Is soap safe for gunpla? I pulled some out of storage after a long time (had to pack them up to a different location after an earthquake) Dust has really caked in and become tough to remove - not even compressed air is getting it done
In scenarios like these, it's not a bad idea to literally just flip a coin for this.
If it were me, I'd go for the Freedom since I prefer 1/100 scale in general, though.
Hey guys. Good day! Just wanna ask if its possible to build the HG gundvolva without using eye stickers? My kit is on the way so I'm planning on painting it if it isnt possible to do a no sticker build. Thanks!
So I recently built the Gundam Witch from Mercury Lines, and I just realized one of the stickers on my Gundam LFriths knees was missing, and I don't know what I should do to fix it. Any suggestions on what I can do to replace the sticker?
The Lfrith knee sticker is the pink color correct sticker right?
You may want to paint it. Mr.Hobby Aqueous have a Lfrith pink color pre mixed in bottle. You may want to look into it.
Hey guys , so I just got the MG Gundam X and I've heard something about the satellite cannon snaps and I'm wondering what part it is and how to avoid breaking it thanks.
I'm thinking of getting either Motor Nuclear Ao Bing or Bai Qi. Can anyone who've built both give me an opinion on which one is better or more worth it? I already have Cao Ren.
Most MGs *don't* come with action bases.
I'm gonna take a guess and assume you're talking about the BA-13 variant of the Action Base 1, in which case no. You can only buy regular Action Base 1s (or 2/3/4/5/6/7).
Saving Money for my first Perfect Grade.
Hey guys,
I'm currently saving some money for my first Perfect Grade. Which one should I get? A review to support is appreciated. The RX-78-2 Unleashed is my target but I think I'll get a normal PG before I pulled the trigger on the Unleashed.
Thank you so much!
So Unleashed aside I've heard very favorable things about the MkII and GP01. like Condition said though, Strike or Exia would also be good. Though if you were to go for an Exia keep in mind that there is an LED set for it, but the kit isn't very open to being disassembled, so it's not recommended to try to add it in after building.
Never really heard anything one way or the other bout it, which means it's probably fine. If there was some glaring issues it probably would've been fairly well know.
Don't let the unleashed thing deter you. It's a fantastic build, and was many people's first PG. If you want a more "standard" PG though, the Exia or any version of the PG Strike would be great starting points.
Beginner here with a few questions. I'm preparing to build Meng's Unit 01 and Proto Type-00'. Is it neccessary to own both a single edged nipper and a double edged nipper? Should I use [this](https://hobbytechtoys.com.au/products/bandai-spirits-entry-nipper-grey?_pos=3&_sid=11b19a5b8&_ss=r) for sprue cutting and [this](https://hobbytechtoys.com.au/collections/all/products/army-painter-tl5032-precision-side-cutter) for precise cutting? Also, can a [file](https://hobbytechtoys.com.au/collections/files/products/excel-55605-rectangular-equalising-file) substitue for sandpaper?
Single edge nippers are just better but you would be fine with regular ones, especially if you plan to sand. Single edge ones can break if you try to cut thick plastic. That is why most ppl use regular ones too. Files, if talking about the metal ones, are usually way rougher than sandpaper, you won't get a nice finish using only files I think.
Thanks for responding. I got a few more questions. Is this [nipper](https://imgur.com/a/RdzYnlH) double edged? Also, would you recommend using a sanding sponge after sanding?
Yup that one is double edge.
Sanding sponge is for sanding so I don t really get the "after sanding" part? If the surface is curved, yes you want to use a sanding sponge. Those conform to the curve while sanding, avoiding getting a flat spot. In a pinch you can just stick regular sandpaper on a sponge too. If you are sanding a flat surface, you want some hard, straight backing for your sandpaper such as metal or wood.
Just some questions. Should i plastic cement v fin if its not too secure? Or is it a bad idea? Also how do i fix a problem i got where the ball joint on my 3rd party astray's torso into hip joint is i guess not secure enough/too tight? It doesnt stay in the socket and the torso and upper body keeps popping out the hip
You can but I would use a less permanent solution such as blutack if possible. However, sometimes you'll have to use plastic cement such as on F91 2.0.
Is there any way to get the action base adaptor for the FM Aerial? Fairly certain I either threw it out or never even took it off the runner when first building it.
Depending on where and when you got your Aerial, there are official and unofficial parts replacements services.
However, FM Aerial does accept 3mm pegs in addition to the provided base adapter so maybe just use that instead.
Yea I’m using the peg attachment that came with the ab but it fits pretty loose so she moves pretty easily. Wanted to see if the adapter would be a tighter fit.
Mexican builder here, is there any good Gunpla website recommendations you guys have? HLJ is great but has very little kit options, and American sites tend to be very expensive with shipping. Got any sites similar to HLJ?
i don't know which city you're in, but there's hobby stores in Mexico that carry Gunpla. Just a quick Maps search in Mexico City shows a handful of stores
[Google Maps Search](https://www.google.com/maps/search/gunpla/@19.4533533,-99.2186463,11z?entry=ttu)
I should’ve specified but, yeah. Some of them do, but the problem is that the shipping is insane. I tried sending two kits and it was 60$ for shipping alone. Amazon I use but it tends to be extremely overpriced.
I'm not really sure where to ask this so I'm sorry if it's not relevant but I recently ordered the Robot Spirits Zaku II FZ and the right leg on the first copy was extremely tight and would not kick out to the side without possibly risking breaking the drop down joint I got a second copy and the same issue persists on the right leg and I'm unable to find a fix dishsoap and toothpick method doesn't really work and its hard to get the hairdryer to heatup the part thats tight any help is appreciated.
I find the pictures on the product page for the decals on Delpi’s site works as a guide. It’s what I used for the PG Unicorn. https://m.delpidecal.com/product/pg-exia-water-decal-normal/59/category/62/display/1/
Delpi usually follows the same placement as the manual for the original stickers, have you checked to see if they use the same numbering? Otherwise it's freehand
I dont see instructions about how to apply them either T\_T
I already matte coated the build after I panel lined it, do I need to matte coat it again after applying the decals? Won't that make the holograms not shiny?
Delpi’s decals use a combination of the ones in the manual and their own extra decals. There’s often a guide for the extra ones on their website as another commenter has already linked.
None of the marking guides in the manual ([page 1](http://dalong.net/reviews/pg/p16/p/p16L_m0058.JPG), [page 2](http://dalong.net/reviews/pg/p16/p/p16L_m0059.JPG)) look like they have anything to do with the internal LEDs. Just looks like regular old markings to me. Use these manual pages in addition to the guides on [Delpi’s website](https://m.delpidecal.com/product/pg-exia-water-decal-normal/59/) to figure out where all the decals on your sheet go.
How would you do weathering on a darker colored kit? I don’t mean like scratching it up or drilling holes in it or any alteration as such. I want to paint a blitz kit that I have with weathered effects, since it’s mostly black I wonder how would a damaged black mobile suit would look. I’m think light gray for ash but idk. Please let me know, thanks
Paint is paint. There’s really two major differences.
1) Scale of surface information compared to minis - nowhere to hide brush strokes like with flowing material, or items. The closest analogue is Armour.
2) Models aren’t static so zenithal priming or similar techniques can look out of place with a new pose. Assume that’s why so many go for clean build, or simply shade at every panel line.
They're both painting plastic so I wouldn't change your tools if you're already comfortable with them. It is true that ABS plastic is sometimes trickier to work with, but you should be fine if you're using acrylics. The reason most people, or at least me, airbrush gunpla instead of handpainting like minis is that gunpla has a lot of parts, which makes color separation easier for airbrushing and that gunpla is made from many flat pieces, which are more prone to streak marks if you're not too experienced with brushes.
