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SchizophrenicMC

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  1. SchizophrenicMC
    I don't dig this. I don't dig it at all. I'm with Azrael. A lot of the stuff looks fanfilm. Tight shots with that kind of lighting scream "low budget, amateur cinematography". This trailer doesn't have any of the atmosphere I associate with Star Wars. It just feels like generic scifi. It's like every trailer for a 2015 movie I see, I get less and less excited for next year's film lineup. This is definitely not an exception.
  2. SchizophrenicMC
    Part 4, in which Syd finishes building the legs and the skirt
  3. SchizophrenicMC
    Think Wikipedia buddy.
  4. SchizophrenicMC
    The split-second cameos are always fun, but I meant the actual character return at the end there.
  5. SchizophrenicMC
    Needed:
  6. SchizophrenicMC
    When we paint a car outdoors, we use 4 moisture traps, plus the tank itself. There's the tank-side trap, a secondary trap on our adapter hose, then we run twin gun-side traps. And then we put a sock over the gun-side traps, because even if we keep the other moisture traps emptied, we'll still build up enough in the twins that the lower will overflow and start dripping. With that having been said, I only use the tank-side trap when painting models. I live in Texas, so the air conditioning is on all the time, and there's so little moisture in the air that even that doesn't get a lot of condensate. I painted a whole kit once without ever building enough moisture in the trap to justify emptying it. Of course, I've also gotten partway through painting an accent color and had spitting. Your mileage will vary. "Air on Demand" means it uses pressure sensing. When the tank achieves a pressure of something like 2x regulator pressure (or a set value), the compressor shuts off, and if the pressure falls below something like 1.2x regulator pressure, the compressor switches back on. Painting is pretty CFM-intensive, so even at lower pressures the compressor will generally have to run constantly to try and achieve maximum pressure, but it's generally only a couple seconds behind the brush, and once I cut airflow it catches up and switches off. And then I usually have enough air for about 15 seconds of painting before it kicks back on. The switch on that compressor is actually a 3-position switch. It can be used in On-Demand mode, where it turns on and off depending on regulator pressure, or it can be switched to Always-On mode. The latter is fairly self-explanatory. (Though it will still shut down to prevent overpressure)
  7. SchizophrenicMC
    Action bases cost $8. They grant so many more possibilities for your gunpla's legs. And since legs often make up more than half of a mobile suit, that's a lot of added display impact. For example: You can spread the legs and focus the center of mass on the torso of your kit Note the splay in the legs, the slight bend in the knees, and the downward point in the feet. They're not huge movements from static, but they add a subtle effect of movement in freefall. For that matter (and in a relevant recent vein) here's the pose from the end of Unicorn episode 3. The legs are pointing in different directions, bent at the knee. There's a sense that it's moving with thrusters in the legs. Note also that the action base makes it possible to pose the Gundam leaning back. You might also notice that the skirts all sit at slightly different angles, like they've been moving with the legs. But, even without an action base, you can accomplish some good effects just by using the mobility of the legs on a gunpla to your advantage. There are a lot of joints down there. Like these: Angling your feet perpendicular to each other, with the forward foot in the angle of shooting adds to the perception of stability. The rifle arm, head, and forward foot all point in the same direction, while the rearward foot bears the weight across a wider cross-section. Even less steep angles work, especially in bulkier mobile suits like this Zaku S. Matsunaga. Even with the limited mobility of this space-type MS, the knees are bent slightly, taking a rigid stance and turning it into a stable one. I really like this pose because it works. If you don't have an action base to accommodate fancy flying or freefall poses, this is an easy pose that nearly all gunpla can accomplish. But if you have 2 gunpla that suit each other, you can really get some good results. The feeling of movement is really strong in this set. The Ez8 charges forward with its left knee raised, while the Gouf Custom staggers backward, catching its heat sword. Not bad for a $12 HG and a $25 HGUC. The way I pose my gunpla, generally, is to emulate a pose I like with my body first, and see where my limbs fall. I find that if I have an actual feeling for how the joints need to be positioned, I can make the gunpla fall into a much more natural-looking pose. There's a subtle difference between rigid and natural, and it can often come down to a small bend in a knee, or a slight twist to a hip. Experiment, play around. Find a happy medium between the mechanical nature of these giant robots, and the organic nature of fighting. And consider investing in action bases. They're super cool.
