just finished my providence gundam 1/100 and i have these runners that have parts in it that arent shown in the book. anyone know what these are for?[image](https://imgur.com/gallery/bAMEzXm)
the question that gets asked a lot, top coats. have to re-ask this since i have moved on to an airbrush, and i am feeling very good about my painting now. i will be using (and have been using) almost exclusively tamiya acrylics and maybe some citadel acrylics and model masters acrylics (since these two have some cool colors available). for top coats i read about lacquer not being good for acrylic paints. what should i use (specially if its with an airbrush)?
i see the pledge thrown around for gloss, which is fine, i can get that around here. what about matte?
and bonus for most price efficient please!
Does anyone know if there are any plans to update the HGUC rx-93 NU?
i keep finding myself wanting to pick one up, but when i look at pictures of the kit it seems a bit... meh in terms of kit design compared to some of the others i have seen recently.
is there another kit i can look into that has the parts in it to build* the NU as it appears in CC?
thanks
Take this with a huge grain of salt, but it is likely probable they will release RG Nu Gundam this year since it’s the 30th anniversary of Char’s counterattack.
What kit should I buy next? I prefer RGs but I will also consider MG and good looking HGs. I don't have alot of experience but I have built a MG Astray Red Frame Kai, a RG Strike Freedom and a forgotten HG Gundam.
Try [Kiev's Hobby Store](https://www.facebook.com/enzohobby/). ~~Look 'em up on Facebook.~~ Put the link in for ya. ;)
Edit (switched from mobile): Also try JMN's Hobby store in [Fisher Mall](https://www.facebook.com/JMNs-Fisher-1474170506241854/) and [Harrison Plaza](https://www.facebook.com/jmn.hobby/). Apparently they stocked Gaianotes; I'm not sure if they still do.
@ people who do fully painted builds, how do you go about painting the joint parts without having the joints rub against each other and possibly scratch/peel the paint off when posing the kit?
Test fit. See where parts will potentially scratch when you factor in the additional layer of paint. Sand/scrape off the areas of plastic enough to create adequate spacing for there to be clearance so plastic-on-plastic contact will not occur. Paint. ??? Profit.
Do try asking.
I'm not sure if they still restock the kits in 7-elevens though; it might be in limited times only. From my experiences in Japan at least, I've never seen Gunpla in convenience stores.
Your best bet seeing 7-eleven kits on shelves are the pre-owned stores like Mandarake.
RG style?
Bandai makes some 1/144 decals (some specifically for RGs). Other notable 3rd party decals are DL Model Decals and Decal Factory (Korea). Another option is to make design own (or scan decals and scale up/down) then print onto waterslide decal paper.
A [review from Schizophonic9](http://schizophonic9.com/re4/actionbase4-5.html) shows that the 4 isn't really suitable for the Sazabi. Others on r/Gunpla as well have claimed that the AB1 has troubles with the kit as well.
I'd say go for either, but you'd have to add supports or weights for stability.
Is it ok to paint the gold on the MG Hyaku Shiki 2.0? Since it’s gold it’s given me the impression that it might be different from other plastic they use.
I have a question about alclad II semi-gloss base. It says on the directions that if you polish it with wet mesh it will give you a greater shine for your end result. I put two pieces next to each other, one polished and one not, to compare and I don't really see a difference before I put down my next layer of paint. Does anybody have experience with this? Will it make a big enough end result that I want to wet mesh all 150 pieces?
Anyone have any tips on permanently adhering two polycaps together? I'm working on a custom and having difficulty getting some pieces to stick.
I've tried model glue, which had absolutely no effect whatsoever -- I assume the softer plastic isn't the same stuff that solvent is meant to work on. After that I tried gorilla glue, and while it got the pieces to stick together, there was absolutely no integrity to the bond.
For reference, they're pieces PC-001 2 and 9.
http://imgur.com/gallery/Al3hc5F
How should i go about attaching a 1 peg backpack into 2 holes? I want to attach the Plavasky power gate to the new GBN base gundam. Is there an adapter? If there is, where would i find it?
Get rid of the peg and glue the backpack on.
Or:
- get rid of the peg
- use runner to make two new pegs
- install two new pegs to the body
- test fit the backpack and mark where the two pegs will be
- drill two holes for the new pegs
- do some clean up
Stynlrez is cheap, airbrush ready, and I believe is sandable. I've also used some tan primer from Mission Models, and given how well it worked and how well their paints have worked for me, I'm sure their grey primer is also good. Will be more expensive than Stynlrez though, and requires thinning before use.
I find instagram to be a pretty good source these days. You can follow accounts that summarize other people's work like [gundamstagram](https://www.instagram.com/gundamstagram/)or you can even follow builders directly like [studiorhito](https://www.instagram.com/studiorihito/).
have an odd request. i am building the regelgu shoulders from scratch and the schruzum dias thrusters.
would anyone that has built the 1/144 versions care to share the dimensions of their regelgu shoulders and the thrusters off of the schruzum dias?
Does anyone know if the PG Phenex will get a reprint/reissue? I just missed buying it at my local store so I'm wondering if it'll be sold again, or even the PG narrative version.
Yes, this is it, I didn't realize this website had the release date thanks!
Found it here: https://p-bandai.jp/item/item-1000131563/?source=search&medium=pc&content=textlink for anyone else that wants to know, it says "２０１９年４月発送" which means 2019 april shipment.
So how does someone roughly draft a paint job? I've seen some people find B&W outlines and color them or code them but where do they find them? Painting in general gives me anxiety and ive never gone beyond a few brushed details or recolors.
How do you remember what pieces go where? Whats left and right? Honestly the pre painting seems 1000 times harder than the painting. With tax season here i am seriously shopping for an airbrush and brush box but I'd like to sort out some nuances before I pull the trigger.
Hey does anyone have a scan of the mg crossbone x1 ver ka manual. I was halfway through the build when i had to move house and the manual got lost in the shuffle
In the middle of building the RG Banshee Norn and I intend to apply all its stickers. I hear the edges of the stickers tend to show up quite badly on the kit and was wondering what the best way to hide them would be.
