mslz22

I just realized something looking at the facebook post of the tree breakdown, is this for the fastpacks only? Meaning you need the separate VF-1 kit in addition to these? The reason i ask is that the breakdown of the sprue trees shows the fastpacks and the leg parts you would need to "mod" a standard kit. I know it may just be that they are showing just the new stuff, but also thinking that would a full super/strike kit be only $12-$15 more than than a full standard kit? Meaning full Vf-1 kit is about $32 full with fastpacks about $45? I know may just be having a moment of panic but thought someone who has translated the text may know for sure. thanks mike

So this is a build for a member here. wanted to document the build for anyone else who may be tackling a kit. I am adding lights to this one, the eye, the engine thrusters, the sensors at the front of the engine and the little sensor on top of the main gun. Just a little chronicle of the build and some tips along the way. For the wires, these parts are rotocast and there is plenty of room to run them. The only fit issue that i have run into is the area that the engines and body meet, there is a bit of a high spot on the body, on the right side only, which makes the engine "rock" back and forth a bit rather than sit nicely. There are a couple of ways to tackle it, you can fill the edges, but that gets messy, you can sand the high spot, but you risk sanding the edge where the 2 meet, or you can simply use a medium router bit with a dremmel to just reduce center area on the body. It does not even need to be as dramatic as in the pic here. Once that's done, it fit very nicely with no additional filler, the left side did not have any issue with the fit. The only area on the engines that needed any filler is the little spot in the pic below. I recommenced using apoxy sculpt, it's easy to work with a little sculpting tool, does not get all over everything like bondo and with the sculpting tool you can apply it only where you need it, keeping it out of the recessed detail/trench on the engine, it will only need a few minutes of sanding and will be ready for primer. I'm a little behind on this build so hopefully the remainder of this build will go quick for me. If anyone has any ?'s about the build feel free to ask so i can address them. thanks mike

Again some pics at the Capt's request. mike

few more

Updated pics at the request of the Capt himself. More in a little bit, need to repair the arm, just a quick repair.

I hope to be back on this in 3 weeks after I finish molding up the 3 foot TOS galactica that i have been working on. The idea of installments is brilliant, and it may really help me to finish as i can tackle it in smaller bites. I am thinking 3 installments, body, arms, and legs. Body would be up first as it's rotocast and rotocast needs to be done in fair weather, I can rotocast up to about mid Dec, then it's just too cold for that. The arms are also rotocast but that can be the last installment in spring with legs getting done in the middle winter months. If that sounds like a plan i will concentrate on the body once i can get back on this. thanks mike

So Jerseyfest is less than a week away, any MWorld members going to make it? I am planning on bringing some macross stuff for the big sci fi display. Would be great to see anyone from here. mike

At 1/250 you are really talking about something akin to a studio model. To give you an idea the 6 foot TOS Galactica cost somewhere between $60,000 and $80,000 by the estimates that i have read, and that was in 1978 dollars, so around $230,000 to $300,000 in today's dollars. Now i know that is with studio overhead and etc but a lot of it is labor cost and materials. Even scratchbuilding it for yourself you need to estimate what your own labor is worth. Paying others to do it, labor is labor, in the computer or cutting plywood in a shop, the development time in 3d would be an enormous task. And even the CNC process, cheaper than printing, would be very substantial, even at the 4 to 6 foot range, can't even imagine it at 15 feet long. I have wanted to do a big macross for a long time but have never really gotten to it because of the enormous time and material cost, and i was only thinking in the 4 to 6 foot range, with conventional materials like plywood, styrene, renshape etc. If you really want a big macross, I would look at this approach as comparatively it is much cheaper. Wish you the best of luck, no matter which approach you take mike

A little progress here and there, nothing spectacular. I am sad to say that i got myself into a situation i thought I was smart enough to avoid, too many works in progress. I have about 5 kit patterns at the 80% complete mark, this being the only macross one. My plan right now it to tackle one at a time and stay focused on one pattern until it's done, then move onto the next one, and not start any new ones until at least two or three are done. I have been working non stop on a 3 foot yet to be announced kit (not macross), once that is done i will basically flip a coin to see what's next in line from the 5 unfinished patterns. I likely can't think all that straight until this first pattern, which is the most difficult of all, is done and behind me. The good news is that my youngest daughter is starting real pre school next week, I will be back up to a 5 or 6 day a week work schedule for the first time in 4 years. Hoping to get very productive again. thanks mike

I've been talking with the Dave from Jereyfest a lot about the mecha stuff recognized, especially the sub category of resin vehicles and mecha. I'm hoping to see some macross stuff entered from people here, especially some of the Capt's kits built up, or if anyone has finished TundraYeti's bug eye kits. I know there are some guys here that build MAK as well would love to see that too, any mecha really.. The star wars award from Lorne Peterson is also a huge deal. All my build ups will be in the big special SCI FI display area and won't be eligible for the contest but I am hoping to see some people from here if anyone can make it. Again i would love to see macross stuff well represented in the contest area if possible, there is always a couple at WFest but hope we can get a little more going. mike

Really amazing stuff all around!!

