X marks the Gundam Spot

1/20 FSB: RMX-000X Raptor X Part 2

2012-02-12T05:01:00.001+08:00

The Poetry of Symmetry

Since I've decided not to enter this to HLJ's Sci-Fi competition (though I might enter another kit if the itch doesn't go away), I'm no longer pressured to do a pair of everything that needs it. The parts I am making are for both the left and right leg, so I can basically skip making another set for the other side. Regardless, I take note of every part I make that has symmetry involved, just in case I have enough time left to make a complete set.

One way for me to keep a running total of parts is to make a basic template, and use that to make duplicates by double-taping the template to a piece of HIPS, cutting it, taping that, cutting it, and so on, until I have enough. These will be the sides of the thigh armor.

Cut Clean. Build Clean.

I'm exclusively using 1.0mm HIPS now since it's softer and easier to work with than the 2.0mm, for the armor at least. My shaped plates/slabs are 2.0mm thick, so I had to make eight 1.0mm to make four 2.0mm slabs, so on, so forth. I made sure I applied enough cement from edge to edge for an even bond, using extra thin along the seam lines to close gaps, and clamping them for at least 30 minutes. This is essential, especially with parts that will have holes later on. Any gap without cement will distort the plastic when holes are drilled and/or enlarged. When this happens I simply apply more extra thin cement and re-clamp the area concerned, but nothing beats doing it right the first time.

I saved a pair of shaped plates just in case, already prepped for the internal frame of the second leg (which is also basically done, sans a few details). I made a 2.0mm slit halfway through the wider section of the slab, and used that slit to make an alignment guide on the "cheek" of the thigh frame.

I then cemented a 2.0mm beam on the cheek along the alignment guide, and this will serve as the "rail" for the thigh armor to slide on.

I initially planned this to be a one-part solid slide on armor which locks the intermediary joints, but being that that would be cast, I decided to make it a three-part slide interlock. The two side armors will have slide rails;

Which will be interlocked by the front armor via the slide rails. The armor will slide from the midsection up, and I made sure the parts fit snugly together when interlocked. I did something similar before with the K'triya backpack modifications (a tale to be told later).

The interlock armor, after a few improvements, like adding bulk (using the same template), beveling and (ugh) koto minus molds. I'm not too fond of koto parts, but I've used these nifty little buggers quite a few times when necessary. I'll be adding armor detail later on.

Like I mentioned before, this will have exposed frame parts, so I guess the interlock is a good option for the armor. Regardless, I might do a simpler, solid version, depending on how Alex would want to tackle this later on. The back of the thigh kinda reminds me of the Turn A and Turn X.

Size comparison with the PG 00's thigh.

Here's a vid of the modular leg assembly.

Next, the shin armor.

1/20 FSB: RMX-000X Raptor X

2012-02-10T09:09:00.000+08:00

This is what I'm currently working on: The 1/20 Fully Scratch-Built RMX-00X Raptor X Hybrid. RMX stands for Rapid Maneuver Transformable, and I'm committed to finish this in the next two months or until June.

I was suppose to start this project last December, but that month was rather rough on me, that I couldn't really work on anything. This has been a difficult one to conceptualize. I was supposed to SB someone else's design, but Alex (the ToyCollector/Innokitz) and I agreed it would be best if it was mine own.

The main idea is a rather agile scout/recon/sniper mech, and the idea developed as Alex and I were chatting about it last December. I decided to make it a transformable hybrid mech. The transformation will be a very simple fold-up, with the legs swinging forward and the arms backward. The lower arms will have melee blades that become wings during flight.

In flight mode, the Raptor will resemble a Vic Viper, an idea that solidified when I saw this at GreatToysOnline:

And this is the original Vic Viper.

While these are my rough references for the Mech Mode.

The shape of things to come?

Not necessarily. These are 15mm X 70mm HIPS slabs of 1.0mm and 2.0mm thicknesses which are later sandwiched together to form two solid blocks 6mm thick.

This will give me enough material to carve and sculpt the thigh framework of the Raptor. A piece of 5mm round beam is cemented on one end of each solid block and will serve articulation points. Two 11mm long blocks with similar articulation points were also made and will serve as the framework for the lower legs. Thinner 3.0mm blocks were also made as intermediaries for the thighs and calves because;

true to its name, the legs of the Raptor are like that of a velociraptor. This in turn folds onto itself, "swings" forward and rotates 90 degrees at its length, and becomes the knard in flight mode, which will resemble a Vic Viper. The "calf" will have reversible thrusters for hovering in mech mode and small fins that act as wings during flight.

I used the Dragon Ronin as height guide for the Raptor. The height of the "kit" in mech mode at 1/20 scale is 12 inches (almost 30cm), and the pilot would be at 4 inches (a little over 10cm).

After the initial design considerations, I had a harder time still how to incorporate the pistons to the overall leg design. I decided to reference the OYW RX78-2's legs' mobility. It's straighforward enough, pistons on the front of the thigh adjoined to the pistons of the lover leg via the knee. There are pistons on the shin and lower calf. I'll be 1-upping it by putting pistons at the front and back of the thighs, shins and calves, and those lower pistons "should" support the weight during posing. The shin pistons will also support the feet of the Raptor.

I made 3mm thick slabs by sandwiching 3 pieces 1mm each. The tricky thing about HIPS is, the 0.5 is brittle, the 1.0 is soft, and the 1.5 and 2.0 are so hard, they're not really ideal for use as intermediaries for the tubes when it comes to shaving it down to size. The hard HIPS are too brittle and due to their more pronounced directionality, they crack when filed to less than 1mm thickness with a tube inserted.

These at least are soft and pliable enough for the tubes to fit in snugly without giving way even when it's down to 0.5mm. I also have to make sure I have enough leeway when reaming the hole that it's just enough to fit the tube snugly that it holds even without cement. If it's loose, I'd have to do it over again, and in this case, it takes me at least a full hour to continue working because the individual slabs warp and buckle when they are still curing.

When done right, I get a nice, smooth and even edge. I've capped this with another 1.0mm slab and smoothed it as well, following the base shape. The cap holds and strengthens the entire structure together and prevents the primary from cracking.

Tedious work, this is a working pair of piston sleeve and shaft. I have to make 3 more pairs, and a few more for the arms and other sections. This should look good even without the armor, like a bare T800 shell.

