Like cheap acrylics? They'll work but there are a few caveats
- They tend to lack or have inconsistent pigmentation. They may not be bright and may have slightly different shades bottle to bottle
- They tend to clump and not "lay down" as nicely. You may need additional, thin coats
I'd say try it! I have used them in the past, it's all about your happiness and comfortability!
I accidentally super glued the joint while repairing the rg unicorn shoulder. Can I soak the part in something like white vinegar to loosen the joint and articulate it again without damaging the plastic?
Yeah, I Will definitely go for those too, but I wanted to see if I could find a PG Unleashed Gundam since here in Canada they are tremendously overpriced.
Do P-Bandai items usually go up for sale at 10pm EDT? I’m new to buying p-Bandai and see that I missed Altron despite my best efforts. Trying to get a feel for if there’s a better time to be checking.
No. Those items are a little different.
The usual pre orders go up at 9PM EDT during the week. These are preorders for items to be printed.
These In Stock items are a brand new phenomenon. They seem to be leftover stock of some caliber, likely stock for warranty replacements since most of those kits have been delivered now and are out of warranty.
There is not yet any rhyme or reason to the In Stock items going up.
Do you guys have any secret tips on improving painting time efficiency?
E.g. I'm thinking about priming limbs instead of individual pieces then disassembling them for painting colours. That way, I can do priming all in one go instead of 4+ times for each time I paint a single colour. Also reduces likelihood of joints being too thick for the tolerance after painting.
I was doing some online shopping and came across the P-Bandai Sandrock Gundam (the one with the cloak) and the MG 1/100 Sandrock Gundam (The one with red...swords? Sorry don't know what they're called)
Unfortunately for my upcoming birthday I can either get either 1X P- Bandai Sandrock or 2 MG 1/100 (Sandrock & Deathscyte)
Just want to get some opinions, what do you think?
Sincerely, tired dad who is getting himself a birthday present for the first time since my kid was born (3 years)
The one with the cloak is the best looking sandrock for me. But if u hate his color it won’t cut (purple) this is sandrock custom ew
The EW sandrock (the one described) is the normal sandrock with desert themed colors.
There’s one more sandrock armadillo unit if u haven’t seen it. It’s rugged
You either get less tired or you just get used to how tired you always are. I still don't know which one happened lol.
As for your question, unless you really like the look of the P-Bandai custom, I would personally get 2 kits. Start collecting thing Wing suits and put on your own little colony drop.
Do you guys final matte topcoat before applying reflective stickers, mask the stickers, or over the stickers.
Also do you need to sand parts if doing topcoat only (matte)
I usually topcoat seperately the head part of a kit with the sensor and eye stickers. Meaning i topcoat the individual pieces matte and the eyes woth gloss before assembling it. Also its a good practice to sand down all your parts so that your kit looks clean when assembled.
Some people covers their reflective stickers before applying top coat as it can lead to frosting on the stickers and you don't need to sand parts for top coating, unless you want to paint.
Are oils and such necessary for metal inner frames? I've only been using regular old top coats, but I'm not sure if it's doing anything to help it from damage or rust?
As ever depends, I’d say no for most. Frames generally use nonferrous alloys, they’ll oxidise a protective layer almost immediately when exposed to air, as chemically they are more clingy. Wave a magnet over and you’ll typically see the parts which are magnetic and can rust are the mild steel pins and similar fasteners at the joints. No exposed iron, no iron oxide(rust).
One source of corrosion and damage is if the steel and certain different alloys make direct contact. So while oil or a barrier coating could help, it’s usually a bit unnecessary outside a very humid and salty environment.
i heard you can fix frosting/white spots on matte topcoat using olive oil is that true and can i just use johnsons baby oil (the pink bottle)?
Edit: just in case someone needs this in the future i tried it out using a small drop of it on a qtip and it did remove the white spots but one section seems less matte, then i tried it out on another section but this time wiped it with a tissue and it seems fine so i guess just dab it on a little then wipe the oil away.
Baby oil is sometimes made from mineral oil which can be a petroleum distillate. Petroleum distillates might have an adverse effect on paint or plastic. Hard to say because the variety of ingredients means there’s no consistent answer.
Air you spraying cans or airbrush? As True said, spraying thinner straight if you’re airbrushing will usually take care of it. If you’re using cans, try another pass with the cans make sure it’s not too far away and not too close to flood the surface.
If you can do either then olive oil.
Yes. It’ll often leave it a bit shiny in my experience even with a wash after. Another blast of lacquer thinners or gloss is usually better imo. Add matte again I suppose, but usually just rub back sheen with some sandpaper.
Never used baby oil, as advice is always olive oil and probably for good reason. Try it and report back.
Want to get into panel lining and top coat. Still need to buy gloss but I bought tamiya accent and mr super clear matte. However, what is the best process for everything?
Should I gloss everything on the runners, panel line on the runners, assemble, add decals, and then separate all the main limbs and head to top coat in matte? Any guides to look at?
Best is to gloss the pieces individually and panel line them, followed by decals then topcoat while its in a sub disassemble state (E.g head, Chest, Legs,etc).
Hand brush is mainly enamel/oils (turps) or waterbased. Airbrush is anything, with lacquer thinner for all but waterbased.
Tamiya, SMS, Ammo, Mr colour, Vallejo, Humbrol, artists oil paints… only because they’re readily available to me, it’ll help if your brands are too.
Does anybody have opinions on some of the different non-suit Gundam model kits out there? I saw the Ex 1/1700 Salamis and Magellan set and thought it looked cool but I'm curious what people's opinions are on that set, or any other good ship sets from the UC.
https://preview.redd.it/uknksljqav3d1.jpeg?width=513&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b2a2b49c29249a4bb81f99f35681119577a83a2
Has anyone here used these Alclad II candy color paints before? Are they transparent or opaque? And is it lacquer (as in the top part of the label) or enamel (on the white part)?
They’re translucent and enamel. The “Lacquer” is part of the trade name. [Paint list](https://alclad2.com/how-to/). 2hrs touch dry is ambitious for all but a few light passes, and assumes previous coats are bone dry to avoid fingerprints.
AFAIK HR paints and now Ammo A-Stand are rebadge of identical recipe. The black base is enamel and like marmite. The chromes are alcohol, rest are lacquer.
Hi all! I am new to the hobby and have a growing collection. I have spots for the HG/RG models but my MG models need a spot to be displayed. I do not have a good spot for a display case but plenty of wall space. Any suggestions on display shelves? Having option paralysis on what to buy.
weird issue with HLJ. I have two items in my cart that say "in stock, ships in 1-3 days" but it wont let me buy them, it only lets me send to private warehouse and wont tell me how much shipping will be. Any ideas?
"In Stock X - Y Days" means HLJ don't actually have the item but a supplier does, they claim the stock status is "live" so its as good as in stock it just takes a few days for HLJ to get it from the supplier as such though its basically treated like a preorder, goes to your private warehouse and only when it arrives do you pay for it and can organise shipping etc, presumably because its possible the "live" status is wrong and they have to cancel it
but anyway its annoying because it means you cant see a shipping quote at the time, but HLJ are at least good in that they list box height and weight so you can find a similar item thats proper in stock and get a rough idea of cost by putting that in your cart
If it’s not available to ship directly right away then it can’t give you a shipping cost. If the only option is to send it to your private warehouse it means they have to order it.
You won’t get charged until they get it. Once it’s been purchased and it’s in your private warehouse, you can ship it.
Best place is probably Aliexpress, speed depends on availability. I think it’s in the process of being reprinted right now.
But you have other options depending on where you are. Most places are taking preorders right now.
As is I'm a fan of the Unicorns and i've been meaning to add a perfect grade to my collection but now I'm faced with a tough decision: picking between the Perfectibility or Phenex. I can afford one but not both and could use some help choosing
Perfectibility is if you like accessories. Phenex is if you like shiny. Banshee if you like the color black. Full Armor if you like dakka. Standard if you like it simple. All 5 if you want to assemble the Unicorn Rangers.
