|
When I was making my RG Exia, one of the hologram leg pieces went on a mysterious journey. If you're not familiar, the kit has a bunch of hologram spots that are created with a reflective sticker covered by a translucent hologram plastic piece. It's really a cool design, the pieces have little slots that fit over hooks on the model. You have to bend them over to hook them and while I was doing so, the piece went PLINK and disappeared. I looked EVERYWHERE in the room. Moved every unmade kit, checked every bookshelf, crawled around on the floor with a flashlight. It wasn't there. A week later I spotted something shiny on the bath mat. It was the hologram piece. Somehow it moved out of the room, down the hallway and into the bathroom.
|
#
¿
Apr 7, 2021 21:45
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 12, 2024 13:37 |
|
|
Balache404 posted:Hey all, first time posting in this tread and I would like to get you guys' opinions on something. When you use a knife, you want to shave down the nub slowly, not just cut it off at the edge of the piece. You'll get much cleaner pieces and much fewer white marks. It can be trying to go so slowly but you'll appreciate the results way more. If you're ever feeling like you need to apply a lot of pressure, stop immediately. 9 times out of 10 you'll cut the piece and continue on to cut anything in the way (like your hand). If it's hard, shave less or replace your blade. Never, ever dig. Always angle the blade up if you can. If you angle the blade down you'll gouge the piece. If you're not happy with the results of cutting off a nub, trying rubbing it with your nail. This will often be enough to smooth it out. Get some practice with simpler kits before you move up to something with tiny pieces. It can be really challenging to remove nubs from tiny little pieces with a knife without cutting yourself. Don't expect perfectly clean pieces. It takes a lot of practice to get good, and even then you'll see the spot if you're looking for it. I'm not familiar with that brand of cutter, but I can say that on my first model I used metal snips and found them way worse than ones made for plastic. They mention zip ties on the manufacturer page, so they might be fine.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 11, 2021 19:01
|
|
|
Digihazard posted:I just finished the MG Strike Rouge and real happy as its the first one i've panel lined (and 4th ever gunpla build) and im eagerly awaiting delivery of my next one, the RG Eva01 Night combat version I've built most of the RG Eva units and didn't see any reason to panel line any of them. There really aren't many lines on them. The plastic is also glossy, which doesn't really hold ink very well.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 28, 2021 17:13
|
|
|
Brownie posted:I've gotten into this hobby over the past month and I just finished my first gunpla, an HG RX-78-2 Gundam (The Origin Ver.). I'm pretty happy with it but there were a couple cracks that either formed or became visible while I was panel lining, and I'm not sure if it was an issue with the panel liner or something that happened during the build, or some third option. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about : I'm building the RG Nu right now. Here's a picture of the decals up close and from ~normal distance.   If you're looking at it close, you can see the edges. From normal distance it's not really noticeable. If you want to take the extra effort water slides will always look better but I personally don't think it's worth the effort. When I apply decals I use a knife to pick them up and place them, then smooth them out with a toothpick. Push the toothpick slowly across the decal in one direction to smooth it out. You can practice a bit with scotch tape to see how to do it. Also, If any bits hang over the side of the part you can cut off the excess by running a knife carefully along the edge.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 13, 2021 21:08
|
|
|
Sazabi posted:I got a hankering for RG Zaku should I resist or is it a manageable build? I made an RG Zaku a few months ago and I have to say its problems are way over exaggerated. The hoses really aren't a big deal. They're just more difficult than your average gunpla build so just be more patient and go slower and you'll be fine. I don't remember any pieces falling off. I did have a hard time getting it to stand up for the final pose though. If you don't have a stand, maybe don't expect an action scene. If you have a strong aversion to decals you might find it frustrating. There are a lot and some are real small. You can always choose to just not apply them if they're not your thing.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 17, 2021 13:37
|
|
|
ANAmal.net posted:It has the common early-RG problem where the posable hands are absolutely trash, but the RG Zaku was the first Gunpla I built and I didn't gently caress it up too bad. I forgot about the terrible hands. I made the green Zaku which comes with optional single pose hands. Looks like original red Zaku is the only one that only has the fully posable B-runner hands. They're a great idea that does not work at all in reality.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 17, 2021 22:35
|
|
|
BizarroAzrael posted:My stuff got here from HLJ super quick on the cheapest shipping, under a week I think. Good timing I expect. The RG Zeong is a great kit. Unlike any of its grade and super fun to build. If you like RGs at all you should get one.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 11, 2022 03:22
