MechTech

That would be my dream to have one of those units. I'd settle for something like this: http://www.rolanddg.co.uk/public/portfolio...ails.aspx?id=53 . The advantage to building small scale are having small parts. - MT

Awesome detailing Kylwell! Love the clock gears. Now I know what really powers a Falke ! Great job on the Ghost Neptunesurvey! I think you need to go with a section of carrier showing lots of lines. It looks like you got the tie down recesses, that's a biggy. It is clean and fresh like Kylwell said . Cokefiend, I wouldn't go with all those other details that you mentioned, but smoke dischargers are canon: [attachmentid=40792] Handholds and smoke dischargers below the cockpit would be great detailing! - MT

Thanks guys! The Captain is right about the coupler. I worked hard on a solution for that, but nothing that could be done in plastic, especially styrene or ABS. Anime magic time! Phyrox is right about the folding cockpit thang. The way I overcame it was by puttng a small shaped plate under the cockpit. When it folds out the hole is covered. When it folds in the cockpit covers the space. The drawings never did collaborate well. The cockpit usually gets drawn too large in the anime. Twoducks, if Toynami tries to copy my work, I'll slam 'em with a C&D ! Actually if they make this whole thing work good and LOOK good, I'll be ecstatic (as will the rest of us here)! - MT

All in all I'm happy with the sculpt, especially on the TRAED. I hope they are accurate with the engineering. If you want to be nit picky, here's how some of those parts should work. The clamp that hold the Legios and nose gear should telescope back into the hip area. The hips should actually fold down/up 90 degrees depending on mode. The cockpit should also fold down into the mid chest area. The landing gear actually should sit/fold into a pod that folds and holds the center booster. The arms and legs folding are easy to see. Here are some pictures of a TREAD look alike I built with spare parts. It looks different, but the mechanics are the same. This is FAR from being done and has a lot of work to go. [attachmentid=40788] Flying mode. The blue block in the center of the chest is for the cannon. [attachmentid=40789] Gear and coupler out. The coupler needs gluing and the rear gear need to be added to the struts. [attachmentid=40790] Cockpit folded in. [attachmentid=40791] Battleoid mode or soldier mode. The block behind the hip part folds down and the gear fold into it. The outer hip parts rotates 90 degrees down. All in all there is not a lot of anime magic on this design - much to my surprise. I got all my mechanical workings from the lineart and anime screen shots. I gotta finish building this thing after the Daedalus is done! It was a lot of fun to figure out. I hope they don't settle for removeable parts. That usually means lost parts. We'll see... - MT

Thanks Dante. It should be at least in toys (my opinion). If it weren't for your post , I wouldn't know about this beautiful creation and be able to warn my wife about the potential cost . - MT

I'm glad someone linked this in the models section! I WOULD buy this toy. It's gonna need some small mods already (the LEGIOS chest looks off), but I'm sure they will work together. There's too many "off scale" parts that make it look like it combines. I think that's the big issue in everyone's head. I actauly started to scratch build a combining unit so I thoroughly studied every screen shot/drawing I could get my hands on. The TREAD does have a cpouple of anime magic elements to it, but it's very workable! The question is now, am I going to have to sell one of my cars ! - MT

Keep it up Neptunesurvey. The ghost (and babies) look good. HWR, the Octo tank looks good too. I think that was one of those designs heavily influenced by Sake ! - MT

First off, welcome to MW! I HIGHLY advise you check out the search eangine feature. It's all been done here at one point or another, even flying R/C SV-51's! I think this will help: http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=21499 Some of one of our renound artisits works: http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=691 Make sure you wash up your parts and give them a VERY LIGHT sanding with high grit paper to help the paint stick. Let any parts you wet sand dry first. ABS plastic does hold small amounts of water. - MT

Hey Grayson, we're actually in a house. My big work area just got smaller. Plus the PC is in here too now! I can work and the wife can surf! I DO have to add some lighting in here though, those pictures were taken at the highest exposure. Nice work robodragon. The only thing I would reccomend is a wash or panel lines. She's got that "too clean" look. That's just my two cents worth. Everytime I see the VF-0 RA kit somewhere, I just gotta buy one. Then I realize I don't have many 1/72 kits anymore! - MT

Looks great Martin! Your steady effort is looking more like the "real thing." I always thought the fingers were funny. They gave it the look of a hand. Those fingers actually came from the older aircraft carriers. The A-4 Skyhawks needed them for takeoffs. That's why you don't see them on modern carriers any more. Keep it up. You're building the "cool" ship with more shipborne weapons on it. Have fun arming it up! - MT

It looks great man! Hopefully you have lots of build up photos printed so if you ever go to a show, they'll believe you made it out of cereal boxes n stuff! You gave the "resin guys" a run for their money! Congratulations! - MT

OK, it's not as cool as chipping, but the parts were on my workbench (for a few minutes). I used to have a nice sized closet nearly all to my model collecting self. The dozen or so large plastic boxes are in my bedroom closet, and this is what's left that needed a home. My wife was loving enough to show me these shelving units, and get this, even set them up right next to her gorgeous kitchen! Is that love or what!? I can actually work on the Daedalus now in one piece! Here's some photos. Back to work on the Daedalus now! Moving and work related studies are over!!! - MT [attachmentid=40623] All my power tools sit on the side giving me more workbench area. [attachmentid=40624] A new "drydock" for the Daedalus. Buy used ammo cans. They keep your models and paints safe for a long time!

