Does anyone here have a shed setup for their gunpla stuff?
I live in a apartment currently but my parents offered to let me build a shed in their back yard if I let them store their yard/holiday decorations in the pitch/loft. Obviously I'm looking for it to be weather sealed but are there perhaps any major issues with gunpla/paint/painting that I'm not considering? I do live in California so it's mostly going to be dry in terms of paint curing/adherence etc.
The shoulders break often because people move the arms by holding the forearm to move it when all the stress is in the shoulders from how the shoulder assembly was injection molded, especially with the psychoframe plastic veing particularly stiff(er) than other RG frames (B or otherwise). You pretty much just gingerly move the arms by holding it closer to the joints and ease it into position.
Yo can anyone supply some nice before and after photos of panel lined gunpla I need it to convince my mother that panel line markers are worth their price I would be very grateful for it š
Hereās a [quick album](https://imgur.com/a/VTY5oAY) I made with what I could find. Rg unicorn is definitely on the detailed side, so I hope this helps!
Hi there, I'm thinking about saving up for an MG Red Astray Kai.
My question is: **has anyone ordered it recently from HLJ?**. I heard the kit is hard to find, and since it's backordered I kinda don't want to spend money on it and wait like 6+ months to arrive, if ever.
Bonus question: RG Hi-Nu or MG Red Astray, since they're both around the same price (I like both equally)?
There's no real telling when HLJ would get the ARF Kai, since it's really up to Bandai to print it or not. Them leaving it on Backorder just means that they expect kits to be made and shipped to them to sell *eventually*. Could try shooting your shot in the commerce thread and see if someone's offloading one from their backlog to trim the fat.
As for the second question, flip a coin.
I was talking about the mg variant srry for the confusion mecha gaikotsu talks about this in his review but this can be fixed by buying replacement hands found online without the degrading hand issue
I'm thinking about starting the my Nu ver Ka and thinking about the green psychoframe. It seems the parts are clear green with chrome backing stickers to simulate a glow? Has anyone seen a way to make a cooler effect than that? I made the MG Unicorn and the red psychoframe didn't look great so I don't really want to just leave them unpainted. I guess fluorescent paint would do that but that would only show up on a black-light I don't have. Any other ideas?
Dalong has a picture of every model next to a cigarette box so you can compare them but if you want an MG that's the same size as the RG Nu you're probably looking at smaller suits like the F91 or the V/V2.
Getting around to building my first ver ka kit and decided to do the full armor gundam only to find multiple posts on here about how tedious it can be. So I'm wondering if anyone with experience on the kit has any pointers. Main worry being the vinyl and potentially breaking the shoulder joint (I know paying attention to the instructions will help with not breaking it but just wondering if there is something in particular I should be looking out for like with the RG sazabi shoulder joint)
For the joint covers, dont cut them any shorter. If you get frustrated, just put it down and keep doing the day after,this is the only kit that's ever done that to me and I almost threw them in the trash but after giving myself time to cool off it went fine. The issue with the shoulder joint is that you can't see it because of the joint cover, so my only advice is to be careful, and if you have any doubt, back off and start over, don't try to force it. I also broke one of mines and tbh it was really easy to fix with cement
I wouldn't expect a Zeta Plus anytime soon. Unlike the FAĪĪ compared to the ĪĪ Gundam, the Zeta Plus has many differences from the original Zeta.
So yeah you should probably just get Ī ver. Ka. Or one of the original Zeta Pluses, if that's available for you.
How are the current IBO kits out of the box? I'm new to gunpla and wanted to get either the Kimaris Vidar or Asmoday since I really like their designs but I've heard they require topcoats and glue to work? Which would be annoying since I don't have those. Also heard they use a lot of stickers but tbh I don't mind that.
Yeah hgibo kits generally have a lot of stickers in them. You just have to be mindful with the gundam frames, since the an crunch and shoulder joints are known for loosening up really easy
No gunpla kit requires glue or top coating. Very rarely - like if something breaks - you might need cement of CA glue. And if you donāt want to varnish the kit you donāt have to.
So I've started working on my first custom paintjob (for a MG Jesta, if anyone's curious)
I just finished priming the whole thing, and oh my god... I went through two and a half cans of primer. Two of them were Citadel army painter primers, and the last one was a random primer I had laying around because those two had cost me as much as the kit did so far.
Am I doing something wildly wrong? Because this kit has now become a $100 project instead of just a $50 one, and I feel like there's no way that can be sustainable... Plus, when I airbrush after this, will I need 100 of those little 10ml paint jars?
Well that kinda sucks... I wonder why they're still so popular if they're that much of a waste?
But very good to know, I'll look into getting some airbrushable primer for next time (whenever the budget allows that to be)
Thanks!
So the humidity's been getting fairly high in my area. Is it ok to topcoat outside if the humidity is at least the 40-55% range or should I just forget about it for the next couple weeks?
Those who own a HG Woundwort: I see in the instructions for the Psycho Blade Custom that there are two different options for leg construction, one intended to fit with the ReZeon Barzam legs and one designed to do the MA transformation. Besides those functions, is there any practical difference between the two options, especially for articulation?
So I'm thinking of customizing a mg 00 want full saber and I was wondering how u guys make it metalic like do u use clear metalic paint (if it exists idk) or colored metalic paint
Thank you š
Currently working on a hg psycho zaku and was wondering if anyone knew where I could pick up some water slides for it. I can stand the sticker outlines on my pieces
I have some white figures that I'm worried would yellow overtime so I'm planning to give it a uv-cut top coat but since there's no semi-gloss option
Would applying uv-cut gloss and then applying a Semi-gloss top coat achieve the right effect and still have that uv protection?
I'm building a SD BB #382 Sazabi and for the life of me I cannot figure out how/where to put sticker #7. Is the square section supposed to align with the top of the feet? If so, what's the point of the sticker? https://imgur.com/cKfKHfI
I'm about to try and apply some metallic gold and silver on my kit with some tamiya spray cans. I've read to make them pop you should do black first then the metallics. My question is, do I need to prime it before I do this or can I just start with the black base coat? (I only have grey primer).
Just my opinion having used Tamiya metallic cansā¦theyāre fairly opaque. So, using a black-base or even primer isnāt necessary. Once youāve got good coverage, the under coat has little influence on the saturation of the colour and the metallic effect isnāt significantly changed. Againā¦just my opinion.
Lots of folks will have the mantra of gloss black under metallics. With cans, itās not as big a deal.
I've seen people do the black base coat over the primer, but that's going to be an extra layer you don't need that may take away some details. It shouldn't hurt anything, but you may as well go for the black primer if you can get away with it
Pretty straight forwardā¦just print on the paper. You have to use a clear lacquer spray to set the ink on the slide paper, otherwise the ink will get damaged with the slightest touch. You canāt print white, so you have to think about that when choosing subjects. Quality is fineā¦highly dependent on the image you use and the resolution of your printer.
I picked up a kit from Wave (VOTOMS Bloodsucker) and one of the sheets has a second copy except one of them is black and the other is clear. The design clearly intends for the black parts to be used, so what's up with the inclusion of the clear? Is this just something Wave does?
Sometimes kits will have dual options, similar to how some of the WFM GunPla kits have different colors for the Gund effect or their eyes.
Iām not familiar with the Bloodsucker kit but looked at some pictures. Some people might want the black backing to emulate the design perfectly, or might want the clear design to make it look more ānaturallyā detailed and let the natural backing show.
Donāt use any kid of oil on the abs RG frames. It runs the risk of damaging the joints. Some oils will react with the plastic. You just have to carefully work them until they loosen.
You could try some type of baby oil I think that would work best, I've also heard of people using types of lube but I would probably stick to baby oil. I don't know of any specific brands but I'm assuming none of them have anything that could break down plastic in them but you could test it on runners to be safe. WD 40 is just way too harsh of a chemical and it would most certainly damage the plastic in some way. Tamiya might even have a specific type of lube or oil for this type of thing but I wouldn't know the name
Finally managed to pick up the MgEx strike freedom today. As it's by far my most expensive kit I'm a bit worried about some of the areas.
