Chas

If you use a good primer I've found that Automotive Sprays give awesome results for Gloss finishes. PLus the spray nozzles (At least hear in Canada) are designed so that the paint is ejected in a fan-shaped (read triangle) pattern. To get an idea of what I mean imagine cutting a triangle (equalateral) from a sheet of paper and holding it up to the nozzle of the spray can so that the apex is at the exit point for the paint and the base of the triangle is parallel to the can. This makes application VERRY SMOOTH! I use a basic automotive primer as these paint tend to be on the HOT side. This protects the plastic from any dissolving that may otherwise occur. It's priced a little cheaper than Tamiya sprays as well, (At least over here).

Looks like the DYRL Macross is finished (and if you look closely you'll notice that there appears to be more than one of them) Linky

Update: Now in colour! and comming soon Macross DYRL!

I believe that you are talking about my thread from HERE

ust discovered this band "Aural Vampire" a few weeks ago on youtube. Apparently they've played a few Anime conventions in various countries ( the latest being Katsucon, I believe) Anyway I cannot get enough of these two songs do yourself a favour and give them a go. I'm not going to try and label them as far as genre as that has become increasingly difficult - suffice it to say that the music is created electronically and it has stong dancibility with some aggressive overtones whilst the lyrics tend to be on the darker side. (now you're curious right? ) If you click let me know what you think, Shonan Zoku

A few years back (when I first registered at mw) I scanned my copy of TIA #11 Do You Remember Love? I still have the flies in four (i think it's 4) .pdf files. I know it's not rare or anything, but if anyone wants to host them I'd be more than willing to donate them. I also think I have digital files of my TIA portfollios (characters, and mecha) although I'd have to serch for those. Just offering is all. P.M. me or respond here.

I haven't bought any of the VF-0 kits but if they are anything like the VF-1's then the answer is -No-. If you want the landing gear bays closed you will have to mod the kit parts to do so, or putty over the holes sand and re-scribe the panel detail. Not really that difficult to do, but trickier than if there were closed gear bays provided.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Oh, Well that explains it. Up here in Canada they just end up lying around cluttering the place up. So we wind up doing all sorts of things with them, you know like arts and crafts kind of stuff - instead of glitter, or in scrap-booking to add some 3-d elements. I once had this gay friend who. . .uummmm well nevermind I'm going OT anyway.

Well what else is there to do with them?

The position I wanted the model in required weight in the nosecone, without it the model tended to tip backwards. Simple as that.

I've used Shotgun shells, well the buckshot that's inside anyway. Had some lying around (don't ask) so I just cut open the jacket and removed the buckshot. Lots of 3mm or so lead balls worked great in my Hase. Gerwalk conversions. Just dropped in where I wanted (nosecone, fastpack front end, and front portion of feet) squeezed in some CA and Bobs your uncle. So, if you just happen to have some shotgun shells lying around that you don't plan on using - well you're all set!

You know I can understand most of these requests (even the crazy wish-list ones) but I can't get my head around this one. . The kitbash gerwalk (using Hase kits) is so easy to do and at around $60 it's less expensive than a resin conversion kit would be, plus afterward you've got some great bits left over for your spares box. And for those of you who continually wine about all these great models you'd like to have while at the same time bemoaning your horrid lack of skills I have but one thing to say, " If you care enough to whine about - Suck It Up, quit your winning and start to learn." Kit building is not brain surgery. All it takes is time patience and some dedication. Every skill needed for the hobby can be accquired if you can supply those three things. If your not willing to invest those then IMHO you forefit your right to complain. Talent is a concept created by those who wish to be better at something, but are unwillinng to put in the work that becomming better demands. O.K. off my soapbox now ( sorry 'bout that not sure where it came from it just kind of happened ) Anyway Cap'n Although I've never been a customer of yours I do thoroughly enjoy watchinng you do your thing and it gives a strange sense that all is right with the world when I see the love and concern for quality that you put into your work, plus knowing that such well crafted versions of some of my favourits subjects exist in the world makes it easier to sleep at night. That being said I do think that the ground vehicles in 1/72 are a greatly needed product as are the enemy mecha.

No problem! So do you guys agree that it is totally scratch built? When I first saw it I thought maybe he started with a VF-25 as a base (not that that would take away at all from the accomplishment), but as I don't have a 25, nor do I read Japanese Iwasn't sure. Edit I'd keep my eyes open at the next Wonderfest in Japan (or whatever hobbyshows are comming up)

Check it out Folks P.S. spend some time and browse the rest of his stuff; you won't be disappointed!Linky Just click on the pic at the top of the page.

Gundam markers are lacquer based. You should have used an acrylic, or enamel clear coat.

