MechTech

That is a tough one. Even the older model kits with fastpacks molded them in that light greenish color. I thought it was odd until looking at screenshots too! - MT

Ha ha! Yes, we recycle! - MT

I'm just catching the end of this. Everything came out great Pengbuzz! Especially when you consider it was all scratch built from common materials! - MT

Thanks for sharing! I've seen this at Micromark: https://www.micromark.com/Wondercutter For only $399.95 its a steel! I thought of getting one, but its that or making my mill work better. Since most things are made on my mill... My recommended tool: https://www.micromark.com/5400-Deluxe-Mill-Package My mill has another base, but the vertical and motor are the same (from my lathe).- MT

Thanks for posting not only all your work, but your parts too! Most of mine are recycled from something else so not much help to others. - MT

He he. We always joked about the "beer can" missiles. NOW they actually are that size! - MT

That's also a long time to wait on building up your kit. Then you hope the company doesn't fold after your kit is halfway done. - MT

Thanks for posting pictures Derex. I ddin'tknow that was a kit yet! I'd use the surprised look on Woody's face. It would go perfect with some of the modeling conundrums I face! Cool mods UN Marine. My son and I have been watching Gundam Origins so we're kinda in the Gundam frame of model building now. - MT

Cool Nighmareb4macross!!! SMOOTH finishes. That's GREAT Arbit! You just need an aircraft with afterburners blowin'! - MT

NB4M, thanks for sharing the prints with us. I have to agree they are the best looking, whole set of ships. Not only that, but they have the size to back up the scale of how enormous the design is. Your SDF-1 came out great too. That pose is funny; it looks like it's dancing! ..."And jazz hands everyone!" Clean paint Nyankodevice! He'll look sharp when done. This month's (meets this week) modeler's club meeting theme is "Go Big or Go Home." I'm working on my ship partly for that, and partly for my personal creativity. We'll, I'm going to miss getting anywhere near having my ship done, but we have an "Amnesty Night" coming in August of next year. Hopefully I'll be done by then! I got two big things accomplished this weekend. First, I ordered a complete inert round for the 76mm Oto Melara (also Strales - Oto Melara) cannon on ships. It will be part of the ship's stand. Second, I completed the buck and made a vacuum-formed pull of it for the cannon turret. The first photo shows the unevenness of the plastic on the sides before sanding. I had to make cuts in the side for it to come off the mold. The turret is not done yet nor are the metal cannon parts, but should look like the attached when done. It's an ugly turret, but the only thing I could get with enough room for the cap gun parts to fit into. It will almost be like driving around a Corvette Stingray with a toolbox stuck to the hood. It will break up the lines, but will function. Keep up the great builds you all are doing! - MT

I agree, the 3D thread should be here. Somebody should have told them 3D printing is no longer "science fiction"! I wish they had styrene 3D print material. It would stink the house up though. Chronocidal, if I were you, I'd try and keep the panel lines as part of the print. I can't tell you how many times I've made crooked lines or slipped up making other etchings. And I don't even drink! The back end/bracket is done. I drilled the heck out of it to lighten it up. The second photo shows what everything looks like without the motor. I added bearings and machined some things so the mechanism is smoother. The motor attaches to the left-hand upper bracket. The barrel is still not machined and a mechanism has to be made to feed the cap belt through the white styrene chute. Yes, this has styrene on it so technically it is still a model. - MT

Cool models Pengbuzz and UN Marine! Regarding the 3D printers, thanks for the updates guys! Chronocidal, your print did look too hot with all the melty blobs. I'm seriously thinking of getting a 3D printer, but will have to upgrade my mill first. I'm currently taking my lathe head and swapping it out with my mill as I do one or the other. My mill machine head failed (cheap Chinese circuits). I have a Sherline lathe and bought their adaptor that I machined to fit my mill. Now the same machine head is doing double duty. I'm thinking resign printers too for detail and to minimize bias marks. The only downfalls are that they are messier and the resins can get brittle with age. I watched a factory made model of the X-32 break itself under its own weight over time as pieces got brittle. I just HATE the bias marks that spool style printers can add too. Plus the de-laminating of layers too. -MT

Pengbuzz, That came out great. Your figure work looks good too. My hat's off to you. I SUCK at making figures from scratch! Anubis, nice clean build! It is weird that the colors came out like that. Its looks great all the same. That's cool UN Marine! You gonna do the acetone fog, or just sand down the bias marks? Looks like the seams aren't so bad at all. Chronocidal, what kind of printer are you using? I've never seen one blob up like that before. Sorry about that. I'd be frustrated too. Cool Gabe! I haven't seen a male power armor done in a while. I'm guessing that's a newer release? I'm used to seeing the ugly purple styrene. If you're looking at the picture saying, "What the heck is that!?" Its the third and hopefully final version of my ship's cap gun (cap cannon). The barrel and bolt are stainless steel. They travel back and forth inside the brass tube in the middle. They strike the cap which will fit behind the whole thing. The gear and helix piece are whole and rotate around the barrel cocking the bolt/barrel back and then letting it fly into the cap to set it off. It's only half way done now. The barrel still needs shaping and the other half of the motor drive and cap feed still need to be done. At least it looks like something now. - MT

Those are cool videos, thanks for sharing! "You can only get these on ebay..." Does he not know about other stores online in Japan? - MT

I think you can substitute the white for another color. Possibly do black, magenta and white at the same time? I'm not sure how they're doing it. - MT

Cool MickyG! I found Gorilla glue is best when you don't see it. It's weird stuff. Funny Pengbuzz! But the changes look great! Electric Indigo: Awww! It is cute. Is that going to be one of the Arab Nations schemes? Derex, that's good! You're wife understands and accepts your hobby! Now you know she's a keeper No photos yet. My maniacal cap gun design is still being machined and experimented with. I'm hoping to finish it soon and get back to the styrene assembly of the ship. - MY

Anasazi, have you seen this yet: HP Laserjet and Ghost White Toner ? At $789.95 its expensive, but should last a long time. It's cool more white toners are starting to come out. - MT

For those of you that are hardcore, they now have a printer and white toner combo up at Micro Mark. It's only $789.95 for the combo, also sold separately. HP Laserjet and Ghost White Toner In case the link breaks, check out the HP Color Laserjet Pro M452dw and Ghost White Toner when doing searches. - MT

Awww - it's so cute -in a cool manly way! - MT

That's too bad Pengbuzz! It almost sounds like something got to it to attack it for parts that got brittle. For the whole kit being bad, that's just bad chemistry. Poor Derex, can't get any slack around here! Cool Pengbuzz, except, "My eyes!" That just hurts looking at the light - MT

Cool Derex! I love that kit despite its fit. Pengbuzz, what old kits have you experienced that brittleness with? Just curious.-MY

Congrats on an awesome joint project! Great internal details and overall design too!-MT

Looking GREAT Pengbuzz? You have a lot of cool details in there. Yeah, old printers are awesome for all kinds of parts. I usually find old ones for $5 at thrift stores. -MT

Those look GREAT Thom and Pengbuzz! I'm glad to see you guys making progress! Derex, the ole' girl is looking good so far (for being gray)! No photos yet, but my cap cannon is still in bitty pieces that don't look like anything yet. - MT

Thanks 505! I'm shooting for realistic - pun intended! - MT