Help On Scratch Build, For A 1/72 Fold Booster

[deadghost]

hi,

I have been searching and searching for a yf-19 1/72 fold booster. I have been looking for recasts but no luck, I have got quotes for sctrach builds but its just way too much. So since I have built and painted models for the longest time, I figured why not give scratch building a chance, but befor I go any further I would like to gather facts, advice, and tips from you wise model builders. -thanks for takeing a look. also heres a pic on what im trying to go after.

[Valkyrie]

Well, first of all, there are two 1/72 fold boosters out there. The first comes with the Club-M 1/72 YF-19 resin kit. It's pretty decent, but the clear 'window' parts are cast in a foggy clear resin, and fit rather poorly (I had one, but recently sold it). The Club-M kit will run you about $100

The other (which is the one you have pictured) was a limited run kit by ＵＮ・ＢＡＬＡＮＣＥ, sold in limited quantities at Wonderfest

It looks pretty good, but it's cast solid. No clear windows or inner detail.

It's pretty rare, but I've seen them on Yahoo Japan Auctions from time to time, selling for about Y6000 (around $55)

But to answer your question... if I were to make one from scratch, I'd start by drawing a side profile of it, then I'd transfer the curves to a piece of sheet styrene. Then I'd start machining a plastic rod to shape on a lathe, using the styene piece as a template. It'd take a lot of rough cuts at first, then a lot more fine-tuning to get the shape right. There'd still be a lot of detailing to add, but it'd be a good starting point.

That's just how I would do it tho... mainly 'cause I have a lathe at my disposal

Edited July 4, 2006 by Valkyrie

[MechTech]

Valkyrie has it right on. I was looking at the basic shape and thinkin' "lathe" before reading Valk's post. If you don't have access to a lathe (or drill press in a pinch), You have two choices. 1) Cut out the parts in 3-D styrene and fill them in with lightweight filler. 2) Carve the body out of wood and seal it to take away the grain texture. (I gotta get me a lathe).

Make the clear parts out of vacuformed plastic -or- heat up the plastic and push your "male" part through it. Hope that helps. - MT

[P.W.Royce]

Another way you could go about making the fold booster is by using vacuformed parts. A thin sheet of PETG could be used to form the overall shape of the booster using a simple two piece mold. Once the inner details were built and painted the two halfs could be glued together around them, the clear portions masked, and the exterior panted. Easy

Of course glueing and filling seams in polyethelene is very dificult, and aligning the interior componenets would be dificult, not to mention problems with fogging if you used CA glue anywhere in the assembly, but hey, it could work.

[deadghost]

Valkyrie has it right on.  I was looking at the basic shape and thinkin' "lathe" before reading Valk's post.  If you don't have access to a lathe (or drill press in a pinch), You have two choices.  1) Cut out the parts in  and fill them in with lightweight filler.  2) Carve the body out of wood and seal it to take away the grain texture.  (I gotta get me a lathe).

Make the clear parts out of vacuformed plastic -or- heat up the plastic and push your "male" part through it.  Hope that helps. - MT

413651[/snapback]

ok. ok.. some of this stuff is a little confuseing what exactly is 3-D styrene, and where do I buy it. and what kind of filler do I use, and what about molds.

[Valk009]

Try giving "Goldenboy Forever" a PM! If I remember correctly he made a recast or modified the 1/72 YF-19 fold booster, which came with the Club-M kit