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captain america

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  1. captain america
    Hey guys! Sorry if I haven't been too active in the last week or so, I've been working furiously getting the casting done as well as mocking-up my kit for pictorials and instructions... And waiting seemingly for ever for HLJ to ship the hands. That being said, behold:
  2. captain america
    Hi guys, just wanted to let you all know that kit production has begun in earnest. Hands have been ordered from HLJ and should be arriving in the next week or two. I decided to go with these hands in the end since they seemed like better quality: http://www.hlj.com/product/KBYMB-29 As such, balance payments ($92 CAD + shipping) are now due. Shipping fees are as follows: -Canada/USA one kit: $25 -Canada/USA 2-3 kits: $35 -International, per kit: $50.00 *Also, please make sure that if there are any PP fees that they are covered on your end. That being said, if you already have the funds in your Paypal account, there should be no transfer fees: these only seem to arise if you withdraw from a bank account or credit card. Just a useful nugget of info I picked up. For anything else, please feel free to PM me
  3. captain america
    Nope, just PM me.
  4. captain america
    Veery high parts count confirmed... And there are still a few missing!
  5. captain america
    Hi guys! A quick little entry from the Captain's log book: I don't generally go into the molding details, but as this is my last project I figured that it might be useful for folks looking to keep the legacy alive. Pic 001: I took to the habit of using plexiglass to make the sprues and gates for my parts. It's a tough, durable material that can be reused as needed. I try to take a piece that's large enough to allow me to hold it securely, then, using the band saw, I cut out little squares and rectangles based on what I need to attach it to. Studying your part and determining the best points for resin entry/air exit is the key to well-cast parts. Pic 002: my ever-trusty glue gin. I use the smaller, translucent (low melt) glue sticks because the glue is easier to remove from the masters and does far less damage than the yellow glue. Your parts will need to be grease-free, cleaned with rubbing alcohol to ensure a good bond. Pic 003: I generally use hot glue, but if a part is relatively simple with few undercuts, I will use CA to bond the sprues/gates directly to the master component. This is not always a good strategy for thin/delicate parts though because as you're demolding, the flexing of the mold can cause the sprue to break off, resulting in damage to the master. The use of discernment is highly advised. Pic 004: now the parts are hot-glued to a plexiglass base, over which I have placed the plastic tupperware mold support and traced the outline of the container to make sure that all my parts fit harmoniously within the limits. It's a bit of a delicate procedure and may require some adjustments. Once again, the base and the sprues have to be absolutely grease-free to ensure the strongest bond possible within the limits of the temp hot glue. Pic 005: with all the parts glued, I use a marker to indicate cut lines and also a quick note on which is where part directly onto the plexiglass base. This will print into the silicone and allow me to better orient my scalpel when de-molding to minimize damage to the masters. With this done, I seal the plastic tupperware container (bottom removed) with temp hot glue onto the plexiglass base, around the parts. Now will come the pouring of the silicone rubber mold material, but that's for the next update
  6. captain america
    Hey guys! Just a quick update as the mold-prep phase goes into full-swing. There will be at least 7 large molds so this will take some time, but I should be done by the end of next week.
  7. captain america
    Indeed, you have to be careful when using either pastels or graphite because that sh*t just gets everywhere if not used very sparingly. I happen to find that it's an excellent weathering medium and if you think about it, burn/exhaust marks are essentially carbon, so very realistic. Best thing is to use a 1/4" paint brush or something slightly smaller and work it on gradually, and it adheres best to flat (rough) surfaces. The advantage is that for most painted surfaces, you can simply wipe away the excess with a damp sponge or Q-tip. Be warned that it might etch itself into matte surfaces more tenaciously though. Definitely a good compliment to airbrushing.
  8. captain america
    Aaand here are thew overall pics! Some parts are notably absent or crooked due to me not being able to glue parts together without damaging the masters. It really is just a pint-sized version of my 1/32 kit but with all three heads and minor cosmetic upgrades. Missiles: they are not separate, they will be molded as a cluster which itself is a separate module from the missile bay. This is necessary because the kit already has a very high parts count, but also because I made the missiles with enhanced prominence (for visual appeal) and consequently, you cannot close the bay door with them in place. Hands: you might have noticed that these do not figure in any of the pics, and rightly so! I opted to use Wave F-hands, so with your kit you will be getting a set of plastic "manipulators" which should make the building process that much less tedious Next comes the instructions principal photography, followed by mold-prep. Stay tuned!
