Dupes - When the diorama was an asteroid, it was just this great big, bleak, black thing, with a couple of twisted web trusses sticking out to simulate space station wreckage.  (The diorama started life that way because we ran out of time for terraforming.)

Klick - We don't demand proof, but we demand piccies!    I'd love to see how you treated the Zaku head.

Bsyamato - I have the Gouf 2.0, but not the Black Tristars R1 Zaku.  I recently used my Johnny Ridden R2 Zaku 2.0 for a contest prize, but Orkork has one and is building it for the GB.

I apologize for dragging the threads all over, but at least on this GB, we are talking Gundam 99.999% of the time!  Good job lads, I mean spacenoids! 

an all-purpose diorama Orkork As i see first the vegetation and hills are relly good to me, i have all the material to do something, just need to start (also lots of n and 1/144 scale peoples )

Real G have not this set, i mean this...

the three pilots are the black 3 star pilots from the zaku II R1 v2 i have  

plus probably use some others mg optional pieces to do some mech debris around. Out of these probably add one of hoover cycles (need to scratch then not sure)

I know the 1/35 set, realy good is, but not don't have . Actually just building kits from the stash.

-----------------

thennnnn here comes the gouf!

more serious

end of serious

ok for this night i just unbuilt all... it took about an hour

that's all for this night 

Real G

Bsyamato,

Do you have this set?

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10051249

It includes figures of Ramba Ral and Ms. Hamon.  (Plus a 1/35 Zaku head!)

Maybe you could do a forced perspective diorama, with the figures in front and the Gouf in the background?

 

I BUILT THIS KIT!

Totally fun 1/35 build, mainly because...how many Zeon troops are there in 1/35th scale? If you ever get the chance, I recommend this kit, as a fun, simple one that anyone can have fun superdetailing the heck out of it. I know I had fun!

However, the Zaku head is a bit odd. It doesn't have the same look as a Zaku head of any other scale. It's kinda...ovular? (oval-shaped, not circular, as Zaku heads are in 1/144th and 1/100th), but the Zeon troops make up for the head's shape, especially the one on the motorcycle. There are minor fit issues on the people, resulting in them not being able to stand upright without support, and Ramba's boots are wierd, in that they can be put on either leg without any obvious sign.

I can get pics if you want proof.

Thanks to whoever gave me photo tips (sorry, I forgot to get the name down)--I was in a rush to get photos up, and I didn't have enough books to provide a steady platform for pictures, except the lamp I was using, and it was hot (nearly burned my hands). Think I'll try natural lighting, when the clouds break, and I'll repost pics for Y'all.

Keep up the great work. Look forward to more pics.

Ahhhh, bummer. I was really hoping there were some asteroid-version pics in there!

Bsyamato,

Do you have this set?

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10051249

It includes figures of Ramba Ral and Ms. Hamon.  (Plus a 1/35 Zaku head!)

Maybe you could do a forced perspective diorama, with the figures in front and the Gouf in the background?

Here's a link to the work in progress of the diorama.  The Gundam Diorama went through several stages of evolution.  Before it was a city scene, it was a jungle (08th MS Team) and a asteroid before that.

More Pics

Here's the original pic which inspired the MMA brawl. (note that they are the fix figuration figures)

yes, is not global realistic, but really like vegetation.

Ok i'll put on war the gouf v2.0

Tonight i had some idea about some type of diorama involving the gouf and the ramba ral and wife (?) meeting someone in the desert or something like that, need to sketch something on paper.

Dupes - It has been sitting in the garage tool shed for a couple of years now.  Its current state is the same as the photos on the club website, minus the buildings and mobile suits.  It's probably dusty and a little beat up, but it could be easily freshened up.  I was thinking of covering it with a piece of glass and turning it into a coffee table or something.

Bsyamato - I guess it could be used for other types of 1/144 scale displays, but it was not made to look very realistic.  We just wanted a playground for our Gundam models.