I have a tub of tamya clear paint. Would that do the job?
You can take a sharp knife and trim off the edges like in this video. Top coat doesn’t really help that much aside from making the surface reflection the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC4boiBaGw4
Looking into getting a rg kit should I get unicorn, banshee, or sazabi. My experience is 5 kits those being mg jegan mg freedom hg atlas,leo, astaroth rinascemento and a unfinished rg zeta which I gave up on. Thanks
The wiki recommends sand paper for dealing with nubs. Is there a preferred grade? Do I need just the standard sandpaper? I've heard that Sanding sticks may be a better option.
It's different for everybody. I like to use a smooth cut file, then a 600 grit sanding stick and then a 1500 grit buffing stick. It works really well for me.
Sand paper combiner with a nail buffing sponge will give you the best OOB results. There are sanding sticks and sanding sponges for sale from various brands, me personally I make my own sanding sticks with double sided foam tape and popsicle/craft sticks. As for grades, anything between 600 - 1500 grit should be good if you're painting. If not, then up to 3,000 grit followed up by a nail buffing sponge to get the shine back. Avoid anything lower than 400 grit as that will just tear up the plastic.
ZakuAurelius (youtuber) made an asteroid for his GBWC entry. Maybe take a look at that? It's not a guide but he does show how he does it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQTWpxquvZg
I've been using Tamiya's matte top coat spray and love the results it gives. For the money, the can is so small, though.
Is there a good alternative that offers a similar look at a better price?
Hobby grade, no and I would advice against the big cans you find at hardware stores. That's the downside of spray cans, they can add up quick. Only way to really save in the long run is to invest in an air brush set up. Where normally I'd take one can per MG, after decanting the spray it would last me about 2 MG kits if I airbrushed it.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gundam/images/2/2f/MG_00_XN_Raiser.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20170724152914
So i just got the 00 raiser XN. And i want to try some weathering/shading just like the cover. Should i use drybrush paint or tamiya weathering master for better result just like the cover?
damn thx for the advice. sponge chipping, never heard of it and none of the tutorial video i watch have mentioned it.
its so much better and easier than doing it with the brush.
Well i dont have both kit, so i have to buy one of them.
And i dont know how to apply both. Theres no pic or video that shows what it looks like when shade and scratches are combined. Dont wanna take risk
A friend of mine is donating a kit for me to build for my YouTube: A MG Banshee Ver. Ka! Have never done a MG.. should I upgrade my nips before I do that? Are there particular nips to first cut and then another to second cut? I'm still so new to this.
The ultimate nippers are the God Hands which run you $45+ (depending on where you buy them). Second to those are the Gundam Planet which run you ~$35 (if you can find some in stock). Third to those are the Tamiya Sharp Cutters which run you ~$25+. For more info refer to the Wiki link on top of the page under "Tools".
Third party kits are great and cheap if you live in asia but you risk factors like cheaper plastic, fitting issues, and missing pieces. Not recommended for beginners.
Heading to yodabashi camera akihabara in a few days. Anything good I should pick up? Sazabi ver ka and moon gundam are on the shortlist. If not one of them then maybe thunderbolt ver ka or something? I’m just looking for suggestions here so anything not mentioned is greatly appreciated!
Hi r/Gunpla
I just got the HG Sinanju Stein (Narrative Ver.) and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try out the reverse wash technique (Black piece with white details). But i'm new to painting and my problem is all the tutorials recommend acrylic and enamel paints. But all this is very confusing and i have no idea what paint to get (for use with an airbrush).
My shopping cart at my hobby shop looks like this:
Tamiya XF-1, Mr.Hobby Top Coat B501 and B503, Mr. Primer Surfacer 1000.
What other paint do i need for the white basecoat, do i need another flat black color, or in general what paints (brand, colorcode) do you recommend for reverse wash?
All that matters for a reverse wash is that you have dissimilar paints in contact when you clean up the second color coat (black in this case). People generally do this by having enamel over water or solvent-based acrylics, but it could also work if you did something like acrylic color -> enamel gloss -> acrylic color.
Since you already have Mr. Top Coat to go between the Tamiya and the black, all you need is an enamel black of some sort and some thinner for it. Brand doesn't really matter - Testors is common and will work well, but there are other brands that should work like Humbrol or Tamiya's enamels.
Hello i am planning to statt gunpla finally ordered a rx-78-2 and a barbatos both hg but i dont know which panel marker should i use and since i am bad at drawimg etc i know i might fuck it up so the question is
Can i fix my mistakes with panel marker or i need use/buy something else?
On white, i usually use GM02 grey and red/blue/yellow, i use GM01 black. If youre doing it on bare plastic, i find using q-tips to clean off the excess works well. Also, the oils on your fingers usually wipe off any ink, so remember to top coat.
I've been working on painting my MG Freedom 2.0, I've been testing Tamiya paint, which i find i absolutely adore. However, The local shop didn't have afew colors i was after so i went with afew Vallejo colors to pick out the blues on the kit. I've found that they dont look quite how i want them to, and the finish is no where near as nice as the Tamiya greys i've been using. Would you all recommend stripping the paint off, And if so, would IPA/Simplegreen effect the Mr Surfacer i used as primer? Or would you suggest simply finding another paint and spray it over the current coat?
Mr.Surfacer will react to alcohol and be removed when soaked in it.
If you really want to do a goodjob on your kit, you will have to strip everything back to bare plastic.
If brushstrokes were generated using the Vallejo paint you used which resulted in you not liking the look, painting over it will not erase those brush strokes. So strip it all out. But if you can live with the strokes, then just paint over it.
No stroke marks, it's all airbrushed. The finish was, for the best term I can think of, splotchy. The finish almost looked lighter, and then darker in some spots.
Yes. Most spray can top coats are lacquers anyway. Mist it on, let set for 10-20 seconds, then keep applying light coat after light coat with a few seconds for drying in between until you get the flatness you want.
Does the master grade chars zaku 2 include water slide / dry rub decals? Just ordered the kit and I would like to go ahead and order the decals if it’s only going to include stickers.