  9. captain america
    Apologies for the delay, camera batteries needed to charge and I ran out of time so the rest will be posted tomorrow. Detail stuff for now, like the back and how the nosecone and fins fit/fold together. Enjoy
  10. captain america
    Hi guys, just a quick heads-up: modeling part is done, just doing some minor surface detailing and riveting; will have pics of masters come Wednesday.
  11. captain america
    Hi guys. Quick progress pics of where I'm at. The next batch of pics will probably be early next week when all the masters are done. All the big stuff is done, I just have the beam cannon and little details left... Almost there!
  12. captain america
    Hi Bill. I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the kind words. It's been an honor to have you as a customer and even if my commercial scratchbuilding career is nearing its end, I will look back on this period of my life with fondness and remember all the awesome people that gave me a chance and supported me all along the way. What I was able to do, I could only do because of your support! And while I'm at it...Captain’s Log Friday, September 25th!! It’s been a loooong week and I’m starting to get there. I’m actually quite a bit further along than the pics show, so expect another update early to mid next week. That said, on with the show… DSCF5606: part of the wing and Leading Edge eXtensions taking shape. DSCF5607: the engine nacelles and the inlet area. The latter begins life on the lathe and will be carefully blended to the nacelle, going fron perfectly circular to angular. DSCF5608: head parts in their early phases. DSCF5609-10: the shoulder module in its early stages, requiring lots of milling operations. DSCF5611: the thigh part gets some detailing work in the form of the yellow/gold sensor housing. I used the putty-molding technique because I want both left and right sensors to be identical. DSCF5612: the arm will have a very respectable range of motion to accomodate many different poses. DSCF5613 and 15: while not outright variable, I wanted to make perfectly certain that the proportions of the parts are true for all versions, so I elected to mock the parts up in Fighter mode. You can’t see it in the pics, but I made some slight alterations to the wing profile to optimize transient performance and reduce turbulence along the wingtips… Who else loves you guys enough to do that?
  13. captain america
    Just a quick shout-out to you guys: because of the new customs forms, I do need your phone numbers when shipping and I still have empty slots for the following members: -sbantonelli -RKSC -DarkArchon3000 -Ghadrack -DarrinG -Wave-one -WWWMWWW -Reflex -Jennety -Neptunesurvey -Petrov27 -Tober -squigglysquid Otherwise I can't ship with tracking. Thanks in advance:)
  14. captain america
    In many ways, being a small-sized opponent is an advantage in that it creates a smaller target to shoot at. I think that's one of the more interesting aspects of Macross in that it felt very much like a Davis vs. Goliath scenario.
  15. captain america
    I think that work will provide all the frustration I need and then some. In some ways, this will be a blessing as it will allow me to take my modeling back as a hobby. If my models do live-on, it will only be if some of you guys acquire the masters and make them yourselves because I think that my departure is quite permanent this time.
  16. captain america
    Depends on the shape in question. In most cases, before I start sanding a curvature, I mark off specific centers and reference points and then proceed to eyeball the curve. If it's really complex, I'll draw cross-section lines across the curve with a pencil and tape to gauge my progress. When you can freehand a curve and most people look at it and think it was done with with a CNC mill, it's cos you've been at it a long time
  17. captain america
    Oops, forgot two pics. Also, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce that this will be my very last modeling project. I will be moving in the next few months and won't have time to make these types of projects anymore. I'll be putting what few kits from previous projects I have left in the sale section, and once the Legioss is done, that will be it. Grab what you can while you can because when it's gone it's gone for good.
