Topics

1

Tools / Sticky-tac?

« on: May 29, 2011, 10:12:42 AM »

I've got a question about sticky-tac (aka poster tac aka blu-tac).  What kind should I look for to do masking with?  I had some blu-tac for about a year or so and it ended up drying out and becoming unusable; unfortunately I never got to try masking with it but it did seem to work OK for sticking parts to sprues.  Since it's not something that can easily be found locally, I ended up getting it off of amazon for WAY too much.  However, I've picked up a few different types that I have seen around (such as $1.50 stuff from the Wal-Mart office supply aisle), but all of the ones I can find mention having oil that is not recommended to be used on painted surfaces.  As I threw away the blu-tac I can't look at the package to see if it had similar warnings.  So, suggestions?

2

Assembly/Scratchbuilding / 1/100 MG-ish Skygrasper build (updated)

« on: May 14, 2010, 06:16:40 PM »

Hey guys, I'm working on kitbashing a MG Skygrasper (thought it was a waste having so many striker packs and not enough strikes for them.... ). While I'm still mostly in the planning phase, thinking about how to do everything and all, there's a couple of questions and problems I was running into. I'm basing it mostly off of the PG version, but as this is my first scratchbuild I'm going to be simplifying stuff as much as I can (cannibalizing the back and shoulders from a MG Strike, and the nosecone/cockpit from a 1/100 VF-1D Macross Valkyrie kit).

My first and largest issue: the dome on the top that the main beam cannon goes into. How would one scratchbuild one of those? I haven't seen any spherical pla-plate, and can't think of anything else to even try to use (ping pong balls are about the same size/larger than the PG one).

And of course as I was writing that, an idea hit me upside the head. Might try using those plastic containers that the cheap 25 cent toys come in from vending machines.


Next, suggestions for doing the shield mounting points on the sides? Simplest thing I guess to do would be to just drill a hole the right size, but that might look a bit ugly. Ideally I'd like to have it be slideable like the PG, but not sure how to accomplish that.

Third, how should I go about actually making the intake? vent on the bottom? Would I leave it hollow, or fill it in with putty, or have crosssections of plaplate? Mostly I'm trying to figure out how to get the angles on it correct. I could just be lazy and make it a straight rectangle, but that would be kind of boring looking. Most of the body will be from the valk, with some added details here and there (of course, with the valk torso being way to wide, it'll get chopped down a bunch).

Anyway, that's it as far as questions for the actual build goes. A few of my friends that I've been talking to about this project have shown an interest in having me cast it for them, so are there any suggestions about things to do/not do as I'm working on the build? And how in the world would I go about casting the canopy?

Here's a link a completed kit of the valkyrie (VF-1D) that I have:
http://plamo.outthere.info/forum/showthread.php?tid=789&pid=12898

3

Painting/Priming / "GM" Blue?

« on: March 20, 2010, 09:30:37 AM »

Any suggestions for mixing the "GM blue" color that is on almost all of the GMs? (the first GM, GM Custom, etc).  I'm using Tamiya right now, but may end up using Mr Color instead.  White and blue are a given (but which blue?  and is there one already premixed?).

4

Painting/Priming / Paint organization?

« on: October 10, 2009, 02:13:34 PM »

I was looking around on Hobbywave and found this:

http://www.hobbywave.com/modeling_supplies/mr-color-stocker.html

And it got me curious about how you guys have your paints organized.  ATM I have all of my bottled paints in one of my plastic drawers that are by my work area, but was thinking of getting something a little bit more organized.  If you guys know any cheaper alternatives to the Mr Color one, that would be awesome too.

5

Painting/Priming / Spray Booth Lighting?

« on: September 25, 2009, 01:25:54 PM »

Hey guys, I recently purchased a Paasche spray booth, as it's starting to get cold outside here and I would like to keep working on my models.  Lighting in the room it's going to be in sucks, though, despite all of my efforts to put more lights (I'd swear there's a black hole somewhere in the room).  I'm wanting to get some kind of light to put in the booth to help my eyes see what's going on.  Any recommendations as to what to be looking for?

http://www.paascheairbrush.com/booths_hssb.html

The first booth (the smaller, cheap one) is what I got (well, will get, whenever the LHS gets it in for me.  Probably Monday).

