supports what he likes and most men I know beam at that sort of attention and caring from their GFs/wives. So no I don't find it lame as a personalized gift she could've gotten him a poster but she chose to make it for him. I think the white paint not being perfect as deliberate to make him look old and as a decorative table/floor lamp its pretty awesome.
