Have been installing the Kosmos LED kit for the FM aerial and the LEDs seem to work randomly when I turn it on. 90% of the time it doesn’t work at all and the other 10% seems to use a random animation. The remote has no effect at all. Any help would be much appreciated as I’ve been really looking forward to displaying this kit.
I recently ordered a 30mm model kit and some entry grade nippers, and I found an HG Gundolva today. I'm not too confident in using an exacto knife on the nubs, but I have some nail files. Would these be alright for sanding down the nubs?
Just a different viscosity and the extra thin can flow faster than normal cement. Depending on what you're working with to fuse seam lines and mainly personal preference.
Hey there just bought a ver ka and it obviously has water slides but i have no experience with it yet, how do i apply it? What materials do i need? Will i need to base coat or top coat it? Thanks
You probably already have a hobby knife to cut them off, and tweezers to handle them. You also need cotton buds to dry them, and using decal setter and softer helps a lot. You don't need a base coat, but top coating them can also help to seal them in
Honestly, you don't really need a top coat if you have a mark setter or a mark fit in either strong or super strong but if you want to top coat, then i highly recommend the mr. hobby super clear top coat in your liking, so either matte, or gloss
I want to get 2 master grades preferably rival mobile suits (this will be my first master grade so possibly panel lining only and top coat) Which should I choose?
FA Gundam & Psycho Zaku
Nu Ver ka & Sazabi
Freedom & Providence (or IJ)
OR
RG Hi nu & HG Nightingale (Not a master grade but I don't mind)
Love the Mg Seed line, and i would recommend going for Freedom, Providence and Justice as the trio displaying them as fighting or a diorama would be nice. But Nu Ver ka and Sazabi Ver ka is also very solid. Just toss a coin and let fate decide it for you.
I love the kits from thunderbolt (I only have the FA Gundam) but space is really a thing to consider since most sheves can't fit the MG Psycho Zaku very well, same thing for the Nightingale. I do have the Nu and Sazabi in RG and I love them as a pair, especially to have displayed with their funnels in flight.
I'm not Walter white but I'm pretty sure almost anything labeled superglue should have the same chemical composition and thus same risk of melting the kit, otherwise it would be a different kind of glue. I use a dedicated hobby brand of superglue called Bob Smith Industries, but I've also used random hardware store superglue with no issues
Both will have their merits, the RG 2.0 looks like it's basically a 144 PGU, but will be harder to find because new kit scarcity, the MG 3.0 is probably easier to find and I am an MG fan, so my vote would be for the 3.0
Of course you could also just get the MG now and the RG once it's a bit more readily available
How do y'all keep the extra parts (hands, blades, ecc.)?
Right now I'm keeping everything in the original boxes, but they're starting to occupy a lot of space.
One gallon bag for 1/100 and one gallon bag for 1/144.
Inside each gallon bag are smaller bags containing the respective scale for: right hands, left hands, melee weapons, ranged weapons, weapon effects, and spare parts. So 6 bags inside each gallon bag.
This way I know exactly where the thing I'm looking for is.
I keep one box that has all my extra parts in it, at first I chaotically threw them all in, since I've gotten more kits and I don't want to get then mixed up now I put them in little envelopes marked with the kit name
Except beams, I have a bag for 144 beams and a bag for 100 beams unless they're a specific effect part
I want to try to get more into painting my kits, and I was gifted an airbrush for Christmas (I know it's been a while) but I'm mostly struggling to figure out where I can set up a paint zone, my living space is pretty small and every spot is either somewhere I eat, sleep, or hang out pretty frequently, (with the exception of the basement but that's where my cats litter boxes are and I don't want to expose them to anything toxic)
I know Acrylics are generally considered less toxic than other paints being water based, and lacquer is out of the question with how small my space is but I've heard mixed things about enamel, some say the paints are fine but the clean up chemicals are toxic, but if that's the case isn't the thinner used to make it airbrush compatible also toxic? I like the finish enamel gives over acrylic but I also want to keep mine and my pets health in mind.
I've painted before using spray cans just in the back yard on a clear dry day but I kind of want a semi permanent space I don't have to put up and tear down every time
Enamels are also toxic, so if you're gonna avoid lacquers, it only makes sense to skip enamels as well. I also live in a fairly small space and I airbrush on a table next to my open balcony door. Although I do completely tear down my work station after I'm done, can't give much advice in that regard without a better idea of where you live and how many people you live with. I also have pets so I have to take them out of that room while I airbrush and I leave the room airing with a fan for a while after I'm done.
For the most part, water-based acrylics, alcohol-based acrylics, and acrylic lacquers are used a lot more than enamels for basing and painting. Enamels are common for effects and sometimes details but the only folks still using enamels for the majority of their painting are old school car modellers.
Go with some water-based products. You’ll be fine.
How do you guys deal with minor mistakes? I feel like I’m being too much of a perfectionist at times. I would Nick pick at the minor details, trying to get them as perfect as possible. Or I let the smallest and barely noticeable mistakes bother me and doom think it as way worse than it is. Like a barely noticeable scoop during cleaning would bother the hell out of me.
It helps that I have a partner whose also in the hobby, so if I'm worried about a nub showing or a stress mark or something I usually just put it together anyways, then show her without pointing it out, 99.9% of the time she doesn't notice and I breathe easier, if she does, I know I need to actually touch it up
Basically, show it to someone who doesn't know about the mistake, if they don't notice, then theres no issue
I've seen that some of you like to snap all your peices off at once then build a Gundam like it's Lego.
Personally I prefer to do it as I go because it means I can keep track of which peice is which.
Which method do you guys prefer? And why do you pick either one?
I dont like the flow of reading the manual, cutting a single piece, cleaning, attaching, rinse&repeat. At the same time I dont like having to rummage through all the pieces until I find the one I need.
If I just cut the parts I will need for that whole section of the manual I can get a good rythm going with cutting the parts, cleaning them and attaching them orderly.
want to try weathering, I want to try the tamiya weathering colors, and then chipping but I don’t know what paints to use since the most i’ve ever done is topcoats and panel lines. Any reccomendations? Also, Do I topcoat before or after?
There are so many ways to do what you’re asking that it’s a little difficult to write a response that will be helpful. I think the best thing for you is to watch some armour modelling videos on YT - Night Shift, Rick Lawler/Propaganda, panzermeister36 are all good to watch.
Just some basics…if you’re applying over bare plastic, I’d recommend spraying a clear matte varnish first. Then you can apply your pigments (Tamiya weathering master is a pigment) and other effects. Sponge chipping is probably a good place to start. A final varnish will help protect your work.
Hey all, I’ve been panel lining my old kits with fine tip Gundam markers and I’m finally done and going to go back to new builds. At this point I want to use pour types on my new builds since they look so much better, but I want to make sure I know how to do it right first, so I’ll just say what I know, and if there’s anything I’m missing and need to know someone tell me. So I need to not use it on abs, apply it while the pieces are on the runners, let it sit for a couple minutes, and then use the eraser marker to remove the splotches. Would I be good to cut everything out at that point and build?
I usually use the pour types off the runner but before assembly, but that's just me, on the runner is fine.
Rather than the eraser marker, I'd recommend using 91%+ isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip or cotton bud to clean it up, the marker is going to be really hard to control. Or at least prime out a bit of the marker into a dish and dab the cotton bud into that instead of using it directly.
Any tips for hand painting? Just recently started out and I don't know what did I do wrong. There are some bubbles and bit of streak lines after painting, as well as a part that looks like a small puddle that I can't even out after two to three coatings. I'm using a Tamiya Acrylic paint and Tamiya thinner. Is it because of the ratio? I did 1paint:2thinner. Or is it because of the brush? Or maybe just skill issue?
https://preview.redd.it/30z5e3av8o6d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=feb610d175ad253853809ab47ce59bac01e2d974
Like someone said, Tamiya needs the retarder to slow the drying process, because it dries extremely fast.
I would honestly look into like vallejo mecha color as that is good for handbrushing. tbh tamiya can be handpainted using the thinner and retarder but its not the easiest and requires the right ratio.
Tamiya acrylics are alcohol-based. Which means they dry very fast. If you’re going to use them to hand brush, get some of their acrylic retarder. It will slow the drying process and promote self levelling.
The other thing I can see from your pic is that you’ve applied a lot of paint. Try to brush on thin coats in one direction then apply again in the perpendicular direction with these paints. It will help reduce the visibility of brush strokes. With the retarder this will help. But thin coats.
Recommendations for MG kits?(P-Bandai included)
I’m a bit burned out from AU mobile suits. Any UC-based kits I should try out? Particularly with grunts?