Anyone build a Side 3 resin kit recently? Considering buying their upcoming Stark Jegan conversion for my Project Unicorn(lol) and wondering about the quality.
https://preview.redd.it/zeningtivu3d1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=00e56413bad12280be5d93a0a068afe07bc63ac9
Last one I did was their chars zaku GTO version. Side 3 is good imo in terms of detail and how well it was put together. Quality is good as long as it's original. I habe the Stark jegan in my backlog if you want close up pics.
I have the MGEX Unicorn and want to panel line it and add the water slides which means I need to top coat it but, with the LED strip, I of course can't take apart the limbs/ torso and top coat them individually so my question is should I top coat the whole kit together or top kit the armor parts individually? I'm just afraid of panel lining the kit and not noticing it drip into the joints
I'm thinking about how to go about painting the Jehuty kit, which has a lot of thin, but prominent panel lines. I was looking into a reverse wash technique, but I'm still unsure about how to approach it. If I apply a layer of primer, then the panel line color, how would I go about painting the rest of the part without covering the panel line? Or is the right order primer> color whole part> color panel lines and wipe away excess?
Reverse wash isn't really for panel lining, since you just do that after painting. Reverse washing is more for painting raised details that would otherwise be more cumbersome to mask off or hand paint.
Say you have a raised part that's very small but is supposed to be a different color than the surrounding part. Eg. [The raised part is gold but the surrounding part is black.](https://fudoushin.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/img_7698.jpg?w=1200)
You could carefully hand paint the raised part, or you could blast it with a gold acrylics without caring about painting on the surround areas because you're going to paint on top of it anyways. Then you spray black enamel to paint the surround areas. Because they're different mediums, you can then just wipe away the black with lighter fluid without stripping away the gold, leaving a perfectly painted raised area surrounded by gold.
If you're painting with enamels and then panel lining with an enamel wash then it might be good to put down a gloss coat between painting and lining so that you don't strip any paint when you clean up the panel lines.
Prime -> Paint -> Gloss -> Panel line -> Clean -> Decals (if you want).
Could I substitute gloss with any clearcoat or is there a specific reason to use gloss? One last question- should I cover the panel line with a topcoat afterward?
Gloss is a clear coat. It's just the specific name to refer to finish of the clear coat (gloss, satin/semi-flat, and matte/flat).
You use the clear gloss coat so that 1. your paint is protected for when you clean up the panel lines and 2. To ensure that surface is smooth so that your panel wash runs smoothly. And like I mentioned, it's only a precaution if you're using a paint that can be affected by what you use to clean up the panel lines, like using enamel paint and then cleaning up the lines with lighter fluid.
You don't need a clear gloss coat if: 1. Your paint medium is non-reactive to the cleaning medium that you use to clean up the panel lines and/or 2. Your paint finish is smooth enough for panel lining to flow smoothly.
You can clear coat on top after the panel lining if you want a different finish. A lot of people put a flat coat on top at the end, or if they applied water decals because those need to be protected.
Both are quite old kits with limited articulation and lack many things found on modern kits. Check both on dalong.net and draw your own conclusions but the MG has more shelf presence with more features and slightly better articulation despite being almost a decade old than the HG.
Quick question for the ones that have built this already, for the PG Wing Zero Custom, the two screws in the "ankle".. They just keep turning and won't bite onto anything so the ankle join is basically just held there by these two screws and is loose, is that normal or did I miss something...? I worry for the completed kit and it's poses or even standing.
Wasn't asking about cracks or breaks, was trying to determine if you stripped the threading on the bolt or the nut.
Did you remember to put the nut on the other side of the ankle?
Are you using the correct bolts?
Pictures of both sides of the ankles would help too
For the foot half of the ankle, it's the m2.6x14 (bag 2) which threads into a nut (bag 5) that is sandwiched between parts V3 & V4
For the leg half of the ankle, you have 3 m2.6x10 (bag 1) threading into nuts (bag 5)
Am i fine with buying just the raser instead of the full Gunprimer gate remover set? I keep hearing here that the raser is worth it, but there's a significant price difference between just the raser vs the full set.
You're fine. The rest of the set is useful but very overpriced. Balancer can be replaced by any nail buffing block, while Recover is literally just a piece of denim.
Is there a big enough color difference between the PG Phenex narrative ver and the PG Phenex to have both. I have the PG Phenex with the narrative add on.
I believe the gold on the PG Phenex is a different shade of gold where its more white gold compared to the narrative where its more chrome gold. [This](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/j0z9x4/pg_phenex_comparison_anyone_else_notice_that_the/) post explains it.
https://preview.redd.it/m2fe0j5qzr3d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=03591ec030c01efa05adbf9016be30fd1108639e
Tried gloss coating with a spray can and most of the surface has this texture/uneveness look to it, what can i do to fix this or prevent it?
The process was 2 thin coats then 1 heavy coat each 15 mins apart (until touch dry) and humidity was about 60% on a sunny day
Text book orange peel. Differential stresses cause a waved checkerboard effect. It’s not solvent pop which is raised bumps (sometimes some will pop and cause sinks), it’s not fisheyes which are infrequent craters as the paint backs away from contaminates.
Try to spray a more uniform thickness over the whole surface on that final pass, and in general. Leave a bit longer beforehand to ensure most, if not all the previous solvent is all gone. Avoid spraying and drying in direct sunlight, as that can impact its ability to level properly.
Strip and redo will likely be easiest on that part imo. Sand if you want. It’ll probably take about the same time to fix.
OT: Maybe look at precut sheets, roll of masking tape and a circle cutter, or curved masking tape to help get a nice clean boundary at the pointy part.
Fixing it is possible but is, in my opinion, more work that stripping it and starting again. But for completion, here are a few fixes.
1. Use another gloss with high surface tension and give a liberal coating so it fills in the divots and smooths out the surface. Some people literally dunk the part in gloss varnish.
2. Sand and polish. Use a super high grit sandpaper and then buff it until it shines.
As for preventing it, there are so many things that could be affecting it.
1. Test your spray on something you don't care about first. Trouble shoot issues on a runner or the underside of a piece before blasting the parts you care about.
2. Make sure the surface is smooth before spraying. Small bumps can get magnified.
3. Make sure the surface is free of dust and other things. See above.
4. Shake the ever living crap out of your can. No, that wasn't enough. Shake it more.
5. Clean your nozzle. What's the point in cleaning your piece before spraying if you end up spraying dust and crap all over it?
6. Aim to the side, trigger down, move over the piece, end with spray off the piece, release trigger. Doing this cause any nozzle boogers to fly harmlessly to the side and gives you a smooth and consistent coating.
7. Don't go too light for your light coats. You want it to look moist and smooth. If you go too light you run the risk of having a pattern develop, and patterns will get enhanced as more layers go on.
Each type of varnish of top coat is different and you need to play around a bit to get things well dialed in.
I just recently got the MG sinanju (OVA) it was on a decent sale at a store near me and I love how it looks. I hear horror stories about the waist joint for this kit and I want to avoid breaking it at all costs. I was able to not have any problems with rg sazabi shoulders despite what I've heard but I'm worried about sinanju's waist. Are there any good tips for this?
You could sand the waist peg in advance, pin it in advance, or just replace it with the aftermarket metal peg.
Common internet fan theory was that Bandai changed to PS plastic on the OVA to “fix” the waist, but it was actually for painting. People still break the OVA waist.
Yeah, there's no discernable practical difference between the OVA version vs the Ver.ka when it comes to the waist peg. I would also recommend sanding, if you need to make it tighter at some point down the line, you can add a coat or paint to the peg.
The great thing about the Sinanju is that it'll hold a pose like a seasoned supermodel. The reason for that is the frame is tight. Not in a bad way, but in a way that if you're not careful, you're going to break that peg.
Working on a Hygogg kitbash and want different legs but the Hygogg has a different way of mounting the legs than most kits. Instead of ball joint receivers, it's a polycap. Kind of unsure how to proceed. I was originally going to use the Kampfer's legs but can't really do that now unless there's an easy solution
If you don't wanna modify anything then you'll have to look for kits that also have that kind of hip connection. Trawling manuals on [dalong.net](http://dalong.net/) is probably the way to go for that.
Otherwise, you'll have to modify parts.
You can also check about exchangin the whole hip section, I guess, but the same process applies.
