Gunpla/Plamo Thread Mk.IV

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > VEGETA > Gunpla/Plamo Thread Mk.IV

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

So, I�ve just gotten into this and I�m finding that I�m really enjoying painting the pistons, pipes, hoses, and other dark gray internal gubbins. What sorts of (hopefully accessible) kits are good for this? So far I�m guessing RGs and HGIBOs?

Also, any tips on how to mask those areas? So far, I�ve been making do with paper cutouts and Gundam markers, but the stuff seems to have a life of its own.

# ¿ Oct 24, 2022 17:49

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# ¿ May 12, 2024 07:49

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Well, it�s specifically the mechanical bits - I built the RG Exia and its internal frame didn�t really have anything to work with there. So I guess I�m asking about the combo of detail and a more industrial aesthetic?

E: should I look to other model lines for that?

CommunityEdition fucked around with this message at 18:16 on Oct 24, 2022

# ¿ Oct 24, 2022 18:10

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Awesome! Looks like I�ll be able to populate a wish list off of this!

# ¿ Oct 24, 2022 18:42

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

wdarkk posted:

Take a look at the RG Nu.

I�m just finishing the RG Sazabi, so I was going to have to do that anyways!

# ¿ Oct 24, 2022 20:49

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

floatman posted:

Comedy option: if you want pipes, the bandai star wars y-wing kit

This could work�I�ve got Star Wars friends, that could make for a sweet gift one of these days

# ¿ Oct 25, 2022 17:08

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

So, turns out Krylon primer will melt polystyrene if I spray it wrong, �craft foam safety� be damned. I should have tested it on a runner, but at least I only tested it on an HG Z�gok instead.

# ¿ Nov 28, 2022 06:09

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Chromatics posted:

which of their primers did you use? I have not heard of it doing that on games workshop PS for example

Probably held it too close when trying to get spots I missed - the melting only occurred where there were drips, as far as I can tell

# ¿ Nov 28, 2022 16:32

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

GreenBuckanneer posted:

I agree, there's tons of models out there but I don't know most of them.

I'd like to see some non-Gundam mecha that isn't like, NGE, like maybe a Gurren Lagann or Code Geass set of kits or something

I haven�t tried them, and they�re a little spendy, but there�s a variety of Morstorm 1/9 scale Iron Man suit kits that should probably count as mecha, and they look gorgeous from the store display models I�ve seen.

CommunityEdition fucked around with this message at 07:24 on Dec 5, 2022

# ¿ Dec 5, 2022 07:19

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Just �finished� the HG Psycho Zaku (I�m not applying black stickers over black plastic, and I need some distance and an airbrush before I paint this thing), and that could easily be the most frustrating build I�ve had yet. Mulched most of the foot poly caps and had to carve down their pegs, then broke the joint on the right trigger hand at the very end, so no shooting pose for me. Not to mention the heavily swirled injection gold verniers on everything, and plastic bad enough that I had to check my nippers weren�t dull. Is this a known problem set, or did I just have bad luck?

# ¿ Dec 13, 2022 19:09

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Cat Hatter posted:

Wanted the suit to match the pilot?

Hah! I hadn�t thought of that, but I guess I got off lightly only giving a bit of thumb skin to this thing

# ¿ Dec 14, 2022 07:32

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

What is it about that grainy white plastic that makes knife cleanup so reliable, and why can�t they do that with all of their styrene parts?

# ¿ Dec 15, 2022 06:44

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

How do you get Vallejo plastic putty out of denim?

# ¿ Dec 17, 2022 02:05

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

grassy gnoll posted:

The white stuff is acrylic and will wash out, the grey stuff you're going to have to attack with some solvents to get out. Plastic cement and other plastic solvents will definitely desolidify it, but you're going to want to soak it up as quick as possible, and I wouldn't be surprised if you're going to have some nasty stains on the denim from whatever you use to get it out.

It�s white, thankfully. I panicked when my washing machine wasn�t touching it, but I think I just have a bad washing machine.

Remember kids - always check for a foil seal before squeezing tubes of goo!

# ¿ Dec 17, 2022 03:25

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Kimaris is always the right choice

# ¿ Dec 20, 2022 03:41

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Ethiser posted:

It�s a crime that there isn�t a RG Guncannon and Guntank.

