Gnerl 1/72, step by step

[cool8or]

Hello Guys. Finally, it's time to start my first-english-version step by step. I hope you enjoy it and remember, my english IS NOT PERFECT, so if I'm not explaining very well, PLEASE let me know, or fix me (please fix me!).

This time I'll make the Gnerl, Hobby Model's version. It seems like the box designer put in the box the sculptor name, but I don't know the veracity of this information. Anyway, this is the box:

The kit doesn't have decals, so I'll must to make it in its moment.

Our first task will be remove the resin excess, identified by red circles:

[cool8or]

To remove it, I use cut-off wheels for Dremel. If you don't have it, use a saw. Never cut with pliers, because you could break the piece. After cut, you can sand faster with Dremel.

To cut and sand resin produces too much dust, so you should use a mask. Also, when you cut the wheel could breake it and hit your face or an eye, so you should use protective glasses.

Pieces already cutted and sanded. These parts doesn't see it once assembled, so the look don't matter.

Before:

After:

Here appear some bubbles, we can fix it with epoxy putty. The great thing about epoxy putty is that it don't low while it dries, so if you cover the bubble, that's it, you don't need apply once again. In fact, you can cut the putty excess with a exacto knife just after applied, so once dried you don't need to sand too much.

That's it for now. Next time, fine sanding and... boiling water!!

[miriya]

This is a great build up thread so far. Thanks for the informative step by step. I sure want a dremel now!

[Gabe Q]

This is awesome! It's been sooooo long since we had a build-up thread. I can't wait to see this thing all the way through.

[big F]

Great to see another of Mr Moscato's sculpts getting some love.

I will be following you on this.

Sadly not by building mine as I have no spare time for the forseeable future.

[Ghost Train]

I like that Dremel type a lot better, more ergonomic, I have the pistol version which is a bit unwieldy.

[big F]

I think the Dremmel should be listed as the 20th centurys best tool invention. I agree though the pistol type one takes some getting used to.

I would not be without mine. The ammount of jobs and time it has saved me has easily paid for it.

[cool8or]

I use the Flex Shaft attachment, it's very comfortable to use due its size and weight.

[Noyhauser]

Hey Cool8er, I'm excited to see your build up... your stuff is pretty gold. Quick question; why didn't you use a resin saw for cutting those pieces? Using the dremel just seemed to make more of a mess than its worth.

[leading edge]

Hey Cool8er, I'm excited to see your build up... your stuff is pretty gold. Quick question; why didn't you use a resin saw for cutting those pieces? Using the dremel just seemed to make more of a mess than its worth.

I have that dremmel I don't use it often because I don't want to have to correct mistakes in the surface , you have no prob with yours good work. Are you planning to make your own decals or is there already a set that comes with this kit?

[neptunesurvey]

Good start. I stopped using the dremel for sanding when I sanded way to much off a couple of times.

Are you planning on making it with the cockpit open or just in flight like I did with mine in the workbench section page 34?

I painted my Zentraedi/Zentran emblems on. With the first Regult release Capt made some emblems that you had to printout and are too scale. I cut out the shape and taped them on to the right spots and painted. I attached the image for you.

[TheNightclerk]

Can't wait to see more of this build up!

Ty

[neptunesurvey]

Any new progress?

[cool8or]

Hi! I have been busy working in a previous Macross proyect... a red & yellow proyect

I'm finishing it, so be tuned on next week!!

After that, I'll following the work in a VF-0S battroid and the Gnerl. Also, for the Gnerl I'm waiting for some steel balls that I need it to improve some details in the cockpit. I should get it very soon.

[captain america]

I can't believe I missed this thread! Man, I gotta stop working so hard

Looks like it's progressing quite well so far, and I humbly apologize once again for my super ginormous pour stubs. I can't wait to see this baby built

[cool8or]

OK guys!! After a lot of time, at least I could collect the pictures taken in last 2 months, and follow this step by step. The progress is not too much, but consider that I were working in the Kai, also I'm still working in the VF-0S Battroid.

The first is sanding. Here is my sands. The sand branded "BS" is a sanding foam, very useful to sand curve sections.

This is the aspect of the frontal lasers. Not so beatiful if you watch it closely! So I decided to cut off. But as Noyhauser said, cutting resin with Dremel is a mess. So I bought a jewerly saw, and now I see that this is a far better way.

Now I apply epoxy putty:

Edited August 10, 2010 by cool8or

[big F]

I'm gonna use this thread as an instructional along with the actual instructions

[cool8or]

As you can see, these resin parts are not correctly aligned:

So I put it in boiling water for 20 seconds:

Now I can glue the front to the back chassis:

And I need to cut the excess resin of the frontal visor:

[jardann]

Great step-by-step! It's good to see you sticking with this build. The pics and your comments are extremely helpful. Thanks for going through all of the effort! It's very interesting and will be a huge help for others building this kit.