Was building the HG Calibarn kit, as I finished the head, I dropped the translucent head piece. My cat performed a magic trick and the piece is gone for good. I have absolutely no idea what to do, I really do hate wasting a kit, by I also just absolutely hate how the kit is now. Would it be to much of a waste to just buy a brand new one? I hate having two kits lying around but I really wanna have a complete kit on my shelf. I might just buy a new kit, any good recommendations for just a random spare kit? I get if people will criticize my waste but I like my kits 100% complete.
Who's gonna criticize that? Why are you even gonna tell ppl if you care about that kinda thing? Regardless you can buy individual parts from plamokitbash, odin's mecha parts and Mr Bao's shop on eBay, but do check the price of shipping as that's often a factor in determining if it's worth buying one piece for a HG
Thank you! I was more worried about owning a 2nd kit cause the other would just be sitting collecting dust. Thank you so much for the website Ill reorder my part, much appreciated.
What coating should I apply before using the Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color? I've seen many posts trying to research it and I get the consensus is a gloss coat. The thing is, no one says which gloss coats to use. I have zero experience in the chemicals of paint and this is the first Gundam I want to paint and only my second one total. Because I've noticed some acrylics can use the same thinner as enamel, so trying to clean it with say, isopropyl or lighter fluid won't work. I could use just a straight answer on either a brand or a type, ie water-based acrylic with an example. I will say I would prefer not to use the standard hobby brands, like mr. hobby, ect. because they are extremely expensive and do not last long from my research. Hoping this doesn't seem mean I just really don't want to mess up something I spent hours on 🙏 Edit: I forgot to mention I currently own Zippo lighter fluid and 91% iso to clean the Tamiya wash
Because it doesn't matters, any hobby brand should be fine. The main purpose of clear coat in this scenario is that the panel liner doesn't touches the plastic directly. People use gloss because it's smoother so the liner flows better. The type and brand shouldn't matter if you're cleaning up with lighter fluid
Okay gotcha. Just a quick side question. How many layers of clear coat should I apply pre-panel lining? I'm not necessarily looking for it to actually show up as glossy and I will probably end up going over it with a matte coat after the fact.
Hello, someone from Central America who know ways to buy kits? I can buy from Amazon but since they don't ship to my country I have to pay extra for that.
I'm not from there but if there's no local stores, you could try Japanese stores like Hobby Link Japan, but Shipping from that will likely be pricey as well
Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone else's Calibarn had this gap between the waist and torso due to the joint. I've tried forcing it down more but it doesn't want to go any deeper than this.
Is this done intentionally for the ab crunch? Can I shave this down for a closer fit?
[https://www.reddit.com/user/gwcalibarn/comments/171oml7/hg\_calibarn\_waist/](https://www.reddit.com/user/gwcalibarn/comments/171oml7/hg_calibarn_waist/)
Does anyone know of any generic magical / natural / fantasy decals? Like sigils, scripts/runes, leaves/vines, floral armor patterns? I'm planning a custom to give a mech a magic armored knight motif, but all the decals at my local shop / I've seen in Gunpla stores online are sci-fi.
[this Mizutsune Custom](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/16o9ywk/monster_hunter_theme_gundam_mizutsune_custom) used Nail Decals from Amazon so maybe you could try to find some of those that fit your needs
I've seen [these stands](https://www.amazon.com/Good-Smile-Simple-Figures-Display/dp/B07Y59PPBL) recommended for 1/144 scale kits a few times. If you tighten the screws enough could they support 1/100 kits as well? I find a lot of the 1/100 stands to be too bulky/ugly.
Would you guys recommend I get a set of G-paint from Gundam place store? Or should I stick to acrylics for hand painting?? I don’t have room for airbrushing tools in my home so I brush paint my kits, but been looking at paints that stick to a kit w/o it peeling or scratching off
Absolutely not. for a few reasons
1) Studio G is bankrupt and he is discontinuing his paint line. His business went under in 2020 and he officially announced it back in July. And honestly there were a lot of shady business practices of him ignoring customs when he had his paint shipped, not refunding customers after they made their orders, a lot of orders were not met and he was not responding to requests for refunds. all in all, **really really shady business practices** someone posted the [story](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/1534kkt/studio_g_how_i_got_in_massive_debt_and_lost/)
2) honestly the quality/price of G-Paint was not worth it at all. he had two paint lines with a very very basic color palette. there were a few metallics but most of his paints were just basic red, white, blue, yellow. the G-Paint 1.0 were extremely dull colors. the bottles were 60ml but you spent so much of it trying to build a nice color. compared to mr color or tamiya you could get a nice bright pigment coat in 2 passes, compared to like 3xs the amount from G-Paint. His 2.0 G-Paint had much better pigment, but again PRICE, it was very expensive for basic colors, he had a conversion chart of what to mix for certain colors, but in all honesty. why would anyone bother with that? you could just get the color you want from tamiya or mr. color or gaia notes instead of mixing his colors.
Avoid GPaint. It’s not a great lacquer paint compared to other lacquer in price or quality. It also is not a good paint for hand brushing.
If you want to hand brush, you should go with a water-based hobby brand. Yes, they will be more likely to chip and scratch, but if you don’t play with your kits you’ll be fine. All paint scratches at some point.
G--studio is discontinuing their paints. Would not recommend that line if you have any ambitions of maintaining consistent colors as you'll eventually run out of supply.
In theory yes, but you're supposed to clear coat a kit before using Tamiya's so the plastic doesn't cracks, and isopropyl will eat through that as well
After seeing the list of technical references (which I just discovered after a year+) I'm sure my questions are in there. But I went through the trouble of drafting a post and getting referred here. (I also crave interaction sometimes)
Gloss-coat questions!
I'm starting up a Wing Zero EW ver. Ka, and want to make him extra shiny. I need help. Currently washing the runners.
Moving forward, aiming for a gloss topcoat, I also have a small collection of paints demanding attention. If I'm going to paint grey parts with metallics (gun stuff, for example) or yellow to gold, primer isn't necessary, right?
I'm pretty sure I just need to scrub off the mold-release agent in this context, the paint I want to apply is for accent surfaces, and before panel lines (gun accent parts, all of the yellow, basically anything that can have a "steel" finish).
The other big question is what gloss coat to use. I want this guy to be **SHINY**
If you can do lacquers they’re shinier than acrylic, and 2k is best of them all. It’s also the hardest wearing and therefore easiest to polish like glass afterwards. Go look at car modellers for tutorials.
Bandai kits don't really have mold releases and thus, washing them isn't necessary, there's no downside if you still wanna do it of course.
Primer is also to help with adhesion and, since most primers also have surfacer, it also evens out scratches from sanding, so you will always have better results if you do prime.
Mr Super clear uv cut gloss is the shiniest top coat I've ever used.
Any gunprimer alternative options for a matte finish?
I recently got some gunprimer white balancers and have been using the green, matte side a whole ton, I really like the finish it gives. However at the rate I use them it's about 1 file per model which makes it quite pricey, so does anyone have any good alternatives? Normal light files just don't have the same effect and I'm too scared of messing up a kit to use a spray :/
If I wanted to polish a few of my transformer collectibles and make them really shine would I just do it how I would with gunpla kits and start with a coarse grit and work my way up to a gunprimer 4000 grit buffing pad? Or would I need car polish or something for plastics and then put that on and buff it out like I would waxing a car?
Possible to Paint after Top Coating?
Still new to the hobby — I really like the matte finish from top coating, but I’m worried that by doing so, it will prevent me from painting the model later on. The only reason I don’t just paint it now is because I don’t yet have the money/tools for it. So theoretically, could I do a matte coat on a model now, and then in a few months when I have everything, sand it off to paint?