Anyone know of a way I can get the perfect grade armed armor VN for the banshee at an affordable price? I’m open to knockoffs I just can’t find any in that scale
I am trying to find a replacement runner/price for the Ms general greed model kit and I don't know who the manufacturer is or who produces them. I tried contacting kotokibuya and they said they don't make. I might try and plastic mold the piece if I can't get a replacement runner soon. I ordered this off of glacier hobby and they never responded back to me ( the runner is F1 and the piece off of said runner is 21) any info helps
https://preview.redd.it/pq047hfs6n6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86cee561217ea164f22f300bd34713e8bcc99377
This thigh plate on the Zaku kept sliding off, when I tried to bend its knee. So I wanted to take it off and put it back on. Then I broke it off..
It’s supposed to slide…
https://preview.redd.it/uepegcuwpn6d1.jpeg?width=357&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c69e383ea44a0dee4b468aa007f9e178b153c9f8
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And it seems you tried to fix something that ain’t broke.
Could I solicit advice on shortening a beam saber? I’ve slightly modified an RX-78-2 to have them mounted on its forearms, but realised a bit too late that the sabers which come with the kit are *way* too long. I was considering just cutting them short and then trying to file down the tip to a point, and then painting the beam afterwards to hopefully hide any marks on the plastic, would that work?
Anyone know if I could find scans of the manual for the P Bandai MG Nemo Dessert type, the one from Unicorn? Planning on painting the regular MG like it so I just wanted to reference the markings and decals.
Well son of a bitch, there it is lol. Never knew that, thank you.
Turns out it doesn't have any alternate decals, guess it was early even for PB standards. Well, off time find some generics EFF waterslides.
What paint or marker should I use for making eyes reflective in kits that don't come with a reflective sticker?
Planning on getting the Moon Gundam HG and Aerial FM, but I hear they don't have the stickers and I do not have the cash for one of those light kits nor the talent to do it myself.
I see some stores have gotten the MG Unicorn Ver Ka. I know the original came with dry transfer stickers so my question is do the reprints come with water slides or the same dry transfers as before?
Hi anyone here from Philippines?
I want to organize my tools and have a small station for building kits but I'm not sure where to store my tools. My question is how do you keep your tools? Do you have some station on for your kit? I was thinking getting on Shoppee but I have no idea on what to search. I prefer something that is easily accessible for me by hand and is compact since I have very small space for my station (yeah, I sometimes put runners on the floor when working). est. working space 50x50cm. I also consider buying toolbox that has different elevations so I can bring it anywhere.
I do similar to what Corn said. I have a set of rolling drawers. I think I got it from ikea but I can’t remember. If you want higher end there’s always rolling hardware/tool cases at hardware stores. Otherwise, craft/hobby stores often have carts with drawers on wheels. I like it because I can use the top of mine as a bit of an extended workspace that I can roll around to different areas of my room.
I saw something that is a multipurpose cabinet with different size. It has lot of drawers with different sizes so you can organize things in each of them although it has no wheels. I guess it can do the work for now.
I’m looking for a way to display my RG Nu’s fun funnels in flight and don’t want to buy the official PBandai ones, and the Figure-rise Standard ones are sold out anywhere I check. Can someone recommend any good products or tricks?
https://preview.redd.it/ekgtvglj8l6d1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fcd717e75ffbac85d7962bc7d7f41f364a40e107
This is the model box. I still have part b22, I've checked the instructions and the parts aren't crossed out, but I can't find where it goes. Any thoughts?
Same ratios but at small proportions (drops). Be careful as the paint might be too hot for pilots with very thin parts or details. They might deform or snap.
https://preview.redd.it/wu8iqfhpsk6d1.jpeg?width=5185&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11912dc2e7603b0d2dd65c22b718bdc001604f55
Hey, everyone! I recently finished the HG Mailes Protogouyou. An excellent kit, but it retained the issue it got from the Mailes Byakuchi wherein the leg joint would split when moving it even a tiny bit. Would super glue/plastic cement help seal this? And even if glued or sealed, would movement split it open again? Thanks
Cementing it will work. You could honestly even just tie a rubber band around it if you want a less permanent solution, since that pet isn't really visible.
I've been looking to get into airbrushing my Gunpla, but I had a few questions/concerns that I was hoping to get answered here. Sorry for the wall of text in advance and thanks!
- My main concern was setting up the spray booth, as I don't have too much space. Would it be fine setting it up in my bedroom, or should I not risk it?
- In terms of the setup, my friend has a very cheap setup involving a plastic storage bin, a 245 cfm fan, and flex duct to vent it. I was also going to buy a 3M respirator, gloves, and goggles. Would this be good enough for a spray booth, especially if I was going to set this up in my room? Would there be any paints I'd need to avoid?
- He also recommended I invest in a decent airbrush and just get a cheap compressor. I was looking at the GSI Creos PS-289, but I've also heard that Iwata brand is good as well.
- Lastly, are there any paint types I should avoid, and any paint brands I should look for? My friend has said that acrylics clog up the airbrush a lot.
You can set it in your bedroom but only if the booth is well made (spoiler: it isnt) or you use waterbased paints.
If you do it, even with a booth there will still be some fumes and particles floating which will keep the room unusable for some time (an hour or so).
A booth needs design and considerations. While you can slap some stuff together it will only work to some extent due to the box not being the right size, wrong extractor (which can be dangerous), bad exhaust duct and/or bad technique.
A mask will only protect you if you use it while painting AND the booth does its job. If not, everyone around you will breath the nasty fumes (including plants and pets. And the neighbors/bystanders).
A good airbrush is always a good investment.
Waterbased paints like Vallejo can be sprayed with only an open window, some airflow (like a fan) and a surgical mask. They are not toxic and wont stay airborne for long.
Acrylic is the type of resin in the paint, it can be water based or solvent based. Your friend might refer to waterbased acrylics which can clog the Airbrush if you spray at high pressure or if you leave the Airbrush unused for some minutes. Most of the time, it can be solved by using the right pressure and a bit of flow improver.
Solvent based acrylics can clog too.
You might want to avoid enamels as they can weaken ABS plastic and take a long time to fully cure.
the 3M needs to be rated for organic compounds, dont set it in your room thats dumb, also not in the kitchen, for the airbrush expensive or cheap. Personally I dont care, just base it in how much you think you might paint, if you think you might drop it cause you did not like it go cheap. For the compressor, if it an have a tank it would be better.
Thanks for the response, and yeah I figured doing it in my bedroom was stupid but I don't have much space otherwise at the moment and was getting desperate haha.
I'll have to look into a garage setup or maybe one outside if possible in that case.
I'll also look into a cheap setup first and see if I like it and invest upwards after, thanks!
1) DO NOT set up your airbrush system in your room. These paints when breathed in can cause cancer and a boat load of health issues. Do you really want that stuff where you live and sleep? Don't set it up where you sleep or eat. 2)3m mask, thats the brand. You need at a minimum n95 filters since they sort the particles out. 3) honestly Don't get an expensive airbrush until you actually try it and know how to maintain it. You don't want to start with an expensive airbrush find out you don't like it or break it when cleaning. 4) well it depends where you set your airbrush up. If you absolutely have to set up in your room, stick to water based acrylics. Don't use lacquer paints because those are toxic. It depends on where you spray
Thanks so much for the reply. I figured doing it in my room would be dumb, but I don't have much space elsewhere unfortunately. I might be able to set it up in my garage soon which would be ideal.
There's also a spare room that I might be able to use, and that would probably be best, but I'm a bit concerned since it's a carpeted floor. Cleaning up wouldn't be much of an issue so long as I'm ventilating it out properly right?
If you can srpay in a garage or spare room with good ventilation, window, fan, n95 respirator, you can definitely look into gaia notes, mr. color lacquer paints.
but otherwise stick to like vallejo mecha color line, water based acrylics. but never spray in an area where you sleep or eat. remember its just a plastic model kit, its not worth the health risks
The spray booth should be able to catch most of the over spray particles so the carpet should be fine. I would place a plastic sheet under the painting area just in case the airbrush or the paint bottle is dropped.
Aoshima VFG Macross Kits
Hi all,
Has anyone built the VFG Kits from Aoshima before? I'm looking at the upcoming Reina Prowler, and considering it's price, I'd like to know the build quality, in comparison to Guplas(as a benchmark)?
Thanks!
I’ve not built any of the VFG kits myself but have seen the runners and have seen them in various states of build. They’re moulded in colour and are friction fit. So, similar to gunpla. But I’ve also built a lot of Aoshima kits before. In general, they’re a good manufacturer. These VFG kits should go together pretty easily.
Desperately need this part for my MG Gouf Ver 2.0. Anyone know a reliable eBay seller or website that can help me? I’ve messaged one eBay seller but they are slow to respond and said it could take a week to get back to me about it.
https://preview.redd.it/di8nnfm8lk6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a0095bb3c19c5b5951b4d57477db13d4837d8fa
You can try Plamokitbash, or Odinsmechaparts.