6

Capitalism Corner* / Anyone going to Chara Hobby this year?

« on: August 14, 2009, 05:38:34 PM »

http://ngeekhiong.blogspot.com/2009/08/dengeki-hobbys-limited-items-for-chara.html


That should say it all.  I'm really wanting to get my hands on a couple of the Sefer Rasiel kits, if anyone is going.  Please let me know.

7

Model In-Progress / HGUC RX-78-2 and SD GP02A WIPs (no pics yet)

« on: July 16, 2009, 05:57:50 PM »

So I've finally got off my lazy rear and started airbrushing some of my Gundams.  Actually, no, I take it back, I've started doing it regularly.  I've had my SD GP02A seamline-less and puttied for about a year now.  Anyway, the last week or two I've got in more airbrush time on my stuff than I have in the 2 years (wow, has it been that long?) that I've owned my airbrush (Badger 175).  I have some german grey sprayed on the dark gray parts for the GP02A, semi-gloss black base coat sprayed on the majority of the rest of the parts that I'm still not trying to get puttied to my satisfaction, and then for the RX-78 I have had the parts sanded and puttied for a few months now.  I primed them about 2-3 days ago, and today got out while there was still some sunlight in the sky (I have to airbrush on the balcony of mine and my girlfriend's tiny 1 bedroom apartment) and got almost all of the base colors on (blue, red, yellow and some more german gray - damn I love that color!).  I ran into three problems.  First, my yellow came out slightly greenish tinted (I think that's because I didn't run enough thinner through the AB between colors, since I did blue right before the yellow).  Second, while in the middle of spraying the red I realized one of the feet was missing (I found it a little while later, while on the way to the trash can with my used paper towels and q-tips from cleaning the AB.  I first spotted the skewer it was on, and then it sank in that the skewers were something one of my cats might like to get into....  the foot was spotted about a foot away, hiding underneath a small TV in the dining room/GF's "corner").  Last and most troubling (until I think I figured out what the prob was) the white I was using (Tamiya XF-1 White) was only coming out as clear.  It was well-mixed, and I had added the correct amount of thinner (1:1 or so).  I went through 2 cup fulls of it (the AB cup) before I gave up; I had got SOME of it to stick to one of the legs, but only after spraying a TON of it, until it was running off... which wasn't good.  I only realized after I had got everything cleaned up and put away that my moisture trap was just about full.....  D'OH!!!  And then I remembered my girlfriend telling me it was supposed to start raining tomorrow and for several days between now and next week....  so yeah, the humidity was high today  :)

So I guess my project tomorrow will be to strip the two parts I tried to paint white and get the white done, strip the yellow and get that put back on, and maybe try to snap some pics of the RX-78.  For now, I think I'm going to go touch up the base coat of the GP02A, sand some of the puttied parts and add them to my queue of stuff to spray tomorrow (need to re-primer it).  I'll try to take some WIP pics; I know my stuff isn't as good as ya'lls, but I'm definitely open to critique and improvement in my techniques.

So, will Tamiya white directly over Tamiya Grey primer be oK?  Or will it maybe be a bit easier to do a black basecoat then do the white over it?  And what psi/thinner to paint ratio should I be using for the white?


I'm going to be working on some cars (mostly Mustangs, maybe one of the new Challenger kits) in the future, as well as a bike or two (I got my GF a 1/12 Tamiya Ninja for $10 when one of the LHS had a bunch of them on clearance.  Of course, I'll have to sprinkle those in with the gazillion Gundams that are queued up  :)  This whole not having a job thing is pretty good for my Plamo hobby, yeah? 

8

Kit Specifics / MG G-Armor extra pieces

« on: June 28, 2009, 10:56:36 AM »

Hi guys, I just finished snapping my MG G-Armor yesterday and there were two pieces left over that I did not find in the instructions at all.  They were both from the I runners, part 31 I believe.  They look kind of like the parts that are on the MKII 2.0's backpack to attach the thrusters to.  Did I miss these in one of the steps (like I said, pretty sure I didn't; I read through the silly thing 4 times)? 

