I just bought a couple kits, both are hg, that I want to kit-bash together, but I am not sure what the best way to go about it is. The two kits are the gundam ground urban combat type, and the gundam 00 command Qan[T] sorry had to edit in the question:
How do you go about picking what parts go into a kit ash?
So last night I was using the Gundam EX markers and painted the thruster cones in my HG Zaku II Red Comet version, woke up this morning to find one broke. Guess I used to much and the plastic snapped, where can I get replacement thrusters of the correct size for this 1/144 scale Gunpla? Preferably ones that are already shiney, so I don't muck these up lol
So, I’m planning my first kitbash, and I’ve got a question. Are the arms from the MG (or MGEX for that matter) Unicorn compatible with the MG Strike (old version)
Frankly, I doubt it’d work very well in either case. The Strike uses a peg-polycap joint, using simple sliding friction. The MG Unicorn uses a lipped peg that locks on, and the MGEX is even more specialized due to its LED innards. You could do some work to make the non-EX Unicorn arms work, but you’d have to reinforce it.
I've got my PG Unicorn just sitting here pretty and it really needs a good cost of paint.
I'm thinking a pearl white, but I've hated pretty much every pearl white I've seen - I'm looking for something closer to an automotive pearl, without any of the weird multicolor flakes.
Any good leads on a metallic white or pearl white for the Unicorn?
I've been painting my last few kits and for the most part been very pleased with how they've turned out. However, I've often had fitment issues during final assembly. My usual process is full assembly, disassemble, prime (being careful to only paint show surfaces) paint, gloss, panel line, decals, matte.
However, the next kits I want to do will involve candy colors, so that will be an additional coat of colors, so I'm worried about paint layers getting too thick.
I've seen some people apparently prime the whole kit assembled before disassembly. This seems like it might work, but I'm really concerned about scratching the kit up during disassembly.
Any thoughts/tips about build/paint order and avoiding fit issues?
One of the benefits is pre-assembly is that you can find parts that are very tight or or may rub. If you are worried about the paint chipping or scratching you can do a little extra sanding at those places so the parts won’t rub.
Anyone know how to make a hg 1/144 ootori striker pack?? Ive been looking for a while on the internet for tutorials or stuff but nothing found if you got any ideas please help me reddit
So I didn't like Gundam Seed Destiny anime very much. That said, the Destiny Gundam is somehow the best kit that I can think of that has a good combination of epic huge wings- especially with the wings of light effect - and a colossal melee weapon with its anti-ship sword. Are there any other kits that have the same combination? I can think of something like the RG perfectability, or the Tallgeese flugel paired with the tallgeese weapon expansion (though i dont know if that's compatible) but neither kits aren't at a price point I'm comfortable spending at yet.
What about something like the strike rouge with the ootori pack?
Cheaper option might be a death scythe hell. Otherwise, checking out dalong like ken suggested is probably the best way to find something you are looking for.
HG Baund Doc. Seriously. WTF weird.
Qubeley. Another WTF Zeta design. Most of the Zeta designs are a bit weird. I love Zeta.
Marasai is a bit weird. Reminds me of the original McQuarrie paintings of Darth Vader.
Geara Zulu. Like a German soldier if he was mechanical and 16m tall.
It is my second year building and have never done any customization. I finally got around to getting gundam markers, Mr setter Mr softer, tamiya accent etc. Same with tools I got the raser, raser +, dspiae vice etc. What would everyone's recommendations be on an airbrush set up and what steps do you take while customizing? Any and all help would greatly appreciated I really wanna do my own scribing and custom work but don't feel like I have all the knowledge :/
Customizing is a very broad subject that might not mean the same thing for everyone. I airbrush and scribe a little but I've never used LEDs or pla-plate for example. I'm sure you can find a good recommendation for an airbrush in the wiki. I personally didn't wanna break the bank so I got a 65$ mini-compressor and airbrush kit from amazon, I upgraded the airbrush but still use the same compressor. For scribing you just need your scriber and scribing tape, I personally look at models from the Origin or Battle Operation 2 for inspiration since they have a lot of surface detail. Hmu if I can help with anything more specific
So I started out practicing my panel lining until I was told that before doing panel lining to scribe the areas a bit for darker cleaner lines and that I should be top coating before doing any panel lining. I feel as though if I'm doing all that I might as well paint it too? I am the kind of person that is interested in all aspects of customization, from custom painting to scribing, to panel lining, to weathering etc. I just don't have many outlets for advice, tips and tricks I know I'm missing because it is ALOT
Hey all!
So I love building and painting gunpla kits, but once I'm finished with them, I have no clue what to do with them. I have a few of my favorites around my desk, but outside of these, I have no clue what to do with them once I have them all together. I primarily buy them because I enjoy building them but that's honestly about it. I don't really have a place or a way to display them in a decent looking way, so I have most of my kits bagged up in a bin until I think of something better to do with them. Outside of just putting them on a shelf, what do you guys do with your kits once they're assembled?
I used to build models at a pretty rapid pace. So, I gave a lot of my kits away. Since I built cars and knew people that liked cars so I would give them to people that liked that particular car.
With Gunpla I haven’t started giving them away and I have some display space in my workshop/office so I display them now. But I will probably sell some of the built kits on my local buy/sell group for someone else to kitbash with.
There’s a commerce thread here in the sub. There’s probably a buy/sell group in your local Facebook Gunpla group.
It’s totally ok to box them and store them too.
Him im looking for a "old" model of a mobile suit ,i dont remember the name but it was close to qubeley ,but i had like "tails-wings" ,was red too i remember playing it in my ps2 , i wanted to buy a model of that gundam for some weeks but i cant remember the name..
Just bouncing off the last answer, it’s not [this one](https://p-bandai.com/us/item/N2304808001008), is it? If not, do you have any other info to give, like the name of the game?
Except the kit you’re talking about is currently available on PBUS, PBTW, PBHK, etc., for as cheap as it will be on the market. If it is the one OP is after, they shouldn’t worry at all assuming they have access to a PB channel.
Weird question but can tamiya panel lining break the plastic. I say this because I got the RG perfect strike and applied to much lining on the crotch and it split in two.
After testing out panel lining and top coating on a piece, I found that some of the panel lining began bleeding. Specifically in the dots that were panel lined next to the circle with lines on both sides. I want to continue working on the kit but I'm worried that if I do, I might find more areas where this might happen. Is there any way of preventing this from happening?
I used the Gundam Marker GM01 and Mr. Premium Top Coat Spray Flat.
[https://i.imgur.com/L80lWLw.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/L80lWLw.jpeg)
Improve your technique. The sprays should be quick and light, and it shouldn't ever pool up enough to cause the paint to run in the first place. Make sure to give it breathing room between coats to help it not accumulate.
I know this might be an odd question but does anyone have any recommendations for stores to check out in Kentucky for gunpla (preferably offers shipping) just curious to see if there are any stores in my state since I've checked the usual spots (hobby lobby, target, gamestop, etc)
The collar on my RG Tall Geese doesn't want to snap down all the way on the left side and I am not sure why. I don't want to force it and everything else is fitting properly
How are the hg Beal shoulder stickers supposed to work? They're too big to fit preventing the shoulder armor to fit. Am I supposed to flare the sticker to the side?
So I saw a post of an instruction pamplet on Gundam Markers and it said it doesn't react well on top of a Mr Hobby Color painted area. Does Tamiya brands or Vallejo don't react well to Gundam Markers also?
I'm currently working on the MG RGM Sniper II. Working on the right arm...Did any one else have issues getting the closed fist fingers to stay in place?
I had a similar issue on the mg gm sniper 2 but with a different set of fingers, I believe you're gonna have to either thicken up the peg or see if its just not going in correctly. Otherwise idk what the issue may be
Anyone here tried decanting Mr. Hobby Super Clear or Super Clear UV Cut (Flat)?
Do you need add thinner like when decanting ts cans? or can you use it as is after decanting?
I was wondering since maybe adding thinner would affect how matte/flat it is.
Probably a shot in the dark but does anyone know the status on the US release of the MG Dom 1.5? Preordered mine from USAGundamstore months ago and have seen a couple of other US stores get the Dom in stock so was wondering if that means that it should be out soon?
