Bolt Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 Thanks for sharing @kajnrig ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urashiman Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 6 hours ago, kajnrig said: Ask and ye shall receive. Behold, in all its yellow stripy glory: That tail sticker is already dangling by a thread after 5 days of sitting in the box. Yikes. Unfortunately, I think that's it for now from me. This was supposed to be just a quick test fit for now so I could get a sense of how the kit builds before getting back to another project that's consuming my time - the 1/72 "Rodams RAS-40" GP04 (major pain in the butt, highly NOT recommended, best to do your LED wiring if you absolutely must have it). After seeing it wouldn't hold together on its own, I made what I now realize is the mistake of deciding to sticker the kit as I go. Now I'm gonna have to carefully remove said stickers and basically start the build over, for real this time. Oh well. Lesson learned. Into the box it goes for now. I will say, with regards to the kit, I like the overall shapes of everything. I'm still a bit too used to the Hasegawa shape - a bit fuller overall - but the slimmer look isn't bad. I dare say, though, the tail fins are maybe too vertical and could stand to be canted a bit more. Anyway, that's enough rambling from me. Hope everyone else is having fun with this kit. Ahahaha! Oh man - I do that quick strip with masking tape as well, just to check how far I can break the kit down into building groups for better airbrushing and decal applying And yes - putting lights into your kits is a churning task.... so many kits ended up in the trash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pengbuzz Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 Wow...those tail stickers are just embarrassing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 Those tail stickers are right out of Bandai's HG playbook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urashiman Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 Yay, mine came today. Finally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pengbuzz Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 6 hours ago, Urashiman said: Yay, mine came today. Finally! One thing I would do is to scan the sticker sheet and print it onto decal paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 1 hour ago, pengbuzz said: One thing I would do is to scan the sticker sheet and print it onto decal paper. Are you good that? just seeing who here is in case I need to hit someone up for services. These kits look great, but I don’t think they’re planning aftermarket decals the way Bandai does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pengbuzz Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 2 hours ago, Big s said: Are you good that? just seeing who here is in case I need to hit someone up for services. These kits look great, but I don’t think they’re planning aftermarket decals the way Bandai does. I do it quite a bit, but I don't have an ALPS printer (one that can print in white). As for my regular printer, I'm so low on ink, just printing stuff on draft is coming out all lines. @Anasazi37 would be the one to talk to, but last I checked, he's backed up and ALPS carts are rarer than hens' teeth about now. Also not sure if his is even working, but you can try asking him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urashiman Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 5 hours ago, pengbuzz said: One thing I would do is to scan the sticker sheet and print it onto decal paper. Nah ... I am good. Got a set of 2009 Minmay Macross the First water slide decals to use with that VF-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasazi37 Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 On 12/9/2022 at 2:42 AM, pengbuzz said: I do it quite a bit, but I don't have an ALPS printer (one that can print in white). As for my regular printer, I'm so low on ink, just printing stuff on draft is coming out all lines. @Anasazi37 would be the one to talk to, but last I checked, he's backed up and ALPS carts are rarer than hens' teeth about now. Also not sure if his is even working, but you can try asking him. Yep, I'm backed up and every time I use my printer I'm gambling that it won't break. Had a very close call recently, but was able to repair it. A replacement printer, like the ink cartridges, has to be imported from Japan. Really expensive, even with the strong dollar these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pengbuzz Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 6 minutes ago, Anasazi37 said: Yep, I'm backed up and every time I use my printer I'm gambling that it won't break. Had a very close call recently, but was able to repair it. A replacement printer, like the ink cartridges, has to be imported from Japan. Really expensive, even with the strong dollar these days. I looked up replacement parts just on a lark on Picclick.com (ebay aggregate site); dunno if any of this is useful, but I thought I'd take a look for ya: https://picclick.com/?q=alps+printer+parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasazi37 Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 3 hours ago, pengbuzz said: I looked up replacement parts just on a lark on Picclick.com (ebay aggregate site); dunno if any of this is useful, but I thought I'd take a look for ya: https://picclick.com/?q=alps+printer+parts Appreciate the gesture. Part of owning an ALPS printer is having a large list of links to stores, auction sites, etc. for replacement parts and ink cartridges. Feels a lot like maintaining a classic car, but way more niche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 On 12/9/2022 at 2:04 AM, Big s said: Are you good that? just seeing who here is in case I need to hit someone up for services. These kits look great, but I don’t think they’re planning aftermarket decals the way Bandai does. On 12/9/2022 at 4:42 AM, pengbuzz said: I do it quite a bit, but I don't have an ALPS printer (one that can print in white). As for my regular printer, I'm so low on ink, just printing stuff on draft is coming out all lines. @Anasazi37 would be the one to talk to, but last I checked, he's backed up and ALPS carts are rarer than hens' teeth about now. Also not sure if his is even working, but you can try asking him. If you don't have a printer that prints in white, you could use white decal paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasazi37 Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 11 minutes ago, Thom said: If you don't have a printer that prints in white, you could use white decal paper. That is always an option, but generally only works for simple geometric designs where you can very carefully trim away the excess film before application. You also have to be okay with a white background on everything. Another semi-popular option is getting white toner for a laser printer, which allows you to create designs like the white "UN SPACY" text on clear paper. I've seen some people use white toner to print what I would call the "background layer" in ALPS, which consists of all-white versions of each design, and then they print the regular color layer. That is done on different sheets of paper, so you would first apply the white decal and then the color one on top of it. You have to do that because if you try to take the white-printed sheet and run it through the printer again to put color on top of it, which is how ALPS works, the results are terrible. You need very precise layer registration to pull it off, which can only be done by a printer that hangs onto the sheet for both print runs. The only "affordable" printer that can do it is ALPS. Everything else is high-end commercial and extremely pricey. If you can find a commercial printing service that is willing to do one-off or small batch runs of a sheet for a reasonable price, that's awesome. There might be a few out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 Models like this , aside from our ongoing customs, illustrate the ongoing demand for a good quality and reliable printing solution..I know I'm just talking into the wind, but why hasn't this technology gotten cheaper and easier.