|
|
|
Balache404 posted:Probably the only one here that cares about this line but F it, it's going here anyways: How are the builds on the Digimon kits? The finished pictures always look cool, but the instructions make me think they'd be a bit unsatisfying at their almost master grade prices.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 15, 2022 22:50
|
|
|
BisbyWorl posted:"Hmm, I know it'll be a long shot, but I wonder if my local store has any Armored Core mo-" Panda Hobby is always overpriced. https://niigs.ca/ isn't local but is much more reasonable. Gotta keep on eye on them though, they don't get a lot of stock. Skrillmub fucked around with this message at 12:28 on Nov 5, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Nov 5, 2022 11:48
|
|
|
I'm seriously considering buying the MG GP02 because it looks like such a beefy stupid doofus. Is this a terrible idea? It's from 1998 and the only other old MG I've done is the Guncannon. Which was unsatisfying to build but looks fine.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 15, 2022 18:09
|
|
|
TaurusOxford posted:MG GP02 is a notoriously bad MG. Virtually no poseability due to its bulk and engineering, and it can't even hold its shield unless you super glue it into its hand, and that's assuming the hand doesn't just pop out of the wrist from the weight. Glad I asked! Thanks a lot!
|
|
#
¿
Nov 15, 2022 22:45
|
|
|
Schwarzwald posted:I saw some L-Gaim kits at my (not so) local hobby store. Does anyone have any experience with them? I've always dug their designs. I made the Aug and was pretty disappointed. It's a really basic build, really floppy and really ugly.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 14, 2022 21:21
|
|
|
Is anyone else concerned that there are no RG, MG or PG kits announced for the future? I don't think there's even an HGUC scheduled.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 20, 2022 12:54
|
|
|
Pierson posted:I'm not really a big 'full armor' guy so that actually makes things a lot easier, thanks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqVHPBvrDXk&t=319s is a good video about what mark softer and setter do and how to use them. In my experience mark softer is good to have and mark setter is essential for your sanity.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 5, 2023 17:51
|
|
|
free Trapt CD posted:Building the RG Zeong and god drat this is a good time. Modern RGs are definitely my jam so far, thanks for the rec in-thread... Although the size of the Zeong being so much larger it feels worlds away from the RG Wing Gundam TV I put together. Would it be fair to say that the experience of building the RG Zeong is pretty close to a standard MG build? The newer RGs without a pre-built inner frame really are just little MGs.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 9, 2023 18:32
|
|
|
Arc Hammer posted:Is the Dom 1.5 worth it? Modern parts over old engineering? I made one and it didn't feel old, but it definitely felt overpriced. I would say buy one if you can find one 20% off. Which doesn't seem hard, all the stores around here put them on discount all the time.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 16, 2023 01:32
|
|
|
Twelve by Pies posted:As I said on discord, I may have made a mistake. You might want to grab a Gundam The Origin HG to get some decal practice in before you do the RG. RG isn't harder to put together but will always come with lots of decals.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 14, 2023 23:45
|
|
|
Kibner posted:Has anyone had issues with the Zogok clear face plate not staying in place? I don't think I cut off something that was intended to be used to hold it in place... I remember having trouble with mine but I don't remember the solution. It's one of those pieces that are supposed to stay in place just by being a little bit too big for the opening. I may have shoved it in harder, I may have glued it. Not sure.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 28, 2023 00:19
|
|
|
Numero6 posted:Hello, Any mask rated for construction will work for plastic dust as well. Plastic dust is much heavier than the particulates that come off of sanders and saws. You're also not tossing it violently into the air, so it's probably not going to reach you at all while sanding. If you're painting, you need a respirator or a mask rated for solvent/vapour.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 12, 2023 13:21
|
|
|
Katamari Democracy posted:Thats what I was kind of thinking but meh. You can glue those pieces onto the face, but you're never going to get full jaw motion. I very much recommend watching a few Youtube videos on how to remove gates. You are leaving a whole bunch of little pieces on the parts that are making things not fit together and just generally look awful. Are those metal snips what you're using? Stop doing that and buy plastic cutters and either a hobby knife or sanding sponges.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 13, 2023 02:44
|
|
|
tenderjerk posted:It's cool to see Bandai branching out into other franchises I guess and wow that Epyon looks cool as hell but these NEXT PHASE infodumps Bandai does sure have become rather dismal over time Bandai really seems to have gotten the idea that they can sell model kits to anyone if they just find the right character. These things are not at all for everyone and got super popular because of a worldwide quarantine. They even have an idol group for Gunpla now?