I made the piston shafts about 10~20% longer than the sleeves so I have enough leeway later on.

Mobility test.

The pistons actually took a bit of time for me to figure out how to do without them having to look "forced" into the build. Like I mentioned before, this hybrid would have an exposed frame, and less outer armor, regardless I have to be mindful of how complex I make it.

Once I figured out how to articulate the piston connections it became a little easier. I had no foresight when I made these, so I had to do a workaround by carving slits onto the structure for maximum hold.

On these slits, I attach 3mm thick slabs cut in a way that it creates a tongue join with the piston structure.

Again, making the joins snug allow them to hold even without cement, making the joins strong in the process.

I then attached a peg that would serve as the swivel joint for the knee structure.

For the main leg structures, I decided to bevel the edges to give them better form. I used this method of beveling with sword blades, but works on squared and angled edges as well. I start off by marking a distance (2mm, in this case) from each edge I intend to bevel,

and using the edge of my 3/4" width steel ruler (a longer and wider ruler may work as well, but the smaller one is easier to handle, of course), I scrape of as much material as I can up to the designated lines on each side. I used to file bevels before, but this method is way faster because the ruler can scrape off more material evenly.

For the sloping bevel, I simply used a blunt knife (this blade has been with me for the last two years or so, and I've never found a reason to replace it) to nick as little material as I can based on the bevel's slope.

I then filed the surfaces even, leaving enough leeway for smooth sanding later on. You can see a significant improvement in form.

For the thigh pistons, I opted for smaller diameter pipes. Having them right beside one another and creating a support structure for them was a bit trickier than the calf pistons (I simply drilled two holes in the latter case). Here, I drilled one hole first, and used one of the pipes as a distance guide for the other hole. I then enlarged each of the holes just enough for them to meet, and then inserted the two pipes together. Again, a snug fit is essential, because the pipes I am using are not made with PS plastic and do not melt with the cement.

In this case, I created support structure for both ends of the piston assembly to make it sturdy.

After filing the ends to shape, I added a peg on the top support structure that will serve as the swivel joint.

For the shaft assembly, I simply "dovetailed" the two ends to a horizontal peg and cemented them together. The shaft portion's swivel joint will connect to the front knee assembly.

For the thigh pistons' "cheek" swivel structure, I cut a 3/4 strip of 1.0mm HIPS, made a random shape based on the holes I drilled on the main thigh, and used that shape as the template for the others. (I find it easier in this case to use rectangular slabs Instead of making the exact shape right away, mainly because I'm estimating the size and shapes rather than making actual measurements). I cemented another strip to the first shape at an angle, to achieve a stairstep,

Then glued the entire group all at once on a huge piece of HIPS to "save" on material. The final thickness of each "cheek" is 3mm, with the outer lip that will hold the pistons' swivel at 2mm. The cheeks connect to the thigh via pegs, and would later be held in place by the interlocking thigh armor.

Swivel Test: You can see where the pegs are positioned via color differences on the plastic. The calf pistons' shaft swivels are simpler and would be hidden by armor.

I'll be working on the Leg Armor, then foot and the hip structures next.

1:48 Sinanju Bust by Julius Lim

2012-01-28T19:31:00.002+08:00

Master Jules is at it again, this time with a 1:48 Sinanju Bust. The main head and collar is a 1:48 Sinanju Head stand. The rest are built from scratch with plaplates and enhanced with putty.

Incidentally, I started a Chimera bust last October (whilst taking a little break from the Ronin) using a 1/48 Unicorn head stand. Whereas Master Jules only plans to make his Sinanju Bust a la Formania, the Chimera bust might slowly progress into a full-built statue.

Imagine this guy,

at 55cm total height.

I'm currently working on that Super Top Secret Confidential Project that I can't reveal until after March, for obvious reasons, but here's a teaser.

Watch out for it.

The Year-End Rant

2011-12-31T21:21:00.002+08:00

It's the last day of 2011, the pops and booms, as usual, has begun as early as the 25th. Traditions, you see, are often very hard to avoid for most, but personally, I have stopped celebrating holidays a long time ago. But, what can one really do except watch the fireworks when there is fireworks to watch?

I have stayed home and have stopped lighting firecrackers two decades ago, just because. I could say the novelty and danger of lighting mini explosives have "gone out," pardon the pun, but that wasn't really it. I just stopped celebrating old traditions, and hardly made any new ones for myself.

Anyways, a lot of things have happened this year as compared to previous years since I became a Jack-the-Ripper of sorts, and those things have more to do with things around me. MAC, as Don and I have been discussing, and myself have mentioned a few times, have grown fast and well. We have a lot of new members, all of whom have great potential, and some showing rad skills even on the early stages. We also have in our midst veteran modelers, both known and not-so-well known. Looking back to where this all started, well, let's just say it's been a very fruitful year.

Chaos and Order

Though MAC was borne from Chaos, we have had a relatively quiet transition from just an upstart community to what we are now. The last GBWC (formerly BAKAC, BAKUC, BMKWC) saw a great change in the Gunpla communities, directly and indirectly. We have set aside our petty squabbling and have, instead, begun to build more and better projects. As Don has put it, "we are no longer enemies, but we are competitors." Personally, I have had reservations and have thrown caution in the wind, but I have unknowingly promoted a positive attitude specifically with MAC. I'm not perfect (no one is), and I still have that primitive instinct to quash anyone who's too annoying for my taste, but, I have to practice what I preach and start applying what I say to myself.

With that, I have said quite a few times, I am my worst and best competitor. When I build, I do so to beat my last project. I assess my progress via the difficulties of the builds and the complexities of my modifications. I have never been that competitive anyway, if the 2009 BAKUC had anything to say about it. When the day came, I stopped building the Ronin and went to sleep.

Er, What now?

As the story went, though I might have won a battle, I have yet to win the war. I have more things to learn, and plenty more things I can do better. I will also have to build faster, if only to finish planned projects as well as shelved ones.

2012 Mecha Contest

The 2012 Mecha Contest Entry Pass Poster is up.

You shall not pass without the poster!

