azrhino

Kylwell, Saw the rusted Zaku on SSM and it looks great! Congratulations on placing in the "Legs" contest as well. Metal Fatigue

We will probably have to have some sort of fee if we want to try and get Mari back again. I hope my schedule works out to attend again, because last year was a blast!

Looking great, Ryuji! Her face is starting to get that sultry expression, and I think the proportions look much better. Keep up the wonderful work!

The thing that still blows me away is the attention to detail. You get to a point and we're all thinking "This is awesome" and then you add some extra little bits that take the final product to a whole new level. Plus you don't seem to go over the top with the bits, and they look natural. Your skill level is a hard target to shoot for, but it always inspires me. Now if I would just get off my butt and start finishing some stuff. Keep up the great work, and I eagerly look forward to your next build.

Kylwell, What ever happened to your super rusted Zaku? Have you finished it, or is it still in the "In Progress" column? I am really eager to see how it turned out. Thanks AZRhino

Don't be so hard on yourself. It sounds like you learned a lot of things to do differently in the future, and the only way to improve is to practice and be a little self critical. If I may add one bit of constructive criticism, you might want to spend a little more time working on seam lines. The few I saw weren't terrible, but they were noticeable. Overall, I think it is a good looking model. Keep up the good work.

WOW! Sweet bird! And my favorite squadron to boot.

Very nice! I especially like the low-vis markings.

Sorry I'm late to the party. I'm in for one (maybe more depending on my state of employment when it is finished).

I could go for another one. That way the one I have sitting in the closet will have a friend.

How in the world did you cut the detail into the breast plate? It looks increadibly crisp. You are doing a beautiful job, and I can't wait to see the full buildup. I'm also eager to see this as a kit.

To be perfectly honest, I have never used the Model Master line of clear coats. However, considering Model Master is a product line of Testors (which makes the Dull Coat I recommend), I would assume the stuff works. Has anyone else out there ever used the Model Master line of clear sprays?

No, you don't need to gloss coat something before giving it a flat coat. The only reason you need to lay down a gloss coat, is to give the model/toy a smooth surface for the decals. This helps prevent the decals from silvering. I have had very good results with the Testor's Dull Coat. It gives you a nice, even flat finish to your model. If you want a semi-gloss coat, you will need to find a can of semi-gloss (if they make such a thing) or mix a flat base (Tamiya) with a clear coat (like Future), and apply it with an airbrush to give you the semi-gloss look. Short answer after a long reply, use the Testor's Dull Coat.

Stupidity removed...

Hi Charles, Short answer, no, you don't need to use both. Microset is a glue and only needs to be used if the glue on the decal isn't very good. Microsol is a solution that softens decals and helps them "snuggle" down over irregular surfaces. As near as I can tell, Microsol is similar to white vinegar. The important step is to make sure you have a good gloss coat down before putting on your decals, to help eliminate silvering. Also, don't worry if the decal looks "crinkley" when you are doing this. When the decal dries, it flattens out nicely. To the best of my knowledge, I don't think either product should harm a canopy, but once again I would dip it in Future (or its non-American equivilent) for added protection. That way, if anything gets screwed up, you can strip off the Future with some amonia and start over. I am ONLY talking about doing this on the canopy, not a completed model. If you are feeling really brave, members of my modeling club have been talking about a different technique. Gloss coat your model with Future, and then when applying the decals, put a coat of Future on top of the decal with a brush. The fresh Future will disolve the Future underneath, and when it all dries, it acts the same as using a decal solvent. Haven't tried it myself yet, so proceed with caution. Hope this helps. Later Mike

And finally, more people

more cake

The cake...masterpiece!

more people

more people

more people

more people

more people

more people

Here are the people pics