Tgt
Junior Robot
Posts: 6
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Post by Tgt on Jan 22, 2005 22:05:14 GMT -5
Hello all. I'm interested in start building gundam kits after a friend of mine showed me some pictures. I was thinking about pick a MG Freedom, or a MG Wing Zero, but I would like to know some tips and info about the kits. Are the pre molded colors nice? Or painting is really a must? What tools and equipment would you suggest me, a rookie, to start building them? Thanks in advance for all help
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Post by jwm on Jan 22, 2005 23:10:36 GMT -5
Tgt: Welcome to Robot-Japan. Check through the various threads right here at the Gundam board. Several people have posted pictures and written about model kits. warning: shamless plug to follow: Check the topic "Building the PG Strike Gundam." That will tell you most of what you want to know. Short version: Unpainted kits can look great. Glue optional. Get an X-acto sprue cutter at your local hobby store. JWM
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Post by does_it_matter! on Jan 23, 2005 5:58:51 GMT -5
MG wing and freedom are tough to choose between. But i got freedom instead cause i've already got a hg wing.
Pre mould colours are there so that lazy people like me don't have to colour them.(plus i play with my gundams and paint would be scratch i played with.) I just outline panels and spray paint the weapon parts of missing colours.
I don't really bother colouring the whole things cause people who come my house and see it don't really care.
Tools you would use are the usual such as x-acto, needle file, sand paper etc.( I just use a penknife to cut off the sprues and sand them of abit. I don't really need putty.)
Oh well thats all I have in mind now.
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Post by Ben-Ohki on Jan 23, 2005 9:11:35 GMT -5
A few things I've learned for building MG kits:
1) The colours are usually pretty good so painting is not necessary for the armour parts. But the internal mechanics will always be that dark grey so you might want some silver paint to bring out the highlights before you start putting the armour over it.
2) Bandai is really good at designing cool machinery that'll show under the removable armour. But check the instructions before you detail all of it because some it ends up hidden under non-removeable parts anyway. You won't have to paint those.
3) Speaking of design, Bandai is also good at making the armour panels "real." You won't need to do as much panel-lines with a Gundam Marker (or ink-washing) when you're done compared to, say, a smaller kit. All the seems will be hidden because... that's where the armour would have met anyway.
4) Something Bandai can't take care of and it'll always be up to you: it's cutting technique. Cut the parts off the sprue with a bit of the sprue first. Then carefully shave off the excess. I found that if you cut as close to the part as possible right from the sprue, you end up warping or scratching the part itself.
5) Want a cool effect easy when you're done? And don't want to paint your own colours over the original plastic colour? Get a mat-finish spray and give it a quick blast. It will remove the plasticy-sheen and make it less toy-like.
Hope these tips help!!
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Tgt
Junior Robot
Posts: 6
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Post by Tgt on Jan 23, 2005 13:06:41 GMT -5
Thanks for all the advice, guys. I've been thinking about getting a cheap airbrush to start, but does it require also a compressor? The compressor is waay more expensive than the airbrush.
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Post by ScarsUnseen on Jan 24, 2005 23:36:38 GMT -5
from what I understand, you can get cans of compressed air instead, but that the compressor is cheaper in the long run, as you would have to keep buying the cans of air
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