Gundam Model Kits

Sephiroth1089

Sephiroth1089

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i'm a big fan of gundam wing and i always liked to build model kits. i just wanted to see how many people here enjoy making model kits. i recent purchased Wing Zero Custom Perfect Grade and i was thinking is there any thing i should know about before i build it, like tools i need and stuff. also i wanted to know what makes this model kit soo hard? i mean the wiring and stuff for the lights are kinda strange since i never did those. But putting the parts together seem to be similar to the other ones, just more pieces. i've built 1/100 and 1/144 high grades, but never a master grade, lol i just skipped straight to perfect since it looked amazing. so yea what kind of model kits have u guys built
 
Oh man, talk about taking me back. When I was like thirteen up until fifteen I used to make those things all the time. My father bought me one of the $300 Perfect Grade ones for christmas one year, and it was a complete bitch. Took four or five days straight to build the thing.

I didn't build the one you're talking about, but you ought to have some strong glue, an Exacto knife, precision wire cutters and buckets of patience. Don't skimp on any part of it, because if you get even the most minute part wrong, it'll throw the whole thing off. Also don't pose it like a toy, that just wears down the joints and makes it unable to support itself. Make sure you cut the plastic pieces off of the skree, and file or slice off the little burrs that you might find.
 
I was huge into building plastic model cars when i was a kid. I eventually graduated to giant robot models, but I havent built one in years. The best part about them tho was they were fully articulated, so once you built them you could actually play with them.
 
My gosh, I haven't built any model kits in almost 2 years. My last one was the Perfect Grade Wing Zero Custom (from that amazon/tru clearance) and that took me 5-6 hours a day for 5 days (over 30 hours) to build that monster. Wiring the leds was the most frustrating part of the project because it felt like dumb luck when I finally got them working.

My advice is to go through the instructions slowly and carefully as possible because it's very easy to screwup. Once I was finished, it was a beauty to behold. Someday, I plan on adding detail lines. I'd love to paint it, but I don't have the supplies and it looks great already.

X-acto knife and a good pair of small clippers will be your best friends. I don't remember using any glue at all. Soldering is an option for hooking up the wires, but isn't necessary.

Good luck and prepare to sweat.
 
hmm i noticed my model kit has screws so do i need a screwdriver?, and like how many batteries do i need was it 2 or 4, my manual is at home (i'm at work right now). and what do i use the x-acto knife for? to cut off the small bits from the runners that are left on the pieces? and can i find one of those at a local hardware store?
 
[quote name='Sephiroth1089']hmm i noticed my model kit has screws so do i need a screwdriver?, and like how many batteries do i need was it 2 or 4, my manual is at home (i'm at work right now). and what do i use the x-acto knife for? to cut off the small bits from the runners that are left on the pieces? and can i find one of those at a local hardware store?[/quote]

Yeah, you'll probably need a smallish phillips head driver for the screws. They're for the parts in the head, I think, like where the electronics are. I would expect only two batteries. Yeah, the exacto is for cutting off the scree parts that your clippers don't get. They're like $.75 at a hardware store or a place like Office Max/Staples.
 
the clippers are for pulling out the pieces? i thought they were for the wires, cause i noticed the manual shows that i gotta cut like 110mm off one end of the wire. so i guess i need an x-acto knife, clippers, and a wire cutter?
 
Yes, you'll need a screwdriver to secure joints (actual metal, yay) for the skeletal frame. I suggest a strong one to avoid easily shaving pieces. I can't remember the watch-type (or earing aid) battery is needed, but you'll need 2 of them. I'll check later if I have a chance. The manual will tell you which type.

The x-acto is for finer cutting/shaving off excess small plastic. You should able to find one easily at a hardware store, try asking for a hobbyist x-acto knife (a few extra blades might be helpful just in case, but not required).

You'll need a wire stripper for connecting the wires to the LED. I'd practice with some spares to get used to the idea. They're only a 4-5 bucks for a decent one at a hardware store.

My personal secret tool is the nail clipper to chop down those annoying bits down faster and smoothing it out with the knife/alittle sand paper later. Just be careful not to go overboard watch those parts. There's no extra pieces for mistakes.

Also, for a work on 1/2 page to 1 page every period with 30-60 minute breaks afterwards. YMMV.