Yep, and before he got started on the tool there would have been pattern makers who had to scratch build the original pattern. Before SLA/SLS technology was developed the skills that some of the folks here on the boards have was highly sought after, and remunerated. Things sure have changed since the eighties. Nowadays 3-D printing tech. is starting to make it into homes.

I used t work in rapid prototyping (SLA & SLS,) When the patterns came out od the SLA machine we would sand down all those ridges you see on these to a smooth finish and then make silicone moulds and cast them off in polyurethane resin. That way we could get top notch looking prototypes off to the client in less than a week. When they got a prototype that their engineers were happy with, often we would go through two of three modifications in resin, then they would order up some aluminum tools made up. Those cost usually between $30,000 - $50,000 (CAN). A steel 'production' tool started at about $200,000.00 (CAN)

Well I thought I'd be picking a few of these up upon their initial release as well - I think I may have even said so ( Yep I did!), But I've since cooled on that idea. As I took a step back from all the whoop-la over the first kit releases of these designs, I realized that there are a lot of other kits out there that I'd rather build ( judging from the prototypes, the fact that it is a transformable model, and my experience with some of Bandai's kits). I mean if it turns out that these kits are not what I'd hoped they would be - so be it-. I don't have to buy them. Chances are that, unless they are a complete flop - in which case I probably wouldn't want one -, they will be produced in sufficient numbers so as to be readily available should I at some point ( after reading reviews, viewing finished (modified) kits etc.) choose to get one or two of them. Otherwise I am perfectly happy waiting for a kit of the VF-25 that I actually want. I guess I realized that just because it's the only game in town doesn't mean that I HAVE to buy it. It's still early in the life of Macross F and I'm willing to bet that there will be kits made, at some point that I will passionately want and to tell you the truth I'm o.k. with waiting untill that happens before I buy a kit of the 25. Like I said, there are plenty of other kits out there that I'd rather build (again based on what I've seen so far).

I can't believe I didn't see this before now! I was just looking at Save's pics from Shizuoka and I realized that there are two VF-25's shown in the pics. The one that's painted is Alto's and the unpainted one is I believe Ozma's. Check it out. (O.K. did like everyone else notice this except me? that would make me kinda feel stupid)

My take on it is that simply using CAD models isn't enough. "Anime Magic" is about more than just proportion and distortion. There can be Anime Magic Even though there is a CAD model. This is because when you try to bring that model into material reality you are hit with the laws of Physics as they relate to the design of the item and the materials you are using. Simply put it doesn't much matter if in the CAD model of the design can transform without any 'cheating' if in reality the material you are using can't handle the stresses involved without bending, breaking, warping or failing in some other way. I think what's happened here is a case where in order for this thing to transform it requires some parts be 'thicker' than they appear in the CAD model in order to handle the bending/folding/twisting involved with transformation. Oh and for the record I don't think the above comparison of the line art and the model is a fair one. That lineart image is in extreme perspective and so being is, in my view, extremely distorted by foreshortening (to use an artisits term) and thus I don't think it is fair to compare the model to it unless the model is shown in the identical perspectival extreme. (Just my two cents).

Well it seems to me that if you can only get one then the question is which of the mecha is dearest to your heart? That, I think, is what is important here. Perhaps come up with a list of your three favourite Macross fighters (so you have some options) and go from there. (Perhaps the experts here could then guide you if, say your number two choice has notorious problems, or something.) As for what's available, well it looks like what you're after is a good transforming toy and, while I'm more of a model guy (the kid you build for yourself) and don't actually own any of the toys, I would say that from what I've been exposed to on these boards you probably want a Yamato. That being said, the availability of the particular mecha you want may varry. As for the size although the 1/48's are bigger there are certain things (like the hands) that some consider drawbacks. From what I've been reading the new perfect transforming 1/60 line from Yamato, while smaller than the 1/48's are more accurate and I believe they promise to be less expensive over all as well. Anyway I'll stop here and let the toy experts guide you from here on out. Good luck.

Hey Rockhound Don't you ever take a break? you're gonna burn yourself out man! Ha HA J/K Anyway this is cut from my last post in your old gerwalk thread As for the arms I just checked on one of my gerwalk conversions and there's no problem getting the bicep horizontal, but in order to get them angled up the way they are in the pic you're gonna have to do some coaxing. (probably the kind where you use a razor saw if ya get my meaning ) Anyway good luck.

No. As of this moment the only Macross frontier model kits that have been officialy anounced are the perfect transformation 1:72nd scale VF-25, and a 1:72nd scale Vajra Alien Space Lobster Living Weapon Thingy (and yes that is the oficial name ) Actually I don't know if the Vajra Lobster we saw with the VF-25 is a model or toy. But that's it. Any talk of a non-transforming kit from Bandai is, at this point, nothing more that wishful thinking from a few well intentioned, if not slightly deluded fans.

Wow. Well that is disappointing news. I may have to wait for some reviews of these kits before I pick any up.