mslz22

The 2nd run is still on the table but i have been just non stop busy...really for the last 2 years or so....I think the 2nd run will be limited to just about 10-15 kits and that will be it. I do really want to get back to some Macross related kits soon, time just goes by so fast. I just got back from my first vacation in a few years (disneyworld with the family) and did a lot of thinking when i was out there, i want to start doing smaller runs of more specialized stuff including the factory, which i just pulled out for the first time in about 6 months..... mike

Since it came up in the monster thread, are people still interested in this? People started dropping off the list so i moved onto other projects but if people are still interested i will try to move forward with this after Xmas....likely the first chance i will have.... mike

Seems like a lot of people lost interest in the Factory, i am just about done with them, if there is a revival of interest in it i will mold and cast it for sure, i still want a handful of components for myself......

Hey Guys, Aaron I have you down for 1, everyone else i will start adding you to the list, no deposit needed, i will start taking $ again when i know i can start casting kits again. I do not like to take $ unless i know i can ship the kit within 2-3 weeks.... thanks mike

Hey Guys, sorry i have not been here in ages, i have been busier than ever with commission work and other projects. There will in fact be a final run of this, and i will finish the instructions after i have some castings to work from. In the meantime if anyone needs help with assembly please email me at salzo1@aol.com, i don't come here as often as i used to. I have been making new molds for this as i get chances and i will likely start casting up some of the smaller parts with other projects so when the time comes i will have a bunch of parts on hand. In all likelyhood there will only be another 10-15 of these made, that is all that the biggest of the body mold will bear, and i do not think there is enough of a demand to warrent remaking that mold, it cost over $300.00 for that mold alone, this thing is HUGE!!!! BTW i have not abandoned other macross projects, just need to clear out some other projects and get cracking!! thanks mike

I've been swamped with stuff for the upcoming WF in Tokyo, contract work for some guys. I will be busy with that for the next few weeks. After that i will make molds of what i have and start offering the basic sets, and get to the add on's sometime by Sept. I still need to get to the second run of the monster as well.... mike

So far so good, it's jobs like this that keep me going for sure, but they also slow down the scratchbuilding. They had a backlog of stuff that needs to get done but i think i am starting to catch up. thanks again mike

That is actually just about done with the first back wall option, i wanted to finish a second back wall option before molding and casting but i may start making the molds for the "A" package next week, i have been making molds non stop for the last couple of weeks......

The big SDF-1 is still on my list, still not sure how many people want one, but i woudl love to get to this. I started molding and casting for FP and they have been keeping me pretty busy, but once i catch up i really want to get to a new Macross scratchbuild.... mike

I have a priority casting project showing up tomorrow, i will be making molds for that and the monster at the same time and will likely start casting parts for both next week, that does not mean i willl have kits ready next week but i will start accumulating parts over the next couple of weeks, once i have enough i will start taking some $$$ for the 2nd run. The 2nd run will be smaller than the first, likely under 15 or 20 kits, after that it may be a long time before they are available again, if ever... mike

quick update, been pretty busy with a new client but i have started making some molds for the 2nd run thanks mike

Yeah, once i get the molds up and running again we can figure something out, i can meet you somewhere in the middle of CT, like a mall or something, that is what i do when i meet up with Jesse.... mike

New shop is up an running, mold making will start this week.......couple of pics of the new shop, wrapped in r19 insulation so i can cast year round, 20+feet of casting benches, prep table and 3 pressure pots.....

My buddies are full of good intentions, but something always seems to come up, in fairness to them they all have jobs, kids, houses etc..... it just seems that i count on the help and then get the last minute phone call that they can't make it. One of the hardest things, and longest, was hanging new celing joists by myself, that and hoisting up 4x8ft sheets of plywood alone. Oh and hanging drywall alone is no picnic either.... mike

An easy way to be able to pop off the hatch to display the engine is to use some small rare earth magents that you can get at radio shack to keep the door on. I bet you would need 4 attachment points but it would not be hard. The other option would be a bit more complicated. During construction of the monster i figured out that the engine housing would need to slide back a bit to fully deploy the hatch, this too can be done with magnets, but bigger and stronger ones. One day i would like to build a lighted monster with this option, someday mike

That second part is the option part to build rear hatch open, the teardrop part is the cockpit goes in the middle of the head of the monster, i will be finishing those instructions as soon as i get some parts in hand. in other news the new shop is finally done, took much longer than i expected due mostly to the fact that none of my buddies came thru to help me, so what could have been a few days with 2 or 3 guys working was over 2 weeks by myself.. I will put up some pic of the new year round casting shop. mike

Just a quick update, i have been working on a new year round casting shop, i am just so sick of being at the mercy of the new england weather. I lowered the celing, added r19 insulation to the celing and walls, and added a subfloor to my garage shop. Basically i built myself an insulated box that can be easily cooled or heated, and it's just for mold making and casting, all scratchbuilding will be moved to a basement shop with all my powertools, paintbooth etc..... Once this is set up i will be molding the parts that are ready to go and scratching the 2nd wall option as well as a few other option parts.... thanks mike

Yep in just a few weeks, our winter really extended into april here in CT, and i have been working on a new year round casting shop, i am just so sick of being at the mercy of the new england weather. I lowered the celing, added r19 insulation to the celing and walls, and added a subfloor to my garage shop. Basically i built myself an insulated box that can be easily cooled or heated, and it's just for mold making and casting, all scratchbuilding will be moved to a basement shop with all my powertools, paintbooth etc..... mike

Great work, i just picked up a couple of those bandai fastpack fighters to kitbash for either a battroid or Gerwalk custom as well. It's cool to see some of these old kits getting some life......

I too would love some 1/60's but it seems that most 1/60 collectors are not model builders, i have a lot of ideas ranging from 1/48 - 1/24 scale, i just need to sort out what is a kit that people would want. Some stuff like a 1/24 VF-1 i will eventually build for myself like i did with the 38 inch Galactica that i did, but to make a full set of molds for something like that i would need to know that it's something other people would buy as well..... mike

I've had a cold all week so not much to report yet....This friday i am having a couple of buddies over for a "barn raising" of sorts to set up the spring shop, which we are converting to an all year shop, it just needs to get done now because every fall i promise myself to set up a year round shop and I always run out of time. Once that is set up i will be working on some new molds for the monster, molds for the factory parts that are ready and finishing up the patterns for the parts i need to sell the first version of the factory. One of the reasons i need to set this shop up is i am just at the mercy of new england weather, it's April and still in the 20's and 30's in the morning....just crazy.

Awesome, long live the Destroids!!!

While the 1/48 is only a distant gleem in my eye, if you want a built 1/72 scale one you could buy a kit and commission someone to build and paint for you, not sure if HWR MKII is accepting commissions but i would nominate him for sure.

No, just trying to determine what is best to do first, the SDF1 is a challenge for sure, may just want to bump a smaller kit in front of it, but after the factory.....

I have not figured it out, but it would be BIGGGGGGG