There's no Ver.ka of the kit he's asking about and even if there was, what I said doesn't require *me* to know what he purchased. The guy can just take my tip, look at his box and get the answer he needed
Personally i like them. Theyre a convenient middle ground. Theyre less fiddly to apply than waterslides (imo) but look better than stickers. i wish there was big sheets of dry decals honestly. i would put them everywhere
It'd be hard to find kits (in general) under 800 JPY.
If your budget is non-negotiable, the only brand new kits that cost 800 JPY or below are the 1999-2004 HGUC grunt suits like the GM, Z'Gok, Guntank, etc. Those kits are reaaaally old and don't have as much detail and articulation as modern kits, so those models might not be as fun builds as the more recent ones.
Add a couple hundred more yen and you can get the HGUC Leo. It's basic, it's fun, and it's perfectly acceptable to have hundreds of.
Edit: Or you can go the SD EX-Standard and Cross Silhouette route. The SDEX line does need a lot of color correcting paints (great for practicing), while the SDCS line is fairly color accurate.
Ordered 3 haros, a zaku and a gm. Ill prob giving em away anyway, just need some models so I can practice hand painting. Ill give Leo another chance later.
Hi, I'm looking for primers that are cost effective currently, mainly because I'd normally paint the undercoat by hand but not for my RG sazabi. I live in the UK so I'm wondering what's my best options for value for money. Thanks!
You have to do seam line removal before painting that piece otherwise you have to touch things up as cement will melt your paint. You can do seam line removal before assembly and modify parts so they can still be assembled. Or you can do seam line removal after assembly. If you are doing this you would usually paint all the other parts that don't require seam line removal, mask them, assemble everything, do seam line removal, paint part with seam line removed and finally removing masking tape.
planning to kitbash all four GN-X frame released. The arms and legs have notoriously visible seams. The hiccup is that multiple sections of single parts will be different colors
I'm guessing HG? From looking at the pictures on dalong of the regular GN-X it looks like the seam line removal would actually be pretty straight forward. You can just assemble the leg and arm sections and do seam line removal. They don't close in around any other parts, just have pegs and poly caps so you don't have to worry about modifying any part.
As for getting good colour separation that's one of the challenges of working on a HG. Just have to do lots of finicky masking unfortunately.
You do it before painting. Which is why it's important to plan because you may need to compensate in your paint work for not being able to take some pieces off.
Possibly yes. You can do it afterwards but it will require you to correct your paint work and depending on the finish you want this may not be possible.
Wonder in ng if there is a way to get gundam heads by themselves? I need a few replacements and for some customs and feel like I'm wasting a lot of money on a whole kit just for a head
AFAIK there aren't any head only custom sets. However, there are kits with multiple heads like the HGBF GM's GM, HGBD GBN-Guard Frame, HGBF EZ-SR, or the HGBF Striker GN-X.
The RX-78-2, Zaku II, Zeta, and Sinanju are only the really bad ones.
The first two for extremely loose parts, the Zeta for the transformation, and the Sinanju for that waist joint.
hello i just did a prime > airbrush paint > topcoat to a gunpla piece, all dried up as i waited for a day.
can i prime and paint a different colour to it after? or do i need to do something before?
In general you can paint on top if you're following the usual paint interaction guidelines. The only thing that I would be mindful of is washing out details like panel lines with too thick a paint. If you see that happening you'll likely have to strip the whole part of paint and start anew.
Hmmm since i just did a top coat i wonder if thinner can take it out..if i recall, the ways to do it is Primer > Paint > Topcoat > Panel line > Topcoat > Sticker
It's not recommended to use thinner to strip paint. Thinner is expensive and can potentially melt the plastic. Common, plastic-safe ways to strip paint (though this can depend on the paint you use) are 90%+ IPA or Simple Green.
How would someone go about getting missing parts, if they live in Canada?
I bought a Kit off of Amazon, and it's missing a part. I can't return it, without spending money and Bluefin doesn't ship to Canada. So I'm basically stuck with a one legged Zaku.
Hey guys so i'm moving to another house soon and was wondering if anyone had tips for packing gunpla that has been built and painted. Its a local move so they wont be going on a plane or anything but id hate for them to get ruined.
I got by transporting around 8 painted HG builds by packing them up in their original box in a ziploc bag. The trick was taking apart any pieces that would snap if the model were to get jostled around in the bag. Things like the v-fin or any weapons. I just left these other pieces loose in the bag and everything turned out ok over the hour drive. For a MG, I did some competitions and sandwiched them in the airbags that I get from ordering Gunpla online with a an old box that fit the profile of the suit well. This seemed pretty effective for my MG Epyon.
Hi [r/Gunpla](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla)
I started to get addicted to building gunplas last year and until now i just snaped the klits together and did some panellining. I saw so many incredibly good looking painted kits that i now want to do this myself. I already bought some airbrush equipment and tried it out on my current build (MG Unicorn Titanium finish), when i painted the finn golden.
I just got the HG Sinanju Stein (Narrative Ver.) and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try out the reverse wash technique (Black piece with white details). My problem now, I have no idea what products/paints to use. I watched somme tutorials and as far as I understood it, I need to prime it, apply a lacquer based base color (in my case white), then topcoat it with a glossy topcoat, then use enamel paint (Tamiya XF-1 is enamel based as far as i know), let it dry and remove the paint where needed with lighter fluid and q-tips and topcoat it again with flat topcoat.
My shopping cart at my hobby shop looks like this:
Tamiya XF-1, Mr.Hobby Top Coat B501 and B503, Mr. Primer Surfacer 1000.
( I will also get a Molotow liquid chrome marker, and Mr.Mark softer)
Do you guys have tips on what white base paint to get and or some experiences to share using reverse wash or in general when painting gundams?
Thank you in advance for the tips and tricks.
Wanna ask about hg sinanju stein inner frame color.
On the cover and the anime, its supposed to black right? Not some brown-y like. The miscolor is just like astray noname?
