Whats Lying on your Workbench MK IV

[sketchley]

The 'YF-24' conversion

For some reason I was thinking the PlaPlate was 1/10 the thickness it actually is! 🤪

Looks like I only need a single sheet (the sheets are 1.2 mm, and the gap is less than 2 mm).

Any advice on how to get a curved leading edge (when viewed from the side), but keep it straight and uniform (when viewed from the top)?

 

 

Re: Rigādo Recon Pod

It looks like I won't be able to get away without painting it.  There are a couple of places that need "silver" as a reflective surface behind some of the red and green clear parts.  So, my best course of action is... to buy the Rigādo Light Missile Pod! 🤣

While I don't mind the painting, cleaning the brushes is a royal pain.  So, I think it's best to paint all 3 Rigādo in one go.  In addition to silver, the instructions call for 'black' on the engine nozzles behind the knees, and 'burnt iron' inside the main engine nozzles.  I'm going to swap the black for GX Metal Black (my go to colour for Valkyrie engine nozzles and gun pods), and I'm curious about the burnt iron.

 

... and speaking of paints, alas, almost all of them have dried solid in the jar!!! 😫

Buying new paints isn't a problem.  Disposal of the old ones, however, is.

Advice on Japanese websites is to "remove" the dried paint (break and remove it with 'old spoons or disposable chopsticks'), and dispose as per local municipal instructions (glass and plastic are separate, in other words).

However, one site suggested attempting to recover the dried paint first.  It recommends using "Mr Color Replenishing Agent for Mr Color" (GSI クレオス Mr.カラー専用 真溶媒液):

 

 

Does anyone have any experience using this?  Should I even bother attempting to salvage the dried paint?

 

Edited August 19 by sketchley

[Big s]

6 minutes ago, sketchley said:

The 'YF-24' conversion

For some reason I was thinking the PlaPlate was 1/10 the thickness it actually is! 🤪

Looks like I only need a single sheet (the sheets are 1.2 mm, and the gap is less than 2 mm).

Any advice on how to get a curved leading edge (when viewed from the side), but keep it straight and uniform (when viewed from the top)?

 

 

Re: Rigādo Recon Pod

It looks like I won't be able to get away without painting it.  There are a couple of places that need "silver" as a reflective surface behind some of the red and green clear parts.  So, my best course of action is... to buy the Rigādo Light Missile Pod! 🤣

While I don't mind the painting, cleaning the brushes is a royal pain.  So, I think it's best to paint all 3 of my Rigādo in one go.  In addition to the aforementioned silver, the instructions call for 'black' on the engine nozzles behind the knees, and 'burnt iron' inside the engine nozzles.  I'm going to swap the black for GX Metal Black (my go to colour for Valkyrie engine nozzles and gun pods), and I'm curious about the burnt iron.

 

... and speaking of paints, alas, most of them have dried solid in the jar! 😵

Buying new paints isn't a problem.  Disposal of the old ones, however, is.

Advice on Japanese websites is to "remove" the dried paint (break and remove it with 'old spoons or disposable chopsticks'), and dispose as per local municipal instructions (glass and plastic are separate, in other words).

However, one site suggested attempting to recover the dried paint first.  It recommended using "Mr Color Replenishing Agent for Mr Color" (GSI クレオス Mr.カラー専用 真溶媒液):

 

 

Does anyone have any experience using this?  Should I even bother attempting to salvage the dried paint?

 

I heard it works good, but I think any lacquer thinner works. I’ve resurrected dry bottles with the leveling thinner 

[MechTech]

@derex3592 That Super Hornet looks realistically weathered! GREAT job on the finish over all and congrats!

@sketchley I have Tamiya paints about 30+ years old (plus means I don't remember HOW old - maybe 40 years)😁 I've revitalized them too. You just have to watch the goop in the bottom. Sometimes they don't always thin out right - especially for airbrushing. - MT

[sketchley]

On 8/19/2024 at 1:51 PM, Big s said:

I heard it works good, but I think any lacquer thinner works. I’ve resurrected dry bottles with the leveling thinner 

 

20 hours ago, MechTech said:

@sketchley I have Tamiya paints about 30+ years old (plus means I don't remember HOW old - maybe 40 years)😁 I've revitalized them too. You just have to watch the goop in the bottom. Sometimes they don't always thin out right - especially for airbrushing. - MT

 

Huh... who'd have thunk? 🤯  I'll see about acquiring it as soon as possible.

