MechTech

Thanks guys and I'm going for both after all. The warning lights will correspond to the warning alarm. I found a great pair of old Yamaha computer speakers that I'm using an old Sony portable speaker amp with. 4.5 volts of portable fun with acceptable clarity. Not the awesome bass I hoped for from the Monster Guns, but close enough. Now I just need time to build it all! Nothing built, but when I'm taking a break, this is what I've captured and cleaned up so far: Macross_Original_Alarm.wav MacrossAlarm_Type_II.wav I don't which alarm was for what - still researching that one. Multi_fired_rounds.wav After the door goes down... Can you hear the casings drop? I've got other bits, but they still need cleaning up and combing. Feel free to spruce up your desktop sounds! That's it for now! By the way, I couldn't take down the big file I accidentally loaded. - MT Macross_Original_Alarm_Looped.wav

That's not bad at all. - MT

I can't read it, but I figured that was all the "history" of the destroid development. It all looked cool then (like a lot of stuff in the 80's), now I see it I see all the QUICK work that went into throwing some of the models together . It's all cool none the less! - MT

Thanks CF18! Now I just have to keep from drooling on the keyboard! - MT

It will have to have a warning label on it " Warning - Keep away from children, it may fall on them and crush them." - MT

I've been away from the toys thread TOOooo long! This thing is huge (as will be the price tag). - MT

Good thing I happened by! Thanks EXO. I've been happy with the quality of the first set (except for that reversed UN SPacy thing). The dimensions are good and these look great too. It will be nice to get the fan liner since my daughter squashed the one I scratchbuilt! Less work for me now ! -MT

That is awesome work and in one week. I'm guessing he was on break or out of work! It takes me one week to complete my homework (after work) -MT

Thanks Tetsujin! Too bad I can't do it. - MT

You have a job now, that's great to hear!

Thank you Rogue Trooper and Garou! The more I build this the more I'm thinking of prepping it for show. For instance, do I use just sound chips and tiny speakers for sound IN the ship, or do I put a stereo system in the stand of the ship and get GREAT sound (which will require AC voltage)?! Still working on school. After this month it's back to the Daedalus! - MT

Great work overall. I can see you got "all your bases covered" with those builds Seriously, I know we hope to see more of your work soon! - MT

Yes, you do have to start somewhere so don't sweat it! Some tips in areas I've seen that will help you (NOT criticism): Sanding two pieced halves (when flat) lightly on a piece of sandpaper glued to a flat surface will make your parts fit together better with smaller gaps and seems. If you hate filling seems (like we all do) this will limit them. For masking painted areas, get some Tamiya masking tape (IT DOES matter) or some clear tape that won't leave gum behind when peeled back (need to test on that one. It depends on tape and paint type). I usually build without painting the whole thing WHEN possible. I just use a closely colored paint to cover seems and simulate what would be "dirt." Lo budget and easy! You're model shows you're doing fine and you have the skills. Keep up the good work! - MT

You build it at work! Wish I had time for that! It's looking good so far. The wheels look on the smaller side, but I'm also guessing you're adding tread to them and not cutting into them? Keep it up! - MT

Wow, I miss a week and a lot of great building! Looks GREAT everyone! That Optimus is HUGE - on many levels! - MT

Thanks!!! I've found that and some other good stuff too (rubs hands maniacally) - MT

Word to the wise, TEST on a COUPLE of decals you can live without. Then let it dry for at least a whole day before applying any sealer. Mr. Mark softer will help it settle into grooves better, but go easy on it. Practice, practice practice! - MT

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I am thinking about adding aircraft sounds too. After all, I will have a flight deck. I'm pulling down English version of bridge chatter and commands. I just have to figure out what order and track to place them on. I've also gotten samples of real sounds for background. Thanks Vespaeda, I appreciate the offer and "there's no school like the old school!" My wife and I would love to go to Japan. It would be expensive though. I'd be blowing money on my hobbies and she'd be blowing it on Mikasa crystal! - MT

Thanks for the info SVF! I can see these going up on evil-bay soon! - MT

Awesome work! If my maintainers ever let our equipment go that bad, I'd make them walk the plank I'm guessing you used decals on the missiles? The whole thing looks great! - MT

