Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

White/wood glue.

Takes longer to dry but easy to fix wiring.

2 Options: 1.) Find someone with an ALPS Printer(those can print white, silver and gold). 1 set of white backgrounds and 1 set of colours to go on top of it. 2.) Print the decals on WHITE decal paper but those will need some fine trimming around the coloured areas before applying. Alps printed decal...

Hope that fan is strong.

When I learned airbrushing , etc there was a golden rule.

If you can smell it with the mask on it is already deposited in your lungs, which don't have a self-cleaning feature.

I did. Thx, for a more detailed explanation on what pinning involves. For me it is a must on resin kits and even on some vinyl ones(more involved). There are a few methods to decide on where to place the pin, I still use the cross methods. Join the parts in the alignment you want, draw 4 lines acros...

Don't forget to pin your kits, I have some Mecha kits that held together just with the Pins. If you use Pinning you can also use Putty as a Bonder - Filler between the parts. Cleanup is usually easy of it as Figure as you state. Wave(Japan) Makes a non-smelling and non-fogging CA-Glue but I prefer 2...

Spend a bit more and get a good compressor from the start.

Mine so far has served me nearly 15yrs and is still going strong and running smooth.

But preferably Your metal-coat should be your final one.

As any top-coat, etc will change the appearance.

Metal-primer

Paint-coat

Top-coat.

I use a Cake decorating table. Rotates and has a slight tilt, makes ABing easier. They do come in different sizes.

Works for me but than the biggest model I got right now is the 1/500 Yamato.

Check the Volks MM Resin kits for probs with their joints.

You can form the resin/putty master around a poly-joint if covered in vaseline.
Max watanabe covers it in his modelling book as does David Fisher, IIRC.

Tamiya acrylics don't brush well.

Go with GSI/Ceos or Gaianotes.

I found White, Red and Yellow tough colours to get right.

Working on an aoshima speed-racer kit, thinking of polishing the white body using a top-compound(2000-6000 Grit) and than covering it in a Urethane topcoat.

The topcoat will also need to be polished to a glass like finish.

I would go with static but posable kits like the old Wave or Yellow Submarine kits. (Quo Vadis, Valken, etc)

They got the ball joint moulded in and you choose the pose when pinning the joint.

Rubber/Silicone joints don't work that well. See VOLKS MM series.

Paper-mache is your best bet here.

Look at those spherical paper-lampshades or similar.

I usually attach with bit of CA/white-glue and hit them with the brush and metal primer. Now if you are talking working hinges like on a tiger, etc that is a different ball-game. Chiver. PE parts can also be stencils. Really depends on the kit. Often you will have to sands down kit details to use PE.

Considered doing a fiberglass-hull made over a mockup? Won't be all that much heavier and can be done fairly cheaply & quickly in your garage, etc? Know quiet a few RC-shops that their own bodies for an airwolf, etc model. Also easy to seal the halves as you already got all the supplies. Never d...

I tried a few of the Vallejo colour ranges.

Did their standard range, airbrush range and the miniature/wargaming range(I do GW figs).

Found that I tend to prefer them but there only a few shops that sell them this end.

Still use Tamiya too as I do build quiet a bit of their models.

Adding to what was said about the weathering damages also add small details and paint fine details, etc. Maintenance markings, etc also help give a sense of size. While not quiet the same look at scale-modelers(like Bike models) as many that are shot close-up will look like the real thing. Just as d...

Don't recall actual tool-name(lost instructions) but I got it from HLJ. Bending tool/holder that is made from plastic work well for the amount I do(little), small parts I use a bending shears. Tool(US product) I use is a small plastic version of the "Hold'n Fold" and fits into your pocket....

While on the HLJ site also look at the Wave Option System.

Similar to Kotobukiya but offers slightly different stuff.

For working hinges look into PE aftermarket parts for Military models, those will also include working locks,levers etc. Scale of the AM parts will depend on the size you need.

Ditto there are tons of aftermarkets, rivets, etc to add smaller details and so on.

One review sez Vinyl with Plastic arms and styrene base.

2-part epoxy should hold the Vinyl part with no prob, don't go the CA route here, IMO.

Plastic might be ABS, in which could you would need ABS glue.

HTH.

CR2325 is quite big. CR2032 is a bit smaller. http://www.leocom.jp/CR2325%20(R)/RENATA/バッテリー/非充電式/注文コード/3825980 4 x LR44 stacked up? This might he...

Some of the turntables can be set to 2 speeds, bassically you can change the gearing.

You could install a dial switch to reduce the power to the motor but that would also reduce the torque and the model might be too heavy to allow for rotation.

I would look at the gearing/gear ratio.

Respirator with cartridges and safety-goggles regardless if I sand resin or paint.

If you can smell the thinner you already inhaled it.

Plastic cement, wood-glue, 2-part epoxy for the most parts.

CA I use very sparingly and only of one make(Wave), I also found it tends to be more problem than help. NEVER use a kicker myself not needed with the glues I use as they are also non-fogging.

Can be done.

The protege of Max Watanabe does it a lot on her Gundam builds.

There are videos of her builds on Youtube check the 'Plamo Tsukurou', etc vids.

Sizes might vary a bit between manufacturers but than not all human are of the same height.


Any hints what you are working on?

1/48 figures.

There are many figures for military and aircraft out in that scale.
Scale don't vary between subjects/genre.

I tend to block with Silver and than paint with gloss white. Black and Silver show light leaks easy.

Silver will reflect more but white will brighten the contained light.

My view.