Gundam Plamodel Thread IV

[electric indigo]

Most likely they assume that the average Gunpla builder won't muster the effort for applying water slides. There's a variety of Gundam Decal sheets available as standalone items, but the ones you need are alway out of production.

[Scyla]

Quick question are there waterslide decals available for the MG Gundam RX-78-2 Ver. 3.0?

I really want to build an RX-78 but I can only find decals for the Ver. 2.0 at HLJ.

[electric indigo]

They were produced, but you have to wait for a reprint:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10245950

[Scyla]

Thanks I will wait and see if they will become available again.

[SchizophrenicMC]

I'm totally cool with HGs not having waterslides, but MGs, RGs, and PGs really should have them. It's not like they're expensive to manufacture. I'd even pay a few extra dollars per kit to have whatever's on the sticker sheet included as a waterslide sheet.

I owe my cousin back his RG Ver.GFT once I've completed it for him, but I don't want to turn it around with stickers and they don't make the aftermarket decal set anymore. Paying $30 for a secondhand 4x5" decal sheet doesn't sit right by me either.

[Golden Arms]

I agree on the stickers. I shouldn't have to pay an additional $20 bucks for a PG to get waterslide decals.

[electric indigo]

With all the attention to details they get, the RE/100 kits should have optional watersides, too.

[badboy00z]

I'm not at the point to apply decals yet but any tips for the water slides?

[Golden Arms]

Add a gloss coat before applying the decals and let dry. Then apply decals and recoat with gloss or topcoat, to seal the decals. When you go to add the decals, it might be easier to disassemble and work on a section at a time. This will make sealing the decals easier. Be sure to recoat with the desired finish I.e gloss for shiny finish, Matte, semi gloss etc. Be sure to take your time.

Hope that helps. I'm in no ways an expert, so maybe some of the more seasoned modelers will chime in.

Edited December 19, 2015 by Golden Arms

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Add a gloss coat before applying the decals and let dry. Then apply decals and recoat with gloss or topcoat, to seal the decals. When you go to add the decals, it might be easier to disassemble and work on a section at a time. This will make sealing the decals easier. Be sure to recoat with the desired finish I.e gloss for shiny finish, Matte, semi gloss etc. Be sure to take your time.

Hope that helps. I'm in no ways an expert, so maybe some of the more seasoned modelers will chime in.

Golden Arms are you going to build that PG banshee w/ those LED's in the near future?

[badboy00z]

Has anyone here ever used Future floor polish as a clear coat? Seen a few videos on YouTube and it works just as good as purpose clear coat at a fraction of the cost.

[seti88]

Has anyone here ever used Future floor polish as a clear coat? Seen a few videos on YouTube and it works just as good as purpose clear coat at a fraction of the cost.

Yea i used it on my RG RX-78...it would make ur kit look a bit glossy so you have to bear that in mind if you want matt..

was a year or two back but still retains the glossy shine till today! of course i have it under a display case...

good stuff that future....

[Golden Arms]

Yes, David. I have both the PG Unicorn and PG Banshee norn. I have the official LED kit for the Norn and the 3rd party LED set for the unicorn. I just completed a build on the PG red Astray with the 3rd party Tactical Arms shield. The plastic quality of the Tactical Arms isn't very good, so buyer beware.

[Big s]

I do feel like even some of the hg kits should have decals. My cross bone kit has this chest area that is rounded. The emblem that goes there looks really great, but it's a sticker.

I really hate stickers, but I don't want to judge anyone who uses them. I haven't built the kit hoping for a decal release, but it's been a while and I'm losing hope. I guess the point I was trying to make is that bandai makes these decals for kits from Star Wars to Macross, but not their flagship items.

The Star Wars figure kits are basically a dressed up hg gundam. In some cases they are even simpler kits than the hg gundams, but all of the figure kits have waterslides even though they have no markings or even numbered units. I was happy when they put out decal sets for the rg mk2 and the gp01, but they haven't put them out for any rg's since.

I guess my z'gock will also be sitting perpetually on a shelf.

[badboy00z]

Add a gloss coat before applying the decals and let dry. Then apply decals and recoat with gloss or topcoat, to seal the decals. When you go to add the decals, it might be easier to disassemble and work on a section at a time. This will make sealing the decals easier. Be sure to recoat with the desired finish I.e gloss for shiny finish, Matte, semi gloss etc. Be sure to take your time.

Hope that helps. I'm in no ways an expert, so maybe some of the more seasoned modelers will chime in.

Does it have to be a gloss coat? Would a painted/ primed surface work too? I know the decal wouldn't really stick on bare plastic.

[Vifam7]

Does it have to be a gloss coat? Would a painted/ primed surface work too? I know the decal wouldn't really stick on bare plastic.

See Golden Arms reply below.

When using waterslide decals, I also recommend using decal softener. Once you have a decal positioned, apply some decal softener and let it dry. Decal softener helps the decal stick onto the surface. If you don't use decal softener, there's good chance of the decal coming off even after a clearcoat.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Vifam7

[Golden Arms]

Hello Badboy,

It should be a gloss before adding the decals. The reason being is that you want a smooth shiny surface for the decal to adhere to. Also, if you don't use a gloss coat before attaching the decal, some decals will leave behind a gray outline that will be visible on the surface. Adding the gloss before applying the decal will allow the decal to blend into the surface it's being applied to. I just completed a build on a pg kit with water slide decals using the same technique. It turned out really well.