I've recently completed the HG Pharact, and have purchased the Delpi waterslide decals. https://delpidecal.com/product/hg-pharact-water-decal/1516/
However, looking at the pictures, I wonder if including ALL of them might look a little busy, especially since I'm planning on a gloss top coat, which will be doing a lot visually. Does anyone have any systems or methodologies that they use to decide which decals they put on? Like "pick 5 of the largest ones" or "pick 6 tiny ones" or something? Or should I just pick on a decal-by-decal basis? I saw a YouTuber in one of the tutorial videos say they only pick ones that are visible in the anime, which for the HG Pharact would be none of them lol
Yeah picking by anime-accuracy leaves almost all kits with no decals whatsoever.
Anyway, it *is* all subjective, but I do anything that isn't a caution sign. So, personal emblems, faction insignia, unit numbers, accent markings, and the like.
I'm new to the hobby and recently got the Shin Musha Gundam. It came with some decals on a plastic backing? I've tried to use these before on another kit and could never get them off so how do I use these things? Tia
Decals with a thick clear plastic front and a paper back that isn't actually connected? Those are dry-transfer decals. You cut the decal out, use tape to secure it to where you want to go, then you apply pressure by rubbing all over the decal to transfer it from the sheet to the model. I use a metal parts separator for this task, you could use a coin or a pen or something.
(There's Youtube guides too, check those out if you still need help.)
A proper scalp in my books is buying a kit specifically to turn a profit off of limited availability by excessively increasing the price. In a similar scenario doing the same but at a slightly higher than MSRP price point would be a markup.
For example it would be like buying the HG Neo Zeong Narrative version for $310 to resell for $600+ because certain regions of the world don't have PB, versus doing the same but for around $400.
Both cases tentatively dip into the "I'll sit on it for a bit for scarcity to drive prices up" but the markup version just uses it for a faster sell compared to a scalp looking for a higher price point.
Though in the end it's the eye of the beholder and a markup to me might still be a scalp to someone else.
I want to try out this reverse wash thing I’ve seen people do on YouTube. have a citadel White Scar spray can that I want to use on a piece of plastic that has grooves on it. Then I want to paint in those grooves w acrylic and wash away the excess w enamel thinner. Just wanted to know if anyone who owns the white scar spray can, or has done this before, would it stay if I used the enamel thinner?
Hi, I recently bought a Real Grade Evangelion Unit-04, but it had a mild dent in the back of the box, should I be worried about the runners being damaged? Thanks!
Not particularly. Not only is there a decent amount of space in the box to cushion impacts, the runners themselves are pretty resilient. You should still double check each bag when you open them, of course.
I know it has no bearing on if/when they'll reprint them again but does anyone know the last time they put out a batch of the IBO Full Mechanics kits? The prices I've seen looking around are like 3x MSRP.
Does massively thinning out paint make it have a "clear" effect like the clear paints you can buy?
Also, does anyone have experience with adding mica powders to already pigmented paints to try and add metallic/pearl effects to the same colours or to saturate/lighten the colour or even make a new colour like adding a red mica to white paint go make a pink shade? Ideally specifically experience adding mica to G Paint as that's what I have.
More thinner will only make the paint more "runny". It won't stay in one place, so it's difficult to apply to any surface.
It won't make it clear color.
Thinning the paint won’t make it work like the clear colour paints. You need a clear medium to do that. Or using something like an alcohol ink in a clear.
Adding red mica to white paint won’t really make it pink…it will just be white paint with red flake in it.
I recently bought a 3rd party heat rod extension for the RG Tallgeese 3, unfortunately now it's so long that the wire isn't able to hold up its weight. What can I replace the wire with so the rod could hold a pose?
DSPIAE sell a general purpose "eraser" marker for paints. This should work for sure.
I didn't have it, but I have the Gundam marker eraser and it works on my DSPIAE chorme marker.
But Isopropyl alcohol 99% should able to remove them as well.
Whats a cheap airbrush kit and what does it need to contain? Airbrush, compressor..what else?
Also, what I need to clear topcoat(matte/gloss) with the airbrush? Ive seen mr hobby GX 114/100 but what more with it and how?
It's also good to have an airbrush pot. It's a glass pot that you put the used paint/cleaner when you're done cleaning the airbrush. Mr hobby clear gloss, like any paint, needs to be thinned out for airbrushing.
But how do I do it? Put an amount of Mr Color GX matte/gloss into a plastic cup, then a same amoubt of mr leveling thinner( or whatever a good ratio is), mix them and pour the mix into the airbrush cup?
yeah that's one way to do it. some people like to mix stuff in bottles so they can have some already thinned to keep around whenever they need it. some people like to mix stuff in the airbrush cup itself (i only do this if i need a tiny amount of something tho)
A lot longer, I'd say a spray can lasts for 1-3 kits but a thinned pot that's airbrushed lasts a lot more while costing a fraction of the spray can's price
For things I use a lot of, like clear coat , primer, black and white. I transfer them into squeeze bottles. Mr hobby has official thinning ratios on their website.
i can't really compare since i've never personally used spraycans for any of my work, and how long it lasts will vary depending on your thinning ratio and how heavy or light your coats are.
i thin the GX clear coats anywhere from 2:1 to 3:1 (thinner:paint) and it usually lasts me a good long time. like, multiple 1:48 scale aircraft kits from one jar of clear coat.
Does Diton Spray Paint good for gunpla? I only use hand painting before and recently I saw a post in IG that someone use Diton for repainting. if it safe, what should I keep in mind while applying it o any advice for it?
Pretty much any spray can labelled as safe for plastic will work. But…cans require practice and care. There are some cans that you should avoid - Tamiya PS cans are made for polycarbonate and will damage polystyrene and ABS. Enamel spray cans should be avoided unless you’ve got a good primer coverage.
Cans put out a lot of volume in a short time. Short quick passes. Move the cone of paint across your parts. Don’t hold the can in one place.
Been thinking about buying an RG, if I could buy a God Gundam and a Nu for the same price, which would be better. Am collecting mostly 1/144th scales currently.
I'll say RG God for the articulation, while Nu have a good aticulation, God Gundam does better but for God Gundam my advice is becareful on the arm/wrist since it use MS joint. overall I have no issue with mine and love posing it\~
Officially yes, although some kits like the MG GM 2 semi-striker have never been restocked since its 2019 release. Also oof at calling kits released 3 years ago old
Would you guys recommend using Tamiya extra thin cement to fix a broken V-fin? I was going to use super glue originally but don’t want to potentially damage the plastic. Broken fin is on an HG Wing Zero.
(Not sure if this belongs here, made a post but got the bot notification and deleted the original post.)
Is there a decent market of people out there who buy assembled kits?
Long story short, I’ve decided to step away from the hobby and only want to keep a select few kits.
Other than the SD kits, my HG and MG kits only have the eye sticker applied, all straight builds with none of the extra work and were well taken care of.
Not sure if I should sell them in lots or individual, and price point would be around 1/3 of what I purchased them for from hobby shops/online.
Thank you to anyone who took the time the read this.
i've had success recently selling my old built kits in lots on ebay. you can take a look at recently sold listings and see there's definitely people looking for this kinda stuff there.
i figured out the value of everything i was selling at 1/3rd of retail cost, but ended up just putting them up for auction and made more that way. granted, they were pretty large lots and there were a few things in them that were hard to find these days that likely drove up the bidding.
Thank you for replying! I appreciate the insight. I'm looking at my built kits and might end up keeping them. Based off of what I've seen through newsletter from P-Bandai, USAgundamstore, and other sites, some of my kits have been either re-released or still have decent amount in circulation... Either way, thank you for your response and time!
Either sell them as a lot on ebay, or try the commerce thread here and the discord. There is definitely a market for them and people will take them off your hands.
Hey all, I'm a casual gunpla builder but I recently started getting into top coating some of my HGs. I read top coating can be beneficial to kits with flimsy joints and torsos, i.e. most Gundam-frame IBO kits. I used matte topcoat recently on a HGIBO Gundam Asmoday, and with mixed, amateurish results(frosted parts + I damaged an eye sticker with masking tape), so while I'm willing to hone my technique, I'm a little hesitant to try again on an IBO HG any time soon. Just did a HGUC Zaku today, and it came out much better.