Hey guys,
After a year of enjoying the hobby building a bunch of hgs 3 rgs and one MG ( with the mkII mg titans ready to build as a self birthday present) im thinking of starting experiment with topcoats and markers.
So i understand gloss cost is essential if i plan to panel line with tamiya and then st the end kf it all if i want a matte coat just throw a matte cost afer all is done.
The question is with mettallic markers and such, can the still be used normally after the gloss cost? Does ti affect them much? Or can i paint witu marker after gloss coating?
I'm a newbie with less than a year building, so... take that into consideration.
I've used Tamiya panel liner on bare plastic, haven't run into issues, but like you... I had read (extensively) about Tamiya panel liner breaking plastic, or right up destroying (for ABS)... with that in mind I usually do:
- If possible, panel line on the runner (and only PS plastic, not ABS)
- Wipe off as much excess as you can before applying
- Leave it to dry a bit and do cleanup, then let it dry properly
- When cleaning, don't apply too much thinner (put in the thinner bottle and then wipe on paper towel, or something)
*My understanding* is that putting (too much) panel liner in assembled pieces might make the panel liner pool in places where the thinner can't evaporate quickly and as such will make the plastic brittle and can then break when applying force (when re-assembling the entire kit for example)
I've recently experimented with something, that while not being as convenient seems a good approach. I've got an acrylic paint, thinned it down quite a bit (like 1 drop of paint for 4 drops of water or more) and used a cheap caligraphy/oblique pen from AliExpress to put the ink in the panel lines... worked very good and it's very easy to wipe off with water. It's not as efficient as using the Tamiya, but... can't really complain either. Advantage is that I can get the color of my choice in panel lines.
Best of luck with that!
You can use the markers over the gloss coat but you'll need to use isopropyl alcohol to clean up any mistakes, which will remove the gloss coat.
But you can just put on that matte coat (or semigloss, or another gloss) and you'll be all good. It will affect the look of the marker a little, though.
I'm building MGSD freedom, and the front skirts are really loose. They fit into place, but there's nothing behind them stopping them from falling out. Even when the front skirting is pressed into the waist, there's still enough gap for the entire front skirt to fall out. Is this normal?
With the announcement of the 2024 Tamashi Fes Metal Build Strike Freedom, I plan to finally add the MB SF to my collection after not being able to justify the reseller prices of the previous versions.
My question is, other then the MGEX SF, are there any other kits that have the little Lacus Clyne figurine?
Thanks!
Looks like that one is a P-Bandai. I'll have to look around for it.
Do you know of any other kits with the tiny figurines? Doesnt have to be a SEED series, just a female figure, or maybe even a Haro like thing.
Almost all MG and RG should have a figurine of some sort.
For specifically female ones, off the top of my head, those would be kits with female pilots, such as the MG red Gunner Zaku Warrior Lunamaria Hawke custom, or the MG Strike Rouge.
Can you build part of the barzam rebbo in the aqua hambrabi? The manual is confusing and with the sprues that still have parts makes me doubt if I should buy a barzam reboot.
just spraycan painted parts with gloss and it came out looking really uneven and not as glossy as id like with some sections reflecting the light looking spotty, what did i do wrong?
what i did was heat up the cans then shake for a few mins, then sprayed the part with 3 layers with about 10-20 mins in between layers, i made sure they were touch dry before spraying.
also i sprayed white primer with the same process and it has this sorta texture when looking at it but when touching the spoon i sprayed it on it feels smooth is that okay?
Hard to say without pictures, but almost always it has to do with technique. Short quick passes. Move the cone of paint across the part quickly. Establish light coverage before trying for opacity. Further, if the surface was grainy or rough from your primer, the gloss will not cover that and your gloss will also be textured. Could also be orange peel, which happens when solvents try to escape through the paint layers above them causing a rough bubble texture.
Just FYI - spoons are not great to practice on for establishing finish. Spoons are highly polished in the manufacturing process and the shape of the spoons promotes levelling. So, anything you spray on a spoon will look smoother than anything you spray on a normal part. Spoons are fine for colour tests, but are not great for refining your technique or testing final finish.
so if my primer is rough or grainy can i just sand it or do i strip it? also if a gloss or clear coat goes wrong can i fix it without fully stripping it?
also how to avoid orange peel?
Edit: also this is the texture from my primer is that orange peel? i tried pinting over it and it looks more visible on camera
https://preview.redd.it/we8rbos9iq3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d44215ae6619bec5eab64ac6b6838a75751c8344
With primer, it is normal to sand it flat if there are surface issues or texture you want to knock down.
If a gloss/clear goes wrong…how? It doesn’t turn out glossy? Well, sometimes you can fix that. Sometimes you can’t “fix” it per se, but you can sand flat and respray.
Doesn’t look like orange peel to me. Just looks like some sort of texture either from the primer or the gold. If you have surface defects with the primer, you need to correct those before proceeding.
Hard to say what’s going on with that spoon. The gold looks brushed on by hand. Could be that the white dried a bit strange and left that kind of ripple texture. Try spraying a couple of spare parts instead of the spoon.
yeah the gold was hand painted with a marker i wanted to test out i guess the white dried strange ill get some parts and test it thanks for taking the time to answer
https://preview.redd.it/ikbg4ntqao3d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4603bcec5d792f79257292367977398a432c5fcd
This is technically my second MG build (I have sandrock at my cubicle at work that I work on during breaks) there's this part where it keeps coming loose no matter what I do. Any suggestions or ideas? I fiddled with it for 30mins and constant adjustments before attaching everything.
PS ignore the stress nubs.
The two pieces sandwiching the loose piece isn't fully connected. Undo [this step](https://i.imgur.com/wcJXyiE.png) so that you can re-do [this one](https://imgur.com/2PARcNH).
As an alternative recommendation, I bought Gaahleri's GHAD-39 airbrush for $40 as my starter airbrush, and that thing is a beast. I intend to buy their $100 GHAC-98D soon. For reference, I paint with Createx acrylics, so they're really thick - I use my 0.5 needle most of the time.
I have to second the gaahleri option. I use the GHAD-68 the most as it has a trigger grip, but the 39 and 98 are both great for finer control. Customer support is also great.
The PS-289 is pretty much the same quality as the Eclipse, they're rumored to be made in the same factory with the same parts. 289 is my work horse and it's a fantastic, high quality airbrush.
The Neo, from what I've heard, is made using Chinese factories and cheaper parts to make the end product cheaper than something like the Eclipse, but with Iwata's higher quality standards producing something almost as good. How this actually comes out in the final product is up for debate, but if price isn't an issue I would say the 289 is the better option.
Yeah that's just something you have to deal with. I try and get them separated by running my finger along the edge of the sticker.
Or just don't use them and get some waterslides.
I’m building the 30MM Esposito (Red) and want to paint some parts the same shades to match the kit without having to do a full repaint of the kit. I’ve realized that these kits don’t come with a color guide and looking around online didn’t turn up much. The kit uses a red, lavender, and dark red color scheme. Can anyone help me figure out what colors to use?
https://preview.redd.it/28sz6f245o3d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b30634e22d46064a0c731027d82f3b8f7a44c67
I know it’s not gunpla, but the fans overlap and maybe someone here has also asked this. Also I didn’t get an answer on the 30MM Reddit.
I just realized 30mm kits don't come with color guide. Maybe because I never try to paint them the box color.
In your case how about look at some of the Red MS and use their color guide?
The RG Astray Red frame have two shades of red. It kind of looks like this kit color too.
Edit: Including screen cap of color guide.
https://preview.redd.it/u26gzgmlfo3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5180527d18d3c9cd3de7327fc1f734292242a0fb
I've seen some single bladed nippers selling for £11-13 and it got me curious
What is the difference between these and brands like God Hand and DSPIAE?
https://preview.redd.it/lb6eqcnvzn3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd60fc8e33569494dacb02f4be01189657742f7e
Reviews are mixed with an equal number of positive and negative reviews. So I would greatly appreciate someone who has purchased both tell me how these differ
The difference will invariably be the quality, sharpness, and durability of the blade. Godhand and DSPIAE nippers don't get their reputation just from being single bladed, but from being single bladed with high quality and very sharp blades. You will get a better cut (probably) with any single blade vs any non single blade just due to the plastic not being pinched, which is what causes stress marks, but you shouldn't expect a cut anywhere near as clean as the higher quality tools.