|
|
#
¿
Mar 22, 2023 18:34
|
|
|
Nullkigan posted:Just cleaned the panel lining on an entire (unpainted) kit with a SINGLE tamiya swab. The gently caress is this magic? Thanks for this post. I had been getting more and more frustrated using Q-tips to clean up panel lining. I got some of the super fine Tamiya swabs and they're so much better. I can actually pinpoint the spot I want to clean up, not just swipe over and hope it works. And they don't fray out and become useless almost right away. The really fine swabs don't seem to soak up the ink like your post, but I can just go over smears with a Q-tip after and clean that up. Next time I buy tools I'm getting a few sizes and switching over 100%.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 25, 2023 15:30
|
|
|
Open Marriage Night posted:Picked up my first Gundam since Gundam W was originally airing in America. The gold God Gundam is a special version of the master grade from 2001. I don't think it's a new kit, I think it got a reprint recently. Right now your only easy to obtain option is probably the real grade from last year. It's the most recent real grade and one of the best. It will be more challenging if you're just starting out. http://dalong.net/ is an excellent resource for finding out about kits.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 26, 2023 12:42
|
|
|
MechaX posted:I'm plugging through the MG Red Frame Kai and while it's pretty interesting to see how all of this is coming together, is it just me or are there a lot of tiny pieces in the legs that don't really seem to.. do anything? Those pieces are part of the articulation when the leg is done. Some of them will slide the armour pieces when you bend the knee, some of them will just move into place and show the inner frame. Trust in Bandai's engineering. Some of it can be real fiddly when assembling but it's always worth it.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 27, 2023 00:35
|
|
|
boz posted:Truth. Be careful with the foot shield plate thingys. It's real easy to snap the connection to the leg.
|
|
#
¿
May 26, 2023 17:28
|
|
|
Qylvaran posted:Hi guys! I haven't done gunpla since high school (more than two decades ago. I'm so oooold), but I'm in Japan on vacation and just got back to my hotel room from a trip to The Gundam Base. I couldn't leave empty handed, so I picked up this store exclusive: I'm not trying to scare you, but you've chosen a kit that's not very beginner friendly. No Bandai kits are genuinely difficult, it's more that as they increase in complexity they also increase in the amount of time and effort needed to get a decent finished product. You're also going to want better tools than a pair of scissors. This kit is going to have a lot of tiny little pieces to fit onto a pre-made inner frame. Since you haven't done Gunpla since high school, the engineering will be miraculous. It's also going to have lots of decals. Not 100% sure, it's possible it will have water slide type decals since it's a Gundam Base exclusive. It might just have regular sticker type decals. Either way, it will be A LOT and take a lot of fiddly time to get right. You can also choose not to decal, Gunpla is freedom. Panel lining is an excellent choice to bring out extra detail on the kit. It's also extra work and needs not just a marker but some swabs or Q-tips and lighter fluid or rubbing alcohol. It's also a technique you need to develop a bit, so don't loose hope if you first try doesn't go perfect. If you go slow and stay patient, you're going to build one of the best type of kits you can choose. You will be hopelessly addicted like the rest of us immediately.
