Whats Lying on your Workbench MK IV

[pengbuzz]

15 minutes ago, MechTech said:

@pengbuzz I like the cool mods to the Naboo (or whatever it will be now🙂). You going for a cruiser or battleship looking model design?

Thanks  Going for more of a cruiser design really (I don't see it as being a "battleship" per se.

This is it as of this morning:

Still working out some details, but this is the color I was going for.

[Big s]

25 minutes ago, MechTech said:

Then the black gun and sword stand is getting an "expansion" to hold the large beam canon and a couple of simulated fire pots for lighting. Made these with scraps and the spare parts box(s).

Saturday night worked on this late make Rick Dom II in the living room without paint. It looks great without and details so far! It was a smooth build.

And because there are so many cat lovers on the boards, I couldn't resist sharing this:

 

Great job on those weapons.

love the Rick Dom kits. I kinda want to somehow combine the old and new kits one day to upgrade the joints, but keep the head and lower legs of the old one. Overall though the HGUC version is great. I built the purple years ago and have a green one boxed away.

as far as cats, definitely cat lovers around this house. Down to two of them unfortunately. Just had to put one to sleep two weeks ago after a battle with cancer. She was my little helper, always wanting in the box. But I still have my two more lazy boys here and trying to move on and get back to things after taking a break.

[Mog]

20 hours ago, derex3592 said:

More progress on the Texas this morning. All parts minus like 6 little super delicate posts are down on the deck ready for painting. Likewise all the sub assemblies are ready for primer and paint. Now....mother nature looks like she's not gonna let that happen out in the garage for at least a week and a half now... I learned my lesson years ago with the Cat's Eye 👁️ debacle about painting in the cold garage. LOL 😁 

 

 

 

Is that a little Kingfisher plane I spot there?

Remember building a bigger one way back when I was a kid. . . and then having bits of it fall off over the years. 😅

[Papa Rat]

8 hours ago, MechTech said:

@Chas Cool looking paint on that Valk!

@Papa Rat BEAUTIFUL colors on that Junone!

@derex3592 All the detail work on the Texas and that B-52 are paying off. They look great with each step! The details especially on the Texas will make it rich looking.

@wm cheng The custom metalic finishes on that Zero look beautiful! I'm just starting to get into metalics myself, including powdered micas.

@pengbuzz I like the cool mods to the Naboo (or whatever it will be now🙂). You going for a cruiser or battleship looking model design?

The Shin Musha Gundam case and parts are getting an upgrade. Hobby Lobby had small bags of 3/16" thick polished marble bits in the marked down section. So I got two. Then some acrylic based grouting to make the base so far.

 

Then the black gun and sword stand is getting an "expansion" to hold the large beam canon and a couple of simulated fire pots for lighting. Made these with scraps and the spare parts box(s).

Saturday night worked on this late make Rick Dom II in the living room without paint. It looks great without and details so far! It was a smooth build.

And because there are so many cat lovers on the boards, I couldn't resist sharing this:

And how cold it is on the East coast this Monday morning... There's an icey glaze on everything!

Thanks for checking in everyone! - MT

Hey thanks. 
Love the weapon diorama and the Dom looks great!

The cat meme. Lol

We currently have a silly dingo running the show in our home. He’s a good boi. We used to have three cats but due to old age they are no longer with us. They had a great life. We talk about adopting and will probably make the leap in the summer. 
 

Well I have another kit on bench. I finally completed all sub assembles on my current build “Terror Mirage” and it’s ready for primer. I sort of like to stay busy and having builds cycling smoothly in tandem feels right. 

I scored this kit from

@tekering  Thanks again! I’ll do my very best to make it look awesome!

It’s an early Volks KOG. Basically garage kit injection model I think the translation says. So I assume it’s the same design they used for the resin kit? Have to look into it.
All the parts have been super tight and wonky. There are callouts in the manual that say you will need to putty this area and that area etc…since this will have a gap here and there. Cracks me up that instead of a good mold they are saying it’s all on you now. Lol

Also comes with a bunch of generic polycap sprues that you need to trim down to certain shapes and sizes to fit. That’s a first for me. I kind of dig it  

Anyway I’m loving it and this build has very few parts and assembly goes quick. Clean up later. 