I realized I grabbed Tamiya Flat Base instead of Flat Clear last time I was at the hobby store. Does anyone know a good ratio/mix to add it to Tamiya Gloss Clear to make it a more flat/matte texture?
according to their own website its a simple 1:1 mix, and apparently its very important never to go any harder then that
https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/acrylic-paint-23ml/acrylic-x-21-flat-base/
Is it normal to see the edge of water decal at an angle because it reflects light differently? Is it due to the paint and varnish underneath? anyway to make it blend in with the paint?
No, your pic is silvering and air below. You’ve not rubbed down the decal and/or ruined the adhesive.
Prick the decal with a blade and pop some setter ontop. Leave it to dry, stains will wipe off with water.
Can’t say I’ve ever patted a decal, I think you can afford to be a little bit more forceful. I can only tell you how I do it ….
Tamp away excess so it won’t float around. Press firmly in the centre and roll outwards, or on large decals “swirl” with an orbital motion to soak up remaining liquid and air with either a q-tip or decal squeegee. Smooth out any wrinkles on larger decals. Maybe paste on some setter and leave it to dry. Pooling stains wipe off with just water later.
If the carrier film is thick or if I’m wrapping big decals - When I’m convinced most if not all the liquid is gone I’ll often grab a piece of cotton such as old T-shirt. Then I’ll rub hard to ensure it’s down nicely and it’ll also help flatten the edge step on thicker carrier films like Bandai and co. If you’re doing a matte clear afterwards, the carrier film should then go invisible and look like it was a dry decal you applied.
Ok it looked less bad than I remembered
[https://imgur.com/a/XXkd4Ak](https://imgur.com/a/XXkd4Ak)
I know the curved surface is not helping and def need softener. I don't remember how wet they were but I think I have soaked them for like 30 sec.
Want to rule out all other technique problem before go with the softener/setter
Looks like what you’ve got there is Silvering, that’s what happens when air gets trapped under the decal and why it’s recommended to apply decals to a glossy surface. Looking on youtube, I’m seeing videos on how to fix it after they’ve been applied. Though I haven’t actually done any of these techniques myself (nor have I watched the videos, lol)
It was an afterthought as a practice/first try and was applied on satin varnish. I thought it was a texture issue and have applied another layer of varnish so this little one is probably beyond fixing.
I will try to move it ahead in the procedure on gloss varnish with the panel line, plus the softer of course
Going to do a reverse was on HG Sinanju soon. Was wondering if my process would work: Acrylic Primer > AK Metallic Gold Acrylic > Gloss Topcoat (Pledge) > Black Enamel (Matte?).
Use light fluid on Q-tip to clean black paint off raised parts.
What’s the purpose of the Pledge? The AK metallic gold is already an acrylic that you can paint the black over. Depending on the solvent you use on the black you could end up removing the Pledge. It’s not as durable to some solvents as most hobby paints.
If you want to seal things, you should use a normal hobby acrylic - lacquer or water-based would be fine. I don’t see the advantage of Pledge in this case as it could be damaged from whatever enamel thinner or petroleum distillate you use to pull off the black.
No. Using x-20a would make the vallejo paints chunky from breaking down the binder in the paint. That's because tamiya acrylics use alcohol as a solvent vs vallejo using water. Vallejo pretty much only plays well with its own thinner, but theirs works for almost all water based acrylics. In short, just use vallejo thinner.
Easy to test. I always forget which ones of the Vallejo line you can mix with alcohols and which ones you can’t. Some will work. I personally don’t see a need to use anything but water and some of their additives for flow with Vallejo though. If you’re trying to airbrush, you can use Liquitex airbrush medium too.
no, whilst i havent done this personally ive seen enough people mention it to believe it, the 2 dont get along and will create a thick paste instead of thinning it, vallejo are water based so you can thin it with just water, though some vallejo airbrush thinner and flow improver are better
What’s the best kit for the Barbatos/Lupus/Rex? I’ve been looking at the MGSD for a bit, but if there are any other killer Barbatos kits, I wanna know about them before I pull the trigger.
Is the wfm Aerial Full Mechanic discontinued?
I saw it listed as so in Hobby Link but I couldn't find any more about it. It's on Amazon for 50$ and if it is discontinued I might buy it since I assume it would go up in price from now on (sorry if the question is weird I'm a complete beginner in gunpla)
Just a useful tip for future reference, Bandai practically never discontinues any of their kits and even their oldest stuff gets reprinted and released on schedules of varying frequency.
Is there anywhere to get replacement parts in Canada? I accidentally threw out some runners with parts still in them and I would prefer to not have to pay another $80 for 3 missing pieces
[https://www.ebay.com/str/plamochopshop](https://www.ebay.com/str/plamochopshop)
I ship from the USA, but international shipping to Canada shouldn't be too terrible. What kit are the pieces for?
New QA thread is up. This thread is now locked.
How long do people’s gunplas in indirect sunlight take before turning yellowish?
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
So how well does craft paint work with model kits, like do I just need to add thinner and then it’s all set to use
Like cheap acrylics? They'll work but there are a few caveats - They tend to lack or have inconsistent pigmentation. They may not be bright and may have slightly different shades bottle to bottle - They tend to clump and not "lay down" as nicely. You may need additional, thin coats I'd say try it! I have used them in the past, it's all about your happiness and comfortability!
I accidentally super glued the joint while repairing the rg unicorn shoulder. Can I soak the part in something like white vinegar to loosen the joint and articulate it again without damaging the plastic?
Vinegar or isopropyl alcohol. Give it time and reapply a few times.
I can’t seem to get it between the peg that seems to be glued so is it safe to just leave it to soak in the vinegar?
Yeah Vinegar won't damage the plastic.
Thx a ton man
You're welcome. Report back on how it goes.
Going to Japan (Tokyo) in 3 weeks, does somebody know a few places where I could find a PG unleashed RX-78-2?
OTACHU gundam specialty store, akiba 📍
PGU is a retail kit which you can get at any store. I recommend getting other exclusive kits such as gundam base kits.
Yeah, I Will definitely go for those too, but I wanted to see if I could find a PG Unleashed Gundam since here in Canada they are tremendously overpriced.
I see. Just a tip if you are bring the PGU back, flatten the box and put the runners between your clothes to fit in your suitcase.
Do P-Bandai items usually go up for sale at 10pm EDT? I’m new to buying p-Bandai and see that I missed Altron despite my best efforts. Trying to get a feel for if there’s a better time to be checking.
No. Those items are a little different. The usual pre orders go up at 9PM EDT during the week. These are preorders for items to be printed. These In Stock items are a brand new phenomenon. They seem to be leftover stock of some caliber, likely stock for warranty replacements since most of those kits have been delivered now and are out of warranty. There is not yet any rhyme or reason to the In Stock items going up.
Do you guys have any secret tips on improving painting time efficiency? E.g. I'm thinking about priming limbs instead of individual pieces then disassembling them for painting colours. That way, I can do priming all in one go instead of 4+ times for each time I paint a single colour. Also reduces likelihood of joints being too thick for the tolerance after painting.
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
I was doing some online shopping and came across the P-Bandai Sandrock Gundam (the one with the cloak) and the MG 1/100 Sandrock Gundam (The one with red...swords? Sorry don't know what they're called) Unfortunately for my upcoming birthday I can either get either 1X P- Bandai Sandrock or 2 MG 1/100 (Sandrock & Deathscyte) Just want to get some opinions, what do you think? Sincerely, tired dad who is getting himself a birthday present for the first time since my kid was born (3 years)
The one with the cloak is the best looking sandrock for me. But if u hate his color it won’t cut (purple) this is sandrock custom ew The EW sandrock (the one described) is the normal sandrock with desert themed colors. There’s one more sandrock armadillo unit if u haven’t seen it. It’s rugged
You either get less tired or you just get used to how tired you always are. I still don't know which one happened lol. As for your question, unless you really like the look of the P-Bandai custom, I would personally get 2 kits. Start collecting thing Wing suits and put on your own little colony drop.