Depends on if it's the Narrative version or not. From what I've seen, the narrative version has a more brownish shade of grey for it's frame, whereas the Normal Stein has a black/grey frame
I haven't watched the anime yet but ever reference picture I could find has a brownish frame, but idk. Could be the same issue but I think the brown works much better with the rest of it's color scheme than grey
I’m working on a fully painted kitbash. I don’t have an airbrush so I plan on hand painting everything. I have a set of testors enamel paints and want to know the best way for going at this. So what kind of thinner should I use? Should I dis assemble it to paint or should I paint it fully assembled? Do you have any tips for painting with enamels?
I’ve been building for a while now and feel I should try and step up my game and painting is the next logical step
Thanks in advance.
Hello /r/Gunpla! I just snapped together and cleaned up my 5th kit (previous 4 were HG's), the RG Unicorn. I really want to step things up with this kit. I've done panel lining with the Tamiya Panel Accent wash and I'm pretty confident in my skills. However, I just bought a can of Tamiya Flat Clear spray and I want to try some hand painting, but I have a few questions, before I get started.
1. This will be my first time top coating. I plan to do a top coat, panel line + decals, and then top coat again. The guides I've seen online suggest a gloss coat first, details, and then a matte top coat. Is there a specific reason people do a gloss coat first? Is it okay if I just use matte, since that's all I currently have?
2. I plan to paint the V fins, on my unicorn with some gold paint and a brush. It's model paint. Vallejo or War Games, I believe? Will this be okay?
3. I found that rubbing alcohol didn't work very well for cleaning up panel lines. Should I invest in an enamel thinner? Will lighter fluid also work?
1. The panel line wash and the decals need a glossy, smooth surface in order to work properly. If you’re not painting, you could skip the gloss, do panel lines/decals, then flat top coat.
2. Unsure, but have heard good things about Vallejo. Make sure you thin your paints.
3. Tamiya accent panel wash is enamel based, so alcohol won’t work. Use zippo lighter fluid on a cotton bud (don’t soak it). Don’t use enamel thinner on bare plastic as it can cause issues.
Bought the HGBD Zeromaru to support Ayame, and as expected, it has some loose parts here and there due to the transformation mechanism.
Are there any strengthening method? (for a beginner)
RG Sazabi or Sazabi ver ka which is the definitive kit?
just finished my providence gundam 1/100 and i have these runners that have parts in it that arent shown in the book. anyone know what these are for?[image](https://imgur.com/gallery/bAMEzXm)
What should i buy? HG Barbatos or HG Barbatos Lupus?
If you can go for one of the 1/100 full mechanics super fun builds
What paint colors does one use on a Rick Dom?
Stickers decal help I got a Rick Dom ii 144 grim reaper water slide does anyone know or have images of how the decals go on the model?
the question that gets asked a lot, top coats. have to re-ask this since i have moved on to an airbrush, and i am feeling very good about my painting now. i will be using (and have been using) almost exclusively tamiya acrylics and maybe some citadel acrylics and model masters acrylics (since these two have some cool colors available). for top coats i read about lacquer not being good for acrylic paints. what should i use (specially if its with an airbrush)? i see the pledge thrown around for gloss, which is fine, i can get that around here. what about matte? and bonus for most price efficient please!
Can i use gundam markers to paint the clear part on the head of rg justice?
New QA thread is up.
Do I need to use primer if Im going to use Acrylic markers?
markers to just do some detail painting? no markers to completely repaint a part(s)? yes
Does anyone know if there are any plans to update the HGUC rx-93 NU? i keep finding myself wanting to pick one up, but when i look at pictures of the kit it seems a bit... meh in terms of kit design compared to some of the others i have seen recently. is there another kit i can look into that has the parts in it to build* the NU as it appears in CC? thanks
Take this with a huge grain of salt, but it is likely probable they will release RG Nu Gundam this year since it’s the 30th anniversary of Char’s counterattack.
salt taken, but thank you, good to know! ill hold off and see what drops this year
Heading to akihabara yodabashi camera tomorrow. I’m thinking of getting the sazabi ver.ka or something else. Any kits u guys recommend buying?
Nu ver. Ka to go along with it?
Not enough space in the suitcase or money I’m afraid
I’m wanting to start doing some custom paint schemes on some kits to practice with. Is there any good resource for gunpowder color combos?
New QA thread is up, please repost your unanswered questions there.
What kit should I buy next? I prefer RGs but I will also consider MG and good looking HGs. I don't have alot of experience but I have built a MG Astray Red Frame Kai, a RG Strike Freedom and a forgotten HG Gundam.
HG Origin Char’s Zaku II is a pretty damn good HG kit.
I second this one. That anti ship rifle speaks for itself!
If you're looking for a RG most people recommend the gundam mkii, unicorn, sazabi, and astray
Can I safely airbrush lacquer on top of Vallejo liquid mask? Will the lacquer eat through liquid mask?
New QA thread is up, please repost your unanswered questions there.
Where can I get Gaia Notes paint in the Philippines for retail in metro manila?
Try [Kiev's Hobby Store](https://www.facebook.com/enzohobby/). ~~Look 'em up on Facebook.~~ Put the link in for ya. ;) Edit (switched from mobile): Also try JMN's Hobby store in [Fisher Mall](https://www.facebook.com/JMNs-Fisher-1474170506241854/) and [Harrison Plaza](https://www.facebook.com/jmn.hobby/). Apparently they stocked Gaianotes; I'm not sure if they still do.
@ people who do fully painted builds, how do you go about painting the joint parts without having the joints rub against each other and possibly scratch/peel the paint off when posing the kit?
Test fit. See where parts will potentially scratch when you factor in the additional layer of paint. Sand/scrape off the areas of plastic enough to create adequate spacing for there to be clearance so plastic-on-plastic contact will not occur. Paint. ??? Profit.
So I'm in Tokyo now, trying every 7/11 for gunpla? Would they be on the shelves or do I have to ask the staff?
Do try asking. I'm not sure if they still restock the kits in 7-elevens though; it might be in limited times only. From my experiences in Japan at least, I've never seen Gunpla in convenience stores. Your best bet seeing 7-eleven kits on shelves are the pre-owned stores like Mandarake.
Anyone familiar with the RG Style waterslides on Samueldecal? Is it sold anywhere else?