  8. SchizophrenicMC
    I use this model compressor because I got it on special 2 or 3 years ago. It's been overkill for everything I paint, and it allows me to paint in big batches, which is great. Running around 10psi it can go for days. Even at 20psi, it's fine for extended use. I love it. Like I said, I've thinned Tamiya acrylic just fine with Aztek Acrylic thinner. It comes out with the same finish as the unthinned paint, and it doesn't gum up. With that said, using lacquer thinner, as in automotive paint reducer, has had weak results. I'm sure other acrylic thinners will also work with Tamiya. I personally use Tamiya almost exclusively because they have good quality control between batches, the paint is a good price, I like how it acts in the brush, and I'm used to its nuances. It's also readily available in a lot of places. I tend to use ModelMaster for more exotic colors (like hot pink for example) just because it thins with the thinner I use, and it's available anywhere I can get my normal Tamiya. I've never been concerned with gumming up my booth fan. It's a direct-drive range hood fan from the mid 1980s. You would not believe how much grease I cleaned off and out of this thing. I'm even considering scratch-building another booth with this same fan, using an automotive airbox as the base fan and filter mount, with additional panels attached to make the booth.
  9. SchizophrenicMC
    Hey, finally, a confirmed cameo appearance from the last series.
  10. SchizophrenicMC
    I agree on the tanked compressor. I use a 2-piston 1/3gal 1/6hp compressor from TCP Global. It'll put out a steady 70psi at brush CFM, which means it doesn't run constantly at more normal pressures, what with the store tank. I will say, I had it running near-constantly when I painted my MG GM Sniper (nearly every part is one color, which I wasn't convinced I could mix a new batch of, if my supply dried out) but it never got hot enough to cause concern. I've actually never used Tamiya's thinner. Of all the things to carry at my local hobby store, Tamiya's thinner isn't one of them. I just had some generic lacquer thinner in the garage that I figured I'd experiment with. It didn't gum up, it just left a weak finish. I also haven't used Vallejo's thinner, but I haven't had any gumming issues with Aztek thinner in either paint. Actually, the only real issues I've had are blow-by problems due to bad seals on my brush. This G23 is now relegated to dusting. I was using my dad's old Iwata, but somebody stole it. Now I'm saving up for an Eclipse HP-CS. I don't use a filter, but I do use a dryer vent tube to funnel paint fumes outside. It works well enough, and I only spray acrylics (cost and such; I really want to get into lacquers for metallics) so I don't worry about it. Version 2 will incorporate a filter though. I'll be able to provision better for a filter, and with the whole range hood intact, airflow should be good enough that a filter won't impede the booth. On the note of panel lining, I like a black wash to create a good panel shadow effect. It works really well on medium colors, and in thinner lines. In thicker lines, a dark grey is better looking, but I tend to use even more reduced black because I'm cheap. Well that's exciting. Lots of undergating makes me happy.
  11. SchizophrenicMC
    I want to add to this by saying, I've thinned Tamiya acrylic successfully with water, 70% and 91% isopropyl (always leaves a matte finish), Model Master Aztek Acrylic Thinner, and a very small amount of lacquer thinner. I had the worst results with the lacquer thinner, which left a paint finish that would come off if parts rubbed together at all, but I didn't get strange chemical reactions. I get the best results with dedicated thinner, of course, but I also found that water acted as a retarding thinner that preserved the paint's natural finish, while isopropyl acted as a fast-drying thinner that would leave a matte finish, regardless of the natural finish of the paint. (This isn't a problem for me, because I clear coat) I always use dedicated thinner with my primer and clear coats, but my base coats will take a 50-70% alcohol solution for thinning, if I don't have enough money to buy more acrylic thinner. You can thin Vallejo (I use their primer exclusively) with water but I find it retards drying too much for my taste. At least for airbrushing. I don't hand-paint anything bigger than details or panel lines. I lack the patience. If you want to get into airbrushing, TCP Global sells fine compressors by Master, but I recommend skipping the Master line of airbrushes completely, in favor of an Iwata brush, like the Eclipse HP-CS. The Master G23 is actually a great brush when it's new, but the seals wear out very quickly and can't be easily replaced, plus parts are only carried by TCP Global, which can really hamper a project. Nearly any hobby store will carry Iwata components. The Eclipse HP-CS is around $120. I do have to say, it can be a bit difficult to get even coverage on large pieces with an airbrush. If you need to paint something big, I'd play with retarding thinners and higher brush pressures to get a wider spray. Alternatively, use rattle cans. One thing I've noticed is, Tamiya has very tight quality control. Batch to batch, paints will be incredibly similar, even across product lines. TS4 and XF63 German Grey both come out identical, which was a big help when I switched from cans to airbrushing midway through painting an MG frame. I do recommend ventilation, regardless of the paint you use, and if you paint with lacquers or spray enamels, I definitely recommend an OV/P95 respirator as well. I built a paint booth out of a discarded kitchen range hood fan and a $4 rubbermaid bin. It's not fancy, and it could be more effective, but the theory works. The next iteration is probably going to use an entire range hood and plexiglass sheets. That just depends on me finding another range hood lying around. Man I need more gunpla money now.