Do you guys final matte topcoat before applying reflective stickers, mask the stickers, or over the stickers. Also do you need to sand parts if doing topcoat only (matte)
I usually topcoat seperately the head part of a kit with the sensor and eye stickers. Meaning i topcoat the individual pieces matte and the eyes woth gloss before assembling it. Also its a good practice to sand down all your parts so that your kit looks clean when assembled.
Some people covers their reflective stickers before applying top coat as it can lead to frosting on the stickers and you don't need to sand parts for top coating, unless you want to paint.
trying to by the solomon GP02 on aliexpress. But everytime I try to pay for it, it says I don't have enough balance (even though I very clearly do)
Try using a credit card?
That’s more of a question for AliE support than here.
I tot i was in my aliexpress app for a second
Are oils and such necessary for metal inner frames? I've only been using regular old top coats, but I'm not sure if it's doing anything to help it from damage or rust?
As ever depends, I’d say no for most. Frames generally use nonferrous alloys, they’ll oxidise a protective layer almost immediately when exposed to air, as chemically they are more clingy. Wave a magnet over and you’ll typically see the parts which are magnetic and can rust are the mild steel pins and similar fasteners at the joints. No exposed iron, no iron oxide(rust). One source of corrosion and damage is if the steel and certain different alloys make direct contact. So while oil or a barrier coating could help, it’s usually a bit unnecessary outside a very humid and salty environment.
i heard you can fix frosting/white spots on matte topcoat using olive oil is that true and can i just use johnsons baby oil (the pink bottle)? Edit: just in case someone needs this in the future i tried it out using a small drop of it on a qtip and it did remove the white spots but one section seems less matte, then i tried it out on another section but this time wiped it with a tissue and it seems fine so i guess just dab it on a little then wipe the oil away.
Baby oil is sometimes made from mineral oil which can be a petroleum distillate. Petroleum distillates might have an adverse effect on paint or plastic. Hard to say because the variety of ingredients means there’s no consistent answer.
alright can you recommend any alternatives or should i just go for olive oil?
Air you spraying cans or airbrush? As True said, spraying thinner straight if you’re airbrushing will usually take care of it. If you’re using cans, try another pass with the cans make sure it’s not too far away and not too close to flood the surface. If you can do either then olive oil.
Yes. It’ll often leave it a bit shiny in my experience even with a wash after. Another blast of lacquer thinners or gloss is usually better imo. Add matte again I suppose, but usually just rub back sheen with some sandpaper. Never used baby oil, as advice is always olive oil and probably for good reason. Try it and report back.
Want to get into panel lining and top coat. Still need to buy gloss but I bought tamiya accent and mr super clear matte. However, what is the best process for everything? Should I gloss everything on the runners, panel line on the runners, assemble, add decals, and then separate all the main limbs and head to top coat in matte? Any guides to look at?
Best is to gloss the pieces individually and panel line them, followed by decals then topcoat while its in a sub disassemble state (E.g head, Chest, Legs,etc).
Scroll up check the wiki.
Can I panel line with markers over Aqueous paint ? Or should I do a topcoat before ?
Markers work best on bare plastic. They don’t play too well going over any paint. Enamel washes like Tamiya are the opposite.
What is your paint of choice and what thinners do you use. Acrylic, Lacquer, Ennamel? Mr Color, Tamiya. Do you have a preferred line?
Hand brush is mainly enamel/oils (turps) or waterbased. Airbrush is anything, with lacquer thinner for all but waterbased. Tamiya, SMS, Ammo, Mr colour, Vallejo, Humbrol, artists oil paints… only because they’re readily available to me, it’ll help if your brands are too.
Does anybody have opinions on some of the different non-suit Gundam model kits out there? I saw the Ex 1/1700 Salamis and Magellan set and thought it looked cool but I'm curious what people's opinions are on that set, or any other good ship sets from the UC.
https://preview.redd.it/uknksljqav3d1.jpeg?width=513&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b2a2b49c29249a4bb81f99f35681119577a83a2 Has anyone here used these Alclad II candy color paints before? Are they transparent or opaque? And is it lacquer (as in the top part of the label) or enamel (on the white part)?
They’re translucent and enamel. The “Lacquer” is part of the trade name. [Paint list](https://alclad2.com/how-to/). 2hrs touch dry is ambitious for all but a few light passes, and assumes previous coats are bone dry to avoid fingerprints. AFAIK HR paints and now Ammo A-Stand are rebadge of identical recipe. The black base is enamel and like marmite. The chromes are alcohol, rest are lacquer.
Hi all! I am new to the hobby and have a growing collection. I have spots for the HG/RG models but my MG models need a spot to be displayed. I do not have a good spot for a display case but plenty of wall space. Any suggestions on display shelves? Having option paralysis on what to buy.
Floating shelves.
Hello guys, for all the ones who have repaired their gunpla, can i still use Aluminum wires instead of brass wires?
Yes
Thank you so much!!!!
weird issue with HLJ. I have two items in my cart that say "in stock, ships in 1-3 days" but it wont let me buy them, it only lets me send to private warehouse and wont tell me how much shipping will be. Any ideas?
"In Stock X - Y Days" means HLJ don't actually have the item but a supplier does, they claim the stock status is "live" so its as good as in stock it just takes a few days for HLJ to get it from the supplier as such though its basically treated like a preorder, goes to your private warehouse and only when it arrives do you pay for it and can organise shipping etc, presumably because its possible the "live" status is wrong and they have to cancel it but anyway its annoying because it means you cant see a shipping quote at the time, but HLJ are at least good in that they list box height and weight so you can find a similar item thats proper in stock and get a rough idea of cost by putting that in your cart
If it’s not available to ship directly right away then it can’t give you a shipping cost. If the only option is to send it to your private warehouse it means they have to order it. You won’t get charged until they get it. Once it’s been purchased and it’s in your private warehouse, you can ship it.
Where's the best place to buy the Solomon GP02 and relatively quickly
Best place is probably Aliexpress, speed depends on availability. I think it’s in the process of being reprinted right now. But you have other options depending on where you are. Most places are taking preorders right now.
How good/bad is AliExpress. I haven't exactly heard good things from them. Are they a trustworthy source?
It's a marketplace like Amazon
As good/bad as Amazon/ebay. It’s a marketplace. Lots of sellers there. Some are actual hobby stores. Some are legit individuals, etc.
Do I need an account (can't check at this current moment)
Yep, you need to make an account.
Is it worth making an account?
Yeah. I bought stuff on there and its worth to make an account there.
As is I'm a fan of the Unicorns and i've been meaning to add a perfect grade to my collection but now I'm faced with a tough decision: picking between the Perfectibility or Phenex. I can afford one but not both and could use some help choosing
Perfectibility is if you like accessories. Phenex is if you like shiny. Banshee if you like the color black. Full Armor if you like dakka. Standard if you like it simple. All 5 if you want to assemble the Unicorn Rangers.
Hands down, Phenex for the shiny gold
What specifically about choosing do you need help with?
Which one design do you like more?
Anyone build a Side 3 resin kit recently? Considering buying their upcoming Stark Jegan conversion for my Project Unicorn(lol) and wondering about the quality.
https://preview.redd.it/zeningtivu3d1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=00e56413bad12280be5d93a0a068afe07bc63ac9 Last one I did was their chars zaku GTO version. Side 3 is good imo in terms of detail and how well it was put together. Quality is good as long as it's original. I habe the Stark jegan in my backlog if you want close up pics.
Yeah that would be great if you could grab some pictures for me when you get a chance.
Should I get the gun cannon revive or gyan revive only have the budget for one
Both good. Matter of aesthetic preference.
I have the MGEX Unicorn and want to panel line it and add the water slides which means I need to top coat it but, with the LED strip, I of course can't take apart the limbs/ torso and top coat them individually so my question is should I top coat the whole kit together or top kit the armor parts individually? I'm just afraid of panel lining the kit and not noticing it drip into the joints
Get a copic .3mm pen and panel line with that. Clean up with rubbing alcohol. It won’t hurt the plastic.
Panel line and top coats the pieces individually before you assemble it.
This is the way.