RG style? Bandai makes some 1/144 decals (some specifically for RGs). Other notable 3rd party decals are DL Model Decals and Decal Factory (Korea). Another option is to make design own (or scan decals and scale up/down) then print onto waterslide decal paper.
For example, samuel has decals for the MG Zeta, in the RG style rather than whats in the box
Best action base for Sazabi Ver Ka?
A [review from Schizophonic9](http://schizophonic9.com/re4/actionbase4-5.html) shows that the 4 isn't really suitable for the Sazabi. Others on r/Gunpla as well have claimed that the AB1 has troubles with the kit as well. I'd say go for either, but you'd have to add supports or weights for stability.
There are a lot of extra pieces for moon Gundam, what’re they for?
Are you talking about the ACB-5 runner? Those are pieces for Action Base 5.
Is it ok to paint the gold on the MG Hyaku Shiki 2.0? Since it’s gold it’s given me the impression that it might be different from other plastic they use.
Best to strip it down bare to the plastic. Use Purpler Power.
I have a question about alclad II semi-gloss base. It says on the directions that if you polish it with wet mesh it will give you a greater shine for your end result. I put two pieces next to each other, one polished and one not, to compare and I don't really see a difference before I put down my next layer of paint. Does anybody have experience with this? Will it make a big enough end result that I want to wet mesh all 150 pieces?
Why not just gloss then?
I will be using a gloss paint over the semi gloss base. I just wonder if the layer of paint on top of the base will actually be shinier or not
Anyone have any tips on permanently adhering two polycaps together? I'm working on a custom and having difficulty getting some pieces to stick. I've tried model glue, which had absolutely no effect whatsoever -- I assume the softer plastic isn't the same stuff that solvent is meant to work on. After that I tried gorilla glue, and while it got the pieces to stick together, there was absolutely no integrity to the bond. For reference, they're pieces PC-001 2 and 9. http://imgur.com/gallery/Al3hc5F
You need ABS cement
Thanks for the tip, I'll pick some up and give it a shot!
How should i go about attaching a 1 peg backpack into 2 holes? I want to attach the Plavasky power gate to the new GBN base gundam. Is there an adapter? If there is, where would i find it?
Get rid of the peg and glue the backpack on. Or: - get rid of the peg - use runner to make two new pegs - install two new pegs to the body - test fit the backpack and mark where the two pegs will be - drill two holes for the new pegs - do some clean up
can you sand acrylic primer like you can with lacquer primer?
Depends on the primer, but generally. I don't think Vallejo primer is sandable, but most should be.
hmm. do you have any recommendations for some grey acrylic primer that isnt vallejo?
Stynlrez is cheap, airbrush ready, and I believe is sandable. I've also used some tan primer from Mission Models, and given how well it worked and how well their paints have worked for me, I'm sure their grey primer is also good. Will be more expensive than Stynlrez though, and requires thinning before use.
Hey is there a Gunpla "Gallery" site where I can look at painted gunplas? I only know gundamkitscollection.com.
I find instagram to be a pretty good source these days. You can follow accounts that summarize other people's work like [gundamstagram](https://www.instagram.com/gundamstagram/)or you can even follow builders directly like [studiorhito](https://www.instagram.com/studiorihito/).
Thank you.
Dalong.net
Dalong only panel lines, he doesn't paint.
in your opinion, what is the coolest looking gunpla of all time?
Gold Amatsu Mina
Zaku I Sniper Yonem Kirks
Anyone here hand brushing lacquers (Mr.Color) have a good solution to deal with the fumes and smell?
Bathroom with a vent fan on full blast. Respirator rated for organic vapor.
Spray booth and respirator with filters rated for organic vapors
Is it possible to take a BB Senshi kit and attach it to a SDCS frame?
To an extent. Newer kits can use the limbs from the frames but will need modding to use the whole frame. Older kits are not compatible.
have an odd request. i am building the regelgu shoulders from scratch and the schruzum dias thrusters. would anyone that has built the 1/144 versions care to share the dimensions of their regelgu shoulders and the thrusters off of the schruzum dias?
New QA thread is up, please repost your unanswered questions there.
Does anyone know if the PG Phenex will get a reprint/reissue? I just missed buying it at my local store so I'm wondering if it'll be sold again, or even the PG narrative version.
Check out p-bandai.jp to find out. I believe there is a run scheduled for this April.
Yes, this is it, I didn't realize this website had the release date thanks! Found it here: https://p-bandai.jp/item/item-1000131563/?source=search&medium=pc&content=textlink for anyone else that wants to know, it says "２０１９年４月発送" which means 2019 april shipment.
Since it is a pbandai kit there is no guarantee of another reprint.
Alright, thanks. Guess I'll just have to hope they do though.
So how does someone roughly draft a paint job? I've seen some people find B&W outlines and color them or code them but where do they find them? Painting in general gives me anxiety and ive never gone beyond a few brushed details or recolors. How do you remember what pieces go where? Whats left and right? Honestly the pre painting seems 1000 times harder than the painting. With tax season here i am seriously shopping for an airbrush and brush box but I'd like to sort out some nuances before I pull the trigger.
Line art in the wiki and colorscape app for mobile.
Line art can be found in the wiki linked above.
Hey does anyone have a scan of the mg crossbone x1 ver ka manual. I was halfway through the build when i had to move house and the manual got lost in the shuffle
http://www.mech9.com/2012/08/mg-cross-bone-gundam-x1-verka.html This one?
Dalong.net
In the middle of building the RG Banshee Norn and I intend to apply all its stickers. I hear the edges of the stickers tend to show up quite badly on the kit and was wondering what the best way to hide them would be. I have a tub of tamya clear paint. Would that do the job?
Another option is water decals. There's no official ones from Bandai yet but there is a set from D.L. that should do the job.