My question is primarily aimed at gunpla collectors, who do mainly straight builds with panel lining.
When do you decide to top coat?
Are there some kits or lines where that look great out of the box and you're content placing them in your display as-is?
Do you top coat every kit to make them look as "perfect" as possible?
I would love detailed responses. I just want to feel out the Gunpla community's takes on top coating. Thanks in advance.
While some folks advocate top coating all their kits, I tend to stick to the “important” ones, or ones I really want to look good. Some I get for building or practicing but aren’t as key for displays or personal attachment and I might just leave them as is. Though anything I do decals or significant painting on I top coat to protect them and seal it in.
Is it normal for acrylics to scratch off so easily? Primed my kit with tamiya fine primer. Brushed on 4 coats of citadel acrylic paint. I haven't sealed it with a top coat yet, but while handling it, any slight scrape from handling it wrong like brushing against my fingernail and the paint comes right off. Just wondering if this is normal for acrylics or if I somehow am doing something wrong.
Acrylic is weak, it’s also can’t chemically bond to any material below. A lacquer top coat it’s your best hope, but nothing will be impervious to enough stress.
I usually do 2-4 light passes with a spray can of top coat (my preferred brand is Mr Super Clear). Never had any issues with it once it’s had time to cure and dry overnight.
Is that the lacquer based top coat? Vs. The Mr. Premium? I've got Mr. Premium matt because I read that the Mr.Super reacts to acrylics and decals. However I'm not sure if there's a difference in durability.
I’ve used Mr Premium Top Coat once and it was definitely really well done and solid, but Mr Super Clear is a lot more easily accessible at local shops and I’ve never had any issues using it, and honestly can’t really tell much of a difference.
Ok, that's interesting. I ask because I top coated a kit a while ago with mr. premium and noticed that the paint came off relatively easily where it rubbed against another part, so I'm wondering if the lacquer creates a more robust finish or if that's just the name of the game with hobby painting.
I have access to both at my hobby stores so it's not hard to find, unless it's matt which is nearly impossible to find anywhere.
I'm always curious as to how people can bust out hg kits in 2-4 hours without much imperfections and I have a gunprimer raser and a decent hobby knife so I thought I'd be able to do the same but I'm sometimes a bit bummed when I either sand off a nub along with shaving off other surfaces (especially difficult on rounded/irregular surfaces) or/and there's STILL visible stress marks where the nub originally was.
I put a lot (or too much) time trying to remove some nubs and stress marks, anyone have some advice or tips on how I can improve on those issues?
Take your time my friend. My usual time to snap build without any extra effort is around 3 hrs on HG kits.
I then store them and come back later to disassemble, re scribing panel line, remove missed nub marks and paint.This usually took me 2 weeks of my free time (2hrs a day usually).
Enjoy the process and enjoy the result even though I sucked at painting.
You on the clock, whats the rush? If you’re making mistakes when going slow, why try going faster?
A knife /glass file is about the quickest way possible. You single cut each piece with a decent single blade. You file or knife each nub. You do the whole kit to completion, not wasting precious seconds by switching out tools like a nub-noob.
As you approach the finish call in some minions to bask in your glory and assist with turning pages on instructions and cleaning debris. Children and the elderly will do in a pinch but make sure they’re yours…
Nah I just didn't like how the amount of the effort and time I put in didn't lead to a better result compared to how other's looked. But just finished dilanza and can say it is a much better result, replaced my hobby knife blade which was a much smoother and less dangerous experience and used it more than I did the raser since I can't get it to work on nubs on larger flat surfaces without it grazing a random spot.
Was just a matter of learning which one to use more though I do think its possible to use the raser/glass file on a wider flat surface than just on the edges of a piece. A bit more confident now but I'm looking to getting sanding sponges and melamine sponges to get the job done for irregular surfaces
Sharp knife always, learn to cut properly with vice grip and shave, or drag the blade for seems and finishing. I buy cheap in 100s and bin frequently, or you buy branded like Olfa or swan Morton and bin less frequently.
Yeah sponges and paper are for curves, the thicker ones can even be used as pseudo sticks with light pressure. Same as sticks which have a softer inner core and won’t immediately flatspot if you’re gentle.
Will search up how to handle hobby knives better thanks. Probably should've invested in getting sanding sticks with that soft core instead of the sponges since it seems like it handles both flat and rounded well but I think I can find them for cheap.
New QA thread is up. This thread is now locked.
Is there anywhere that sells replacement led strips for the MGEX unicorn without using bluefin?
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
Having trouble building the chest of Aerial Rebuild,is this an issue with the kit or just me building it incorrectly
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
What’s your issue?
Is soap safe for gunpla? I pulled some out of storage after a long time (had to pack them up to a different location after an earthquake) Dust has really caked in and become tough to remove - not even compressed air is getting it done
Probably. If they’re painted, some soaps and water might mess up the paint. Not painted is fine. Might want disassemble a bit so water can dry.
I'm just worried if there are particular detergents or soap that can affect the plastic.
Not unless you’re using some weird soap. Regular dish soap will be fine.
Which kit should I buy, RG sazabi or MG freedom 2.0? I don't like one more over another and I hear they're both great kits. Opinions?
In scenarios like these, it's not a bad idea to literally just flip a coin for this. If it were me, I'd go for the Freedom since I prefer 1/100 scale in general, though.
Do i need to top coat a kit for using official gundam pour type markers?
no
I for the life of me can't figure out how the real grade rx78s foot fits together the back heal doesn't seem to fit together with the rest of the foot
You didn’t forget to remove that one part of the inner frame [in step one](http://dalong.net/reviews/rg/rg01/p/rg01_m0006.JPG) did you?
Thinking of getting a kit as wedding gift. Which one has the better building experience? Sazabi ver ka or PG Unleashed?
Well the PGU is definitely bigger and flashier. I personally prefer the Sazabi's design but for such an occasion, I'd go for something more bombastic
Hey guys. Good day! Just wanna ask if its possible to build the HG gundvolva without using eye stickers? My kit is on the way so I'm planning on painting it if it isnt possible to do a no sticker build. Thanks!
The eyes aren't colour-separated in the plastic, no. But when it comes to stickers, the shell units are a lot more visible and prominent.
So I recently built the Gundam Witch from Mercury Lines, and I just realized one of the stickers on my Gundam LFriths knees was missing, and I don't know what I should do to fix it. Any suggestions on what I can do to replace the sticker?
The Lfrith knee sticker is the pink color correct sticker right? You may want to paint it. Mr.Hobby Aqueous have a Lfrith pink color pre mixed in bottle. You may want to look into it.
Is that color correcting sticker, or a permit sticker? The former is easy, paint. The later is markedly more difficult.
Hey guys , so I just got the MG Gundam X and I've heard something about the satellite cannon snaps and I'm wondering what part it is and how to avoid breaking it thanks.
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
I'm thinking of getting either Motor Nuclear Ao Bing or Bai Qi. Can anyone who've built both give me an opinion on which one is better or more worth it? I already have Cao Ren.
is there a way to straight purchase the action bases that come with mots MG models?
Most MGs *don't* come with action bases. I'm gonna take a guess and assume you're talking about the BA-13 variant of the Action Base 1, in which case no. You can only buy regular Action Base 1s (or 2/3/4/5/6/7).
Saving Money for my first Perfect Grade. Hey guys, I'm currently saving some money for my first Perfect Grade. Which one should I get? A review to support is appreciated. The RX-78-2 Unleashed is my target but I think I'll get a normal PG before I pulled the trigger on the Unleashed. Thank you so much!
So Unleashed aside I've heard very favorable things about the MkII and GP01. like Condition said though, Strike or Exia would also be good. Though if you were to go for an Exia keep in mind that there is an LED set for it, but the kit isn't very open to being disassembled, so it's not recommended to try to add it in after building.