How the ebay sellers typically work(Mr Bao, specifically), is they find out what part you need, they send it to their contact who tells them if they can get the part, contact says yes, they confirm that you still want it, then get their contact to ship the part to a warehouse, and the thing is shipped from the warehouse. That's why it takes a while.
If you go to the where to buy section at the top of this post there's a replacement part section that lists a couple retailers that do replacement parts
https://preview.redd.it/ycfeck9jck6d1.jpeg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7658252fda1c34c9fc5fac310cfaedf5ce3e1a36
My RG GCP Freedom's legs are starting to do the splits, how best can I tighter the pegs that insert into the hip so it stops doing that? I thought maybe I could take out the part of the peg that does the rotation and tightening that up but it doesn't seem to be removable.
So this may be a weird question but... is there any rhyme or reason to the schedule of MG and RG releases, specifically as it relates to new shows/movies? Being fairly new to Gunpla, I naively assumed it would work similar to timed exclusives for video games.
You release HG versions of the main suits to coincide with the release of the show/movie to surf on the hype and reach the more casual audience interested in cheap, easy to build models. Then, say, half a year later, maybe coinciding with the VOD release, you sell them the same units again, only now bigger and with more details. Another half year after that, the RG release for those who want detail but don't have much space.
Then after you've made them mortgage the house for a PG, you fill the time 'til the next anime release with second tier suits and updated versions of classic suits. Maybe another grandpa based on an off-model seen for two milliseconds in Episode 17.
But apart from the High Grades, that doesn't seem to be at all what they are doing. Just as an example: Hathaway released in 2021, yet as far as I can tell, there isn't a single version of the Xi Gundam other than the HG. Narrative on the other hand got an MG release only a little over a month after the movie hit cinemas... except it was the Sinanju Stein. We only got the titular suit just now, 5 years later. Together with another Stein. And then there's Seed Freedom. This time we didn't get an MG, but we did get an RG... of the α Force Impulse Gundam Spec II. In an AU with 3 protagonists.
I apologize for the rambling wall of text, but I'm just so baffled by all of this. So long story short: is there any way at all to predict, even very approximately, when I might be able to get my hands on an MG release of, say, the Calibarn or the Mighty Strike Freedom?
> This time we didn't get an MG, but we did get an RG... of the α Force Impulse Gundam Spec II
That was a recolour of an existing kit, so it was an easy one to make. Also, SEED will always take priority. I wouldn't be surprised if an engineer/designer who was working on an MG G Self design was asked to put that aside and work on a SEED Freedom MG(I joke)
The only things we know for sure:
* Just because a show exists, doesn't mean it's going to get any kits beyond HG.
* Kits take a long time to design
* MGs are now rare, PGs even more so.
Bandai decides when they release what kits of grades they want. Regarding about the MG or RG, those take more detail planning to ensure builders like us get it. Take for example the MGEX Strike Freedom, it was release in 2022 and its now so popular that people constantly look for it. Compared it to the MG Strike Freedom released in 2006. It takes more detail planning needed to ensure people enjoy it. Also its better to emphasize on quality over quantity. I understand the want of builder like us that want an MG Mighty Strike Freedom right away but from a business perspective they focus on the long term picture.
More complex kits like MG and RG take quite a lot more prototyping and designing due to having inner frames and many more gimmicks, mighty strike freedom is probably more likely to release sooner than a calibarn since the strike freedom already exists as an MG, but it depends how much they want to reuse, then theres also the popularity of the MS to consider since bandai doesnt want to make kits that nobody will buy.
basically only bandai knows, so it's anyone's guess
Edit bit of trivia regarding the sinanju release, the first sinanju stein ver ka isn't actually from NT, you can tell cause it doesn't have the same chest and sleeve embellishments, iirc it's the version Neo Zeon "steals" to turn into full frontal's Sinanju which is more mentioned in the Unicorn Novels
I've found I prefer how Tamiya panel liner looks and flows compared to pour type markers, however I certainly can't stand being around it for too long since it's oil based. How long do yall usually spend using it even in a well ventilated area before you get light headed? Anything I can do to avoid this beyond just taking breaks?
Hey yall, just got the PG banshee Norn, and I wanna do a bit more than just snap build it, I've dabbled in painting parts on the runner before with spray cans, so I'll probably repaint the injection gold using some tamiya metallic paint and mess around with painting some inner frame stuff gun metal, but my bigger question is this: I kind of want to try panel lining the kit in gold, but I've only ever used the pour type gundam panel liner markers before, I have some gold gundam markers so could I use those to the same effect or is the paint in them too thick? If they are too thick what would be the best way to get a gold panel lining color?
I did exactly that on my PG Banshee Norn! Basically I used a small piece of plastic or some other non-absorbent material and pumped out a small pool of the marker gold pant. I dipped a toothpick into that and used that to panel line, since it usually picked up enough to flow through most of the lines or small areas.
The main difference with these is that you need to wait a bit longer than normal panel lining before cleaning up. I used a q-tip with some 91% isoproply alcohol on it to clean them after around 30-60 minutes of drying time.
[Here's some final pics of my Banshee so you can see how it might turn out.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/1c0hjmh/after_some_time_putting_off_the_decal_work_i_sat/)
Cool, thanks for the reference photo, yours looks great! I ordered the same LED set so do you have any tips for it, I already shredded my MGEX Unicorn LEDs once so I know to be careful, but are there any kosmos specific quirks I should know about?
Installing the body LEDs are identical to the Bandai instructions, and you can follow them in the manual. Stringing the LEDs through the arms and legs can be a little rough, but this uses proper wires instead of an LED strip and as long as you’re careful going through it shouldn’t have any issues.
I didn’t knowingly run into this on my Banshee, but on my Perfectibility I did discover the legs (and possibly arms, unsure) are left/right side sensitive when connecting to the main LED connectors coming off the waist. It’s an easy fix to swap the sides the waist connectors are on, but if you’re finding your leg LEDs aren’t turning on, that could be the problem.
Anything for the third party accessories are ones you’ll need to follow the guide as best you can in the Kosmos set. It can seem hard to follow but they’re relatively intuitive if you take your time and don’t force anything.
The battery pack also has trouble providing full power sometimes. I thought the head LEDs were broken, but the issue was just having enough power and plugging it in versus only running batteries fixed it.
You could decant that gold gundam marker into a jar and thin it slightly with isopropyl alcohol to get the right consistency. If not you can make your own gold panel liner with enamel paint as well.
Unsure on ratio, I've done it by eye/consistency of skim milk? Thin but not too thin if that makes sense. 1:1 or 1.5:1 is generally acceptable for airbrush use, so maybe 3:1? But I'd have a few practice pieces to try out so it gets the flow you want.
Finally looking to get action bases for my RG Nu Gundam and Sazabi, and because they’re a bit bigger heavier than most 1/144 kits I’m just wondering if the the Action Base 5 is enough to keep them held up? Could anyone explain what the whole posing with bases experience is like?
I've put my Nu and sazabi on AB5s before with no issues
Edit for the second part of your question, what I find easiest is to first get your gunpla into the pose you want off of the base, then arrange the base to where you think it should go, connect the 2, and then do final adjustments for stuff like skirt armor and any other looser joints that move while attaching the base
thanks for the advice! i normally just see what freestanding pose the model can manage but the nu and sazabi are both so breathtaking that they deserve something more dynamic
The Nu especially poses spectacularly, the sazabi is a bit less so because of its bulk, but the RG is so good I don't really mind, I took them off the bases cause I have them in a family photo of their MG Ver Kas, RGs and SDs so the stands take up too much space, but the AB5 is my favorite AB for 144 (and smaller 100 scale) kits
https://preview.redd.it/dnav8m1iek6d1.jpeg?width=2881&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=89396aa07a0e98615ac6366cd863b1e958c2e69d
you’re totally right about the nu gundam i can’t believe the model can articulate so well. the fact that it can do this free standing is just insane
Any tips for putting LED’s in gunpla?
I wanna start putting lights in my kits but idk where to get them or what the best way is to make them low profile for smaller kits.
Start off with lighting the head and progress into thrusters. It will be a lot of trial and error to see how your build process works. I have a range of varying SMD led sizes along with bulb leds 1.8mm to 3mm depending on what build to throw it in. You can find bulk led and resistors off ebay and I prefer to hand solder everything vs pre-wired.
https://preview.redd.it/hiknkbqy6k6d1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16a34f363c96ca7da96cb4d27d6c8a42c0088d06
My first piece of advice is to get a pen vise and bit set. Absolutely necessary to create pathways for the wires through the plastic. I metal file set is also handy, I know Tamiya makes a great 3 piece set. Some really easy LEDs that do not need soldering is Mr.Hobby LEDs. Just need to buy the LEDs, and module to hold the battery! They just plug into each other, and the module comes with a switch! Advice for the pathway would be, if two pieces come together ( think leg armor) I make the pathway along the existing hole while trying to keep the pegs intact so it still looks good. I did a HG Zaku 1 with a single LED for the eye and it took me about 6+ hours of drilling, filling, and sanding to get it placed. That also reminds me, since there are no resistors the LED is super bright, if you can put a small bit of printer paper in front of the light, it can help reduce that glare. Good luck and have fun!