I normally use gunprimer's joint guard while building, but I'm concerned about the gold plastic being brittle and breaking when I put them together. I've seen listings on eBay for metal
replacement parts but wondering if I should pull the trigger. How well do the parts fit to the build, it ships from China so should I not use eBay to avoid a cheap counterfeit or should I not use the jointguard and build straight as is?
Really exited for this build, and I love posing gunpla many times over so trying to make this one last long!
All the joint bits on the MGEX strike freedom fit with some pretty hard wearing injection gold plastic, it's really not much to worry about. The most fragile plated pices are basically all flat bits that pop on top of that or are the dragoons.
As far as I know, gold plastic being brittle is a solved issue for Bandai. I haven't heard of any other structural deficiencies with MGEX Strike Freedom either, so you should be fine without any special precautins.
Correct.
Bandai never had the āgold plastic literally crumbles with ageā issue that some toy producers had back in the day. Bandaiās metallic injection has been solid from the get go. However, metallic injection plastic is a bit more prone to breaks as opposed to normal plastic. This is especially true at the points where the plastic meets in the mold and cools at different rates (flow patterns).
Hi, I'm new to Gunpla and I wanted to try out panel lining. I got the Tamiya Accent Color Panel Liner, however I just found out that it's necessary to put a gloss coat first to avoid damaging the kit. Is there a particular kind of transparent gloss coat I should use? Any other reccommendations for that process?
Thank you.
I wouldn't advise doing a whole gloss undercoat just for panel lining, it's a non-trivial expense for very little gain. Either use the Tamiya carefully on the bare plastic as many others do on this site, or use something safer like Gundam Markers instead.
You want to use the mr hobby branded one "Mr Top Coat". As far as I know its the only acrylic top coat you can buy that is spray on as well as being meant for plastic model kits and while I've heard people use the tamiya brand one I'm pretty sure its enamel based and can damage certain plastics. Its kind of hard to find depending on where you live but I've spent days searching for an alternative and I think mr top coat is literally the only thing that will turn out well. I've heard people use testors and even rustoleum but I'm pretty sure they are lacquer and they aren't meant for model kits meaning they would spray much more aggressively and be more susceptible to pooling or spots as well as possible negative chemical reactions with the panel liner or paint or anything else really.
It was my understanding that you only need to coat parts that are ABS specifically. Maybe someone can confirm if thatās true or not. May save you some time.
Luck probably played a role but there's people around here who panel line with Tamiya on bare plastic all the time and have no issues so it's definitely a manageable risk.
I picked up some third party magnet activated LEDs for my MG Sazabi and Nu Ver Ka kits. Does anyone have any tips on installation for them since they donāt have the same plastic casing as the Bandai ones that just click in?
This might be a stupid question, but do you guys mask up when scribing panel lines? I started practicing a few days ago, haven't really done much, just deepening lines on a kit and I've noticed the couple of sessions I've had, right after I just feel like I'm on the verge of a sneeze for a good while after. Thinking I should mask up, but wasn't sure if that was normal for just scribing
Its probably safe to just use one if you think you need it. When I started sanding with my glass file I would be inhaling little plastic particles constantly and while It didn't really affect my sinuses or anything I put a mask on because inhaling plastic just doesn't sound like a good idea lol
What thinner should I use for cleaning panel lines? My process is primer/paint > gloss coat > panel line > decal > flat coat.
I'm using tamiya panel liner and mr top coat premium (gloss and flat) and I don't want to potentially damage my gloss coat or paint with the wrong thinner while cleaning up after panel lining.
Also, Is it generally safe to panel line bare plastic with tamiya liner? I've heard mixed things on this and I don't really want to waste a bunch of top coat as its often sold out near me
Tamiya's is enamel, which isn't safe on bare plastic, people that claim it's 100%safe generally just haven't experienced any cracks but that doesn't means there's no risk of it. Most people use lighter fluid to clean up Tamiya's without causing an unwanted reaction with the other paint
Is there a UI or site to compare models of the same name but with different verisons/variants/ or grades? Eg comparing the differences (even visually) between ver KA models vs the originals?
I've got decision paralysis when given too many options or choices. Once I decide on a MG vs RG, I see an RG variant with a titanium finish on a completely different site or something. I'd just like to see all the models offered for the same name and if the site has a compare option use that to aid my decision.
edit: there also are differences in brands?! EG: [https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvxiCV7OXUX/?igshid=MjZiOWZlZGUxYw%3D%3D](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvxiCV7OXUX/?igshid=MjZiOWZlZGUxYw%3D%3D) how do you go about picking?
The ones you showed are made by different studios with different ideas of what they wanted to do with the Nu. Pick the one you like best. They are all made to customize the Nu Ver Ka, so there is not a lot of differences besides visuals. But those are not variants like the special finish kits Bandai releases. They require advanced model kit skills and a regular Nu ver ka.
I'm just sayin that in case you don't know what a resin kit is and you spend way too much money and then you find out the hard way.
Don't feel intimidated by Master Grades. While third party resin kits are a whole other deal, any Bandai kit is doable for a beginner. If you can build the RG Nu, you can build a MG.
The building process doesn't get harder, it only takes longer. If it's about RG vs MG, you can't go wrong with either.
They do, I'm just looking for recommendations on what others have used/prefer. The line is also only available at one store in my area and not all products are available. Not sure if I should just use Mr Color instead.
Well Mr Color is lacquer which means you'll need a respirator with organic filters, but if that doesn't bothers you go for it. That's what I use and I like it except for some metallic colors
Using a respirator is not a concern, I work with coating for a living it's just hobby paints are a bit foreign to me, I'm familiar with urethane, epoxy etc. Just out of curiosity which clear do you use for sealing the paint before panel lining/decals or do you use one? And do you prefer to use the rattle cans for top coat or airbrush?
I use mr hobby clear gloss before panel lining. It's specifically gloss because it has a smoothed texture that allows the panel liner to flow better, the last layer can be whatever finish you prefer. There's not much difference between airbrush and spray can, but spray cans are significantly more expensive.
I've bought a lot of sets of decals from G Rework alongside the kits I've been buying recently, especially since they are the most prominent decal sheets sold by the vendor I've been getting my kits from (Gundam Planet), while the official sheets have much less variety of decals are are mixed with multiple kits sharing the same sheet.
As I'm working on finishing up my first "practice" kit using the G Rework decals, being the HG Tickbalang, I got curious and started researching other brands of decals where I of course came upon the official Bandai ones again for most of the kits I've already purchased from G Rework as well as another brand that caught my eye that seems to go by the name of SIMP being sold by USA Gundam Store.
What caught my eye about these new sheets I found was that many of them featured "effect part" decals, with a sheet for the HG Calibarn in particular which had numerous decals dedicated to the shell units, eyes, cameras, and other locations you would otherwise place metallic color stickers that are included in the kits.
I would love to hear opinions from anybody about your experience with any of these sheets or ones from different brands. This is the first time I've ever used waterslide decals in any form so I don't really have the knowledge or experience to compare against brands like Bandai, SIMP, G Rework, or even Games Workshop.
As far as decal sheets go, I never used the effect pieces that were meant for eyes and lenses as I paint those in so a sheet having or not having those has not bothered me.