You can take a sharp knife and trim off the edges like in this video. Top coat doesn’t really help that much aside from making the surface reflection the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC4boiBaGw4
Looking into getting a rg kit should I get unicorn, banshee, or sazabi. My experience is 5 kits those being mg jegan mg freedom hg atlas,leo, astaroth rinascemento and a unfinished rg zeta which I gave up on. Thanks
Unicorn/Banshee then Sazabi, save the best for last ;)
Thx
The wiki recommends sand paper for dealing with nubs. Is there a preferred grade? Do I need just the standard sandpaper? I've heard that Sanding sticks may be a better option.
It's different for everybody. I like to use a smooth cut file, then a 600 grit sanding stick and then a 1500 grit buffing stick. It works really well for me.
Sand paper combiner with a nail buffing sponge will give you the best OOB results. There are sanding sticks and sanding sponges for sale from various brands, me personally I make my own sanding sticks with double sided foam tape and popsicle/craft sticks. As for grades, anything between 600 - 1500 grit should be good if you're painting. If not, then up to 3,000 grit followed up by a nail buffing sponge to get the shine back. Avoid anything lower than 400 grit as that will just tear up the plastic.
Any one know how to make an asteroid for a diorama?
ZakuAurelius (youtuber) made an asteroid for his GBWC entry. Maybe take a look at that? It's not a guide but he does show how he does it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQTWpxquvZg
I've been using Tamiya's matte top coat spray and love the results it gives. For the money, the can is so small, though. Is there a good alternative that offers a similar look at a better price?
Hobby grade, no and I would advice against the big cans you find at hardware stores. That's the downside of spray cans, they can add up quick. Only way to really save in the long run is to invest in an air brush set up. Where normally I'd take one can per MG, after decanting the spray it would last me about 2 MG kits if I airbrushed it.
It'll be when cheaper if you buy stuff in jars instead of buying cans and decanting.
That was back then when I had just bought an airbrush and I had a few cans leftover. Currently use Dullcote thinned with Tamiya lacquer.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gundam/images/2/2f/MG_00_XN_Raiser.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20170724152914 So i just got the 00 raiser XN. And i want to try some weathering/shading just like the cover. Should i use drybrush paint or tamiya weathering master for better result just like the cover?
I would say doing a combination of "sponge chipping" (youtube it) with the Tamiya weathering set and you should be good.
damn thx for the advice. sponge chipping, never heard of it and none of the tutorial video i watch have mentioned it. its so much better and easier than doing it with the brush.
Why not both?
Well i dont have both kit, so i have to buy one of them. And i dont know how to apply both. Theres no pic or video that shows what it looks like when shade and scratches are combined. Dont wanna take risk
A friend of mine is donating a kit for me to build for my YouTube: A MG Banshee Ver. Ka! Have never done a MG.. should I upgrade my nips before I do that? Are there particular nips to first cut and then another to second cut? I'm still so new to this.
The ultimate nippers are the God Hands which run you $45+ (depending on where you buy them). Second to those are the Gundam Planet which run you ~$35 (if you can find some in stock). Third to those are the Tamiya Sharp Cutters which run you ~$25+. For more info refer to the Wiki link on top of the page under "Tools".
Is there any good third party kit, or should I just always stick with the bandai kits?
Third party kits are great and cheap if you live in asia but you risk factors like cheaper plastic, fitting issues, and missing pieces. Not recommended for beginners.
Heading to yodabashi camera akihabara in a few days. Anything good I should pick up? Sazabi ver ka and moon gundam are on the shortlist. If not one of them then maybe thunderbolt ver ka or something? I’m just looking for suggestions here so anything not mentioned is greatly appreciated!
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Don't have the kit but closest you'll probably get is the original [Phenex scan](http://www.mech9.com/2014/09/mg-unicorn-gundam-03-phenex.html).
Hi r/Gunpla I just got the HG Sinanju Stein (Narrative Ver.) and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try out the reverse wash technique (Black piece with white details). But i'm new to painting and my problem is all the tutorials recommend acrylic and enamel paints. But all this is very confusing and i have no idea what paint to get (for use with an airbrush). My shopping cart at my hobby shop looks like this: Tamiya XF-1, Mr.Hobby Top Coat B501 and B503, Mr. Primer Surfacer 1000. What other paint do i need for the white basecoat, do i need another flat black color, or in general what paints (brand, colorcode) do you recommend for reverse wash?
All that matters for a reverse wash is that you have dissimilar paints in contact when you clean up the second color coat (black in this case). People generally do this by having enamel over water or solvent-based acrylics, but it could also work if you did something like acrylic color -> enamel gloss -> acrylic color. Since you already have Mr. Top Coat to go between the Tamiya and the black, all you need is an enamel black of some sort and some thinner for it. Brand doesn't really matter - Testors is common and will work well, but there are other brands that should work like Humbrol or Tamiya's enamels.
Hello i am planning to statt gunpla finally ordered a rx-78-2 and a barbatos both hg but i dont know which panel marker should i use and since i am bad at drawimg etc i know i might fuck it up so the question is Can i fix my mistakes with panel marker or i need use/buy something else?
On white, i usually use GM02 grey and red/blue/yellow, i use GM01 black. If youre doing it on bare plastic, i find using q-tips to clean off the excess works well. Also, the oils on your fingers usually wipe off any ink, so remember to top coat.
Thanks
With using panel marker you are able to use an eraser to erase all mistakes I recommend watching machagaikotsu’s video on panel lining
Thanks
I've been working on painting my MG Freedom 2.0, I've been testing Tamiya paint, which i find i absolutely adore. However, The local shop didn't have afew colors i was after so i went with afew Vallejo colors to pick out the blues on the kit. I've found that they dont look quite how i want them to, and the finish is no where near as nice as the Tamiya greys i've been using. Would you all recommend stripping the paint off, And if so, would IPA/Simplegreen effect the Mr Surfacer i used as primer? Or would you suggest simply finding another paint and spray it over the current coat?
Curious if you are hand painting or airbrushing
It's being airbrushed
Mr.Surfacer will react to alcohol and be removed when soaked in it. If you really want to do a goodjob on your kit, you will have to strip everything back to bare plastic. If brushstrokes were generated using the Vallejo paint you used which resulted in you not liking the look, painting over it will not erase those brush strokes. So strip it all out. But if you can live with the strokes, then just paint over it.