 

In your guys's experience, about how long did it take to revitalize the paint?  Also, what ratio do you recommend for bone dry paint?  Is 1:1 too much, or not enough?

[sketchley]

VF-171

Calling this project done.  Some of the stickers were easy, some—like the ones on the back of the wings—were a royal pain.  As I wasn't satisfied with how the paint on the canopy turned out, I opted for the stickers.  Intriguingly, the orange works well with the red and yellow.

In person, the white parts of the stickers REALLY stands out on the red one, and all but disappears on the yellow.

What do you guys think of them compared to the unpainted tawny*?  Was painting them (and losing the finer panel lines) worth it?

 

* unpainted aside from the canopy, gun pod, and engine nozzles

[Big s]

1 minute ago, sketchley said:

VF-171

Calling this project done.  Some of the stickers were easy, some—like the ones on the back of the wings—were a royal pain.  As I wasn't satisfied with how the paint on the canopy turned out, I opted for the stickers.  Intriguingly, the orange works well with the red and yellow.

In person, the white parts of the stickers REALLY stands out on the red one, and all but disappears on the yellow.

What do you guys think of them compared to the unpainted tawny*?  Was painting them (and losing the finer panel lines) worth it?

 

* unpainted aside from the canopy, gun pod, and engine nozzles

Those are cool

 

35 minutes ago, sketchley said:

In your guys's experience, about how long did it take to revitalize the paint?  Also, what ratio do you recommend for bone dry paint?  Is 1:1 too much, or not enough?

One to one might be a bit much unless you don’t mind using extra thin paint. I’d start smaller, maybe about just enough to have quarter of the snout and let it soak in for a couple hours and see what it’s like. Try stirring it to get a feel and see if it mixes and if it’s too gloppy you can add a little thinner as you go. If it has had chunks, but some is liquid, let it set for a little longer like overnight or something.

lacquer paint seem like they can be rescued often. Some Ma. k. Builders brush the paint and will use dry pallets to mix paint and use. Sometimes they leave them on the pallet when they have to do other things and just revitalize it when getting back to the project later.

It’s not something that works with acrylics very well. Enamel is an iffy one, it sometimes works and other times not so much and ends up chunky 

[electric indigo]

Started painting the IXTL Labor.

[MechTech]

@sketchley Honestly, I would do a little at a time and build it up - do a test. Sometimes some of the paint may not break down. That's an issue if you're going to airbrush. I hope it works out for you!

The fighters came out great! Nice squadron going on there! - MT

 

[pengbuzz]

going offline.

[Thom]

3 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

going offline.

Hope you don't stay gone too long. Take care.

[nonner242]

On 8/24/2024 at 10:55 AM, pengbuzz said:

going offline.

Baby comeback...you can blame it all on me.

I was wrong..and well.

I hope you come back with a vengeance buddy. Take care

[nonner242]

She got legs...

😆

I'm not digging the panel lining right now..it makes it look a lot better just for some reason it's not doing it for me. 

I'm paranoid after enterprise incident.

I also decided not to paint it which is weird. Just random parts that should be brass or aluminum . Oh and the red front of shield I will have to paint do to plastic swirls from underside molding and uneven semigloss look. It will drive me nuts. 

And the white side of the shield is so bland even after lines do to it's massive size... I'm gonna have to mask off and paint tonight or I won't sleep. Other than that. This kit is freaking HUGE..MEGA... Amazing totally go out and buy it. Like now...no brainier...best thing I've worked on in 50 years.

Edited August 25 by nonner242

[Chronocidal]

Yeeesh, what even is that?  That's definitely huge.  

I think at that scale, you're going to need more subtle weathering like pre-shading and airbrushing to do it justice, but that's a project and a half.  