|
|
#
¿
May 29, 2023 17:16
|
|
|
Arc Hammer posted:So $125 for thr MG Full Armour from Thunderbolt *at a discount* is kind of outrageous? A good price, before discount, in CAD for MG full armour should be about $110. A fair, average price should be $125. Unless "at a discount" is like 5%, that place is overpriced.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 3, 2023 02:13
|
|
|
Qylvaran posted:I just finished building my spoils from Japan, and I wanted to share some pictures before I ruin it trying to apply panel lining and decals: That is a pretty good job. Also, quick. The Gunpla bug has definitely got you. Bandai themselves even gave up on those awful elbow joint stickers. A good idea that just never really worked. Panel lining really is as easy as described above. Maybe hit the Q-tip with a bit of rubbing alcohol or lighter fluid to make it clean faster. Give it a try dry first and see how it feels to you. You might have a bit of trouble lining any very fine lines on the RG. Those fine markers look super tiny until you actually get them on the model. Pour type markers can get into any little crevice.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 7, 2023 17:33
|
|
|
Dreqqus posted:If I'm looking to spend 30 to 100 bucks or so on a lot, but want to try something non-Gundam and maybe even non-Bandai, what lines/kits should I be looking at? https://www.gundamit.com/motor-nuclear-blue-dragon-ao-bing-model-kit_p0322.html https://www.gundamit.com/motor-nuclear-mnp-xh02-cao-ren-model-kit_p2032.html Pointy metal frame not-Gundams. https://gundamit.com/shenx-classic-of-mountains-and-seas-white-tiger_p0662.html A tiger. https://gundamit.com/shenx-classic-of-mountains-and-seas-azure-dragon_p0212.html A loving dragon. https://gundamit.com/eastern-model-iron-man-mk42-mk_p1322.html Iron Man. https://gundamit.com/ms-general-mg07-zhuge-liang-mk_p0828.html A very pretty angel.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 17, 2023 01:53
|
|
|
Arc Hammer posted:Any good online retailers that ship to Canada I should be looking at? My local hobby shop has like a million things on back order so they've got basically no G Witch kits available. At this point I'd rather just order something and have it come eventually than keep playing the lottery and hoping my shop gets a shipment in. Adding another vote for NiiG. They're the best and the dude will ship your order in like 15 minutes. https://torchlightgh.com is a bit overpriced but keeps stock longer than other places. They have a good amount of Witch kits right now. They also have a lower free shipping threshold. https://gundamhangar.com/ is also cool, but more focused on P-Bandai stuff.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 28, 2023 17:22
|
|
|
Cat Hatter posted:How do they suggest their name be pronounced? I think of it as NeeGee. It started out as Nii Gift Shop, selling mostly Japanese character goods. Maybe the extra i was added to ni to make it look less maybe racist?
|
|
#
¿
Jun 28, 2023 21:51
|
|
|
Arc Hammer posted:What do people do with old runners and boxes? I've got a box of baggies filled with spare parts, polycaps and assorted weapons and beam effect parts. I keep a few boxes to store finished HGs that I'm not currently displaying and the rest I break down. I keep the lids with the cover art and recycle the rest. As for spent runners I usually just snap them apart and try to find a way to recycle them. I take all the extra pieces off the runners and put them in a plastic bag. That bag goes into a binder sleeve with the manual and any extra weapons. The sleeve then goes into a binder sorted by grade. It sounds like a lot of work, but it condenses all this extra poo poo into a much smaller space. I've got almost all the RGs released in just one binder. The grey box half and runners I recycle. The top box, with the art on it, I keep hoping some day I can put them up on the walls of a proper Gunpla room.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 10, 2023 17:21
|
|
|
Mindblast posted:Im not too familiar with third party kits and I just noticed this one on gundamit and I'm sorta confused: Yeah, it's a third party bootleg of the Bandai kit. It's not a new thing but the pandemic Gunpla boom has seen a lot of third parties start up. I can't speak to this manufacturer. A quick search makes me think they're exactly what they look like - a cheap alternative. Not as good as Bandai but fine if you like the look. I can say that there are several third parties poised to eat the gently caress out of Bandai's lunch if they don't step up their MG/PG game.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 13, 2023 22:05
|
|
|
Anyone have experience with Zoids kits? There's a sale on right now and the prices suddenly seem like something to try. I only ever did one Kotobukiya kit and I kind of hated it. Besides poor colour separation that they expected to correct with wrap-around waterslides that didn't work, it also kind of felt bad to build. Like it was designed in a way that was just not any fun. Also, it took like twenty minutes to get the head to attach to the body just because it was a bad connection. Are Zoids good?