Keep up the great work!

[cool8or]

Thank you Jardann for your support!

Now I will start to work in a mechanism to make the cockpit retractable:

I'll use an articulation part from an old kit. I'm using a styrene rod only for testing purposes, the final part will be an aluminium rod.

I fill with epoxy putty... the sanding here will be a pain!!

Oops! At this pint I realize that I missed some pics, so I must to leave this update until here. In the next chapter, some detail products and the main assemble.

Edited August 11, 2010 by cool8or

[Gabe Q]

Amazing and inspiring work. I can't wait for the next update. I own this kit and this will be a huge help for when I build mine.

[nightmareB4macross]

Holy mother of gawd. The Gnerl is huge!

Excellent progress. Hopefully, you can finish this off very soon.

[MechTech]

I finally was able to stay long enough on line to see this build. Great job and very educational for those just starting! This is big enough to be a lunchbox like I was saying in the buildup for the master. Just put a handle on it Keep up the great work! - MT

[cool8or]

Hello guys. Sorry for the delay, but also I been working in the VF-0S battroid. However, here is the update.

As I said before, the tube for opening the cockpit will be of aluminium. I cut it with my tube cutter:

I put nails to the thrusters for stronger fixing

I will make the Gnerl with the landing gear up, so I must to lower the compartment:

The cockpit border has ball details, but in the casting they lost detail. So I decided to use 2mm steel balls from http://www.mechaskunk.com/store.htm :

Edited September 15, 2010 by cool8or

[cool8or]

From mechaskunk I also bought metallic thrusters, I think that they improves the overall look:

Pins to strengthen the nose:

Please comment to add pics!

Edited September 15, 2010 by cool8or

[ultimateone]

Looking good! Thanks for the Mechaskunk plug, they've got some pretty cool stuff.

[cool8or]

Thanks Ultimateone!

Before to apply the primer, I decided to see the fit of the pilot:

Mr. Surfacer don't have good adherence over nude and gloss resin, so after sand a little, I prime with an enamel primer. After a couple days drying, I'll apply Mr. Surfacer.

So there is a Glaug's partial build. Next chapter: Some details that I forgot to mention and Mr. Surfacer!

[captain america]

Wow Ruben, top notch work!!! Hope the castings aren't giving you too much trouble.

It's really fantastic to see your skills advancing with every new model. Heck, your progress reports are more interesting than mine

[Weasel]

That is looking great, always loved the Gnerl, and at that scale it could make a great centre piece in a display. Really good work, Inspiring me to keep trying!

[EXO]

That's gonna be a really nice display piece. And it doesn't even have a coat of Cool8or's legendary painting style yet...

Too awesome!

[Kicker773]

aww man.. need to save up just a little bit more.. sigh.. awesome work as always..never knew the Gnerl came with the pilot..

[PetarB]

This does look awesome, so much cleaner than John's builds

Can you tell I'm bitter about those pour stubs?

... seriously, great work!

[cool8or]

Update time!

Now that I'd finished the VF-0, Gnerl is the only model kit in process, so this will be faster from now... as you'll see now!

First, I thought again about the nose cannons, because it would be hard to hide their cuts. So I decided to make them in a different way. But now I'll need to add them what I cut before

Well, it not exist a perfect saw cut, so I had to apply some epoxy putty

These hydraulic arms are from the missiles hatch. I made them again because originals don't look so good:

Comparison:

This is the base color of the cockpit. I use a light gray with a pinch of blue. In the pictures it seems like a light blue, but it doesn't.

No, I'll not make the Miria's Gnerl, this is the "primer" color... next you will see what I'm talking about!

Please post to allow me to post the other pictures!!

Edited October 19, 2010 by cool8or

[EXO]

post on this thread every time you run int this annoying feature. Maybe Shawn will notice that we don't need it... it's frustrating

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=33548&pid=876365&st=0entry876365

Great work BTW.

[cool8or]

Thanks EXO.

Now, I apply wet salt in little amounts. With a toothpick, you can give them more dynamic forms:

With the airbrush shoot some air to remove the excess of salt and its dust. After that, apply a thin coat of paint, to affirm the salt. I apply paint after 3 or 4 piles of salt.

When you have finished all the piles of salt, you can apply the complete coat of paint. I apllied the post shading too, but I forgot to take the picture. Sorry for that.

Oce the paint is dried, you can remove the salt with a brush or your fingers.

And voilá! True chips! This is my first time using this tecnique, so only now I realise that it would be better if before I would make chips with a metal color, and after that apply the red "primer". This way I could simulate the metal chassis of the fighter. Anyway, I'm happy with this first result. I'll see if I can paint some metal ships over the red ones with another tecnique.

Oops! I also fogot to take a picture with all the ships! But nevermind, now I have the Gnerl ready to paint the other colors, next time you'll see it with all its colors! Until then!