Honestly, if they shrank the MG guntank as-is, it�s already got more than enough gimmicks for an RG. What else could they add?

# ¿ Dec 22, 2022 02:01

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

IG-88 posted:

#4 - AMX-003 GAZA C - Axis Mass Productive Transformable Mobile Suit - 0141907

What a fun kit!

Bought mine accidentally when the Witch from Mercury kits were first rolling out at my local hobby store.

�Purple and curvy, must be the grunt suit to go with the Beguir-Beu, better lock this order in before they run out!�

# ¿ Dec 25, 2022 00:06

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

I got an airbrush for Christmas (Iwata Eclipse hp-cs), and after a couple disappointing months constantly rebrushing the same parts or melting them with Krylon propellant, I�m really looking forwards to putting Vallejo paint and Quick-Shine through it. However, I still haven�t pulled the trigger, because I�m very anxious that I�ll manage to brick it, because this is my first creative endeavor since grade school and I�m not at all used to doing things by feel. As you might have guessed, I�m ADHD so I could probably go another few months accumulating more paint, tools and chemicals without ever getting around to using the thing.

So, what I�m asking is - please walk me through a basic airbrush session, so I can get over this hump without wrecking my tools?

# ¿ Jan 4, 2023 15:51

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Kibner posted:

I don't know about the operation of the airbrush, but my gf was advised to practice on plastic spoons when learning how to use it. Their convex and concave nature help you figure out angles and such when dealing with non-flat surfaces and it is cheap to get a million of them to work on and then trash.

Thanks for the reminder!

# ¿ Jan 4, 2023 16:25

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

grassy gnoll posted:

The good news is that while you may give yourself an arduous cleaning task, as long as you don't bend the needle tip or scratch the hell out of the paint chamber, your mistakes won't be permanent. To avoid either of these catastrophic failure conditions, don't drop the needle, don't drop the airbrush, insert the needle into the brush gently, and don't use hard tools to get paint out of the brush when you clean it.

When I bust out the airbrush, I pull out my paint booth first. Since I use acrylics, this is a cardboard box with a big open filter stuck at the back to catch particulates. Use a real spray booth with active ventilation if you're going to be using anything other than water-based acrylics. Booth goes on my table, compressor gets plugged in and filling, and I set out my cleaning supplies - cleanser, alcohol if I really gently caress up, interdental brush to clean out the bits, and a pokey airbrush nozzle cleaning tool to get any accumulated crud out of the nozzle when I'm done. I don't need any of these yet, it just means I don't have to wait once I'm done painting.

I flop down at the table, put my paint object in the spray box, put on my dust mask and eye protection, then pick out my paint. Different paints and primers will need different amounts of additives to make them flow well through the brush, and that's something you have to figure out by trial and error. Mix paint and additives in the airbrush cup, pick up the model on whatever stand or skewer I've stuck it to, and spray. I'll periodically check while I'm painting to make sure I'm not getting paint accumulating on the needle tip, and wipe it off with a bunched-off paper towel dampened with airbrush cleaner if I see anything. You don't need to do this if you're using lacquers or enamels, but then you have a host of other issues to deal with.

Once I'm done with a particular paint, I immediately put down the model and go clean out the brush. This is the quick version of cleaning - take it to the sink, rinse it with the squirt bottle of cleaner, and knock as much paint out of it before it dries. If I've got paint dried on the side of the airbrush cup, I'll go after it with an old dead paintbrush and some alcohol to scrub it out, since it'll only get tougher to remove as it cures. If you're painting something really huge, you might want to dump and refill your brush before you start to get stuff drying in it, since it'll make cleaning so much more of a pain.

Painting itself is done with quick shots from the brush. You want the paint to start the drying process in the air, so it sticks and dries just after it hits the model. If it looks wet on the plastic, you're too close or you're putting on too much paint. If it looks dusty and it's not adhering, you're too far the other way. Acrylics will dry pretty dang quick, so you should be able to handle the thing pretty quickly. Let it sit for a little bit anyway just to be sure, because putting a big fat thumbprint in wet paint is really annoying to fix.

