mslz22

I will try to take a pic for you guys soon, the red bondo putty is very stable i did this 2 or more years ago and it's still fine. I would not reccomend JB weld, i think it is too hard to sand compared to the Aquamend that i use, it would be much easier on you to use the plummers putty.... mike

I've done it a bunch of times, i use and exacto knife with the very tip of it broken off and dulled a bit and "backknife" (use it backwards) to slowly take off the 4 parts (L and R, up and down). I try to retain as much of the blisters as possible by making the cut as close to the nose as possible. I then glue the respective parts together and reposition them with a bit of plumbers putty, i use aquamend avail at homedepot etc. I also use that to repair the nose, shape it in using red bondo putty, sanding from 220 to 400, primer and you should be go to go.... mike

Sorry that it has been a few days with no replies, it's been a heck of a week. To answer LTSO ?, on this particular kit i will not be making much, this is a huge supply cost project, so yes i am doing this largely because the monster is one of my favorite Macross mecha and i love big kits, i've already started kicking around some ideas for the next "BIG" kit (LTSO has an idea of what it is) , assuming people are happy with this one..... This will likely be the only run of this model, the molds that i am making will likely produce 30 to 40 kits, i don't even know if i will sell close to that, but to justify making a second set of molds i would need to have a total of like 80 orders, and i just don't see that happening...however, if you can't afford it now and i have not reached the limit of the molds, they will be available for a while..... To update where i am, i am in the final stages of smoothing out any little scratches, nicks, etc on the parts, then i will add the panel lines and detailing, and then onto the final molds....we're close mike

First casting of the foot, ignore the bits of grey stuff on it, that is just primer that pulled off the first mold....the strut part of the leg will have 2 1/8" brass rods cast into it to provide strength as well as line up the struts with the foot, the foot has 2 dimples to show you where to drill the 1/8" hole to accept the rods...most of the upper parts on this are just taped in place now.... mike

Well the cockpit window will be in translucent resin so you can stick an LED in it and get the illumination like you see in the animation. As far as a detailed inner area with pilots and stuff...i'm not sure how much of it you would ever be able to see, you would have to remove the "window" area just to see down into the pilots area, a nice detail but a lot of work (both me casting and you guys painting) for something you would only be able to see if you were standing above it. If enough people want a detailed pilot area, i may offer it as an add on, but to keep this thing where i want the price it will likely not be part of the primary kit..... mike

Dang...I was hoping to parley my expertese into a discount. 359650[/snapback] I have no confrimation yet that Devin still has the files and if he is available yet...so i may need you. I have the ability to do the very large UNSPACY, that goes on the arm cannons, what i will really need is someone to print out the decals that need a white backround (the alps stuff), most noteably the 02 #'s and the UNSPACY that goes on the upper cannons (2per kit).......so we can see what happens.... thanks mike

Yep, that will be the last thing to get done, and is actually the easiest part for me, fabricating the parts, making sure it all goes together easily as a kit is the real time consuming stuff. detailing is a lot of fun too....

Someone wanted to know if the cannons would be adjustable....here is a pic with them proped up on a bunch of different knick nacks (sorry for the messy workbench pic) they are all in different positions for the pic, so it makes it look weired, but illustrates how they can be posed.. mike

Also, anyone who can get me a high res scan of either the 1/200, 1/160, or 1/144 decal sheets i would really appreciate it... thanks mike

I've got a very busy 2 weeks ahead of me as far as other casting projects go, but i am working on the pattern every day/night...so i am hoping to finish the pattern to coincide with finishing up my other casting projects. I would say 3 weeks to a for sale thread, then i will likely be doing the instructions and my build as the first kits will be going out. I will only be taking money from a few people at a time, when your kit is in the "on deck circle" I will take $,...i do not want to take $ from 20 or 25 people all at once and have people at the end of the line with their money out there for 2 long. In short, once you pay you should have a kit in 2 weeks...... mike

I've started to pour rubber on some of the smaller parts.......

