Jump to content

An afternoon's worth of MODs


drifand

Recommended Posts

It's been stormy all Saturday, so I took the opportunity to tweak my 1/60s a little bit more. Previously, I had loosened up the shoulder polycaps and widened the elbow clearance on all three 1Js. Not too long ago, I also painted over the too-bright tri-barrel muzzles with a darker gunmetal shade; plus, I drilled thru the tri-barrels so that they looked more realistic instead of being filled up with paint.

This afternoon, after I fixed the see-thru chestplate on the Hikaru 1J, I finally decided to do something about the hopeless misshapened optional left-hand as well. If any of you have tried using it to support the gunpod in a fighting pose, I bet you would find the curvature of the palm very strange indeed - there's only one particular angle where it will accomodate the gunpod correctly AND where the thumb won't get in the way. Any other angle would look out of place, i.e. the Valk looks like an inept soldier who's all thumbs and doesn't know how to hold his weapon. I can't really fix the sculpt but I could do something about the thumb. So I sliced it off and reattached it with a short pin at a new angle. The pin works like one of those "mono-shaft" joints in Kaiyodo toys. I did the same fix to the tip of the thumb so that it looks "right". Now my 1J looks much more presentable:

02.jpg

After that, I started fiddling with the Max 1J. Decided to show it in a pre-flight situation with the FP hatch and canopy open. Then I asked myself: why not give Max a real neck so that he can "look around". Took out my cutters, snipped the head off and reattached it with another short metal pin. I like the result :)

03.jpg

I'm not sure I want to do the same to Milia, so I called it a day...

01.jpg

Anyone else has good mods for the VF-1s? I'd love to fix the skinny gunpod connector section!

Edited by drifand
Link to comment
Share on other sites

-Sorry no mods to add - don't think I have your's (and others' skills with modeling and what not) -

But I do want to say the Hikaru VF-1J is pretty d@mn sweet after all your improvements. If I happen to think of something worthwhile I'll post it up.

-b.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also like the background in the third picture. All the Bandai looking over in an almost arrogant way. I can almost hear them says: "Who do those Yamatows think they are?"

That's why I'm not selling my 1/60, they're simply great!

Thank God I didn't sell them.

vic!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also like the background in the third picture. All the Bandai looking over in an almost arrogant way. I can almost hear them says: "Who do those Yamatows think they are?"

That's why I'm not selling my 1/60, they're simply great!

Thank God I didn't sell them.

vic!

I sold off my NON-FP 1/60's but there's no way I'm letting my Supers and Strike go!.

Nice mods Drifand!

How did you do the apparently hinged FP Engine cowling?, and the apparently hinged canopy?.

Edited by Mechamaniac
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks good. Nice to have a bit of action? happening with displays.

Isn't it cute how you have a baby blue max valk right beside daddy max valk :p

BTW, I just checked out ur website images, nice collection there, like ur super real robots cabinet too..! Am thinking of trying to find an orguss mech, see if i like em or not. hehe

Edited by Sam
Link to comment
Share on other sites

very nice!

the next thing i'd like to suggest is to dip the canopy into future floor finish and let it shine :)

Ahhhhh! Do you know how many times I've popped into some hardware store hoping to find that magic elixir that is Futures floor wax? I'd love to try that mod but, man! No one sells it around here! If you know where I can get it in Sinagpore, please let me know. Thanks!

Mechamaniac, I was inspired by another post on the old boards which showed off a whole squad of VFs in a hangar. I liked the way the FP cowling was shown and duplicated the style. You just have to balance it, that's all... the forward tips have sufficient grip, but you can always add a bit of blu-tack. For the canopy, same solution: Blu-Tack, applied in a small lump towards the back of the cockpit. The canopy isn't that heavy, so it stays in place alright.

After seeing that light-up bootleg 1/55, I'm thinking of buying one to use the gunpod for a mod on the 1/60s... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey hey im hearing alot about this "future floor" floor finish thingie?

just wodneirng if i can get this in canada?

ive never seen or heard of it before?

sorry for the newb q

Just a quick update: Thanks to a tip from Toonz, I finally found a local hardware store that sells FUTURE Floor Finish by Johnson & Son. The only "problem" I had was that it was sold in an industrial quantity tub - nearly 2 liters worth!

Basically, FUTURE is an acrylic based floor sealant. You slop it on a cleaned floor and it gives a protective coat and long lasting shine. Folks seriously into scale modelling have long been using it as a "clear coat" over their painted kits for a beautiful finish. Apparently, it works real good on the 1/60 Valk's dull canopies too.

I cleaned the canopies of grease and dirt, and dipped them into a bowl of FUTURE solution. It helps if you wait a while for the liquid to settle so that there aren't any tiny bubbles to spoil the coat on the canopies. Toonz recommends using a tweezer to fish them out, but I just used my fingers and left them on a piece of paper to dry. According to the container, it takes about 20-30 minutes for it to dry. Modellers usually leave it alone for a few hours for best effect.

The results are pretty amazing! The dull canopies are now almost crystal clear! You can actually see the pilot figure clearly now... Very cool!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The results are pretty amazing! The dull canopies are now almost crystal clear! You can actually see the pilot figure clearly now... Very cool!