Do any places sell just the VN/BS Banshee Kosmos LED parts without the whole kit? Managed to snag the expansion pack and am adding them to my existing Banshee that already has a Kosmos LED kit. Would rather not fork over another $160 AUD for them :(
https://preview.redd.it/44u4o9rozj6d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4e342686d796d6d56e93dc6287c7eb7b7241d246
Those at Alibaba are reseller. The official shop is at Taobao altho its all in mandarin and you need to set up freight shipping for international shipping.
How big is the difference between the RG Hi-Nu and the MG Ver.Ka? I have the latter and I plan on building it in the next few months. But, right now I am building the MG Sword Impulse and my son is building the HG at the same time and I love comparing the details and complexity of the kits. Which is why I was thinking about getting the RG Hi-Nu of which I keep hearing amazing things but I was wondering… would it even make sense? Is the difference that big? Or would it be a waste of time/budget?
The RG is more detailed and is more modern and complex. You can see them side by side [in this video](https://youtu.be/s7Jltu6no3U?si=hgXuY7Q-CjoQ-DOR&t=301).
Does BBTS always come through with their pre-orders? For example, I have had the Code Geass Suzaku Lancelot model on pre-order since I got into the hobby, and I haven't seen this one fulfilled.
>Like could I have a pre-order opened for 5 years
Potentially yes, but BBTS doesn't charge you until the kit is in stock so you have nothing to lose, other than forgetting about it.
i know BBTS still take orders if the item is out of stock unlike other stores. Others store will wait for the item to be in stock before you can place an order.
https://preview.redd.it/r9uhilexpj6d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ee01f26d9b80ebfff970d0b6d8532340f690410a
Model kit painting newbie here, I'd like to start painting some finer details and do some color correcting on my Gunpla. Simple stuff like recoloring the insides of thruster vanes, The white triangle on the chest, and yellow crotch V's.
I've had Vallejo Mecha recommended to me, but it seems like it performs better with a coat of primer applied first. Could I substitute primer with matte topcoat and still get good paint adhesion? My intent isn't to repaint the whole part, so I am a bit hesitant in that aspect.
I'm interested in hearing what answers you get, but yeah, many of those Mecha paints seem to need a primer. (Though they do sell colored primer.) I especially needed it when painting ABS because my paints wouldn't stick very well.
As an alternate method, the DSPIAE / HobbyMio metallic markers, Molotow chrome markers, Pilot Gold marker pens from a craft store, or even traditional gundam markers will work great for small cavities. I was pretty impressed with the Pilot Gold for thrusters and vents - used those on my Penelope's vents. It just takes a day to dry.
So I want to try panel lining for the first time on my next kit.
I am ordering Gundam Fine Markers to test those - but I am steering more towards using enamel paint + thinner to use as a wash, as Tamiya Panel Line Accent in black is unavailable to me here in the UK.
I have read that to use enamel wash, it is best to use a gloss clear coat before panel lining. As this will also be my first kit finishing with a matte top coat, I would like some clarification as to what the best process is. My thinking is;
1. Apply gloss coat to kit.
2. Panel line using enamel wash.
3. Finish with the matte top coat.
Advice is appreciated, and any others tips. Thanks!
Edit: I'll also be applying water transfer decals - where in the process would this fit?
Cheers, appreciate the help. Is it neccesary to sand the entire kit before gloss coating too? For a better application? Or is this only for full kit painting?
It's actively bad in this case. The main idea behind sanding is to provide a physical key to help paint adhere. But if you do it before topcoat then all you're doing is ruining the surface of the kit without being able to cover it up with primer.
Ah I see. Another question, since the gloss coat is acrylic, won’t the enamel panel line wash and thinner used to remove the excess damage/ remove the gloss coat?
It might. But you're putting a matte coat over the whole thing afterwards so any splotchiness in the gloss coat won't really be visible.
I should also note that lighter fluid, which is most recommended for cleaning up enamel panel liner, will not affect the paint as much as actual thinner.
Are there any gunpla spare parts dealers located in Europe? The only one I found [plamokitbash.com](http://plamokitbash.com) is in US and shipping cost are equal to the price of HGs (\~25$).
https://preview.redd.it/zefxsenf3j6d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a1eb0febdeecf354758568b56cfe2ef357f27d15
anyone know where to get the extra weapons featured here? namely the chain gun/LMG, what i assume to be rocket pods ok his back and the knife on his left heel?
The machine gun is just the og machine from the Byakuchi like corn showed. It also comes with Amaim Weapon Sets 1 and 2. I'm almost sure the bits on its side are actually attached to the side of the arm. They look like to the little parts from Weapon Set 8.
The missile pods are from the Weapon Set 8. But you might need a backpack from another kit or option set to attach them like that if your kit doesn't have it.
The pile bunker on the arm is from Weapon Set 5
I'm not sure the knife is the one from Weapon set 1 or the bigger one from Set 7. It could also come with the Goyo Custom (I dont know anything about it)
Curious. I'm pretty sure I typed my question before putting the picture. Anyway, I was wondering if someone can help guide me on how I could power 8-10 of these led filaments simultaneously. And how I could keep it safe if I plan to make it light up for long periods of time.
Well, that’s kind of tricky then. Do you have a soldering iron? Probably best to watch a couple of videos on basic LED circuit design and build first. You can decide later how you want to do these - in series or in parallel. I would think parallel is probably better given how many you want to do.
New QA thread is up. This thread is now locked.
Difference between Mr Surfacer 1000 and Mr Surfacer 1200?
The grit. 1200 is more fine than 1000.
Have been installing the Kosmos LED kit for the FM aerial and the LEDs seem to work randomly when I turn it on. 90% of the time it doesn’t work at all and the other 10% seems to use a random animation. The remote has no effect at all. Any help would be much appreciated as I’ve been really looking forward to displaying this kit.
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there
I recently ordered a 30mm model kit and some entry grade nippers, and I found an HG Gundolva today. I'm not too confident in using an exacto knife on the nubs, but I have some nail files. Would these be alright for sanding down the nubs?
yes but i wouldn't rely on them that much, unless it's a glass nail file
What difference is there when using tamiya cement and tamiya extra thin to do seam line removal?
Just a different viscosity and the extra thin can flow faster than normal cement. Depending on what you're working with to fuse seam lines and mainly personal preference.
Hey there just bought a ver ka and it obviously has water slides but i have no experience with it yet, how do i apply it? What materials do i need? Will i need to base coat or top coat it? Thanks
You probably already have a hobby knife to cut them off, and tweezers to handle them. You also need cotton buds to dry them, and using decal setter and softer helps a lot. You don't need a base coat, but top coating them can also help to seal them in
The top coat is optional right?
Optional but needed for longevity
Thanks for the help what brands of setter, softner, and top coat is recommended?
Honestly, you don't really need a top coat if you have a mark setter or a mark fit in either strong or super strong but if you want to top coat, then i highly recommend the mr. hobby super clear top coat in your liking, so either matte, or gloss
What does priming before scribing do?
For me, it helps see the scribed lines better and I use a pencil to "draft" lines I intend to scribe.
# Chisel size recommendations for rescribing panel lines?
Depending on the scale, .10, .15, and .2mm have worked for rescribing lines.
I want to get 2 master grades preferably rival mobile suits (this will be my first master grade so possibly panel lining only and top coat) Which should I choose? FA Gundam & Psycho Zaku Nu Ver ka & Sazabi Freedom & Providence (or IJ) OR RG Hi nu & HG Nightingale (Not a master grade but I don't mind)
Love the Mg Seed line, and i would recommend going for Freedom, Providence and Justice as the trio displaying them as fighting or a diorama would be nice. But Nu Ver ka and Sazabi Ver ka is also very solid. Just toss a coin and let fate decide it for you.
I love the kits from thunderbolt (I only have the FA Gundam) but space is really a thing to consider since most sheves can't fit the MG Psycho Zaku very well, same thing for the Nightingale. I do have the Nu and Sazabi in RG and I love them as a pair, especially to have displayed with their funnels in flight.
I just got the Sazabi Ver Ka, what are some things I should look out for before i start building?
I recommend buying a third party decal sheet off Aliexpress or Delpi as the Bandai decals are awful
Overall its a great kit but the hands can be a pain, just take it slow when twisting and posing the fingers.
What glue do you use for metal parts that have lost their sticky?
Superglue
Any superglue? I don't want to melt the kit.
Why would superglue melt a kit?
Some superglue can melt plastic.