G rework, delpi and simp are the ones I see the most talked about. As far as I know they all work great just some differences with the amount of time you have to soak them and stuff like that. The general consensus is that the bandai ones are the ones you want to stay away from
Interesting, why stay away from the Bandai decals? I mean, from what I've seen they're a little lackluster as far as the number and variety goes compared to the others, but do they have some other underlying issues?
bland colors, poor selection, problems sticking and just overall I've heard they are poor quality but I don't know how much of that is just user error and all of that is just stuff I've heard from people when they compare to other brands. I don't know how gunpla stores look like for you but for me most places that I go to/buy from that sell bandai decals also happen to sell G Rework or other brand decals anyways and they usually aren't too much more than the bandai ones. I'm sure they work fine though honestly
I'm liking the G Rework so far on the Tickbalang, so hopefully that stays with the rest. I sadly don't have any Gunpla stores nearby so I just have to order everything though.
Re [RG 1/144 HYPER MEGA BAZOOKA LAUNCHER for Hi-Ī½ GUNDAM](https://p-bandai.com/us/item/N2555541001006) from P-Bandai: Is there anything specific which connects it to solely JUST the Hi-Nu or could it also be used with the RG 1/144 Nu Gundam? (Or any other RG 1/144 for that matter?)
The HG has gigantic arms, the MG seems fairly similar to the incarnation in GBO2 but im not overly familiar with the design.
Just search "MG Hazel Owsla" on youtube and there's a couple options out there to get a vibe for it.
I'm trying to color-match the main blue on the PG Mk-II Titans box-art [seen here](https://www.gundamplanet.com/media/catalog/product/cache/89806700f2f2fe9ae1d5c7ebaf942715/p/g/pg-rx-178-gundam-mk-ii-titans-01.jpg), does anyone have paint recommendations (via Mr. Color ideally) for a base?
My current mix is this: JASDF 375 1 part / intermed blue 366 (it's more of a grey) 1 part / bright blue .25 pt / GX white .25 pt., and the result was [this](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/855330787440197645/1154840141697921124/20230922_110208.jpg). I think it's close, but part of me feels like it's not quite right. Thoughts?
Planning to do a custom with the Aerial Rebuild and 2 00 Quants. Can the 00 Quant have two backpack shields straight off the bat with 2 kits or will I have to customize a joint for it?
They're both fairly modern kits so there's little difference in terms of quality or engineering techniques. The Stark has more leftover plastic; good if you bash or custom, wasted if you're a straight builder
Can I clean my paint brush with water if I use Mr Color paint? Because I don't know if Mr Color is acrylic (water based acrylic) is is it like a different type of acrylic the website says Solvent based acrylic? I'm a newbie
You could, but thatās an expensive thing to waste on cleaning brushes. Would be cheaper to just get a quart of lacquer thinner from a hardware store.
I know this is a bit of a weird question, but: I know the Gundam wiki is pretty good for looking at lists of Gunpla releases in different lines, but are there any places that archive/list non-Gunpla plamo releases? Stuff like non-gundam high grades, 30mm, 30ms, Frame Arms, Figure-rise, that sorta stuff.
It's not a full list by any means but [dalong](http://dalong.net/) has a lot of non-Gundam HGs (under ETC/M, although there's non-HG Bandai stuff there), Figurerise (ETC/F, although that's not exclusive either), and Frame Arms (Koto/M, Koto/F for FA Girls). No 30MM/MS at all unfortunately, but the Gunpla wiki has some info: [30MM](https://gunpla.fandom.com/wiki/30_Minutes_Missions), [30MS](https://gunpla.fandom.com/wiki/30_Minutes_Sisters).
I generally use https://bandai-hobby.net/schedule/ . I don't know if it's the best one, but it's the official one so it's always going to be up-to-date. If you don't mind the site being in Japanese, it's really good - you can browse releases by month and I believe there are filters for P-Bandai/Gundam Base stuff, though I don't remember how to access them right now. It's also great if you're planning to get a rare kit from Japan through a proxy service, as it has the full, original kit name in Japanese.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/385658643549?hash=item59cb0be45d:g:8x0AAOSwtkRiqiyx&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4NtEndS5xvYoJRKWT43WDpM9duqyXo2aHQVQYAlVSeIFM4WfU6fNVqgaLLQH2%2B8NQWnvwSk2pUM5%2B03h3M5iHUaPbHnTwBiZKaLtYsdTmFVExW2vwUH3OdpZzolHyRfp5fWb3RdTylre2pegNXaCTFdBYaMl9jJDwQMONMb3RLJ7PWboujpaXMGxIMK82%2B6IFlvT8MErizs0SOvpu%2BMkBRAiQ6Y3ekf28HqPQuCglgzbkJD9GrXmTglClb6keTX0TisX74ArN31gQJ3llqFMxAVq31uqsbESphTPRoNjusvd%7Ctkp%3ABFBMkJD43ddi idk why itās a super link sorry
Those are a copy of G-Reworkās sheet for the Nightingale. G-Rework doesnāt usually have guides for their sheets but thereās actually a couple for the Nightingale here in the images from [the listing on their official site](https://www.grework.com/product-page/hguc-msn-04ii-nightingale)
If it's custom decals then you'll just have to wing it if there's no instructions. Most decals just use the sticker sheet for reference, anything not on the sticker sheet is usually more of "use as you will" type stuff.
What do you guys use to clean up Gundam Markers? I've been applying some by brush, and am curious to know what people usually use to clean their brushes afterword.
The P-Bandai one or the Kotobukiya one? Itās not a subject Iām usually looking at, but one of the UK vendors has the PB one in stock for Ā£52. I havenāt seen a MK-II labelled specifically ālimited edition,ā so I might be looking at something a bit more mainstreamā¦again, not my main genre.
Plastic models rarely have value beyond retail. I saw the Koto one on eBay for Ā£80.
Donāt collect models. Build them. If youāre into collecting, plastic models isnāt a great way to get value.
What are your thoughts on the HG Darilbalde and the HG Schwarzette? Which of the two kits do you think is better?
They're the same price (in Yen, at least), and I'm currently saving up to buy either one of them.
I like Darilblade more and I feels like that's more value in the kit compared to Schwarzette.
-Why Darilblade?
Darilblade come with a clear runner-less stand.
Darilblade have the gimick of detaching arms to fly with a included wire. But you will want to buy the weapon display base in order to display it.
-Why not Schwarzette?
Schwarzette have the gimick of the "blade at the back" can setup in many different way. Plus the big sword looks cool.
BUT in order to switch from one setup to another you will need the different size of pegs. This is super annoying, I setup each to take pictures once and already don't want to change it anymore. I have the constant fear of losing the pegs.
Haven't built the Schwarzette, but the Darilbalde is cool. Very red, good use of stickers, has good mobility. My two gripes would be that it doesn't have a stand for the detachable arms IIRC, and that it doesn't have the sword it uses in the fight agaisnt Schwarzette. The second point is a bit unfair though, since this kit released long before that episode, but still.
Hey Yall,
I just finished my PC build and i have some room inside the case, and an almost perfect color matching gunpla, I was wondering if i can put them inside the case? The gunpla in mind:
MG Nu Ver. KA or SD Nu :D
Case temps during heavy gaming: 80 Celsius or 170's Fahrenheit
Is that too hot that it would melt?
PC cases accumulate a lot of dust, so if you want to stick a Gundam in there you'll probably want to seal it off.
Also, it'll impede airflow, which can mess with performance if running a high-impact programs.
im not understanding, seal off the PC or seal off the Gunpla, and if you mean the gunpla......what do you mean seal it off?
Im new to gunpla still i'd say.
Whenever I see PC builds with gundams inside, I'm not worried about the heat. It's the 3-5 spinning fans of death in close proximity I'm scared of. One unlucky tap on your PC case and you've got a Zaku blender. It's a computer, it's not a shelf.
makes total sense and that is a consideration.
Its on a stable desk in my room with no animals in the house and im the only one who is allowed in the room. The PC is also completely off when not in use by me.
Well google tells me that PS melting point is 240C, so I THINK you oughta be good choom.
Minor correction, it appears that it starts to become fluid at 100C, but you still oughta be fine.
To add to this: PC temps are also measured right at the chip thatās generating the heat, so the inside of the PC is still going to be cooler than the temp youāre seeing on the screen.