Just check out TheMACForums or Don's blog for details on how to join the biggest online Gunpla competition to date, as well as the Rules and Prizes at stake. Our Major Sponsors are Hobby Link Japan, Hobby Mate, GGInfinite, Great Toys Online and ToolBox23. We also have our staff pick prizes. I'll be giving a still-to-be--named-prize for my Concept Category pick.

The Zaku Group Build

This started just recently, and if you have a Zaku laying around, it might be a good idea to join this group build. Just point your clickers HERE or click on the image for details.

Projects

Liker I mentioned, I've won a battle, but I still have to win the war. I'm not sure if I can top The Ronin (which incidentally was the only build I finished in 2011), but I do have a few planned builds like the Manticore (Delta Plus Custom), the Gryphon (Zeta Plus A1 Custom), the HALO Reach Spartan (Zaku II v2 Shin Matsunaga) and the Tiger Ronin (Astray Red Frame), the Yin counterpart of the Dragon Ronin, which, if I get a good deal, will hopefully be a PG as well.

Aside from these, I have a Super Secret Scratch Build Project that will become a part of the Innokits line. There's also the MG Turn X Conversion, as well as the Crimson Cherub (Kshatriya Custom), both of which will remain shelved until some "battles" are fought and won.

Brotherly Love

MAC's resident Hand-Painting Assassin and overall progenitor of brotherly love had a mishap a few weeks ago which requires him to have a few surgeries which aren't cheap. Since he's self-employed, and the mishap will prevent him from working for a while, we took it upon ourselves to help whichever way we can. If you would like contribute to brotherly love, and you have a paypal account, just click on the image below.

So there. Only a few more hours till the last second of 2011 meets the first of 2012. May the coming year be as fruitful as the one that is about done.

The Dragon Ronin Gallery

2011-12-30T05:36:00.000+08:00

It took me a while, but I was finally able to take gallery pictures of the Ronin. The pictures speak for themselves.

The Journey of a Thousand Miles...

2011-11-22T22:32:00.001+08:00

...begins with a single knife nick.

More than two years ago, I built my PG Gundam Astray Red Frame as soon as I got home with it. It was one hefty snap build, taking most of the night and a few hours of the next day to complete. I thought that was the end of it, as I never really considered I'd be putting a Perfect Grade under the knife.

As in never.

What did you do with my birdie?

But, if I consider my track record, I should really stop saying never, because, when I restarted collecting kits, I told myself I'll never paint, modify, scratchbuild or join competitions, in that order. Little did I know back then that all it took was a small knife nick, and a small gush of blood to change all that. Instead of shying away from it, I began scraping the plastic's surface, something I handled rather delicately before, to remove the glossiness of it. After that, as if a switch suddenly toggled on, I began looking for Gundams online, and registered at my very first Gunpla forum, ZeroG.

I discovered (or more apropo, re-discovered) skills I didn't think I have. I liked making and building stuff up when I was a kid, often making my own toys, and even did a few "sculptures" during my teens, but, I never really got to connect those skills, along with my design background, with Gunpla until that fateful knife cut when I was simply cutting the nubs away from my MG Zeta Plus A1.

So began my journey. The first ever modeler that really caught my eye was Erix93, with his custom Exia. His modifications on the kit was superb, and back then, I didn't even believe I would be able to cut plastic the way he did. Several superficial and rather deep knife cuts later, I was doing what I thought was unthinkable; I was building things from scratch, and mangling Gunpla in a way that makes any newbie squeamish.

To cut a long story short, I "met" DC23 online and saw his skills as well. He and I hit it off, and, as history goes, are now co-admins of TheMACForums. It was him who encouraged me to join the 2009 BAKUC, but it was me who made the boneheaded move of working on the Astray and turn it into The Ronin.

Don monitored my progress, and have given me advise here and there, especially on the merits of static mods, since, judges won't see the point anyway. But, I'm pigheaded in that regard that it was making articulated and functional mods that actually drive me to do modifications at all. The deadline came and went, and the Ronin lacked arms, and with it, a very, VERY poorly done base.

A kindergartener could do better than that, you know...

Suffice it to say, I was half glad I didn't finish it then. I knew I could do better. I know I would do better.

Fast forward. A couple of months ago, I decided to reboot the Ronin, although I kept quiet about it until I had most of the armor redesign covered. I didn't do a WIP shoot, mainly because it takes too much time to set up one shot after another, especially with step-by-step shots. So I toiled in silence.

Keeping my experience the previous year in mind, I was determined to finish the Ronin in time for the GBWC. I made sure all modifications were done and painted, but, like two years ago, I still had that dilemma of the dreaded diorama.

I'm not a diorama guy. I primarily focus on the kits I work on, and I basically am satisfied with modifications and scratchbuilds, often ignoring the importance of a good paint job altogether. But Don's wisdom on the matter is spot on: A well-made kit is nothing without a well-thought of and properly executed diorama. This time around, I kept the concept of the Shrine, but changed how I'd execute it. I used layered styrofoam lined with tissue paper drenched in plaster of paris, with patches of plaster on certain sections. The only problem that remained was, as usual, time.

I can't begin to describe what was going inside my head as I reached the last 24 hours or so, and, aside from the Dragon YinYang etched on HIPS, I still didn't have a diorama to speak of, no to mention I had a gig the night before my submission.

Before I left for my gig, all I had was this:

Better, like, a masterpiece made by a first grader...

With my brain leaking energy like Chernobyl, I headed out to my gig visualizing how the dio would look like. Pressed for time, after having a quick dinner and posting a final update (which actually shaved almost 3 hours off my available time), I primed the diorama (which was still a bit moist with the glue still curing) and worked on the rest of the Torii gate, and other small parts I still needed to paint while the primer quick dried. The rest of the night, I painted the Dragon YinYang with Vallejo paints, a must for hand painting. I made small and big screwups every now and then, but I was primed not to be deterred even with the little time I had left. I started adding the faux grass and pebbles, getting frustrated with how thick Shelwood glue is that the grass and pebbles stick to my hand as I pat them down the plaster, but knowing it will hold well when it dries.

I slept for an hour and a half, barely enough time to recharge, but enough for my wits to return, and enough time left to work on the trees. I was amazed how drastic the change was when I put the faux trees one by one. I couldn't believe my eyes even if I have seen this scene a million times in my head. Glue still drying, and details lacking notwithstanding, I completed the diorama I drew in my mind.