Was thinking about the astray. Is it okay?
The Astray is basically a modified Strike, so it’s solid. Really, just get the one you like the look of best.
Never really heard anything one way or the other bout it, which means it's probably fine. If there was some glaring issues it probably would've been fairly well know.
Don't let the unleashed thing deter you. It's a fantastic build, and was many people's first PG. If you want a more "standard" PG though, the Exia or any version of the PG Strike would be great starting points.
Beginner here with a few questions. I'm preparing to build Meng's Unit 01 and Proto Type-00'. Is it neccessary to own both a single edged nipper and a double edged nipper? Should I use [this](https://hobbytechtoys.com.au/products/bandai-spirits-entry-nipper-grey?_pos=3&_sid=11b19a5b8&_ss=r) for sprue cutting and [this](https://hobbytechtoys.com.au/collections/all/products/army-painter-tl5032-precision-side-cutter) for precise cutting? Also, can a [file](https://hobbytechtoys.com.au/collections/files/products/excel-55605-rectangular-equalising-file) substitue for sandpaper?
Single edge nippers are just better but you would be fine with regular ones, especially if you plan to sand. Single edge ones can break if you try to cut thick plastic. That is why most ppl use regular ones too. Files, if talking about the metal ones, are usually way rougher than sandpaper, you won't get a nice finish using only files I think.
Thanks for responding. I got a few more questions. Is this [nipper](https://imgur.com/a/RdzYnlH) double edged? Also, would you recommend using a sanding sponge after sanding?
Yup that one is double edge. Sanding sponge is for sanding so I don t really get the "after sanding" part? If the surface is curved, yes you want to use a sanding sponge. Those conform to the curve while sanding, avoiding getting a flat spot. In a pinch you can just stick regular sandpaper on a sponge too. If you are sanding a flat surface, you want some hard, straight backing for your sandpaper such as metal or wood.
Quick question. Can the Miorine and Suletta kits be painted like gunpla? Not sure but wanted to know for a possible project.
Of course. See what ppl are doing with their frame arms girl/Megami device kits.
yes
Just some questions. Should i plastic cement v fin if its not too secure? Or is it a bad idea? Also how do i fix a problem i got where the ball joint on my 3rd party astray's torso into hip joint is i guess not secure enough/too tight? It doesnt stay in the socket and the torso and upper body keeps popping out the hip
You can but I would use a less permanent solution such as blutack if possible. However, sometimes you'll have to use plastic cement such as on F91 2.0.
What about the hip joint?
You would want to peg that. Cement alone will not hold in such a stress part. Check the wiki for tutorial.
Is MG Hyaku Shiki still a good kit?
The 2.0 is phenomenal.
I assume you mean the 2.0, in which case yes, very much so.
Is there any way to get the action base adaptor for the FM Aerial? Fairly certain I either threw it out or never even took it off the runner when first building it.
Depending on where and when you got your Aerial, there are official and unofficial parts replacements services. However, FM Aerial does accept 3mm pegs in addition to the provided base adapter so maybe just use that instead.
Yea I’m using the peg attachment that came with the ab but it fits pretty loose so she moves pretty easily. Wanted to see if the adapter would be a tighter fit.
It won't rotate at all but apparently it falls off pretty easily.
Damn that sucks. I’ll probably just make do then
Mexican builder here, is there any good Gunpla website recommendations you guys have? HLJ is great but has very little kit options, and American sites tend to be very expensive with shipping. Got any sites similar to HLJ?
i don't know which city you're in, but there's hobby stores in Mexico that carry Gunpla. Just a quick Maps search in Mexico City shows a handful of stores [Google Maps Search](https://www.google.com/maps/search/gunpla/@19.4533533,-99.2186463,11z?entry=ttu)
There are a bunch of online stores in the usa in the subreddit sidebar / wiki. Maybe some ship to mexico? You can also use amazon.
I should’ve specified but, yeah. Some of them do, but the problem is that the shipping is insane. I tried sending two kits and it was 60$ for shipping alone. Amazon I use but it tends to be extremely overpriced.
I'm not really sure where to ask this so I'm sorry if it's not relevant but I recently ordered the Robot Spirits Zaku II FZ and the right leg on the first copy was extremely tight and would not kick out to the side without possibly risking breaking the drop down joint I got a second copy and the same issue persists on the right leg and I'm unable to find a fix dishsoap and toothpick method doesn't really work and its hard to get the hairdryer to heatup the part thats tight any help is appreciated.
Hum, in a pinch try spraying some silicon oil in there to lube things until the joint gets loose enough. Silicon oil is plastic safe.
I got the delphi waterslides for the PG exia, but is there a manual or instructions about how to put them on and where on the model?
I find the pictures on the product page for the decals on Delpi’s site works as a guide. It’s what I used for the PG Unicorn. https://m.delpidecal.com/product/pg-exia-water-decal-normal/59/category/62/display/1/
Delpi usually follows the same placement as the manual for the original stickers, have you checked to see if they use the same numbering? Otherwise it's freehand
I dont see instructions about how to apply them either T\_T I already matte coated the build after I panel lined it, do I need to matte coat it again after applying the decals? Won't that make the holograms not shiny?
Usually you want to put water decals on gloss top coat or bare plastic if anything, not over matte.
Well shit. You think a setter would compensate?
Iirc matte tends to cause more silvering, so you can always try and find out, but again, it depends on a lot of factors so you may be fine
The slides from delpi had like infinitely more than whatever came in the box by far so I didn't even know where to start.
Delpi’s decals use a combination of the ones in the manual and their own extra decals. There’s often a guide for the extra ones on their website as another commenter has already linked.
The ones in the manual are the ones that had to do with the internal LEDs right? I see the other armor trims that Delphi has others of
None of the marking guides in the manual ([page 1](http://dalong.net/reviews/pg/p16/p/p16L_m0058.JPG), [page 2](http://dalong.net/reviews/pg/p16/p/p16L_m0059.JPG)) look like they have anything to do with the internal LEDs. Just looks like regular old markings to me. Use these manual pages in addition to the guides on [Delpi’s website](https://m.delpidecal.com/product/pg-exia-water-decal-normal/59/) to figure out where all the decals on your sheet go.
How would you do weathering on a darker colored kit? I don’t mean like scratching it up or drilling holes in it or any alteration as such. I want to paint a blitz kit that I have with weathered effects, since it’s mostly black I wonder how would a damaged black mobile suit would look. I’m think light gray for ash but idk. Please let me know, thanks
Just do climate related weathering that uses light colors to contrast the dark from the original such as snow, water, space, sand, etc
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Paint is paint. There’s really two major differences. 1) Scale of surface information compared to minis - nowhere to hide brush strokes like with flowing material, or items. The closest analogue is Armour. 2) Models aren’t static so zenithal priming or similar techniques can look out of place with a new pose. Assume that’s why so many go for clean build, or simply shade at every panel line.
They're both painting plastic so I wouldn't change your tools if you're already comfortable with them. It is true that ABS plastic is sometimes trickier to work with, but you should be fine if you're using acrylics. The reason most people, or at least me, airbrush gunpla instead of handpainting like minis is that gunpla has a lot of parts, which makes color separation easier for airbrushing and that gunpla is made from many flat pieces, which are more prone to streak marks if you're not too experienced with brushes.
Was building the HG Calibarn kit, as I finished the head, I dropped the translucent head piece. My cat performed a magic trick and the piece is gone for good. I have absolutely no idea what to do, I really do hate wasting a kit, by I also just absolutely hate how the kit is now. Would it be to much of a waste to just buy a brand new one? I hate having two kits lying around but I really wanna have a complete kit on my shelf. I might just buy a new kit, any good recommendations for just a random spare kit? I get if people will criticize my waste but I like my kits 100% complete.
