GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

[mvm3897]

Thanks guys, it's coming along nicely.  The lifting issues was to my impatience.  Always wait at least 24 hours before masking.  I just sanded the piece down and re-primed it last night.  Luckely I had only sprayed one color.  I will have another update this week. 

A note to anyone who wants to try one of these big guys.  What ever the kit costs, estimate at least the same in supplies if not more.  I will have about $250.00 in supplies on this guy when done. 

[mvm3897]

Just a small update tonight.  I spent several hours masking and painting small details last night.  I just test fitted the torso together to see how it's look an here it is as of now.  The neck piece still need to be sprayed yellow but you can see that it's been shaded.  A few more details and some masking and the torso and legs are done and ready for clear, panel lines and decals. 

Here is what the upper torso looks like so far:

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

Thanks for looking as always.  And also I aplogize for my inactivity on other threads.  I have seen a ton of great WIP and finished pieces but right now my time is consumed with this commission and family.  I hope to be back to posting comments on a more frequent basis soon.

Thanks
Matt

[nico]

Very nice and clean you must have spent lots of time masking for minutes of spraying. I can see mesh in the vents on it's back is it in the kit or did you add this detail.

[mvm3897]

Very nice and clean you must have spent lots of time masking for minutes of spraying. I can see mesh in the vents on it's back is it in the kit or did you add this detail.

Thanks Nico,

Yeah, I think I spent about 2 hours of masking for less than 5 minutes of spraying paint.  It does pay off in the end over hand brushing these details.  The mesh is casted as part of the kit.  To bad you really won't see it once I put the slats on.

[MGmodeler]

Whoa Matt, you paint job looks like it is bare plastic @#$!@#$&@%^

Take that as a compliment as it looks soooo smooth.  I guess all the sanding pays off in the end.

I think that is one thing I have to do better on my next build as I just primed and went to finish coat without any sanding.
I actually sanded my action base and that paint came out much smoother.

I must follow the masters here!

[Grail]

Wow, this is looking REALLY cool.  Loving your paint. I wouldn't sweat the stripped part. (I'm sure you're not  ) merely a flesh wound! 
Awesome work.

[mvm3897]

Thanks guys

@Grail
Yeah I just sanded it down and re-primed it.  Thank god I had only sprayed one color so far.

[mvm3897]

Well I have all the major painting done on the torso and legs. I have epoxied a few parts into sub assemblies such as the lower torso, the upper torso and I will make some others tomorrow.  Next is brush touching all the little nicks and scratches from test fitting, then clear coat for enamel panel lines and hand brushing details.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

More to come.  Thanks for looking.

[mvm3897]

Nothing really new just a few vids:
WIP Vid #6 http://youtu.be/cUeHUBgvuGk
WIP Vid #7 http://youtu.be/inQwL_a-F0A

[mvm3897]

Huge milestone.  Torso is all painted!!!!!

Man do I feel like I have gotten somewhere.  I am overall very very happy with how this is looking.  Next step are the large butt pieces.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

[IMG=http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/3513/mg0336i.jpg]http://[/img]

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

Everything will be tucked away until the final assembly.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

Thanks for following along.  Until next time...

[Hunter Rose]

Dude that looking seriously sweet!

All the inner details look fantastic and I love that shade of blue

[mvm3897]

Thanks Hunter.  I love the way it's looking also.

[mvm3897]

OK with the Holidays behind us I was able to make some more progress.  Over the past few weeks I assembled and paint the large
"butt pieces"  I think the are fuel tanks so if any one knows for sure please let me know.  There were very difficult ti assemble.  Painting was fairly painless.  I work for a at least a whole day heating and shaping the resin to get the halves together.  I got them to fit better that they originally did but the smaller one still has a pretty good gap.  You can't see it while it's one the kit but you can see it if you turn it over.  The large one actually fit pretty well.  I did manage to crack the smaller one while attempting to get it to fit and that when I decided to leave it as it was.  Surprisingly everything seems to fit together pretty well.

I spent the past 3 days epoxying things together.  This is a very slow and stressful process.  It's very easy to f*** things up while epoxying things.  The only things the I have to go back and do are some brush touch ups.  I got a few nicks and scratches here and there just from handeling the kit so much.  I have also decided that I will giver everything another round of flat coat before final assembly.

Here are the steps to assembly so far:

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

And here she is as of know.  This thing is just freaking huge.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

The legs were al expoxied together as well as to the torso.  The top of the torso is also epoxied.  I did this just to help keep things in alignment and easier for my client to assemble when he gets it.

1st I drilled 4 3/32 holes on the inside of the joints.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

I then wrapped some paper towels around the legs to keep any excess epoxy from dripping onto the legs.  I also sanded all the paint and primer off of the ball joint with 60 grit sandpaper.  You have to have bare resin for the epoxy to work well so every where that I epoxied I sanded the paint and primer with 60 grit sand paper of both pieces to be joined.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

Last I just used the bigger of the butts/fuel tanks to hold the legs and lower torso in place.  Not pictured is the upper torso which has also been epoxied into lace.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

All I have to do to the butt/fuel tanks are gloss coat decal and panel lines and flat coat.  Seems like a lot butt I can do that in 2 evenings.

Now onto the arms and BFG.

Thanks for looking as always.
Matt

[MGmodeler]

Some great progress you are making there Matt!
At least you can see the final completion is close at hand. 

I sure do wish that I could get some modeling time in.  I've been stuck at the primer/sanding stage for a long while now...

Should I change my way of building resin?  I see you build up subassemblies at a time like an arm or leg.  I usually build evenything at once sand/prime and them paint everything the same color at the same time just to keep all the shades of color consistant.  Does your system just break up the amount of time spent doing one thing?

[mvm3897]

Thanks man,

Yeah on large projects like this I do subassemblies so I don't get burnt out on 1 process.  The colors are a little tricky to keep consistent but I don't worry about it to much.

[Grail]

NICE! Looking good man!  That blue kills! Decals look great too.
What did you use for decal set on this? Micro? ,Sol?,Set?,both?,Future?  Would you like some more questions?   

[mvm3897]

NICE! Looking good man!  That blue kills! Decals look great too.
What did you use for decal set on this? Micro? ,Sol?,Set?,both?,Future?  Would you like some more questions?   

Thanks Grail.

I use Micro Sol and thats it.  I have Micro Set but I only ever use that if I am doing decals on a satin or flat surface other whose it just rolls of the model and serves no purpose.  I just put the decal on, get it where I want, roll a Q-Tip over it to squeeze the extra water out and set it and then just brush on Micro Sol.  U tend to use a lot of Micro Sol, I soak the decal and usually do 2-3 rounds of it to really melt the decal.  After the flat coat they look painted on.

[Grail]

I have Micro Set but I only ever use that if I am doing decals on a satin or flat surface other whose it just rolls of the model and serves no purpose.

Roger that. I was wondering. I tend to use a lot more of the sol than set, so I was thinking I may be going a weird direction, but that makes sense.
Thanks!
Killer work!  

[mvm3897]

New Xeku Vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnuD9SZKLSA&feature=youtu.be

[mvm3897]

A little teaser until all done.  Just a few cell phone pics at my model club meeting last night.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

I have about 5-10 more hours of work.  I have to finish up the bazookas, panel line the shoulders armors BFG and arms, and the final flat coat the whole kit.

I love the way it looks and I hope my client like it.