If you're sticking to really simple and low-cost, maybe some chalk or colored pencil rubbings would bring out things a bit more.  I would suggest graphite, but I worry that would get very messy quickly, and colored pencils would give you a little more variety of shades.

[nonner242]

Lol..Big old grandpa RX-78.

Mega version.

Thanks for the options..never thought of chalk👍🏼

I did a quick match up of paint and mix a red for shield so that's done and matte coated. Then I made a custom grey for inner shield and matte coated it also. Now I'm happy with it. I rough finished panel lines and will test out some other things possible. But I'm liking it . Strangely after clean up I might leave it. Has enough pop for me and looks damn good with nothing painted but sheild! But good all my stuff seems so small now..and toyish😆 I have 1/18 1/35 1/48 and 1/60 on my shelf but damn if I could tell..they are all hot wheels in comparison.

I'm getting he counter part the big bad chat Zaku next week so he won't be alone too long. Man I need more over sized mechs now. Im a fan. And I have NO fear of it breaking easy or taking damage from most falls. It's a whole new world for me😎

[Chronocidal]

Nice!  And I can't say I've ever tried chalk myself, but I think I've heard it mentioned here (or possibly other modeling sites) as an option for making different tints of weathering if you plan on clear-coating afterward.

If I'm wrong, I hope someone here will correct me before someone makes a messy mistake though.  

[nonner242]

Oh it will be me... I like trying things..ruining things .starting over😆

[Goodman Models]

On 5/25/2024 at 10:34 PM, pengbuzz said:

Looking really nice so far!! One word of caution on those ailerons though: I tried doing my own years ago, and they kept interfering with one another when I tried folding them! O.o Keep that in mind; you may need a sliding joint kind of like the ones the Yammies/ Arcadias have for theirs.

------------------------

On another note: does anyone have a spare wheel from a 1/72 Tamiya air crew truck? It looks like this:

The one on the other side is missing, and nothing I have will fit. It's also too small for me to try to make on my own!

Did you track down the wheel? Is it Hasegawa?

[Big s]

23 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

Nice!  And I can't say I've ever tried chalk myself, but I think I've heard it mentioned here (or possibly other modeling sites) as an option for making different tints of weathering if you plan on clear-coating afterward.

If I'm wrong, I hope someone here will correct me before someone makes a messy mistake though.  

Chalk works just like pastels basically. They’re pretty much the same stuff, just one is packaged for artists and the other is packaged for kids stuff. The chalk is sometimes just a bit more dense. They can both be broken up into powders or if the surface is dull, then you can draw straight onto it. It would need to be topcoated to keep from rubbing off.

[SteveTheFish]

Is anyone here a fan of Record of Lodoss War? I'm currently working on a 1:6 scale Deedlit sofubi by Kaiyodo.

I'm painting her with V-Color vinyl paints. So far she is turning out great. Someone told me the colors are perfect for Dungeons and Dragons, which Lodoss is based off of.

[Big s]

1 hour ago, SteveTheFish said:

Is anyone here a fan of Record of Lodoss War? I'm currently working on a 1:6 scale Deedlit sofubi by Kaiyodo.

I'm painting her with V-Color vinyl paints. So far she is turning out great. Someone told me the colors are perfect for Dungeons and Dragons, which Lodoss is based off of.

Great show and awesome character. That paint is turning out well. How does it hold up on the vinyl parts and do you think those paints would work on other soft plastics like polycaps?

[Big s]

3 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

A friend sent me a kit with the replacement wheel, but now that kit is missing a wheel. So the built truck has a replacement, but not the one in the new kit.

Was thinking of making that one a Pepsi truck.

Could do the old ghetto diorama with a stolen wheel

[Thom]

2 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

Instead of Vengeance, how about Reliant-

Flash and lamp light (the lamp one washed out a bit):

 

 

Stand (with blueprint and WoK Starfleet badge):

 

Comparison with the 1/537 Refit:

 

Speaking of the Refit, I replaced the WoK Starfleet badge with a TMP version (the concept now is to use the badge corresponding to when we first see the ships on TV/ Movies):

Awesome work there, Pengbuzz! That Reliant turned out great. Same with the bases. The Ladies look good together.