Edited January 27 by Papa Rat

[Big s]

26 minutes ago, Papa Rat said:

We currently have a silly dingo running the show in our home. He’s a good boi. We used to have three cats but due to old age they are no longer with us. They had a great life. We talk about adopting and will probably make the leap in the summer.

I’ve always had cats. Never actually went to a place to adopt, it’s always been some form of the cat distribution system.

[Thom]

Your cruiser is looking real good, @pengbuzz

[pengbuzz]

3 hours ago, Thom said:

Your cruiser is looking real good, @pengbuzz

Thanks! I wanted to develop a new adversary for my pet project, Star Trek: Alpha Centauri. It was getting to be a "one-villain show" if you know what I mean.

[Big s]

1 hour ago, pengbuzz said:

Thanks! I wanted to develop a new adversary for my pet project, Star Trek: Alpha Centauri. It was getting to be a "one-villain show" if you know what I mean.

It’s already sounding better than the newer Trek shows 

[derex3592]

16 hours ago, Mog said:

Is that a little Kingfisher plane I spot there?

Remember building a bigger one way back when I was a kid. . . and then having bits of it fall off over the years. 😅

@Mog Indeed it is!  It's a Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane. 

Can you IMAGINE the SET it took to be the pilots of these things in WWII? "You want me to take off a WHAT in a WHAT?!" 

[MechTech]

@pengbuzz That looks GREAT! Normally I'm geek enough to look at kit bashed stuff and know what parts came from what, but that one's a tuffy!

@Big s I'm sorry to hear about your "little helper". It was last Feb we had to put ours down and we still miss him. It is tough despite the joy and laughter we have with the two kittens who litterally fly over us on the couch as they chase each other or cuddle with us at bedtime and our original one. One of them sits upright at night and watches what I'm doing on my workbench.

That Rick Dom upgrade would be cool! I bought several of the original 80's Rick Doms or II's (in the 80'as) and probably only built one as intended, but kit-bashed the others into something completely different! I'm sure you can find some nice joint or poly cap kits that will work for your mods.

Thanks @Papa Rat! And another FSS kit to add to your collection soon!

@derex3592 Yes, crazy!!! I knew one of Grumman's test pilots who worked with the Corsair. He had all sorts of crazy stories! Here's one with a jet engine on it! - MT

https://www.facebook.com/paxmuseum/posts/testing-the-first-american-designed-jet-enginethese-three-views-show-a-goodyear-/10163858805070392/

 

[Big s]

23 minutes ago, MechTech said:

@Big s I'm sorry to hear about your "little helper". It was last Feb we had to put ours down and we still miss him. It is tough despite the joy and laughter we have with the two kittens who litterally fly over us on the couch as they chase each other or cuddle with us at bedtime and our original one. One of them sits upright at night and watches what I'm doing on my workbench.

That Rick Dom upgrade would be cool! I bought several of the original 80's Rick Doms or II's (in the 80'as) and probably only built one as intended, but kit-bashed the others into something completely different! I'm sure you can find some nice joint or poly cap kits that will work for your mods

Yeah, the one we recently lost was the more active of the three and was always getting into things and hopping into the window sill to watch the birds in the morning and would always kinda get in the way while I would get ready for work. I miss her routine of silly chaos. But I still got the boys, even though they’re much more calm they’re still just as important and a reason to keep going. Haven’t thought yet about adding any more cats to the family yet.

as far as that Rick Dom 2, I think it’s the rounder legs and head that I kinda like compared to the newer one. Just kinda thinking if I could somehow combine those elements of both kits and make an ultimate Dom 2 somehow. I think the head will be easy, but the legs might take some messing with.

[electric indigo]

Since we don't have a "Silent Moebius" nor a "Cool model announcements from non-major franchises" thread, I'm posting this here where I figure most of the modelers hang out. Also, I predict this will be on my workbench in the future.

 

[MechTech]

@Big s Yeah, it's difficult getting used to them not being there.