At last, little more love for the old school stuff. I always loved the chunky GBP. - MT

Does anyone have some sound clips from the Japanese version? I've only got DYRL in the original. I also found the newer dubbed version of Macross online that I've been playing with. - MT

The armor looks great HWR. 505 - That's cool. The majority of what I have are medium caliber, aircraft rounds. The plan someday is to use them in stands with the aircraft. Anybody got a 55mm GU-11 round? Cowie - That's funny man. Was he saving them to uproot a tree trunk or something? Your pop could've probably just unscrewed the top, poured out the charge and set off the top primer to clear them. It would have been funny to see how everyone reacted. There was this one guy who did some digging and found an old mortar round. He brought it into the facility workshop and was buffing it clean. Somebody asked him where he got it and he said, "I just dug it up." Everybody freaked out and called in the local EOD. We all know that buffing metal makes it hot; right!? Not cool. - MT

Thanks AGAIN guys for the compliments!!! Yes, one can be yours for merely $75,000 (shipping included of course). Oh yeah, I need 4 years lead time too! School is slowing progress but I'm trodding along! UPDATE 2 MARCH 2009 I received my voice recorders. I ordered them here for $2.00 each!!! http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store...RECORDER/1.html If you're interested, read the reviews. One of them leads to a site that shows how to hack the board. I opened the box, removed the board and then the figure. By the way, my kids DID NOT like the figure at all! "Dad, are you going to throw the bad guy away?" I removed the mic element and soldered in a 1/16" headphone jack. I take the output of my computer's sound card and pump it right onto the board. I just push the record button on the board and play on the computer simultaniously. I can also control the output levels. This makes less noise and a louder/crisper sound. The board's RAM keeps the sound even after batteries are removed! Each board holds 30 seconds of sound. Big bonus. Another note, they are three volts like EVERYTHING else! What a deal! The amp on the board drives the tiny stock speaker fine, but I hooked up an old TV speaker (2.5" x 5") and it drives it great!. Nice bass and it's loud! The problem, weight again. I'm starting to sound like an anorexic supermodel probably, but weight is critical in something this "small." The big speaker weighs 225 grams, an improved tiny speaker ported with plastic tubing to enhance the sound only weighed 23 grams. Guess who won? (sorry, blurred photo) This is much louder, lighter, and uses less power. I can hear it all the way across the house with the TV on. I can also only use one speaker to each sound board. I might end up using the big speaker after all, for bass in explosions. The sounds I'll be using are: 1) Old school Macross alarm (30 second blast) 2) "Launch Daedalus Attack" from Lisa in your favorite and mine, Roblowtech. Unless someone can send me a newer dubbed version not HG related. 3) Heavy gun/missile fire to follow the launch command. I've got some REAL sounds that are awesome. 4) I don't know what other sounds would be good, but I'm open to suggestions. I bought three boards, so three types of sounds or 30 seconds of recording. That's it for now. I'm always open to suggestions. You guys have helped shape this project over the years! - MT

OK, so everyone's like "look at the cool model of a WWII German Tiger (pick your variant) or look at this cool model of this..." I think the models ARE COOL, however (yes there's a however), what a about collecting pieces of the real thing? This is what I cleaned up last week for my collection (which is getting bigger). Once again, I'm not dogging anyone's models! This is a vintage German 8.8cm (88mm) cannon round made COMPLETELY (don't freek out) INERT. It's complete with the primer and fuse. The round is about 3 feet long when assembled and weighs in at 13 Kilo (about 26 pounds) WITHOUT any explosives. This is a WWI era 37mm AA flak round. It's basically one of the earlier auto-cannon rounds. It's also complete and COMPLETELY INERT. The WWI round REALLY needed some cleaning up. The cannon this went to was a direct descendant of the Maxim machine gun. They just made it bigger (37mm). You can tell it didn't have much power (not even to shoot down Zeplins) so it didn't last very long. This is my OTHER hobby when I'm not doing models or the Daedalus (not so sure it's JUST a model anymore ). Why have a model tank when you can have a tank round I always say! Oh yeah, one of the best selections I have found is at http://www.jcmilitaria.com/ Shipping to the States may be costly, especially if you order a 8.8cm round! - MT