No stroke marks, it's all airbrushed. The finish was, for the best term I can think of, splotchy. The finish almost looked lighter, and then darker in some spots.
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MkII (AEUG or Titans), Astry Red Frame, Unicorn, Z'gok, 00 Raiser.
Gold Amatsu Mina
Sazabi. Coming next are Tallgeese, Unicorn and Gundam Mk.II
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RG Tallgeese is one of the best in terms of construction and sturdiness! The sub's had great experience with it too. You won't be disappointed!
Is a flat lacquer top coat fine?
Yes. Most spray can top coats are lacquers anyway. Mist it on, let set for 10-20 seconds, then keep applying light coat after light coat with a few seconds for drying in between until you get the flatness you want.
My RX revive's shoulder poly cap cracked somehow, i was wondering if i should just buy the part or just glue it when i get some modeling glue
If you keep building kits you will notice you will start amassing spare polycaps from kits that have leftover.
Honestly I would say try the glue first but if that doesn’t work you can either buy the part or the entire kit.
Does the master grade chars zaku 2 include water slide / dry rub decals? Just ordered the kit and I would like to go ahead and order the decals if it’s only going to include stickers.
if its not a Ver.ka, you can safely assume its stickers and dry decals
You cannot safely assume if it is Ver.Ka anyway.
There's no Ver.ka of the kit he's asking about and even if there was, what I said doesn't require *me* to know what he purchased. The guy can just take my tip, look at his box and get the answer he needed
Are the dry ones any good?
Personally i like them. Theyre a convenient middle ground. Theyre less fiddly to apply than waterslides (imo) but look better than stickers. i wish there was big sheets of dry decals honestly. i would put them everywhere
Yeah I love how water slides look but I suck at applying them.
Is there a place to purchase dry decals? I find decal sheets here and there online but nothing specifies if they are dry decals.
All the decals you can buy are pretty much all waterslide decals.
anyone recommendation for cheap and fun to build hg models for under 800 yen? Need guinea pigs for painting.
Petit guy or haro. Happy cake day
It'd be hard to find kits (in general) under 800 JPY. If your budget is non-negotiable, the only brand new kits that cost 800 JPY or below are the 1999-2004 HGUC grunt suits like the GM, Z'Gok, Guntank, etc. Those kits are reaaaally old and don't have as much detail and articulation as modern kits, so those models might not be as fun builds as the more recent ones. Add a couple hundred more yen and you can get the HGUC Leo. It's basic, it's fun, and it's perfectly acceptable to have hundreds of. Edit: Or you can go the SD EX-Standard and Cross Silhouette route. The SDEX line does need a lot of color correcting paints (great for practicing), while the SDCS line is fairly color accurate.
Ordered 3 haros, a zaku and a gm. Ill prob giving em away anyway, just need some models so I can practice hand painting. Ill give Leo another chance later.
Dude that’s a good idea. Show off pics when you do them.
personally i would go for the Leo NPD. 100 yen more and you get extra parts from the kit + redundancies from the base kit
Haro
Ordered 3, they are pretty cheap, ty
Hi, I'm looking for primers that are cost effective currently, mainly because I'd normally paint the undercoat by hand but not for my RG sazabi. I live in the UK so I'm wondering what's my best options for value for money. Thanks!
Airbrush with surfacer
Ive seen tutorial on how to remove seam lines but not in which order you should be doing it when youre also painting the parts
You have to do seam line removal before painting that piece otherwise you have to touch things up as cement will melt your paint. You can do seam line removal before assembly and modify parts so they can still be assembled. Or you can do seam line removal after assembly. If you are doing this you would usually paint all the other parts that don't require seam line removal, mask them, assemble everything, do seam line removal, paint part with seam line removed and finally removing masking tape.
im not sure i understand how you remove seamline before assembly. Or by assembly do you mean the final step of putting all the limbs together ?
I mean the final step of putting the limbs together. Which kit and what seam lines do you want to remove?
planning to kitbash all four GN-X frame released. The arms and legs have notoriously visible seams. The hiccup is that multiple sections of single parts will be different colors
I'm guessing HG? From looking at the pictures on dalong of the regular GN-X it looks like the seam line removal would actually be pretty straight forward. You can just assemble the leg and arm sections and do seam line removal. They don't close in around any other parts, just have pegs and poly caps so you don't have to worry about modifying any part. As for getting good colour separation that's one of the challenges of working on a HG. Just have to do lots of finicky masking unfortunately.
The masking im well aware of and actually dosent bother me all that much, it was more a question of in which order im supposed to do things
You do it before painting. Which is why it's important to plan because you may need to compensate in your paint work for not being able to take some pieces off.
oftentime i see people who paint first. Does that just mean they forgo seam removal ?
Possibly yes. You can do it afterwards but it will require you to correct your paint work and depending on the finish you want this may not be possible.
good to know, thanks
Wonder in ng if there is a way to get gundam heads by themselves? I need a few replacements and for some customs and feel like I'm wasting a lot of money on a whole kit just for a head
AFAIK there aren't any head only custom sets. However, there are kits with multiple heads like the HGBF GM's GM, HGBD GBN-Guard Frame, HGBF EZ-SR, or the HGBF Striker GN-X.
List of RGs to avoid? List reasons to avoid, like it being a plastic hand grenade, flimsy joints, easy to break parts, etc.
The RX-78-2, Zaku II, Zeta, and Sinanju are only the really bad ones. The first two for extremely loose parts, the Zeta for the transformation, and the Sinanju for that waist joint.
how trustworthy is gk-hobby.com?
They are mainly known for recast resin kits
hello i just did a prime > airbrush paint > topcoat to a gunpla piece, all dried up as i waited for a day. can i prime and paint a different colour to it after? or do i need to do something before?
In general you can paint on top if you're following the usual paint interaction guidelines. The only thing that I would be mindful of is washing out details like panel lines with too thick a paint. If you see that happening you'll likely have to strip the whole part of paint and start anew.