9

Model Talk / Sprues sprues and more sprues

« on: June 27, 2009, 10:40:47 PM »

Well, I realized today how many friggin sprues I have left over from all the kits I've snapped over the last year or two.  I know I can use a few of them in scratchbuilding, but let's face it; I don't do enough of that to warrant keeping a full cardboard box full around.  So what I want to know is, is there a way to recycle these?  I hate just dumping plastic in the trash when I know it has a use somehow.  I wish Bandai would accept returned sprues to put towards their Ecopla line of kits.  That would be the coolest thing for me, but I know if they did do that it would only be for Japan.  So what am I to do?

10

Model Help* (Check Stickies and Search First) / PG Skygrasper and 1/60 Valk comparison?

« on: June 13, 2009, 09:07:01 PM »

Hey guys, I've been tossing around the idea in my head of doing a MG Skygrasper, and thought I'd use a scaled-down PG Skygrasper as a base.  What I'm wanting to know is how the PG Skygrasper's front end and that of a 1/60 valk compare, size and shapewise.  I know my scratchbuilding skills probably aren't good enough to do that particular part of it, so figured if I can find a 1/100 valk and they're close enough I could use that as a jumping off point.  So...  anyone who has both, help a brotha out?  :)

11

Model Help* (Check Stickies and Search First) / Gundam USB Drive

« on: April 07, 2009, 08:58:04 AM »

Hey guys, I know it's not exactly plamo related (maybe), but have you guys seen the Gundam USB thumb drive?  It's basically RX-78 in quasi-SD form, with the USB stick coming out of it's rear end.  I would really like to get one, but I'll be damned if I pay $70-100 for a 4gb thumb drive.  So of course I had the bright idea to make my own  :)  I figure I can get a 16gb stick for $40, and strip the casing from it and put it into a Gundam gashapon figure of some sort.  That's where you guys come in; which of the gazillions of gashapon out there would be appropriate sized?  I've never bought any of these and I don't want to start a collection just for this, but just want some to mod and put the flash drive(s) in.

12

Kit Specifics / MG Force Impulse

« on: March 17, 2009, 08:09:05 PM »

Has anyone replaced and/or modded the hydraulics on the MG Force Impulse's ankles?  Yes, the ones that slip out if you move the foot down too far....  I'm thinking of some metal rod and tubes, but just wanted to get some ideas from someone else's work, if anyone else has bothered modding this kit.

13

Assembly/Scratchbuilding / Akohobby Powered GM conversion

« on: January 03, 2009, 08:13:17 AM »

Has anyone done the IP Akohobby Powered GM Conversion?  I started the initial build of mine last night, and while for the most part fitment seems good, the two halves of the shoulders, on both sides, won't stay together for anything, although they fit onto the GM body fine.  I hadn't expected PERFECT fitment (ok, maybe I had; spoiled by Bandai's kits so far...), but I really did expect a bit of work.  This is my first conversion kit of any kind though so wasn't sure what to expect.  Ah well, time to bust out the glue and putty and sanding implements  :)

14

Model Help* (Check Stickies and Search First) / LED and Wiring question

« on: January 02, 2009, 05:19:07 PM »

What size wire should I be using to put LEDs in my kits? (mostly MGs so far, but maybe a few 1/144s when I'm comfortable doing it).  Anything else I should be aware of for doing this?  I've read tons of tutorials and stuff about putting them in kits, so am pretty OK with doing it for now, I reckon  :)  Got a TON of LEDs (5mm ones though - gonna order some 3mm soon) from Christmas light sales - spent maybe $15 and have roughly 250 LEDs in varying colors.  They're flat-topped ones with an inverse cone, so not sure how well the light will be focused, but should be interesting to see.

Anyone have any pictures of wiring an old USB cord to do the powering, too?  I have a few batteries lying around I can use, but am trying to be cost-efficient in doing this.