 

"Pengbuzz in our quadrant, this section, and slowing...'

[SteveTheFish]

3 hours ago, Big s said:

Great show and awesome character. That paint is turning out well. How does it hold up on the vinyl parts and do you think those paints would work on other soft plastics like polycaps?

The V-Color paints are optimal for sofubi kits. While you can prime them and paint them with lacquers and acrylics, the V-Color paints are so extremely durable and it's almost like it dyes the vinyl rather than merely applying a layer of paint. You can't scratch it off with your fingernail. Only if you use sandpaper could you damage the paint job it's that amazing. The downside is that these paints can be a bit difficult to use. If they aren't thinned enough with the V-Color vinyl thinner, it sprays cobwebs.

As for other stuff, that is a good question. I have seen it used on spongy material in a YT video. This guy was building an old Votoms kit and making a diorama that looks just like the box art. He used a clear orange V-Color paint on some sort of soft material to make an explosion. It might work on a polycap, but it might fall off too. It usually adheres to putty used to fill seamlines. That's all I have personal experience with. It doesn't like primered vinyl though.

[Big s]

43 minutes ago, SteveTheFish said:

As for other stuff, that is a good question. I have seen it used on spongy material in a YT video. This guy was building an old Votoms kit and making a diorama that looks just like the box art. He used a clear orange V-Color paint on some sort of soft material to make an explosion. It might work on a polycap, but it might fall off too. It usually adheres to putty used to fill seamlines. That's all I have personal experience with. It doesn't like primered vinyl though.

I was kinda curious because most of the wave Ma.K. Kits have exposed polycaps for the joints and tubes and just about everything rubs off them. It would be great to have something that actually worked in them that wasn’t too difficult to find.

[nonner242]

On 8/28/2024 at 7:40 AM, pengbuzz said:

Instead of Vengeance, how about Reliant-

Flash and lamp light (the lamp one washed out a bit):

 

 

Stand (with blueprint and WoK Starfleet badge):

 

Comparison with the 1/537 Refit:

 

Speaking of the Refit, I replaced the WoK Starfleet badge with a TMP version (the concept now is to use the badge corresponding to when we first see the ships on TV/ Movies):

Look AMAZING! Nice job bud. Always liked the look of them.

What's the size of those?

[Big s]

25 minutes ago, pengbuzz said:

1/537, or about 22" long for the Enterprise.

On that note:

I see Skull One next to your giant Gundam there; if that's 1/60 scale (would love to get one someday but finances are basically SOL thanks to our utility company! grrr), then that Gundam is ginormous!!! O.o

The mega sized Gundam is surprisingly inexpensive due to simplicity in the design. It’s kinda like a giant high grade. I’ve always wanted one, but just don’t have space.

[sketchley]

Update: got the Mr Color Replenishing Agent:

 

If you're wondering why it has taken so long: just because one is in Japan, it doesn't mean modelling products are readily available! 😅

Long story short: the replenishing agent is apparently very popular product, as it's sold out on Amazon.jp, and all the local hobby stores I went to didn't have it!  Ended up getting it at Yodobashi Camera in Umeda (while I don't like the 'downtown' price bump, it's fully replete in models and modelling paraphernalia.  Well worth a visit.)

 

Now, what about that Thinner?  In the week before heading to Umeda, I did a little research on the Replenishing Agent:

The Mr Hobby website* has this warning on the product: "For use with Mr. Color only. Cannot be used with water-based hobby colors, Mr. Metal Color, or paints from other companies. Cannot be used as a thinner. Colors that have too much solvent liquid in them may dissolve the plastic. Be careful not to add too much."

* https://www.mr-hobby.com/ja/product1/category_7/163.html

 

Digging deeper, I found a site where someone actually tried just that—bottom picture after the paint jars, captioned: "The image shows the solvent dripped onto a 0.3mm plastic plate and wiped off after a few seconds. The surface of the plastic plate has slightly melted": http://plamotukuruyo.blog65.fc2.com/blog-entry-93.html

That site suggests: "If it's like syrup, add 2 parts color to 1 part solvent.  If it's solid, add 1 part color to 1 part solvent."