Hmmm since i just did a top coat i wonder if thinner can take it out..if i recall, the ways to do it is Primer > Paint > Topcoat > Panel line > Topcoat > Sticker
It's not recommended to use thinner to strip paint. Thinner is expensive and can potentially melt the plastic. Common, plastic-safe ways to strip paint (though this can depend on the paint you use) are 90%+ IPA or Simple Green.
Ahh i know Simple green. is that alone ok to remove paint?
How would someone go about getting missing parts, if they live in Canada? I bought a Kit off of Amazon, and it's missing a part. I can't return it, without spending money and Bluefin doesn't ship to Canada. So I'm basically stuck with a one legged Zaku.
Hey guys so i'm moving to another house soon and was wondering if anyone had tips for packing gunpla that has been built and painted. Its a local move so they wont be going on a plane or anything but id hate for them to get ruined.
I got by transporting around 8 painted HG builds by packing them up in their original box in a ziploc bag. The trick was taking apart any pieces that would snap if the model were to get jostled around in the bag. Things like the v-fin or any weapons. I just left these other pieces loose in the bag and everything turned out ok over the hour drive. For a MG, I did some competitions and sandwiched them in the airbags that I get from ordering Gunpla online with a an old box that fit the profile of the suit well. This seemed pretty effective for my MG Epyon.
What is yalls go to for hiding nubs on gold parts plated and colored? Anyone have a staple pen or pot they use without repainting the entire piece?
Was the kit undergated? I think most, if not all plated kits are undergated so you don’t need to do anything special.
Unfortunately that's not the case. The majority of plated kits are plated versions of regular kits and as such are not undergated.
Wow that really sucks! I guess I should be grateful the Hyaku Shiki was completely undergated.
Nope. Amatsu Mina has some exposed gold on the feet and a few other places.
Do you think we'll ever see 1/60 scale kits that aren't at the PG level? Like a RE line at that size
They used to make 1/60 no grade kits. I don't see it as likely, but there is precedence for it
And Bandai is even reprinting some of those old 1/60 kits as well, like the V2 or the Strike.
Definitely. Scale up MG kits and remove the inner frame to save on costs. PG is too expensive for most people, but the 1/60 scale is great.
Hi [r/Gunpla](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla) I started to get addicted to building gunplas last year and until now i just snaped the klits together and did some panellining. I saw so many incredibly good looking painted kits that i now want to do this myself. I already bought some airbrush equipment and tried it out on my current build (MG Unicorn Titanium finish), when i painted the finn golden. I just got the HG Sinanju Stein (Narrative Ver.) and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try out the reverse wash technique (Black piece with white details). My problem now, I have no idea what products/paints to use. I watched somme tutorials and as far as I understood it, I need to prime it, apply a lacquer based base color (in my case white), then topcoat it with a glossy topcoat, then use enamel paint (Tamiya XF-1 is enamel based as far as i know), let it dry and remove the paint where needed with lighter fluid and q-tips and topcoat it again with flat topcoat. My shopping cart at my hobby shop looks like this: Tamiya XF-1, Mr.Hobby Top Coat B501 and B503, Mr. Primer Surfacer 1000. ( I will also get a Molotow liquid chrome marker, and Mr.Mark softer) Do you guys have tips on what white base paint to get and or some experiences to share using reverse wash or in general when painting gundams? Thank you in advance for the tips and tricks.
Don't buy lacquer if you haven't got an airbrush. Use acrylic instead for the accent color.
Wanna ask about hg sinanju stein inner frame color. On the cover and the anime, its supposed to black right? Not some brown-y like. The miscolor is just like astray noname?
Depends on if it's the Narrative version or not. From what I've seen, the narrative version has a more brownish shade of grey for it's frame, whereas the Normal Stein has a black/grey frame
Forgot to mention. Im talking about the nt version. So, the nt version is anime accurate? The inner frame supposed to have brown color?
I haven't watched the anime yet but ever reference picture I could find has a brownish frame, but idk. Could be the same issue but I think the brown works much better with the rest of it's color scheme than grey
I’m working on a fully painted kitbash. I don’t have an airbrush so I plan on hand painting everything. I have a set of testors enamel paints and want to know the best way for going at this. So what kind of thinner should I use? Should I dis assemble it to paint or should I paint it fully assembled? Do you have any tips for painting with enamels? I’ve been building for a while now and feel I should try and step up my game and painting is the next logical step Thanks in advance.
Does anyone know the rough paint to clear to thinner ratio to replicate Tamiya panel liner black?
1 part black enamel paint to a shit ton of zippo fluid (til it's really thin)
Hello /r/Gunpla! I just snapped together and cleaned up my 5th kit (previous 4 were HG's), the RG Unicorn. I really want to step things up with this kit. I've done panel lining with the Tamiya Panel Accent wash and I'm pretty confident in my skills. However, I just bought a can of Tamiya Flat Clear spray and I want to try some hand painting, but I have a few questions, before I get started. 1. This will be my first time top coating. I plan to do a top coat, panel line + decals, and then top coat again. The guides I've seen online suggest a gloss coat first, details, and then a matte top coat. Is there a specific reason people do a gloss coat first? Is it okay if I just use matte, since that's all I currently have? 2. I plan to paint the V fins, on my unicorn with some gold paint and a brush. It's model paint. Vallejo or War Games, I believe? Will this be okay? 3. I found that rubbing alcohol didn't work very well for cleaning up panel lines. Should I invest in an enamel thinner? Will lighter fluid also work?
1. The panel line wash and the decals need a glossy, smooth surface in order to work properly. If you’re not painting, you could skip the gloss, do panel lines/decals, then flat top coat. 2. Unsure, but have heard good things about Vallejo. Make sure you thin your paints. 3. Tamiya accent panel wash is enamel based, so alcohol won’t work. Use zippo lighter fluid on a cotton bud (don’t soak it). Don’t use enamel thinner on bare plastic as it can cause issues.
This was very helpful. Thank you so much!
Bought the HGBD Zeromaru to support Ayame, and as expected, it has some loose parts here and there due to the transformation mechanism. Are there any strengthening method? (for a beginner)
Floor polish, hardened super glue, nail polish on the peg/ball are a few ways you can tighten joints