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pengbuzz Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 18 hours ago, Anasazi37 said: Appreciate the gesture. Part of owning an ALPS printer is having a large list of links to stores, auction sites, etc. for replacement parts and ink cartridges. Feels a lot like maintaining a classic car, but way more niche. Yeah, I kinda figured you had a list of resources; I found picclicks to find stuff on ebay that may not normally show on searches. Thought it was worth a shout, ya know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasazi37 Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 2 hours ago, Bolt said: Models like this , aside from our ongoing customs, illustrate the ongoing demand for a good quality and reliable printing solution..I know I'm just talking into the wind, but why hasn't this technology gotten cheaper and easier.? I get the feeling that the commercial options have become more affordable and easier to use, which has led to things like on-demand t-shirt printing sites and all sorts of other custom merchandise (mugs, stickers, etc.), but the technology is still out of reach of hobbyists. My best guess is that the technology could be scaled down to an affordable desktop option, but then the manufacturers would have to convince consumers that they need it. Since most white+color printing needs can be taken care of by the on-demand sites, that leaves niche communities, like ones who print decals, out in the cold. Just my $0.02 on the topic. It's frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 I felt the need for a decal service a while back when Bandai was the only one doing stickers, but there were plenty of easy to find decal sets for the kits that didn’t have an official aftermarket set. But I don’t see the same places offering for these Macross kits from max factory. I haven’t even seen them for the larger kits that have been available for a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Convectuoso Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 I really like the head sculpt. But don't care for those big anime hands in proportion to the overall size. They especially make the gun pod look tiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 I like the big hands. It reminds me of all those old model boxes where they show big expressive hands. The gunpod does look a bit thin in some angles though, maybe when it gets some color it might look a bit different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOG Water Dragon Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 I think the hands are just a tad too big. Nice style, and yes reminiscent of the old box arts, but still... just a fraction too big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 4 hours ago, KOG Water Dragon said: I think the hands are just a tad too big. Nice style, and yes reminiscent of the old box arts, but still... just a fraction too big. When I was a kid the show would be on tv, but the only thing I had as a reference to how things would look were those model kit boxes.we didn’t have a good vcr for recording and I didn’t have access to any line art, so those pained pictures were it. That’s probably why these hands don’t bother me. They’re so big that there’s no possible way they could be stuffed into the forearm, but from years of staring at those boxes, it just seems like that’s how it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOG Water Dragon Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 28 minutes ago, Big s said: When I was a kid the show would be on tv, but the only thing I had as a reference to how things would look were those model kit boxes.we didn’t have a good vcr for recording and I didn’t have access to any line art, so those pained pictures were it. That’s probably why these hands don’t bother me. They’re so big that there’s no possible way they could be stuffed into the forearm, but from years of staring at those boxes, it just seems like that’s how it should be. I was a kid when the show was on TV, too. Born in '78. And I had a lot of those old kits. I just think this new kit's hands surpass even what was seen on those old box arts. If it looked like the old box art, I'd be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 The Arii kits unfortunately were far easier to find at my local hobby shops when I was younger big grabbers on those boxes. The imai kits were more of a rarity for me before Bandai rereleased them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urashiman Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 5 hours ago, Big s said: The Arii kits unfortunately were far easier to find at my local hobby shops when I was younger big grabbers on those boxes. The imai kits were more of a rarity for me before Bandai rereleased them My first VF-1 was Arii as well, with a little beach suit minmay as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechTech Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 I'm late to the party, but I TOTALLY have to agree with @Duymon 's comment on the boxart. It just needs the Airfix log to be an Airfix box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lechuck Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 On 12/22/2022 at 4:15 AM, Convectuoso said: Look great, this Battroid feels "back to the roots" with its utilitarian compactness. Dare I say probably the best looking amongst all the current toy and model kit options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 1 hour ago, lechuck said: Look great, this Battroid feels "back to the roots" with its utilitarian compactness. Dare I say probably the best looking amongst all the current toy and model kit options. I’m with you there. I’m surprised they didn’t make a compromise to make it match the fighter. I like the hasegawa and that they tried the more real robot thing, but I prefer this style Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no3Ljm Posted April 26, 2023 Share Posted April 26, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Glad they got smart and decided to do a release with waterslide decals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pengbuzz Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 2 hours ago, Big s said: Glad they got smart and decided to do a release with waterslide decals About time, right? They must have gotten a battlefortressload of complaints! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 9 minutes ago, pengbuzz said: About time, right? They must have gotten a battlefortressload of complaints! I was thinking the same thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urashiman Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 3 hours ago, Big s said: Glad they got smart and decided to do a release with waterslide decals where does it say that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big s Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Urashiman said: where does it say that? Edited May 9, 2023 by Big s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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