I didn't have time to take photos of the diorama and the complete setup with the Ronin. I disassembled the kit in major sections and packed them all in one of my RFA clear parts boxes. I planned to travel light, owing to the fact that I was tired, and I didn't have a car. I would have to take the cab on my way to Robinsons, and would have to carry the still-drying diorama by hand.

It was my birthday, as such, though I no longer believe i luck, I somehow felt lucky. Being me, though, I've learned it's better not to expect anything, especially with the skill levels of the people competing leveled-up quite significantly, which was not the case several years ago.

There was still a few people who lined up at the submissions table when I got there. Most of the
MAC peeps have already submitted their masterpieces and were simply hanging around to see the other entries being set up.

While I was setting the Ronin up, I distinctly heard several people calling it by name; "Uy, 'yan yung Ronin." Unlike last year, I was rather conscious of what I was doing then, lest a repeat of it happens yet again. I shrugged of mine own distracting thoughts and proceeded with my set up. I was able to talk with Mike Acosta aka Bulastog, with his Impulse Buster and the Ronin side-by-side.

So here it is, The Dragon Ronin and the Shrine.

This specific photo courtesy of JoseSabale.com

So ends this journey, and another to begin, probably soon. I'd like to personally congratulate all the winners in all categories, especially Fil Dimaano for bagging 2nd place, and Mike Acosta, who will represent the Philippines at Hongkong this December.

Photos Courtesy of DC23 and Wuji

Final Lap...

2011-11-18T22:54:00.001+08:00

I know I said I shant be posting any progress pics anymore, but, I'm taking this time to breathe a little, having just finished dinner, and earlier performing with my band, X2M, at UR Face Radio (video will be available tomorrow via Facebook). This build taught me a very good lesson of giving enough time to do the diorama, especially when there is ground work where soil, pavement and trees are involved. It's also worthwhile to note that sometimes, it's the smallest of parts that can eat up valuable time and cause delay. As such, even though I do work without any definite plan in mind, I try as much as possible to line up what I can do while something else is drying or curing.

I took these photos last week but was unable to upload or update any longer. This is the middle section of the waist, and I've modified it as the battery pack for the Ronin's LED eyes.

The wiring is rather simple; I've hidden the spring wire contacts (I used 1.0 mm wave springs, which are more resilient to corrosion as compared Kotobukiya springs) inside the neck, then through the back armor to which the backpack is mounted on. The battery pack connects directly to the holes on top of the midsection, wherein small steel pipes serve as contacts. There is no switch; I'll simply insert the respective LED contacts into the pipes and viola!

Before I left for our gig (funny it took us around 5 hours to go to the studio and wait and go home, for 30 minutes worth of performance), I masked the last of the non-critical parts and primed them with flat black (painted with nickel chrome as soon as I got back), as well as lay down the last coat of paint for a shoulder part among others.

I've also "molded" the ground of the diorama around the Dragon Yin-Yang base using several layers of 0.5 inch styrofoam and plaster of paris (darn thing sets so quick I messed up an entire unused batch). It's warm while it sets on the styro, but becomes rather cool as it dries.

For the Torii Gate's roof, I initially planned to use a premolded roof sheet, but the darned thing was too expensive (PhP300, or $ 7.50 for an A3 sheet), and it wasn't practical to buy such a huge sheet for one-time use on a small item. So, I used 3mm triangular beams I bought on a whim 2 years ago to simulate the roof by laying pieces of it side-by side on top of a HIPS layer (which is rather similar to actual an roof-tile installation)

Last, but definitely not the least, the darned trees. These come as they are, so I glue-wrapped small pieces of tissue around the trunks to simulate wood, which I would later paint brown.

That's it. Break's over. Depending on the time I have left, I hope I don't screw the diorama up. See you guys at Robinsons!

Crunch Time!

2011-11-14T03:37:00.001+08:00

As the days fly by and I inhale paint fumes yet again, I contemplate when this all began. Two years ago, I made a boneheaded move of modding a PG Red Frame Astray two months into the then known BAKUC. Two days before the actual submission date, I realized I wasn't going to make it, but I pressed on, hoping that Murphy won't rear his ugly head as I fought exhaustion, paint-fume-induced hallucinations and deep knife nicks, staring at an uncompleted kit and half-done simple diorama. Two hours before the deadline, I put the slightly used can of Bosny flat clear down, and looked at the mess I ended up with, and the dust that reached even in my bedroom.

Who knew that I'd be working on the Ronin again? I certainly didn't plan anything, nor did I have plans in joining any competitions anymore (I'm not really competitive, regardless of what anyone may assume or believe. I have always maintained that my greatest competition has always been myself and my tendency to procrastinate). I simply work on modifications, and when done, move on to the next. I have the unfinished K'triya/Cherub and MG Turn-X conversion, so, if I'm going to base my progress on the Ronin, these two might see the light in the next couple of years.

Crunch time. I digress, yes, this is about a quick update on the progress so far. I am actually proud of of this Crimson Monster despite the mishaps I've had with it when I first started working on it those two short years ago. I now understand why I didn't finish the Ronin back then. If I had, I wouldn't have been happy with it, unlike what I have accomplished with the Ice Queen and Chimera. Two days into the deadline a couple of years ago, I have yet to paint the Ronin's arms.

History almost repeated itself as I ventured forth and made a lot of modifications I wouldn't really need (as was pointed out to me by DC23). The judges wouldn't really see the articulation, the gimmicks and the underlying mechanisms. They wouldn't really care if modded a knee to improve its articulation, or extended the waist and neck to add more height. When it comes to competitions, we all are at the mercy of the judges. It is them who will determine our Gunpla fates on that day.

Make or break, win or lose, though it remains unfinished, I am very, very happy with how this one turned out.

Anyways, now that that semi-rant borne out of fatigue and non-gunpla-related frustration is out, here's a little update, which may be the last update for this thread.

Muted metallics have always been my favorite ever since I accidentally sprayed flat clear over metallic red a few years ago while working on the Big Red/Hi-Nu.

