MechTech

HLJ is back to nearly taking orders, just like I thought: http://www.hlj.com/hljlist2/?Dis=2&Mac...p;SeriesID=3659 The discontinued thing was temporary. November 30th orders a possibility. Some people have complained, but they've been great, even crediting a mistake on my behalf. In fact, the last order I placed had two items back ordered (yellow status). A week later they shipped still showing same status online. They may be having database problems compounded by our thirst for VF-25s! - MT You know, overall this whole situation is great! Frustrating for those who want a kit NOW, but good news in the long run! If I was in production, I'd be yelling out, "double the production run" to my crew! That's probably what they're doing. I bet they were also tooling up for the other variants and didn't expect to sell their first run so fast of the first version! - MT Yellowlightman loses points for torturing everyone

Yeah, I saw that too! Talk about non-cannon - MT

Thanks Cache (and welcome). About ten for now (just to populate the front half). Let me know what you have in mind. UPDATE 29 SEPTEMBER 08 Not many pictures, but A LOT of work. You saw the edges last time, this time its the top and bottoms for those same sections. The bottom is full of lights and access panel-ladders. The top will have a crane on it. You can see the slots I've tediously cut out on the lower section. Next come thick strips of clear styrene. Theyt actually protrude through the floor enough to look light strip flourescent lighting units. They are glued to thin clear styrene to hold them all together. LEDs bought on sale after Christmas last year (3mm diameter) line it. Next job is to wire and trim the excess. The LEDs are nice "true white" colored. The destroids sit under them so good lighting is important. That's it for now. More light strips to make... - MT

revelation 1 - Welcome! You're best bet for ordering anything from Japan/Hong Kong is trackable. It costs about half the cost of the kit on average, but you have to ask yourself how much you want it in one piece. When ordering from HLJ.com, I always use EMS: http://www.hlj.com/hlj_shipping.html Surface can take long and the longer your package travels, the more it will get squashed - about a month later! - MT

That's cool! Thanks for sharing; the family thought it was cool too. My wife asked if I'm putting the Daedalus on top of my mini-van . Toynami made it huh? I wonder if we can pre-order one !? - MT

Thanks UN Spacy for the video! Those that guessed the coupled hand piece holds the arms together in jet mode win bonus points! Can you say slow and painfull! Kawamori's designs get more complex as he gets older instead of visa-versa. I thought the -19 series was bad. And to think, it only takes a split second in the anime - MT

Thanks, but 3D printing (and in quantity) is expensive; Cobywan is right. I would have never considered it for that reason. Plus I don't have the file made or software/time to do it. The best way to go is modify a kit (fix several flaws) and cast the new parts. Decals will be fun to make up too(in that size). I can't find the Nichimo kits anymore except the occasional overpriced one-offs. Nichimo's site doesn't have any news on re-released kits except for ships. - MT

I haven't seen the part, but I'm guessing the JB weld is thick. If so, you can make a "squash mold." Instead of pouring the compound into the mold, you fill the two halves to overflow with the compound and squash them together (being careful to maintain shape). I've done it several time with various parts that didn't want to mold the regular way. If you think you'll have to go metal, your silicone molds will work for that too! Silicone is usually good up to 400 degrees F on the average (results may vary ). - MT

You can buy the Gundam MSM-04 Acguy, it was in Macross F (as a toy) The Glaug is a pain to clean up. Painting the white on the darker parts is tough the first time too! - MT

Yep, looks like the models page needs more old school goodness! - MT

Those colors and decals look awesome! Very tempting... -- MT

You know, I just checked out the link. The messed up part is it says "variable" on the box, but it's a battroid!? - MT

Patience dudes! I bet we bit harder on the Macross hook than Bandai anticipated! There WILL be more kits and variants - I'm sure. In fact, this delay is a good sign they are probably re-running the line and packaging. All the other posts about stores running out is a good sign. For those that are afraid to snap a Bandai kit together - don't knock it 'till you try it. They are as easy as you could ask for. Easier than putting your kids toys together - MT