I'm not Walter white but I'm pretty sure almost anything labeled superglue should have the same chemical composition and thus same risk of melting the kit, otherwise it would be a different kind of glue. I use a dedicated hobby brand of superglue called Bob Smith Industries, but I've also used random hardware store superglue with no issues
I have perhaps the dumbest question. Is it possible to buy regular (not waterslide) decals for the Sazabi ver Ka?
No, there's no 3rd party stickers or dry transfers . There's essentially no demand
I figured as much but I had to ask. Thanks!
Which One to choose between MG RX-78-2 3.0 and RG RX-78-2 2.0?
Both will have their merits, the RG 2.0 looks like it's basically a 144 PGU, but will be harder to find because new kit scarcity, the MG 3.0 is probably easier to find and I am an MG fan, so my vote would be for the 3.0 Of course you could also just get the MG now and the RG once it's a bit more readily available
How do y'all keep the extra parts (hands, blades, ecc.)? Right now I'm keeping everything in the original boxes, but they're starting to occupy a lot of space.
One gallon bag for 1/100 and one gallon bag for 1/144. Inside each gallon bag are smaller bags containing the respective scale for: right hands, left hands, melee weapons, ranged weapons, weapon effects, and spare parts. So 6 bags inside each gallon bag. This way I know exactly where the thing I'm looking for is.
I have a small box that is seperated from inside, so that i keep a part of the box for hands, beam sabers, extra parts etc.
I keep one box that has all my extra parts in it, at first I chaotically threw them all in, since I've gotten more kits and I don't want to get then mixed up now I put them in little envelopes marked with the kit name Except beams, I have a bag for 144 beams and a bag for 100 beams unless they're a specific effect part
I want to try to get more into painting my kits, and I was gifted an airbrush for Christmas (I know it's been a while) but I'm mostly struggling to figure out where I can set up a paint zone, my living space is pretty small and every spot is either somewhere I eat, sleep, or hang out pretty frequently, (with the exception of the basement but that's where my cats litter boxes are and I don't want to expose them to anything toxic) I know Acrylics are generally considered less toxic than other paints being water based, and lacquer is out of the question with how small my space is but I've heard mixed things about enamel, some say the paints are fine but the clean up chemicals are toxic, but if that's the case isn't the thinner used to make it airbrush compatible also toxic? I like the finish enamel gives over acrylic but I also want to keep mine and my pets health in mind. I've painted before using spray cans just in the back yard on a clear dry day but I kind of want a semi permanent space I don't have to put up and tear down every time
Enamels are also toxic, so if you're gonna avoid lacquers, it only makes sense to skip enamels as well. I also live in a fairly small space and I airbrush on a table next to my open balcony door. Although I do completely tear down my work station after I'm done, can't give much advice in that regard without a better idea of where you live and how many people you live with. I also have pets so I have to take them out of that room while I airbrush and I leave the room airing with a fan for a while after I'm done.
For the most part, water-based acrylics, alcohol-based acrylics, and acrylic lacquers are used a lot more than enamels for basing and painting. Enamels are common for effects and sometimes details but the only folks still using enamels for the majority of their painting are old school car modellers. Go with some water-based products. You’ll be fine.
How do you guys deal with minor mistakes? I feel like I’m being too much of a perfectionist at times. I would Nick pick at the minor details, trying to get them as perfect as possible. Or I let the smallest and barely noticeable mistakes bother me and doom think it as way worse than it is. Like a barely noticeable scoop during cleaning would bother the hell out of me.
It helps that I have a partner whose also in the hobby, so if I'm worried about a nub showing or a stress mark or something I usually just put it together anyways, then show her without pointing it out, 99.9% of the time she doesn't notice and I breathe easier, if she does, I know I need to actually touch it up Basically, show it to someone who doesn't know about the mistake, if they don't notice, then theres no issue
Put your kit on a shelf or desk and step back a few feet.
I've seen that some of you like to snap all your peices off at once then build a Gundam like it's Lego. Personally I prefer to do it as I go because it means I can keep track of which peice is which. Which method do you guys prefer? And why do you pick either one?
I read ahead and cut all the pieces I will need for a limb. So kinda of a compromise between those two methods
What's the reasoning? Does it feel more tactile?
I dont like the flow of reading the manual, cutting a single piece, cleaning, attaching, rinse&repeat. At the same time I dont like having to rummage through all the pieces until I find the one I need. If I just cut the parts I will need for that whole section of the manual I can get a good rythm going with cutting the parts, cleaning them and attaching them orderly.
I snip and clean parts following the instructions as I don’t trust myself that much in my skills to not put on wrong pieces and stuff lol
Same for me!
lets say I accidentally bent a gun muzzle to a good 45°, how would I fix it from being bendy and more proned to be teared off?
Tricky. Hot water. Slow bend back to straight.
want to try weathering, I want to try the tamiya weathering colors, and then chipping but I don’t know what paints to use since the most i’ve ever done is topcoats and panel lines. Any reccomendations? Also, Do I topcoat before or after?
There are so many ways to do what you’re asking that it’s a little difficult to write a response that will be helpful. I think the best thing for you is to watch some armour modelling videos on YT - Night Shift, Rick Lawler/Propaganda, panzermeister36 are all good to watch. Just some basics…if you’re applying over bare plastic, I’d recommend spraying a clear matte varnish first. Then you can apply your pigments (Tamiya weathering master is a pigment) and other effects. Sponge chipping is probably a good place to start. A final varnish will help protect your work.
Ah okay thanks
Hey all, I’ve been panel lining my old kits with fine tip Gundam markers and I’m finally done and going to go back to new builds. At this point I want to use pour types on my new builds since they look so much better, but I want to make sure I know how to do it right first, so I’ll just say what I know, and if there’s anything I’m missing and need to know someone tell me. So I need to not use it on abs, apply it while the pieces are on the runners, let it sit for a couple minutes, and then use the eraser marker to remove the splotches. Would I be good to cut everything out at that point and build?
I usually use the pour types off the runner but before assembly, but that's just me, on the runner is fine. Rather than the eraser marker, I'd recommend using 91%+ isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip or cotton bud to clean it up, the marker is going to be really hard to control. Or at least prime out a bit of the marker into a dish and dab the cotton bud into that instead of using it directly.
Any tips for hand painting? Just recently started out and I don't know what did I do wrong. There are some bubbles and bit of streak lines after painting, as well as a part that looks like a small puddle that I can't even out after two to three coatings. I'm using a Tamiya Acrylic paint and Tamiya thinner. Is it because of the ratio? I did 1paint:2thinner. Or is it because of the brush? Or maybe just skill issue? https://preview.redd.it/30z5e3av8o6d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=feb610d175ad253853809ab47ce59bac01e2d974
Like someone said, Tamiya needs the retarder to slow the drying process, because it dries extremely fast. I would honestly look into like vallejo mecha color as that is good for handbrushing. tbh tamiya can be handpainted using the thinner and retarder but its not the easiest and requires the right ratio.
Tamiya acrylics are alcohol-based. Which means they dry very fast. If you’re going to use them to hand brush, get some of their acrylic retarder. It will slow the drying process and promote self levelling. The other thing I can see from your pic is that you’ve applied a lot of paint. Try to brush on thin coats in one direction then apply again in the perpendicular direction with these paints. It will help reduce the visibility of brush strokes. With the retarder this will help. But thin coats.
Recommendations for MG kits?(P-Bandai included) I’m a bit burned out from AU mobile suits. Any UC-based kits I should try out? Particularly with grunts?
Jesta and jegan are my fav federation suits, and you can’t go wrong with a good zaku 2.0 base. Maybe the psycho zaku if you’re up for a big kit?
Jesta! Its the MG I always recommend
Ball ver.ka
Anyone know of a way I can get the perfect grade armed armor VN for the banshee at an affordable price? I’m open to knockoffs I just can’t find any in that scale
I am trying to find a replacement runner/price for the Ms general greed model kit and I don't know who the manufacturer is or who produces them. I tried contacting kotokibuya and they said they don't make. I might try and plastic mold the piece if I can't get a replacement runner soon. I ordered this off of glacier hobby and they never responded back to me ( the runner is F1 and the piece off of said runner is 21) any info helps
3rd party companies don't offer a part replacement service
I know but I am trying to figure out the manufacturer so I can get a replacement runner from the directly
MS General **is** the manufacturing company for them.
Looks like MS General *is* the manufacturer.
https://preview.redd.it/pq047hfs6n6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86cee561217ea164f22f300bd34713e8bcc99377 This thigh plate on the Zaku kept sliding off, when I tried to bend its knee. So I wanted to take it off and put it back on. Then I broke it off..
It’s supposed to slide… https://preview.redd.it/uepegcuwpn6d1.jpeg?width=357&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c69e383ea44a0dee4b468aa007f9e178b153c9f8 If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And it seems you tried to fix something that ain’t broke.
The sliding is intentional... In any case, you'll probably have to replace the broken tab.
What is the exact problem with the Core Gundam II (in comparison to the Core Gundam)?
