Professional Model Builders Look Here

[sqidd]

So I have been reading the VF-25 thread in the toy section for…..ever. And there certainly is a ton of controversy about the looks of the 1/60 toy. I have never seen the show so to me it’s not horrible. In a vacuum (pardon the pun) it’s a cool lookin Mech. But just like there being a part of me that is a completest which drives me to get more 1/48’s than I really want, I do have a part of me that would like to have an accurate VF-25. Who wouldn’t want an accurate one over a non accurate one even if you didn’t know the difference? And that aside, from what I can see the 1/60 does have some pretty sloppy gaps, etc.

Word on the street is that the 1/72 models are very accurate and the few pictures I have seen look great to me. Trouble is that I am in no way a model builder. It’s odd because I have incredible fabrication skills, but generally I am working in metal and on a much bigger scale (1:1 for example).

So what position does that leave a guy like me in?

I can shell out $175+ for a 1/60.

I can skip getting one all together.

I can pay someone to build a model for me and paint it.

At some point I guess I am going to need to make a decision. Problem is I am missing part of the equation. That part is how much would it cost me to get a model professionally built? Any of you out there in model land interested in the job? If so can you fire me off an estimate? I understand if you want to PM it and I promise I won’t make it public knowledge.

I am not at all certain which way I want to go with this but I will certainly never know until I know what getting a model built is going to cost me. If one of you kick @$$ model builders (which from my point of view is just about all of you) can fire me off an estimate that would be great. Even if you don’t want to do the job you could still give me a number to work with.

Thanks

(I posted a version of this in the VF-25 thread to to get more penetration)

Edited October 30, 2008 by sqidd

[PetarB]

Around 10 years ago, I was a professional model builder*. I don't have the model in question yet, but I can give you some idea of equivalent costs. The first thing to note is that I charged the same hourly rate as a qualified local plumber. I would then give the client an estimated time to complete the model. I mostly did military models, and the budget was anywhere between $250 - $2000. The reason that it was such a broad figure was that each model and client's finishing requirements on that particular model are completely different. For example, you need to make it clear with this particular model, whether you actually want it painted, panel lined, tinted canopy, any special mods (ie, locks for the transform) etc. Or you could just go for an out-of-box build, with the nubs lightly sanded, not paint and a bit of polishing compound all over to finish the plastic up a bit. So it's really like asking how long is a piece of string, until you make an agreement on what you're actually going to get. Then it makes it a lot easier for people to pony up with a cost, and for you to have a good expectation of exactly what you're going to get.

*I took a 10 year hiatus from modelling, now I just do it for pleasure!

[Excillon]

What I think is you should buy a kit, build it yourself, and then if your unhappy with the results buy a second one and have a pro do it. I missed the 1st round of these kits, but have both on pre-order for next month. I've read they're comparable to Gundam MG and PG kits, of which I have built MANY (and I'm no pro). These are easy to assemble, and still look good without painting. The only thing that I've seen on the 25 that HAS to be painted is the Battroid visor, easily fixable with some Testors clear green and a small brush. And maybe the pilot if you display fighter mode. My advice is pick up a cheaper gundam MG kit (around 30-40 bucks), build it, and if you don't think it was that bad, then do the vf-25. I recommend a later MG kit that's inexpensive, like the Strike Noir, F91, or the RX-78 ver. 2. At least if you screw up (which I doubt you will), it's cheaper than screwing up a vf-25.

Also: Pick up a grey Gundam marker and try your skills at panel lining! It's easy.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Excillon

[fhrex]

I have to concurr.....there is very little painting that needs to be done on this kit, and the decals are awesome. The cockpit is probably the most intensive area, with the pilot beint the most demanding. This kit was actually a sheer joy to build and I am ecstatic with it's turn out. I encourage you to give it a try and simply post here if you have any questions.

[Valk009]

Well, you will need to know that this is a model and cannot be handled like a toy. Since it is also a variable model, after a couple transformations scratched will bound to appear.

[Graham]

I can't paint for toffee, yet I think I made the model look pretty good even with my extremely limited skills.

All I did was the panel lining and then use a gundam marker to paint some of the small recessed areas, the canopy frame, visor, head lasers and a few other small parts and IMO the kit looks great.

I used the stickers, not the water slide decals, as I think the stickers will hold up much better in the long run. The stickers on this kit are very high quality.

Graham

[ntsan]

Well, you will need to know that this is a model and cannot be handled like a toy. Since it is also a variable model, after a couple transformations scratched will bound to appear.

Well sadly it is more durable than some company's toy, consider it is a model kit!

[Lt. Z0mBe]

I say learn to build. If you can fabricate anything, you already have artistic ability.

Buy a lot of kits and supplies. Build the kits. Do so in a mediocre fashion BUT learn a lot. Build the next lot a bit better and so on. Before you know it, you are building contest winners, literally and figuratively.

Make this kit one of the ones you buy initially, but set it aside until you feel you're ready for it.

Of course, as a long time builder, I am a bit biased.

Kenny

[Vile]

Yep, schlopp some glue on there (just don't make it too gloppy)! Everybody's got to start somewhere, and you should already have a headstart. You can always get a pro to have another go if it doesn't work out for you.

You could always try out your latent abilties on a cheaper kit first.

[Berttt]

Cheaper but not nastier. Go pick up a late Hasegawa or Tamiya kit in 1/72 and have a go. Don't be tempted by cheapo or older kits. You'll regret it otherwise.

[Valkyrie addict]

I say it's better to practice with an old cheap imaii or bandai kit, those things are seamline monster and have a lot of moving parts, by practicing with one model all the sanding, puttying getting the paint to don't scratch the most in only one of those models properly will be a big way to learn

hase's go for 20USD and bandai sale for about 5USD and are easier to find

hasegawa models have soft plastics and are well engineered so sanding and puttying is kept to a minimum, bust your ass building a crappy old bandai to make it look good (cause they can) and you can build almost anything right

[Berttt]

Thats my point. Enjoy the first couple of kits rather than getting gunshy on those old kits. By hasegeawa I mean an F-16 or something common and affordable.

[Vile]

Yeah, I think we're all on the same page here. Try out something new, but cheap, and you'll have a better idea of whether you want to go further.