WM, the F-16 looks awesome. There have to be dudes at the wolf pack just wanting to get their hands on this! TSP, I'm having second thoughts about making eggs this weekend for breakfast! - MT

Thanks Graham!!! Don't worry dudes, Bandai will milk the molds for all they can. I'm sure this is not the end!!! There will be more or some one will make the decals for the version you want. Bandai is sitting on a gold mine and they know it! - MT

This topic keeps popping up (with good reason). Do a search because there have been about three threads on it so far. Here's one: http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?show...p;hl=paint+wash Basically you use an oil based enamel as your base color and then use water based paints for the wash. This is the easiest way to go, but there are many others. With a "wash," you wash a watered down darker color (not always black) into the panel lines. Sometimes a darker version of your base color is perfect. Then you wipe off what's outside the panel lines. I HIGHLY recommend you practice on another model FIRST - just in case. The results are worth the effort! - MT

Yeah, TSP is right, make dentures! I just saw destroy all monsters tonight, Godzilla has a better pair of snappers than that. - MT

UPDATE 20 September 08 First off, thanks Carzooyah and Meninge, (and for reading all that material, 32 pages so far! - and WELCOME to MW). Ahiachris and Knight 26, thanks as well for the support! It's been brought up a few times for people to do destroid donations. I WILL NOT have enough (despite hording them for years) to fill the ship. I welcome (and anyone who wants to start a thread) people that want to build and customize a destroid. Put your name or colors on it(hot pink is out of the question ). I think it would be awesome to have a destroid from those members who want to contribute. I've had a lot of support from people here and this is where I spend my short on-line times (other than ordering supplies). I welcome anyone who wants to build a destroid. If I had a prize, I'd put it up for competition donators "best entry" by our MW forum. You know I'll give a shout out to ya! In short, a LOT of detail and work for three strips of detail. This is for the edge of the upper deck in the hanger bay (labeled 2F in drawings). GETTING JIGGY WITH IT! If you need to make a lot of stuff, and make it look good, make a jig to help. The jig building is part of the process. In between the panels are some tiny indentations. An old 220v plug terminal (brass) and a file were used to make the die to be hammered. Gluing details for the end sections came next (hypodermic needle with liquid glue for good control of flow) and completed strips And all that work for the edging... The top decking is just sitting on top in the photo. I still have to make details in the lower ceiling like lights, ladders for destroid entry, etc... and then I can glue it on. The deck is about 1cm thick in case you were wondering. Here's the line drawing for what I'm working on right now: That's it for now. I've got TONS more details to do as you can see in the line drawing. - MT

I've got the 1-J. It is a really cool model, for a SD model. It even shoots darts! It doesn't make that cool "ZoonWeee - DoDoDoDo" sound though - MT

Yeah, that's a lo of carpentry! Just curious, what's the Daedalus look like (sorry, just had to ask)!

Fly4 - I see, Gundam mecha! I never saw that before! - MT

I believe a VF-1 could fly (fighter mode). Gerwalk mode would be fun to see work. The wing loading is the issue. As everyone else said; thrust to weight ratio. If the wing will take the the load, it will work. It might land at 200MPH, but it would fly! The VF-1 is made in a flying profile model, no special "Extra" flying surfaces - with tail-o-vators. Besides, a lawn mower can fly!!! (it was the best argument I could think of next to the whole bumble bee thang). Oh, and then there's that whole possibility of transformation thang too... - MT

The aerial view looks realistic! Hey, I can see my house from here! - MT

Thanks Fly-4. I'm building foam lined crates! Mustang - I guess every cloud does have a silver lining - Gundam Ole' school goodness. HWR - I was wondering when you were going to release that thing! - MT

Welcome to the boards Vintage Macross? "I think I have everything SDF in 1/200 except the Nosjadeul-Ger and the Gnerl" I didn't know those were made in 1/200!? And yes, if the destroids are 1/200, I'd love to buy/borrow them for more destroids. I don't have enough to properly populate even the front half of my ship! I might have to throw some valkyries in to take up the space. - MT