If my guess on the weight is correct, i think you are looking at about $40-$45.00 airmail to the UK, I ship a lot of stuff to the UK and it's not that bad, plus i am doing everything i can to keep the cost of the kit even better than what is quoted on the first page....more to come. mike

Ok, todays pics, the arm assembly, the part that attaches to the body (uppermost arm) has some blue tape around it to protect the detail from getting bogged up with primer, and yes that is part of a for sale sign you see on the uppermost arm . no real panel lines on these yet. mike

If you mean the 4 large cannons on the top of the monster, they will have a ball joint and you will be able to position them as you like. they will likely need to be glued in place, but you will be able to pick the way you would like it. If someone would like to, they may be able to come up with a way to leave them positionable, but it will need to be customized. mike

Ok, you can't see the panel lines in these pics but most of them are there. the Cannon will be cast in 13 parts, 3 cannon detail, 3 exaust (both of these not pictured), 2 forward halves, 2 back halves, mid section, forward little detail thing, and the clamp. the mid section (white in the pic) will be cast in translucent red, so if you want lights, just stick in an led, the forward detail part will also be cast in the translucent red, i'm trying to get any of the part that light up cast in that red...so here you go.....this assembly comes in at 14 inches! these are not final, but wanted to give everyone a peak... mike

I'll take some this weekend...

'cept you forgot the ubiquitous Harrier exhaust trunk. 357507[/snapback] Is that the part that wound up on the AT AT, Sandcrawler, and Slave 1 ?(among others i'm sure)

Nice details, you deserve more credit than you think. Can't wait for this to be completed. Sign me up for 1. Who's ILM?? 357492[/snapback] Industrial Light and Magic.....they used tons of Tamiya tank parts (and others) when they built the models for the Original Star Wars movies....

a look at the engine detail, i can't take too much credit for this, it's just a bunch of bit and parts of tank kits (hey if it was good enough for ILM...). part of this will get trimmed to accept whatever hinge i come up with. mike

Just to let everyone know that i have not been slacking, i just don't have my digicam setup again after the move, i have completed the detail instert for the engine compartment and i am working on some hinge options. I think you will have 3 or 4 options on how to do the engine compartment/engine door. 1. always open, this will be easy 2. always closed, this will be easy. 3. able to display either way, due to the weight of the door if you want this option you will need to pick up some rare earth magnets. I could include them with the kit, but that would raise the price of the kit for everyone, and some people may not end up needing the magnets..so i think it is better to let people make that decision once they have the kit. 4. same as above, but with removable engine detail to hide battery pack for lights, this will require either velcro or more magnets, this is the way that i am going to build mine. i will have pics posted up on how to do all of these when the time comes.... thanks mike

The pattern is unpacked and back on the workbench, i will be getting to it after Xmas and hopefully will have some cool pics by mid week......

Believe it or not there is not much more to do on the pattern...i am going to finish up the projects that are urgent for shipping before Xmas and get back on some late nights with the pattern....i am hoping to have the pattern done over the Xmas holiday week or very early Jan. mike

As i start making the molds i will complile an order list, posting here for now is fine, i do not want any $ until the master is done, all the molds are made and i have a test pour to show everyone... thanks mike

I'm still here....in my new house and my new shop is just about up and running....I can't believe how hard moving is .....Anyway i have a few other casting projects that have become urgent for the Holiday rush, but i have been doing some final cleanups on the parts you can see in the thread...and some of those are ready to be molded ......

Oh i want to finish this soooo bad I just got a new house that needs about 2 weeks of remodel (me alone of course ) and after that i really, really want to get back to this.....My wife and i did not plan on buying a house this fall but when we got an offer on the house from the local university, we could not pass on it, all that started in Sept and really thru off my schedule for all my projects. I will do my best to get these finished and molded by New Year..... thanks mike