CosmicSpore

So no one is gonna provide scans of the special decals? *cries a little inside*

So anyone else have trouble starting their first Frontier kit?

I just got my 25G (from the awesome sale at hlj) last week and I've wanted it so badly for the longest time.

The problem is, I've wanted it so bad I want to get it -just- right, and to do that, I know I need lots and lots of free time.... but of course I don't have lots of free time, and I have 2 other models I've already started working on and never finished...

So everytime I think of starting it, I say to myself... "What? Are you going to get 1 piece done and then go straight to bed?" And I lose all my enthusiasm for starting it.

Anyone else get that, or is it just me?

I'd be more concerned about the engagement ring than the decals. If you can save up for a ring, you can save up for a set of decals.

lol... but once I buy the ring, I'll be broke.

So how am I supposed to afford the decals then?

For the people who have some (or all) of the special decals...

Are you guys making scans of them? And if not, could you make some high-res scans and put them up somewhere for us?

Some of us really can't afford the real things... but if we had some good high-res scans we could probably make our own?

I just got my first MF model kit (VF-25G)... and I keep seeing these new kits+decals and thinking to myself "Can't afford it - Can't afford it".

(It doesn't help any that I'm a "collector" type of person - AND my GF wants an engagement ring.)

Thanks!

When using lacquer paints you should not try to coat them on other types of paints. They will destroy them like you saw.

Lacquer paints should only be put on other lacquer paints.

Some lacquers can even melt the plastic itself. So you should probably be testing things before using them, especially when dealing with lacquers.

You can put anything on TOP of lacquers, as long as they've completely dried.

Also, you also shouldn't try to put enamels on acrylics, it doesn't always work.

To sum it up, there is a sort of order to paints:

Acrylics will go on anything, Enamels on itself or lacquer, and Lacquer on only itself.

Stupid database error just erased the stuff I was about to post, so I have to type it again.

Anyways, here's some idea to make purple with Future. But I've never tried any of them, so I don't know for sure.

Using food coloring, use extremely small amounts. Drip the dye down a needle onto a dish and test the color with your finger or a very small piece of paper towel.

Food coloring's pigments are impure, but there should be a combination that gives a good purple color.

Also, what appears to be brown maybe a highly concentrated purple. Maybe try diluting it with water or thinner before adding it to the future.

Sometimes colors appear to be black or brown before diluting them. A good purple should appear to be black before diluting it.

Also, maybe try some rubber-stamp inks. You can find them at general hobby stores like Hobby Lobby and sometimes even Wal-Marts. I know I've seen purple ink there before. Most of them come on dishes soaked in a sponge, so you may need to squeeze the ink out. But because they are straight pigments, they should be soluable in Future.

And in case none of that works, perhaps water-color paints?

Pre-dilute some with water, or thiner, or just leave them dry and keep mixing them in Future until they dissolve.

It may not work... but it's worth a try if nothing else works.

Again, I've never tested any of the stuff. Just throwing out some ideas.

Food coloring won't make purple?

I'd also like to know why they waited until the end to make these things...

Is it to get more financing for future seasons?...

Urgh, according to the website, those decals ("Deculture Edition") will only be given to those who buy alto's VF-25 at the show. Darn, so wanted the ranka decals for my Monster!

Well if someone could get a clean scan of them, you could make your own.

Or at least get a copy from someone who can make their own.

I'd really like to have a copy too.... not that I have a Monster, though.....

Edit: Although, I did just realize that they have some white on about half of them, and most printers don't print white...

WOW.

I'm glad I didn't get the first batch of Alto's. I definitely want the Super Alto.

I also think I'm going to have to save up some money soon, because I definitely have to get the Michel and Luca, too!

Ow, my pockets are burning already.

Oh, by the way, someone had better get a set of those Ranka decals!

All this talk about a PG VF-25 when most of us don't even have this one yet.

But I seriously don't see Bandai doing a PG Macross model.

This kit as close to MG as non-grade kits get, and Bandai only seems to do MG kits as PG kits when there is something to add to it.

Maybe, just maybe, they'll do a PG VF-25 with strike and armor parts... but I really doubt it.

And even if they did that, it would be like $200+ and I wouldn't be able to afford it at all...... Not that that matters to you guys though.

I just really can't see them doing a PG kit with this model. I think they went all out with this one, and didn't leave much left to do.

On another topic... Was this kit ever said to ever get armor and strike parts? Or was that just a rumor because everyone wants it?

Because I can't see myself buying a second kit if they re-release this one with the armor... and I want that armor.

I can understand having a dozen or so kits, maybe... some kits sell out fast.

But how come most of you buy 2+ of the same kit?

Do you REALLY think you're going to have to time to build each one more than once, or do you just enjoy staring at those boxes in your storage spaces?

Even if I had all the money in the world, I still couldn't see myself buying more than 1 of each model, unless it was one of my favorites and I needed an extra one to practice on.

Always keep the leftover sprues.

You can test paint colors on them.

If you want a specific tint using Future, dip a piece of the clear sprue to test.

That way, you don't get the wrong color on your piece.

Who dies with the most kits, wins.

Actually, I think the real winners there are their heir or whoever buys out their estate at the auction.

Hoarding + modelling =

Argh... You're a show-off. *cries in loneliness without those models*

If I had all those, I would be the happiest guy on earth.... at least until a new one came out.

But seriously... are you thinking about selling any? Or are you actually going to put them all together?

I'm sure there are a lot of people here that would be willing to, eh... help you clean out the closet?

I must've edited my post as you posted valkyriepilot!

