Whats Lying on your Workbench MK IV

[Major Focker]

_{This is part of what I'm hoping to release in 2014 with some 1/350th kits awaiting casting. Mad props to EXO for sculpting this (I SUCK and sculpting people). - MT}

sign me up for any and all stuff you'll be releasing in 1/350, hopefully some 1/144 too

do you have a list of your planned kits?

would be interesting to have these side by side with recent 1/350 Star Wars models.

[wm cheng]

He's pretty tame compared to his buddy...

Thanks for sharing... not very practical, but interesting shapes!

[close313]

I love the fact that the design comes from the original Vic Viper from Gradius.

[electric indigo]

STS-157 Explorer

[MechTech]

Poor Electric Indigo's model gets no love (even with "three legs") you can take that however you want. I still think it looks cool all the same!

Thanks guys! The figure is 28mm / 1.10" tall - same as the old school 1/60 Gundam pilot figures. That makes him a giant at 10 meters for a 1/350 scale model. I can't say what will be released yet since I'm not on my own doing these. I hope to though in January 2014. I'm also working on getting my funds together to cast what I've done. - MT

[Jefuemon]

Right now, what's on there is my photo studio.

Soon to be replaced by the Hasegawa VF-25.

[LOW_ALT]

<3 <3 <3

[505thAirborne]

Right now, what's on there is my photo studio.

IMG_0001.JPG

Soon to be replaced by the Hasegawa VF-25.

Now that is a cool setup!

[cool8or]

Right now, what's on there is my photo studio.

IMG_0001.JPG

Soon to be replaced by the Hasegawa VF-25.

That's far more glamourous that my photo studio. How much does it cost?

[modelglue]

I've been looking hard at photo setups and photography techniques to help me capture the images I want to share. Where did you get the light tent? Any leads on black backdrops suitable for photographing models on? I see the black chromakey materials out there but without some insider advice, I don't want to pull the trigger on something that I could potentially fund a model purchase with cost wise.

In the meantime here is a poor photo of the VF-27 from Bandai next to my Macross-over spacewolf:

...took me about 16 hrs to complete, and I probably won't be transforming it much until/if Hasegawa releases one in 1/72 to compliment their new VF-25.

Edited December 12, 2013 by modelglue

[Gabe Q]

Now that is a cool setup!

That's far more glamourous that my photo studio. How much does it cost?

I've been looking hard at photo setups and photography techniques to help me capture the images I want to share. Where did you get the light tent?

I am also interested in that setup! Please, tell us where to get one!

[Noyhauser]

Very nice Modelglue, I likie... especially the spitfire.

Electric: Is that a 1/144 or 1/200 scale?


Got a couple of pics of things I'm working on... I've decided to put aside the biplanes to finish some kits that have been hanging around my bench for too long.

and a finished Ki-61

I also took some photos of some kits I finished earlier this year but never had any good photos of. Apologies if I posted it before.

Thanks for looking.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Noyhauser

[Jefuemon]

That's far more glamourous that my photo studio. How much does it cost?

I think it was around 2500 yen. I replaced the colored cloth backdrop with pure white photo paper. I think that gives much better results.

[Jefuemon]

My Photo Studio

Hey, I found it! It's called a Dome Studio, size M , put out by Etsumi, it looks like.

You can also check out Rakuten, too. Both places ship internationally.

[electric indigo]

Electric: Is that a 1/144 or 1/200 scale?

It's Hasegawa's 1/200 Shuttle + Hubble set.

-

That's an impressive squadron you got there. Did you ever build any russian birds?

[modelglue]

Very nice Modelglue, I likie... especially the spitfire.

Thanks! Same to you! It's the Academy 1/72 Mk. XIV converted to a PR. XIX. I forgot about the windscreen though so it is still armoured! Whoops. I like that Hien, have the Dragon kit on the shelf waiting, waiting.