You could make a Rick Dom II Custom! Whatever you want. Just not as awkward as the GQuuuuuuuuuuuux version😁

Thanks @electric indigo! It's cool to see new subjects coming out! - MT

[Papa Rat]

7 hours ago, electric indigo said:

Since we don't have a "Silent Moebius" nor a "Cool model announcements from non-major franchises" thread, I'm posting this here where I figure most of the modelers hang out. Also, I predict this will be on my workbench in the future.

 

Silent Möbius has a special place in my heart. Besides Macross, it was one of the first anime I loved along with Appleseed, Bubblegum Crisis, Vampire Hunter D. 
I most definitely will be getting that kit once it drops. Thanks for sharing. Lookout Lucifer Hawk!

[Big s]

3 hours ago, MechTech said:

You could make a Rick Dom II Custom! Whatever you want. Just not as awkward as the GQuuuuuuuuuuuux version😁

Yeah, not planning to go crazy and add a toilet bowl on its back. Just want to be able to use the parts I love from the old kit on the newer one.

 

8 hours ago, electric indigo said:

Since we don't have a "Silent Moebius" nor a "Cool model announcements from non-major franchises" thread, I'm posting this here where I figure most of the modelers hang out. Also, I predict this will be on my workbench in the future.

 

Why not start a thread for it. Maybe it’s a one and done thing or maybe the company does other kits for other cool franchises. You never know, maybe other interesting items will become available in this age of retro models. Seems like such a lack of modern mecha and sci fi in anime that most of the companies are making great new kits based on all kinds of older anime and video games

[Chas]

Whoa! Silent Mobius! Haven't thought about that one in quite a while.

Last night I did the decals on my pla-MAX VF-1J. ( also did a quick pass on the tiny figure from the VF-1A kit.)

And a first pass with a middle gray oil wash in the panel lines tonight.

 

[wm cheng]

@Chas Looking good!  That tiny Max looks amazing.  You should do a panel wash on them!

OK, I think I'm finally done the painting!  So many little parts all in different shades, it felt more like Lego in the end! 

Decided to do the wing folding mechanism in that interior yellow/green color like the old WWII Zeros

 

The chrome Alclad is so delicate and fragile that if I leave a fingerprint on it, and try to wipe the finger-print off, it takes the silver off exposing the black gloss coat underneath.  I hardly ever use Chrome but it seems to be the most delicate.  The other colours like polished aluminum stainless steel or magnesium or dark aluminum seem fine, only the Chrome.  It also didn't like the orange clear I put over top (maybe because I used Mr. Color leveling thinner in it and it reacted to the thin chrome underneath).  Oh well, I can't really strip it down without damaging more than the fix.  I'm learning all the time!

It's so much smaller with the finds all folded up!  It's crazy how well Bandai engineered their kits but they know nothing about aircraft design or mechanics and unfortunately, the landing gears look like "robot arms" instead of aircraft gears.

I've put it next to my previous model of the Cosmo Zero I built over 15yrs ago and this makes that look like spray painted silver instead of real metal. (unfortunately the chrome is so fragile).  All that's left is my favourite stage which is decaling.  I don't think I will put a weathering wash over top as I don't think the Chrome paint can take anything on top.

[Chas]

Thanks @wm cheng. And yes that figure isn't nearly done yet.

Your Zero  looks a beaut!

Why not try the weathering after the decals?

Edited yesterday at 01:48 AM by Chas

[electric indigo]

The decals are on and the appearance changed from toy to aircraft model.

 

[Big s]

10 hours ago, wm cheng said:

@Chas Looking good!  That tiny Max looks amazing.  You should do a panel wash on them!

OK, I think I'm finally done the painting!  So many little parts all in different shades, it felt more like Lego in the end! 

Decided to do the wing folding mechanism in that interior yellow/green color like the old WWII Zeros

 

The chrome Alclad is so delicate and fragile that if I leave a fingerprint on it, and try to wipe the finger-print off, it takes the silver off exposing the black gloss coat underneath.  I hardly ever use Chrome but it seems to be the most delicate.  The other colours like polished aluminum stainless steel or magnesium or dark aluminum seem fine, only the Chrome.  It also didn't like the orange clear I put over top (maybe because I used Mr. Color leveling thinner in it and it reacted to the thin chrome underneath).  Oh well, I can't really strip it down without damaging more than the fix.  I'm learning all the time!