Anyways, I made a mistake thinking someone else was recommending rainbowten for the Alto.

I saw a while back, that a couple people recommended it for the Alto, but it had already been sold out even then.

I thought I was missing out on something, because I still haven't got an Alto...

Why does everyone keep insisting on ordering at Rainbowten?

On the front page it has a big label that says... "SOLD OUT!" and it has been sold out for a while now.

Edit: Sorry, I wasn't talking about the Ozma kit, but the Alto.

The Ozma kit I guess is slated to be released in Nov. I have a preorder of the 1/60 and I found one online vendor that carrys the Alto 1/72 kit.

Does anyone have any reccomendations for an online vendor that carry's the 1/72 model kit currrently and would carry the Ozma as well when put on preorder?

Again, I'm pretty new to Macross toy collecting. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I haven't seen any site offering preorders for the Ozma kit.

I think everyone realized that the kits are ultra-popular and they don't really need to take pre-orders.

That's just my guess.

Maybe I just missed them, but I would think some sites would offer pre-orders soon since the kit should be out in 2 months.

Has anyone heard anything about the other two (?) models' releases after Ozma? I'm really looking forward to those two. Even though I definitely won't have the cash if I get the Alto... man, am I in a predicament...

Thanks for the reccomendation. I looked at all the kits on that list (long list) and narrowed to these four (that i like best aesthetically):

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN952243

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN951921

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN948833

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN934107

Only one is from HGUC but I like the first one best and may get that one to practice on and because I like the design. Reminds me of Ivanov from mac0....

If you're going to buy one of those for practice, I can NOT recommend the first one.

The 'Flag' gundams are completely unstable and poorly designed, in my opinion.

I have one and it can barely stand up without falling over.

I have the 1/100 Kyrios that I'm building right now, and it's awesome, but it has a lot of seam lines for some reason, but it's not a Master Grade, it's a No Grade, so that could explain it... ? Even though I paid $32 for it.....

I'm not sure about that 1/144 one, but from the pics at HLJ it looks to be pretty good quality for an HG.

The other two I can't comment on because I don't have them.

If you REALLY want practice for the VF-25, look up tips on how to panel line like the pros do, and try it on the model that you buy, if you buy one for practice.

You might also want to invest in some professional modeling tools if you don't already have some, if you see yourself doing anymore models.

Sprue cutters and some tweezers (for stickers/decals) make a huge difference, if you're looking to minimize sprue marks and scratches.

I don't see any point to someone buying an HG or better before doing the VF-25...

Bandai makes the snap kits on the assumption that the buyer has never put a model together before.

They are all extremely easy to do.

I don't have one yet, but from what I've seen, the only thing the kit really NEEDs, that gundams don't, is panel lining because it is sheer white.

And that's an easy (but time consuming) task too, if you look up how to do it correctly.

The only difference between an amateur modeler and a good modeler, before painting, is the sprue marks. A pro will fill the seams and sharpen edges.

One kit isn't going to make a difference.

If miriya can put together a glue kit, they can certainly put together a bandai kit just fine.

Yeah, the prices for those are about $10-15 dollars at most.

I watched an entire set of them go for around $15 shipped each about a month ago on ebay...

I don't think even half of them were bid on.

I thought about buying one, but compared to what you can get elsewhere for only a little more the kits simply aren't worth it.

The art is good. The kits are decent. But most people simply don't have the space, cash, or time.

Oh my, what are all those colors for.

It would take a day just to figure out where all of them go....

Ok...

I thought that may be the case too. But it has me worried.

I was waiting to order it until everything I was planning to order was in stock... it was the only thing left.

Guess I shoulda pre-ordered when I had the chance.

So I guess I'll just order the other stuff and hope they get more in stock before christmas.

By the way, Is there any clue as to when the blue VF-25G is going to release?

And who's is the green one that looks like an elint? I haven't seen any Frontier episodes yet.

They all look absolutely awesome.

Why does hlj.com already have this model as discontinued???????

I didn't get one yet........

Thanks

Also glad to know it comes with it's own stand!

Chris

Sorry! I didn't mean for that to sound as if it comes with an action stand.

It does NOT come with an action stand.

The stand it has for the fighter mode, the one that holds the middle, is 2 pieces (Which I am now sure of, it is displayed in the instruction).

One piece apparently connects to the gun pod(? I'm not sure how that helps support the model, but that's where it connects.)

The two pieces connect to form the small fighter mode stand, which is what holds the nose in place.

An option is to remove the second piece of the small stand, if you have an action stand.

The stand then attaches to the piece attached to the gun pod.

This is the page of the instructions where it shows what I'm talking about more clearly.

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10075554z16/70/16

Though, I wish it came with it's own stand... for 4500 yen it should have.

But sorry for the misunderstanding.

Edit: Looked at the instructions more closely, the special 'gun pod piece' holds the nose in place by snapping to the hinge and holding it there.

The only reason that piece is needed to hold the nose in place is because the hinge needed to be on the bottom, or else a grotesque hinge would have been visible on the top of the fighter.... and NO ONE would have wanted that.

Never , but this is were my concern was because if it needs it when it's resting on the gear how would it be on a stand without the support there? Are there specific stands that need to be used? I usually just use the Flexi dispay stands which would use a 3 point peg system. Glad to hear that it is sturdy though.

Chris

I BELIEVE (not 100% sure on this) that the extra piece used to hold up the nose in fighter mode is actually 2 parts.

You use 1 part of it, which connects to an action stand, that holds the nose in place.

I don't remember where I saw that at, and it was in japanese or it didn't have any words with it... so again, can't be 100% sure on that.