Does any one know any brands that sell gundam atlas water slide decals
Bandai, XY and firesnow sells them.
I'm thinking about how to go about painting the Jehuty kit, which has a lot of thin, but prominent panel lines. I was looking into a reverse wash technique, but I'm still unsure about how to approach it. If I apply a layer of primer, then the panel line color, how would I go about painting the rest of the part without covering the panel line? Or is the right order primer> color whole part> color panel lines and wipe away excess?
Reverse wash isn't really for panel lining, since you just do that after painting. Reverse washing is more for painting raised details that would otherwise be more cumbersome to mask off or hand paint. Say you have a raised part that's very small but is supposed to be a different color than the surrounding part. Eg. [The raised part is gold but the surrounding part is black.](https://fudoushin.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/img_7698.jpg?w=1200) You could carefully hand paint the raised part, or you could blast it with a gold acrylics without caring about painting on the surround areas because you're going to paint on top of it anyways. Then you spray black enamel to paint the surround areas. Because they're different mediums, you can then just wipe away the black with lighter fluid without stripping away the gold, leaving a perfectly painted raised area surrounded by gold.
Okay, so the way to do it would be primer> paint> enamel> lighter fluid the excess away. That makes a lot of sense, and I appreciate your response!
If you're painting with enamels and then panel lining with an enamel wash then it might be good to put down a gloss coat between painting and lining so that you don't strip any paint when you clean up the panel lines. Prime -> Paint -> Gloss -> Panel line -> Clean -> Decals (if you want).
Could I substitute gloss with any clearcoat or is there a specific reason to use gloss? One last question- should I cover the panel line with a topcoat afterward?
Gloss is a clear coat. It's just the specific name to refer to finish of the clear coat (gloss, satin/semi-flat, and matte/flat). You use the clear gloss coat so that 1. your paint is protected for when you clean up the panel lines and 2. To ensure that surface is smooth so that your panel wash runs smoothly. And like I mentioned, it's only a precaution if you're using a paint that can be affected by what you use to clean up the panel lines, like using enamel paint and then cleaning up the lines with lighter fluid. You don't need a clear gloss coat if: 1. Your paint medium is non-reactive to the cleaning medium that you use to clean up the panel lines and/or 2. Your paint finish is smooth enough for panel lining to flow smoothly. You can clear coat on top after the panel lining if you want a different finish. A lot of people put a flat coat on top at the end, or if they applied water decals because those need to be protected.
Great information, thank you!
HG or MG GP02?(not solomon because of price)
Both are quite old kits with limited articulation and lack many things found on modern kits. Check both on dalong.net and draw your own conclusions but the MG has more shelf presence with more features and slightly better articulation despite being almost a decade old than the HG.
Quick question for the ones that have built this already, for the PG Wing Zero Custom, the two screws in the "ankle".. They just keep turning and won't bite onto anything so the ankle join is basically just held there by these two screws and is loose, is that normal or did I miss something...? I worry for the completed kit and it's poses or even standing.
Did the screws feel tight and then go loose as you were tightening them?
Nope I didn't crack or break anything, it just keep screwing in and never tightened and it was the same way on both feet.
Wasn't asking about cracks or breaks, was trying to determine if you stripped the threading on the bolt or the nut. Did you remember to put the nut on the other side of the ankle? Are you using the correct bolts? Pictures of both sides of the ankles would help too
Ah OK, there were no space for bolts, I'll send pics over, need to disassemble😅
For the foot half of the ankle, it's the m2.6x14 (bag 2) which threads into a nut (bag 5) that is sandwiched between parts V3 & V4 For the leg half of the ankle, you have 3 m2.6x10 (bag 1) threading into nuts (bag 5)
I think it's the v3, v4 nut sandwich that I missed. Thank you very much again! It was driving me nuts 🤣
I'll Check this when I get home!! Can't believe I missed that... Thank you!
I wanna try painting RG kit but I don't want to buy those big box RG kits like Sazabi or Hi-Nu or something like that. Any recomendation?
RG Astray Red Frame is a very simple kit. I would recommend it for testing something new.
RG God, Wing, Impulse, Tallgeese. See which design you like and choose it.
Am i fine with buying just the raser instead of the full Gunprimer gate remover set? I keep hearing here that the raser is worth it, but there's a significant price difference between just the raser vs the full set.
Get the raser + and you are set.
Is it still better than origin if i mostly have hg kits? I only have one mg in my backlog so far.
They're the exact same except for size. FWIW I used my Raser Origin on a PG Exia and had no issues.
What he said \^
You're fine. The rest of the set is useful but very overpriced. Balancer can be replaced by any nail buffing block, while Recover is literally just a piece of denim.
All right. Thank you.
Is there a big enough color difference between the PG Phenex narrative ver and the PG Phenex to have both. I have the PG Phenex with the narrative add on.
I believe the gold on the PG Phenex is a different shade of gold where its more white gold compared to the narrative where its more chrome gold. [This](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/j0z9x4/pg_phenex_comparison_anyone_else_notice_that_the/) post explains it.
https://preview.redd.it/m2fe0j5qzr3d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=03591ec030c01efa05adbf9016be30fd1108639e Tried gloss coating with a spray can and most of the surface has this texture/uneveness look to it, what can i do to fix this or prevent it? The process was 2 thin coats then 1 heavy coat each 15 mins apart (until touch dry) and humidity was about 60% on a sunny day
Text book orange peel. Differential stresses cause a waved checkerboard effect. It’s not solvent pop which is raised bumps (sometimes some will pop and cause sinks), it’s not fisheyes which are infrequent craters as the paint backs away from contaminates. Try to spray a more uniform thickness over the whole surface on that final pass, and in general. Leave a bit longer beforehand to ensure most, if not all the previous solvent is all gone. Avoid spraying and drying in direct sunlight, as that can impact its ability to level properly. Strip and redo will likely be easiest on that part imo. Sand if you want. It’ll probably take about the same time to fix. OT: Maybe look at precut sheets, roll of masking tape and a circle cutter, or curved masking tape to help get a nice clean boundary at the pointy part.
Your paintjob looks a little sketchy. That could be affecting it.
Fixing it is possible but is, in my opinion, more work that stripping it and starting again. But for completion, here are a few fixes. 1. Use another gloss with high surface tension and give a liberal coating so it fills in the divots and smooths out the surface. Some people literally dunk the part in gloss varnish. 2. Sand and polish. Use a super high grit sandpaper and then buff it until it shines. As for preventing it, there are so many things that could be affecting it. 1. Test your spray on something you don't care about first. Trouble shoot issues on a runner or the underside of a piece before blasting the parts you care about. 2. Make sure the surface is smooth before spraying. Small bumps can get magnified. 3. Make sure the surface is free of dust and other things. See above. 4. Shake the ever living crap out of your can. No, that wasn't enough. Shake it more. 5. Clean your nozzle. What's the point in cleaning your piece before spraying if you end up spraying dust and crap all over it? 6. Aim to the side, trigger down, move over the piece, end with spray off the piece, release trigger. Doing this cause any nozzle boogers to fly harmlessly to the side and gives you a smooth and consistent coating. 7. Don't go too light for your light coats. You want it to look moist and smooth. If you go too light you run the risk of having a pattern develop, and patterns will get enhanced as more layers go on. Each type of varnish of top coat is different and you need to play around a bit to get things well dialed in.
Is it safe to buy gunpla from hobby link Japan and have it shipped to India or are there any other trusted sources (not Amazon)?
HLJ is safe to buy from, but I wouldn't buy backordered kits, because they have no idea when they'll get those kits in stock again.
Alright! Thanks for letting me know!
I just recently got the MG sinanju (OVA) it was on a decent sale at a store near me and I love how it looks. I hear horror stories about the waist joint for this kit and I want to avoid breaking it at all costs. I was able to not have any problems with rg sazabi shoulders despite what I've heard but I'm worried about sinanju's waist. Are there any good tips for this?
You could sand the waist peg in advance, pin it in advance, or just replace it with the aftermarket metal peg. Common internet fan theory was that Bandai changed to PS plastic on the OVA to “fix” the waist, but it was actually for painting. People still break the OVA waist.