It's so much smaller with the finds all folded up!  It's crazy how well Bandai engineered their kits but they know nothing about aircraft design or mechanics and unfortunately, the landing gears look like "robot arms" instead of aircraft gears.

I've put it next to my previous model of the Cosmo Zero I built over 15yrs ago and this makes that look like spray painted silver instead of real metal. (unfortunately the chrome is so fragile).  All that's left is my favourite stage which is decaling.  I don't think I will put a weathering wash over top as I don't think the Chrome paint can take anything on top.

Looks pretty cool. They do have that aqua clear, not sure if I spelled it right top coat that seals the chrome. It will dull the color a little though. 
Recently there have been tougher chrome choices like duralumin and an option using a thinned down super metallic 2 silver from Mr color, supposedly something like five parts thinner to I part paint and it comes out like a tough chrome. The Barbatos Rex YouTube channel has many videos about great chrome choices and he does a toughness test with the different ones to let you know which ones are worth the money 
I know exactly what you mean by the fragility of Alclad, stuff will just rub off, but looks great and easy to find. I usually try to use it for things like sensors and then a clear color on top.

[Chas]

10 minutes ago, Big s said:

Recently there have been tougher chrome choices like duralumin and an option using a thinned down super metallic 2 silver from Mr color, supposedly something like five parts thinner to I part paint and it comes out like a tough chrome. . . 

Here's a 3 yr. Old reddit post I came across the other day that discusses the hyper thinned Mr.Hobby Super  Metalic with comparison pics.

 

[SteveTheFish]

On 1/30/2026 at 5:13 PM, electric indigo said:

Since we don't have a "Silent Moebius" nor a "Cool model announcements from non-major franchises" thread, I'm posting this here where I figure most of the modelers hang out. Also, I predict this will be on my workbench in the future.

I'm glad to see this finally happening. For a while, Aoshima was going to release this Silent Moebius police spinner. There was one on display at their boot at a hobby show several years back. I asked and this is a completely differently-tooled venture.

As for me, here are the two figures I've been working on. The Nadia is a 3D print that Tekering made for me. Deedlit is a sofubi I started on almost 2 years ago and I'm nearly done. I need to heat up her cape so that I can wrap it around her. As it is, it's too stiff.

[pengbuzz]

12 hours ago, wm cheng said:

@Chas Looking good!  That tiny Max looks amazing.  You should do a panel wash on them!

OK, I think I'm finally done the painting!  So many little parts all in different shades, it felt more like Lego in the end! 

Decided to do the wing folding mechanism in that interior yellow/green color like the old WWII Zeros

 

The chrome Alclad is so delicate and fragile that if I leave a fingerprint on it, and try to wipe the finger-print off, it takes the silver off exposing the black gloss coat underneath.  I hardly ever use Chrome but it seems to be the most delicate.  The other colours like polished aluminum stainless steel or magnesium or dark aluminum seem fine, only the Chrome.  It also didn't like the orange clear I put over top (maybe because I used Mr. Color leveling thinner in it and it reacted to the thin chrome underneath).  Oh well, I can't really strip it down without damaging more than the fix.  I'm learning all the time!

It's so much smaller with the finds all folded up!  It's crazy how well Bandai engineered their kits but they know nothing about aircraft design or mechanics and unfortunately, the landing gears look like "robot arms" instead of aircraft gears.

I've put it next to my previous model of the Cosmo Zero I built over 15yrs ago and this makes that look like spray painted silver instead of real metal. (unfortunately the chrome is so fragile).  All that's left is my favourite stage which is decaling.  I don't think I will put a weathering wash over top as I don't think the Chrome paint can take anything on top.