I can't remember how many potential errors I could have done if I didn't rest my eyes.
 
hmm ok so basically i have to pick up a wire stripper, and an x-acto knife. uh if i mess up the wires that came with my Wing Zero, can i buy some new wires? or am i screwed? and thanks guys ur helping me a lot. and if i can recall i think the batteries are LR-43. i was planning on doing it this saturday like in a full day. but now i'm thinking maybe i should do like a body part a day or something.
 
[quote name='Sephiroth1089']hmm ok so basically i have to pick up a wire stripper, and an x-acto knife. uh if i mess up the wires that came with my Wing Zero, can i buy some new wires? or am i screwed? and thanks guys ur helping me a lot. and if i can recall i think the batteries are LR-43. i was planning on doing it this saturday like in a full day. but now i'm thinking maybe i should do like a body part a day or something.[/quote]

I dunno what wires come with it, but electronics stores sometimes have wire for you to use. That or a hobby store. If you've got a Hobbytown USA store near you, you ought to go ask them for advice.
 
The wire clippers can be used to remove the parts from the plastic runners, and try using an x-acto knife and 400-600 grit sandpaper (probably with wet sanding) for smoothing down any excess flash on parts. Consider using plastic cement to join parts and eliminate seam lines. For wiring, it was annoying trying to screw down the wires.

I recently built a MG RX-78-05, and I'm really thinking of getting an airbrush so I can mix my own sprayable paints for gold accents on the yellow parts and chrome/silver for the gatling gun. Anyone have any personal experience with air brushes/compressors and what kinds of paint to use?

I've started on a MG FAZZ, and I still have a MG perfect zeong and a PG Strike lined up for later. Geez, this is gonna take a while if I'm gonna paint them... I take forever just sanding every part.
 
Sephiroth1089, the batteries I used to light up my PG Wing Gundam Custom are: Energizer 357 type batteries.
They are the exact equivalent to: LR44, 303, A76, AG13, EPX76, LR1154, and SR44SW/W, etc.

Looking at my model again, there are 2 LEDs that must be connected: the eyes and chest. Again, what a pain.

Wires are easy to replace if you mess up those. Any radioshack or hardware store will have them.

If you want to see my Zero Custom, just PM me and I'll try to dig it up.
 
I've put together a bunch of the small and medium size Gundams, but never a master or perfect grade. I have a bunch of unassembled Gundam and Zoids kits from several years ago.
 
o wow this is why i like the CAG community they are soo helpful. ok so i got the correct batteries. will i need to use sand paper? i never used it so i wouldnt know how to start, i used to just pull of the pieces off the runner and just build the kit, i never went into sanding pieces and as far as painting i know ill do a bad job on it so i just stick to what the box gave me. my local hardware store was closed today so ill have to try again for the x-acto and the wire stripper. hmm i might post up some pictures of it completed when ever i finish(well start for now) it. u guys should post any pictures of model kits u guys are proud of. i sure would like to see them.

oo yea is there any brand of wire stripper or x-acto knifes i should get or will any do?
 
[quote name='Sephiroth1089']o wow this is why i like the CAG community they are soo helpful. ok so i got the correct batteries. will i need to use sand paper? i never used it so i wouldnt know how to start, i used to just pull of the pieces off the runner and just build the kit, i never went into sanding pieces and as far as painting i know ill do a bad job on it so i just stick to what the box gave me. my local hardware store was closed today so ill have to try again for the x-acto and the wire stripper. hmm i might post up some pictures of it completed when ever i finish(well start for now) it. u guys should post any pictures of model kits u guys are proud of. i sure would like to see them.

oo yea is there any brand of wire stripper or x-acto knifes i should get or will any do?[/quote]
With regard to sanding, I think that's sort of an advanced thing, I don't consider it really necessary. Typically it's used to take away that plastic sheen on the parts, and also to prep the plastic for when you use cement or glue. I wouldn't worry too much about it, unless you want to learn about sanding before you start. Plus, I'd practice on sanding a less expensive model than the Perfect Grade. :lol:

Don't worry about the brands, they're pretty much ambiguous.. but if you're serious, nice wire strippers are made by Ideal. They have yellow handles.

To post photos, if they're on your computer, upload them to www.imageshack.us and post the thumbnails here. :3 I'd post if I had any models left. They're all broken and long gone.
 
I use to get one of the Gundam Wing model kits every week until I got them all.
They're the old $10.00 ones from Toys R us.
 