These are the Ronin's "rabbit ears." The one on the left is muted, the one on the right is my plain, uncoated, candy red, layered metallic. The scale/carbon fiber mesh effect is done by laying Tamiya mesh over the part, making sure that the mesh hugs the surface of the part to prevent soft-mask effect. The mesh blocks the buffer paint (in this case, my favorite albeit expensive Bosny Nickel Metal Alloy Antique Pewter, but any silver or gold metallic paint would do), from landing onto the surface, leaving that effect when them mesh is removed. Then, Honda Red 67 is applied, and since candy tones are semi-transparent, they simply look "invisible" on black.

Honda Red 67 is candy tone and doesn't really require a gloss coat. Bosny Acrylic Epoxy Lacquer paints dry fast and can resist light scratches and handling when cured properly. The picture doesn't do it justice; even then candy red looks nice as is in person, but i still like the toned-down feel of the muted red, especially when light weathering is applied. Without weathering, muted metallics give kits that week old feel; not shiny, but, not rusty nor dusty.

Pop Quiz: Which one is actually metal?

Fitting time. I haven't attached the hands yet, since the digits are made of stiff PE plastic and the paint can chip of if mishandled. Since my place is a mess, I couldn't set up a photoshoot. I may shoot this at school where there are plenty of tables, space and natural daylight.

I have yet to paint the custom armor which I can finish in a day or so.

A Ronin Quickie...

2011-11-11T11:52:00.001+08:00

I've retouched most of the parts that needed retouching and have begun painting the rest. I'll paint full blast this evening as i finalize the booth setup. For the meantime, although it wasn't part of the plan, I have begun adding light weathering details to enhance the Ronin's paint job.

Instead of the usual black/grey/rust weathering, I used a 30/70 mixture of Tamiya Clear Red and Gold enamel to get a reddish copper hue...

...and applied it onto the edges and crevices of the Red parts using a small brush, smudging the paint slightly as it dries to create a fade effect. I then removed the excess with a cotton tip dabbed with enamel thinner, with more smudging as needed.

I'll be touching it up further as the painting progresses.

----

Sidebar:

I'll be wearing this little bugger when I submit on the last day. Surprisingly, I immediately go my entry number(s) only after a few hours of sending it in (considering I emailed it last night).

Cheap DIY Paint Booth ver MatX Part II

2011-11-10T19:55:00.001+08:00

Conclusion:

Like I mentioned previously, I've used packaging and duct tape to reinforce the boxes for this little project. I've actually managed to use up a whole 2-inch wide roll just to wrap the edges and reinforce the seams. I've also used 4 1/8" diameter 1-inch bolts with washers to secure the fan mount to the bottom of the main part of the booth.

The booth comes in two parts (I actually didn't plan this, but, I got the idea while I was rummaging through the extra boxes I had left). The main and top part tapers down to the bottom where the fan is mounted;

while the bottom part is simply constructed with a "catch" where the main part would sit. I've made a hole at the lower part of the box, and that is where the flexible hose would stick in.

Most of the spray booths I've seen so far have fans mounted vertically, on the back of the booth. Since I do have very limited space, and I mostly spray downwards or at a downward angle, I thought it best to have the fan bottom mounted and draw air downwards, into the second part and out the hose.

There you have it! A cheaper spray booth. The only significant cost for this the fan, and considering I've used up an entire roll of it, the duct tape. I've tested it and it works like a charm, so well I didn't really smell any of the fumes until much later.

Cheap DIY Paint Booth ver MatX Part I

2011-11-09T21:14:00.003+08:00

While I've already started retouching the Ronin, I still couldn't paint full blast, mainly because of the spray dust I manage to gather every time I paint a whole kit. I was supposed to build this weeks ago (I actually bought and mounted the fan on a strip of plywood a year ago when I painted the Chimera), but I wasn't that motivated until early this afternoon.

I was planning a foldable spray booth made with plywood, but my usual creativity won't drive the gears to get me going, even though the design was simlple enough to pull off.

Since I have plenty of corrugated boxes from all my grocery sojourns, I thought of recycling them buggers and make a cheap spray booth instead. My last trip to the grocery gave me this layered box, which is actually one box inside another, but, what was "special" about this one is that there's another "layer" of corrugated board inside the wall, which is perfect for what I have in mind.

Like I mentioned earlier, I bought this (computer) exhaust fan a year ago. The nice thing about this one is that it plugs directly to an AC outlet, unlike the usual ones that need a power supply. This one is also more powerful as well, and produces a strong enough airflow to suck them dust particles.

This would be mounted on the base of the box, which will be reinforced with plywood. The box itself will be wrapped with packaging tape and reinforced at the seams with duct tape.

I'll be adding another box (or two) underneath this set up and will connect a flexible exhaust hose to it.

The Ground of the Dragon Shrine

2011-11-07T16:27:00.000+08:00

The 4Ps of Gunpla: Plastic. Practice. Patience. Pain.

After 20 hours of etching on 1.5mm HIPS (and, with painful hands and arms afterward), the ground pattern for the Dragon Ronin's shrine has finally "taken shape." I've "undertraced" the Dragon by attaching the print over the HIPS with double-sided tape, used a sharp knife to score deep enough onto the plastic, then later on deepened the grooves using a dried out microline pen like a stylus. For the Yin-Yang stones, I used a compass and a circle cutter to score the plastic, and used the same stylus to etch the details.

I had to shoot this at an angle to make the "stones" visible. The Dragon itself is visible because I've penciled in on the grooves.

Quick update. I've reinforced and cut the Shrine's ground design using a combination of hollow beams and 2mm HIPS. I've also made the stairs with 2mm HIPS and simply connected it to the main design.

The Dragon Shrine

2011-11-05T13:27:00.000+08:00

here's what I plan to do for the Ronin's diorama.

I used plastic tubes, hollow beams and HIPS to construct the Torii Gate. I plan to carve the Dragon (credit goes to All-Silhouttes.com for the original dragon vector art) and Yin-Yang onto a whole sheet of thick HIPS and enhance it with sand, modeling dust and gravel. I'll be hand-painting this mostly...

More Revelation: The Dragon Ronin Reborn Part II

2011-11-02T21:06:00.001+08:00

The Dragon Scale Shoulder Guard

Though I've made two sets of these, I ended up using just one set for the right shoulder, because I decided to mount the Dragon Head on the left shoulder. I've detailed the lower guard with scales, and will be detailing the upper one with tribal flames.

I've used one of my extra transparent knee guards as a mount for the Dragon head. This fits perfectly to the backpack with a customized adapter...

