Claptrap Figurine Part 1 - Initial Carving

After stumbling upon Volpin Props, I decided to make a wooden figurine of the iconic Borderlands character, CL4P-TP (for those not in the know, Claptrap). I absolutely loved the original game and sank at least 60 hours into my first character, and seeing this character figurine in my mind as I imagined all of this was great.

So, I did a little digging around for a fairly recent issue of Game Informer (specifically issue 207) that I remember having an interview with Gearbox Software's own Lorin Wood, creator of our star character. It had his original sketch, some conceptualizations, and the full high-resolution 3D model. I used that model to come up with the 10-minute design sheet I always start a build with.

I knew I wanted to make the figurine at least 6-8 inches tall without the base and arms, so I hit up the local Utrecht art supply store and got a couple of 4 x 2 x 12 inch architectural basswood blocks. I glued them together with some generic wood glue and clamped them together to cure for 12 hours (overnight).

I do apologize for the garbage quality images, but my camera is being temperamental and my iPod had to do in a pinch. The finished glued block is 4 x 4 x 12 inches, the size I wanted. I do realize that I could have just ordered a block of basswood that large online, but it would have been only slightly cheaper.

After a bit of deliberation of how I wanted the base to look, to sketched the basic front and side profiles onto the wood.

Then I grabbed my basic wood saw and small hobby hacksaw to cut out the basic rectangular shape of Claptrap and drew the outline with a marker.

I'm no advanced wood carver or anything, but I think the base has been coming along nicely. My plan is to have Claptrap standing on a bed of rocks or cracked desert earth. I've also started to hack into the side to make the necessary angle while finding the best technique to make the sides go by faster.

Just a close-up of later on in the side panel. I've found a pretty efficient technique for it, but it still takes quite a while to make any progress without proper carving tools (I'm using an x-acto knife with a curved blade to not crush the grain in the wood).