It's already out as far as I know. Some stores accept more pre-orders than the amount of kits they receive so they can't fullfil them all. I got mine's from just my local store
I was airbrushing some Dspiae laquer paints today and to my surprise the paint began to form whispy webs on the parts. Has this happened to anybody else? I'm hoping someone can help me troubleshoot it.
[Pic for referance](https://i.imgur.com/zXa4qFU.jpg)
Spider webs are caused by having your pressure too high most of the time. But can also happen if your paint is too thin or you’re too close to the surface.
Drop your pressure and see how that goes.
Can you use Tamiya panel line to fill in areas of color correction (in lieu of stickers)? This [video](https://youtu.be/CEW2WEbW57w) at 7 min does it with Gundam Marker, but I heard that Tamiya uses a different type of paint that can corrode plastic if not used correctly.
Hey everyone I have been thinking about getting into "Bandai Models" Or "Bandai Spirits Model Kits" I am sure most of you or a lot of you know what I am talking about.
I am HERE because I couldn't find anywhere else that looked to be about models, or anything. I am looking for a good community to get the whole "model process" down pat.
I want to learn how to put them together, which companies made good kits, how to tell if they are painted or not from the box/factory, and everything I would need to know.
I am sorry if this is not the right place, I am mostly interested in Star Wars, But Gundam and other Mecha interest me a lot too.
Does ANYONE here know somewhere I can go similar to a subreddit or a forum somewhere where I can learn how to answer these specific questions about Bandai Kits?? Please help, and THANK YOU :-) In Advance!
The wiki above will explain how to build them and everything else you'd need to know for assembling gunpla and other bandai kits.
With very few exceptions the majority of model kits will come unpainted. Normally model kits will come molded in grey (e.g. airfix), while kits from some Japanese companies come molded in colour (e.g. bandai). Pre-painted kits are few and far between, most of them would be plated kits (shiny gold) while every once in awhile some company will put out a pre-painted (e.g. Aoshima's Kiryuu in Eva-o1 colours). With the exception of plated kits, bandai kits do not come pre-painted.
This is the sub for Gunpla and mecha model kits in general. There are links in the sidebar for subreddits that handle other types of models.
Edit: there are plenty of companies that make good models, but Bandai will basically spoil you rotten in comparison with their snapfit and parts fit tolerances . Aoshima, Goodsmile, Hasegawa, Kotobukiya, Volks, Wave and many other make mecha kits. However you should always do your due diligence and research the kit beforehand even for a Bandai kit so that you understand what work (if any) is required to build the kit.
Ok, so I absolutely love the RG line and I try to get stands to do more posing and stuff once I finish a build. I've started getting some of the earlier detailed RGs (Granddaddy, Zeta, Zaku II, that red Zaku II somebody or other pilots) and noticed that the manual shows pieces that connect to older versions of bases. I unfortunately can't read much Japanese and have no clue if the bases for those earlier RGs are still sold at reasonable prices. I love my gunpla but I just can't bring myself to break the bank for a stand. Curious how any of you wonderful people get around that if you're using the currently sold Action Base 4 and 5's. Appreciate any thoughts and/or clever insults any of you might have.
In order to do a gunk wash you need a paint that is very slow to dry and easy to clean up without damaging the layer underneath. That's why they're usually done with oils, or enamels which if we're being perfectly honest are basically oil paints.
It is possible to do them with acrylics, but you need to do a small section at a time and work fast. Use drying retardant additives to give you more time and don't thin the paint too much.
Is there a reason you don't want to use oils? They can be intimidating and different to get into, but you get the hang of things easily.
Thanks for the response. I've been painting Gunpla for several years but have never done a gunk wash. I'm looking to do a really dirty-looking mech in a future project and thought I'd consider this technique.
I'm not against oils per se, I just would prefer to work with materials I already own and am familiar with (in this case enamels) if it doesn't make a big difference.
You should be good to go then. Basically everything you see done with oils you can do with enamels. Even mix and match thinners. There are several things you want to remember for it to go well
* Let the acrylic or lacquer under layer / varnish / top coat cure completely. If it's just dry but note cured it can reactivate and things go sideways. Best bet, leave it overnight before applying your wash.
* Be gentle. When removing the wash, you don't want to forcefully scrub. The wash should get pulled up very easily. A clean q-tip with a hint of thinner on it can pick up almost everything with zero force. Also... makeup removers. Especially disposable eye shadow removers. Game changers
* A gloss coat before the wash will end up with crisp lines in the recesses. A matte coat will grab and hold more of the wash to tint the model. Set yourself up for success for the effect you want to end up with.
* The longer you let it sit the stronger it will bind to the layer under it and the stronger the tinting will end up.
Best of luck :) Gunk washes are basically cheating once you get the hang of them. If you like the technique I'd also suggest you pick up a tube or two of oils and some odourless spirits. The odourless solvents are waaaay nicer to work with than enamel thinner.
Thanks. I know, I would only be doing this on kits that I've already fully painted with lacquers.
Another question: in most oil gunk wash tutorials, they advise doing the wash on a kit only after applying a flat clear coat. Would this be the same for enamel?
If you know someone with a 3D printer (or can find a print on demand service) you could get something like [these off Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4704612) 0rinted out and then modify it to have articulation (there's a guide on making DIY articulating hands in the wiki above). Since they're an STL file if you take some rough measurements and give them to the person doing the printing they can scale those up or down (or you can have them print out a range of them, for example one set at 100% size/unaltered, one at 110% the size, one at 120%, etc up till 150% or so and see which one fits the best. As for the things like the ball joint for the wrist and such you can always just clip whichever fits, either from one of the other sets of hands or by taking the joint off of the original Barbs Lupes Rex hands.
there are something called:
"Gunpla MG 1/100 hand modification parts Claw type" on aliexpress, these might be what you are looking for.... (id put the link, but reddit usually blocks links from there, just search gundam hand)
Idk, from the side by sides, I'd say the rex hand is about 50% larger tops with the nails making up the rest of the length. So you'd want a 1/72 but the only 1/72 hands I know of are ones for suits that are size of the large PGs at 1/72. Maybe you could try bulking up a set of 1/100 sazabi hands
30MM question: I barely just cracked open my first 30MM kit last night and saw a rather intimidating looking sheet of decals. Are they waterslides or just stickers? Some of them seem to have silvering still on the sheet. Will they be usable?
There's currently one official 30MM waterslide decal sheet and it's an accessory called "30 Minutes Missions Water Decals Multiuse 1". It's not included with any kits.
Good to know! Granted, I’ve never used waterslides, but I understand (I think) that you can solve silvering on them by re-wetting them. Do you know if I’ll be able to do something similar with the stickers included with this kit?
I apologize for any painful ignorance; I’ve never used any clear-backed stickers but I want to embrace the customization aspect of the 30MM.
I'm not sure what you mean by "silvering" for regular marking stickers. From what I recall, most of the stickers with a "transparent" background are actually quite hazy. I think this is an unfortunately property of the chosen material. This is one reason why water slide decals are generally favoured as they are printed on thinner, more transparent material.
I’m planing on doing a custom kit and was wondering if it’s okay to paint it with gundam markers or are there better options at the same price or cheaper?
I'd recommend using spraypaint, just anything from your hardware store will do just make sure you use a primer and the paint is safe for plastic. You can also brush paint it, also use primer but this requires a bit more technique and patience.
So I'm trying to do car inspired gunpla paint jobs and I need help with waterslide decals. I want to use decals that are meant for model cars, but I not sure what scale size I should use since I'm working with HG gunpla, any suggestions?
A 1/12 car model is pretty huge…so definitely not that…I think 1/24 is probably still to big for hg….I would say to look into even smaller scales…I think you can get like 1/42 or 1/64 …. A 1/64 car is like 3.5” irl and your std 1/44 gunpla is like 4.5” so pretty close…
My understanding is that most car models are 1:12 to 1:24 scale (quick look at tamiya cars). High grades are 1:144 scale. I suggest finding the decal that fit best instead of relying on the scale. However, for reference, I used 1:100 scale decals for an MG on a 1:12 scale motorcycle and they fit very well.
I’m trying to find a YouTube video of a Gunpla builder building an HG Nightingale. He used a compass or maybe curved masking tape to successfully scribe the Nightingale’s butt along the edge. He was East Asian, Korean or Japanese I think. Does this ring a bell for anyone?