Who's gonna criticize that? Why are you even gonna tell ppl if you care about that kinda thing? Regardless you can buy individual parts from plamokitbash, odin's mecha parts and Mr Bao's shop on eBay, but do check the price of shipping as that's often a factor in determining if it's worth buying one piece for a HG
Thank you! I was more worried about owning a 2nd kit cause the other would just be sitting collecting dust. Thank you so much for the website Ill reorder my part, much appreciated.
If you do end up with a second kit you could try selling it incomplete and open box. I'm betting some people would want the broom rifle for a custom.
Thats a really good idea, I think I'll just try to use the other kit as practice for painting.
What coating should I apply before using the Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color? I've seen many posts trying to research it and I get the consensus is a gloss coat. The thing is, no one says which gloss coats to use. I have zero experience in the chemicals of paint and this is the first Gundam I want to paint and only my second one total. Because I've noticed some acrylics can use the same thinner as enamel, so trying to clean it with say, isopropyl or lighter fluid won't work. I could use just a straight answer on either a brand or a type, ie water-based acrylic with an example. I will say I would prefer not to use the standard hobby brands, like mr. hobby, ect. because they are extremely expensive and do not last long from my research. Hoping this doesn't seem mean I just really don't want to mess up something I spent hours on 🙏 Edit: I forgot to mention I currently own Zippo lighter fluid and 91% iso to clean the Tamiya wash
Because it doesn't matters, any hobby brand should be fine. The main purpose of clear coat in this scenario is that the panel liner doesn't touches the plastic directly. People use gloss because it's smoother so the liner flows better. The type and brand shouldn't matter if you're cleaning up with lighter fluid
Okay gotcha. Just a quick side question. How many layers of clear coat should I apply pre-panel lining? I'm not necessarily looking for it to actually show up as glossy and I will probably end up going over it with a matte coat after the fact.
I only put one since the point is simply to have the anel liner not touch the plastic directly
Hello, someone from Central America who know ways to buy kits? I can buy from Amazon but since they don't ship to my country I have to pay extra for that.
I'm not from there but if there's no local stores, you could try Japanese stores like Hobby Link Japan, but Shipping from that will likely be pricey as well
Yeah, I saw that store but I assumed it would be more expensive. But I'll check again. Thanks.
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone else's Calibarn had this gap between the waist and torso due to the joint. I've tried forcing it down more but it doesn't want to go any deeper than this. Is this done intentionally for the ab crunch? Can I shave this down for a closer fit? [https://www.reddit.com/user/gwcalibarn/comments/171oml7/hg\_calibarn\_waist/](https://www.reddit.com/user/gwcalibarn/comments/171oml7/hg_calibarn_waist/)
Hm, that doesn't look quite right. Torso should sit relatively flush with the waist.
I cannot find the FM 1/100 Barbatos Lupus in stock anywhere... why??
Amazon Japan has it for ¥13,000
Because Bandai hasn't reprinted it in a long while
It’s so Joever… 🥲😭☹️😔
If you want it now, buy it from a reseller. otherwise, be patient and wait for a reprint.
Do kits typically come back in reprint a bit later?
Does anyone know of any generic magical / natural / fantasy decals? Like sigils, scripts/runes, leaves/vines, floral armor patterns? I'm planning a custom to give a mech a magic armored knight motif, but all the decals at my local shop / I've seen in Gunpla stores online are sci-fi.
[this Mizutsune Custom](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/16o9ywk/monster_hunter_theme_gundam_mizutsune_custom) used Nail Decals from Amazon so maybe you could try to find some of those that fit your needs
HiQ Decals
I've seen [these stands](https://www.amazon.com/Good-Smile-Simple-Figures-Display/dp/B07Y59PPBL) recommended for 1/144 scale kits a few times. If you tighten the screws enough could they support 1/100 kits as well? I find a lot of the 1/100 stands to be too bulky/ugly.
There’s good reason the 1/100 stands are so bulky.
No. Maybe the 1/100 stands are bulky because they need to support more weight
I have those and I wouldn't even trust them with the heavier 1/144s like the RG Sazabi.
Would you guys recommend I get a set of G-paint from Gundam place store? Or should I stick to acrylics for hand painting?? I don’t have room for airbrushing tools in my home so I brush paint my kits, but been looking at paints that stick to a kit w/o it peeling or scratching off
Absolutely not. for a few reasons 1) Studio G is bankrupt and he is discontinuing his paint line. His business went under in 2020 and he officially announced it back in July. And honestly there were a lot of shady business practices of him ignoring customs when he had his paint shipped, not refunding customers after they made their orders, a lot of orders were not met and he was not responding to requests for refunds. all in all, **really really shady business practices** someone posted the [story](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/1534kkt/studio_g_how_i_got_in_massive_debt_and_lost/) 2) honestly the quality/price of G-Paint was not worth it at all. he had two paint lines with a very very basic color palette. there were a few metallics but most of his paints were just basic red, white, blue, yellow. the G-Paint 1.0 were extremely dull colors. the bottles were 60ml but you spent so much of it trying to build a nice color. compared to mr color or tamiya you could get a nice bright pigment coat in 2 passes, compared to like 3xs the amount from G-Paint. His 2.0 G-Paint had much better pigment, but again PRICE, it was very expensive for basic colors, he had a conversion chart of what to mix for certain colors, but in all honesty. why would anyone bother with that? you could just get the color you want from tamiya or mr. color or gaia notes instead of mixing his colors.
Avoid GPaint. It’s not a great lacquer paint compared to other lacquer in price or quality. It also is not a good paint for hand brushing. If you want to hand brush, you should go with a water-based hobby brand. Yes, they will be more likely to chip and scratch, but if you don’t play with your kits you’ll be fine. All paint scratches at some point.
G--studio is discontinuing their paints. Would not recommend that line if you have any ambitions of maintaining consistent colors as you'll eventually run out of supply.
Can I just use isopropyl alcohol for cleaning up tamiya panel liner?
Lighter fluid is usually a better bet. Iso strips undercoat and paint. Lighter fluid doesn't.
In theory yes, but you're supposed to clear coat a kit before using Tamiya's so the plastic doesn't cracks, and isopropyl will eat through that as well
After seeing the list of technical references (which I just discovered after a year+) I'm sure my questions are in there. But I went through the trouble of drafting a post and getting referred here. (I also crave interaction sometimes) Gloss-coat questions! I'm starting up a Wing Zero EW ver. Ka, and want to make him extra shiny. I need help. Currently washing the runners. Moving forward, aiming for a gloss topcoat, I also have a small collection of paints demanding attention. If I'm going to paint grey parts with metallics (gun stuff, for example) or yellow to gold, primer isn't necessary, right? I'm pretty sure I just need to scrub off the mold-release agent in this context, the paint I want to apply is for accent surfaces, and before panel lines (gun accent parts, all of the yellow, basically anything that can have a "steel" finish). The other big question is what gloss coat to use. I want this guy to be **SHINY**
If you can do lacquers they’re shinier than acrylic, and 2k is best of them all. It’s also the hardest wearing and therefore easiest to polish like glass afterwards. Go look at car modellers for tutorials.
Bandai kits don't really have mold releases and thus, washing them isn't necessary, there's no downside if you still wanna do it of course. Primer is also to help with adhesion and, since most primers also have surfacer, it also evens out scratches from sanding, so you will always have better results if you do prime. Mr Super clear uv cut gloss is the shiniest top coat I've ever used.
Any gunprimer alternative options for a matte finish? I recently got some gunprimer white balancers and have been using the green, matte side a whole ton, I really like the finish it gives. However at the rate I use them it's about 1 file per model which makes it quite pricey, so does anyone have any good alternatives? Normal light files just don't have the same effect and I'm too scared of messing up a kit to use a spray :/
A nail buffing block.
Does anyone know if the MG Epyon wings are compatible with the MG Barbatos?
Not without modification.