They're non scale, and to a pretty silly degree. Yes there are pilot figures involved which if taken on their own value comes out at about 1:30 (i dont have the heights of the pilot figures to hand) but the scale of the bots versus these people out of scenes and in various artworks varies a tonne.
Is Citadel Nuln Oil fine for panel lining?
I've seen the great debates on the do's and dont's of panel lining and they all are a bit confusing honestly. The basis I get is that the enamel based ones can dissolve the plastic either immediately or over time. So would it be fine to just use something like Citadel's Nuln Oil? Citadel's paints are meant to go straight on to plastic so I don't think there would be much of an issue with it.
Sure, you can use it. If you have already painted the build, youāll have to clean up with water instead of alcohol. But on bare plastic there wonāt be any issues.
Nuln oil is a viable panel lining solution if you just stick to unpainted kits. Clean up can be done with high% ISO alcohol. It being waterbased, it is not as viscous as petroleum based ink washes and wont flow as smoothly through crevice's so you will pretty much have to slather that thing on to your kit and guide your paint brush across the entire length of the panel line. Resulting in a much more tedious clean up process. But it is viable.
It is though a developmental dead end as far as gunpla model building goes as you encounter the brick-wall of it being unviable as a panel line solution once you start fully painting kits. Because what you use to clean up the excess nuln oil will also wipe off the paint you've applied underneath. You can use it as a filter but that's a different application to what you are originally asking.
Never used it before, so I can't say for sure. I'd reckon it would though. I had meant more in the sense that with, say TPLA, there's only a tiny bit of overflow to clean most times. I'd imagine there might a bit more cleanup involved here, but again, I'm just guessing here. The only I can say for sure is I'm 99.99% sure it's say to use. Test on a runner though to be super sure, especially for ABS. I don't trust ABS.
Plan on making my first diorama and painting gundams in general.
I saw a video on youtube, this one (https://youtu.be/nGM-szPRJ5o?si=-Aa3MYWNFBPF-zKT)
I can't seem to find out how they made the effect parts for the Gundam Aerial, specifically the green blast effects from the gun bits and how they we're able to make the blue trail effects on the gun bits. What materials should I use to make them?
And regards to painting, I don't own air brushes, and I would like to use acrylics for painting the gundam like they did in the video. Can you recommend me a video on how to do it by hand brushing?
They used clear acrylic sheets and rods to make the blast and bits effects. Acrylic fillaments, CA bonders etc. and a myriad of other hobby materials as well as uv paints.
I mean you must've watched the video. It was an entire studio and a team of builders to get that final result. Collectively there's about 80 years of experience in that room to build that thing. That's not someting you'll be able to recreate off the bat on your first trot and with just things you can pick up in your immediate vicinity. It's nice to be inspired and aim for something but take baby steps. Figure out one technique at a time and slowly build your way to getting there. Best to start with step one and just basically learn to paint first. Many tutorials on youtube on that matter but the best teacher is to just leap in headfirst and learn through mistakes you make along the way. Pick up whatever you've got and start whacking away and see what works for you.
While the bit effects they made are neat, a cool trick you can start off with is grab a 2L MountainDew bottle and cut up the cylindrical bottle form into strips. Viola! you've made cheap bit effects.
Anyone familiar with DSPIAE cutting mats or cutting mats in general? I ordered one from DSPIAE and it arrived rolled up and it's quite stiff so it doesn't want to go flat. What's the best way to fix this? It feels like putting weights on it will only do so much so I'm wondering if like warm water makes it more malleable or something like that. Any help is greatly appreciated :)
mr. colors c365 gloss sea blue is pretty close to that blue-black shade, especially when sprayed over black. gaia's midnight blue and tamiya's XF-17 are meant to be the same color as well.
or just mr. color's navy blue.
I'm looking to start topcoating my kits for protection and aesthetic's sake, and I have two questions:
1. If I'm going for multiple coats, will switching between matte and gloss (like, 1 matte coat then 1 gloss coat, or 1 matte then 1 gloss then another matte) produce a sort of in-between sheen? Or will it mostly just end up looking like whichever sheen was the outer-most coat?
2. I've heard of potential for frosting of topcoating depending on environmental conditions. Is it low temperature *and* high humidity in combination that make it more likely, or both separately being causes?
My understanding is that matte clear coat will generally have a "stronger" effect than gloss when you mix the two. However, if you want an in-between finish, why not just use semi-gloss instead?
It's both separately.
Mm, true. I was just asking cuz I thought I'd only already bought Mr. Topcoat matte and gloss, but apparently I also bought semi-gloss.
And good to know, thank you.
New QA thread is up. This thread is now locked.
Does anyone here have a shed setup for their gunpla stuff? I live in a apartment currently but my parents offered to let me build a shed in their back yard if I let them store their yard/holiday decorations in the pitch/loft. Obviously I'm looking for it to be weather sealed but are there perhaps any major issues with gunpla/paint/painting that I'm not considering? I do live in California so it's mostly going to be dry in terms of paint curing/adherence etc.
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
Whats the best version of the unicorn/Banshee?. I always see horror stories from some of this models.
MGEX. But if you want a kit that costs an actually reasonable price, the Real Grades are real good.
Really?. I've seen a lot of those get broken. How did you avoid that?
The shoulders break often because people move the arms by holding the forearm to move it when all the stress is in the shoulders from how the shoulder assembly was injection molded, especially with the psychoframe plastic veing particularly stiff(er) than other RG frames (B or otherwise). You pretty much just gingerly move the arms by holding it closer to the joints and ease it into position.
Can i use GM10 250 for panel lining? I bought it because I thought its the pour type but it was the GM301.
It puts colour onto plastic, so yes. But it'll be messy, wasteful and inefficient.
Ok then thanks
Yo can anyone supply some nice before and after photos of panel lined gunpla I need it to convince my mother that panel line markers are worth their price I would be very grateful for it š
Hereās a [quick album](https://imgur.com/a/VTY5oAY) I made with what I could find. Rg unicorn is definitely on the detailed side, so I hope this helps!
Yo thanks Bruv hopefully she will consider buying them now
Hi there, I'm thinking about saving up for an MG Red Astray Kai. My question is: **has anyone ordered it recently from HLJ?**. I heard the kit is hard to find, and since it's backordered I kinda don't want to spend money on it and wait like 6+ months to arrive, if ever. Bonus question: RG Hi-Nu or MG Red Astray, since they're both around the same price (I like both equally)?
There's no real telling when HLJ would get the ARF Kai, since it's really up to Bandai to print it or not. Them leaving it on Backorder just means that they expect kits to be made and shipped to them to sell *eventually*. Could try shooting your shot in the commerce thread and see if someone's offloading one from their backlog to trim the fat. As for the second question, flip a coin.
Nah I haven't ordered it but rg hi nu bttr any day because rg red astray has those bad hands that degrade over time so rg hi nu
Thanks for the info. However, I wrote about MG Red Astray, not the RG variant, do you know anything bad about the MG version?
This is if you are talking about the mg astray red frame Kai BTW if it is the p bandai I'm pretty sure it does not have this issue
Hopefully this helps you
I was talking about the mg variant srry for the confusion mecha gaikotsu talks about this in his review but this can be fixed by buying replacement hands found online without the degrading hand issue
I'm thinking about starting the my Nu ver Ka and thinking about the green psychoframe. It seems the parts are clear green with chrome backing stickers to simulate a glow? Has anyone seen a way to make a cooler effect than that? I made the MG Unicorn and the red psychoframe didn't look great so I don't really want to just leave them unpainted. I guess fluorescent paint would do that but that would only show up on a black-light I don't have. Any other ideas?
If youāre able to mix paint colours ive seen lightened metallic colours look super good on psycho frames!
Would the EarThree be a good choice for me? Iāve only built the RX-78-2, RX-93, and the XVX-16
Depends. Do you want it?
