MechTech

Specr0101 I made several 1/200 models. I also made the VC-33 “Mom’s Kitchen†you spoke about Lisa flying in. In fact I still owe to Neptunesurvey (sorry dude). If enough people are interested, I’ll do one, but in 1/200. If anyone knows of a good caster, I’ll have copies made of my VC-33 “Mom’s Kitchen†if there’s enough interest. I haven’t given Neptunesurvey’s his yet because I’m not happy with the bubbles. The shape and thickness of the wings lend to a lot of bubbles at the wing tips. I don’t have a pressure chamber to shrink the air bubbles and there’s just no getting around them no matter how I turn the mold. Here’s a link to the postings I made earlier on. - MT http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...=15542&hl=vc-33

One other thing, make sure that if you have an air tank on your compressor that you drain it every day you use it. Especially before you put it away. A lot of people forget that and rust their tanks out. Don't be afraid to get scrap/spare sheets of plastic and practice on them before destroying your hard work on the model. The extra time spent is worth it!

I always wanted one. I seriously considered doing one myself. I've put it off because I'm working on a LARGER project. If I did one, it would be in 1/200th scale to match the rest of my scratchbuilt/Nichimo models. If anyone else is serious enough, I'd do it. It would be best to have someone else cast it due to logistics on my end.

Welcome Repiv_Onex! I highly reccomend you DO NOT airbrush in a closed room. Even with water based paints. The best I have been able to do is: 1) Get a room dehumidifier, let the room sit closed and get dehumidified. It's best to use a room that you won't go into for a while. If you don't have a room dehumidifier (or the money for one ) turn on the air conditioning in there. 2) Go paint your model outside or in a ventilated room. Do it quickly without destroying your masterpiece. 3). Bring it into your conditioned room mentioned in #1. That's about the best you can do without a room dehumidifier. When I lived in eorgia and couldn't wait to paint, I painted outside and quickly brought it inside. I really hate the humidity. It makes modeling tough sometimes. Anybody else got some good inputs? Buehler...Buhler?

1/100 Rocks! (Only 'cause I scratchbuilt one) I couldn't imagine where I would display a 1/72nd Monster. I don't have a garage at this house. The build up looks good Ostrich! If you can find it, there's a Tamiya Olive drab that seems to be perfect if you wanna just spray outa the can.

Don't laugh, but one idea I keep seeing pop up is using Silly Putty. Push it flat into the shape you want. Then use it again later. I think it was in the last Fine Scale Modeler that had a whole article on it. Another good "non-bleeding" method is liquid mask if you can find some/order some. Let your paint set up for a couple days at least to cure and prevent it getting lifted by your masking material. Sometimes it helps to put a clear coating on before your upper coatings. Might be a good idea for your project. It'll take extra abuse. Hope that helps.

One trick is to use a dehydrator, like you dry fruit and meat slices in. That's if you have one. The only other cure I can recall is watching the weather and patience. The food dehydrator idea came from a dude in Florida where it's ALWAYS humid.

Thanks Bad Scorpion. That's an awesome site. I just bought a DSX/DSM radio from Spektrum. I think I know what type of plane to put it in next!

Much better than stock! It could almost pass for real except for that whole size thang.

HWR MKII is right, HLJ is slower all around (being across the ocean doesn't help). But their saving grace is selection. I've ordered bunches of stuff from them, just be prepaed to wait a while...

Hobby Link Japan. Check out these... http://www.hlj.com/company/WAV/ They have balljoints, polycaps,hoses etc, etc...

I hope no valkeries were hurt in the creation of this project

Spawn and Macross, that would like be a Gerwalk with long grotesque fingernails, entrails off the fusealage, and some kinda bio weapon thingy. Maybe they could do a Macross Zero Plus Bio or something!?! About Micro Mark, their tools are a bit pricecy, but the quality of their Micro Lux tools are great. I have the Bandsaw, Tablesaw, 10" Disc Sander, and some other smaller tools. They're all made in Japan. Yes, I'm a aheavy duty scratch builder!