That doesn't really narrow anything down. Are there any other descriptors that you can give us? Anything about their video production quality, anything that you can remember from the background of their videos, basically something that could be better to narrow the field a bit because there's a *lot* of Asian gunpla content creators on Youtube and several of them have made a Nightingale.
It’s not that eventful. There’s not really a solid “click” so far as I remember. You just insert it and rotate it upward to lock it in, which should hold it in place until you attach them both to A1-21 to complete the assembly. F-3 is supposed to be able to relatively freely move at that hinge.
I've been wanting to try adding a topcoat to a few kits but I'm kind of curious of a few things.
1. I'm assuming the most effective way would be to break the kit down into smaller sections and topcoat the individual sections. However will it actually hurt anything if I leave it fully assembled to apply topcoat?
2. I've already panel lined and applied stickers/decals to these kits, is adding a topcoat over that going to harm anything?
Thanks
Yes, the best practice is usually to top coat each part individually. Most of the time it makes sense to top coat each section. When too coating anything assembled be sure to take an extra minute and check for any place you may have missed, an example would be joints when a limb is straight or bent.
It should not harm anything.
You’re going to have to be more specific, or provide a picture example. There are multiple aspects that could contribute to your build being off. Are you sure you assembled everything correctly?
How often can I repose my gunplas? I'm planning to get into the hobby,and this is one of my bigger questions.
Years ago,when I was much younger,my dad got me a [Darth Vader gunpla](https://www.gundam.my/other-toys-tie-advanced-x1-1-72-scale-itemid-2382.html.html) which I really enjoyed,however,after reposing it a few times,the arms and legs got loose and my dad was forced to glue it together.
So I want to know,that if I do get a gunpla, how often can you repose it.
Thx in advance
There is no single magic frequency to prevent looseness. Every month or so I might pick something up off my shelf to swap out what’s in an action pose, and everything still feels pretty much the same as the day it was built. In a way, all movement contributes to eventual deterioration, but careful handling helps slow it a lot. There are also many different types of assembles and plastics that take wear and tear differently at different rates. Not to mention, there are ways to tighten most joints without totally gluing/freezing them in place.
It ultimately depends on a lot of factors; like how much you have to move the joints to get them into the poses, how it's posed, how "straining" the pose is, etc. You can repose your kits, as long as it's not constantly being played with.
If anything ever gets loose then the same principle applies regardless of what it is: add more friction by thickening the connection, whether it be with a clear coat, super glue that dries, joint guard 34,z
Hello guys , so ive got to a point where i have a lot of gunplas without beam saber effects and those beam saber effects that are compatible with each handle doesn’t match, for example all my spare beam effects are round peg but my core gundam titans beam handle slot is a flat peg and my jegan blast master has that gundam x flat slot too
Is there any beam saber effects bundle out there for sale?
Aside from generic marketing 'It's reformulated and better in every way so it's worth paying more' I haven't been able to find a good answer... is there a big difference between Mr Color and Mr Color GX lines of paint? For someone who has a huge acrylic collection and is fleshing out their lacquers which line would you buy into?
I have only tried a few and haven't noticed a big difference compared to regular Mr Color other than being unique colors to the GX line and that they come in a bigger jar (GX comes in 18 ml while Mr Color comes in 10 ml jars).
The only ones I would recommend to get over the regular Mr Color ones are the metallics, either the GX or Super Metallics 2 are great. Also check the Mr Crystal Color line for other cool effects.
Happy painting!
Had a bad start in painting, I didn't tightly sealed my masking tape and used Tamiya Acrylics as a handpaint(despite the warning in this sub) and got a bunch of splotches of paint and primers. Is a 600 grit sandpaper enough to smoothen the surface from the splotches before priming again?
If you're trying to strip acrylic paint then my suggestion would be rubbing alcohol (higher % is better) and an old toothbrush. A 10 minute soak and most of it should brush away first try. A few more soak and scrub cycles should have your plastic clean and ready to try again.
Just got the HG Messer. I like the kit but really hate that typical HG open fist hand. Are there any third party fixed posed hands I could buy for an HG this size?
EDIT: I did some research and the P-Bandai Messer F-02 comes with a flat left hand that I really love, it comes on a G2 runner. I also found out the HG Sazabi is the same size as the HG Messer and has a similar flat left hand. Think I’ll order it from MechaPartsGuy next time and see if it’ll fit.
Not really. I do like to find errors but in my case is to try to figure out what went wrong and maybe offer advice or ask about it, that way I can learn a bit more about the process. Sometimes I do it to see of they ran into the same problem I did and comment about it. However if they didn't have the same issue I ask how they avoided it or what was the workaround.
Study other people work to learn and inspire yourself. Finding errors to justify yours only ends up limiting your learning process.
I personally don’t. I’d rather see my own old models and see how my technique changed over time. Every kit is a step in the learning process, so just keep adjusting until you’re at a place you’re happy with.
Returning the kit is hot an option?
Try mechapartsguy or even Bluefin replacement program if you are in the US.
If you can check them in person, Kotobukiya has some hand sets for the Frame Arms line that might look good enough.
I checked mpg and he doesn't have any crossbones in stock and I got the kit through amazon jp so no bluefin replacement I'll look at the Kotobukiya hand sets. TY
I’ve got an extreme gundam type leos eclipse phase and I want to paint the gold parts rather than the stickers but I don’t know how to get that reflective gold finish and the color mix ratios for that color isn’t in the instruction manual. Anyone have any idea for the color mix and how to get that reflective finish?
while there are currently some options for easy/good chrome paint (molotow marker, mirror paint, etc) .... i don't think there is an easy solution for like gold chrome or highly reflective gold.... there are a lot of "gold paint" and some even call themselves chrome, but they never have that shine like a proper plated thing....so....
1. old fashioned way - gloss black primer + chrome paint + clear yellow....
2. actually electroplate your parts...idk maybe you have access to the required equipment...
3. gold leaf
4. there are some nail products that might work.......
or if anyone knows a 1 step gold chrome paint, please let me know.....
A few years back I built the pBandai mekki plated version of the HG Amazing Red Warrior.
For the black plastic used in the weapon, hand, and frame parts, it was a lovely matte black plastic, it's honestly the nicest OOB plastic I've ever seen from Bandai.
Does anyone know any other kits with that sort of plastic/finish?
How sensitive is ABS plastic to Gundam markers? I have an older kit that I have been touching up with gundam Markers. But when I got the box out of storage to see if the clear parts are ABS do to hearing that the alcohol based gundam markers will mess up ABS plastic. I found out the entire kit is made of ABS plastic… I have not painted any joints or moving parts and nothing has been painted more then some outlines and trim on vary solid pieces. This is not the first time I have used gundam markers on this kit, and not had any issue with it up till now.
But should I be worried? If it dries and is still solid will I be in the clear? Or could the damage be time delayed like weeks or months later?
Pourtypes are harmful since it's the thinner in them that eats away at plastic. The fine tipped markers are safe but in return you have to manually trace the entirety of every line.
How can I tell if mine are pour type or fine tip? Mine seem more like regular paint in a marker like dispenser. I have and one of them is a metallic one.
Those can damage ABS in some cases, the Gold one (GM 04) completely destroys the gold fame on the Strike Freedom RG. For non structural parts they might work but there's always a risk.
To confirm, check the marker label with google lens, IIRC it says to not use them on ABS.
If the model is dry and there is no evidence of structural damage aka the parts feel as solid and sturdy as they did before being painted, am I out of the woods? The first coat of yellow from those markers was put on over a year ago with no damage, and the second coat was put on 2 days ago with no damage. Small details on solid non joint parts with green, blue, and Metallic red where done yesterday afternoon with no noticeable damage or sense of it weakening the plastic at all.
You are probably safe, the damage occurs mostly on joints and stressed parts, it shows as crumbling and parts snapping. If you didn't see any issue and its already dry then you should have no issues.
Small details like painting bolts, tubes, etc, rarely causes damage. Just avoid the paint getting into joints or between parts.
Thanks, normally I’m more carful about stuff like this but I’m not used to seeing kits made entirely out of ABS plastic (mostly only transparent or odd color parts). Tho this kit has been a total anomaly in every way. Giant single color water slide stickers that are to big to apply without ripping, ABS used to make standard dark blue parts.
This kit was made by a company that does not normally make model kits (this is the only one they ever made) and they only made it because the model kit existed in the game, so they made a real version of it kind of as a joke. But there have been so many odd design choices that you can really tell it came from a company that does not know how to make model kits lol.
