David Hingtgen

OK, that's twice in the thread, so I have to comment. THE VF-4 COULD ALWAYS TRANSFORM. IT IS NOT A RETCON. See here: http://macross.anime.net/fallacies/index.html

I was going to say if anything, Chow Yun Fat's a Ken Watanabe look-alike. Ken Watanabe=awesome.

It's not often you see the Su-25 in action, but, well, just watch the news. ::edit:: Dang, Su-24's as well, thought I saw one earlier but now I'm sure.

Ah---despite the name, xvid4PSP works perfect for what I need. It also seems that it can do "almost anything". It'll take Divx, AVI, MKV, OGG, Xvid etc, and convert it so that a PS3/360/Ipod can read it. It's by far the fastest way to hard encode subs onto a file. Frontier on an Ipod... Now to convert more episodes.

Similar question---anyone know of a way to convert MKV's so they can be played on a 360, with subs? I've found several options that'll get audio and video (usually by making it an MP4, sometimes just putting the h.264 into an .avi without re-encoding) but I don't think any have working subs after that. I'm frankly amazed no one's made a quick one-click "convert h.264 mkv's into a 360-playable format", based on how popular "certain download formats for anime" are.

Well, Plastruct Weld's 3-sec working time was an insurmountable problem--even taping all the interior pieces in place so I didn't have to worry about them, it still took too long to apply cement, get things lined up, and get it together---the glue always dried before the pieces were in place (except for one spot). (applying glue "to the joint" was not an option here) I ended up using Testor's cement for the styrene-to-styrene pins, and Plastruct for everywhere else, hoping SOME Plastruct would work and hold. A quick experiment from yesterday showed that while Plastruct Weld does make a much stronger bond for styrene to styrene, it will break cleanly and suddenly. Testor's will stretch and give long before breaking--which is actually what I think I need for this joint. So in the end, I basically ended up using Plastruct to weld styrene onto the ABS leg parts, so I could then use "normal" glue to glue the styrene parts together, thus holding the leg parts together. Directly welding the ABS parts together just wasn't going to happen---not invisibly at least, and not without being able to access the interior while gluing. Since I used copious amounts of Testor's in spots, I'll give it a week to dry. Or two. Heck, I might wait until September.

The way it cuts off, I always got the impression we're just getting a 2min "teaser" of the full thing. (Not that I expect 30 mins--more like 5 or 10)

The way it cuts off, I always got the impression we're just getting a 2min "teaser" of the full thing. (Not that I expect 30 mins--more like 5 or 10)

Part of the problem with the -19, is that the finish varies from part to part. Some are VERY pebbly, some like fine sandpaper, some "very smooth but not glossy smooth". Sanding has a very polishing effect on the plastic. I have currently glued the blocks in like Winterdyne suggested, and added plastic pins. I did a test and the metal pin held in with CA came out way too easily. I figure using plastic pins in plastic blocks will actually have a better bond. Going to let things dry for a day, then will glue halves together tomorrow. Plus additional applications of Plastruct Weld to the blocks tonight to try to REALLY get the blocks to stick to the legs---that'll be the weak point I think. I'm also trying to encase the blocks in superglue as backup.

So is basically "rotating legs 90 degrees" the big secret to unlocking the hip bars?

Camaro wheel options: Rant: How come there's NO variation in OEM wheels any more? I swear, every single wheel the past couple years from every manufacturer has been the exact same "5 thin spokes highly polished" option. I'm really getting sick of it. (to the point that I vow my next car will not have 5 spoke wheels). I *know* 3, 6, 7, and 8 spoked are perfectly viable and decently popular, or even the "angled" 5-spokes (which I like a lot) etc. Just something other than the basic simple "5-spoke star-pattern". (4-spokes look weird to me and you don't see them that often AFAIK) We need more "discs with holes" (non-steel) options---I do like most Lamborghini wheels. (I don't think I've ever seen a Ferrari wheel that caught my eye--very generic 5-spokes for such distinctive cars)

Thanks much for the info/tips. PS---I use paint on the tips to mark where to drill, too.

Javabean---here's a better pic of the Defender:

Yamato put up the new Hikaru 1A on their site: http://www.yamato-toys.com/items/detail.php?gid=1201 And a non-FP version: http://www.yamato-toys.com/items/detail.php?gid=1205

This pic new? ::edit:: Found another. ::edit again:: The CAD lineart?

A small test inside the leg shows that Plastruct Weld definitely is a solvent to it--it got soft in seconds. I just wonder about gap-filling abilities, etc, as it's one of those "evaporates instantly" glues.

Here's pics of the halves, "almost together" and fully together. It actually holds together quite stiffly by itself--it's when all the other parts come into play and transforming it that it splits open, right where the pin is (just to the left of center in the 2nd pic) (There's a glued plastic peg there from the factory to hold that spot closed---but if you ever open up the leg, that's destroyed)

The BAT's claw is articulated, BTW. Don't think I've seen it mentioned anywhere.

Yeesh, I walked past pegs full of him this afternoon.

Bought BAT and Hawk. I never did like Snow Serpents (cool name though) and especially don't like the "abominable snowman" look of the new ones. Way too much long, straggly fur...

I'm currently pinning, that'll be superglued into the hole (as nothing really holds metal at all). Planning to try Plastruct Weld for the rest. If that doesn't work, probably an epoxy.

Graham's review says mostly ABS. The only POM is the canards, and possibly the "pale grey" parts. Thing is, there's many types of ABS (just like there's many types of styrene). All react differently to different glues. Plastruct Weld is supposed to work with ABS well, but it's very thin and has no gap-filling ability. I have read raw acetone is good for ABS welding, but will not work on many variants of ABS that have anything else mixed in with them--and I have no spare YF-19 parts to experiment with really.

Sigh, my YF-19 leg popped apart at the seam again. You know the place---just ahead of where the tailfin slides---there's a glued peg there that is guaranteed to break if you ever open up the leg. And that means its almost impossible to get it to close up nicely again. Superglue is too brittle, doesn't work at all. Large quantities of standard model cement/glue allowed to dry for a week----works for a little while (up until tonight). And standard model glue clearly doesn't affect YF-19 plastic much--it doesn't "melt" it at all. Is a YF-19 (tan parts) ABS? Will Plastruct glue work on it better? Is there a special ABS glue? (maybe for plumbers?) Perhaps epoxy? What the heck does Yamato use? I'm going to the hobby store tomorrow, so I'm open to suggestions---I want something that will REALLY hold the leg halves together. (part of the problem is the sliding fin--as it goes forward, it tries to split the halves apart---can't make it looser---then the fin won't hold in place--it's a fine balance between too loose and too tight---I tested it a dozen times while and after drying, but just tonight when I transformed it, I noticed it was open again) I'm going to use a pin this time to try to help replace the peg, but there's so much stress on that seam--I bet the pin will pull out, rather than hold the leg halves together.

Target restock---they still have just the 4 Scarlett comic packs, but lots of new (and almost new) figs. BAT/Hawk wave, 2-4 of each fig. 2 or so of each from the previous 2 waves. VAMP. All the Hawks had very "curved" cards (not that I care much, but it makes it hard to store the file cards when they're not flat) Also, figs are $7.99 now, yeesh. I usually only buy about 2 per wave, but it still adds up. I see the DVD packs all over now, mainly at Wal-Marts.

I just found Powerglide and a horde of wave 3 dlx's. Gah, I want Onslaught...