Thanks Jefuemon for the links, now I know what I'm looking for.

[Noyhauser]

Thanks! Same to you! It's the Academy 1/72 Mk. XIV converted to a PR. XIX. I forgot about the windscreen though so it is still armoured! Whoops. I like that Hien, have the Dragon kit on the shelf waiting, waiting.

Thanks Jefuemon for the links, now I know what I'm looking for.

I've got a spare vacuform bulged canopy for a Mk IX. Would that help?

I've got a fine molds Ki-61and Ki-100 that I'm itching to start too. I really like the design: its like a beefier BF-109... which is awesome IMO.

It's Hasegawa's 1/200 Shuttle + Hubble set.

Awesome! post more photos of your build please!

That's an impressive squadron you got there. Did you ever build any russian birds?

I actually never have in my modern building experience, though I'm close to a couple coming up. I'll have an Mig-15 (old KP kit or new Eduard), or a Mi-24s. I also have an Su-7 that I've been collecting stuff for sitting in the stash that I want to crack at. I also really want to do a newer flanker... maybe a -35 or PAK-FA.

Oh, on that note (natural metal) I've found basically the coolest product ever:

I build a lot of Natural metal finished (NMF) aircraft and been through a lot of products: decanted lacquer, black model master, Alclad's black primer. Lately I've been using thinned Mr Surfacer with black Mr Colour as a primer for models recently, because Gunze's paints go down so smooth. This stuff is awesome. I tried it on an exhaust yesterday and it went down perfect. I can't wait to do a full natural metal aircraft.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Noyhauser

[modelglue]

Awwww yeah. I've got the two types (KI-100) from finemolds but they are waiting until I reach a modelling zen before I attempt them. Just too pretty to chance screwing up with clumsy thumbs.

Thanks for offering on that blown canopy from the Mk. IX. I've got one as well but I already stamped that PR. XIX with the "done" rubber. I've got a few spits in my stash now, thanks to the disease I caught (spitfirosis collectioneria). The only cure is more spits, but I'm getting slowly better.

Thanks for the tip regarding the Mr Surfacer, I haven't delved into the world of NM and Alclad too much yet, mostly due to fear and lack of experience. I am also really shy about shooting anything but acrylic through my airbrush.

Edited December 13, 2013 by modelglue

[Noyhauser]

Awwww yeah. I've got the two types (KI-100) from finemolds but they are waiting until I reach a modelling zen before I attempt them. Just too pretty to chance screwing up with clumsy thumbs.

You'll do fine. If you want we could build them together on here and compare notes.

Thanks for offering on that blown canopy from the Mk. IX. I've got one as well but I already stamped that PR. XIX with the "done" rubber. I've got a few spits in my stash now, thanks to the disease I caught (spitfirosis collectioneria). The only cure is more spits, but I'm getting slowly better.

Oh you mean like this?

That was taken three years ago... I'm pretty sure I'm up to 15 or so now. With the advent of the AZ joy pack and this downloadable camo mask I was shown online, I'm going to be up quite a few more in the near future.

Thanks for the tip regarding the Mr Surfacer, I haven't delved into the world of NM and Alclad too much yet, mostly due to fear and lack of experience. I am also really shy about shooting anything but acrylic through my airbrush.

The thing is, its more than useful for that. If you have a landing gear bay, you can use it as a primer pre-spray... then when you paint over, the areas you miss with the main paint creates an instant darkening effect. On a vacuform canopy with black interior paint, you can just hit it with the black and it serves both as a primer and the interior colour. It can be a pre-shading technique for some kits: paint everything with the black primer and then keep the panel lines area darker. The problem with every other product is that the formulation goes screwy and you often get "soft spots" where the paint did not fully cure (alclad black, and modelmaster were particularly bad). I've been through 10+ bottles of Mr Surfacer over the years, and I have never had this problem once.