If you have access to YouTube, you can find a ton of great glunpla building tips and tricks.

[SchizophrenicMC]

There are other advantages to applying a gloss coat before your final coat. It evens out the surface texture, like primer evens out the surface color. That gives you better control over your final finish. It also makes it easier to spot where you've missed areas in a matte or semi-gloss coat, which is important with these kits that can be posed and may rub over time. More coats is more protection from damage to the base coat. It's also the best way to start when making different areas of a kit have different finishes. Gloss coat it, mask off or remove the parts that you want to be gloss, then add a flat coat to the rest. The tape won't stick as well to gloss coat as flat coat, reducing the likelihood of coating damage when you pull the tape back up. Gloss coat is also easier to panel line, and generally easier to handle than raw paint or flat coat. Also, if you have to remove an errant decal or panel line, you have a sacrificial layer of gloss coat you can burn through before damaging the base coat, which has saved my life on at least one occasion. Every kit I paint gets at least one gloss coat for detail work, even if the intended finish is matte or semi gloss. It just makes life easier for me.

[badboy00z]

Got it. I was having an issue with the primer rubbing off when cleaning panel lines.

[areaseven]

[badboy00z]

I just watched this tutorial on panel lining with water based pens. Looks super easy with good results.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YihQzzr_hcA

How do I embed the video in post? I can't seem to figure it out. lol

Does HLJ offer individual runners of kits for sale? I vaguely remember that they do or did at one point.

Edited December 24, 2015 by badboy00z

[areaseven]

Looks like I'll be picking up this kit after Christmas.

[Hikuro]

I just watched this tutorial on panel lining with water based pens. Looks super easy with good results.

How do I embed the video in post? I can't seem to figure it out. lol

Does HLJ offer individual runners of kits for sale? I vaguely remember that they do or did at one point.

Last I remember they only do it due to faulty runners and living in Japan. Otherwise you need to contact a bluefin rep or website to request parts and they'll cost you some bucks and they have very strict rules on what you can get.

But that's what I remember I could be wrong.

[SchizophrenicMC]

So check out what I got for Christmas

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

^ nice Christmas present, you must be happy

[SchizophrenicMC]

^ nice Christmas present, you must be happy

Believe me, I am. I've lusted after this thing for roundabouts 2 years now. It's so shiny. It might even steal the spotlight from Nu Ver.Ka, just as an out of box build.

[renegadeleader1]

I got Super Fumina! <3 <3 <3

[Vifam7]

I got Super Fumina! <3 <3 <3

Started building my kit. Decided to change the way the eyes are done. Instead of putting the eye stickers behind the clear lens, I think it looks better when it's directly on the lens. This way, the eyes don't look like they're sunken in.

[areaseven]

Gonna be a busy week for me, as I got this and five HGUCs to build. On top of that, I'll be hosting a post-Christmas Gunpla build-off this week.

[mikeszekely]

I got nothing for Christmas. Not "no-Gunpla," I mean literally nothing. My wife and I didn't buy each other anything, since we decided to spoil our new daughter instead. My parents usually get me something, but my dad's been deathly ill. They just let him out of the hospital the day after Christmas.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

I got nothing for Christmas. Not "no-Gunpla," I mean literally nothing. My wife and I didn't buy each other anything, since we decided to spoil our new daughter instead. My parents usually get me something, but my dad's been deathly ill. They just let him out of the hospital the day after Christmas.

Hope your dad feels better mike s.

[mikeszekely]

Hope your dad feels better mike s.

Thanks, David. We think he's out of the woods now that they actually figured out what's wrong and are treating it. Since Thanksgiving he'd been in the hospital three times with bad abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. The first time they said he had a stomach infection, but despite doing three stool samples couldn't say what was infecting him. They sent him home with antibiotics, which helped at first but then all of the sudden he got much worse. The second time he went to the hospital they just gave him an IV for awhile, told him to see a gastroenterologist, and sent him home again. By this point, he was drinking small amounts of sports drinks but he refused to eat, saying the pain was too great. I honestly thought he was going to die, but the GI sent him back to the hospital and diagnosed him with a C. difficile infection. After a few days on antibiotics that target C. diff he's still super weak but he's able to eat and doesn't need to go all the time, and he was able to come home. With a five month old baby, though, they want me to keep away for another week yet.

That being said, I still assume my parents got me a gift, and when they'd asked what I wanted I sent them my Amazon Gunpla wishlist. And while my dad recovering is all I really wanted, there's still a chance I'm getting Gunpla. And whether I do or don't, I'm sure I'll join A7 in getting that HGUC Revive Qubeley.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

^glad your dad was able to come home and most of the ordeal is over.

hey. i got a lot of excess kits not going to be building and need to get rid of.

pm'ing you, i got an extra parts for the wing ew that i don't need and gifting to you free. enjoy or re-gift.

[badboy00z]

Just saw a guy on YouTube use Tamiya's metallic gold spray paint and it looks like (under his lighting) the shade of gold I wanted. Only problem is that it cost $20+ a can. Why is it so expensive??

[Hikuro]

Just saw a guy on YouTube use Tamiya's metallic gold spray paint and it looks like (under his lighting) the shade of gold I wanted. Only problem is that it cost $20+ a can. Why is it so expensive??

Brand and quality of paint. Course why it's 20+ for you i have no clue while it's about 8-10 for me.

But honestly that gold is not really all that great.