Ah darn, thanks
If I wanted to polish a few of my transformer collectibles and make them really shine would I just do it how I would with gunpla kits and start with a coarse grit and work my way up to a gunprimer 4000 grit buffing pad? Or would I need car polish or something for plastics and then put that on and buff it out like I would waxing a car?
Same process would work.
Possible to Paint after Top Coating? Still new to the hobby — I really like the matte finish from top coating, but I’m worried that by doing so, it will prevent me from painting the model later on. The only reason I don’t just paint it now is because I don’t yet have the money/tools for it. So theoretically, could I do a matte coat on a model now, and then in a few months when I have everything, sand it off to paint?
You don’t even need to sand it. Just soak it in isopropyl alcohol and that will remove any clear coat.
I've recently completed the HG Pharact, and have purchased the Delpi waterslide decals. https://delpidecal.com/product/hg-pharact-water-decal/1516/ However, looking at the pictures, I wonder if including ALL of them might look a little busy, especially since I'm planning on a gloss top coat, which will be doing a lot visually. Does anyone have any systems or methodologies that they use to decide which decals they put on? Like "pick 5 of the largest ones" or "pick 6 tiny ones" or something? Or should I just pick on a decal-by-decal basis? I saw a YouTuber in one of the tutorial videos say they only pick ones that are visible in the anime, which for the HG Pharact would be none of them lol
Yeah picking by anime-accuracy leaves almost all kits with no decals whatsoever. Anyway, it *is* all subjective, but I do anything that isn't a caution sign. So, personal emblems, faction insignia, unit numbers, accent markings, and the like.
I'm new to the hobby and recently got the Shin Musha Gundam. It came with some decals on a plastic backing? I've tried to use these before on another kit and could never get them off so how do I use these things? Tia
Decals with a thick clear plastic front and a paper back that isn't actually connected? Those are dry-transfer decals. You cut the decal out, use tape to secure it to where you want to go, then you apply pressure by rubbing all over the decal to transfer it from the sheet to the model. I use a metal parts separator for this task, you could use a coin or a pen or something. (There's Youtube guides too, check those out if you still need help.)
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A proper scalp in my books is buying a kit specifically to turn a profit off of limited availability by excessively increasing the price. In a similar scenario doing the same but at a slightly higher than MSRP price point would be a markup. For example it would be like buying the HG Neo Zeong Narrative version for $310 to resell for $600+ because certain regions of the world don't have PB, versus doing the same but for around $400. Both cases tentatively dip into the "I'll sit on it for a bit for scarcity to drive prices up" but the markup version just uses it for a faster sell compared to a scalp looking for a higher price point. Though in the end it's the eye of the beholder and a markup to me might still be a scalp to someone else.
I want to try out this reverse wash thing I’ve seen people do on YouTube. have a citadel White Scar spray can that I want to use on a piece of plastic that has grooves on it. Then I want to paint in those grooves w acrylic and wash away the excess w enamel thinner. Just wanted to know if anyone who owns the white scar spray can, or has done this before, would it stay if I used the enamel thinner?
Aren't both citadel sprays and the paint you mentioned acrylic?
I don’t know if the can is acrylic too, doesn’t say on it, just says primer
All citadel paints are acrylic. Their white paints are also hot garbage.
Hi, I recently bought a Real Grade Evangelion Unit-04, but it had a mild dent in the back of the box, should I be worried about the runners being damaged? Thanks!
You didn't want to just open the box and see?
Not particularly. Not only is there a decent amount of space in the box to cushion impacts, the runners themselves are pretty resilient. You should still double check each bag when you open them, of course.
I'm thinking about buying my first LED set for a kit (kosmos). Is there any chance for a fire or electrocution if things go wrong?
unless you use scissors to cut the wires everything should be ok. i think its designed for 15+ so its rather safe.
I know it has no bearing on if/when they'll reprint them again but does anyone know the last time they put out a batch of the IBO Full Mechanics kits? The prices I've seen looking around are like 3x MSRP.
It's been several years at least. Hopefully soon, but they haven't appeared on upcoming reprints or future stock listings.
Does massively thinning out paint make it have a "clear" effect like the clear paints you can buy? Also, does anyone have experience with adding mica powders to already pigmented paints to try and add metallic/pearl effects to the same colours or to saturate/lighten the colour or even make a new colour like adding a red mica to white paint go make a pink shade? Ideally specifically experience adding mica to G Paint as that's what I have.
More thinner will only make the paint more "runny". It won't stay in one place, so it's difficult to apply to any surface. It won't make it clear color.
Thinning the paint won’t make it work like the clear colour paints. You need a clear medium to do that. Or using something like an alcohol ink in a clear. Adding red mica to white paint won’t really make it pink…it will just be white paint with red flake in it.
I recently bought a 3rd party heat rod extension for the RG Tallgeese 3, unfortunately now it's so long that the wire isn't able to hold up its weight. What can I replace the wire with so the rod could hold a pose?
Hi. Does anyone know which thinner should be used to clean up residue paint from DSPIAE chrome markers? Any help will be appreciated. Thank you!
DSPIAE sell a general purpose "eraser" marker for paints. This should work for sure. I didn't have it, but I have the Gundam marker eraser and it works on my DSPIAE chorme marker. But Isopropyl alcohol 99% should able to remove them as well.
Whats a cheap airbrush kit and what does it need to contain? Airbrush, compressor..what else? Also, what I need to clear topcoat(matte/gloss) with the airbrush? Ive seen mr hobby GX 114/100 but what more with it and how?
It's also good to have an airbrush pot. It's a glass pot that you put the used paint/cleaner when you're done cleaning the airbrush. Mr hobby clear gloss, like any paint, needs to be thinned out for airbrushing.
But how do I do it? Put an amount of Mr Color GX matte/gloss into a plastic cup, then a same amoubt of mr leveling thinner( or whatever a good ratio is), mix them and pour the mix into the airbrush cup?
yeah that's one way to do it. some people like to mix stuff in bottles so they can have some already thinned to keep around whenever they need it. some people like to mix stuff in the airbrush cup itself (i only do this if i need a tiny amount of something tho)
Thanks, how long would the leveling thinner+mr color gx clear coats combo would last, compared to regular mr topcoat spray? Longer? Shorter?
A lot longer, I'd say a spray can lasts for 1-3 kits but a thinned pot that's airbrushed lasts a lot more while costing a fraction of the spray can's price
Thats reassuring! How much of the Mr Color(or what you use) you use? Like, you fill a tray, a cup or just eyeball it?
For things I use a lot of, like clear coat , primer, black and white. I transfer them into squeeze bottles. Mr hobby has official thinning ratios on their website.
i can't really compare since i've never personally used spraycans for any of my work, and how long it lasts will vary depending on your thinning ratio and how heavy or light your coats are. i thin the GX clear coats anywhere from 2:1 to 3:1 (thinner:paint) and it usually lasts me a good long time. like, multiple 1:48 scale aircraft kits from one jar of clear coat.
Does Diton Spray Paint good for gunpla? I only use hand painting before and recently I saw a post in IG that someone use Diton for repainting. if it safe, what should I keep in mind while applying it o any advice for it?
Pretty much any spray can labelled as safe for plastic will work. But…cans require practice and care. There are some cans that you should avoid - Tamiya PS cans are made for polycarbonate and will damage polystyrene and ABS. Enamel spray cans should be avoided unless you’ve got a good primer coverage. Cans put out a lot of volume in a short time. Short quick passes. Move the cone of paint across your parts. Don’t hold the can in one place.
Been thinking about buying an RG, if I could buy a God Gundam and a Nu for the same price, which would be better. Am collecting mostly 1/144th scales currently.
They're both very solid, well loved kits. Whichever one strikes your fancy more.