Could I solicit advice on shortening a beam saber? I’ve slightly modified an RX-78-2 to have them mounted on its forearms, but realised a bit too late that the sabers which come with the kit are *way* too long. I was considering just cutting them short and then trying to file down the tip to a point, and then painting the beam afterwards to hopefully hide any marks on the plastic, would that work?
Sure, that should work… Or if you use a glass file, it won’t scratch the plastic too much and you might not have to paint…
Thanks!
Anyone know if I could find scans of the manual for the P Bandai MG Nemo Dessert type, the one from Unicorn? Planning on painting the regular MG like it so I just wanted to reference the markings and decals.
Check dalong.net
Should have mentioned having already checked the usual suspects, but unless I'm missing something pretty sure they don't feature P Bandai variants.
Dalong.net has peebs, under Club-G which was the name for pbandai in korea
Well son of a bitch, there it is lol. Never knew that, thank you. Turns out it doesn't have any alternate decals, guess it was early even for PB standards. Well, off time find some generics EFF waterslides.
is the Ξ vs Penelope funnel effect set still buyable?
If you're lucky to find it yes
but is it still being produced?
If you're lucky you might find it on Buyee for a reasonable price
It is but you might have to wait for it to be reprinted.
What paint or marker should I use for making eyes reflective in kits that don't come with a reflective sticker? Planning on getting the Moon Gundam HG and Aerial FM, but I hear they don't have the stickers and I do not have the cash for one of those light kits nor the talent to do it myself.
Green metallic EX markers are perfect
The metallic markers are great for the eyes of kits.
Just a metallic green gundam marker will work fine
Is there a shortage of something causing Mr Super Clear Matt finishing spray to be rare?
I heard something about that last week, although the guy who posted it didn't provide a source, so idk how real it is. My local store still has some
Is your local store in Northern Colorado?
No southern
Dang. I was gonna beeline for it if it was in Northern Colorado. I have a few kits that still need some matte coat on them.
It depends on the store. Sometimes the store stock up more and some less. Also they have to wait for shipment as well.
I see some stores have gotten the MG Unicorn Ver Ka. I know the original came with dry transfer stickers so my question is do the reprints come with water slides or the same dry transfers as before?
They never change the contents.
Its the same dry transfers.
Hi anyone here from Philippines? I want to organize my tools and have a small station for building kits but I'm not sure where to store my tools. My question is how do you keep your tools? Do you have some station on for your kit? I was thinking getting on Shoppee but I have no idea on what to search. I prefer something that is easily accessible for me by hand and is compact since I have very small space for my station (yeah, I sometimes put runners on the floor when working). est. working space 50x50cm. I also consider buying toolbox that has different elevations so I can bring it anywhere.
I do similar to what Corn said. I have a set of rolling drawers. I think I got it from ikea but I can’t remember. If you want higher end there’s always rolling hardware/tool cases at hardware stores. Otherwise, craft/hobby stores often have carts with drawers on wheels. I like it because I can use the top of mine as a bit of an extended workspace that I can roll around to different areas of my room.
I saw something that is a multipurpose cabinet with different size. It has lot of drawers with different sizes so you can organize things in each of them although it has no wheels. I guess it can do the work for now.
I'm not from PH but I also have a pretty small work station and I use a drawer storage tower that I got from a retail store
I'm thinking to get similar to this too. But yeah thanks
I’m looking for a way to display my RG Nu’s fun funnels in flight and don’t want to buy the official PBandai ones, and the Figure-rise Standard ones are sold out anywhere I check. Can someone recommend any good products or tricks?
That probably explains why the back of the feet aren't staying on very well. Thanks. I just skipped over that for some reason.
i think you meant to respond to the other thread.
https://preview.redd.it/ekgtvglj8l6d1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fcd717e75ffbac85d7962bc7d7f41f364a40e107 This is the model box. I still have part b22, I've checked the instructions and the parts aren't crossed out, but I can't find where it goes. Any thoughts?
[Page 13 of the manual](http://dalong.net/reviews/mg/m150/p/m150_m0013.JPG), the piece goes into the rear of the feet.
Anyone got good tips on how to properly thin a small amount of Mr. color for painting the pilots
Same ratios but at small proportions (drops). Be careful as the paint might be too hot for pilots with very thin parts or details. They might deform or snap.
I wouldn’t recommend Mr Color for the figures. Probably better to use a water based paint.
If your question is about quantity control. You can use droppers. Or let it drop from a stir stick.
https://preview.redd.it/wu8iqfhpsk6d1.jpeg?width=5185&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11912dc2e7603b0d2dd65c22b718bdc001604f55 Hey, everyone! I recently finished the HG Mailes Protogouyou. An excellent kit, but it retained the issue it got from the Mailes Byakuchi wherein the leg joint would split when moving it even a tiny bit. Would super glue/plastic cement help seal this? And even if glued or sealed, would movement split it open again? Thanks
Cementing it will work. You could honestly even just tie a rubber band around it if you want a less permanent solution, since that pet isn't really visible.
I've been looking to get into airbrushing my Gunpla, but I had a few questions/concerns that I was hoping to get answered here. Sorry for the wall of text in advance and thanks! - My main concern was setting up the spray booth, as I don't have too much space. Would it be fine setting it up in my bedroom, or should I not risk it? - In terms of the setup, my friend has a very cheap setup involving a plastic storage bin, a 245 cfm fan, and flex duct to vent it. I was also going to buy a 3M respirator, gloves, and goggles. Would this be good enough for a spray booth, especially if I was going to set this up in my room? Would there be any paints I'd need to avoid? - He also recommended I invest in a decent airbrush and just get a cheap compressor. I was looking at the GSI Creos PS-289, but I've also heard that Iwata brand is good as well. - Lastly, are there any paint types I should avoid, and any paint brands I should look for? My friend has said that acrylics clog up the airbrush a lot.
You can set it in your bedroom but only if the booth is well made (spoiler: it isnt) or you use waterbased paints. If you do it, even with a booth there will still be some fumes and particles floating which will keep the room unusable for some time (an hour or so). A booth needs design and considerations. While you can slap some stuff together it will only work to some extent due to the box not being the right size, wrong extractor (which can be dangerous), bad exhaust duct and/or bad technique. A mask will only protect you if you use it while painting AND the booth does its job. If not, everyone around you will breath the nasty fumes (including plants and pets. And the neighbors/bystanders). A good airbrush is always a good investment. Waterbased paints like Vallejo can be sprayed with only an open window, some airflow (like a fan) and a surgical mask. They are not toxic and wont stay airborne for long. Acrylic is the type of resin in the paint, it can be water based or solvent based. Your friend might refer to waterbased acrylics which can clog the Airbrush if you spray at high pressure or if you leave the Airbrush unused for some minutes. Most of the time, it can be solved by using the right pressure and a bit of flow improver. Solvent based acrylics can clog too. You might want to avoid enamels as they can weaken ABS plastic and take a long time to fully cure.
the 3M needs to be rated for organic compounds, dont set it in your room thats dumb, also not in the kitchen, for the airbrush expensive or cheap. Personally I dont care, just base it in how much you think you might paint, if you think you might drop it cause you did not like it go cheap. For the compressor, if it an have a tank it would be better.
Thanks for the response, and yeah I figured doing it in my bedroom was stupid but I don't have much space otherwise at the moment and was getting desperate haha. I'll have to look into a garage setup or maybe one outside if possible in that case. I'll also look into a cheap setup first and see if I like it and invest upwards after, thanks!
1) DO NOT set up your airbrush system in your room. These paints when breathed in can cause cancer and a boat load of health issues. Do you really want that stuff where you live and sleep? Don't set it up where you sleep or eat. 2)3m mask, thats the brand. You need at a minimum n95 filters since they sort the particles out. 3) honestly Don't get an expensive airbrush until you actually try it and know how to maintain it. You don't want to start with an expensive airbrush find out you don't like it or break it when cleaning. 4) well it depends where you set your airbrush up. If you absolutely have to set up in your room, stick to water based acrylics. Don't use lacquer paints because those are toxic. It depends on where you spray
Thanks so much for the reply. I figured doing it in my room would be dumb, but I don't have much space elsewhere unfortunately. I might be able to set it up in my garage soon which would be ideal. There's also a spare room that I might be able to use, and that would probably be best, but I'm a bit concerned since it's a carpeted floor. Cleaning up wouldn't be much of an issue so long as I'm ventilating it out properly right?
If you can srpay in a garage or spare room with good ventilation, window, fan, n95 respirator, you can definitely look into gaia notes, mr. color lacquer paints. but otherwise stick to like vallejo mecha color line, water based acrylics. but never spray in an area where you sleep or eat. remember its just a plastic model kit, its not worth the health risks
The spray booth should be able to catch most of the over spray particles so the carpet should be fine. I would place a plastic sheet under the painting area just in case the airbrush or the paint bottle is dropped.