That dio is great! Is it still alive? Been morphed into some other surface by now?

bsyamato,

Yup. The 2.0 version. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Real G

Bsyamato,

The diorama was started as a "fun" project to display our Gundam kits at public events.  The base is a piece of 2'x4' (610mm x 1219mm) plywood, with urethane foam landscaping.  It is 1/144, so we were able to use N scale Kato buildings for decoration.  The buildings and MS are not glued down, so we can change the arrangement at will.  In fact at Kawaii Kon, the guys played around with the mobile suits to make comical scenes on the day I wasn't there!  Sorry about the horribly out of focus photos - I think the guys were laughing too hard to hold the camera steady.

The "explosions" are crumpled up aluminum foil over wire armatures.  I think we covered them with something - spackle maybe?  CA glue?  House paint?  Not sure.  We added to the diorama each time it appeared in public.  The first time out it was an asteroid surface, the second time it was a forested area, and the third time it was a city.  The 2006 Kawaii Kon was its fourth appearance, so we added the explosions.  We allowed non-UC models onto the diorama because one of the guys helping out wanted to use them.

..

mmmmh modular diorama great fun there

these things cannot be performed by classic kits (or not?)

Real G

 

I was told that there was a pair of girls dressed as Char and Garma at the last Kawaii Kon, and no one knew who they were supposed to be. 

The thing about attending anime type conventions is that for every sexy looking gal in an awesome outfit, there are dozens of people that really should not be appearing in public.    (I tried to get the guys to all dress up as Char, but they said "no.")

This is a crime!!! no pictures of garma/chars girls!!!!!

I like cosplay (girls) ,are a good way to show some sexy and artistic way at same time....

really i will not perform thing like that i'm a good modeller not good model

But like to perform stupid poses in wrong sites as this picture can show

performing a cigarette scratchbuilt under ferrari gallery logo .. really serious pose!

In italy are lots of anime/comic convention but out of my region. It's a good way to meet intresting and strange people at same time  

Bsyamato,

The diorama was started as a "fun" project to display our Gundam kits at public events.  The base is a piece of 2'x4' (610mm x 1219mm) plywood, with urethane foam landscaping.  It is 1/144, so we were able to use N scale Kato buildings for decoration.  The buildings and MS are not glued down, so we can change the arrangement at will.  In fact at Kawaii Kon, the guys played around with the mobile suits to make comical scenes on the day I wasn't there!  Sorry about the horribly out of focus photos - I think the guys were laughing too hard to hold the camera steady.

The "explosions" are crumpled up aluminum foil over wire armatures.  I think we covered them with something - spackle maybe?  CA glue?  House paint?  Not sure.  We added to the diorama each time it appeared in public.  The first time out it was an asteroid surface, the second time it was a forested area, and the third time it was a city.  The 2006 Kawaii Kon was its fourth appearance, so we added the explosions.  We allowed non-UC models onto the diorama because one of the guys helping out wanted to use them.

Yes, the TB-1 is mine.

I was told that there was a pair of girls dressed as Char and Garma at the last Kawaii Kon, and no one knew who they were supposed to be. 

The thing about attending anime type conventions is that for every sexy looking gal in an awesome outfit, there are dozens of people that really should not be appearing in public.    (I tried to get the guys to all dress up as Char, but they said "no.")

huuuge diorama

really great, but ms are not glued on?

i'm impressed about the vegetation!!!

nice paint effect on the dom arm breaking

thunderbird n°1 are your right?

aand impressed by tifa (vash the stampede good looking too but prefere tifa )

....

Agree about metal parts problems ,probably you use acrylics and rub of, i use enamels ang with brushe just don't remain on.

I see lots of people that use these metal parts whitout paint . But so they have an high contrast visual on the model.

About the gouf or guncannon just wait for more advice ad throw the chosed one on the workbench

----

Klik just need to decide if want to leave the legs to move or want to freeze them.

this night i don't go to sleep at 3 am  

Bsyamato,

Holy cow, my batteries last only until 10:00 or 11:00 pm!  However when I am trying to finish something, I end up staying up till 1:00 or 2:00 am.