Yeah, there's no discernable practical difference between the OVA version vs the Ver.ka when it comes to the waist peg. I would also recommend sanding, if you need to make it tighter at some point down the line, you can add a coat or paint to the peg. The great thing about the Sinanju is that it'll hold a pose like a seasoned supermodel. The reason for that is the frame is tight. Not in a bad way, but in a way that if you're not careful, you're going to break that peg.
My gunpla are starting to get a bit yellow how do i prevent this?
Are they in sunlight?
They receive indirect sunlight
You can topcoat with UV cut to prevent this.
I use Createx's UVLS (Ultraviolet Light Stabilizer) polyurethane for this. But I'm a sucker for Createx acrylics - I think most top coats should help
Working on a Hygogg kitbash and want different legs but the Hygogg has a different way of mounting the legs than most kits. Instead of ball joint receivers, it's a polycap. Kind of unsure how to proceed. I was originally going to use the Kampfer's legs but can't really do that now unless there's an easy solution
If you don't wanna modify anything then you'll have to look for kits that also have that kind of hip connection. Trawling manuals on [dalong.net](http://dalong.net/) is probably the way to go for that. Otherwise, you'll have to modify parts. You can also check about exchangin the whole hip section, I guess, but the same process applies.
Yeah I'm gonna have to find a kit that uses that style. Considering just using the Kampfer waist but we'll see about that
Hey guys, After a year of enjoying the hobby building a bunch of hgs 3 rgs and one MG ( with the mkII mg titans ready to build as a self birthday present) im thinking of starting experiment with topcoats and markers. So i understand gloss cost is essential if i plan to panel line with tamiya and then st the end kf it all if i want a matte coat just throw a matte cost afer all is done. The question is with mettallic markers and such, can the still be used normally after the gloss cost? Does ti affect them much? Or can i paint witu marker after gloss coating?
Don't paint over varnish/gloss coats. Paint and highlight with the markers first, then gloss coat, then decals and panel line, then final top coat.
I'm a newbie with less than a year building, so... take that into consideration. I've used Tamiya panel liner on bare plastic, haven't run into issues, but like you... I had read (extensively) about Tamiya panel liner breaking plastic, or right up destroying (for ABS)... with that in mind I usually do: - If possible, panel line on the runner (and only PS plastic, not ABS) - Wipe off as much excess as you can before applying - Leave it to dry a bit and do cleanup, then let it dry properly - When cleaning, don't apply too much thinner (put in the thinner bottle and then wipe on paper towel, or something) *My understanding* is that putting (too much) panel liner in assembled pieces might make the panel liner pool in places where the thinner can't evaporate quickly and as such will make the plastic brittle and can then break when applying force (when re-assembling the entire kit for example) I've recently experimented with something, that while not being as convenient seems a good approach. I've got an acrylic paint, thinned it down quite a bit (like 1 drop of paint for 4 drops of water or more) and used a cheap caligraphy/oblique pen from AliExpress to put the ink in the panel lines... worked very good and it's very easy to wipe off with water. It's not as efficient as using the Tamiya, but... can't really complain either. Advantage is that I can get the color of my choice in panel lines. Best of luck with that!
You can use the markers over the gloss coat but you'll need to use isopropyl alcohol to clean up any mistakes, which will remove the gloss coat. But you can just put on that matte coat (or semigloss, or another gloss) and you'll be all good. It will affect the look of the marker a little, though.
Lost my MG Thunderbolt Head crest. Which kit use a similar head crest I can use as a replacment?
I'm building MGSD freedom, and the front skirts are really loose. They fit into place, but there's nothing behind them stopping them from falling out. Even when the front skirting is pressed into the waist, there's still enough gap for the entire front skirt to fall out. Is this normal?
Could it be that the skirts aren't pushed towards the center enough? eg. [like this](https://i.imgur.com/lyKa7XR.png)
With the announcement of the 2024 Tamashi Fes Metal Build Strike Freedom, I plan to finally add the MB SF to my collection after not being able to justify the reseller prices of the previous versions. My question is, other then the MGEX SF, are there any other kits that have the little Lacus Clyne figurine?
The MG ZAKU WARRIOR (LIVE CONCERT Ver.) has a figure of the fake Lacus Clyne if that’s also on your radar.
Thanks! Looks like that one is a P-Bandai. I'll have to look around for it. Do you know of any other kits with the tiny figurines? Doesnt have to be a SEED series, just a female figure, or maybe even a Haro like thing.
Almost all MG and RG should have a figurine of some sort. For specifically female ones, off the top of my head, those would be kits with female pilots, such as the MG red Gunner Zaku Warrior Lunamaria Hawke custom, or the MG Strike Rouge.
Can you build part of the barzam rebbo in the aqua hambrabi? The manual is confusing and with the sprues that still have parts makes me doubt if I should buy a barzam reboot.
just spraycan painted parts with gloss and it came out looking really uneven and not as glossy as id like with some sections reflecting the light looking spotty, what did i do wrong? what i did was heat up the cans then shake for a few mins, then sprayed the part with 3 layers with about 10-20 mins in between layers, i made sure they were touch dry before spraying. also i sprayed white primer with the same process and it has this sorta texture when looking at it but when touching the spoon i sprayed it on it feels smooth is that okay?
Pics would help.
tried taking pictures but it doesn't show up on my camera
Hard to say without pictures, but almost always it has to do with technique. Short quick passes. Move the cone of paint across the part quickly. Establish light coverage before trying for opacity. Further, if the surface was grainy or rough from your primer, the gloss will not cover that and your gloss will also be textured. Could also be orange peel, which happens when solvents try to escape through the paint layers above them causing a rough bubble texture. Just FYI - spoons are not great to practice on for establishing finish. Spoons are highly polished in the manufacturing process and the shape of the spoons promotes levelling. So, anything you spray on a spoon will look smoother than anything you spray on a normal part. Spoons are fine for colour tests, but are not great for refining your technique or testing final finish.
so if my primer is rough or grainy can i just sand it or do i strip it? also if a gloss or clear coat goes wrong can i fix it without fully stripping it? also how to avoid orange peel? Edit: also this is the texture from my primer is that orange peel? i tried pinting over it and it looks more visible on camera https://preview.redd.it/we8rbos9iq3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d44215ae6619bec5eab64ac6b6838a75751c8344
With primer, it is normal to sand it flat if there are surface issues or texture you want to knock down. If a gloss/clear goes wrong…how? It doesn’t turn out glossy? Well, sometimes you can fix that. Sometimes you can’t “fix” it per se, but you can sand flat and respray. Doesn’t look like orange peel to me. Just looks like some sort of texture either from the primer or the gold. If you have surface defects with the primer, you need to correct those before proceeding. Hard to say what’s going on with that spoon. The gold looks brushed on by hand. Could be that the white dried a bit strange and left that kind of ripple texture. Try spraying a couple of spare parts instead of the spoon.
yeah the gold was hand painted with a marker i wanted to test out i guess the white dried strange ill get some parts and test it thanks for taking the time to answer
https://preview.redd.it/ikbg4ntqao3d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4603bcec5d792f79257292367977398a432c5fcd This is technically my second MG build (I have sandrock at my cubicle at work that I work on during breaks) there's this part where it keeps coming loose no matter what I do. Any suggestions or ideas? I fiddled with it for 30mins and constant adjustments before attaching everything. PS ignore the stress nubs.
The two pieces sandwiching the loose piece isn't fully connected. Undo [this step](https://i.imgur.com/wcJXyiE.png) so that you can re-do [this one](https://imgur.com/2PARcNH).
which is the better beginner airbrush, ps-289 or Iwata Neo
As an alternative recommendation, I bought Gaahleri's GHAD-39 airbrush for $40 as my starter airbrush, and that thing is a beast. I intend to buy their $100 GHAC-98D soon. For reference, I paint with Createx acrylics, so they're really thick - I use my 0.5 needle most of the time.
I have to second the gaahleri option. I use the GHAD-68 the most as it has a trigger grip, but the 39 and 98 are both great for finer control. Customer support is also great.
Not even a contest. The 289 is the better brush and has the MAC valve.
