Gundam Plamodel Thread IV

[anime52k8]

I'd love to order that, but man, that's a 700 dollar bill waiting in such a short amount of time.

What do you mean? it's less than $300 retail. AmiAmi has it for like $190 before shipping:

http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=TOY-GDM-2624&page=top

[Scyla]

Yay I finished stickering my MG Nu Gundam Ver. Ka and it where 1.5 days of work. Damn you Katoki! *shakes fist*

Now I have to find the time and the weather to clear coat him.

I wonder if I should do a MG Sazabi also.... or the Hi-Nu but it looks a bit boring to build and to handle without a transformation gimmick.

[Scyla]

I preordered the new MG Hi-Nu Gundam Ver. Ka over at HLJ. I'm hoping it has some kind of transformation gimmick.

http://www.hlj.com/product/ban992078

Edited June 4, 2014 by Scyla

[Hikuro]

I preordered but might drop it. Hi Nu is a bit bulky to put in my display cases, but, I can see some potential and fun in building it.

[renegadeleader1]

anybody know if the HGUC RAG-79 aqua gm ever actually came out yet?

[close313]

anybody know if the HGUC RAG-79 aqua gm ever actually came out yet?

Nope. It does look nice though.

I'd want that Hi Nu, but I'll get it another time since the YF-30 is coming (hence the lack of funds)

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

I never thought an official Nightingale would be made, and in MG form no less. Preordered!

[Hikuro]

Nope. It does look nice though.

I'd want that Hi Nu, but I'll get it another time since the YF-30 is coming (hence the lack of funds)

AHHH CRAP! You just reminded me....guess it's a good thing I have a credit card dedicated to Macross items.

[Kelsain]

I've never cared for the nightingale, but I am excited for the Mk3.

[electric indigo]

My favorite is the GP-04.

[Hikuro]

Went to the hobby store VERY far away, good hour drive from my house...(Cause they got good stuff sometimes...better than some) and I found like 3 MG Banshees! Some reason they've stocked up heavily on Unicorn and 00 kits...I don't know why. But I mean 3 Banshees and 4 Exias, a HG 1/144 Sazabi, a ton of Unicorn HG's and such.

But I figured why not? The Banshee is something I've put on hold since it's release some years ago. Finding some areas that really need some glue like the crotch region. The piece that's suppose to pull down while you pull the upper armor piece upward to reveal the physco frame pops off really easily. I didn't have that kind of problem with the Unicorn...so go fig!

72 dollars though for it, not a bad price considering Amazon is 100+.

[CrazyDude]

Undecided if I should start my RG Exia or wait for RG Exia Repair set as I also got the Ignition kit.

[Castel]

Went to the hobby store VERY far away, good hour drive from my house

One hour is VERY far for you ?

Hell, i do that every day just to go to work.

[Hikuro]

One hour is VERY far for you ?

Hell, i do that every day just to go to work.

Considering I lived less then 20 minutes from that hobby shop just 2 months ago to now over an hour, yeah. Work is one thing though, that's lively hood, this is hobby. Big difference in terms of commitment.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

A very considerate loved one recently gifted me with a MG Sinanju! Bad news is that it's the titanium coated version. Now I was never a fan of "special" coatings on any of my kits with all the unsightly nub marks and the mismatch of sheen and unpainted plastic, but heck-free Sinanju, right? I have to admit that after looking over the sprues, the red finish does look glorious. I'm now committed to make this kit look presentable despite the looming difficulty of all the gold trim involved. I've seen a few other builds where MG Sinanjus were blinged out with metal verniers and other parts from "detail-up" add-on kits. Has anyone here had experience with these add-ons? I see several out on Ebay now and am considering getting one.

[Hikuro]

A very considerate loved one recently gifted me with a MG Sinanju! Bad news is that it's the titanium coated version. Now I was never a fan of "special" coatings on any of my kits with all the unsightly nub marks and the mismatch of sheen and unpainted plastic, but heck-free Sinanju, right? I have to admit that after looking over the sprues, the red finish does look glorious. I'm now committed to make this kit look presentable despite the looming difficulty of all the gold trim involved. I've seen a few other builds where MG Sinanjus were blinged out with metal verniers and other parts from "detail-up" add-on kits. Has anyone here had experience with these add-ons? I see several out on Ebay now and am considering getting one.

yikes, fairly expensive kit by my standards. Only Titanium coated MG I've come across was the RX-78-2 which was at a hobby store in portland and it was 180 bucks. So good deal! But they do tend to worry me, I'd wanna wear rubber gloves so I wouldn't smudge the finish with my thumb prints which would be a pain for me.