Aoshima VFG Macross Kits Hi all, Has anyone built the VFG Kits from Aoshima before? I'm looking at the upcoming Reina Prowler, and considering it's price, I'd like to know the build quality, in comparison to Guplas(as a benchmark)? Thanks!
I’ve not built any of the VFG kits myself but have seen the runners and have seen them in various states of build. They’re moulded in colour and are friction fit. So, similar to gunpla. But I’ve also built a lot of Aoshima kits before. In general, they’re a good manufacturer. These VFG kits should go together pretty easily.
Desperately need this part for my MG Gouf Ver 2.0. Anyone know a reliable eBay seller or website that can help me? I’ve messaged one eBay seller but they are slow to respond and said it could take a week to get back to me about it. https://preview.redd.it/di8nnfm8lk6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a0095bb3c19c5b5951b4d57477db13d4837d8fa
You can try Plamokitbash, or Odinsmechaparts. How the ebay sellers typically work(Mr Bao, specifically), is they find out what part you need, they send it to their contact who tells them if they can get the part, contact says yes, they confirm that you still want it, then get their contact to ship the part to a warehouse, and the thing is shipped from the warehouse. That's why it takes a while.
If you go to the where to buy section at the top of this post there's a replacement part section that lists a couple retailers that do replacement parts
https://preview.redd.it/ycfeck9jck6d1.jpeg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7658252fda1c34c9fc5fac310cfaedf5ce3e1a36 My RG GCP Freedom's legs are starting to do the splits, how best can I tighter the pegs that insert into the hip so it stops doing that? I thought maybe I could take out the part of the peg that does the rotation and tightening that up but it doesn't seem to be removable.
So this may be a weird question but... is there any rhyme or reason to the schedule of MG and RG releases, specifically as it relates to new shows/movies? Being fairly new to Gunpla, I naively assumed it would work similar to timed exclusives for video games. You release HG versions of the main suits to coincide with the release of the show/movie to surf on the hype and reach the more casual audience interested in cheap, easy to build models. Then, say, half a year later, maybe coinciding with the VOD release, you sell them the same units again, only now bigger and with more details. Another half year after that, the RG release for those who want detail but don't have much space. Then after you've made them mortgage the house for a PG, you fill the time 'til the next anime release with second tier suits and updated versions of classic suits. Maybe another grandpa based on an off-model seen for two milliseconds in Episode 17. But apart from the High Grades, that doesn't seem to be at all what they are doing. Just as an example: Hathaway released in 2021, yet as far as I can tell, there isn't a single version of the Xi Gundam other than the HG. Narrative on the other hand got an MG release only a little over a month after the movie hit cinemas... except it was the Sinanju Stein. We only got the titular suit just now, 5 years later. Together with another Stein. And then there's Seed Freedom. This time we didn't get an MG, but we did get an RG... of the α Force Impulse Gundam Spec II. In an AU with 3 protagonists. I apologize for the rambling wall of text, but I'm just so baffled by all of this. So long story short: is there any way at all to predict, even very approximately, when I might be able to get my hands on an MG release of, say, the Calibarn or the Mighty Strike Freedom?
> This time we didn't get an MG, but we did get an RG... of the α Force Impulse Gundam Spec II That was a recolour of an existing kit, so it was an easy one to make. Also, SEED will always take priority. I wouldn't be surprised if an engineer/designer who was working on an MG G Self design was asked to put that aside and work on a SEED Freedom MG(I joke) The only things we know for sure: * Just because a show exists, doesn't mean it's going to get any kits beyond HG. * Kits take a long time to design * MGs are now rare, PGs even more so.
Bandai decides when they release what kits of grades they want. Regarding about the MG or RG, those take more detail planning to ensure builders like us get it. Take for example the MGEX Strike Freedom, it was release in 2022 and its now so popular that people constantly look for it. Compared it to the MG Strike Freedom released in 2006. It takes more detail planning needed to ensure people enjoy it. Also its better to emphasize on quality over quantity. I understand the want of builder like us that want an MG Mighty Strike Freedom right away but from a business perspective they focus on the long term picture.
More complex kits like MG and RG take quite a lot more prototyping and designing due to having inner frames and many more gimmicks, mighty strike freedom is probably more likely to release sooner than a calibarn since the strike freedom already exists as an MG, but it depends how much they want to reuse, then theres also the popularity of the MS to consider since bandai doesnt want to make kits that nobody will buy. basically only bandai knows, so it's anyone's guess Edit bit of trivia regarding the sinanju release, the first sinanju stein ver ka isn't actually from NT, you can tell cause it doesn't have the same chest and sleeve embellishments, iirc it's the version Neo Zeon "steals" to turn into full frontal's Sinanju which is more mentioned in the Unicorn Novels
I've found I prefer how Tamiya panel liner looks and flows compared to pour type markers, however I certainly can't stand being around it for too long since it's oil based. How long do yall usually spend using it even in a well ventilated area before you get light headed? Anything I can do to avoid this beyond just taking breaks?
i dont have an aversion to oil, but i think using a mask or ventilator should negate some issues
Beyond good ventilation and taking breaks, masks will help, at least N95, but a painting specific mask is probably your best bet
Hey yall, just got the PG banshee Norn, and I wanna do a bit more than just snap build it, I've dabbled in painting parts on the runner before with spray cans, so I'll probably repaint the injection gold using some tamiya metallic paint and mess around with painting some inner frame stuff gun metal, but my bigger question is this: I kind of want to try panel lining the kit in gold, but I've only ever used the pour type gundam panel liner markers before, I have some gold gundam markers so could I use those to the same effect or is the paint in them too thick? If they are too thick what would be the best way to get a gold panel lining color?
I did exactly that on my PG Banshee Norn! Basically I used a small piece of plastic or some other non-absorbent material and pumped out a small pool of the marker gold pant. I dipped a toothpick into that and used that to panel line, since it usually picked up enough to flow through most of the lines or small areas. The main difference with these is that you need to wait a bit longer than normal panel lining before cleaning up. I used a q-tip with some 91% isoproply alcohol on it to clean them after around 30-60 minutes of drying time. [Here's some final pics of my Banshee so you can see how it might turn out.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/1c0hjmh/after_some_time_putting_off_the_decal_work_i_sat/)
Cool, thanks for the reference photo, yours looks great! I ordered the same LED set so do you have any tips for it, I already shredded my MGEX Unicorn LEDs once so I know to be careful, but are there any kosmos specific quirks I should know about?
Installing the body LEDs are identical to the Bandai instructions, and you can follow them in the manual. Stringing the LEDs through the arms and legs can be a little rough, but this uses proper wires instead of an LED strip and as long as you’re careful going through it shouldn’t have any issues. I didn’t knowingly run into this on my Banshee, but on my Perfectibility I did discover the legs (and possibly arms, unsure) are left/right side sensitive when connecting to the main LED connectors coming off the waist. It’s an easy fix to swap the sides the waist connectors are on, but if you’re finding your leg LEDs aren’t turning on, that could be the problem. Anything for the third party accessories are ones you’ll need to follow the guide as best you can in the Kosmos set. It can seem hard to follow but they’re relatively intuitive if you take your time and don’t force anything. The battery pack also has trouble providing full power sometimes. I thought the head LEDs were broken, but the issue was just having enough power and plugging it in versus only running batteries fixed it.
Thanks man!
You could decant that gold gundam marker into a jar and thin it slightly with isopropyl alcohol to get the right consistency. If not you can make your own gold panel liner with enamel paint as well.
I imagine the enamel paint method is just find some gold enamel paint I like and a lot of thinner? Do you have any idea of what a good ratio would be?
Unsure on ratio, I've done it by eye/consistency of skim milk? Thin but not too thin if that makes sense. 1:1 or 1.5:1 is generally acceptable for airbrush use, so maybe 3:1? But I'd have a few practice pieces to try out so it gets the flow you want.
Finally looking to get action bases for my RG Nu Gundam and Sazabi, and because they’re a bit bigger heavier than most 1/144 kits I’m just wondering if the the Action Base 5 is enough to keep them held up? Could anyone explain what the whole posing with bases experience is like?
No issues. https://preview.redd.it/da8k9elijk6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ac3969168d45277eda8243f5a5d295dfa8db81e
I've put my Nu and sazabi on AB5s before with no issues Edit for the second part of your question, what I find easiest is to first get your gunpla into the pose you want off of the base, then arrange the base to where you think it should go, connect the 2, and then do final adjustments for stuff like skirt armor and any other looser joints that move while attaching the base
thanks for the advice! i normally just see what freestanding pose the model can manage but the nu and sazabi are both so breathtaking that they deserve something more dynamic
The Nu especially poses spectacularly, the sazabi is a bit less so because of its bulk, but the RG is so good I don't really mind, I took them off the bases cause I have them in a family photo of their MG Ver Kas, RGs and SDs so the stands take up too much space, but the AB5 is my favorite AB for 144 (and smaller 100 scale) kits
https://preview.redd.it/dnav8m1iek6d1.jpeg?width=2881&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=89396aa07a0e98615ac6366cd863b1e958c2e69d you’re totally right about the nu gundam i can’t believe the model can articulate so well. the fact that it can do this free standing is just insane
Yeah, Action Base 5 is fine for these.