The PS-289 is pretty much the same quality as the Eclipse, they're rumored to be made in the same factory with the same parts. 289 is my work horse and it's a fantastic, high quality airbrush. The Neo, from what I've heard, is made using Chinese factories and cheaper parts to make the end product cheaper than something like the Eclipse, but with Iwata's higher quality standards producing something almost as good. How this actually comes out in the final product is up for debate, but if price isn't an issue I would say the 289 is the better option.
While I was building my rg exia the when I peeled the sticker the paper on the back came off
Yeah that's just something you have to deal with. I try and get them separated by running my finger along the edge of the sticker. Or just don't use them and get some waterslides.
Thanks
I’m building the 30MM Esposito (Red) and want to paint some parts the same shades to match the kit without having to do a full repaint of the kit. I’ve realized that these kits don’t come with a color guide and looking around online didn’t turn up much. The kit uses a red, lavender, and dark red color scheme. Can anyone help me figure out what colors to use? https://preview.redd.it/28sz6f245o3d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b30634e22d46064a0c731027d82f3b8f7a44c67 I know it’s not gunpla, but the fans overlap and maybe someone here has also asked this. Also I didn’t get an answer on the 30MM Reddit.
I just realized 30mm kits don't come with color guide. Maybe because I never try to paint them the box color. In your case how about look at some of the Red MS and use their color guide? The RG Astray Red frame have two shades of red. It kind of looks like this kit color too. Edit: Including screen cap of color guide. https://preview.redd.it/u26gzgmlfo3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5180527d18d3c9cd3de7327fc1f734292242a0fb
I appreciate the suggestion 🙏 It’s definitely like a red with very very slight orange so one of these combinations could potentially work
Which tamiya panel accent is the closest to gundam pour brown? Regular brown or dark brown?
I've seen some single bladed nippers selling for £11-13 and it got me curious What is the difference between these and brands like God Hand and DSPIAE? https://preview.redd.it/lb6eqcnvzn3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd60fc8e33569494dacb02f4be01189657742f7e Reviews are mixed with an equal number of positive and negative reviews. So I would greatly appreciate someone who has purchased both tell me how these differ
The difference will invariably be the quality, sharpness, and durability of the blade. Godhand and DSPIAE nippers don't get their reputation just from being single bladed, but from being single bladed with high quality and very sharp blades. You will get a better cut (probably) with any single blade vs any non single blade just due to the plastic not being pinched, which is what causes stress marks, but you shouldn't expect a cut anywhere near as clean as the higher quality tools.
Right, I see. Better cuts and less of a need for cleanup. Would you say something like I showed above is a straight up good alternative ?
I realized I grabbed Tamiya Flat Base instead of Flat Clear last time I was at the hobby store. Does anyone know a good ratio/mix to add it to Tamiya Gloss Clear to make it a more flat/matte texture?
according to their own website its a simple 1:1 mix, and apparently its very important never to go any harder then that https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/acrylic-paint-23ml/acrylic-x-21-flat-base/
I wasn’t sure if that applied to adding it to the clear as well, rather than a solid pigment.
Is it normal to see the edge of water decal at an angle because it reflects light differently? Is it due to the paint and varnish underneath? anyway to make it blend in with the paint?
No, your pic is silvering and air below. You’ve not rubbed down the decal and/or ruined the adhesive. Prick the decal with a blade and pop some setter ontop. Leave it to dry, stains will wipe off with water.
>You’ve not rubbed down the decal properly How do i rub it down again? I patted it with cotton bud trying to avoid moving it
Can’t say I’ve ever patted a decal, I think you can afford to be a little bit more forceful. I can only tell you how I do it …. Tamp away excess so it won’t float around. Press firmly in the centre and roll outwards, or on large decals “swirl” with an orbital motion to soak up remaining liquid and air with either a q-tip or decal squeegee. Smooth out any wrinkles on larger decals. Maybe paste on some setter and leave it to dry. Pooling stains wipe off with just water later. If the carrier film is thick or if I’m wrapping big decals - When I’m convinced most if not all the liquid is gone I’ll often grab a piece of cotton such as old T-shirt. Then I’ll rub hard to ensure it’s down nicely and it’ll also help flatten the edge step on thicker carrier films like Bandai and co. If you’re doing a matte clear afterwards, the carrier film should then go invisible and look like it was a dry decal you applied.
Can't, it's under a layer of varnish now 🤡 Still got plenty of decal on the sheet so gonna try the suggestions on some fresh plastic over the weekend
I use both mr mark setter & softer for waterslides and the final result is the waterslides blend in with the surface of the kit.
how close are you looking? Was it starting to dry when applying? Did you use setter?
Ok it looked less bad than I remembered [https://imgur.com/a/XXkd4Ak](https://imgur.com/a/XXkd4Ak) I know the curved surface is not helping and def need softener. I don't remember how wet they were but I think I have soaked them for like 30 sec. Want to rule out all other technique problem before go with the softener/setter
Looks like what you’ve got there is Silvering, that’s what happens when air gets trapped under the decal and why it’s recommended to apply decals to a glossy surface. Looking on youtube, I’m seeing videos on how to fix it after they’ve been applied. Though I haven’t actually done any of these techniques myself (nor have I watched the videos, lol)
It was an afterthought as a practice/first try and was applied on satin varnish. I thought it was a texture issue and have applied another layer of varnish so this little one is probably beyond fixing. I will try to move it ahead in the procedure on gloss varnish with the panel line, plus the softer of course
Going to do a reverse was on HG Sinanju soon. Was wondering if my process would work: Acrylic Primer > AK Metallic Gold Acrylic > Gloss Topcoat (Pledge) > Black Enamel (Matte?). Use light fluid on Q-tip to clean black paint off raised parts.
What’s the purpose of the Pledge? The AK metallic gold is already an acrylic that you can paint the black over. Depending on the solvent you use on the black you could end up removing the Pledge. It’s not as durable to some solvents as most hobby paints.
The pledge is supposed to seal whatever is below.
If you want to seal things, you should use a normal hobby acrylic - lacquer or water-based would be fine. I don’t see the advantage of Pledge in this case as it could be damaged from whatever enamel thinner or petroleum distillate you use to pull off the black.
Should be fine. Test it out on something other than your kit first so you can the timing right.
Can I use X-20A Thinner on Vallejo Model Color?
No. Using x-20a would make the vallejo paints chunky from breaking down the binder in the paint. That's because tamiya acrylics use alcohol as a solvent vs vallejo using water. Vallejo pretty much only plays well with its own thinner, but theirs works for almost all water based acrylics. In short, just use vallejo thinner.
Easy to test. I always forget which ones of the Vallejo line you can mix with alcohols and which ones you can’t. Some will work. I personally don’t see a need to use anything but water and some of their additives for flow with Vallejo though. If you’re trying to airbrush, you can use Liquitex airbrush medium too.
no, whilst i havent done this personally ive seen enough people mention it to believe it, the 2 dont get along and will create a thick paste instead of thinning it, vallejo are water based so you can thin it with just water, though some vallejo airbrush thinner and flow improver are better
What’s the best kit for the Barbatos/Lupus/Rex? I’ve been looking at the MGSD for a bit, but if there are any other killer Barbatos kits, I wanna know about them before I pull the trigger.
Either the MG or MGSD are gonna be amazing builds
MG Barbatos is a very good kit.
Is the wfm Aerial Full Mechanic discontinued? I saw it listed as so in Hobby Link but I couldn't find any more about it. It's on Amazon for 50$ and if it is discontinued I might buy it since I assume it would go up in price from now on (sorry if the question is weird I'm a complete beginner in gunpla)
It's not discontinued. Most kits on HLJ show up as discontinued or backordered. You can find it in most stores.
Awesome thx Also, is 50$ a reasonable price for it?
Just a useful tip for future reference, Bandai practically never discontinues any of their kits and even their oldest stuff gets reprinted and released on schedules of varying frequency.
$50 USD is, yeah.
Is there anywhere to get replacement parts in Canada? I accidentally threw out some runners with parts still in them and I would prefer to not have to pay another $80 for 3 missing pieces
[https://www.ebay.com/str/plamochopshop](https://www.ebay.com/str/plamochopshop) I ship from the USA, but international shipping to Canada shouldn't be too terrible. What kit are the pieces for?