Good work Mowe. I think you chose wisely for Misato's current "configuration. The "F" cups would have thrown the mecha's center of gravity off . The mecha came out great too. - MT

More than likely, the "brilliant white" will turn to "retro yellow" like the 1/55 valks. All my other kits that had natural white in them faded to yellow too. More so where glue or other chemicals hit them. Paint can be your friend . I'm actually having to go back and fix some stuff from a decade ago or so. - MT

That stinks man. IF there aren't any white or other fadable colors, some time in direct sunlight might bleach them out believe it or not (not too hot to melt or warp the plastic). That's what you do with old decal sheets, hang them in the sun to bleach them out. It takes a few days. - MT

Looking awesome as always guys! My phone line is supposed to be down, but I'm here and talked to my whole family this weekend!? I can't wait to see what happens when they "fix" my line!? My workbench is on my workbench; pictures later. I jave a smaller work area so my wife was nice neough tolet me get more shelving units/workbench area. Now the Daedalus has a table that the whole thin can sit on - at one time. Keep it up the great work guys. By the way, the cool part about 1/200 scale - no paint chips!!! - MT

In all honesty, do a search. I think we've talked about EVERYTHING on this site. It's here somewhere! Here's a 1/72nd transformable valk (evilbay): http://cgi.ebay.com/Bandai-1-72-Scale-VF-1...8QQcmdZViewItem Other than private stocks, they're hard to find! PM Ranger565. He still sells old classic kits. They harder to build, but a lot of fun. - MT

Neptunesurvey, I just had a good laugh! I was like, "hey!" in referance to your build (one in particular). They ALL look well built. I need to get me a ghost one of these days. - MT

Thanks guys! You're worthy; if you weren't, I wouldn't post here . I'm moving and won't have any internet until the 20th. Don't do anything exciting without me . - MT

I actually got one for my son. It seems to just be ABS. I don't know about inter-compatabilitiy between parts, but I will agree with the preperations required for painting. Wash the parts with hand dishwashing soap and water first and then let them dry. ABS is semi-absorbent so dry sand it or wet sand and let it dry thoroughly. Like Skull-1 said, sand the parts in friction areas. Paint with Krylon Fusion or other enamels. Normally I agree with priming, except on plastic moving parts. The top coat wears and reveals the primer. If you can get simular colored primer, then I'm all for it. Primer picks up surface flaws and makes paint stick better, so it definitely has it's place with models/custom toys. Primer is also designed to fill minor flaws, and so some of your fine detail will get covered gradually too. US Plastics sells ABS sheet if you feel confident and want to make your own custom parts US Plastics - ABS Styrene cement is alright for ABS, BUT, Plastruct Weld is much stronger. Just use it with GREAT ventilation, the same as spray paint requires. There's nothing stronger I've found. That's my two cents (two pence). - MT

You guys have me bustin' up ! I will definitely have aircraft on the top flight deck! And yes, we should all donate a built up 1/200 Nichimo kit to Mechtech . Not like he has 60 kits already . The bottle rockets would be an awesome idea! I did it once to another ship. The superstructure opened upward and was lined with a thin steel plate. Then bottlerocket away! It worked great and was stealthy since you could not tell it was armed until it opened at the last minute. The metal protected it from the couple of times the rocket stuck ! The whisteling ones were that much better. I CAN get a soft air pellet down the barrel of a 1/200 Monster (hint -hint). The model is too small to put the firing mechanism in all by itself, but if there was a "loading truck"behind it...you get the picture. Yes I'm considering it. I'm still trying to figure out where to locate the two water guns. The spring snakes are an awesome idea! Rocket propelled spring snakes would really destroy fellow warships! Hhhmmm...na; too psycho . Carrier takeoffs will be possible, but the bridge would make landings a little rough! Thank you again for all the compliments. You all help keep egging me on to finish this off! - MT

Like Rune said, somebody share the love! - MT

Welcome by the way! Rowboat tech doesn't get much love around here, but for those of us old farts, it was how we were introduced to Macross, even if it wasn't a proper intro. Go to the main web page and look under "Art." There's stuff there in various sections. Let me know if you need more and specifically what you're looking for. - MT

I intend to give them the ride of their lives! Could you imagine a modern carrier doing 30 knot spins! I'll stick to land! - MT

Thanks guys! It should run better with all four motors now! I was surprised at how little bow wake it has for being as broad as it is. The high speed pass clip got dropped so I re-added it back. The hard work has paid off Isamu! I just have to do the anchor and hook up the stabilizers to the receiver and the bottom is done! On to the top soon! Hopefully it won't take a year too:D! Thanks again! - MT