Finally, it is done. After getting images of the robot mode, though, the pegs snapped for the arms swivel. I’m fixing those and looking into decent replacements, but at least it happened after getting pictures! ——— Original post: So, I found a CB Jetfire laying around my local Walgreens while searching for Supplies. Having worked on the Shockwave before, I knew some of what I was getting into. Maybe no knees, certainly no bicep twist, cheap plastic. ...but he would be a most excellent Hooligan. So, my pin remover wouldn’t work with the big jet-body, and shattered last time I used it anyway, so that’s on order and I’m waiting in the meanwhile. However, the painting isn’t so bad thus far: After getting paint on and the unit apart, I had to get some way to make at least functional knees. I used some Gunpla scrap from the 1/144 Endless Waltz Nataku kit’s extends-arms to make knees. I also used the stand adaptors from the Mazinger and Great Mazinger SDCS kits to make bicep swivels for the arms. Its primitive, but it works so far. I plan to actually do more soon now that my new watch pin kit has just arrived.
It worked surprisingly well, actually. I had to find a way to get the cockpit portion of the chest off without it, as I could not get a straight angle. The piece that removes pins is the silver metal bit near the bottom center, and only reaches so far. I worked around the long pin for the jet mode itself by chipping out enough plastic from the center to allow the unit a good grip so it could shove the pin through. Now I’m just down to more orange paint and figuring out how best to do the stripes.
For the stripes I suggest to either just use a brush or if you spray best use some masking putty or just masking tape.
I use paint pens, so I tried making a stencil. Did not work. I may just have some less cool stripes than the official model.
Just use masking tape and make sure to press it on as good as possible. What type/brand of pens do you use?
I use Sharpie’s oil based paint pens. They’re good enough for Gunpla and tend to hold out quite a while. I’ll see about using masking or painter’s tape once I have a chance - my custom work is done at my job, thanks to working in a call center.
I'm an acrylic fan. But I have GUNDAM MARKERS, too, and I think they use a lot of different types of paint in those. Maybe you can give it your own twist by not masking it at all and instead make it look like Japanese calligraphy: Just as if you swiped it on with a brush. I think that would look pretty cool
Another day, another few steps forward. I decided to try my hand at manual stripes, and while they’re... rough, they don’t look that bad. Indeed, the only pain is going to be the wings and back unit. Slowly working on that after scraping off the red paint, though.
I would also add some length to a few stripes to break it up and make it more like a natural, imperfect tiger. Good job so far!
So, it will be a few weeks before another update, as my main location has moved me to a backup location. I couldn’t bring my side work with me, so I will have to wait. I will update when I get a chance, though!
Turns out quarantine deployment for my bank job was over pretty quick. Getting closer to completion now, and the stripes look much better with some curved off ends. Also, bought my first pair of BotBots. Decided to customize them. Meet Admiral Antiseptic (he turns into hand sanitizer) and Pine Tarr.
Finally, it is done. After getting images of the robot mode, though, the pegs snapped for the arms swivel. I’m fixing those and looking into decent replacements, but at least it happened after getting pictures!