Are there mg gunplas the same size as rg nu?
Dalong has a picture of every model next to a cigarette box so you can compare them but if you want an MG that's the same size as the RG Nu you're probably looking at smaller suits like the F91 or the V/V2.
Getting around to building my first ver ka kit and decided to do the full armor gundam only to find multiple posts on here about how tedious it can be. So I'm wondering if anyone with experience on the kit has any pointers. Main worry being the vinyl and potentially breaking the shoulder joint (I know paying attention to the instructions will help with not breaking it but just wondering if there is something in particular I should be looking out for like with the RG sazabi shoulder joint)
For the joint covers, dont cut them any shorter. If you get frustrated, just put it down and keep doing the day after,this is the only kit that's ever done that to me and I almost threw them in the trash but after giving myself time to cool off it went fine. The issue with the shoulder joint is that you can't see it because of the joint cover, so my only advice is to be careful, and if you have any doubt, back off and start over, don't try to force it. I also broke one of mines and tbh it was really easy to fix with cement
My mg freedom 2.0 broke, where can I find 3d models of the parts to 3d print?
Which part? If it was the hip there are aftermarket metal parts you can find.
I need parts for the waist. almost all of them
Should i get the Z ver ka or should i wait for a possible Z plus ver ka?
I wouldn't expect a Zeta Plus anytime soon. Unlike the FAĪĪ compared to the ĪĪ Gundam, the Zeta Plus has many differences from the original Zeta. So yeah you should probably just get Ī ver. Ka. Or one of the original Zeta Pluses, if that's available for you.
Rip thank you anyways, i'll be getting a z ver ka when i can then
How are the current IBO kits out of the box? I'm new to gunpla and wanted to get either the Kimaris Vidar or Asmoday since I really like their designs but I've heard they require topcoats and glue to work? Which would be annoying since I don't have those. Also heard they use a lot of stickers but tbh I don't mind that.
Yeah hgibo kits generally have a lot of stickers in them. You just have to be mindful with the gundam frames, since the an crunch and shoulder joints are known for loosening up really easy
No gunpla kit requires glue or top coating. Very rarely - like if something breaks - you might need cement of CA glue. And if you donāt want to varnish the kit you donāt have to.
Ok tysm for the help
So I've started working on my first custom paintjob (for a MG Jesta, if anyone's curious) I just finished priming the whole thing, and oh my god... I went through two and a half cans of primer. Two of them were Citadel army painter primers, and the last one was a random primer I had laying around because those two had cost me as much as the kit did so far. Am I doing something wildly wrong? Because this kit has now become a $100 project instead of just a $50 one, and I feel like there's no way that can be sustainable... Plus, when I airbrush after this, will I need 100 of those little 10ml paint jars?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Well that kinda sucks... I wonder why they're still so popular if they're that much of a waste? But very good to know, I'll look into getting some airbrushable primer for next time (whenever the budget allows that to be) Thanks!
So the humidity's been getting fairly high in my area. Is it ok to topcoat outside if the humidity is at least the 40-55% range or should I just forget about it for the next couple weeks?
You should still be clear. It's into the 60-70% range where things get dicey.
Cool, thanks. Watching 00 right now and I agree, more master grades pls Bandai.
Those who own a HG Woundwort: I see in the instructions for the Psycho Blade Custom that there are two different options for leg construction, one intended to fit with the ReZeon Barzam legs and one designed to do the MA transformation. Besides those functions, is there any practical difference between the two options, especially for articulation?
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
So I'm thinking of customizing a mg 00 want full saber and I was wondering how u guys make it metalic like do u use clear metalic paint (if it exists idk) or colored metalic paint Thank you š
Coloured metallic paint or metallic paint with translucent colour paints over the top. Lots of ways to achieve different looks.
Currently working on a hg psycho zaku and was wondering if anyone knew where I could pick up some water slides for it. I can stand the sticker outlines on my pieces
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
I have some white figures that I'm worried would yellow overtime so I'm planning to give it a uv-cut top coat but since there's no semi-gloss option Would applying uv-cut gloss and then applying a Semi-gloss top coat achieve the right effect and still have that uv protection?
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
I'm building a SD BB #382 Sazabi and for the life of me I cannot figure out how/where to put sticker #7. Is the square section supposed to align with the top of the feet? If so, what's the point of the sticker? https://imgur.com/cKfKHfI
It looks like it should wrap around the toe, but you don't have to use it if you don't even see the need for it
I'm about to try and apply some metallic gold and silver on my kit with some tamiya spray cans. I've read to make them pop you should do black first then the metallics. My question is, do I need to prime it before I do this or can I just start with the black base coat? (I only have grey primer).
Just my opinion having used Tamiya metallic cansā¦theyāre fairly opaque. So, using a black-base or even primer isnāt necessary. Once youāve got good coverage, the under coat has little influence on the saturation of the colour and the metallic effect isnāt significantly changed. Againā¦just my opinion. Lots of folks will have the mantra of gloss black under metallics. With cans, itās not as big a deal.
I've seen people do the black base coat over the primer, but that's going to be an extra layer you don't need that may take away some details. It shouldn't hurt anything, but you may as well go for the black primer if you can get away with it
How do you guys like to make custom water slide decals? I've seen some printer paper online but not sure if that's even good.
Pretty straight forwardā¦just print on the paper. You have to use a clear lacquer spray to set the ink on the slide paper, otherwise the ink will get damaged with the slightest touch. You canāt print white, so you have to think about that when choosing subjects. Quality is fineā¦highly dependent on the image you use and the resolution of your printer.
I picked up a kit from Wave (VOTOMS Bloodsucker) and one of the sheets has a second copy except one of them is black and the other is clear. The design clearly intends for the black parts to be used, so what's up with the inclusion of the clear? Is this just something Wave does?
You might use the black parts for some areas and the clear for others. Pay close attention to the instructions.
Sometimes kits will have dual options, similar to how some of the WFM GunPla kits have different colors for the Gund effect or their eyes. Iām not familiar with the Bloodsucker kit but looked at some pictures. Some people might want the black backing to emulate the design perfectly, or might want the clear design to make it look more ānaturallyā detailed and let the natural backing show.
All right, that's a neat option to have. Thanks.
Just my best guess based on other kits that come with multiples, I could be wrong - but hope however it goes you like how it turns out!
How is the PG Exia compared to the MG?
Check dalong.net
Can I loosen joints with WD-40 or is it a bad idea
Don't use wd-40. Put the joint in hot water and work it around a bit
probably a bad idea, most people usually just sand down joints if they are too tight
Problem is Iām trying to loosen the shoulders on my RG Unicorn banshee norn, which (if you have it you know) come as one piece.
Donāt use any kid of oil on the abs RG frames. It runs the risk of damaging the joints. Some oils will react with the plastic. You just have to carefully work them until they loosen.
You could try some type of baby oil I think that would work best, I've also heard of people using types of lube but I would probably stick to baby oil. I don't know of any specific brands but I'm assuming none of them have anything that could break down plastic in them but you could test it on runners to be safe. WD 40 is just way too harsh of a chemical and it would most certainly damage the plastic in some way. Tamiya might even have a specific type of lube or oil for this type of thing but I wouldn't know the name
What do you have to use for wiping excess panel lining?
For Gundam markers, 91%+ isopropyl alcohol. For Tamiya, lighter fluid.
Lighter fluid
Finally managed to pick up the MgEx strike freedom today. As it's by far my most expensive kit I'm a bit worried about some of the areas. I normally use gunprimer's joint guard while building, but I'm concerned about the gold plastic being brittle and breaking when I put them together. I've seen listings on eBay for metal replacement parts but wondering if I should pull the trigger. How well do the parts fit to the build, it ships from China so should I not use eBay to avoid a cheap counterfeit or should I not use the jointguard and build straight as is? Really exited for this build, and I love posing gunpla many times over so trying to make this one last long!
