Robo-Mc Posted January 9, 2008 Posted January 9, 2008 Hello all. I’m new to the MW forums, and while I’m finding tons of GREAT reading, I’m not finding what I’m really in need of; maybe I’m just not looking in the right places. My question is this; is there any (comprehensive-centralized) restoration/ tips area, especially in regards to 1/55 scale? I’d like to give an old Bandai Jetfire a total breakdown and tighten up a joint here, touch up a scuff there; and am just wondering if there is a “tips/ pitfalls-to-avoid” area around anyplace before going in blind? I have a couple Bandai reissues and KOs, but I’m going to try fabricating joint parts, rather than cannibalize, if I have to. Thanks for any tips, or directions to tips, you may have. Quote
Skull-1 Posted January 9, 2008 Posted January 9, 2008 Hello all. I’m new to the MW forums, and while I’m finding tons of GREAT reading, I’m not finding what I’m really in need of; maybe I’m just not looking in the right places. My question is this; is there any (comprehensive-centralized) restoration/ tips area, especially in regards to 1/55 scale? I’d like to give an old Bandai Jetfire a total breakdown and tighten up a joint here, touch up a scuff there; and am just wondering if there is a “tips/ pitfalls-to-avoid” area around anyplace before going in blind? I have a couple Bandai reissues and KOs, but I’m going to try fabricating joint parts, rather than cannibalize, if I have to. Thanks for any tips, or directions to tips, you may have. Oh goody another member of the Chunky Monkey Mafia. MUHUHUHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Quote
Wicked Ace Posted January 9, 2008 Posted January 9, 2008 (edited) Hello all. I’m new to the MW forums, and while I’m finding tons of GREAT reading, I’m not finding what I’m really in need of; maybe I’m just not looking in the right places. My question is this; is there any (comprehensive-centralized) restoration/ tips area, especially in regards to 1/55 scale? I’d like to give an old Bandai Jetfire a total breakdown and tighten up a joint here, touch up a scuff there; and am just wondering if there is a “tips/ pitfalls-to-avoid” area around anyplace before going in blind? I have a couple Bandai reissues and KOs, but I’m going to try fabricating joint parts, rather than cannibalize, if I have to. Thanks for any tips, or directions to tips, you may have. Welcome to Macrossworld; there's always room for one more 1/55 scale (a.k.a. Chunky Monkey) lover. I think Skull-1 is volunteering to help you out. The good news is (and Skull-1 and the others will correct me, if I'm wrong), there are no real "pitfalls-to-avoid" with the Chunky Monkeys. If you can use a screwdriver, you can refurbish one of these. If you post some pictures in this thread of specific areas you want to work on, maybe a few of us can help out. Edited January 9, 2008 by Wicked Ace Quote
Robo-Mc Posted January 9, 2008 Author Posted January 9, 2008 Welcome to Macrossworld; there's always room for one more 1/55 scale (a.k.a. Chunky Monkey) lover. I think Skull-1 is volunteering to help you out. The good news is (and Skull-1 and the others will correct me, if I'm wrong), there are no real "pitfalls-to-avoid" with the Chunky Monkeys. If you can use a screwdriver, you can refurbish one of these. If you post some pictures in this thread of specific areas you want to work on, maybe a few of us can help out. Thanks to both of you. The screwdriver encouragement is…well…. Encouraging! Skull-1, those are some “awesome” customizations. I’m hoping to do some serious paint jobs myself on my KOs using WWII War-bird paint schemes, maybe a retro shinny-jet-age scheme also, i.e. a Korean War era Saber. Yea, gotta love that “monkey”. I’m sure I’m not the only one whose gateway drug to Macross was Jetfire. One day as a kid in the 80s you're wondering why TFs can’t get the name, let alone the image, of your most beloved toy right, then you see this new show pop up that totally nailed it. Pretty soon you’re flying sorties with Rick Hunter via Jetfire because there are no decent comic-book shops carrying Japanese imports in corn country! Thus the 1/55 scale is “burned into your soul” forever. Fast forward to today and the “world (aka: internet) is our oyster”! I think my biggest concern right now is a leg joint. Once I get in there, if the ratcheting mechanism is too shot, I think I can fabricate something. Thanks again guys! Quote
MechTech Posted January 9, 2008 Posted January 9, 2008 Welcome! Also check out Big F's stuff. He's working on a Jetfire right now last I heard. - MT Quote
Skull-1 Posted January 10, 2008 Posted January 10, 2008 Skull-1, those are some “awesome” customizations. I’m hoping to do some serious paint jobs myself on my KOs using WWII War-bird paint schemes, maybe a retro shinny-jet-age scheme also, i.e. a Korean War era Saber. Well, they're getting better with each one I do. I may get to KidKorrupt standards someday... I think my biggest concern right now is a leg joint. Once I get in there, if the ratcheting mechanism is too shot, I think I can fabricate something. Plenty of replacement ratchets around. I wouldn't sweat that one too much. Quote
big F Posted January 10, 2008 Posted January 10, 2008 (edited) I'm sure that between Skull myself and the rest of the Chunky Mafia we can see you on the right roads to Chunky fulfillment. The ratchets can get loose with age so the best thing to do is to check tightness of screws etc don't go mad as they can de-thread the plastic if you go ape tight. if it is still floppy you can cut up a small bit on really thin cardboard to put behind the spring to give it more compression, this will in turn make the joint tighter. Sloppy side to side stuff mostly found on boots or KO's can be remedied with small washers to pack out the joint, although the knee joints are slightly more possable when sloppy . Any questions just ask between us all theres not much we haven't done or know about. And welcome to the Board and the Chunky Monkeys. P.S I will be doing some more to my (over a year now) work in progress Chunky. Edited January 10, 2008 by big F Quote