So the Future makes the clouded canopy clear?? :blink:

My question is; Why is the canopy cloudy in the first place??? <_<

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is just a theory. So don't shoot me for stupidity. But, if there are fine scratches on the existing canopy, and the floor polish not only fills those scratches, but also puts a glossy, smooth layer on the canopy as well, the result should be a more clear appearance.

Again, just a theory. :)

Best Regards,

H

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey hey im hearing alot about this "future floor" floor finish thingie?

just wodneirng if i can get this in canada?

ive never seen or heard of it before?

sorry for the newb q

Just a quick update: Thanks to a tip from Toonz, I finally found a local hardware store that sells FUTURE Floor Finish by Johnson & Son. The only "problem" I had was that it was sold in an industrial quantity tub - nearly 2 liters worth!

Basically, FUTURE is an acrylic based floor sealant. You slop it on a cleaned floor and it gives a protective coat and long lasting shine. Folks seriously into scale modelling have long been using it as a "clear coat" over their painted kits for a beautiful finish. Apparently, it works real good on the 1/60 Valk's dull canopies too.

I cleaned the canopies of grease and dirt, and dipped them into a bowl of FUTURE solution. It helps if you wait a while for the liquid to settle so that there aren't any tiny bubbles to spoil the coat on the canopies. Toonz recommends using a tweezer to fish them out, but I just used my fingers and left them on a piece of paper to dry. According to the container, it takes about 20-30 minutes for it to dry. Modellers usually leave it alone for a few hours for best effect.

The results are pretty amazing! The dull canopies are now almost crystal clear! You can actually see the pilot figure clearly now... Very cool!

Ah, so you finally found it! I love the result of the stuff. I need to use it again, though, it's worn off, due t being handled so much, I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey hey im hearing alot about this "future floor" floor finish thingie?

just wodneirng if i can get this in canada?

ive never seen or heard of it before?

sorry for the newb q

Just a quick update: Thanks to a tip from Toonz, I finally found a local hardware store that sells FUTURE Floor Finish by Johnson & Son. The only "problem" I had was that it was sold in an industrial quantity tub - nearly 2 liters worth!

Basically, FUTURE is an acrylic based floor sealant. You slop it on a cleaned floor and it gives a protective coat and long lasting shine. Folks seriously into scale modelling have long been using it as a "clear coat" over their painted kits for a beautiful finish. Apparently, it works real good on the 1/60 Valk's dull canopies too.

I cleaned the canopies of grease and dirt, and dipped them into a bowl of FUTURE solution. It helps if you wait a while for the liquid to settle so that there aren't any tiny bubbles to spoil the coat on the canopies. Toonz recommends using a tweezer to fish them out, but I just used my fingers and left them on a piece of paper to dry. According to the container, it takes about 20-30 minutes for it to dry. Modellers usually leave it alone for a few hours for best effect.

The results are pretty amazing! The dull canopies are now almost crystal clear! You can actually see the pilot figure clearly now... Very cool!

Ah, so you finally found it! I love the result of the stuff. I need to use it again, though, it's worn off, due t being handled so much, I think.

dipping can be this fun :lol::D:p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey hey im hearing alot about this "future floor" floor finish thingie?

just wodneirng if i can get this in canada?

ive never seen or heard of it before?

sorry for the newb q

Just a quick update: Thanks to a tip from Toonz, I finally found a local hardware store that sells FUTURE Floor Finish by Johnson & Son. The only "problem" I had was that it was sold in an industrial quantity tub - nearly 2 liters worth!

Basically, FUTURE is an acrylic based floor sealant. You slop it on a cleaned floor and it gives a protective coat and long lasting shine. Folks seriously into scale modelling have long been using it as a "clear coat" over their painted kits for a beautiful finish. Apparently, it works real good on the 1/60 Valk's dull canopies too.

I cleaned the canopies of grease and dirt, and dipped them into a bowl of FUTURE solution. It helps if you wait a while for the liquid to settle so that there aren't any tiny bubbles to spoil the coat on the canopies. Toonz recommends using a tweezer to fish them out, but I just used my fingers and left them on a piece of paper to dry. According to the container, it takes about 20-30 minutes for it to dry. Modellers usually leave it alone for a few hours for best effect.

The results are pretty amazing! The dull canopies are now almost crystal clear! You can actually see the pilot figure clearly now... Very cool!

Ah, so you finally found it! I love the result of the stuff. I need to use it again, though, it's worn off, due t being handled so much, I think.

dipping can be this fun :lol::D:p

Wha?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Toonz and his obcession with dipping canopies....Hey toonz have you tried dipping the 1/48 canopies in future floor polish? Please remember dun take your valks to the loo when you are doing some business, least the valk nor its parts wun fell into the toliet bowl by accident.

:lol::D:p

Cheers

:ph34r:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Toonz and his obcession with dipping canopies....Hey toonz have you tried dipping the 1/48 canopies in future floor polish? Please remember dun take your valks to the loo when you are doing some business, least the valk nor its parts wun fell into the toliet bowl by accident.

:lol::D:p

Cheers

:ph34r:

er....i still don't have the guts to take apart a 1/48 yet :p

oh my toilet story LOL...this is so embarassing :D:lol:

*sshhhh....* :lol::lol: i still play with my valk in the toilet :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...