 

However, it and other sites all depict the revitalized paint being diluted with thinner after the solvent has done it's job.  Another site did some experiments, and suggests a solvent 7: thinner 3 ratio: https://nippper.com/2020/10/12656/

 

Regrettably, there's been a typhoon over Japan these past few days.  So that's been another delay on this project.  😫

 

The Mr Hobby site also mentioned that the Replenishing Agent won't work on Mr. Metal Color.  Which sucks, as one of the paints I want to revitalize is "GX Metal Black"!

Their image below illustrates the difference between paint thinner and the replenishing agent.  (top picture: newly opened—blue is paint thinner, coloured dots are important components in the paint, yellow is acrylic agent, and red are things like metallic particles).  Left bottom two pictures are adding "Mr Color Thinner", the right two pictures are adding "Mr Color Replenishing Agent".  The red text on the bottom right is a warning that such things as metallic particles won't return to their original state.

 

Edited August 31 by sketchley

[SteveTheFish]

I got out my 550 scale Gundam Dendrobium model a few nights ago. I built this kit nearly 20 years ago (mostly unpainted), and I wanna give it another shot. But this time I want to light the engines. I'm slowly strategizing how I can go about doing this.

[nonner242]

On 8/29/2024 at 10:38 AM, pengbuzz said:

1/537, or about 22" long for the Enterprise.

On that note:

I see Skull One next to your giant Gundam there; if that's 1/60 scale (would love to get one someday but finances are basically SOL thanks to our utility company! grrr), then that Gundam is ginormous!!! O.o

Yes it's I 1/60 skull. 

And yes Gundam is gigantic lol.

And yes utilities suck my water and sewer together is just about my mortgage monthly😭

[nonner242]

On 8/16/2024 at 8:53 PM, pengbuzz said:

Wow man!! That looks great!!!! You really nailed the weathering, and I can't even tell there was ever a seam line on that canopy!! :yeah:

 

On the VF-0 Phoenix: I don't know if this is available where you live, but I found this:

I get the white one at my local Dollar Tree for a $1.25; I found they worked quite well for my VF-1S to "knock down" the heavy weathering. They also work if you want to do the aztec on a Star Trek ship but don't want to mask the whole blasted thing! They're acrylic and wash off with water (unless sealed with clear coat).

Figured you might get some results out of the white one for the VF-0 you have.

 

Awesome..8 have them at my store too. I randomly just buy them once every couple months..lol

[nonner242]

On 8/29/2024 at 11:04 AM, Big s said:

The mega sized Gundam is surprisingly inexpensive due to simplicity in the design. It’s kinda like a giant high grade. I’ve always wanted one, but just don’t have space.

Yes they are super reasonable especially for the amount of plastic your getting. It really like a giant really well articulated and detail 80s toy😆

Doesn't take up much of just standing..just no wife stance action pose and you loose a TV stand😁

[nonner242]

Well you guys are pro here..WTF is this mess. Got a box of stuff with a really good deal on old airbrush and compressorless  air tank and found this in the parts pile😂

It's a hideous mess of I don't know what your thinking..no I will not try and fix it. Pengbuzz!

[nonner242]

On 8/29/2024 at 10:38 AM, pengbuzz said:

1/537, or about 22" long for the Enterprise.

On that note:

I see Skull One next to your giant Gundam there; if that's 1/60 scale (would love to get one someday but finances are basically SOL thanks to our utility company! grrr), then that Gundam is ginormous!!! O.o

Yes it's I 1/60 skull. 

And yes Gundam is gigantic lol.

And yes utilities suck ...my water and sewer together is just as expensive as mortgage 

[nonner242]

And a few things from the lot with airbrush tank I have now to paint up/over..fix up redo...or throw out.

I don't mind different but sometimes it's too much for me.😑

[Big s]

1 hour ago, nonner242 said:

And a few things from the lot with airbrush tank I have now to paint up/over..fix up redo...or throw out.

I don't mind different but sometimes it's too much for me.😑

I get the feeling someone got their first airbrush and decided to try out different paints and techniques and these were the test items