GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

[mvm3897]

This was one of those kits that reluctantly put on my "For Sale" list.  I was fortunate that someone not only purchased it but they also commissioned me to build it for them.  I am going to do my best to get this finished by the end of August as requested by my client.  I think that if the problems with the kit are few, that deadline is very doable.

This is the GSB (G-system Best) 1/100 Xek Zwei.  As many of you know GSB is a re-caster of G-System Shop kits.  I initially purchased this from a member of the Hobbyfanatics forum after seeing Matt Tomczeks's wonderful build of the this kit. Link to his WIP can be found here: http://fichtenfoo.net/forum/index.php?topic=3689.0 and the final pics here: http://fichtenfoo.com/forum/index.php?topic=3781.0

Being that this is a re-cast there are a few issues that I have found so far.  Maybe Matt Tomczek can let me know if he had the same issues on his kit.  The main problems I found so far have to do with warped parts and a few noticeable gaps.  Watch the vids to see what I am talking about.

My client has asked for the traditional color scheme but I may ask to change up the main blue a little to be closer to my Blue Sinanju color: http://fichtenfoo.net/forum/index.php?topic=6085.0

I will be doing this WIP with a series of videos so not to many pictures until I get closer to the end.  I am making this project as a set of Tutorials as well. Using what I have learned from all my fellow model builders I hope to be able to also teach a few things.  Of course there are many ways to do things and this is my process.

So here are the 1st few vids on this build.  Thanks for taking a look and if anyone has any suggestions or comments please feel free to let me know.

Thanks
Matt

Intro Vid: http://youtu.be/DJsrcMuB-Vo
WIP 1-1: http://youtu.be/LnQpAs3oezw
WIP 1-2: http://youtu.be/nvBzgrMamT0

[Bhm]

Oh, cool! Video WIPs are always nice. I love seeing other people work live. Kinda cool to see others do things differently. I'm keeping an eye on this.

[Ezechiel]

Those video are a nice touch! Good luck on this monster!

[mvm3897]

Thanks guys.  I know it's a bit of a pain to look at vids, but I love doing wip's this way because I can explane what I am doing much easier than typing a huge paragraph.

[nico]

So you plane to do the whole WIP this way ? It's interesting to see how you work. Good luck.

[mvm3897]

So you plane to do the whole WIP this way ? It's interesting to see how you work. Good luck.

Thanks for taking the tim to check the vids out.  For the most part I will be doing vids with pics here and there.  Probably won't do any pics until I get a good portion pinned though.

[Gavros]

Awesome that you took the time to film this - Nice to see all the parts and get better idea about how resin kits differ from injection kits. I'll be eagerly following this thread.

[Kane82]

My God Matt....THANK YOU FOR DOING A VIDEO!!!!

I hope you keep going, I would love to see your painting techniques and ESPECIALLY your panel lining technique. 

Can you please do a vid on pinning as well?

[Sharkdog]

I finally got around to watching your first three videos.

Interesting way of doing a Work-In-Progress, it'll be fun to see what you do with the kit. I've never worked on a resin kit before, but the marker/sanding tip seems like it might come in handy elsewhere too.

[mvm3897]

@ Kane
Thanks for watching.  If I can figure out how to embed the vids I will do that so you don't have to go to you tube.  As far as my panel lining, that is one area that I think I am terrible, so until I get that down the way I like there won't be any demos on that.  I don't want to teach something that I am not confidant in doing my self.

@Shark
Thanks for watching.  I will be adding pics once AI start pinning.

[Kane82]

Okay, I understand Matt, that's okay.  I still can't wait to see your next video! 

[mtomczek]

Hey Matt -

The two biggest problems I had with this kit were the two rear skirts fitting together and all of the weight pulling on the back of the kit.

It took lots of boiling water and flexing to get those rear skirt shells to fit together nicely, and even then they aren't perfect.

The weight issue also required me to epoxy the legs in one place and epoxy the legs to the torso. This prevented them from bending backwards, and the torso from rotating in the leg sockets.

[mvm3897]

Hey Matt -

The two biggest problems I had with this kit were the two rear skirts fitting together and all of the weight pulling on the back of the kit.

It took lots of boiling water and flexing to get those rear skirt shells to fit together nicely, and even then they aren't perfect.

The weight issue also required me to epoxy the legs in one place and epoxy the legs to the torso. This prevented them from bending backwards, and the torso from rotating in the leg sockets.

Thanks for the info.  I was wondering if you could take a few extra pics of your kit for me if not don't worry about it.  I am working on fitting the armor on the legs and I am not sure exactly how the knee armor attaches.  Also the front armor over the foot looks to be off center.  Was yours like that?

Thanks
Matt

[mvm3897]

So work continues on the Xeku-Zwei.  I was able to get a few hours in yesterday. I told my wife all I wanted for father's day was to wash my car, get a hair cut, and work on the Xeku.

No vids this time just a few pics.  I managed to get 90% of the upper and lower torso pinned.  Everything seems to fit pretty well. I will have to boil and shape a few parts to loose some gaps here and there and there will be some filling done in a few spots to get rid of a few other gaps but nothing major. 

Thins thing is just freaking huge and such a weird design.... I just love it.

Here is where I am right now:

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!!!

There you go for now.  Also thanks to Mtomczek for letting my badger him with questions about this kit.

[Major Williams]

Looks good and clean!

I almost wish I had a father's day excuse to work on models all day haha.  That sounds like a great time.

Glad to see pics, and I was getting used to the vids too haha.

[Ezechiel]

Mmmh, such an awesomely beefy design!

[Kane82]

Looks great so far!  That looks like its a really good quality mold.

Yeah, Mtomczek is super patient.  I know I wore his digital ear off asking questions about panel line washing. 

[mvm3897]

Looks great so far!  That looks like its a really good quality mold.

Yeah, Mtomczek is super patient.  I know I wore his digital ear off asking questions about panel line washing. 

For the most part it's a good mold.  I have been re-scribing the panel lines and there are a few details that got lost.  The thing that will take the longest I think will be the boiling and reshaping of the parts.  I keep finding warped and bent parts.

[mtomczek]

Looks great so far!  That looks like its a really good quality mold.

Yeah, Mtomczek is super patient.  I know I wore his digital ear off asking questions about panel line washing. 

:) No worries at all, I enjoy helping you guys out.

I did just realize I still need to answer your last questions you sent me Kane.

[mvm3897]

A little update with a small tutorial thrown in.

First a few pics of how I pin parts.

1st:  Drill hole in 1st part.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

2nd:  Use some Blue Tack on the other part you are pinning to.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

3rd:  Press the 1st part into the Blue Tack and remove leaving a small Blue Tack peg.  This is left by the hole in the 1st part.  Mark the center of this with a hobby knife and then drill your hole.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

4th:  Using brass rod the same size as your hole, in this example I am using 3/32" brass rod, make a pinm and insert into 1st piece.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

5th:  Now you 2 pieces should fit together perfectly.  This is how I do 90% of my pinning.

GSB 1/100 Xeku Zwei Commision!!!

This video will show my progress as well as the above procedure.  Since this video was mad I got this shoulder pinned as well as the shoulder rack and missile launchers.  Everything is still fitting very well. 

Video here:
http://youtu.be/KmGGhbS-mwk

Thanks for looking