...but I was caught in a dilemma later on because I decided to mount it on one of the shoulder guards. So, I did a quick rethink, ditched the upper arm guard for both arms, but reused one as the mount for the Dragon Head.

As I mused over how it would look like while mounted over the shoulder, I get this crazy, CRAZY idea.

The pictures say it all...

Revelation: The Dragon Ronin Reborn

2011-11-01T14:54:00.000+08:00

For the Original Dragon Ronin WIP, check it out at http://mxgs.blogspot.com/p/projects.html.

The Dragon Ronin was one of my most ambitious attempts at full-blown modification and scratch building. It was originally intended as my entry to the 2009 BAKUC, but I ran out of time and abandoned the project after a frustrating bout with plastic not "molding" the way I wanted to. So, I moved on with other projects, like The Ice Queen, and thenafter, The Chimera.

I decided on a total redesign of the custom armor, removing the articulation thereby simplifying the construction and overall feel of the armor. Though I've simplified how the armor looks, how it's assembled is a different matter.

Waist, VFin, DragonBow, Back Pack and Skirts

First, I modified the waist articulation and added about 5mm or so to expose the pistons (not necessarily to give it additional height).

I made a larger Vfin to match the redesign. The one on the left is the stock, the one on the right is what I made a couple of years ago. I'm itching for a double Vfin, similar to what I did with the Chimera.

I ditched the old shotgun Dragon bow and opted for a custom long bow instead as one of the weapons. I might keep the shotgun and mount it on the back pack.

I've modified the stock backpack so I can mount the Gerbera Straight and Tiger Pierce opposite each other. To achieve this, I inverted one of the mounts by cutting it and reattaching it with cement, reinforcing with a small piece of HIPS.

The Skirts. Both the front and back skirts are multi-piece assemblies similar to MGs and PGs. The scale texture is done by cutting small pieces of thin HIPS (or plaplate, for that matter) and overlapping them as such.

The Dragon Claw and Dragon Tail Arm Shields

I initially planned to make this into a single unit, Including the Dragon Claws, but I was reminded of how difficult it would be to paint later on since the claws would be of a different color from the shield mount. So, the single top claw slide-locks into place, while the two main claws are mounted with pegs and twist lock into position, using the scales.

I've reinforced the the old "Dragon Tail" Shield, and added details to it.

The two end layers are mounted via slip lock, and the three mid layers are snap-ons that overlap and hold the previous one in place. The top slip lock layer locks the third snap-on.

A quick shoot of the shields mounted on the arms.

I've added an extra removable layer to cover the top portion of the rear skirts. (And I thought the reason of redoing these was to make it "simple.")

Test fit. I couldn't shoot this with the Ronin standing alone since I've removed the armor attachments of the legs and feet for retouching.

More Modification Mishaps

Like in previous builds, I often break parts while I do test fits and tighten loose joints. In this particular case, D14, an ABS part, broke due to the stress of being constantly pulled off from the back pack. But, as you can see, how it's designed also plays a huge part in it, though I can understand that it needn't really be that sturdy because the pack is rather light. The part broke on the thinnest section that comes under stress when the lateral swing bar is mounted.

At any rate, I tried simply fixing it by cementing it where it broke, and reinforcing it by cementing it on the top, but, it proved a futile attempt because the area the cement can hold onto. So, I rebuilt the broken section with a combination of HIPS and plaplates, cut and sandwiched together like so, and reinforced with a tiny perpendicular plug that holds the small broken part to the sandwich, and another layer of plaplate on the top edge for additional support.

Normally, I wait for at least half a day for the cement to cure before making any additional mods and testing, but, the bond was already tough enough to handle and test fit after an hour. I added pistons on both sides of the mount as detail. As it turns out, my fixes end up often stronger than the stock part.

The Dragon Head

This is purely a cosmetic part for the Ronin. I'm still deciding if this would be mounted on one of the shoulder guards, or the back pack.

MAC is Making Waves

2011-10-31T12:09:00.002+08:00

Just a little over a year old and MAC has grown much, mainly with top name and highly-skilled modelers in our ranks. And in 2012, when everyone else (who believes in that crap) would be preparing for the end of the world, MAC will have the biggest and baddest online Mecha Competition to date.

Rules and Regulations v1.0:

1. EVERY entry must be submitted with a photo demonstrating the kit was started after January 1st 2012. Use the "ENTRY PASS POSTER" available here. Please note that no other forum logos must be present in any of the photos to qualify.

2. Contest will run until July 1st & you can enter more than one kit.

3. Any MECH style kit is allowed (if unsure please pm me or sneeper1980) example: Zoids, Ma.K, Gundam, Robotech, Super Robot Wars, FSS, etc.

4. RESIN kits & RESIN conversion kits are accepted

5. Kits that are UNCHANGED (physically) Such as Modifications or Physical Damage but are solo painted belong in the "OOB PAINTED" Category.
-Custom paint jobs are accepted.
-Seam line removal is accepted.
-Waterslide decals are accepted.

6. Kits that are changed from their original form (physically) such as modifications, physical damage or Kit bashing belong in "MODIFIED PLASTIC" Category.

7. Kits that feature a base or diorama setting are to be placed in the "DIORAMA" Category.
-Multiple kits may be used.
-Resin is accepted in this category.
-No size limitations (only we ask you provide evidence of when the diorama was started. See rule 1.)

8. Resin kits and/or Resin Conversion that are straight painted or have been modified are to be placed into the "RESIN PAINTED/MODIFIED" category.