I don't think I can overstate how excited I am for this product... its awesome.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Noyhauser

[wm cheng]

I've got a spare vacuform bulged canopy for a Mk IX. Would that help?

I've got a fine molds Ki-61and Ki-100 that I'm itching to start too. I really like the design: its like a beefier BF-109... which is awesome IMO.

Awesome! post more photos of your build please!

I actually never have in my modern building experience, though I'm close to a couple coming up. I'll have an Mig-15 (old KP kit or new Eduard), or a Mi-24s. I also have an Su-7 that I've been collecting stuff for sitting in the stash that I want to crack at. I also really want to do a newer flanker... maybe a -35 or PAK-FA.

Oh, on that note (natural metal) I've found basically the coolest product ever:

I build a lot of Natural metal finished (NMF) aircraft and been through a lot of products: decanted lacquer, black model master, Alclad's black primer. Lately I've been using thinned Mr Surfacer with black Mr Colour as a primer for models recently, because Gunze's paints go down so smooth. This stuff is awesome. I tried it on an exhaust yesterday and it went down perfect. I can't wait to do a full natural metal aircraft.

That's great! I'll try it next, so this Mr. Surfacer Black is glossy I presume? It can be the primer and gloss undercoat in one? I used that Alclad black glossy stuff and it didn't lay down too flat - it was slightly pebbly, but it reacted badly to my mineral spirit wash and ruined one of my Cosmo Zeros completely. I got a second kit and have re-done it (again with the Aclad Black) but it lays heavy and softens a lot of the fine scribed lines. I'd love to use something differently.

[Noyhauser]

That's great! I'll try it next, so this Mr. Surfacer Black is glossy I presume? It can be the primer and gloss undercoat in one? I used that Alclad black glossy stuff and it didn't lay down too flat - it was slightly pebbly, but it reacted badly to my mineral spirit wash and ruined one of my Cosmo Zeros completely. I got a second kit and have re-done it (again with the Aclad Black) but it lays heavy and softens a lot of the fine scribed lines. I'd love to use something differently.

Its satin... not fully glossy but very close to it. That's my only problem with it (and its pretty minor.) Gunze also offer a glossing product to go into paints in the Mr Color line, you can thin it with Mr Leveling thinner (rather than the regular thinner) or cut the regular thinner with Mr Retarder Mild, to get more gloss to it.

That's one other point, you need to thin this with gunze's thinner... which is a good thing. Its probably 1/4 the price of Alclad's primer. All in you're probably looking at 20 dollars for the 1200 bottle of Mr Color thinner and mr surfacer, yet you would easily get five to six times the milage out of them than the 12 dollar bottle of alclad primer.

[modelglue]

You'll do fine. If you want we could build them together on here and compare notes.

That sounds like a plan. I have a progress thread started so we can use that or we can use this thread if there are others who would like to follow.

I will build both at once and maybe that way I can put a small dent (I mean... small) in my WW2 Japan collection.

Once this is a success we should maybe think about a cooperative spitfire build?

[Noyhauser]

Well, lets do it here... since its not entirely macross related and I wouldn't want to clutter up the boards. I only want to build the Ki-61 right now because the Ki-100 is like a holy grail kit for me which I'd like to save near the time I'm almost done my japanese builds.

[Berttt]

Consider hopping over to the Modelers Social Club forum as well. They have a whole board dedicated to "Duel Builds" as well as some kick arse how tos.

Cheers,

Brett

[modelglue]

Consider hopping over to the Modelers Social Club forum as well. They have a whole board dedicated to "Duel Builds" as well as some kick arse how tos.

Thanks for the heads up Brett, I'll check it out!

Well, lets do it here... since its not entirely macross related and I wouldn't want to clutter up the boards. I only want to build the Ki-61 right now because the Ki-100 is like a holy grail kit for me which I'd like to save near the time I'm almost done my japanese builds.

Ahh, I see. So my Dragon Hien then instead of the '100. I feel the same way about the kits so I'm glad you are in a parallel mindset.