When you're done painting, clean your brush first and then tidy up the rest of your work area. Again, dump cleaning solvent into the brush, spray it out into your spray pot (these are all generic, so either buy a cheap one or make one of out an old plastic bottle) until it's clean. You can gently cover the nozzle of your airbrush with cleaning solution in the cup (use something soft, like a paper towel or cotton ball or the like, being very careful not to damage the needle tip) and spray a little - this will backflow the cleaner and help knock more crud out of your nozzle.

Once you're not seeing any more paint coming out of the brush, take it apart. Every brush is different, but you should be able to remove at least the needle and nozzle. You'll probably have to wipe the needle clean, again being very careful not to drop it or bend the tip. I recommend putting some cleaner on a paper towel and pulling along the needle towards the point until it's clean. The nozzle is probably really, really tiny, so gently scrub it with the interdental brush or whatever else you use to clean it, and make sure there's absolutely no paint left in it. Be thorough but gentle, because if you scratch the inside of the nozzle, that's just going to build up more and more paint as you work in the future. Finally, brush or swab out the barrel of the brush itself. You shouldn't need to get back into the pressure valve, but there'll be a tube between the paint cup and the nozzle parts that usually has crud in it. Again, gentle but thorough, same reasons.

Cleaning the brush is the "hard" part, so now you can let it dry out and pack everything away. It sounds like a lot, but once you get the basics down, you can set up and clean out your brush pretty dang quick. Again, the only places you can really permanently screw up involve bending or scratching metal parts, so even if you don't clean everything perfectly the first time, all you've got is a couple extra chores and not an expensive replacement in your future.

You�re a lifesaver. Thank you so much for this, this is exactly what I needed.

# ¿ Jan 5, 2023 06:36

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

War and Pieces posted:

topcoat too if only just to practice

Can verify. Not just technique, but to make sure you can tell what�s going on given your workspace�s lighting.

And that�s how I ended up spending an evening getting quick shine everywhere except the plastic at 25 PSI, and not even realizing it until the next day.

# ¿ Jan 10, 2023 15:46

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

The time limit on Bluefin replacements is the strongest argument for keeping your backlog small

# ¿ Jan 19, 2023 05:44

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

BaronVanAwesome posted:

Backlog ready!!!

Yeah, that�s going to make for a mighty fine display case

# ¿ Jan 24, 2023 05:34

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Gripweed posted:

yeah I find it's a lot faster to just cut into my thumb

Not only is blood thicker than water, it�s thicker than skim milk. So you�ll need to thin before airbrushing.

# ¿ Jan 27, 2023 05:28

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Nullkigan posted:

Lacquer primer especially is basically going to be unshakeable, so long as you let it cure for the full several days/week before doing anything else to it.

This is incredibly valuable when starting out or experimenting; I was able to fully strip one part of acrylic 5 times in 91% isopropyl alcohol before hints of plastic color started peeking through.

# ¿ Jan 27, 2023 19:49

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

What�s the story behind Dalong? Is it just one person? Where do all of these kits come from? Are they sponsored? Is that why all of their reviews seem at least cordial, or are they just polite in general?

# ¿ Jan 30, 2023 01:31

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Monaghan posted:

Quick shine is really similar and available in canada not sure about its availability in the states though.

It�s available through Amazon too: https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Shine-Multi-Surface-Finish-Polish/dp/B007TSJLCE/

On a related note, what�s the best way to remove Quick Shine from plastic, and how thick of a coat are you supposed to give varnish, anyways?

# ¿ Mar 13, 2023 15:41

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

parabolic posted:

I like the underlying design a lot, don't get me wrong. But, uh..

Hey, Gunpla is freedom.

# ¿ Apr 13, 2023 04:19

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Why won�t they reprint the Turn X?

# ¿ May 26, 2023 15:26

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Buck Wildman posted:

it's my understanding that the metallic marker paint can be easily cleaned up with some isopropyl alcohol and a q-tip correct? I want to get the really precise silver details on the sazabi but the markers really aren't the best at that level of precision, and I'd like to just gently splat it in and clean up the borders

also the markers are great. doing the gold on the yellow pieces is transformative

Toothpicks are your friend. Also, marker metallic detailing on the Sazabi remains the highest payoff-for-effort customization I�ve done yet.

