Whats Lying on your Workbench MK IV

[joscasle]

Plamax 1/72 VF-1A Max Valkyrie 

Almost complete

[Chas]

Nice Job!

Is that a custom mix blue, or straight from a jar?

Looks perfect.

[Chas]

 🤣

10 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

Hmmm... position 439 of the Kama Sutra? O.o

With that blue tape I would have guessed it was Max's  Valkyrie,  in which case that should probably read 

"position 639 of the Kama Sutra"

😉

[nightmareB4macross]

Larger calves made a world of difference.

I like this much better.

[electric indigo]

6 hours ago, joscasle said:

Plamax 1/72 VF-1A Max Valkyrie 

Almost complete

Great execution of this great kit.

My minor gripe with the design is that the head camera part should have chamfered edges.

[Big s]

3 hours ago, electric indigo said:

Great execution of this great kit.

My minor gripe with the design is that the head camera part should have chamfered edges.

You could probably bevel the edges easily with a file and then smooth it out and add some gloss to get it back to a shiny piece 

[Big s]

8 hours ago, nightmareB4macross said:

Larger calves made a world of difference.

I like this much better.

Some wild improvements 

[Big s]

On 11/27/2025 at 4:33 PM, Papa Rat said:

Post pumpkin pie final touches. Don’t mind the table cloth. Lol

Was so excited to share. 1:144 LED Mirage V3. Will try for a better natural light pic in the morning.

 

Looks awesome and bright. Like a real treasure.

[Chas]

Yes, the new legs are a great improvement.

How do they look in fighter mode?

[derex3592]

Almost there...... Please... Lord... No more 1/144 NO STEP/ panel lines... My nerves can't take it.... 😵‍💫🥴

 

[Big s]

On 11/28/2025 at 1:44 AM, tekering said:

I was afraid I might've gone too far...

...but the client is apparently pleased. 😅

Looks Awsome for a wreck. I’ve seen a lot of old bugs that looked like this. Sometimes you still see em in similar condition. Now it makes me wonder how some of them actually got some gouging in the sides

[Thom]

Great looking Max VF-1 @joscasle! That's a nice shade of blue.

9 hours ago, Chas said:

 🤣

With that blue tape I would have guessed it was Max's  Valkyrie,  in which case that should probably read 

"position 639 of the Kama Sutra"

😉

Well, when Millia is macronized...

@nightmareB4macross Those thicker calves are a good improvement. It doesn't impede transforming into fighter mode, as I assume they left the backs flat for a tighter appearance..?

Dang, that bomber is looking good, @derex3592. We are appreciating your hardships!

 

[Papa Rat]

@derex3592 Looking good! 👍

[joscasle]

12 hours ago, Chas said:

Nice Job!

Is that a custom mix blue, or straight from a jar?

Looks perfect.

Hi. Straight from the jar. It is a Gundam blue paint from Mr. color. Exam Blue 2

Edited November 29, 2025 by joscasle

[nightmareB4macross]

3 hours ago, Thom said:

Great looking Max VF-1 @joscasle

@nightmareB4macross Those thicker calves are a good improvement. It doesn't impede transforming into fighter mode, as I assume they left the backs flat for a tighter appearance..?

 

It actually affords me the opportunity to slim the inner backplate good and proper without distorting or prohibiting it’s function(s). Since the original backplate is very thick, this would have been the reason why the original VF legs are so thin.

[Chas]

2 hours ago, joscasle said:

Hi. Straight from the jar. It is a Gundam blue paint from Mr. color. Exam Blue 2

Thanks! 🤙

[Big s]

5 hours ago, joscasle said:

Hi. Straight from the jar. It is a Gundam blue paint from Mr. color. Exam Blue 2

Looks like a perfect match. Might even look good on his Queadluun Rau, possibly with a little white mixed in to lighten it up a little 

[nightmareB4macross]

15 hours ago, Chas said:

Yes, the new legs are a great improvement.

How do they look in fighter mode?

