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Post by christine_03 on Mar 3, 2008 16:28:02 GMT 8
i got some questions. i forgot the name of the plastic sheets you use to mod.. the common name if possible. or cheaper alternatives are also welcomed.
next. what do i need to cut the plastic with, i tried with my hobby knife(would take me forever). a cheap hand tool if possible. i was planning to modify some rifles and make longer legs..
next led lights..how do i wire these things? what batteries would work? i have led lights from the christmas tree. haha. would that work? or do i have to solder the led lights myself. i thought that would save me time. would this melt my kit? (dont want a deformed head. ;D)
next, primers... primers here would cost like 10-20 each.. way to expensive. are the hardware primers ok? if i plan to use it on a/b do i mix it with thinner?
thanks... i finally found a solution to make use of my dual action a/b. i had a hard time finding a compatible hose for it. now i cant wait to use it...
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Post by no3Ljm on Mar 3, 2008 21:18:45 GMT 8
the ones used for model kits for modding are called 'styrene sheets'. or 'puraban' in japan. that's plastic board in english. and a hobby knife is safe for styrene sheets. just mark it with the knife and you can easily cut/snap it.
i'm not familiar with this subjects but you can check out the manuals of dalong for their PG kits. and check what kind of LED do they use. and i know they just use batteries for watch or something like that. and i suggest you to check some sites regarding this.
hardware primers? like the ones in spraycans? i think it's ok. just be sure that you're using the same paint content such as 'acrylic', 'lacquer', 'enamel'. and yes, you'll need to mix it with thinners. because if you just use the primer paint it might clog your airbrush.
next level ka na snap! pa-airbrush-airbrush na lang. hope that helps. and happy building and painting. ;D
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Post by christine_03 on Mar 4, 2008 16:23:42 GMT 8
@ noel. thanks. its been a long investment. i wanted to do this 2 years ago pa.. only last week did i find a hobby shop near us... kinda stupid cause i didnt google it before. haha. sad part is they cost alot and most are english brand. im so used with jap items and brands. heck they dont even have airhose for my iwata a/b. i had to improvise.
for the primers... im scared with this one... ill try this with the sprues muna and a cheap single action a/b. then move on to sd kits. then 1/100. will take a while. ill just enjoy the trip...
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Post by Gane on Apr 3, 2008 1:51:24 GMT 8
next. what do i need to cut the plastic with, i tried with my hobby knife(would take me forever). a cheap hand tool if possible. i was planning to modify some rifles and make longer legs.. next led lights..how do i wire these things? what batteries would work? i have led lights from the christmas tree. haha. would that work? or do i have to solder the led lights myself. i thought that would save me time. would this melt my kit? (dont want a deformed head. ;D) next, primers... primers here would cost like 10-20 each.. way to expensive. are the hardware primers ok? if i plan to use it on a/b do i mix it with thinner? Try looking for a battery powered drill, and some Dremel accessories. I have a cheap one and I just bought additional sanding and saw bits i could attach. I believe christmas lights don't use LEDs, I mistook one a few years back and it sucked out all the power before the judging went on. Your local electronic shop could guide you where to get one, and I would suggest the flat type or better yet check out party give aways with LEDs so you also get a free battery. Hardware primers are ok as long as you read the label first ;D |
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Post by christine_03 on Apr 5, 2008 15:24:10 GMT 8
@ genji. thanks. i finally got a reply. haha.. good thing i didnt buy the led xmas lights then.. im leaning towards usb powered with battery option. although the round batteries work fine. i hate opening the kit and placing battries. for the primers. i got plastic primers from the hardware. they were sold for 2 bucks each. what a bargain compared to a $9 can of hobby primer. i get to choose color too
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Post by xentar on Apr 7, 2008 20:52:03 GMT 8
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Post by Gane on Apr 8, 2008 13:51:24 GMT 8
Nice... I prefer the smaller LEDS myself which is around 4-5mm which comes with those lighted spinning tops or yoyos. Here's how the Gundam competition entry should have looked like before the judging (2004/05 competition) before the light sucked out the batteries on his backpack (3 pcs in 30 sec.).  This time I'm using the smallest lighting materials I can find... |
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Post by christine_03 on Apr 8, 2008 14:31:27 GMT 8
xentar. thanks. i tried that too. disecting keyboards and toys for leds. haha... Gane - i got 5mm leds. by the looks of things they should fit the head. but.. did you replace the eyes? kits today do not have the clear plastic for eyes. i am planning on cutting the eyes and replacing them with clear plastic. is that what you did? got some WIP pics? hehe. the gundam 00 kit seems more complicated. the chest and torso part of 00 kits are conected already. not much space..
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Post by Gane on Apr 11, 2008 13:54:11 GMT 8
Gane - i got 5mm leds. by the looks of things they should fit the head. but.. did you replace the eyes? kits today do not have the clear plastic for eyes. i am planning on cutting the eyes and replacing them with clear plastic. is that what you did? got some WIP pics? hehe. the gundam 00 kit seems more complicated. the chest and torso part of 00 kits are conected already. not much space.. The eyes on my gundam were made of the red plastic that connects it to its chin and "eye bags" so I have two choices when I worked on it, make a copy of the eyes with Pioneer Epoxy (this was the time before I found the wonderful world of resin ;D) which would have taken weeks to perfect because it makes bubbles on the mold side, or drill the heck out of that plastic...  Here's a couple of DIY infos I created for one site before:   And there you can see the biggest mistake I made with that kit, I used a bulb and not a LED. I don't remember if I can fix that one so I'm moving on to my next project with multiple lighted parts, hint it's a HG "Lightning Edition" he he he ;D If you're drilling I suggest you make a template of the eye lenses with clear plastic tape. If you have a drill, use the tiniest bit used for circuit boards... BUT test it on other parts because the bit will heat up and could either melt the plastic or get stuck in it. This is e very scary way to lose a good plastic but with practice you can pull it off nicely. I used the sprue to check when the plastic melts and how it feels holding the drill. Then I drilled a little at a time to make sure I get a nice result. Just Take Your Time... After all the drilling, you can use a #11 cutter knife to make the corners pointed. The tricky part is applying the clear tape as tiny as the eyes and because they are hollow there's not surface to stick it on. The trick is to make sure it's on the right place, apply glue around it and leave it until the glue sets and you're done. If the tape comes off repeat the procedure. About the lack of space... If you're willing to do some dirty work why not remove the locator pins (both + and - sides) that way you can get additional space, or hollow out the areas which are hidden when the model is completed. There are areas in a 1/100 you can utilize but if it's a 1/144 it would be a really tight fit. In one issue of Fine Scale Modeler a guy from US placed metal contacts on the lowest part of the model and wires trailed to the lights. Thus the model stand holds the battery and lights up the model when the contacts connect. Anyhoo good luck and keep us posted. Pix would be nice for almost hands-on help/support. |
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Post by christine_03 on Apr 12, 2008 5:05:32 GMT 8
thanks. i think drilling would be best for me. hehe... my plan is to drill the eyes. then replace them with a clear styrene sheet. good tip on how to control the brightness of the kit. maybe i would just paint them black.
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Post by Gane on Apr 15, 2008 13:29:36 GMT 8
I was out of time last I posted so here's a follow up...
Look for the thinnest wire possible if you still want the model to move its head around... a thick wire would restrict this. I don't think the ones used for headphones work well but stripping some other electrical wires will reveal a smaller one for the job.
Good Luck ;D
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keeping the site active as a place to dump info for easier backtracking. 