  12. SchizophrenicMC
    1. If I'm not painting a kit, I panel line, then apply stickers. Stickers will float over panel lines regardless of anything, and if you use a wash for lining, the wash will accumulate around the stickers. If I'm painting a kit, I apply decals, hit clear coat, then panel line. 2. I use the panel wash almost exclusively. I find it's easier to get a realistic color depth, and where the paint spills over and doesn't clean up perfectly, usually adds a light weathering effect. I've tried using Gundam Marker for panel lining, but I was less-than-impressed with the results, and it was especially hard to control in thin or shallow lines. Also, I've found that the finish is too hard to clean with a dry q-tip, but it's too soluble in alcohol to just clean the surface. 3. I tend to gloss coat before lining, with an acrylic gloss. The clear coat acts as a sacrificial layer that can be burned up by the cleanup process without affecting my paint and decals. After lining and cleanup, another clear coat will create whatever uniform finish I'm trying to achieve with a kit, so it doesn't matter what happens to the clear between paint and lining. It does take out some of the panel line depth, but I don't lay it on thick, and it works well with the wash method- perhaps better than with pens. 4. Setter and softener aren't strictly necessary, but softener can make it easier to make a decal contour or fall into panel lines, and a setter can make decals sit more smoothly on the kit's surface. I personally don't use either. I tend to use enough clear coats that the decals don't appear to stick out or silver too much. 5. Sandpaper is the only sure shot, but chemical options depend on your paint. I've found that isopropyl takes off the paints I work with, without affecting the plastic. I use Tamiya Acrylics almost exclusively, and I line with Testor's Enamel. With that said, I once stripped an entire MG kit, that was painted with Tamiya Aircraft Spray Lacquer and Tamiya Spray Enamel nearly a year previous, by letting it sit in a small tub of 91% isopropyl. The plastic's surface color was affected after I got the parts out, but I think it was just some of the primer that wouldn't dissolve. I've had a lot harder time getting primers off of parts. That said, the surface was still smooth and the plastic's strength unaffected. (Isopropyl does not react with polystyrene or ABS) When in doubt, start with rubbing alcohol, and work your way into harsher chemicals from there.
  13. SchizophrenicMC
    The guy in the back was so glad to be able to make kimchi, even though he himself did not own a knife. I tend to agree, except Mazda have always been a bit different from other makes. The whole rotary thing sets them apart, and they've tried hard to stick to the basic tenets of their philosophy, even during the Ford years. They've had a lot more interesting alternative-energy ideas than most of the competition, that's for sure, but it was pre-Ford Mazda that made the RX7 and the Miata. I also have to agree that Mitsubishi isn't trying. They're a heavy industry manufacturer, who also build cars. They're not a carmaker. As such they've always had a tenuous grasp of that market, and they've never really been able to create worthwhile products, or market them effectively. I foresee they'll be following Suzuki's cue pretty soon, and exiting the market. I give it 7 model years, max.
  14. SchizophrenicMC
    I agree about Mazda. Of all the Japanese brands, the only one I'd buy right now is a Mazda- though I'm not excited about the too-mean-looking 2016 Miata. I'm historically a huge Nissan guy, but I won't touch any Nissan after the Renault buyout. Even the 370Z and GT-R are entirely unappealing to me. Too big, too heavy, too ugly. Not to mention, while the VG30 was a fantastic sounding engine in the 300ZX models, the VQ series engine just sounds drony. And Toyotas have gone bland and Hondas have gone too far up-market. Mitsubishi has always been junk. It's finally catching up them.
  15. SchizophrenicMC
    Early unboxing pics video of the PG Unicorn at hobbylink!
  16. SchizophrenicMC
    We're probably going to get a separate decal set, eventually. Eventually.
  17. SchizophrenicMC
    Forget Chevy. Get Mopar. I spent today pulling an engine from my neighbor's Chevy. Longest 4 and a half hours of my life. Not because the truck was hard to work in, but because the kid who owns it is useless.
  18. SchizophrenicMC
    Amuro, launch in the Gundam!
  19. SchizophrenicMC
    The story I heard about the Tu-4 was that the design was such an exacting copy of the B-29, it had jury-rigged repairs of some battle damage, built into the design, including some holes that were punched into it from AA fire that were deemed to not be structural liabilities when the plane was being fixed between missions.
  20. SchizophrenicMC
    You can just barely see the tab under the backpack in this photo: I have the OVA Ver. and I have a lot of problems with that tab. I'm hoping it's got a more positive locking in this larger scale. Of course, I was hoping the knee-boners would be less fiddly too. That's a disappointment.