15

Kit Specifics / MG Kampfer Leg issues

« on: December 09, 2008, 07:10:15 PM »

Hi guys,

I built my MG Kampfer a long time ago, and when I first built it a part on one of the legs broke because it is so thing (Part H1 to be specific).  I moved shortly after that and it has been boxed up for a bit.  I finally remember it and got around to getting a replacement from Bandai.  Went to put it on tonight and wouldn't you know the damned thing had stress marks on the same spot on the new part, even before I finished getting the leg fully reassembled.  I have a feeling it is too tight on the post that is holding it to the knee joint, or it might be something else causing it to break.  I haven't really done any scratchbuilding or customizing (hell, I haven't even got around to fully painting a kit yet), so I'm not sure if there's a way to reinforce or replace the joint to be stronger.  Has anyone run into this problem that can offer any suggestions?

16

Model Talk / AoZ TTT colors

« on: November 05, 2008, 11:54:43 AM »

So....  does anyone have an explanation why the AoZ TTT mechs are in AEUG colors? (Hazel Custom, Hrairoo, etc etc).  Or, I guess the question would more appropriately be asked why did the AEUG choose TTT colors to repaint the MK II in?

17

Model Talk / Question about AoZ Dengeki Hobby kits

« on: October 28, 2008, 05:57:34 PM »

Which issues had the add-on AoZ parts (the Primrose, the Hrududu, and the head for GM Quel)?

18

Capitalism Corner* / Bunch of HG 1/144 and 1/100 and older MGs for sale

« on: October 28, 2008, 10:30:09 AM »

I've got some kits I'd like to sell and/or trade.  All have their boxes and instructions and as far as I know none have broke parts.  I'll add to this list as time goes on.

MG Char's Zaku II v1 (unbuilt, still sealed in bags - US version)
MG GP02A Coating version (unbuilt, still sealed, US Version)
MG Zaku II v1 (snapped, no decals applied or any other work done)
MG Zeta Gundam v1 (snapped, no decals/stickers, one or two of the hip pegs are broke)
PG RX-78-2 (snapped, no stickers/decals applied)
PG Zaku II (char's) (snapped, no stickers/decals applied)
HG 1/144 Serpent Custom
1/144 Nu Gundam (NOT the HGUC one, but the original kit... - snapped)
HG 1/100 Wing Gundam
HG 1/100 Nataku Gundam
HG 1/100 Heavyarms Custom
HG 1/100 Deathscythe Hell Custom
HG 1/100 Wing Gundam Zero Custom (coating)



I'm currently looking for unbuilt HGUC kits, specially the box sets (Operating V, the Zeta set, and the Dom set), Zeta or AoZ HGUC kits (especially looking for Hrududu x2), MG Hi-Nu, MG Kampfer, MG Freedom, MG Strike Rouge, MG Sword/Launcher Strike, MG Force Impulse, MG I Justice, MG Shin Musha, and any of the v2.0 Zeon kits (Zaku, Char's Zaku, Char's Gelgoog, Gelgoog Mass production, Zaku Cannon, etc etc), and MG Zeta White Unicorn

19

Capitalism Corner* / Dengeki Hobby AoZ kits

« on: October 21, 2008, 01:05:25 PM »

Does anyone have suggestions where I can look for the Dengeki Hobby Primrose and hrududu kits for the HGUC Hazel?

20

Kit Specifics / Gouf v2.0 custom, anyone done this?

« on: October 19, 2008, 07:04:58 AM »

Hi guys

I'm really digging the new Zaku II v2.0 kits, and was thinking of "upgrading" my old Gouf kit to v2.0 standards, by combining the armor and stuff that is different from the Gouf kit to the new Zaku.  I was just wondering if anyone has done this or thought about doing it, and any potential problems that may arise.  I know the armor bits aren't all going to fit perfectly on the Zaku frame, and some customizing (a LOT) will be in order, but I think it would make a worthy project (and watch, Bandai will release a Gouf v2.0 kit right after I finish it....)  Which one of the v2.0 variants will be the closest fit?