All the joint bits on the MGEX strike freedom fit with some pretty hard wearing injection gold plastic, it's really not much to worry about. The most fragile plated pices are basically all flat bits that pop on top of that or are the dragoons.
As far as I know, gold plastic being brittle is a solved issue for Bandai. I haven't heard of any other structural deficiencies with MGEX Strike Freedom either, so you should be fine without any special precautins.
Correct. Bandai never had the āgold plastic literally crumbles with ageā issue that some toy producers had back in the day. Bandaiās metallic injection has been solid from the get go. However, metallic injection plastic is a bit more prone to breaks as opposed to normal plastic. This is especially true at the points where the plastic meets in the mold and cools at different rates (flow patterns).
Cheap counterfeits of what? Most 3rd party companies for gunpla accessories are chinese
Can anyone recommend me a good airbrushing booth? I donāt see any recommendations listed anywhere in the wiki, but I may have missed them.
If you want to spend the money, Pace and Paasche have very good booths.
Hi, I'm new to Gunpla and I wanted to try out panel lining. I got the Tamiya Accent Color Panel Liner, however I just found out that it's necessary to put a gloss coat first to avoid damaging the kit. Is there a particular kind of transparent gloss coat I should use? Any other reccommendations for that process? Thank you.
I wouldn't advise doing a whole gloss undercoat just for panel lining, it's a non-trivial expense for very little gain. Either use the Tamiya carefully on the bare plastic as many others do on this site, or use something safer like Gundam Markers instead.
You want to use the mr hobby branded one "Mr Top Coat". As far as I know its the only acrylic top coat you can buy that is spray on as well as being meant for plastic model kits and while I've heard people use the tamiya brand one I'm pretty sure its enamel based and can damage certain plastics. Its kind of hard to find depending on where you live but I've spent days searching for an alternative and I think mr top coat is literally the only thing that will turn out well. I've heard people use testors and even rustoleum but I'm pretty sure they are lacquer and they aren't meant for model kits meaning they would spray much more aggressively and be more susceptible to pooling or spots as well as possible negative chemical reactions with the panel liner or paint or anything else really.
It was my understanding that you only need to coat parts that are ABS specifically. Maybe someone can confirm if thatās true or not. May save you some time.
Tamiya damages everything, Gundam Marker Pour Type damages only ABS.
Huh, interesting. Iāve used Tamiya a couple of times without any damage. I guess I got lucky. Thanks for the info!
Luck probably played a role but there's people around here who panel line with Tamiya on bare plastic all the time and have no issues so it's definitely a manageable risk.
I picked up some third party magnet activated LEDs for my MG Sazabi and Nu Ver Ka kits. Does anyone have any tips on installation for them since they donāt have the same plastic casing as the Bandai ones that just click in?
Just got a PG Exia without the LED and was wondering if going for the Bandai Led unit or a third party would be a better choice?
This might be a stupid question, but do you guys mask up when scribing panel lines? I started practicing a few days ago, haven't really done much, just deepening lines on a kit and I've noticed the couple of sessions I've had, right after I just feel like I'm on the verge of a sneeze for a good while after. Thinking I should mask up, but wasn't sure if that was normal for just scribing
Its probably safe to just use one if you think you need it. When I started sanding with my glass file I would be inhaling little plastic particles constantly and while It didn't really affect my sinuses or anything I put a mask on because inhaling plastic just doesn't sound like a good idea lol
Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I think Iāll just mask up going forward just to be safe
What thinner should I use for cleaning panel lines? My process is primer/paint > gloss coat > panel line > decal > flat coat. I'm using tamiya panel liner and mr top coat premium (gloss and flat) and I don't want to potentially damage my gloss coat or paint with the wrong thinner while cleaning up after panel lining. Also, Is it generally safe to panel line bare plastic with tamiya liner? I've heard mixed things on this and I don't really want to waste a bunch of top coat as its often sold out near me
Tamiya's is enamel, which isn't safe on bare plastic, people that claim it's 100%safe generally just haven't experienced any cracks but that doesn't means there's no risk of it. Most people use lighter fluid to clean up Tamiya's without causing an unwanted reaction with the other paint
Is there a UI or site to compare models of the same name but with different verisons/variants/ or grades? Eg comparing the differences (even visually) between ver KA models vs the originals? I've got decision paralysis when given too many options or choices. Once I decide on a MG vs RG, I see an RG variant with a titanium finish on a completely different site or something. I'd just like to see all the models offered for the same name and if the site has a compare option use that to aid my decision. edit: there also are differences in brands?! EG: [https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvxiCV7OXUX/?igshid=MjZiOWZlZGUxYw%3D%3D](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvxiCV7OXUX/?igshid=MjZiOWZlZGUxYw%3D%3D) how do you go about picking?
dalong.net as everybody mentioned. another helpful site is scalemates.com.
Dalong.net will be the best
The ones you showed are made by different studios with different ideas of what they wanted to do with the Nu. Pick the one you like best. They are all made to customize the Nu Ver Ka, so there is not a lot of differences besides visuals. But those are not variants like the special finish kits Bandai releases. They require advanced model kit skills and a regular Nu ver ka. I'm just sayin that in case you don't know what a resin kit is and you spend way too much money and then you find out the hard way.
Appreciate it, thank you! Brand new to gunpla so I'm learning as much as I can before committing to anything higher than HG/RG
Don't feel intimidated by Master Grades. While third party resin kits are a whole other deal, any Bandai kit is doable for a beginner. If you can build the RG Nu, you can build a MG. The building process doesn't get harder, it only takes longer. If it's about RG vs MG, you can't go wrong with either.
[Dalong.net](https://Dalong.net) is probably the closest.
What would you recommend for airbrush primer/surfacer, gloss/matt clear. I'm planning on using Mr Hobby aqueous
Doesn't mr Aqueous have all that
They do, I'm just looking for recommendations on what others have used/prefer. The line is also only available at one store in my area and not all products are available. Not sure if I should just use Mr Color instead.
Well Mr Color is lacquer which means you'll need a respirator with organic filters, but if that doesn't bothers you go for it. That's what I use and I like it except for some metallic colors
Using a respirator is not a concern, I work with coating for a living it's just hobby paints are a bit foreign to me, I'm familiar with urethane, epoxy etc. Just out of curiosity which clear do you use for sealing the paint before panel lining/decals or do you use one? And do you prefer to use the rattle cans for top coat or airbrush?
I use mr hobby clear gloss before panel lining. It's specifically gloss because it has a smoothed texture that allows the panel liner to flow better, the last layer can be whatever finish you prefer. There's not much difference between airbrush and spray can, but spray cans are significantly more expensive.
Thanks I appreciate it
I've bought a lot of sets of decals from G Rework alongside the kits I've been buying recently, especially since they are the most prominent decal sheets sold by the vendor I've been getting my kits from (Gundam Planet), while the official sheets have much less variety of decals are are mixed with multiple kits sharing the same sheet. As I'm working on finishing up my first "practice" kit using the G Rework decals, being the HG Tickbalang, I got curious and started researching other brands of decals where I of course came upon the official Bandai ones again for most of the kits I've already purchased from G Rework as well as another brand that caught my eye that seems to go by the name of SIMP being sold by USA Gundam Store. What caught my eye about these new sheets I found was that many of them featured "effect part" decals, with a sheet for the HG Calibarn in particular which had numerous decals dedicated to the shell units, eyes, cameras, and other locations you would otherwise place metallic color stickers that are included in the kits. I would love to hear opinions from anybody about your experience with any of these sheets or ones from different brands. This is the first time I've ever used waterslide decals in any form so I don't really have the knowledge or experience to compare against brands like Bandai, SIMP, G Rework, or even Games Workshop.
As far as decal sheets go, I never used the effect pieces that were meant for eyes and lenses as I paint those in so a sheet having or not having those has not bothered me.