[Hikuro]

This is damn odd. Turn x is out on HLJ but they never charged me or informed me of my order....I just went and canceled it. Lil miffed about this.

[CrazyDude]

Why did you cancel it?

They most likely are still filling pre-orders and hadn't reached yours yet, HLJ handles over 1000 orders a day plus wholesale.

Just checked and it said they were on low stock, that is after pre-orders.

[Hikuro]

Not a patient guy, afterall, I can finish a basic build of a MG in a day. I've got other things on my list I gotta do anyways, I won't have time to build him, nor have I got my Turn A out of storage so I got no reason to build Turn X right now.

[CrazyDude]

OK, like you I can also do a MG fast.

[CrazyDude]

Ok gotcha, like to you I can finish a MG fast.

One of the reasons why I have gone off them, Real Grade give me bang for the buck and also need less display space.

[mikeszekely]

Bear with me, but I've got very limited experience with Gundam models. I had a few 1/144 Gundam Wing kits back in college, lost them when I moved out of my parent's house, then a 1/144 HGUC Gundam and Nu Gundam that I lost pieces to when I moved out of my apartment and into my current house.

Now, I want to start over and get a little more serious. Not too serious... there's a lot of mobile suits I like, so I don't have the space and don't want to invest the money in any of the larger kits.

So I have two main questions. First, does anyone have any thoughts on the 1/144 Real Grade kits? I've seen pictures of the RX-78 next to the the HGUC one I already have, and it's amazing how much better it looked. But the builder admitted to using some waterslide decals not included with the kit. Considering I already have the HGUC one, and that I doubted I paid more than $15 for it, would you recommend buying the RG one for around $25? And how do you think the RGs look out of place with other HGUCs? Some of the mobile suits I'd want don't have RG kits (yet). Put another way, for less than the RG RX-178 and RG Zeta Gundam, I can still find the HGUC Gryps War set that has the RX-178, Z Gundam, and Hyaku Shiki... am I better off buying the Gryps War set, buying the RG RX-178 and Z Gundam and a HGUC Hyaku Shiki, or just buying the RGs and waiting for RG versions of the other suits I want?

Second main question, where do you guys like to get your kits from? When I got my Gundam Wing kits, they were stocking them at Walmart and Toys R Us. I got my HGUCs at a hobby shop, but that hobby shop has since gone out of business (as has pretty much every hobby shop that does anything more than model trains within 50 miles of me). I'd be willing to pay more if I could buy them locally, but if I'm going to shop online, who has a good mix of selection and price? Is there a reason not to use Amazon, who has the RG Gundam, MK II (AEUG), and Z Gundam I want?

[Nekko Basara]

I was in a similar spot - until this fall, I hadn't built a Gundam kit since the Wing kits were available at Toys R Us. I wanted to make some "casual" models that wouldn't require painting or a lot of tools/workspace. I discovered the Real Grade kits and was just blown away by them. They look excellent without paint, due to nearly all parts being molded in appropriate colors, and even using multiple shades for some. Their decals also look much better than I ever thought a peel-and-stick could; I can imagine using waterslides if you planned to paint, weather, and topcoat the kit, but a straight build with decals still looks excellent. These kits are a STEAL at $25-$30; the engineering is light years ahead of HGUC, and better than a lot of MG that I've seen. As long as you don't mind fiddly little parts, I think you'd feel like you got your money's worth out of both the time spent building, and what you have at the end.

Having said that, I have made a few more recent HGUC kits, and those are a lot better than the old Wing/Endless Waltz kits. They don't look out of place alongside the RGs, but the RGs definitely outshine them. But RGs only come out a few times a year, and have only covered a few select mobile suits. I wouldn't wait around for a specific suit to be covered if you really want it and a HGUC version exists.

As far as where to buy, Amazon pricing is competitive in my experience, factoring in shipping. If you had a local shop to support, sure, do that, but otherwise I can't think of a reason to go elsewhere unless there's a sale or you are placing a large enough order to offset shipping.

[anime52k8]

I just so happen to have the HGUC gryps war set and RG zeta. From left to right: Gryps war Hyaku Shiki, RG Zeta gundam, Gryps war Zeta gundam, Gryps war RX-178.

the Hyaku Shiki is built out of box with the included stickers/dry transfers, panel lining and some detail paint applied with gundam markers.

the RG zeta is entirely OOB with the included stickers. the only thing extra was panel lining with a gundam marker (no top coat or anything).