|
|
#
¿
Aug 3, 2023 17:33
|
|
|
DrHammond posted:Hey, I also just finished my RG Char build! First RG build and had a great time. The front skirt sections will fall off at a moments notice but other than that no build issues. Here's a few tips: Pick the decals up off the sheet with the edge of a hobby knife. Be careful to get under the edge and not damage the decal. Apply one edge of the decal first, then smooth down with something small and blunt like a tooth pick. Make sure the decal is affixed evenly. Wrap-around decals don't work as well as Bandai wishes they did, but they can work OK with patience. Apply one side like normal, smooth out slowly and lift up if the decal isn't in the right place. Tweezers help with larger decals. There's no way to make the edges invisible up close. You can cut out as much of the design on the decal as possible to reduce the amount of edge. Water slide decals are many many many times better than sticker or dry transfer decals. They take some practice and you should have at least mark setter but it's worth it. Lots of people will be vocal about hating decals and stickers. This is your hobby, something you do for fun in your spare time. If you don't like them, don't do them. If you like them, take the time and practice slowly and get better.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 31, 2023 22:58
|
|
|
Pierson posted:Setter is for better grip on the surface. Softener is exactly what you said. Yeah, it's just glue. It allows water slides to actually stick to the model and not just wander off by themselves.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 1, 2023 00:48
|
|
|
Mindblast posted:I've never done waterslides before and the only kits that I own that have them are my chinese thor and bootleg warrior Zaku. I figured I was just going to apply the decals, panel lining and then mat top coat them. But I guess if I do that I will blow off the waterslides? Or are softeners and setters optional? You won't blow them off. As long as they've dried they'll be fine when topcoating. But, you will find that if you so much as graze an applied decal while putting another one on there's a good chance it will come off. That's where mark setter makes life better. You should panel line before you do decals. Unless you're extremely precise you'll probably end up smearing some of the panel liner into the decal when you're cleaning up, which will outline the edge of the decal. In my experience, the worst waterslides are the ones from Bandai. They just don't work at all without setter. I haven't made Thor yet but I suspect its decals are way easier to work with. Even bootleg kits seem to put the extra effort into waterslides that actually stick.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 1, 2023 12:08
|
|
|
Waffleman_ posted:Wondering if I should plonk down for a sheet of waterslides for the Gaogaigar, having never slided water before, just deal with the regular decals, or just not bother and decide later Water slides are always better. You'll have a little bit higher than normal challenge with Gaogaigar, since you have to apply decals to the rounded wrists. Also, absolutely get some mark setter. You want those decals on there real good before you start fumbling around with the transformation. If you're at the point where you're seriously thinking about investing a little bit more into a kit to make it look better, now's a good a time as any to start.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 1, 2023 20:28
|
|
|
Blaziken386 posted:do y'all have any suggestions for how to not accidentally slice your fingers when removing particularly stubborn runners with the hobby knife, or is it just a practice thing. Keep your knife sharp, shave less and never put your finger in the path of the blade. But, it's gonna happen eventually. It happens less as you get better. You'll know how much force you need to get through the nub and not use more. I have stabbed myself directly into the middle of the pad of my thumb. It hurt for days and days.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 8, 2023 22:57
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 12, 2024 13:37 |
|
|
X-Ray Pecs posted:I’ve tried googling around to find an answer and I feel like I’m going nuts because no one else seems to have this issue. Why the hell are my waterslides so inconsistent? I was able to put some waterslides on fine (MG Qubeley, HG Nu Gundam, and the new MG Dom’s eye), but since then I’ve had trouble with them on my HG Kämpfer, HG Sazabi, and, most recently, HG 7-11 Gundam. Sometimes I put them in the water, wait, and they’ll slide off just fine, and sometimes they’ll just stick to the paper or I have to take them off the paper with an xacto knife to apply. I’ve tried using warm water and letting the decals soak for 3-10 seconds, and then anywhere from 90 seconds to a couple minutes later, I check for sliding. What am I doing wrong with the bad ones? Kinda hard to tell exactly what's going on. Are you using the same manufacturer for each set of decals? Could just be a difference in maker. Are you using a wet swab to get them off the paper? How are you holding the decal while you're trying to remove them? I've often had decals take a few extra second to be ready to come off, but never 90 seconds. If you dunk them for five they should be ready to go in 30, maybe 45 at most. Is the only problem with them coming off the paper? Are they sticking good? No wrinkling? No folding over?
|
|
#
¿
Nov 4, 2023 22:40
|
|