pengbuzz

Not even thinking of touching this unless it transforms.

UPDATE: Some more work done. Namely, work on the Regult and the gunpod for Skull-One: Stay tuned...

I know this is a really old post, but I was doing research for my project. I think the font "Recta Extra Bold" might work: http://www.identifont.com/list?17+20-.-PAF-4C-2E-4Y-2BS-26RB-11-42-6XA-4A-1U7-1LB-6X5-53M-19-1KK-1QY-7G-9Z+3.8+2ED9+1+2EF2+1+2EF3+1+2EEY+1+666+1+GSK+2+NHA+2+4QY+12

So, just turn the e-cig around.

Thanks! I plan on adding some smoke, as well as a firefight behind Skull one here. Right now, trying to get the whole scene to look a bit better; this is still very rough by my standards. Current progress: Stay tuned...

Pencil Sketch: WIP: 2 hours worth of work: Stay tuned...

Okay, the idea works out great, but I need something better than what I'm currently using for this project. I'm considering getting JB weld when I get some money, as a bad tube of plastic welder has caused me to go through half of it (air in the tube) with no results (had to remove work I did due to mis-cured welder. Stay tuned folks.

Moved to a new topic...

Thanks! Yeah, the Regult will be used for some upcoming photo shoots (If I can get my 1/72 VF-1S to cooperate: I have to rebuild the back AGAIN. ) As for the keyboard: I prefer the MS Natural, since it helps with my Carpal Tunnel in my right wrist.

Well, got some more work done on my regult pod: The basic joints are in place for the legs; now I have to work out the feet. Then it's on to the exterior stuff.

I would just polish it without removing the clear enamel. You see, clear materials work by letting light pass through them; when the clear enamel attacked the canopy you have, it caused a rough texture on the microscopic level that catches light rather than lets it pass through. To explain further: anything with a "flat" (non-reflective) surface looks at the microscopic level like sandpaper. Smooth surfaces at that level are mostly smooth and flat. The "clear" you used partially crazed the plastic at that level, and more thinner will do the same (paint contains an amount of thinner, that's how it is dissolved and dries when applied). So what does all this mean for you then? That rather than chemically trying to remove it, just polish the canopy until you get past the clear enamel layer and start to optically smooth the clear plastic. I know 90 percent rubbing alcohol can remove Krylon in enough applications, but I'm not sure about Tamiya (not to mention you tried alcohol once and it fogged the canopy, if memory serves).You're probably best off sanding it with ultra-fine sandpaper and polishing it from there (if you want to preserve the current canopy).

UPDATE: Well, a little bit of a setback: the wing pivots were beginning to crack, so I decided to replace them. but as I tried to put new pegs in to the back to hold them, other stuff kept coming apart. Not to mention, the pegs just would not stay, no matter what I did; they kept letting go and popping out. So, rather than continue wrestling with the mess that it was becoming, I tore the back panel/ rear fuselage down to the basics: The pivots from the Bandai 1/72 have been integrated into the original wings, and the pivot pegs will be glued to the rear plate. The holes made by my previous attempts will be filled in with plastic welder, while the backpack hinge joint will be revised as well as the Battroid retainer system (the peg that keeps it from becoming a floppy mess). I'm also toying with lengthening the pack plate slightly, which would also mean a corresponding lengthening of the lower leg/ engine nacelles. But in the long run, this should last much longer than the original pegs would have (which would have been a few weeks at best. Stay tuned everyone... either this will turn out to be an epic model, or an epic mess! We'll see on that one as we go.

Most thinners I know of that dissolve enamels will attack styrene as well; I learned that the hard way on a model that was almost a total loss due to using enamel thinner to strip paint from it.

Hey, no worries Rob. We all go through rough patches. Good to see folks though return to the boards; admittedly, I myself used to be on here a long time ago, but I left. I had some changing of my own to do, and several years helped with that. ValkyrieExchange: yep, I miss that site too...

Hobby shops carry them. And I think I may have put one too many zeroes in lol THe plastic used in canopies for models is styrene, but it has no color elements in it. That makes them more fragile and apt to crack.

I may just have to do another fan...

Okay, time for some recent pics everyone! First up: The shoulders were sticking out a little too much in fighter mode, but I didn't want to mess up the soldier mode either (although the shoulders kinda bugged me there too). The solution I found was to trim them down my a millimeter or two, change the angle on the outer slope slightly and glue in new plastic plates to cover where plastic had been taken out. It smooths the underside out a bit more and makes the shoulders stick out a bit less. Next up: I had to revert to the original system for retaining the legs to the body, but the plastic pegs holing the leg pegs to the chestplate kept snapping! First the originals let go, then every single replacement gave out. I finally solved it by making new pegs out of metal (coat hanger wire), bending them so they would go into the post that supported the leg, and angled up to their final position going into the chest. Yeah, the pic doesn't show it very well, but I really wasn't in the mood to photograph the wire. And yes, the intakes are a little bit of a mess. I'll fix that when structural stuff is finished and buttoned up. I also did some adjustments on the rear fuselage: I got the legs to sit a little higher up in comparison to the back fuselage and backpack/ tail. It was bugging me how low the legs were and how high the tailpack was riding. Overall, the kit is nearing the end of the "structural" stage; I don't think I can correct every single little thing on this (thought about lengthening the lower leg/ nacelle), nor do I want to keep trying to. Next up is the detail stage, where I start addressing the messy parts and file down some stufgf that was reworked. Stay tuned...

Okay, thanks for the explanation on that Gatsu. The cockpit is still salvageable: for the future though, NEVER use clear gloss on it. It'll craze and fuzz the canopy. How to save it: 1) wet-sand the canopy with 6000 grit sanding film 2) wet-sand with 12000 grit sanding film 3) polish the canopy with #0000 steel wool 4) polish the canopy with toothpaste 5) polish the canopy with kleenix 6) 5) Dip canopy in Pledge floor wax with Future finish. I've used this process on "unsalvageable" canopies, and even when molding my own and removing distortions from them. I hope this is of some help to you. BTW: let me know if you cannot salvage it, i may be able to help.

It is, but I find it's more durable and easier to sand. And I feel the same way! lol Plastic welder comes in a dual syringe, so you always dispense the correct amount of resin and hardener. BTW folks: update on my Regult pod: Started adding the joints in for the legs. I may make the "knees" double jointed if I can find/ build the right joint for them. After I get the structural stuff done, then I'll start on building up the cockpit shell and making look more like a kit than a golf ball with a 'tude!

ROFL!!!

BOMBA!!!!

Definitely! Awesome linework, colors and shading are top notch; I'd swear this was an animation cel!

This really looks like the Breetai I remember from SDFM. The detail is just incredible! Really awesome work there, thesauce!

Gonna pass on this one.

I usually polish my canopies, maybe I can be of assistance here. If the canopy is matted due to overspray from clearcoat or sanding, here's what to do: 1) clean the canopy with rubbing alcohol (90 percent Isopropyl alcohol works best). See if that removes the clouding. If not, proceed to thenenxt step: 2) polish with #0000 grade steel wool 3) polish with toothpaste (sounds silly, but it works, no particular brand is needed) 4) polish with facial tissue 5) Dip canopy in Pledge floor wax with Future finish. This should make tha canopy CRYSTAL CLEAR. Hope this helps! -PB