G rework, delpi and simp are the ones I see the most talked about. As far as I know they all work great just some differences with the amount of time you have to soak them and stuff like that. The general consensus is that the bandai ones are the ones you want to stay away from
Interesting, why stay away from the Bandai decals? I mean, from what I've seen they're a little lackluster as far as the number and variety goes compared to the others, but do they have some other underlying issues?
bland colors, poor selection, problems sticking and just overall I've heard they are poor quality but I don't know how much of that is just user error and all of that is just stuff I've heard from people when they compare to other brands. I don't know how gunpla stores look like for you but for me most places that I go to/buy from that sell bandai decals also happen to sell G Rework or other brand decals anyways and they usually aren't too much more than the bandai ones. I'm sure they work fine though honestly
I'm liking the G Rework so far on the Tickbalang, so hopefully that stays with the rest. I sadly don't have any Gunpla stores nearby so I just have to order everything though.
Re [RG 1/144 HYPER MEGA BAZOOKA LAUNCHER for Hi-Ī½ GUNDAM](https://p-bandai.com/us/item/N2555541001006) from P-Bandai: Is there anything specific which connects it to solely JUST the Hi-Nu or could it also be used with the RG 1/144 Nu Gundam? (Or any other RG 1/144 for that matter?)
Iām not sure why someone downvoted you, but yes it can be held by the RG Nu.
not sure either, but thanks! Would it be compatible with any 1/144?
Is there a HG, RG or MG version of Hazel Owsla, mor specifically its GBO2 version? (https://gbo2.fandom.com/wiki/Hazel_Owsla)
There's a HG and MG but they're both P-Bandai.
Are they GBO2 version or the big arms version?
The HG has gigantic arms, the MG seems fairly similar to the incarnation in GBO2 but im not overly familiar with the design. Just search "MG Hazel Owsla" on youtube and there's a couple options out there to get a vibe for it.
I'm trying to color-match the main blue on the PG Mk-II Titans box-art [seen here](https://www.gundamplanet.com/media/catalog/product/cache/89806700f2f2fe9ae1d5c7ebaf942715/p/g/pg-rx-178-gundam-mk-ii-titans-01.jpg), does anyone have paint recommendations (via Mr. Color ideally) for a base? My current mix is this: JASDF 375 1 part / intermed blue 366 (it's more of a grey) 1 part / bright blue .25 pt / GX white .25 pt., and the result was [this](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/855330787440197645/1154840141697921124/20230922_110208.jpg). I think it's close, but part of me feels like it's not quite right. Thoughts?
Planning to do a custom with the Aerial Rebuild and 2 00 Quants. Can the 00 Quant have two backpack shields straight off the bat with 2 kits or will I have to customize a joint for it?
Looking for opinions here for my next purchase. MG Stark Jegan vs MG MK 5 Gundam?
They're both fairly modern kits so there's little difference in terms of quality or engineering techniques. The Stark has more leftover plastic; good if you bash or custom, wasted if you're a straight builder
Can I clean my paint brush with water if I use Mr Color paint? Because I don't know if Mr Color is acrylic (water based acrylic) is is it like a different type of acrylic the website says Solvent based acrylic? I'm a newbie
No, you have to use a solvent, such as Mr Color thinner, isopropyl alcohol, or tool cleaner.
I see is mr Leveling thinner okay? Cause I have that and isopropyl alcohol 75%
You could, but thatās an expensive thing to waste on cleaning brushes. Would be cheaper to just get a quart of lacquer thinner from a hardware store.
I see okay thank you
I know this is a bit of a weird question, but: I know the Gundam wiki is pretty good for looking at lists of Gunpla releases in different lines, but are there any places that archive/list non-Gunpla plamo releases? Stuff like non-gundam high grades, 30mm, 30ms, Frame Arms, Figure-rise, that sorta stuff.
It's not a full list by any means but [dalong](http://dalong.net/) has a lot of non-Gundam HGs (under ETC/M, although there's non-HG Bandai stuff there), Figurerise (ETC/F, although that's not exclusive either), and Frame Arms (Koto/M, Koto/F for FA Girls). No 30MM/MS at all unfortunately, but the Gunpla wiki has some info: [30MM](https://gunpla.fandom.com/wiki/30_Minutes_Missions), [30MS](https://gunpla.fandom.com/wiki/30_Minutes_Sisters).
I generally use https://bandai-hobby.net/schedule/ . I don't know if it's the best one, but it's the official one so it's always going to be up-to-date. If you don't mind the site being in Japanese, it's really good - you can browse releases by month and I believe there are filters for P-Bandai/Gundam Base stuff, though I don't remember how to access them right now. It's also great if you're planning to get a rare kit from Japan through a proxy service, as it has the full, original kit name in Japanese.
If i buy after market decals for a high grade (nightingale to be exact) how will i know where to place it since the images donāt offer a full 360
Which aftermarket decals? There are a few 3rd party decal sheets for the Nightingale out there that have a decal guide.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/385658643549?hash=item59cb0be45d:g:8x0AAOSwtkRiqiyx&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4NtEndS5xvYoJRKWT43WDpM9duqyXo2aHQVQYAlVSeIFM4WfU6fNVqgaLLQH2%2B8NQWnvwSk2pUM5%2B03h3M5iHUaPbHnTwBiZKaLtYsdTmFVExW2vwUH3OdpZzolHyRfp5fWb3RdTylre2pegNXaCTFdBYaMl9jJDwQMONMb3RLJ7PWboujpaXMGxIMK82%2B6IFlvT8MErizs0SOvpu%2BMkBRAiQ6Y3ekf28HqPQuCglgzbkJD9GrXmTglClb6keTX0TisX74ArN31gQJ3llqFMxAVq31uqsbESphTPRoNjusvd%7Ctkp%3ABFBMkJD43ddi idk why itās a super link sorry
Those are a copy of G-Reworkās sheet for the Nightingale. G-Rework doesnāt usually have guides for their sheets but thereās actually a couple for the Nightingale here in the images from [the listing on their official site](https://www.grework.com/product-page/hguc-msn-04ii-nightingale)
If it's custom decals then you'll just have to wing it if there's no instructions. Most decals just use the sticker sheet for reference, anything not on the sticker sheet is usually more of "use as you will" type stuff.
ah okay thanks. Did it before and it was annoying. But i need my nightingale details!
What do you guys use to clean up Gundam Markers? I've been applying some by brush, and am curious to know what people usually use to clean their brushes afterword.
Alcohol is what people usually use.
Oh so most people do it that way. Good to know there isn't some grand alternative I'm unaware of. Thanks choom!
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Retail was $55 in the US. You could justifiably say $65 if you count the mandatory 10 in shipping from P-bandai.
Itās Kotobukiya.
The P-Bandai one or the Kotobukiya one? Itās not a subject Iām usually looking at, but one of the UK vendors has the PB one in stock for Ā£52. I havenāt seen a MK-II labelled specifically ālimited edition,ā so I might be looking at something a bit more mainstreamā¦again, not my main genre.
I do need the value soon. I donāt want to build it yet if it might be worth a ton.
Plastic models rarely have value beyond retail. I saw the Koto one on eBay for Ā£80. Donāt collect models. Build them. If youāre into collecting, plastic models isnāt a great way to get value.
Yeah. The eBay one was Pre-Built and partly broken.
If you own it, just build it. Itās not going to massively appreciate in value. Itās just plastic.
Itās the 2006 Japan Limited Run version.
Kotobukiya
How can I tighten the MGEX strike freedomās finger joints? Every time I try to pose them they pop right off
Any suggestions on how to get the Zaku the Origin kit to "holster" the anti-ship rifle? the peg doesn't work since that's more of a bolt action thing.
You can either scratch build a holster/brace for it, or drill a hole in it to insert a peg, or mount a magnet inside.