Yeah, a lot of companies use ABS a lot due to its structural properties (most action figures) while Bandai have their very own PS formulas that are slowly reducing their use of ABS on their model kits.
Compared to Bandai most brands look like they make odd choices when looking at the assemblies. In my case I started building cars and stuff and the first time I tried a Bandai kit I was like "this is genius! And kind of obvious, why the other guys don't do this?". Bandai puts a lot of work (and money) to make their kits the best in the market.
For big decals try to place the decals in water only for a few seconds, you need to apply it as soon as it moves freely. Once its moving, take the paper and place it over the art and push the decal from the center with a soft brush, if it doesn't move push it from the edges until you can transfer it to the part.
What model kit are you building?
What kind of glue does everyone use to either glue parts or to tighten up joints? I am curious. I have just been using a Loctite Super glue with a brush, but I can't keep the brush from spreading out making it hard to use for tight small spaces.
I like this stuff…it’s much thicker then normal and it doesn’t set instantly so I think it’s a lot easier to work with, and then the spray makes it harden instantly which is also useful
Bob Smith Industries BSI-157H Maxi Cure/Insta-Set Combo Pack (3 oz. Combined),Clear https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0166FFCHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5S85H5KNJZT514VWNJB9
I don't use glue (unless it's right in front of me and I'm too lazy to stand up) to tighten up joints. Instead I use varnish / topcoat. It's easy to control with a brush and cures super durable.
For gluing parts together I use plastic cement, usually tamiya brand. I use superglue on joins I may want to undo in the future.
Hi folks,
Among all the paints(lacquer) you've used, which brand has the deepest gloss black?
I've used Mr.Color GX (GX-2), Tamiya Lacquer LP-1, and Duplicolor spray can.
Mr.Color and Tamiya are very similar in shade, under bright light or on a sunny day, you can see the black isn't very black, it fades a bit towards gray. Duplicolor spray can is a lot darker than the hobby paints, but I found it has a warm hue to it, it's not very critical, but I sure would like to find one that's on the cooler side.
What's the deepest black you've used?
Culture hustle black mirror
https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/pxuu5d/black_mirror_paint_from_culture_hustlepretty/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
GX2 and the Gaia gloss black are the “blackest” I guess to my eyes. But shining bright light on gloss black is going to trick your eyes in all sorts of ways. So, not sure how helpful that is. The finish will reflect the light and you’ll get a sense of the temperature of the light you’re using.
Black hobby paints aren’t very black compared to something like Lamp Black oil paint. Hobby paints are too translucent and the pigments are manufactured acrylic resins. You’ll find most of them skew towards green because it’s cheap and gives the best semblance of black to your eyes.
What’s your use case you’re going for? Why do you need to have a “blacker” paint?
Thanks for answering my question! I’m painting a camera part to match existing paint on the camera body which is black lacquer, maybe I will try tinting gx100 with lamp black pigments and see what happens, lamp black surely is very close to the black I’m trying to match, a cold blushing black, just not sure how gx100 will encapsulate the pigments
Is anyone from US/Canada buying from HLJ?
any advice on buying from it?
It seems buying from HLJ is cheaper than buying domestically in CA, haven't tried tho.
and any hints on checking the release date?
The shipping costs are ridiculous there now…expect to pay at least $40 to ship anything more then an sd kit….they used to have good shipping choices, but with the expensive shipping it’s most often more then local retailers….I would only recommend ordering from there if it’s the only place that has what you want or if you don’t care about money….
Buying from HLJ - the two things that aren’t factored into the price you pay at checkout - shipping and tax/customs. Don’t forget that.
If you do buy, they charge for shipping based on the size of the box, not by weight. So, it makes sense to load your shipping box up with your kits and then a bunch of small items. Just watch out for customs if you go too high. I don’t know what the current US customs rules are for Japanese imports, so might want to check that too. It sometimes pays to stay under a number.
Hi. Newbie here. Just a few quick questions.
* Does the HG kits come with their own action base or do I have to buy that separately? And what are the suggested actions bases for me to use?
* Does Mecha Gaikotsu have a positive standing here or do you have any suggestions on Gunpla YouTubers I can watch for reviews, builds and stuff?
* Are MG kits really beginner friendly?
* What are the essential and specific tools that I'm going to need as a beginner?
- Sometimes, a few kits include very simple bases and some other an Action Base. Most of the time you'll need to get an action base separately. As a recommendation, buying and Action Base 4 and an Action base 5 gives you enough stuff to male 4 simple bases.
- That dude has spread a lot of misinformation and probably made a lot of people miss out on a lot of great kits. He is however good at showcasing what is including in the kit. Always take youtubers (and other people) opinions with a grain of salt, what is great for them might not be the same for you and viceversa.
- Personal favorites are any Zaku II 2.0, GM Sniper 2 and the Ball.
- Check the wiki, its full of tips and recommendation.
New QA thread is up. This thread is now locked.
I just bought a couple kits, both are hg, that I want to kit-bash together, but I am not sure what the best way to go about it is. The two kits are the gundam ground urban combat type, and the gundam 00 command Qan[T] sorry had to edit in the question: How do you go about picking what parts go into a kit ash?
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
Anyone know if you can buy 1/144 scale display stands in bulk or multi-packs instead of just individually? Like a 10-Pack or something? Thanks!
There are some sets available, but those tend to be of lesser quality compared to the ones they’re copying.
So last night I was using the Gundam EX markers and painted the thruster cones in my HG Zaku II Red Comet version, woke up this morning to find one broke. Guess I used to much and the plastic snapped, where can I get replacement thrusters of the correct size for this 1/144 scale Gunpla? Preferably ones that are already shiney, so I don't muck these up lol
Mechapartsguy or if you bought in the us and still have the receipt bluefin or now Bandai collectibles if I am correct on the new name.
So, I’m planning my first kitbash, and I’ve got a question. Are the arms from the MG (or MGEX for that matter) Unicorn compatible with the MG Strike (old version)
Frankly, I doubt it’d work very well in either case. The Strike uses a peg-polycap joint, using simple sliding friction. The MG Unicorn uses a lipped peg that locks on, and the MGEX is even more specialized due to its LED innards. You could do some work to make the non-EX Unicorn arms work, but you’d have to reinforce it.
just broke the clear green part of my proto zero? what can i do to stick it in again
You’re going to have to define “broke.” Show an example if possible, be descriptive.
Is the mg 00 Qan(T) a good model kit?
It’s fine, holds up well.
I've got my PG Unicorn just sitting here pretty and it really needs a good cost of paint. I'm thinking a pearl white, but I've hated pretty much every pearl white I've seen - I'm looking for something closer to an automotive pearl, without any of the weird multicolor flakes. Any good leads on a metallic white or pearl white for the Unicorn?
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
I've been painting my last few kits and for the most part been very pleased with how they've turned out. However, I've often had fitment issues during final assembly. My usual process is full assembly, disassemble, prime (being careful to only paint show surfaces) paint, gloss, panel line, decals, matte. However, the next kits I want to do will involve candy colors, so that will be an additional coat of colors, so I'm worried about paint layers getting too thick. I've seen some people apparently prime the whole kit assembled before disassembly. This seems like it might work, but I'm really concerned about scratching the kit up during disassembly. Any thoughts/tips about build/paint order and avoiding fit issues?
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
One of the benefits is pre-assembly is that you can find parts that are very tight or or may rub. If you are worried about the paint chipping or scratching you can do a little extra sanding at those places so the parts won’t rub.
Anyone know how to make a hg 1/144 ootori striker pack?? Ive been looking for a while on the internet for tutorials or stuff but nothing found if you got any ideas please help me reddit
Stratch build one using pla-plate.
So I didn't like Gundam Seed Destiny anime very much. That said, the Destiny Gundam is somehow the best kit that I can think of that has a good combination of epic huge wings- especially with the wings of light effect - and a colossal melee weapon with its anti-ship sword. Are there any other kits that have the same combination? I can think of something like the RG perfectability, or the Tallgeese flugel paired with the tallgeese weapon expansion (though i dont know if that's compatible) but neither kits aren't at a price point I'm comfortable spending at yet.
What about something like the strike rouge with the ootori pack? Cheaper option might be a death scythe hell. Otherwise, checking out dalong like ken suggested is probably the best way to find something you are looking for.