For now, this is what it looks like. Once I trim the inner backplate and finish massaging the calf it will blend well together.

[derex3592]

I reckon it's time for aa USS Texas update..... Did some more very fine PE work this morning. Eveything you see that's brass or white (primered white brass) is PE. I can only do PE early in the morning especially on Sunday mornings, classical music playing... It helps... LOL. So far, so good, the result will (hopefully) be worth all the time and effort. 

[Papa Rat]

33 minutes ago, derex3592 said:

I reckon it's time for aa USS Texas update..... Did some more very fine PE work this morning. Eveything you see that's brass or white (primered white brass) is PE. I can only do PE early in the morning especially on Sunday mornings, classical music playing... It helps... LOL. So far, so good, the result will (hopefully) be worth all the time and effort. 

Wow! That looks amazing. Thanks for sharing. 👍

I am also on a classical music kick these days. Mostly when in the car. Helps me tolerate all the crazy driving out there. Lol 

[Thom]

A LOT of nice PE work! 

[derex3592]

Thanks guys! I kept going for 5 hours straight this morning and progress was definitely made today! 

[Papa Rat]

1 hour ago, derex3592 said:

Thanks guys! I kept going for 5 hours straight this morning and progress was definitely made today! 

😍

[Chas]

Just looking at all that photoetch raises my blood pressure @derex3592. Superb job!

Figure I'd post up what I just started working on today.

My next build will be converting the old Arii 1:48 Bronco II Gerwalk kit (from Super Dimension Century Orguss), so that it can switch between fighter and Gerwalk modes:

I'd been searching for a kit of this for years (wanted to get the convertible version, but if you know anything about these kits they are very hard to come by and very expensive when found), so when I saw this one for a good price a number of years ago I jumped at it, and asked one of our members in Japan to help me secure it. He very graciously agreed and here we are.
Anway, first order of business was opening up the top of the thighs, where they connect to fuselage.

Right is before left is after.

Doing this allows the legs to sit horizontal in fighter mode.

Again right is before left is after.
Gerwalk:

Fighter:

Some nice engineering built in to the design allowing for a pretty wide range of sideways swing in Gerwalk:

That's all for now.
More to come

Edited November 30, 2025 by Chas

[Papa Rat]

11 minutes ago, Chas said:

Just looking at all that photoetch raises my blood pressure @derex3592. Superb job!

Figure I'd post up what I just started working on today.

My next build will be converting the old Arii 1:48 Bronco II Gerwalk kit (from Super Dimension Century Orguss), so that it can switch between fighter and Gerwalk modes:

I'd been searching for a kit of this for years (wanted to get the convertible version, but if you know anything about these kits they are very hard to come by and very expensive when found), so when I saw this one for a good price a number of years ago I jumped at it, and asked one of our members in Japan to help me secure it. He very graciously agreed and here we are.
Anway, first order of business was opening up the top of the thighs, where they connect to fuselage.

Right is before left is after.

Doing this allows the legs to sit horizontal in fighter mode.

Again right is before left is after.
Gerwalk:

Fighter:

Some nice engineering built in to the design allowing for a pretty wide range of sideways swing in Gerwalk:

That's all for now.
More to come

 Very excited for this!!! Keep the updates flowing. 

[Big s]

5 hours ago, Papa Rat said:

I am also on a classical music kick these days. Mostly when in the car. Helps me tolerate all the crazy driving out there. Lol 

More of a Rock /Metal guy personally. Gotta have some rough music to keep me going on the rough roads or dealing with the chaos of the highway once I get down the mountain. Also gets the adrenaline going to keep me awake for the drive home. And takes me to another world while clipping out parts and sanding nubs.

 

2 hours ago, Chas said:

Just looking at all that photoetch raises my blood pressure @derex3592. Superb job!

Figure I'd post up what I just started working on today.