I agree that natural sunlight is the best for photography, but I usually don't have time during the day to go outside to shoot.  Plus the sun in Hawaii is quite strong - a diorama that Orkork and I built started to expand and crack from the heat when we took it outside to photograph!  (Okay, that's another one that I have to drag out and take new photos of, but it's in the garage and hard to get at.)  Linky: 

http://www.ipmshawaii.freewebsitehosting.com/event_kawaii_kon_2006.html

For your additional build, I suggest the Gouf 2.0 or Guncannon.  Both are good kits and pose very well.  Plus the Gouf is "different from a Zaku, it's different!"  (Zaku to wa chigau no da yo, Zaku to wa!)

Group Build banner added to signature!

By the way, I dug out the Adler's Nest power conductor bits this morning.  It is ABS plastic, and as I had mentioned, the ends are not beveled.

They also make metal segments that have the beveled ends, but paint tends to rub off them.

Real G

last week going to sleep about 3.00 am tried to finish something even for other gb's involved.

Took 3 hours at night only to scratch a mig-31 cockpit.... during thd day i have less time to build something.

I like to feel the pressure just have it on my work during day .

Actually have a z981 from kodak ( preferred to a nikon l110 only for the 26x zoom!)

Manual generic settings i use are these

iso 100 to 200 f stop 3.5 to 8 exposure time about 1/2000 sec with flash and macro, various settings depending to the subject colors but actually these are the range for work in progress pictures.

All photos are resized to focus only the necessary part (14 megapixels for a wip picture are useless)

for finished models i prefere to take pictures outdoor with the sunlight .. when he's on..

on Badges,they are really at few kb less than a mobile phone picture

.... Then OrkOrk build another zaku.. then i fugure to restrict my choice for second build out of zakus

MG gouf v2.0 MG gouf custom and the hguc kaempfer are the actual candidates i'm really undecided

Another one can be an hguc guncannon started with lots of mod

some advice?

Bsyamato,

Yeah, my sister got me a phone and forced me to use it.  It has proved useful, but I only use it for "point communication", not for talking for hours in theaters, checkout lines, etc.

Actually, your photos are really good - I can see your fingerprints!  I am not a camera guy, so I just use the automatic settings.  I wouldn't know what settings to use if I were to go manual.

Hey, isn't it something like 2:50 am in Italy right now?  When do you guys sleep? 

For the Zaku type leg conductors (power conduits?) there is a product from Adler's Nest that is basically cleanly cut plastic tubing segments in various sizes.  The only thing is that the ends are straight cut, not beveled.  I got some from Hobbylink Japan, but am not sure if they are still available.  Someone else makes metal segments, but they are really expensive.  I was thinking that a home made jig could use a P-cutter or something to cut 45 degree grooves, and an indexer to set constant segment spacing to make the power conductor outer shells.  Hmmm, sounds like a project.....

Personally, I haven't added the GB badge simply to save space!  It comes from the old days when we had to really scrape for available computer memory.

I think the current time line should be okay for us to finish our models.  We have, what, 11 months?  I think that's plenty.  Besides, we have to feel the pressure.  (Or is that just Newtype intuition?)

Real G

Bsyamato,

When I first started building Gundam kits back in 1983, I was ashamed of enjoying "kid stuff" model kits.  (I used to only build scale subjects like airplanes and tanks - yeah I was one of those.)  So that's why I pretty much kept to myself.  I am also very slow to take in new technology, and this is the first time I have posted photos on a forum.  That is why my dusty models are only now coming into public view!

So t'm not really hiding stuff from you guys; I'm just kind of slow taking photos and posting them.    It is my hope that I might inspire others to try something new, as well as light a fire under my bottom to move forward with my stagnant projects.  There's nothing like having a bunch of guys asking for updates to motivate me!

not think me so good with tecnology, i get a mobile phone only under blackmail

and escape from tecnology with build something !!

nice tips on the camera, after buy my own camera i use only manual setting to take wip pictures, but need more practice

Klik not time to a good reply, i'm near sleeping mode, today i'll try to search a good solution for legs conductors

a formal recall to all why no one have one of the GB badge on??

second thing, in mind to extend the GB deadline if the GB will grow again, What all of you thinking about this?