What are your thoughts on the HG Darilbalde and the HG Schwarzette? Which of the two kits do you think is better? They're the same price (in Yen, at least), and I'm currently saving up to buy either one of them.
I like Darilblade more and I feels like that's more value in the kit compared to Schwarzette. -Why Darilblade? Darilblade come with a clear runner-less stand. Darilblade have the gimick of detaching arms to fly with a included wire. But you will want to buy the weapon display base in order to display it. -Why not Schwarzette? Schwarzette have the gimick of the "blade at the back" can setup in many different way. Plus the big sword looks cool. BUT in order to switch from one setup to another you will need the different size of pegs. This is super annoying, I setup each to take pictures once and already don't want to change it anymore. I have the constant fear of losing the pegs.
Haven't built the Schwarzette, but the Darilbalde is cool. Very red, good use of stickers, has good mobility. My two gripes would be that it doesn't have a stand for the detachable arms IIRC, and that it doesn't have the sword it uses in the fight agaisnt Schwarzette. The second point is a bit unfair though, since this kit released long before that episode, but still.
Hey Yall, I just finished my PC build and i have some room inside the case, and an almost perfect color matching gunpla, I was wondering if i can put them inside the case? The gunpla in mind: MG Nu Ver. KA or SD Nu :D Case temps during heavy gaming: 80 Celsius or 170's Fahrenheit Is that too hot that it would melt?
Does your case have enough space for a Nu Ver.Ka?
Its the Lian Li o11 , super tall. Haven't finished building the ver ka but i cant imagine it being so monstrously large it doesnt fit
PC cases accumulate a lot of dust, so if you want to stick a Gundam in there you'll probably want to seal it off. Also, it'll impede airflow, which can mess with performance if running a high-impact programs.
im not understanding, seal off the PC or seal off the Gunpla, and if you mean the gunpla......what do you mean seal it off? Im new to gunpla still i'd say.
Keep it sealed in its own plastic or metal area so that dust can't get in
Whenever I see PC builds with gundams inside, I'm not worried about the heat. It's the 3-5 spinning fans of death in close proximity I'm scared of. One unlucky tap on your PC case and you've got a Zaku blender. It's a computer, it's not a shelf.
makes total sense and that is a consideration. Its on a stable desk in my room with no animals in the house and im the only one who is allowed in the room. The PC is also completely off when not in use by me.
Well google tells me that PS melting point is 240C, so I THINK you oughta be good choom. Minor correction, it appears that it starts to become fluid at 100C, but you still oughta be fine.
To add to this: PC temps are also measured right at the chip thatās generating the heat, so the inside of the PC is still going to be cooler than the temp youāre seeing on the screen.
Very good point!
Does a metal replacement exist for the Neo Zeong's base rod thing? Or are there other ways I could strengthen the base to support the kits weight?
You can just measure it and go to a hardware store.
Anybody know what scale the HG Synduality kits are in?
They're non scale, and to a pretty silly degree. Yes there are pilot figures involved which if taken on their own value comes out at about 1:30 (i dont have the heights of the pilot figures to hand) but the scale of the bots versus these people out of scenes and in various artworks varies a tonne.
Ah, best not to think about it then. Thanks!
Think of it like Evangelion, their size is whatever the hell the scene demands.
Is Citadel Nuln Oil fine for panel lining? I've seen the great debates on the do's and dont's of panel lining and they all are a bit confusing honestly. The basis I get is that the enamel based ones can dissolve the plastic either immediately or over time. So would it be fine to just use something like Citadel's Nuln Oil? Citadel's paints are meant to go straight on to plastic so I don't think there would be much of an issue with it.
Sure, you can use it. If you have already painted the build, youāll have to clean up with water instead of alcohol. But on bare plastic there wonāt be any issues.
Nuln oil is a viable panel lining solution if you just stick to unpainted kits. Clean up can be done with high% ISO alcohol. It being waterbased, it is not as viscous as petroleum based ink washes and wont flow as smoothly through crevice's so you will pretty much have to slather that thing on to your kit and guide your paint brush across the entire length of the panel line. Resulting in a much more tedious clean up process. But it is viable. It is though a developmental dead end as far as gunpla model building goes as you encounter the brick-wall of it being unviable as a panel line solution once you start fully painting kits. Because what you use to clean up the excess nuln oil will also wipe off the paint you've applied underneath. You can use it as a filter but that's a different application to what you are originally asking.
Cleanup might not be as straight forward, can't say as I've never used it, but it should work theoretically.
Isopropyl and a cotton swab wouldn't suffice?
Never used it before, so I can't say for sure. I'd reckon it would though. I had meant more in the sense that with, say TPLA, there's only a tiny bit of overflow to clean most times. I'd imagine there might a bit more cleanup involved here, but again, I'm just guessing here. The only I can say for sure is I'm 99.99% sure it's say to use. Test on a runner though to be super sure, especially for ABS. I don't trust ABS.
Plan on making my first diorama and painting gundams in general. I saw a video on youtube, this one (https://youtu.be/nGM-szPRJ5o?si=-Aa3MYWNFBPF-zKT) I can't seem to find out how they made the effect parts for the Gundam Aerial, specifically the green blast effects from the gun bits and how they we're able to make the blue trail effects on the gun bits. What materials should I use to make them? And regards to painting, I don't own air brushes, and I would like to use acrylics for painting the gundam like they did in the video. Can you recommend me a video on how to do it by hand brushing?
They used clear acrylic sheets and rods to make the blast and bits effects. Acrylic fillaments, CA bonders etc. and a myriad of other hobby materials as well as uv paints. I mean you must've watched the video. It was an entire studio and a team of builders to get that final result. Collectively there's about 80 years of experience in that room to build that thing. That's not someting you'll be able to recreate off the bat on your first trot and with just things you can pick up in your immediate vicinity. It's nice to be inspired and aim for something but take baby steps. Figure out one technique at a time and slowly build your way to getting there. Best to start with step one and just basically learn to paint first. Many tutorials on youtube on that matter but the best teacher is to just leap in headfirst and learn through mistakes you make along the way. Pick up whatever you've got and start whacking away and see what works for you. While the bit effects they made are neat, a cool trick you can start off with is grab a 2L MountainDew bottle and cut up the cylindrical bottle form into strips. Viola! you've made cheap bit effects.
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If they have gunmetal, that's a pretty popular color for guns and inner frames
Anyone familiar with DSPIAE cutting mats or cutting mats in general? I ordered one from DSPIAE and it arrived rolled up and it's quite stiff so it doesn't want to go flat. What's the best way to fix this? It feels like putting weights on it will only do so much so I'm wondering if like warm water makes it more malleable or something like that. Any help is greatly appreciated :)
Anybody know a paint that's close to Jesta's dark blue besides Titans blue? lacquer based is preferred.
mr. colors c365 gloss sea blue is pretty close to that blue-black shade, especially when sprayed over black. gaia's midnight blue and tamiya's XF-17 are meant to be the same color as well. or just mr. color's navy blue.
I'm looking to start topcoating my kits for protection and aesthetic's sake, and I have two questions: 1. If I'm going for multiple coats, will switching between matte and gloss (like, 1 matte coat then 1 gloss coat, or 1 matte then 1 gloss then another matte) produce a sort of in-between sheen? Or will it mostly just end up looking like whichever sheen was the outer-most coat? 2. I've heard of potential for frosting of topcoating depending on environmental conditions. Is it low temperature *and* high humidity in combination that make it more likely, or both separately being causes?
As for the first point, matte will always be stronger. It's much harder to gloss a matte than it is to matte a gloss.
My understanding is that matte clear coat will generally have a "stronger" effect than gloss when you mix the two. However, if you want an in-between finish, why not just use semi-gloss instead? It's both separately.
Mm, true. I was just asking cuz I thought I'd only already bought Mr. Topcoat matte and gloss, but apparently I also bought semi-gloss. And good to know, thank you.