My next build will be converting the old Arii 1:48 Bronco II Gerwalk kit (from Super Dimension Century Orguss), so that it can switch between fighter and Gerwalk modes:

I'd been searching for a kit of this for years (wanted to get the convertible version, but if you know anything about these kits they are very hard to come by and very expensive when found), so when I saw this one for a good price a number of years ago I jumped at it, and asked one of our members in Japan to help me secure it. He very graciously agreed and here we are.
Anway, first order of business was opening up the top of the thighs, where they connect to fuselage.

Right is before left is after.

Doing this allows the legs to sit horizontal in fighter mode.

Again right is before left is after.
Gerwalk:

Fighter:

Some nice engineering built in to the design allowing for a pretty wide range of sideways swing in Gerwalk:

That's all for now.
More to come

some cool mods here, love seeing these built up.

 

3 hours ago, derex3592 said:

Thanks guys! I kept going for 5 hours straight this morning and progress was definitely made today! 

Looks like a lot of work, but it seems to really be paying off

[Thom]

Nice start with the mods, @Chas.

[Big s]

During the downtime at work I often clip out parts and clean up nubs and mold lines on kits. The Moderoid Tekkaman Blade kit has an interesting part.

this is my nominee for most unexpected model detail of the year. Either that or Creepy toes awardI never realized that the feet were exposed like that under the foot cover. I used to watch the show a lot and can’t really remember an episode post transformation where they showed the bottoms of his feet, let alone the toe detail 

 

Edited December 2, 2025 by Big s

[electric indigo]

All dressed up

[Papa Rat]

5 hours ago, Big s said:

During the downtime at work I often clip out parts and clean up nubs and mold lines on kits. The Moderoid Tekkaman Blade kit has an interesting part.

this is my nominee for most unexpected model detail of the year. Either that or Creepy toes awardI never realized that the feet were exposed like that under the foot cover. I used to watch the show a lot and can’t really remember an episode post transformation where they showed the bottoms of his feet, let alone the toe detail 

 

Interesting. Maybe for the foot fetish mecha folks? lol 

@electric indigo Love it. That came out great!

[Big s]

6 hours ago, Papa Rat said:

Interesting. Maybe for the foot fetish mecha folks? lol 

Quentin Tarantino would be proud for sure.

 

8 hours ago, electric indigo said:

All dressed up

looks really great. I like the light colors 

[Shawn]

What are your thoughts on screw holes and seam lines? Takatoku and Bandai were not always quite exact on alignment of their separate halves.
Just wondering-either way you've done a complete retooling of the classis 1/55 which is unbelievable. Wow.

[SteveTheFish]

On 12/1/2025 at 5:23 AM, Chas said:

Just looking at all that photoetch raises my blood pressure @derex3592. Superb job!

Figure I'd post up what I just started working on today.

My next build will be converting the old Arii 1:48 Bronco II Gerwalk kit (from Super Dimension Century Orguss), so that it can switch between fighter and Gerwalk modes:

 

I'd been searching for a kit of this for years (wanted to get the convertible version, but if you know anything about these kits they are very hard to come by and very expensive when found), so when I saw this one for a good price a number of years ago I jumped at it, and asked one of our members in Japan to help me secure it. He very graciously agreed and here we are.

Hey, that was me! I got that Bronco II kit for you. Now I remember... We lucked out finding it for a great price because it was on the now-defunct Rakuten Auctions site. I'd forgotten whom I procured that kit for.

[Chas]

Yes you did!

I didn't  want to mention you by name, in case you wanted to keep that info private, but indeed, it was you, and again, I can't  thank you enough.

Sooo long ago, but I'm finally getting down to it!

[nightmareB4macross]

On 12/2/2025 at 6:08 PM, Shawn said:

What are your thoughts on screw holes and seam lines? Takatoku and Bandai were not always quite exact on alignment of their separate halves.
Just wondering-either way you've done a complete retooling of the classis 1/55 which is unbelievable. Wow.

Along the way I have been addressing many of these issues. When the halves mate up well the need for only one screw is possible for either the lower legs and the forearms, amongst other parts. And no additional gluing is needed.

Thank you for the compliment.