The RX-178 and Gryps war zeta are both partially stickered, partially detail painted and partially panel lined. I never actually got around to finishing either.

it's worth noting that the the Gryps war set had special recolors of all three included kits. Hyaku Shiki comes in a satin gold finish where as the individual release is in vac-chrome gold. Zeta has darker red and navy blue compared to the stand alone release (which is basically the same color wise as the RG zeta). and the RX-178 is an ugly grey instead of white.

the Hyaku Shiki looks the best of the three strait out of box and only needs a minimum amount of work to make him pop. the HGUC zeta has nicer proportions IMO compared to the RG, but it's nowhere near as detailed and needs a lot of work to make it look anywhere near as good overall. and the HGUC RX-178 is just a crap kit IMO, skip it if you can.

I'd say get the RG zeta and RG RX-178, and pick up the HGUC hyaku Shiki if your OK with mirror chrome gold. if you don't like vac chrome, skip it and hope the do an RG of it.

[anime52k8]

oh, I almost forgot. the HGUC zeta gundam comes with the Hyper Mega Launcher, where as the RG does not. also, there's two versions of the stand alone Hyaku shiki, the vac chrome one that has just the MS. and a non-chromed one that's molded in this really nasty looking mustard colored gold plastic that comes with the mega bazooka launcher.

[mikeszekely]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I think I'm going to get the RG Gundam and Mk II from Amazon after I come back from vacation, then RG Zeta the following pay. I'll decide about the rest later, but I'm leaning toward RG for Gundams and select suits (as they're released), HGUC for Zeon grunts.

[Noyhauser]

Why not get them from HLJ? Unless you have prime it might be cheaper to get them there.

[Nekko Basara]

Just a heads-up on Amazon - the prices on the RG kits jump around a bit, so it can be worth watching them for a while if you're pinching pennies. I have the Mk. II and Zeta in my wishlist, and while the Mk. II is around the middle of its range (~$27), the Zeta jumped up recently and is around $36 (it's usually more like $32).

Also, the "Used" section sometimes has items from Amazon Warehouse Deals, where they've discounted the kit because they damaged the packaging. I got my RX-78-2 for like $23 just because there was a crease in the box top.

[anime52k8]

Why not get them from HLJ? Unless you have prime it might be cheaper to get them there.

The two kits he's looking at are back-ordered at HLJ, and if you order them together they'd qualify for free shipping at amazon even without prime and they'd be about the same price while still shipping out and arriving quicker.

also, why wouldn't you have amazon prime?

Edited June 20, 2014 by anime52k8

[mikeszekely]

The two kits he's looking at are back-ordered at HLJ, and if you order them together they'd qualify for free shipping at amazon even without prime and they'd be about the same price while still shipping out and arriving quicker.

also, why wouldn't you have amazon prime?

Mike beat me to it. Put another way, HLJ is good for a lot of things, but when stuff is on Amazon I tend to go there out of convenience.

I do appreciate suggestions, though. I doubt every kit I want is going to be a good price on Amazon.

Just a heads-up on Amazon - the prices on the RG kits jump around a bit, so it can be worth watching them for a while if you're pinching pennies. I have the Mk. II and Zeta in my wishlist, and while the Mk. II is around the middle of its range (~$27), the Zeta jumped up recently and is around $36 (it's usually more like $32).

Good tip! I put all three in my cart yesterday, and the RX-78 already dropped.

...and then went back up.

[Scyla]

So I'm ready to top coat my gunpla kits. What is the max amount of humanity humidity in the air to get the best results with the spray coat?

[edit:]

Edited June 21, 2014 by Scyla

[mechaninac]

"Humanity"?... I'd say 2 persons (firmly planted on Terra firma) at most, one to hold the parts and the other to use the airbrush or rattle can; but try not to get over-spray on the other person... they tend not to like that.

*** sorry, couldn't resist ***

Go here for your answer

[David Hingtgen]

I wouldn't dare spray over 60% humidity, for a clear-coat. Would prefer 50% or less.

[anime52k8]

so cute and Z'goky.

http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=TOY-GDM-2603&page=top

[Nekko Basara]

I like that Z'Gok better every time I see it. I was initially really turned off - it seems like such a cartoony, unlikely design for a RG - but they found so many ways to pack detail in. Seeing the frame was probably the turning point fur my opinion.

My only sticking point may be the colors. On one hand, it looks like an exact color match for RG Char's Zaku II. On the other hand, I find that one much more rose/magenta than red. The Pink Comet just doesn't seem as scary.