After doing this build i have a real urge to tackle the scout pod. It actually makes the most sense in many ways for the next kit as much of it is re used from this one. I guess one of the missile pod variants makes even more sense as it's even less work, but i really want a scout. I have a lot i want to tackle, too much...... mike

ISO setting, so that's what has been wrong with my pics! Well at least one part of it. Thanks for the suggestion, I still lag behind this technology stuff sometimes..... mike So a couple of pics with the new ISO setting and a 1/48 valk....

Commission build of my 1/48 kit for a member here, usually don't take on commission builds but considering doing it more often. This has the eye and the 4 head sensor domes illuminated via LED's. The switch is hidden in one of the top head laser cannons via a telescoping push on/push off switch. 9V battery is hidden in the hollow cast head. Trying to get better at photo set ups, kind of hard with these huge kits but here is a first crack at it. thanks mike

Agree with anime52k8 above, Tamiya x-21 does a good job, but keep the ratio right. See this link below.... http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/clear-coats-with-future-floor-acrylic/ Just mixed up a bunch last night for a project i am finishing. Finding that it's way cheaper than buying small cans of dull coat, or even Krylon matt finish, and smells waaaaaaay better...

Quick calculation would put the 1/10-1/12 scale inbit at 20 inches tall........that may be something i need to see happen...

The last 6 months has been tough on my time, my youngest daughter started preschool but that yielded me less time than i had before somehow. The summer may not be much better with 2 kids at home for much of the summer. Fall things get better, younger one starts "real" preschool and will have 3 6hr days to work on stuff, that of course includes casting projects for other people which funds a lot of other stuff. I need to prioritize these, and some will not make it at all and some will be years away, but here is the wish list... 1/10-1/12 inbit shocktrooper 1/48 TV Q rau 1/24 Fastpack armour and mislepack 1/72 monster TV Sdf-1, very big hopefully at some point. 1/48 destroids if no one else winds up picking them up. Keep in mind i have some BSG and SW stuff in development too, and i am always switching back and forth between scratchbuilds, casting and build/paints for people so nothing gets done as quickly as i want.... Feel free to give your input and help me get focused on one of these.... mike

This thing is really awesome, got mine at Wfest yesterday and it is way bigger than i thought it would be, you guys did a terrific job on it, it's a real bargain for the size and quality. It was great to chat with everyone over the weekend, i can't believe how fast it went by, it's blurr. Can't wait to dig in on mine sometime this summer maybe after i recover from Wfest and get my back orders on stuff out the door... thanks again mike

Sorry to hear about your problems, hope you are feeling better and stay that way. Anyway, did make some progress. I will likely finish this this summer, long story but needless to say that some things got bumped up on the priority list for reasons beyond my control...see the link for the progress.. thanks mike http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=37927&hl=monstar

Assuming i can actually get it done......it will be as reasonably priced as possible, all the stuff i do here i try to make as affordable as possible, mostly i just hope to pay for the projects because i love this stuff so much... mke

Depending on how i decide to calculate the scale, some where between 2.5 times to 3 times as big. It would be big enough that it will be a job for the rotocast machine.... mike

Ok, pic with the usual soda can for size ref, it's actually a pretty big kit. Also pic of a cast kit (only thing missing is the clear hemi for the eye, will be included) I will start a 4 sale thread soon, in the meantime you can PM me if you want info on a kit. I can bring a few kits to Wfest if someone wants one... thanks mike

Last piece of the puzzle, cannon tip done....headed for molds later today... thanks mike And one with the mock up and the Capt's beast together. I'll be posting a 4 sale thread on this sometime this week.. mike

Thanks, IMO the meaner more aggressive look is also needed to stand next to the Capt's beast here, i will post a pic later of it next to it. I do really, really want to do one in 1/12 or so scale to go with the old ride armor kits, I'm sure it would pass as 1/10 if only because using this as a launching point for scale this is a bit oversized for the "official" stats. That is because it is really a companion kit specifically to the Capt's kit here. In some ways this 1/32 was really good to use as a maquette for a bigger one, do work out the bugs/proportions etc. 1/48 is less likely only because i do not personally own anything in 1/48. Either a 1/12 or 1/48 would still be a bit away, at least a year or more only because of a long list of stuff i want and have to do.... thanks mike

The claws are a bit long, but they can be trimmed back. I made them as "fully extended". This was a tricky mech to get where i wanted it, and i am still not sure it's 100% what i would want but i kind of need to just get it done. Part of the issue is the contradictions in the animation, from the show and the line art. Sometimes the arms almost reach the feet, sometimes they are closer to the kneed. sometimes the mid arm connects to the very tip of the "paw", sometimes it connects to the inner paw.....same type of stuff with the legs. I really wound up picking some design elements that made sense in terms of the proportions that I thought made sense in the way that the thing would move, swipe at stuff, pick things up etc. I also was hoping to give it a slightly more aggressive and mean look to it, so i thought the longer claws on both the feet and hands made it look a bit more menacing, but i know it may not be for everyone.. thanks miek