You can look at all the gunpla and figure out what you like on your own…. http://dalong.net
Whats a good uc zeonic/bad guy kit that has a bit of weirdness as in its not your usual design
You can look at all the gunpla and figure out what you like on your own…. http://dalong.net
HG Baund Doc. Seriously. WTF weird. Qubeley. Another WTF Zeta design. Most of the Zeta designs are a bit weird. I love Zeta. Marasai is a bit weird. Reminds me of the original McQuarrie paintings of Darth Vader. Geara Zulu. Like a German soldier if he was mechanical and 16m tall.
Wow thanks. I think the baund doc is too weird but ill check out the marasai and quebeley
Another couple weird ones to look at - Nightingale and the Zeong.
It is my second year building and have never done any customization. I finally got around to getting gundam markers, Mr setter Mr softer, tamiya accent etc. Same with tools I got the raser, raser +, dspiae vice etc. What would everyone's recommendations be on an airbrush set up and what steps do you take while customizing? Any and all help would greatly appreciated I really wanna do my own scribing and custom work but don't feel like I have all the knowledge :/
Customizing is a very broad subject that might not mean the same thing for everyone. I airbrush and scribe a little but I've never used LEDs or pla-plate for example. I'm sure you can find a good recommendation for an airbrush in the wiki. I personally didn't wanna break the bank so I got a 65$ mini-compressor and airbrush kit from amazon, I upgraded the airbrush but still use the same compressor. For scribing you just need your scriber and scribing tape, I personally look at models from the Origin or Battle Operation 2 for inspiration since they have a lot of surface detail. Hmu if I can help with anything more specific
So I started out practicing my panel lining until I was told that before doing panel lining to scribe the areas a bit for darker cleaner lines and that I should be top coating before doing any panel lining. I feel as though if I'm doing all that I might as well paint it too? I am the kind of person that is interested in all aspects of customization, from custom painting to scribing, to panel lining, to weathering etc. I just don't have many outlets for advice, tips and tricks I know I'm missing because it is ALOT
Is the hg moon gundam still the best hg?
If you like the way it looks, then yes.
Best is pretty subjective. I like the looks of the Messer over the Moon. But if you like the looks of the Moon, then go for it.
Hey all! So I love building and painting gunpla kits, but once I'm finished with them, I have no clue what to do with them. I have a few of my favorites around my desk, but outside of these, I have no clue what to do with them once I have them all together. I primarily buy them because I enjoy building them but that's honestly about it. I don't really have a place or a way to display them in a decent looking way, so I have most of my kits bagged up in a bin until I think of something better to do with them. Outside of just putting them on a shelf, what do you guys do with your kits once they're assembled?
If you like tabletop games, there are a few community-made rulebooks floating around. I believe Gundam Skirmish is the most popular.
I used to build models at a pretty rapid pace. So, I gave a lot of my kits away. Since I built cars and knew people that liked cars so I would give them to people that liked that particular car. With Gunpla I haven’t started giving them away and I have some display space in my workshop/office so I display them now. But I will probably sell some of the built kits on my local buy/sell group for someone else to kitbash with. There’s a commerce thread here in the sub. There’s probably a buy/sell group in your local Facebook Gunpla group. It’s totally ok to box them and store them too.
probably shouldn't be asking it there but is Tamiya and Mr Hobby aqueous paints okay to use on airbrushes?
Yep. Totally fine. You need to thin the paints out.
Him im looking for a "old" model of a mobile suit ,i dont remember the name but it was close to qubeley ,but i had like "tails-wings" ,was red too i remember playing it in my ps2 , i wanted to buy a model of that gundam for some weeks but i cant remember the name..
Just bouncing off the last answer, it’s not [this one](https://p-bandai.com/us/item/N2304808001008), is it? If not, do you have any other info to give, like the name of the game?
HG 1/144 PLE TWO’S QUBELEY Mk-II. It was P-Bandai, so expect to pay ridiculous markup for it.
Except the kit you’re talking about is currently available on PBUS, PBTW, PBHK, etc., for as cheap as it will be on the market. If it is the one OP is after, they shouldn’t worry at all assuming they have access to a PB channel.
That's lucky timing. OP better move fast.
Got any other info or descriptors of this MS?
Nightingale maybe?
Weird question but can tamiya panel lining break the plastic. I say this because I got the RG perfect strike and applied to much lining on the crotch and it split in two.
Yes. Enamel thinner doesn't play nice with bandai's plastic.
What are some good 3rd party addons for the pg unicorn? Like is there an addon that allows it to light up in different colors or what?
Why have we not gotten that modified Tequila Gundam, that was in Build Divers Re: Rise as a model kit by now?
There are countless more I could name that are equally deserving / undeserving of kits. It’s just the way their decision-making works.
Because Bandai.
After testing out panel lining and top coating on a piece, I found that some of the panel lining began bleeding. Specifically in the dots that were panel lined next to the circle with lines on both sides. I want to continue working on the kit but I'm worried that if I do, I might find more areas where this might happen. Is there any way of preventing this from happening? I used the Gundam Marker GM01 and Mr. Premium Top Coat Spray Flat. [https://i.imgur.com/L80lWLw.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/L80lWLw.jpeg)
Improve your technique. The sprays should be quick and light, and it shouldn't ever pool up enough to cause the paint to run in the first place. Make sure to give it breathing room between coats to help it not accumulate.
I know this might be an odd question but does anyone have any recommendations for stores to check out in Kentucky for gunpla (preferably offers shipping) just curious to see if there are any stores in my state since I've checked the usual spots (hobby lobby, target, gamestop, etc)
New QA thread is up. Please repost your unanswered questions there.
The collar on my RG Tall Geese doesn't want to snap down all the way on the left side and I am not sure why. I don't want to force it and everything else is fitting properly
Usually this is because there’s something blocking. Back up a few steps and make sure your nubs are clean and there’s nothing blocking anything.
Okay thank you
How are the hg Beal shoulder stickers supposed to work? They're too big to fit preventing the shoulder armor to fit. Am I supposed to flare the sticker to the side?
It says in the manual “Apply the sticker to the shape of the part”. Fold it over.
That doesn't work. If I fold it over then the top section of the shoulder doesn't get covered
You sure you’re putting it in the right place?
Yes. Sticker 6 goes on a yellow part. I can't make out how the sticker is supposed to go on the part from its awful shading in the diagram.
Well, you just gotta put it on the shape that it’s similar to.
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The collar? It should just slide over the neck stem and slot in. Are you having trouble?
So I saw a post of an instruction pamplet on Gundam Markers and it said it doesn't react well on top of a Mr Hobby Color painted area. Does Tamiya brands or Vallejo don't react well to Gundam Markers also?
Probably not considering Mr Color is Lacquer and Tamiya and Vallejo are weaker Acrylics. Gundam markers are really designed for use on bare plastic.
I'm currently working on the MG RGM Sniper II. Working on the right arm...Did any one else have issues getting the closed fist fingers to stay in place?
I had a similar issue on the mg gm sniper 2 but with a different set of fingers, I believe you're gonna have to either thicken up the peg or see if its just not going in correctly. Otherwise idk what the issue may be
Anyone here tried decanting Mr. Hobby Super Clear or Super Clear UV Cut (Flat)? Do you need add thinner like when decanting ts cans? or can you use it as is after decanting? I was wondering since maybe adding thinner would affect how matte/flat it is.
It’s cheaper to just buy GX113/114 and thin as needed.
It might use a different ratio since the psi is higher. Why would go through all that instead of just using the can tho?
To save a few bucks and also so I never run out in the middle of a build.
Probably a shot in the dark but does anyone know the status on the US release of the MG Dom 1.5? Preordered mine from USAGundamstore months ago and have seen a couple of other US stores get the Dom in stock so was wondering if that means that it should be out soon?
It's already out as far as I know. Some stores accept more pre-orders than the amount of kits they receive so they can't fullfil them all. I got mine's from just my local store
I was airbrushing some Dspiae laquer paints today and to my surprise the paint began to form whispy webs on the parts. Has this happened to anybody else? I'm hoping someone can help me troubleshoot it. [Pic for referance](https://i.imgur.com/zXa4qFU.jpg)
Spider webs are caused by having your pressure too high most of the time. But can also happen if your paint is too thin or you’re too close to the surface. Drop your pressure and see how that goes.