I can start an intro thread over on MSCF and get going on their site rules later today. Or, use/share the Work in Progress thread I have on Britmodeller which is essentially the same thing I have here but non-Macross. Same user name if you want to take a look, Noy.

Go ahead with whichever you'd prefer and send me a PM with a link.

Edited December 14, 2013 by modelglue

[Noyhauser]

I'd rather do it here to be honest. I feel oversubscribed to forums already and don't want to join another where I don't know anyone for a single build. We could do it on BM as well, but frankly, I'd rather just post some photos here.

[modelglue]

Sounds good to me.

I suppose it won't really be any different than it is now, except we'll be building the same subject.

[Jefuemon]

Finished My goofy truck project.

As some of you may know, Galmet is my favorite band. They came to town yesterday, and I wanted to give them a unique early Christmas present. Hence, The Galmet Truck. There is an actual subculture in Japan of guys heavily decorating their rigs, but they're usually along the lines of Enka singers, or Japanese culture. First attempt at making my own custom water-slide decals. Think they turned out pretty nice.

And yes, they did like it.

[modelglue]

That is awesome on so many levels. I'm feeling an Idol Master vibe from this, maybe next one will be a VF? I convinced my wife after reading your post about the finemolds decal paper that we needed a laser printer. It would be more economical for me to print my own than to keep buying aftermarket items.

Back to post again today, I have some work done on this old 1/72 Bandai kit of the VF-1J. I think I may have paid too much for this kit now that I scrub it against the Hasegawa Battroid. My plan was (mentioned earlier) to convert this into a Destroid with some fancy background writing to accompany the model. Something along the lines of: This newer larger class of VF based on the -1 didn't pan out like intended... converted into perimeter defence for low value bases... you get the idea.

Here is a pic so far. I've been trying to level the parts where they attach. The steps between the pieces are why I experienced fatigue in the first place and they ever wore me out after a few hours of finicking with the smaller pieces today.

I think I'll leave the forearms and hands off for now until I resolve what I want to arm it with. Might be cool to have the forearms terminate in barrels?

Here is a shot partially assembled:

Edited December 15, 2013 by modelglue

[Wasabi-san]

.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Wasabi-san

[PetarB]

I'm about to tackle my first 'figure' kit - Asuka on her motorbike - anyone have any website to look for inspiration?

[mechaninac]

... - anyone have any website to look for inspiration?

Here's a site that will inspire, instruct, and scare you...

[MechTech]

Some cool stuff guys! That's great Jefuemon you got to meet your favorite group! How did you manage to go about doing that?

Modelglue, I built that kit about 23 years ago! It does not match up to modern kits, but it was "the bomb" back in the day! It was also the biggest valk styrene kit adding to it's popularity - the cool box art didn't help either. - MT

[mslz22]

Holy Cow, it must be something in the air, I have been eying both bandai re issues and originals in my stash of these same kits! I have not had any time to play but a lot of daydreaming.

I think there is still room for vintage stuff, with a good paint job and only a couple of simple tweaks they can look really cool, and in some ways they are closer to the show. Plus it brings back some serious memories.

Ok headed off to ebay to buy all the kits before everyone gets the same idea (only kidding, maybe not!)

mike

I'm building the VF-1S version of that same kit right now! Making it into a Super Battroid using super valkyrie fighter parts though...lots of "Sanfordizing."

EDIT:

Does anyone still have the VF-1D conversion kit for the 1:55 chunky monkey valkyries for sale, or know who to talk to? I did a search but I seem to be missing it. I walked into "Time Travellers" here in Detroit, and there was an "Origins of Valkyrie" VF-1S for $10.ooUS...

[chyll2]

kinda rushed snapbuilding this VF25. Since this is my first scale model outside of gunpla, I decided to learn how Hase kits are assembled. Hopefully, I can finish this in this coming holiday