9. When entering the "CONCEPT" category. Entrants must follow the rules below:
- Kit must at least be 70% Scratch built (judges can review and give feedback on this)
- Parts from other kits maybe used but ultimately the build must be scratch built by the builder.
- Entrants MUST create a WIP thread on the MAC forums giving pictures and description of there build showing the "ENTRY PASS POSTER" (see rule 1)

10. When submitting entries, please see (example Entry link)

11. If you have any questions, please see the "2012 Questions & Answers" thread and an admin will
respond asap.

Categories and Prizes (Subject to change):

CONCEPT:
1/100 LED Mirage w/Boomerang Unit System (HLJ.com)
1/100 MG Sinanju + Water Slide Decals
1/35 METAL BUG SLUG SUPER TANK

DIORAMA PRIZES:
1/60 Perfect Grade Gundam RX-78-2
1/20 Gans Panzer Aufkalarungs SK602
1/72 Reyleonard 04-Alicia White Pearl Ver. (HLJ.com)

MODIFIED PLASTIC:
1/100 MG Full Armor Unicorn Gundam Ver.Ka (HLJ.com)
1/72 Lineark White Glint
1/24 Tachikoma

RESIN MODIFIEID/PAINTED:
1/60 Perfect Grade Wing Gundam Zero Custom
Kotobukiya Kit (Greattoysonline.com)
Master Grade Kit (Greattoysonline.com)

OOB PAINTED:
1/72 VF-25F Tornado Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom
1/100 MG OO Gundam Seven Sword /G (GGinfinite.com)
1/12 RAcaseal Eleanor Ver.APSY

JUDGE & SPONSOR PICK:
KAMMS CHOICE: *TOP SECRET*
STEVES CHOICE: *TOP SECRET*
HobbyMate's Choice: ONE HobbyMate ACE airbrush

RANDOM PRIZES:
8 x Tool Sets (HobbyMate)
10 x Mode Lock Kit
3 x Tool Sets from (Toolbox23)

TENTATIVE PRIZES:
Tool Set and/or Bandai Kit (MatX Modified Plastic Pick)
Scale Model Tank Kits (Hummingbird's Pick)
G-System 1/60 Zaku Resin Kit (Matt Mrozek's Pick/People's Choice)

We may have additional sponsors and prizes as the preparation for the competition progresses and we continue to generate interest from all over, so watch out for it, only at The MAC Forums!

MAC Musings

2011-10-18T17:02:00.001+08:00

First and foremost, a sneek peak of what I am currently working on, with another version on my MXGS favicon:

This is another waist extension modification for one of my previous projects which I have revived. Since I haven't had much time to work on Gunpla, I had to forego WIPs because it takes a considerable amount of time to make modifications and take step by step photos. I can actually work fast with crucial and critical modifications on articulations and extensions when I no longer have to worry about the WIPs.

Also, I've been contemplating this for the longest time, and incidentally, a few guys at TheMACForums are discussing a group build using hte RGM ball. I'm planning to do a quick build SD using my SD Char set.

Never touch my Birdie!

I also seem to be experiencing my first "obsession" with the Delta Plus, along with the Jesta, which is the FIRST grunt unit I ever liked off the bat.

And MAC, even only a year old, has made waves in the online competition arena after the success of EUGC. Congratulations to all who have won. At the tail end of the competition, MAC is at it again with several projects, Including the Zaku Group Build (with Aulon, being the GB head, bugging me to join with my Shin Matsunaga White Wolf), and probably the biggest multi-sponsored forum-hosted online competition to date, the 2012 Mecha Contest.

Hobby Link Japan, HobbyMate, Great Toys Online, GG Infinite and DC23's very own ToolBox23 are sponsoring the event with Major, MAJOR prizes at stake. Headed by Kamm and Sneeper, this will prove to be another first for MAC (or any forum for that matter).

Who said an upstart on its first year can't do big things?

The End?

2011-10-08T14:09:00.004+08:00

It's actually another first, another beginning, another big leap from the year-old Sun. Watch out for it...

Something Crimson This Way Comes...

2011-10-02T16:15:00.000+08:00

Another Rant, You Say?

2011-08-24T11:14:00.001+08:00

I haven't been quite as active with Gunpla lately as much as I want to because of work, and what little Gunpla I do has been relegated to looking at a kit and wondering what sort of mangling it will undergo when I get to mangling it. Even this blog has fallen to neglect, not because I am neglecting it intentionally, but, since there's nothing in the line of projects for me to post, I don't really bother posting. My last post was a mere announcement of The MAC Forums' 1 year on earth and cyberspace.
MAC is one year old, and we've achieved aplenty in terms of member projects. In that short span of time, we've had group builds, build-offs and contests, among others. Our membership grew and is steadily growing, and we're the first Philippine-based international Mecha Community to have an internationally sponsored Gunpla competition in the form of the Europe Gunpla Cup (incidentally, is still open for entries, at least for a week more), spearheaded by non other than Brush-painter extraordinaire, Kamm, and sponsored by none other than Hobby-Link Japan.

It's been one year, and we're actually celebrating that this weekend with a party. Don's mentor, Kenny Lim aka, The Toymaker, will grace the event. We were even able to get Malvin of GreatToysOnline to sponsor raffle prizes for the event, which will be held an an undisclosed location (iow: Don's place). GreatToysOnlline has always been one of the go to places when it comes anything Gunpla or Anime, and Malvin has always been gracious and generous to give discounts.

And that segues into what I really want to talk about. It all started when Don made a JOKE on one of his blog posts. I repeat, it was a JOKE, and Don clearly stated it was a such ON THE POST ITSELF. The joke, being that, TT-Hongli kits were to be given away as raffle prizes during the anniversary party. It seems certain people whom we cannot name added 1 and one (to make a nondescript number), with their inability to understand context, wanted to conclude or make it seem we actually support TT-Hongli kits, along side the fact that Malvin is sponsoring prizes, making it seem Malvin carried TTH products.

And the person, or persons as the case may be, actually told Malvin about it.

I've met and talked with Malvin a few times, enough to categorically say I know him personally. I even bug him from time to time to get bigger discounts on kits I drool upon, and most of the times, he relents. Suffice it to say that Malvin is a very nice guy.

So, after the "non-issue" sprouted, I immediately clarified it with Malvin and prompted this MAC FB post:

"We at TheMacForums have said it before and will say it again: WE DO NOT SUPPORT BOOTLEGS, even in the context of a BAD JOKE. I hope this makes it clear to anyone and everyone.

—TheMACForums team"

It's a non-issue, but nonetheless, it had to be addressed properly, as if my previous rant post with regards to bootlegs, my constant reminders in the forum itself, and the absence of bootlegs in my collection itself, weren't enough indication that I personally don't support bootlegs.

Sadly, for the person who shall remain unnamed, the joke is on him. I separated the next line, just case, the context-insensitive person decides to put 1 and two together this time to make another nondescript number and tell all his context-insensitive friends that MatX is actually an alien superbeing from Planet X sent here to conquer the world (if only I could).