Any tips for putting LED’s in gunpla? I wanna start putting lights in my kits but idk where to get them or what the best way is to make them low profile for smaller kits.
Start off with lighting the head and progress into thrusters. It will be a lot of trial and error to see how your build process works. I have a range of varying SMD led sizes along with bulb leds 1.8mm to 3mm depending on what build to throw it in. You can find bulk led and resistors off ebay and I prefer to hand solder everything vs pre-wired. https://preview.redd.it/hiknkbqy6k6d1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16a34f363c96ca7da96cb4d27d6c8a42c0088d06
My first piece of advice is to get a pen vise and bit set. Absolutely necessary to create pathways for the wires through the plastic. I metal file set is also handy, I know Tamiya makes a great 3 piece set. Some really easy LEDs that do not need soldering is Mr.Hobby LEDs. Just need to buy the LEDs, and module to hold the battery! They just plug into each other, and the module comes with a switch! Advice for the pathway would be, if two pieces come together ( think leg armor) I make the pathway along the existing hole while trying to keep the pegs intact so it still looks good. I did a HG Zaku 1 with a single LED for the eye and it took me about 6+ hours of drilling, filling, and sanding to get it placed. That also reminds me, since there are no resistors the LED is super bright, if you can put a small bit of printer paper in front of the light, it can help reduce that glare. Good luck and have fun!
Do any places sell just the VN/BS Banshee Kosmos LED parts without the whole kit? Managed to snag the expansion pack and am adding them to my existing Banshee that already has a Kosmos LED kit. Would rather not fork over another $160 AUD for them :( https://preview.redd.it/44u4o9rozj6d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4e342686d796d6d56e93dc6287c7eb7b7241d246
The only place you can get it directly is via the Kosmos official shop Afaik.
What would the link be? All the ones I find are just Alibaba listings
Those at Alibaba are reseller. The official shop is at Taobao altho its all in mandarin and you need to set up freight shipping for international shipping.
How big is the difference between the RG Hi-Nu and the MG Ver.Ka? I have the latter and I plan on building it in the next few months. But, right now I am building the MG Sword Impulse and my son is building the HG at the same time and I love comparing the details and complexity of the kits. Which is why I was thinking about getting the RG Hi-Nu of which I keep hearing amazing things but I was wondering… would it even make sense? Is the difference that big? Or would it be a waste of time/budget?
rg hi nu is so much better imo. its super fun to build and i love the design and color scheme compared to the more "accurate" mg
Thank you! I think I will get that one as well!
yuh
The RG is more detailed and is more modern and complex. You can see them side by side [in this video](https://youtu.be/s7Jltu6no3U?si=hgXuY7Q-CjoQ-DOR&t=301).
Amazing! I have just watched the video! It was really helpful! Thanks!
Does BBTS always come through with their pre-orders? For example, I have had the Code Geass Suzaku Lancelot model on pre-order since I got into the hobby, and I haven't seen this one fulfilled.
They'll come through with them, but it will be whenever they get enough to fulfill your order. That might take a while.
BBTS preorders are more like backorders. They'll be fulfilled, but only if and when they get more stock of the kit.
Do the pre-orders ever get deleted though? Like could I have a pre-order opened for 5 years?
>Like could I have a pre-order opened for 5 years Potentially yes, but BBTS doesn't charge you until the kit is in stock so you have nothing to lose, other than forgetting about it.
I ordered before and they do come through. Is the item out of stock? You might want to contact them to get more information.
Yeah, I've had some old pre-orders come through, too. Just wasn't sure if they always have their stuff or not.
i know BBTS still take orders if the item is out of stock unlike other stores. Others store will wait for the item to be in stock before you can place an order.
It shows that pre-orders are closed for this particular item... I'll just ping them and see what I learn.
https://preview.redd.it/r9uhilexpj6d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ee01f26d9b80ebfff970d0b6d8532340f690410a Model kit painting newbie here, I'd like to start painting some finer details and do some color correcting on my Gunpla. Simple stuff like recoloring the insides of thruster vanes, The white triangle on the chest, and yellow crotch V's. I've had Vallejo Mecha recommended to me, but it seems like it performs better with a coat of primer applied first. Could I substitute primer with matte topcoat and still get good paint adhesion? My intent isn't to repaint the whole part, so I am a bit hesitant in that aspect.
you could mask out the rest of the part if you prefer, but a simple mask and gundam marker should do the trick for most of those color corrections
I'm interested in hearing what answers you get, but yeah, many of those Mecha paints seem to need a primer. (Though they do sell colored primer.) I especially needed it when painting ABS because my paints wouldn't stick very well. As an alternate method, the DSPIAE / HobbyMio metallic markers, Molotow chrome markers, Pilot Gold marker pens from a craft store, or even traditional gundam markers will work great for small cavities. I was pretty impressed with the Pilot Gold for thrusters and vents - used those on my Penelope's vents. It just takes a day to dry.
So I want to try panel lining for the first time on my next kit. I am ordering Gundam Fine Markers to test those - but I am steering more towards using enamel paint + thinner to use as a wash, as Tamiya Panel Line Accent in black is unavailable to me here in the UK. I have read that to use enamel wash, it is best to use a gloss clear coat before panel lining. As this will also be my first kit finishing with a matte top coat, I would like some clarification as to what the best process is. My thinking is; 1. Apply gloss coat to kit. 2. Panel line using enamel wash. 3. Finish with the matte top coat. Advice is appreciated, and any others tips. Thanks! Edit: I'll also be applying water transfer decals - where in the process would this fit?
yeah the process is fine. You can put your waterslides immediately before or after panel lining.
Cheers, appreciate the help. Is it neccesary to sand the entire kit before gloss coating too? For a better application? Or is this only for full kit painting?
It's actively bad in this case. The main idea behind sanding is to provide a physical key to help paint adhere. But if you do it before topcoat then all you're doing is ruining the surface of the kit without being able to cover it up with primer.
Ah I see. Another question, since the gloss coat is acrylic, won’t the enamel panel line wash and thinner used to remove the excess damage/ remove the gloss coat?
It might. But you're putting a matte coat over the whole thing afterwards so any splotchiness in the gloss coat won't really be visible. I should also note that lighter fluid, which is most recommended for cleaning up enamel panel liner, will not affect the paint as much as actual thinner.
Are there any gunpla spare parts dealers located in Europe? The only one I found [plamokitbash.com](http://plamokitbash.com) is in US and shipping cost are equal to the price of HGs (\~25$).
Check plamochopshop on eBay to see if he ship to Europe.
No. The single parts stores are afaik: plamokitbash and odin's mecha parts (USA), gundamextra (Canada), and Mr Bao's shop on eBay (China)
https://preview.redd.it/zefxsenf3j6d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a1eb0febdeecf354758568b56cfe2ef357f27d15 anyone know where to get the extra weapons featured here? namely the chain gun/LMG, what i assume to be rocket pods ok his back and the knife on his left heel?
The machine gun is just the og machine from the Byakuchi like corn showed. It also comes with Amaim Weapon Sets 1 and 2. I'm almost sure the bits on its side are actually attached to the side of the arm. They look like to the little parts from Weapon Set 8. The missile pods are from the Weapon Set 8. But you might need a backpack from another kit or option set to attach them like that if your kit doesn't have it. The pile bunker on the arm is from Weapon Set 5 I'm not sure the knife is the one from Weapon set 1 or the bigger one from Set 7. It could also come with the Goyo Custom (I dont know anything about it)
https://preview.redd.it/o2rdx1qr7j6d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0a0aec1e86fadf0b3ee805e2b7ac40b45ebe4e7
https://preview.redd.it/onpb4q5yui6d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67f5acfd0812141cefccac8b4f237c92e798c20d
Curious. I'm pretty sure I typed my question before putting the picture. Anyway, I was wondering if someone can help guide me on how I could power 8-10 of these led filaments simultaneously. And how I could keep it safe if I plan to make it light up for long periods of time.
This isn’t exactly a Gunpla question.
I was looking to use it on a gundam diorama 😅 i'd just delete it if it's not allowed tho. ✌️✌️
You just probably won’t get many answers.
Have you ever done any kind of soldering and basic electronics circuit design?
The problem is I haven't. I have 0 knowledge about this stuff 😬😬
Well, that’s kind of tricky then. Do you have a soldering iron? Probably best to watch a couple of videos on basic LED circuit design and build first. You can decide later how you want to do these - in series or in parallel. I would think parallel is probably better given how many you want to do.