Whenever I look on eBay for model kits, they're almost always a bunch of sellers still selling the ones from the Toys R Us sale all the way back when. Freakin' hoarders ;).

Where do you all get your kits from nowadays?
 
well i live in NYC so my friend took me to china town to look for a wing zero perfect grade cause he doesnt know much about model kits but he likes to build them. so we go and we find one in a store in the Elizabeth mall so i decided to get it. they have quite a few ones in that mall so i might shop there again. and supposedly theres a model kit store somewhere in manhattan but it closes at 6 and i get off of work at 6 so i never been able to visit it.
 
That model is kind of the worst ones out of the PG. It looks nice, but doesn't balance and isn't designed the best. I have had it mostly built but never completed it. The MG Wing Zero Custom is supposed to be pretty nice though.

When Toysr'us had that Gundam sale, I ordered a bunch of stuff off Amazon from it. I still have a couple kits I never built. Well here a couple of sites I know. The site Chld of Mecha apparently closed recently.

http://www.dalong.net/
This site is great for photos of built models. It is as comprehensive as it gets. Click on the top bar, "MG HGUC PG SD".

http://www.hobbyfanatics.com/index.php?act=idx
This site seems to have a pretty good amount of activity.
 
Ah, Gundam and model kits. So many decent memories. The Wing series was one of my favorite series because it really dragged me into buying so many model kits.

I can't wait to pickup Dynasty Warriors Gundam . Wing Gundam controled pretty well in the demo.


Sephiroth1089, I should have suggested sandpaper as an option as Hex pointed out. Just avoid sandpaper completely until your confident later and can practice on something less expensive.
 
boy i havent built these in ages. I still have them though. i never touched a perfect grade but i have all the 1/144 scales of the Wing Series thanks to TRU...

Yeah C-Town has a ton of Gundam stuff..especially in the underground mall on Elizabeth St. 2-4 places in there sell lots of them.
 
[quote name='pikachu_pika']Ah, Gundam and model kits. So many decent memories. The Wing series was one of my favorite series because it really dragged me into buying so many model kits.

I can't wait to pickup Dynasty Warriors Gundam . Wing Gundam controled pretty well in the demo.


Sephiroth1089, I should have suggested sandpaper as an option as Hex pointed out. Just avoid sandpaper completely until your confident later and can practice on something less expensive.[/quote]
lol yea i like the demo but i dunno it seems a little repetitive. i might wait till i find a good deal for DW Gundam. lol yea ill avoid sand paper for now. ugh my hardware stores keep closing when i get off at work so i never can get to check if they have a x-acto knife.


EDIT: i was wondering if i could use these tools
instead of a x-acto knife:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062770

and for a wire stripper:
either this one:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104641
or this one
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102881

if i can use those then hopefully i can pick them up tomorrow
 
[quote name='Sephiroth1089']lol yea i like the demo but i dunno it seems a little repetitive. i might wait till i find a good deal for DW Gundam. lol yea ill avoid sand paper for now. ugh my hardware stores keep closing when i get off at work so i never can get to check if they have a x-acto knife.


EDIT: i was wondering if i could use these tools
instead of a x-acto knife:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062770

and for a wire stripper:
either this one:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104641
or this one
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102881

if i can use those then hopefully i can pick them up tomorrow[/quote]

That knife is essentially an Exacto knife. Exacto is just a generic term for a small traingular hobby knife, dude. :lol:

As for those clippers, the first one would probably be best.
 
I thought X-Acto was an actual brand name...
Anyway, I actually use the blade on my swiss army knife. And yeah, the first wire clippers should work fine.
 
[quote name='whitereflection']Sephiroth1089, how much was the Perfect Grade Wing Zero you bought at Chinatown? None of the stores there had it last time I checked.[/quote]

uh it was 170 i think theres one more left in the elizabeth st. mall, when u go down the escalator the store will be on ur left. they have the Wing Zero Perfect Grade on display and the store has the box inside. good luck finding it. i live in New York just incase ur refering to a different state.
 
:( after building the arms and legs, one of hte pieces on his waist broke, igotta get crazy glue but i need help with the lights( the one on his chest), the screws dont seem to stay down and i dont know how its suppose to be wired can anyone help me with this? basically i kinda got the wire part down i just cant figure out why the screws wont stay down and when i move the peice a little the wires get moved and it wont light up again =/
 
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