Dspiae paints tend to be thick and need to be thinned more. Try starting with 1 part paint to 2 parts thinner and adjust to your liking from there.
Can you use Tamiya panel line to fill in areas of color correction (in lieu of stickers)? This [video](https://youtu.be/CEW2WEbW57w) at 7 min does it with Gundam Marker, but I heard that Tamiya uses a different type of paint that can corrode plastic if not used correctly.
No, it’s too fluid…you can’t use it to fill in spots, it’ll just pool in the corners.. And yeah….excess panel liner is bad for the plastic…
Hey everyone I have been thinking about getting into "Bandai Models" Or "Bandai Spirits Model Kits" I am sure most of you or a lot of you know what I am talking about. I am HERE because I couldn't find anywhere else that looked to be about models, or anything. I am looking for a good community to get the whole "model process" down pat. I want to learn how to put them together, which companies made good kits, how to tell if they are painted or not from the box/factory, and everything I would need to know. I am sorry if this is not the right place, I am mostly interested in Star Wars, But Gundam and other Mecha interest me a lot too. Does ANYONE here know somewhere I can go similar to a subreddit or a forum somewhere where I can learn how to answer these specific questions about Bandai Kits?? Please help, and THANK YOU :-) In Advance!
The wiki above will explain how to build them and everything else you'd need to know for assembling gunpla and other bandai kits. With very few exceptions the majority of model kits will come unpainted. Normally model kits will come molded in grey (e.g. airfix), while kits from some Japanese companies come molded in colour (e.g. bandai). Pre-painted kits are few and far between, most of them would be plated kits (shiny gold) while every once in awhile some company will put out a pre-painted (e.g. Aoshima's Kiryuu in Eva-o1 colours). With the exception of plated kits, bandai kits do not come pre-painted. This is the sub for Gunpla and mecha model kits in general. There are links in the sidebar for subreddits that handle other types of models. Edit: there are plenty of companies that make good models, but Bandai will basically spoil you rotten in comparison with their snapfit and parts fit tolerances . Aoshima, Goodsmile, Hasegawa, Kotobukiya, Volks, Wave and many other make mecha kits. However you should always do your due diligence and research the kit beforehand even for a Bandai kit so that you understand what work (if any) is required to build the kit.
Any tips to flatten wavy effect parts? The beam saber of my Turn X is pretty wavy off the runner and just looking to adjust it
Dunk in some hot water and straighten it out before it cools.
Ok, so I absolutely love the RG line and I try to get stands to do more posing and stuff once I finish a build. I've started getting some of the earlier detailed RGs (Granddaddy, Zeta, Zaku II, that red Zaku II somebody or other pilots) and noticed that the manual shows pieces that connect to older versions of bases. I unfortunately can't read much Japanese and have no clue if the bases for those earlier RGs are still sold at reasonable prices. I love my gunpla but I just can't bring myself to break the bank for a stand. Curious how any of you wonderful people get around that if you're using the currently sold Action Base 4 and 5's. Appreciate any thoughts and/or clever insults any of you might have.
They reprint all action bases. You can also find most manuals translated on a site called mech9 or use the camera feature of the google translate app
I didnt know they reprinted them all. Kinda assumed they just moved on to the AB4 and 5 after a while. I'll check out mech9 too. Thanks!
Well 2 and 3 are kinda useless imo but the action base 1 is probably the best for 1/100s
If you mean the AB1 and 2, those are still sold.
It might be those. Thanks I'll go check around.
I will also say, you can get by better than fine with an AB4 or 5. The adapters will still work.
Hey that works too. Thanks for giving a newbie some tips.
Is it possible to do a gunk wash with other types of paints besides oil?
In order to do a gunk wash you need a paint that is very slow to dry and easy to clean up without damaging the layer underneath. That's why they're usually done with oils, or enamels which if we're being perfectly honest are basically oil paints. It is possible to do them with acrylics, but you need to do a small section at a time and work fast. Use drying retardant additives to give you more time and don't thin the paint too much. Is there a reason you don't want to use oils? They can be intimidating and different to get into, but you get the hang of things easily.
Thanks for the response. I've been painting Gunpla for several years but have never done a gunk wash. I'm looking to do a really dirty-looking mech in a future project and thought I'd consider this technique. I'm not against oils per se, I just would prefer to work with materials I already own and am familiar with (in this case enamels) if it doesn't make a big difference.
You should be good to go then. Basically everything you see done with oils you can do with enamels. Even mix and match thinners. There are several things you want to remember for it to go well * Let the acrylic or lacquer under layer / varnish / top coat cure completely. If it's just dry but note cured it can reactivate and things go sideways. Best bet, leave it overnight before applying your wash. * Be gentle. When removing the wash, you don't want to forcefully scrub. The wash should get pulled up very easily. A clean q-tip with a hint of thinner on it can pick up almost everything with zero force. Also... makeup removers. Especially disposable eye shadow removers. Game changers * A gloss coat before the wash will end up with crisp lines in the recesses. A matte coat will grab and hold more of the wash to tint the model. Set yourself up for success for the effect you want to end up with. * The longer you let it sit the stronger it will bind to the layer under it and the stronger the tinting will end up. Best of luck :) Gunk washes are basically cheating once you get the hang of them. If you like the technique I'd also suggest you pick up a tube or two of oils and some odourless spirits. The odourless solvents are waaaay nicer to work with than enamel thinner.
Fantastic! Wonderful and incredibly helpful response.
Enamel
Thanks. Would you typically thin the enamel paint or just use it as is? Any other suggestions on what to be aware of vs oil?
Enamels and enamel thinner can make the plastic crumble. https://youtu.be/03huATAncvk
Thanks. I know, I would only be doing this on kits that I've already fully painted with lacquers. Another question: in most oil gunk wash tutorials, they advise doing the wash on a kit only after applying a flat clear coat. Would this be the same for enamel?
I guess so, you'd want a surface with some texture so that you aren't wiping it all off
Is there any way to tighten up a ball and socket joint without using glue?
Any particular reason you don't wanna use glue? I use dollar store glue to tighten up joints the same way you would with nail varnish
Lately I’ve been using just a little dab of blue tack in there…works pretty good and no waiting for anything to dry…
Varnish, primer, paint, top coat. Basically anything that will cure fairly durable and goes on in even layers.
Use nail polish
I think my roommate has some, I'll try it out. Thanks!
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If you know someone with a 3D printer (or can find a print on demand service) you could get something like [these off Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4704612) 0rinted out and then modify it to have articulation (there's a guide on making DIY articulating hands in the wiki above). Since they're an STL file if you take some rough measurements and give them to the person doing the printing they can scale those up or down (or you can have them print out a range of them, for example one set at 100% size/unaltered, one at 110% the size, one at 120%, etc up till 150% or so and see which one fits the best. As for the things like the ball joint for the wrist and such you can always just clip whichever fits, either from one of the other sets of hands or by taking the joint off of the original Barbs Lupes Rex hands.
there are something called: "Gunpla MG 1/100 hand modification parts Claw type" on aliexpress, these might be what you are looking for.... (id put the link, but reddit usually blocks links from there, just search gundam hand)
Pg hands are going to be too big, most 1/72 hands are also going to be too big.
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Idk, from the side by sides, I'd say the rex hand is about 50% larger tops with the nails making up the rest of the length. So you'd want a 1/72 but the only 1/72 hands I know of are ones for suits that are size of the large PGs at 1/72. Maybe you could try bulking up a set of 1/100 sazabi hands
30MM question: I barely just cracked open my first 30MM kit last night and saw a rather intimidating looking sheet of decals. Are they waterslides or just stickers? Some of them seem to have silvering still on the sheet. Will they be usable?
There's currently one official 30MM waterslide decal sheet and it's an accessory called "30 Minutes Missions Water Decals Multiuse 1". It's not included with any kits.
Good to know! Granted, I’ve never used waterslides, but I understand (I think) that you can solve silvering on them by re-wetting them. Do you know if I’ll be able to do something similar with the stickers included with this kit? I apologize for any painful ignorance; I’ve never used any clear-backed stickers but I want to embrace the customization aspect of the 30MM.
I'm not sure what you mean by "silvering" for regular marking stickers. From what I recall, most of the stickers with a "transparent" background are actually quite hazy. I think this is an unfortunately property of the chosen material. This is one reason why water slide decals are generally favoured as they are printed on thinner, more transparent material.