Robo-Mc Posted January 11, 2008 Author Posted January 11, 2008 I'm sure that between Skull myself and the rest of the Chunky Mafia we can see you on the right roads to Chunky fulfillment. The ratchets can get loose with age so the best thing to do is to check tightness of screws etc don't go mad as they can de-thread the plastic if you go ape tight. if it is still floppy you can cut up a small bit on really thin cardboard to put behind the spring to give it more compression, this will in turn make the joint tighter. Sloppy side to side stuff mostly found on boots or KO's can be remedied with small washers to pack out the joint, although the knee joints are slightly more possable when sloppy . Any questions just ask between us all theres not much we haven't done or know about. And welcome to the Board and the Chunky Monkeys. P.S I will be doing some more to my (over a year now) work in progress Chunky. Wow! Ask and thou shall receive! Things are sounding better and better. A few days since posting and I have enough research material to “get started”, thanks again all! I’ve had enough unexpected run-ins with restorations of various items to make myself paranoid going into “anything” without a schematic (broke a few fins off a motorcycle engine, almost broke my nose when a bolt assembly from a WWII K98 “sprung” up into my face). Unexplored country; gotta love it! This bad boy sounds like it has no engineering surprises though. I’ll go easy on those screws, and simple shimming is what I was hoping for; the ball joint mods you and skull have geared up is (way) beyond what I’ve even dreamt of. “Needed Scan of 1/55 Sticker sheets for TF JetFire complete or otherwise.” I got a Jetfire sticker set on its way for this first simple restoration. Those things aint cheap, but hey, it’s for a plastic and die-cast loved one. I’ll see if I can get a quality scan of the sheets posted for a little pay-back for the TON of good info I’ve received. I’ll shoot for like a week to get the sheet posted. Stand by. Quote
Skull-1 Posted January 11, 2008 Posted January 11, 2008 (edited) [T]he ball joint mods you and skull have geared up is (way) beyond what I’ve even dreamt of. We are mere amateurs compared to KidKorrupt, Fulcy, and WmCheng... We are making a feeble attempt to follow in their enormous footsteps. Edited January 11, 2008 by Skull-1 Quote
big F Posted January 11, 2008 Posted January 11, 2008 (edited) We are mere amateurs compared to KidKorrupt, Fulcy, and WmCheng... We are making a feeble attempt to follow in their enormous footsteps. LOL We stand in the shadows of greatness. We come up with things they didn't every now and then. A scan of any Jetfire stickers would be great I have been after one for some time now as my sig suggests. Edited January 12, 2008 by big F Quote
mojacko Posted January 12, 2008 Posted January 12, 2008 i would like to have a scan of that jetfire stickers as well.....im dying to custom my loose 1/55 to a reincarnated jetfire.... Quote
misterryno Posted January 12, 2008 Posted January 12, 2008 Robo-Mc, Hey there mate. Welcome to the MW boards. I am pretty new here myself and I wanted to let you know that, if you love the chunky monkey, than you are loved on these boards. I myself went through quite a few different kinds of macross valks only to find that they never made me as happy as my chunkys do. I see that the two TOP DOGGS (at least in my eyes ) of the 1/55 knowledgable world have already warmly greated you. Currently Skull 1 is helping me out with bits and pieces of my chunky domination. I am sure he could be VERY helpful to you as well. Check out this section (CLICK ME) of the boards. It will help you fulfill your wildest fantasies about chunkys Quote
nightmareB4macross Posted January 12, 2008 Posted January 12, 2008 i would like to have a scan of that jetfire stickers as well.....im dying to custom my loose 1/55 to a reincarnated jetfire.... Contact Reprolabel.com they have all the TF stickers you can imagine. And prices are fair. Quote
misterryno Posted January 12, 2008 Posted January 12, 2008 Contact Reprolabel.com they have all the TF stickers you can imagine. And prices are fair. I considered getting some JetFire stickers there for I have gotten many TF stickers there in the past. They have all be GREAT!!! The JetFire stickers are going for like $28 USD. The only "problem" that I have experienced with them is that I am impatient and have to wait for them to ship from Canada. The stickers are great teh price is great I am just impatient. It's a personal thing. I will still use them even though. Quote
Wicked Ace Posted January 12, 2008 Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) Lots of 1/1 scale love for the 1/55 scale warms my heart. I need to make time to refurbish my original Matsuhiro Jetfire (my first nice Macross toy). Edited January 12, 2008 by Wicked Ace Quote
big F Posted January 12, 2008 Posted January 12, 2008 The only reason I wanted to have scans rather than the "originals" from Reprolables is that I wanted to do some custom work and just getting a set just to scan seems pointless. But I nobody is able to do so then Iwill bite the bullet so to speak. Quote
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