Kelsain Posted March 18, 2011 Posted March 18, 2011 Ahoy-hoy: As an attempt to resume modeling in my new hobby area, I've brushed the dust off an old project. Back before the Revoltech Regult came out, I pulled out my old Arii 1/100 model and gave it a look. I remember being dissatisfied with the Scout Regult I'd built as a kid (long since lost to time... ) and decided to modify this one. I sawed off most of the joints, and scavenged ball joints from my bits box. The result is a much nicer pose for this piece. At present, I'm cleaning up the seam lines, and smoothing out some of the testor's primer that I used on it. On some pieces, I like the pebbly look it gives, as though the pieces were cast. Kind of like an M4 tank. I'm trying to decide if it's worth figuring out a way to keep the guns poseable or not. Then, it'll be time for a new coat of paint. Quote
EXO Posted March 18, 2011 Posted March 18, 2011 Let's see the connection part of the guns. I bet it'll be easy to keep the articulation on that and it'll be more fun to play with. Quote
tetsujin Posted March 25, 2011 Posted March 25, 2011 Options for making the guns poseable: 1: use a ball joint (probably a Yellow Submarine/Hobby Base ball joint, a gray one so it's still opaque if paint scratches off, and attach the socket to the gun and the ball to the pod, rather than the other way around, so that the ball socket itself will fill some of the gap between the gun and the port in which the gun sits... Secure each part of the ball joint with a polycap, in case the ball joint breaks.) 2: use a spherical hinge (like the Kotobukiya HIPS joints) - use a polycap to attach it to the pod, and either glue it into the cannon or use a polycap there, too. The polycap allows the joint to rotate (and, thus, the hinge to bend in different directions) and the spherical joint itself fills the space. 3: various other, simpler (if less durable) options are available, such as armature wire or even just an elastic cord to hold tension... Quote
Kelsain Posted March 27, 2011 Author Posted March 27, 2011 If I was starting this now, I'd have probably drilled out the sockets and replaced them with ball joints. Alas, I've already filled the seams on the body. I was thinking of adding a ring to the existing socket to hold the gun in. Not sure if it would work or not. I might just end up gluing them in attack position... Quote
Vespaeda Posted March 27, 2011 Posted March 27, 2011 Great mods/update to this kit. Please don't give up on adding a 'ball' swivel feature to your guns; you might just wanna finish it & be done with. But, if you step aside for a day or so, a better solution or a 'steadier hand'-day[your gunpla Muse] will show up to help you cross that finish line! Living vicariously through your build... I've made dozens of 'cheap' ball joints by using doll beads of consecutive sizes[they nest 1/3rd of the way into each other, like "a wart on a wart"] for Gundam HGUC kits to give them poseability, especially waist articulation under the rectangular plates. Looking at your work so far, tetsujin's suggestions are spot on & wouldn't require too much surgery--just patience drilling into the cabin to sink some beds/sockets for self-contained swivel units. I'd use his suggestion of wire + elastic cord; I use a combination of nylon fishing line & vinyl-insulated, flexible electronics wire run coaxially through a ball-point pen spring-when inserted inside plastic pieces & glued with the right balance of tension, they provide a great, floating swivel. These can be pre-assembled as a unit, like an aftermarket ball-joint and just sunk into the proper socket. Careful clean up/puttying of the opening hides the external work. I can add a drawing if you want; might have some of my sub-assemblies around in kit boxes I could snap a pic of. Best of luck, whichever way you work it. Quote
Kelsain Posted March 28, 2011 Author Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) Vespaeda: a pic or sketch would be great. Maybe i haven't had enough coffee yet, but I'm not visualizing your suggestion. Thanks for the encouragement. I've got a lot of projects planned, and I've been looking at this one as a stepping stone, but also an obstacle. Now I feel that it really is worth making the best that I can. Alas, with taxes to finish and 70 floorplans to draw this week, I probably won't be visiting my modeling station much... Edited March 28, 2011 by Kelsain Quote
Kelsain Posted November 9, 2011 Author Posted November 9, 2011 After a crazy summer, I've finally managed to do a little more hobbying. Watching the 2nd MacF movie this afternoon makes me want to do more, too. I was able to get the acrylic ball joints that EXO provided built into the Regult. The hips are now quite flexible. The cannons are a little stiff, so I'll have to use a wire or nail peg to reinforce them. Right now, I think they'll just pop off, no matter what glue I use. The kit was given a quick sanding and reprimed. I didn't want to lose all the bumpy texture from the last round. Then I gave it a base coat of Tamiya Insignia White. Took me a long time to find some of that stuff, just lucked along a hobby shop 2 hours from home. Unfortunately, while I was test fitting everything, the ball joint of the left foot came loose. So I'll have to rebuild that joint. Someday I'll finish this kit... Quote
Kelsain Posted July 25, 2012 Author Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) So, as I'd mentioned in Jardann's 1/72 Regult thread - I've finally made some more progress on my 1/100. Turns out JB weld makes a nice hold on the cannons to the acrylic ball joints! I've got the base colors all on, but the edges need some cleanup. I discovered (while touching up the paint on my VF-1A) you can't brush on lacquer TS-20 Insignia white over Tamiya acrylics. Therefore, the 1A & Regult both received a coat of future tonight. I'll clean up the edges & oversprays tomorrow - maybe even decal her up, if time permits. Then panel lines! Check out the pics (please excuse the laundry room shots...): Edited July 25, 2012 by Kelsain Quote