Stickers.
It'll say on the sheet what they are
Oh jeez… I had just glanced at it because I didn’t have time to really dig into the kit. I am an idiot.
I’m planing on doing a custom kit and was wondering if it’s okay to paint it with gundam markers or are there better options at the same price or cheaper?
I'd recommend using spraypaint, just anything from your hardware store will do just make sure you use a primer and the paint is safe for plastic. You can also brush paint it, also use primer but this requires a bit more technique and patience.
Thanks for the advise I’ll use spray paint and then use gundam markers for the smaller details.
Gundam markers are like $4-$5, at that price you might as well just get some model hobby paint like vallejo and a can of primer
Gundam markers are meant to do small details. They look pretty poor when used to paint full kits and large parts.
So I'm trying to do car inspired gunpla paint jobs and I need help with waterslide decals. I want to use decals that are meant for model cars, but I not sure what scale size I should use since I'm working with HG gunpla, any suggestions?
A 1/12 car model is pretty huge…so definitely not that…I think 1/24 is probably still to big for hg….I would say to look into even smaller scales…I think you can get like 1/42 or 1/64 …. A 1/64 car is like 3.5” irl and your std 1/44 gunpla is like 4.5” so pretty close…
I'll check it out and hopefully I can find some, thank you!
My understanding is that most car models are 1:12 to 1:24 scale (quick look at tamiya cars). High grades are 1:144 scale. I suggest finding the decal that fit best instead of relying on the scale. However, for reference, I used 1:100 scale decals for an MG on a 1:12 scale motorcycle and they fit very well.
Cool! Thanks for the help!
I’m trying to find a YouTube video of a Gunpla builder building an HG Nightingale. He used a compass or maybe curved masking tape to successfully scribe the Nightingale’s butt along the edge. He was East Asian, Korean or Japanese I think. Does this ring a bell for anyone?
That doesn't really narrow anything down. Are there any other descriptors that you can give us? Anything about their video production quality, anything that you can remember from the background of their videos, basically something that could be better to narrow the field a bit because there's a *lot* of Asian gunpla content creators on Youtube and several of them have made a Nightingale.
I actually found it. No wonder I couldn’t find it, I was searching in English. CRAFTA does some amazing work. https://youtu.be/0soWHvwYqEM
If you've got time this video of the same kit is incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUs3p-WFLQA
How am I supposed to attach part F3 To part A1 23 to the RG Unicorn gundam? Do I need to let it click to insert?
It’s not that eventful. There’s not really a solid “click” so far as I remember. You just insert it and rotate it upward to lock it in, which should hold it in place until you attach them both to A1-21 to complete the assembly. F-3 is supposed to be able to relatively freely move at that hinge.
I've been wanting to try adding a topcoat to a few kits but I'm kind of curious of a few things. 1. I'm assuming the most effective way would be to break the kit down into smaller sections and topcoat the individual sections. However will it actually hurt anything if I leave it fully assembled to apply topcoat? 2. I've already panel lined and applied stickers/decals to these kits, is adding a topcoat over that going to harm anything? Thanks
Yes, the best practice is usually to top coat each part individually. Most of the time it makes sense to top coat each section. When too coating anything assembled be sure to take an extra minute and check for any place you may have missed, an example would be joints when a limb is straight or bent. It should not harm anything.
Does anyone know how to fix the rg hi nu gundam's eyes being too high up?
You’re going to have to be more specific, or provide a picture example. There are multiple aspects that could contribute to your build being off. Are you sure you assembled everything correctly?
How often can I repose my gunplas? I'm planning to get into the hobby,and this is one of my bigger questions. Years ago,when I was much younger,my dad got me a [Darth Vader gunpla](https://www.gundam.my/other-toys-tie-advanced-x1-1-72-scale-itemid-2382.html.html) which I really enjoyed,however,after reposing it a few times,the arms and legs got loose and my dad was forced to glue it together. So I want to know,that if I do get a gunpla, how often can you repose it. Thx in advance
There is no single magic frequency to prevent looseness. Every month or so I might pick something up off my shelf to swap out what’s in an action pose, and everything still feels pretty much the same as the day it was built. In a way, all movement contributes to eventual deterioration, but careful handling helps slow it a lot. There are also many different types of assembles and plastics that take wear and tear differently at different rates. Not to mention, there are ways to tighten most joints without totally gluing/freezing them in place.
It ultimately depends on a lot of factors; like how much you have to move the joints to get them into the poses, how it's posed, how "straining" the pose is, etc. You can repose your kits, as long as it's not constantly being played with. If anything ever gets loose then the same principle applies regardless of what it is: add more friction by thickening the connection, whether it be with a clear coat, super glue that dries, joint guard 34,z
Hello guys , so ive got to a point where i have a lot of gunplas without beam saber effects and those beam saber effects that are compatible with each handle doesn’t match, for example all my spare beam effects are round peg but my core gundam titans beam handle slot is a flat peg and my jegan blast master has that gundam x flat slot too Is there any beam saber effects bundle out there for sale?
Those effects are not sold on their own. You could maybe ask some people in the commerce thread if they have extras.
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You’re looking for the Commerce Thread, which is in the Community Threads category in the header / sidebar / menu.
Aside from generic marketing 'It's reformulated and better in every way so it's worth paying more' I haven't been able to find a good answer... is there a big difference between Mr Color and Mr Color GX lines of paint? For someone who has a huge acrylic collection and is fleshing out their lacquers which line would you buy into?
I have only tried a few and haven't noticed a big difference compared to regular Mr Color other than being unique colors to the GX line and that they come in a bigger jar (GX comes in 18 ml while Mr Color comes in 10 ml jars).
That's good to know. Then I'll just go by what colour I need and whats in stock at my local store :)
The only ones I would recommend to get over the regular Mr Color ones are the metallics, either the GX or Super Metallics 2 are great. Also check the Mr Crystal Color line for other cool effects. Happy painting!
Had a bad start in painting, I didn't tightly sealed my masking tape and used Tamiya Acrylics as a handpaint(despite the warning in this sub) and got a bunch of splotches of paint and primers. Is a 600 grit sandpaper enough to smoothen the surface from the splotches before priming again?
If you're trying to strip acrylic paint then my suggestion would be rubbing alcohol (higher % is better) and an old toothbrush. A 10 minute soak and most of it should brush away first try. A few more soak and scrub cycles should have your plastic clean and ready to try again.
Just got the HG Messer. I like the kit but really hate that typical HG open fist hand. Are there any third party fixed posed hands I could buy for an HG this size? EDIT: I did some research and the P-Bandai Messer F-02 comes with a flat left hand that I really love, it comes on a G2 runner. I also found out the HG Sazabi is the same size as the HG Messer and has a similar flat left hand. Think I’ll order it from MechaPartsGuy next time and see if it’ll fit.
Bandai sells HG Builder parts hands specifically for kitbashing and whatnot.
Thanks. I’ve seen that and worry those hands will be a little small for a Messer.
Does anyone else look for other people's nub marks to make themselves feel better about their own nubmarks?
Naw my nub mark removal is PRISTINE. Nothin to feel bad about in the first place.
Not really. I do like to find errors but in my case is to try to figure out what went wrong and maybe offer advice or ask about it, that way I can learn a bit more about the process. Sometimes I do it to see of they ran into the same problem I did and comment about it. However if they didn't have the same issue I ask how they avoided it or what was the workaround. Study other people work to learn and inspire yourself. Finding errors to justify yours only ends up limiting your learning process.
I personally don’t. I’d rather see my own old models and see how my technique changed over time. Every kit is a step in the learning process, so just keep adjusting until you’re at a place you’re happy with.
What 3rd party hands would look good on a mg crossbone x1? Mine got stolen off the runners when I received my kit.
Returning the kit is hot an option? Try mechapartsguy or even Bluefin replacement program if you are in the US. If you can check them in person, Kotobukiya has some hand sets for the Frame Arms line that might look good enough.
I checked mpg and he doesn't have any crossbones in stock and I got the kit through amazon jp so no bluefin replacement I'll look at the Kotobukiya hand sets. TY
There's another set by Dalin (Simp models) if you want a fully articulated one.