Yeah, the ostrich man is right, check out MicroMark.com. They've put me back about a grand over the past few years. Mainly in power tools, but they have everything tools wise and then some. Wait and get a free catalog from them, first, trust me! They of course do all the resins, glues, blah blah blah blah...

honneamise, thanks for the clue. I think my local shop has that stuff. I have that same kit and it's awesome for it's size. I'm totally modifying it though. I'm making it into something more "Macrossy" to go on the Daedalus. These are BERP blades on the rotor head...

Play in the yard. Yeah it was like forty somethin' outside today. That's the problem about being in England, the cold. I wouldn't trade it for the world though. The humidity was caramping my style and the days I could paint too!

SDF-1, have you tried snap-together models? Just joking! A brushless blower (when spelled correctly) fan has a motor without carbon brushes to spark. Thus igniting your sprayed exhaust (unless you want to blow up your apartment ). The spray booth should not emit any liquids if you have a filter on it, so putting your exit vent where the cars are would probably offend people the least. Get a cheap air conditioner or heater filter from the hardware store. You can replace it when it gets dirty and it helps keep your blower clean. PlayDoh is a brand of children's modelling clay. It keeps the children busy while I build too!

big-F said. Make it yourself. I got rid of the one I made when we moved. I'd make one, but I'm using a respirator for now. I'm working on a six foot model of the Daedalus, and the first half of it is over three feet long. It'll hardly fit on my workbench! Superglue has less hazardous fumes or try Revell Contacta liquid cement in the mean time. It's thicker than the thinner stuff which means it doesn't become a gas cloud right away. I'm using it in MASS quantities in the house because I am gluing three and two millimeter thick sheets together; no problems with it floating into other rooms. Plus Contacta has a styrene filler (clear) in it which gives me an extra strong fillet in the corners; fills small gaps too. I used only a bit of the thin stuff the other day and my wife told me to put it away because it stank! I'd use superglue, but it won't give me the welding strength I need.

Alright, I'll let you in on a little secret, get closer to the monitor, PlayDoh. I take my 1.5 and 4 year old children and seat them next to me on a seperate table with it and their PlayDoh tools. We all get to have fun and make something. I occasionally make sure they are not eating it (yuck!) and check to make sure everyone is playing nicely. On the weekends, its nap time that gives me about an hour or two and when they go down to bed. With all the potential "weapons" on my work bench I have had to take lots of precautions including locks on all my drawers and tablesaw. Remember - PlayDoh. It'll help you get your models done and give you time with your children! After I posted, I saw your post SDF-1. All you need is a good brusless blower (blower because they compress the air a little as opposed to a fan) and a box. I made one once out of thick 1cm cardboard box and some fans in a row. I'm making one again soon. Until then, I use a respirator and spray outside then quickly bring my work in and stick it in a larger sized closet. You can use a dryer hose and run it a couple of meters to a window with a board stuck in it with a hole for the boot. It's basic, but inexpensive! Money on a booth or money on the models, hmmmmm?

O.K., I don't know the name of it, but almost every major store carries it, Wallyworld, Advanced Auto parts and the like. Look for a can with a fan-spray nozzle. You'll know 'cause it doesn't have the "kite" on top of it AND there is a split near the top where you can see a thin metal rod going downward. That stuff sprays on very fine. I've even let it run and it smooths out! Ask around before the store employees ask why you're ripping the top off all the cans! Hope that helps!

I thought of going crazy and actually making the "guts" for one. Your idea sounds good though. You can use super glue for a clear filler, BUT clean all around with Isopropyl or something to get all oils and fingerprints off. I've forgotten to do that and it looks like CSI crime scene evidence! Maybe you could "paint it" using transparent colors for the whole transparent "thang? "

Hey DatterBoy, looks like you managed to salvage your paint job. It looks great with markings. The personal touch is way more fun than just gettin' it outa da box!

Hobby Link Japan sells a great number of parts by "Wave." www.hlj.com Look under the brand "wave." They make some awesome stuff!

Pinko's should work. Laserjet transfers can be a little more delicate, just be sure to coat them BEFORE bending or touching. I believe it's Solvaset that makes a clear decal coating for making your own or repairing decals; that stuff's the bomb! I coat my decals with it after the Krylon and it makes them more durable. I would reccomend giving it a shot. You'll never know until you try.

With Hasagawa you never know. I've got several of their "conventional" kits and they re-release and even re-tool the mold and re-release. One thing I've learned, if you can find it now, buy it now or regret it later!