(The MG Going Merry paint job I�m working on will probably be even better payoff, but that�s been half a year of my modeling time so far with no end in sight)

# ¿ Jun 7, 2023 20:36

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

This poll was basically a formality, right? The only real competitor would have been Neo Zeong, but that�s gotten a couple releases in the past few months.

# ¿ Jun 13, 2023 15:06

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Buck Wildman posted:

decals are hard but so far so good. got a chest decal visibly off center but good enough for government work

One of the benefits of exciting poses - much harder to see that the decals don�t line up

# ¿ Jun 18, 2023 21:17

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

I�m still stalling on a huge, 6-part water slide decal over a very uneven surface for the MG Going Merry. Is there any economical way for me to replicate the decal to give myself a do-over?

# ¿ Jun 23, 2023 20:28

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

RPATDO_LAMD posted:

I was thinking of getting started with gunpla but how do you actually go about buying stuff online?

I was looking at HLJ from the link in the OP but it seems like the $14 HG Zaku II kit would have over $20 in shipping costs to the northwest US. Is it only economical if you're buying a bunch at once?
Would I be better off just visiting a local hobby store in person if I just want to buy a single kit to give it a try?

HLJ is way overkill for most purposes. You�re still at the stage where you don�t actually need to keep an eagle eye on when things come back into stock in order to get a cool kit that you haven�t already built.

A good hobby shop will have prices about comparable to newtype.us , and here�s the reason why: every store that�s all in on Gunpla gets the same new and restocks in the same order, and virtually no kit worth building ever goes out of production permanently. So there�s no real reason to ever pay above the lowest price the kit ever retails at, because when it gets reissued it�s going to drop back down to that level.

# ¿ Jul 9, 2023 21:17

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Bought an Ao Bing to do instead of my backlog, because its prepainted and I a break from constantly feeling like I should have done more with my kits.

# ¿ Jul 16, 2023 23:54

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

uwaeve posted:

Second question: people have mentioned not to panel line with Tamiya Panel Line Accent, the oil-based wash, due to parts weakening. Will a layer of acrylic or lacquer varnish first prevent penetration? I know I run the risk of capillary action carrying the enamel or enamel thinner to joints/structural pieces that may be uncoated if I mask them, but I was looking for options aside from the gundam marker route. Maybe I just need practice with the markers...

It should. The really dangerous thing is lining assembled parts. I had a Wing Zero Ver. Ka�s forehead crumble to little pieces within minutes after a drop of panel liner wicked its way under the cockatoo crest, where the solvent couldn�t evaporate freely. If you�re looking for a ready mixed option, some Nuln Oil is safe for all parts, and is my go-to for those panel lines that hide the seam between two parts. Really the only thing to watch out for is not trying to clean it up with alcohol when you�ve done an acrylic top coat underneath.

# ¿ Jul 25, 2023 22:22

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Well, I guess I know what�s coming out of my backlog next. After I finish RG Gundam MK II (Titans), which despite my fears is so far marking less on the blue plastic than any I�ve run into. Might be a coincidence, because I haven�t yet reached the sides of the torso.

Seriously, it�s going to be one of the flattest areas on almost any Gundam, so why do they always leave a big ol� seamline right down the middle with exposed nubs? I think I�ve finally decided what to do with all of that pla plate I bought and never opened.

# ¿ Aug 19, 2023 21:03

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

I was skeptical about Buster at first because it�s kind of subdued, but so far it�s just so much more pleasant of an experience than Heavyarms. It�s like a Heavyarms that was designed for people without a spare month for detailing.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2023 17:44

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Midjack posted:

I think shops can elect for a "send me whatever, distributor-sempai" deal at a discount instead of specifically requesting stuff so they get whatever Bandai dumped on the US market.

Jokes on my local store I guess� $475 PG millennium falcons, dozens of $25 Bandai LED pucks, and a smattering of PG light units without a kit to go with them have got to be uncomfortable hanging on the balance sheet

# ¿ Sep 11, 2023 04:57

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Do get the MG Dynames, Kyrios or Virtue, though. Those are quite good.

# ¿ Oct 2, 2023 15:59

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# ¿ May 12, 2024 07:49

CommunityEdition: May 1, 2009

Ah, the �I bought an Eclipse and don�t want to pay P-Bandai for a standalone backpack� problem.

# ¿ Oct 3, 2023 15:23

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