Malvin, being the nice guy that he is, clearly understood the confusion. Though he won't be able to attend the event, we'll be getting the items he has promised us this Saturday, on schedule, in time for the celebration in the afternoon. Malvin is still sponsoring the prizes. Malvin still supports MAC. But, since he has given me huge discounts, in light of this poor attempt of discrediting MAC, I felt personally responsible still to correct the misconception that we we're actually going to have TTH products.

We're one year old. We plan to stay longer than just that. We've done in a year what others have done in a decade. I believe, no matter who our detractors are, generally speaking, the mere fact they feel the need to bring us down only proves we're actually doing good. Aside from The Toymaker, we'll also be having Edmund Teo of HobbyMate, and a couple of Singaporean modelers, IzzaKu and Waylander gracing the event. Together, the four of them are called the Poison Monkeys.

Here's to the next year, and the next, and the next...

-----

On another note, the Turn X project is on hold. I'll be working on a super-secret original non-gunpla mecha project.

One

2011-07-14T13:00:00.002+08:00

MG Epyon Wing Fix

2011-07-03T23:29:00.001+08:00

This post kinds of ends my Gunpla hiatus (I have been working on the PG 00 Raiser's Wing Binder), as this July also proved to be a toxic month in terms of project schedules.

The MG Epyon is one of my favorite MS designs from the Wing Series, and I was very glad when Bandai announced its MG release. Though I promised myself I won't get any new kits until after a few months have passed, but, an opportunity to get it at a discount arose when Gundam Broker M1gs gave me an offer I could have refused, but seeing that the offer involved a broken part, it was a chance for me to fix something that I didn't break.

M1gs gave a brief description plus photo of the broken part (which probably broke during shipping), and after looking at it, I immediately knew it wasn't a critical part that that would be under stress. It's one of the swivel mechanisms for the wing, and one that simply "floats" when the wing is spread. The wing itself is spread by pulling the lower wing, so the part in question, regardless of how I fixed it, won't pose too much a problem later on. As far as my previous experiences regarding broken parts (and modifications where I deliberately broke parts to extend them), this is a relatively simple fix.

As usual, my adhesive of choice for this fix is cement, specifically, my very own concoction. The part itself, though, was broken in the worst of places. It this was a stress critical part, rebuilding it would be more difficult since there is very little surface for the cement to bond to, not to mention only little provision for a reinforcement patch.

Then again, I'm more than willing to bet that the fix would still be sturdy. I initially cemented the broken pieces together (i moisten both edges and waited a few seconds to soften them a bit before actually putting them back together), making sure that the parts are properly aligned, and waited at least 30 minutes, before cutting a millimeter above the the broken section for the reinforcement patch.

The patch is a small piece of thick HIPS (or plaplate, as the case may be), and holds the pieces perpendicularly. After an hour or so (the patch is still a bit soft but has started to cure), I started shaving and filing off the excess material.

A few hours after that, the part is sturdy enough to be set inside its respective position in the wing assembly. As of this posting, it has been more than 24 hours, and the cement + patch has fully cured.

Launch Imminent!

2011-06-13T18:39:00.000+08:00

The only thing constant is Change...

2011-06-07T23:42:00.001+08:00

I've simplified my watermark to something I've been using since college. This is also my email signature, regardless of who I am communicating with. The older one is fine, but it's time for a "small" change.

My band's album launch is a week away, and we kind of updated the back cover to a more appropriate image that features two of my passions (photography, is of course, another).

The kit of course, is an MG Exia with modified GN Folding Blades from my two Astraeas. This is a preview of the 00 Infinity Gundam IX-Sword System. The Electric Guitar is Lisa, and I found her in a thrift shop. I was actually testing another guitar when the salesperson moved her into view, and never let her go thereafter.

MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX WIP Part IX

2011-06-06T10:58:00.001+08:00

June's going to be a very hectic month for me, as I have a couple of classes, a whole day seminar, my former boss urging me to work for her again, a couple of "real" projects and not to mention our album launch, so, I'm trying to get as much Gunpla time as I can. (My build off with Falldog will have to wait a while, but, I already have a few ideas on what to do with my The O).

Anyways, more challenges unfold as I go further into this build. Simple as it may look (like a Star Trek saucer with a shark's fin stuck on it), the Turn X's shoulder armor proved nevertheless a difficult build. I thought I would have been able to do this with simple plaplate bending magic (if it were JUST a customization), but, I realized that won't do because this is after all going to be cast for reproduction considering the overall shape of the part and how I'll connect it to the arm. Also, instead of constructing this as a solid, one-piece part, I opted for a 3-piece construction.

As such, I used a different technique to build this part. Instead of sandwiching plaplates right away and sculpting them afterward, I cut out the basic shape of the base of the shoulder armor from 1.5mm HIPS. Checking for symmetry, I scored "lightly" on the middle, and attached 2mm beams appropriately to make it solid. This serves as the frame for what I dub as "progressive plaplate sculpting," which is something I've used before in earlier "simpler" builds.

The beam that runs across the middle is off center and will serve as the frame for that side. Once cut, I simply cemented another piece of beam to the other side, and braced it with 1.5mm HIPS. I'm using thicker HIPS for this to ensure a solid construction, and the beam increases the workable area and enables me to work faster (a smaller area would mean I would have to wait longer for the cement to cure before I can proceed). The mid brace serves as the first "layer," and is shaped right away and becomes the "guide" for the next layer, so on and so forth.

The 2mm rear beam also becomes the spacer for the back brace.

With that done, it's all a matter of adding the layers up one at a time and sculpting them to shape.

The middle part, or "Shark's Fin," is made by sandwiching a 1.5mm HIPS between two 1.0mm plaplates then later shaped as such (later on, I'll simply call the lot of them HIPS, as I mentioned in the tutorials, H.I.P.S., for all intents and purposes are basically plaplates). The fin also follows the undershape of the main shoulder, which was my main concern to begin with.

I've yet to do the "tail" section of the part (which will either be connected to the fin or the main sections), but that would be rather easy compared to this. I'm still deciding whether to keep the parts separate and simply add connective parts, or cement them as one solid piece. I'll finish this by cementing bent plaplates over the top section. This method actually enables me to get a more accurate and better curved surface.