  18. captain america
    Captain’s Log Friday, September 18th. DSCF5556: modeling board is a very useful material, but it’s not cheap and so I try to waste as little as possible. This little pile of scraps from Monday’s cut-outs is enough to make the rest of the parts I need, and maybe have a bit left over. DSCF5557: because the thighs are mirrored parts left and right, I have to construct both. I’m making them from a single block, side-by-side to insure maximum symmetry. In this particular instance I’m still heavily involved in milling ops. DSCF5558: the upper part of the foot being shaped on the bench sander. DSCF5559: once parts have been cut by the band saw, re-milled and occasionally run on the bench sander, I can then proceed to give the parts a bit more character. DSCF5560: the calf module which is being prepped for Dremel duty. I make precise marks with a pencil to guide the rotary tool. DSCF5561: shoulder module receiving a third round of milling treatment. This is a particularly complex component and will require more work than most. DSCF5562: the thigh pars are now separated and in this particular instance, I’m taking the razor saw to the parts to scribe panel lines. DSCF5563: yet more parts being refined with the Dremel. DSCF5579: the nose module just off the mill. While it’s predominantly a decorative piece in soldier mode, I maintained the dimensions faithfully from the 1/32 model. DSCF5593: after a round with the dremel, followed by manual sanding, the nose finally starts to find its shape. DSCF5594-95: while it’s still early days with much work and detailing still to go, the first mock-up test is very promising. Stay tuned for next week’s dust-filled shenannigans!!
  19. captain america
    The grinding stone is itself parallel to the base as it turns at high speed. As I drag the block of modeling board across the base, the grinding stone removes material across the top of the block leaving the block flat. Same principle as with a mill except that in the mill, the block is held by a vise whereas here I move the block freehand.
  20. captain america
    Captain’s Log Monday, September 15th. Sooo… In the interest of maintaining a less chaotic work schedule and minimize project overlap, I’ve decided to start sculpting the 1/48 Legioss—in force! DSCF5547: all projects begin with a single, humble step and this particular project is no different. I spent approximately three full days measuring and drafting new plans based on my 1/32 kit which I then re-scaled to 1/48. Those diagrams were then printed and I assembled as much pre-cut modeling boardas I could muster. DSCF5548: as some of the blocks are both rough and rather large, one of the first steps is to cut the modeling board into smaller blocks using the band saw. DSCF5549: I then proceed to carefully cut-out all the parts patterns… DSCF5550: and then glue them to the modeling board. I have to make sure I don’t place them too close together because the band saw doesn’t always make predictable cuts. DSCF5551: blocks are trued on the mill. This operation had to be performed a multitude of times. DSCF5552: creating perfectly parallel parts is another operation that sometimes takes place at this stage. I use a metal grinding bit on my drill press and run the blocks under that. This leaves a much smoother finish than the mill but can be a tad dangerous if you don’t have a very stern, steady hand. DSCF5553: most of the larger parts are now ready to be cut-out. DSCF5554: Aaand so back to the band saw we go to separate all the parts and remove as much rough material as possible. DSCF5555: this is about as close I can get with the band saw without risking damage to the parts. From here, I will use the mill, the grinder and the Dremel to refine the parts into something more usable. Stay tuned for next week’s update where I venture into the Buster zone!
  21. captain america
    For what it's worth, I've already started the building: I had no choice at this point, otherwise I would have a scheduling conflict with other projects slated for fall.
  22. captain america
    Hi guys, Today is update day and while I'm still waiting on a few stragglers, I thought I'd take the opportunity to show-off my back-engineering progress with the diagrams. Just like with the original 1/32 model, I wanted to make sure that the geometry is sound and even if the kit is not technically variable, that the proportions do totally support a fighter mode.
  23. captain america
    Well in my mind it's settled: it's not even passably TV-accurate and it's not 1/3000. With your support I intend to remedy both factors as my next project.
  24. captain america
    See line-art and Imai kit below. You see that the area where the bow meets the main hull has a bulge on the side that then becomes flush with the hull/aft portion of the gun. The legs are also far simpler, with no greebly detail on them (panorimic wondows or other details. Now compare this to the Hasegawa version and you'll see why I think that they totally dropped the ball. The Hasegawa kit is nice, it's just not a proper SDF:M version.
  25. captain america
    I hate to be the one to say this, but I'm disappointed that Hasegawa certain visually-inaccurate DYRL parts for the TV version, it really does compromise the look of the kit: the leg/thruster design and where the bow meets the middle hull are particularly irksome.
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