  21. SchizophrenicMC
    The torso uses the same single locking tab in the back that the MG does, he shows it clearly in the video. It's not too bad if the weight is over the back, but if the kit is even standing straight up, the MG's tab is prone to pop out and the torso collapses. From the look of the video, I think he missed adjusting the toes. They look like they move into high-heel mode, but the presenter didn't show it on camera. I like how they've used the panel design on the upper arms and chest to make the Unchained mode a thing, and I definitely like the breakup in the huge lower leg panels. It's a winner with me.
  22. SchizophrenicMC
    The GT500 is pretty well the maximum the SN197 chassis could withstand, and the Boss 302 was about the maximum the SN197 could handle. The S550 GT is supposed to out-handle the SN197 Boss, but the chassis is heavy and it can only take so much. It's a bit of a compromise, fitting those extra seats in, and making it cheap enough to sell near $20,000. Conversely the Corvette is purpose-built to be a sports car. There's more to play with. I don't really see the GT500 competing with the Corvette. They're entirely different approaches to only vaguely similar things. I have to agree about American cars though. Ever since they went bankrupt, they've really stepped it up a notch. For the first time ever, I can name multiple American cars in a given model year I would buy. Quality and engineering have improved, no doubt thanks to massive corporate restructuring and union labor renegotiation. The Fusion we have is a cut above the one that left the year before it, and my cousin's Focus ST is both fun and nice to be in. (His younger brother had an 03 Focus for awhile- it was not nearly as nice) My lust for modern extras has led me to a lot of the modifications I'm planning for my cars. I'm going to add auto-climate to the 240 at some point, and I'm waiting patiently for quality radio manufacturers to catch up to the Chinese and start making Android-powered head units because infotainment is so nice. Of course, every car I've owned over the past 2 and a half years, I've installed stereos with bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming. I hate what's on the radio, but I also hate plugging things into my stereo and having to keep a separate device updated with my music. Bluetooth is super cool.
  23. SchizophrenicMC
    The GT can't break 50 grand, even with every option added, as a convertible. I'm guessing the GT350 will start out at $52-55,000, based on the S550's sales direction thus far, and the GT350's market segment. From there, I expect options will push it up to the very low 60s. The GT500 will almost certainly live in the high-60s, mid-70s range, based on the last GT500. But, with the Challenger Hellcat being a thing, it'll have to make over 700hp to be relevant. I'm a bit lost as to who would spend $50,000 or more on a car that is still just a Mustang. It's a sport coupe with a big engine and some fancy suspension bits. It's not a sports car, and it doesn't really have any right to be. If I had $50-60k to buy a sporting car, I'd probably get a Corvette. I don't like GM, but you have to admit the bang-for-buck on a Corvette is hard to beat. If I was looking to buy a Mustang, I'd get an Ecoboost Premium with the performance package and adaptive cruise control. Of course, it's that premium stuff that I like so much, which has added a lot of the extra weight that I'm so sad they couldn't shed. (And in all kinds of subtle ways that affect even models without all the heavy options)
  24. SchizophrenicMC
    It is amazing just how much of that transformation is just the MG blown up. What I'm really bothered by is the fact that it looks like they haven't engineered a good locking mechanism for the knee (just like the MG) and that the locking mechanism for the torso is the exact same as on the MG. That torso mechanism is almost as bad as the knees. On the upside I'm glad it looks good in Unicorn mode with the split-horn part, and I'm super glad the cheeks don't have to parts-form. And, to be fair, a lot of the MG's transformation just works. The only problems I've had are the knees and that torso lock. I'm sure there have been some subtle changes we won't notice until we have our hands on it. The whole thing is new, and has to accommodate a lot wider range of motion, plus even more Destroy Mode parts for that third form. Not to mention, with the extra size in the PG there has to be some way we can make the knees lock up more easily. All that said, I love the way this one looks in Unicorn mode. I might just have to leave it in this pose all the time:
  25. SchizophrenicMC
    I just loaded a GT Premium Convertible (the most expensive current model) to the brim, including the expensive Ruby Red paint, and it hit $49,780. I'm hoping for a base price on the GT350 around 50k, with options driving it into the 60s. I expect the GT500 will start in the low 70s. Nobody is going to pay 90 grand for an S550. As technically good as it is, it doesn't have enough draw to make wealthy old people buy it for that much, and it's not a GT-R so young guns aren't going to buy it for 90 either. Ford's marketing department is smart. They specifically set the price for the Ecoboost to undercut the Scion FR-S to maximize on that market. No way would they overprice the Shelby models.
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