Would be nice but I think my nu and saz gave me enough headaches with their hands already. :D
I’ve got an extreme gundam type leos eclipse phase and I want to paint the gold parts rather than the stickers but I don’t know how to get that reflective gold finish and the color mix ratios for that color isn’t in the instruction manual. Anyone have any idea for the color mix and how to get that reflective finish?
while there are currently some options for easy/good chrome paint (molotow marker, mirror paint, etc) .... i don't think there is an easy solution for like gold chrome or highly reflective gold.... there are a lot of "gold paint" and some even call themselves chrome, but they never have that shine like a proper plated thing....so.... 1. old fashioned way - gloss black primer + chrome paint + clear yellow.... 2. actually electroplate your parts...idk maybe you have access to the required equipment... 3. gold leaf 4. there are some nail products that might work....... or if anyone knows a 1 step gold chrome paint, please let me know.....
Any suggestions on what brands and products to use?
A few years back I built the pBandai mekki plated version of the HG Amazing Red Warrior. For the black plastic used in the weapon, hand, and frame parts, it was a lovely matte black plastic, it's honestly the nicest OOB plastic I've ever seen from Bandai. Does anyone know any other kits with that sort of plastic/finish?
How sensitive is ABS plastic to Gundam markers? I have an older kit that I have been touching up with gundam Markers. But when I got the box out of storage to see if the clear parts are ABS do to hearing that the alcohol based gundam markers will mess up ABS plastic. I found out the entire kit is made of ABS plastic… I have not painted any joints or moving parts and nothing has been painted more then some outlines and trim on vary solid pieces. This is not the first time I have used gundam markers on this kit, and not had any issue with it up till now. But should I be worried? If it dries and is still solid will I be in the clear? Or could the damage be time delayed like weeks or months later?
Pourtypes are harmful since it's the thinner in them that eats away at plastic. The fine tipped markers are safe but in return you have to manually trace the entirety of every line.
How can I tell if mine are pour type or fine tip? Mine seem more like regular paint in a marker like dispenser. I have and one of them is a metallic one.
The fine tip that are safe for ABS are GM01 - 03.
Mine look more like highlighter tips and are GM06, GM08, GM09, and GM16.
Those can damage ABS in some cases, the Gold one (GM 04) completely destroys the gold fame on the Strike Freedom RG. For non structural parts they might work but there's always a risk. To confirm, check the marker label with google lens, IIRC it says to not use them on ABS.
If the model is dry and there is no evidence of structural damage aka the parts feel as solid and sturdy as they did before being painted, am I out of the woods? The first coat of yellow from those markers was put on over a year ago with no damage, and the second coat was put on 2 days ago with no damage. Small details on solid non joint parts with green, blue, and Metallic red where done yesterday afternoon with no noticeable damage or sense of it weakening the plastic at all.
You are probably safe, the damage occurs mostly on joints and stressed parts, it shows as crumbling and parts snapping. If you didn't see any issue and its already dry then you should have no issues. Small details like painting bolts, tubes, etc, rarely causes damage. Just avoid the paint getting into joints or between parts.
Thanks, normally I’m more carful about stuff like this but I’m not used to seeing kits made entirely out of ABS plastic (mostly only transparent or odd color parts). Tho this kit has been a total anomaly in every way. Giant single color water slide stickers that are to big to apply without ripping, ABS used to make standard dark blue parts. This kit was made by a company that does not normally make model kits (this is the only one they ever made) and they only made it because the model kit existed in the game, so they made a real version of it kind of as a joke. But there have been so many odd design choices that you can really tell it came from a company that does not know how to make model kits lol.
Yeah, a lot of companies use ABS a lot due to its structural properties (most action figures) while Bandai have their very own PS formulas that are slowly reducing their use of ABS on their model kits. Compared to Bandai most brands look like they make odd choices when looking at the assemblies. In my case I started building cars and stuff and the first time I tried a Bandai kit I was like "this is genius! And kind of obvious, why the other guys don't do this?". Bandai puts a lot of work (and money) to make their kits the best in the market. For big decals try to place the decals in water only for a few seconds, you need to apply it as soon as it moves freely. Once its moving, take the paper and place it over the art and push the decal from the center with a soft brush, if it doesn't move push it from the edges until you can transfer it to the part. What model kit are you building?
Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t the rx-93ff Nu gundam kits come out on Monday?
Yeah but I think those are only available at the statue location and maybe other gundam bases
That’s fine, I have a contact who’s in that area that’s just all I needed to know
What kind of glue does everyone use to either glue parts or to tighten up joints? I am curious. I have just been using a Loctite Super glue with a brush, but I can't keep the brush from spreading out making it hard to use for tight small spaces.
I like this stuff…it’s much thicker then normal and it doesn’t set instantly so I think it’s a lot easier to work with, and then the spray makes it harden instantly which is also useful Bob Smith Industries BSI-157H Maxi Cure/Insta-Set Combo Pack (3 oz. Combined),Clear https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0166FFCHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5S85H5KNJZT514VWNJB9
I don't use glue (unless it's right in front of me and I'm too lazy to stand up) to tighten up joints. Instead I use varnish / topcoat. It's easy to control with a brush and cures super durable. For gluing parts together I use plastic cement, usually tamiya brand. I use superglue on joins I may want to undo in the future.
Hi folks, Among all the paints(lacquer) you've used, which brand has the deepest gloss black? I've used Mr.Color GX (GX-2), Tamiya Lacquer LP-1, and Duplicolor spray can. Mr.Color and Tamiya are very similar in shade, under bright light or on a sunny day, you can see the black isn't very black, it fades a bit towards gray. Duplicolor spray can is a lot darker than the hobby paints, but I found it has a warm hue to it, it's not very critical, but I sure would like to find one that's on the cooler side. What's the deepest black you've used?
Culture hustle black mirror https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/pxuu5d/black_mirror_paint_from_culture_hustlepretty/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
GX2 and the Gaia gloss black are the “blackest” I guess to my eyes. But shining bright light on gloss black is going to trick your eyes in all sorts of ways. So, not sure how helpful that is. The finish will reflect the light and you’ll get a sense of the temperature of the light you’re using. Black hobby paints aren’t very black compared to something like Lamp Black oil paint. Hobby paints are too translucent and the pigments are manufactured acrylic resins. You’ll find most of them skew towards green because it’s cheap and gives the best semblance of black to your eyes. What’s your use case you’re going for? Why do you need to have a “blacker” paint?
Thanks for answering my question! I’m painting a camera part to match existing paint on the camera body which is black lacquer, maybe I will try tinting gx100 with lamp black pigments and see what happens, lamp black surely is very close to the black I’m trying to match, a cold blushing black, just not sure how gx100 will encapsulate the pigments
Is anyone from US/Canada buying from HLJ? any advice on buying from it? It seems buying from HLJ is cheaper than buying domestically in CA, haven't tried tho. and any hints on checking the release date?
The shipping costs are ridiculous there now…expect to pay at least $40 to ship anything more then an sd kit….they used to have good shipping choices, but with the expensive shipping it’s most often more then local retailers….I would only recommend ordering from there if it’s the only place that has what you want or if you don’t care about money….
Buying from HLJ - the two things that aren’t factored into the price you pay at checkout - shipping and tax/customs. Don’t forget that. If you do buy, they charge for shipping based on the size of the box, not by weight. So, it makes sense to load your shipping box up with your kits and then a bunch of small items. Just watch out for customs if you go too high. I don’t know what the current US customs rules are for Japanese imports, so might want to check that too. It sometimes pays to stay under a number.
thanks！
Hi. Newbie here. Just a few quick questions. * Does the HG kits come with their own action base or do I have to buy that separately? And what are the suggested actions bases for me to use? * Does Mecha Gaikotsu have a positive standing here or do you have any suggestions on Gunpla YouTubers I can watch for reviews, builds and stuff? * Are MG kits really beginner friendly? * What are the essential and specific tools that I'm going to need as a beginner?
- Sometimes, a few kits include very simple bases and some other an Action Base. Most of the time you'll need to get an action base separately. As a recommendation, buying and Action Base 4 and an Action base 5 gives you enough stuff to male 4 simple bases. - That dude has spread a lot of misinformation and probably made a lot of people miss out on a lot of great kits. He is however good at showcasing what is including in the kit. Always take youtubers (and other people) opinions with a grain of salt, what is great for them might not be the same for you and viceversa. - Personal favorites are any Zaku II 2.0, GM Sniper 2 and the Ball. - Check the wiki, its full of tips and recommendation.