jardann Posted July 25, 2012 Posted July 25, 2012 Holy Cow!!! You get some radical poses with those improved joints! I'm glad my build up inspired you to get back to this! This baby looks fantastic. It is a huge improvement over the stock 1/100. I love that you can get it to sit in the "stowed" position! It makes me want to pick up another 1/72 and build in some of those joint pieces to really show off what a regult is supposed to be able to do. Your finish on all of the joint areas is really superb too. It's a testament to your modelling skill. Keep up the great work! Quote
Kelsain Posted July 26, 2012 Author Posted July 26, 2012 (edited) Thanks! Little miss procrastination got to bed late, but I'm still hoping for some modeling time tonight. I'm thinking I might throw in a little light grey, just to break up the white a bit - maybe the eye, knees... More pics to come! Gotta finish these so I can move on to the next exciting project! edit: Blarg! Both cans of Insignia White are empty! So much for spraying the required areas on the kits... I was able to touch up a bit on the legs of both with a brush, but it'll have to wait until Tuesday before I can get any more. In the mean time, I guess I'll work on my FiL's 1980 Malibu & lay the keel for the new project. Edited July 26, 2012 by Kelsain Quote
grapetang Posted July 26, 2012 Posted July 26, 2012 More Zentradi mecha! That last pic is great on so many levels!!! Quote
nautilus Posted July 27, 2012 Posted July 27, 2012 It has been a constant gripe of mine that we get no pod-love these days (I know, I know scale issues and so on), but this build has also inspired me to get back to getting back and have a go at those kits which have been gathering dust for decades... Grand job done there sir! Quote
Kelsain Posted July 29, 2012 Author Posted July 29, 2012 I painted some areas gray last night, but had already packed the camera. Hit the top of the shoulders, eye mount & various panels. Future question: should I future, decal, future, panel line? Or future, decal, panel line? (null) Quote
MechTech Posted July 29, 2012 Posted July 29, 2012 I think I know who owns the washer and dryer now That looks great - there are so many "posabilities!" - MT Quote
Kelsain Posted August 1, 2012 Author Posted August 1, 2012 Here he is all ready for panel lining! Quote
jardann Posted August 1, 2012 Posted August 1, 2012 Kelsain, you make that bad boy look good! That's a really smooth build up. Your skills add quite a bit of quality to that kit. Great job! Quote
Kelsain Posted August 3, 2012 Author Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) Decaled, panel lined, weathering in process! Edit: ugh, damn iPhone... There, fixed it! Edited August 4, 2012 by Kelsain Quote
jardann Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Looks good Kelsain! You've struck a nice balance between the straight anime look and the box artwork style. Good job outlining those squares on the sides of the "ear" parts. Were there some nice panel lines there for you to follow, or did you use some stencils? On my 1/72 after the original heavy paint job, my sanding and then the fresh coat of paint, some of those details were nearly obliterated! I ended up just shading around them when I did the oil wash and trying to very gently clean up the area to leave a little bit of the wash around the squares. I think they look better like yours with a bit more demarcation. It's really great the way you've managed to hide all of the aftermaket joints you integrated into the kit too. Quote
Kelsain Posted August 3, 2012 Author Posted August 3, 2012 The lines were really shallow, washes weren't working very well for me. So I busted out a gundam marker. They're not perfectly straight, but taking in the whole kit, good enough. At this point, I'll take finished over perfect! Might get some more work in tomorrow, but I got a lot of real stuff to do tonight... (null) Quote
Kelsain Posted August 14, 2012 Author Posted August 14, 2012 Well, I finished it up! Most of the photos turned out blurry though - my good camera will be returning soon. Unfortunately, the broken knee fix has loosened up and the Regult fell over shortly after the photos. Popped off a cannon too. Sigh. So, I'll fix those. Maybe try a little tape on the leg joint. Then hit it with some clear coat before I move back to the VF-1A. Quote
jipe Posted August 14, 2012 Posted August 14, 2012 Very nice model. Not the best artistic pictures but well, good to see a Regult won versus a valk ! Quote
pfunk Posted August 15, 2012 Posted August 15, 2012 You sir Kick Ass,, I have a 1/72 I would love to "try" to copy some of your ideas Quote
Kelsain Posted August 15, 2012 Author Posted August 15, 2012 Thanks, guys. I got the knee fixed up. I may have to pin that cannon to the ball joint, the JB Weld isn't working so great anymore. Now that the wife & kid are back home, I'll have to start scheduling my hobby time again. pfunk, my in-law's cat does the same thing as your avatar. Quote
Wasabi-san Posted August 17, 2012 Posted August 17, 2012 "Lousy Micron! I told you it was MY turn to use the dryer!" Very nice build indeed! Quote
jardann Posted August 21, 2012 Posted August 21, 2012 Glad to hear you could fix up those joints again. It looks great. You really improved that kit. Thanks for showing us your process with it. Quote
MechTech Posted August 22, 2012 Posted August 22, 2012 Regult to the Valk: "you're all washed up!" That came out great! It's a nice clean build. - MT Quote
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