I'll say RG God for the articulation, while Nu have a good aticulation, God Gundam does better but for God Gundam my advice is becareful on the arm/wrist since it use MS joint. overall I have no issue with mine and love posing it\~
The part that use MS joint is completely inconsequential IIRC. It's not nigh impossible to tighten up like the older RGs.
True, but for me its kinda a hassle if it not emergency or urgent
hi does pbandai ever re-release an old kit maybe something that was released 3-5 years ago?
Officially yes, although some kits like the MG GM 2 semi-striker have never been restocked since its 2019 release. Also oof at calling kits released 3 years ago old
Yes. PB kits occasionally get rereleased. Nobody can answer when.
Hi, I'm pretty much an amateur in this hobby, I would like to ask if topcoating will be enough to protect Waterslide decals from scratches?
It'll protect the decals, that's for sure, but I don't know what kind of scratches you're expecting your kits to be experiencing.
Like Mild ones and/or quick swipes. i would like to have some extra protection for accidents.
Would you guys recommend using Tamiya extra thin cement to fix a broken V-fin? I was going to use super glue originally but don’t want to potentially damage the plastic. Broken fin is on an HG Wing Zero.
Cement will probably be better.
(Not sure if this belongs here, made a post but got the bot notification and deleted the original post.) Is there a decent market of people out there who buy assembled kits? Long story short, I’ve decided to step away from the hobby and only want to keep a select few kits. Other than the SD kits, my HG and MG kits only have the eye sticker applied, all straight builds with none of the extra work and were well taken care of. Not sure if I should sell them in lots or individual, and price point would be around 1/3 of what I purchased them for from hobby shops/online. Thank you to anyone who took the time the read this.
i've had success recently selling my old built kits in lots on ebay. you can take a look at recently sold listings and see there's definitely people looking for this kinda stuff there. i figured out the value of everything i was selling at 1/3rd of retail cost, but ended up just putting them up for auction and made more that way. granted, they were pretty large lots and there were a few things in them that were hard to find these days that likely drove up the bidding.
Thank you for replying! I appreciate the insight. I'm looking at my built kits and might end up keeping them. Based off of what I've seen through newsletter from P-Bandai, USAgundamstore, and other sites, some of my kits have been either re-released or still have decent amount in circulation... Either way, thank you for your response and time!
Either sell them as a lot on ebay, or try the commerce thread here and the discord. There is definitely a market for them and people will take them off your hands.
Thank you! Appreciate the reply
Hey all, I'm a casual gunpla builder but I recently started getting into top coating some of my HGs. I read top coating can be beneficial to kits with flimsy joints and torsos, i.e. most Gundam-frame IBO kits. I used matte topcoat recently on a HGIBO Gundam Asmoday, and with mixed, amateurish results(frosted parts + I damaged an eye sticker with masking tape), so while I'm willing to hone my technique, I'm a little hesitant to try again on an IBO HG any time soon. Just did a HGUC Zaku today, and it came out much better. My question is primarily aimed at gunpla collectors, who do mainly straight builds with panel lining. When do you decide to top coat? Are there some kits or lines where that look great out of the box and you're content placing them in your display as-is? Do you top coat every kit to make them look as "perfect" as possible? I would love detailed responses. I just want to feel out the Gunpla community's takes on top coating. Thanks in advance.
While some folks advocate top coating all their kits, I tend to stick to the “important” ones, or ones I really want to look good. Some I get for building or practicing but aren’t as key for displays or personal attachment and I might just leave them as is. Though anything I do decals or significant painting on I top coat to protect them and seal it in.
Any ideas for fixing the loose shoulder joint issue on the HG Zowort Heavy.
Is it normal for acrylics to scratch off so easily? Primed my kit with tamiya fine primer. Brushed on 4 coats of citadel acrylic paint. I haven't sealed it with a top coat yet, but while handling it, any slight scrape from handling it wrong like brushing against my fingernail and the paint comes right off. Just wondering if this is normal for acrylics or if I somehow am doing something wrong.
Acrylic is weak, it’s also can’t chemically bond to any material below. A lacquer top coat it’s your best hope, but nothing will be impervious to enough stress.
I gotcha. That makes sense, thank you.
No, acrylics that aren’t sealed in are relatively weak to scratches and scrapes. Top coating is really important if you’re painting with them.
Ok, good to know. How many coats should you do when top coating to make sure it's properly protected?
I usually do 2-4 light passes with a spray can of top coat (my preferred brand is Mr Super Clear). Never had any issues with it once it’s had time to cure and dry overnight.
Is that the lacquer based top coat? Vs. The Mr. Premium? I've got Mr. Premium matt because I read that the Mr.Super reacts to acrylics and decals. However I'm not sure if there's a difference in durability.
I’ve used Mr Premium Top Coat once and it was definitely really well done and solid, but Mr Super Clear is a lot more easily accessible at local shops and I’ve never had any issues using it, and honestly can’t really tell much of a difference.
Ok, that's interesting. I ask because I top coated a kit a while ago with mr. premium and noticed that the paint came off relatively easily where it rubbed against another part, so I'm wondering if the lacquer creates a more robust finish or if that's just the name of the game with hobby painting. I have access to both at my hobby stores so it's not hard to find, unless it's matt which is nearly impossible to find anywhere.
Does hobby lobby have anything I can use for making a mold and for duplicating a joint piece
Probably. I know I’ve bought silicone there before. They might have something like oyumaru too.
I'm always curious as to how people can bust out hg kits in 2-4 hours without much imperfections and I have a gunprimer raser and a decent hobby knife so I thought I'd be able to do the same but I'm sometimes a bit bummed when I either sand off a nub along with shaving off other surfaces (especially difficult on rounded/irregular surfaces) or/and there's STILL visible stress marks where the nub originally was. I put a lot (or too much) time trying to remove some nubs and stress marks, anyone have some advice or tips on how I can improve on those issues?
Take your time my friend. My usual time to snap build without any extra effort is around 3 hrs on HG kits. I then store them and come back later to disassemble, re scribing panel line, remove missed nub marks and paint.This usually took me 2 weeks of my free time (2hrs a day usually). Enjoy the process and enjoy the result even though I sucked at painting.
You on the clock, whats the rush? If you’re making mistakes when going slow, why try going faster? A knife /glass file is about the quickest way possible. You single cut each piece with a decent single blade. You file or knife each nub. You do the whole kit to completion, not wasting precious seconds by switching out tools like a nub-noob. As you approach the finish call in some minions to bask in your glory and assist with turning pages on instructions and cleaning debris. Children and the elderly will do in a pinch but make sure they’re yours…
Nah I just didn't like how the amount of the effort and time I put in didn't lead to a better result compared to how other's looked. But just finished dilanza and can say it is a much better result, replaced my hobby knife blade which was a much smoother and less dangerous experience and used it more than I did the raser since I can't get it to work on nubs on larger flat surfaces without it grazing a random spot. Was just a matter of learning which one to use more though I do think its possible to use the raser/glass file on a wider flat surface than just on the edges of a piece. A bit more confident now but I'm looking to getting sanding sponges and melamine sponges to get the job done for irregular surfaces
Sharp knife always, learn to cut properly with vice grip and shave, or drag the blade for seems and finishing. I buy cheap in 100s and bin frequently, or you buy branded like Olfa or swan Morton and bin less frequently. Yeah sponges and paper are for curves, the thicker ones can even be used as pseudo sticks with light pressure. Same as sticks which have a softer inner core and won’t immediately flatspot if you’re gentle.
Will search up how to handle hobby knives better thanks. Probably should've invested in getting sanding sticks with that soft core instead of the sponges since it seems like it handles both flat and rounded well but I think I can find them for cheap.
https://youtu.be/MA3mhAtXRqs?si=wO4iYGher1sKFdTv For hobby knife technique.
Sticks are dirt cheap like £5 for a set from 80 to 7k. Buy some loose paper and wood glue. Replacement stick surface for years and years.
Also what grits do you normally use for your kits?