I've worked with different metallics over the years, (Testors Metalizer. Alclad, Molotow Chrome, etc), and never liked much of any of them due to their fragility. The best option I ever found was foil tape (I prefer the dollar store variety, as its' thinner and easier to apply). My three issues with using that though is 1) it's a bit of a pain and arduous to apply correctly, especially to rounded or complex detailed areas; 2) you have to paint it with a transparent color to get varying shades, and 3) it can pick up scratches and marks if it's handled too roughly (although they can be burnished back out unless overcoated).

That's the route I took with my 1/6 Robocop figure (since the outer armor is essentially the Horizon vinyl model, paint wasn't going to work very well anyways):

 

I ended up airbrushing the subtle red, purple and blue tones onto the tape, but I think too much handling could cause it to come off. The one advantage is that you can apply decals over the foil tape (worked very well for my restored G1 Megatron!) and weathering without it coming off or dulling. 

One method I did see (albeit expensive) is Alsa "Killer Chrome":

https://alsacorp.com/product/easy-chrome/

(this one might work if a bunch of us chipped in and were able to evenly divide the materials amongst ourselves, but not sure how that would work!)

There's this discussion on the RPF about chrome paint/ applications that may help as well:

https://www.therpf.com/forums/threads/chrome-paint-comparisons.107933/

 

 

[Big s]

2 hours ago, Chas said:

Here's a 3 yr. Old reddit post I came across the other day that discusses the hyper thinned Mr.Hobby Super  Metalic with comparison pics.

 

The stuff looks just the same here. It’s also supposed to be just as tough as any lacquer application. And I guess not super expensive since you can thin the paint down quite a bit

[Thom]

@Chas That battroid with Max is very cool! 

@wm cheng Great looking Zero! Getting a metallic and chrome finish is tough (or so I've heard) and it certainly looks bright, shiny and chrome!

@electric indigo Nice paint and finish on the plane. 

@SteveTheFish has two good looking ladies on his bench! Been a long while since I watched Nadia and I've actually never seen Record of Lodoss War. Might need to give that a watch.

[Chas]

Love the skin tone on that Nadia and the colour variation on Deedlit's hair Greg!

Got the oil weathering passes done on the Battroid, ( it's very light and doesn't  show up to well in this photo. I'll have try some close ups when it's all done) Just a hint of chipping and the clear parts left to do. Also did an oil wash on the figure. Might do a bit more on him- not sure.

[Chas]

Calling this one done for now.

Oh Damn! Just realized, I forgot the rifle strap! 😲😵‍💫

Edited 20 hours ago by Chas

[Big s]

2 hours ago, Chas said:

Calling this one done for now.

Oh Damn! Just realized, I forgot the rifle strap! 😲😵‍💫

Even without the strap, it looks really cool 

[SteveTheFish]

Thanks, guys! Thom, you've gotta watch Record of Lodoss War. The original OVA by Madhouse is legendary, with incredible vocal opening and ending themes. I normally don't care about anime vocal music, unless it's Macross, Lodoss, and BGC. The OVA was done before the novels were completely written, so its ending is considerably different from how it was meant to be. Later there was a Lodoss TV series that mostly glossed over the events of the first story arch, then it covered the Leylia redemption arc. The second half revolves around Neece's capture, who is the daughter of Leylia and the wizard Slayn from the first story arch, now a teenager. The sorcerer Wagnard captures Neece to sacrifice in an attempt to resurrect the Goddess of Destruction, Kardis. In the OVA version, Wagnard captures Deedlit to sacrifice to Kardis and Parn must rescue her. 

Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut way to just sit down and take in the entirety of Lodoss and have it make sense. The OVA is all about Parn's hero's journey. But only the TV show features the "next generation" characters.

Chas, I'm pretty happy with how Deedlit's hair turned out. I've only temporarily attached her head because her cape needs to go on first, and then her head/hair. I also need to attach her side locks that go on in front of her ears. 

I'm also working on a 3D-printed Rei figure. I first airbrushed her skintone, then masked it off and airbrushed her hair Mr. Color 34, sky blue. I managed to find the official Rei hair color by Gaia Notes. It's too light, I think, so I just sprayed it from a top-down direction to provide a gradation.