Klik,

I have been schooled in the art of "ghetto photograpy" by my friends, so I thought I'd pass along a few dirty shortcuts.  When you are in a rush to shoot some quick photos, use a solid object as a prop to set the camera on.  It can be anything, like a large paint jar.  You still hold the camera, but the object supports the weight.  The next thing is to select the timer on your camera; I use a 2 second delay.  These two tips will virtually eliminate camera shake.

If your camera has an "aperture priority" option, use that along with the macro setting.  This will allow you to get in close to your subject.  This made a huge difference in the quality of my photos - thanks Orkork for that tip!

Lighting is also important, so get as much as you can.  I have a twin fluorescent light fixture over my desk with "daylight" tubes.  I have the fixture suspended on chains with "S" hooks to allow the height to be varied.  All the photos I have posted have been taken under this light.

My set up is not ideal though, and I plan on getting a pair of lights with diffusers on stands to eliminate shadows.

I hope that helped.

Bsyamato,

When I first started building Gundam kits back in 1983, I was ashamed of enjoying "kid stuff" model kits.  (I used to only build scale subjects like airplanes and tanks - yeah I was one of those.)  So that's why I pretty much kept to myself.  I am also very slow to take in new technology, and this is the first time I have posted photos on a forum.  That is why my dusty models are only now coming into public view!

So I'm not really hiding stuff from you guys; I'm just kind of slow taking photos and posting them.    It is my hope that I might inspire others to try something new, as well as light a fire under my bottom to move forward with my stagnant projects.  There's nothing like having a bunch of guys asking for updates to motivate me!

Klik good progress there when you finish the zaku just choice a picture to put in the gallery, possibly take one more with an high contrast monocrome background. when all finished i'll try some photoshop alchemy.

What's about legs conductors? Are breaked?

[/quote]

funny story on the 'leg conductors'--I plan on using your method, Bsyamato, and use string and straws to replace the ones for the kit (I just haven't got around to finding the right size string yet). The kit included springs for the tube sections, over which the coverings were supposed to slide on. Instead of sliding, the coverings just stretched and bent the springs all to heck, making them totally useless. I don't know what it is about the leg conductors, but in nearly every Zaku kit that I have built, the leg conductors will not cooperate. For instance, when I built my first 1/100th Zaku, the leg conductors would not seat into the legs the way they were supposed to. When I helped my brother build his own 1/100th Zaku, the same problem developed. Stranglely enough, the solution was to switch the tubes: my Zaku has my brother's kit's leg conductors, while his has mine, and they all fit without any difficulty.

So, yes, leg conductors are on hold for now, but I can (once I find that darn tripod) get some better pics for you, Bsyamato.

Real G

 

The Dauzehn, from "Dragonar."  The fingers for this one are square section.  This was my first try.

 

..forget!!

how much treasures you again hide to the world?

Orkork

Howzit going everyone!

I've been checking out this forum for awhile and decided to join in the group build.  Right now, I'm currently working on a MG MS-06R-2 Zaku II Johnny Ridden.  I haven't really worked on anything Gundam related in a while and trying I'm to get back into building Gundam. So many pieces, so little time.

yez! you're on Orkok!

just post progress pictures 

old version or new v2.0?

Klik good progress there when you finish the zaku just choice a picture to put in the gallery, possibly take one more with an high contrast monocrome background. when all finished i'll try some photoshop alchemy.

What's about legs conductors? Are breaked?

Real G  when i think about gundams series the first image in my head is some zaku not a gundam

LOL group growing again!

Klik,

All right, the first Zaku to roll out from the GB!  Is it the Real Grade kit?

The Ball's red areas look fine to me. 

Keep up the good work!

OK, I am back, with more pics...Zaku's dry, so I'm calling it 'done' (for now), and I got fed up of looking at a clear Ball, so I painted up the red parts and snap-fitted all the coverings on.

Pics:

The quality on those last two are awful, and I apoligize. I'll have to get better pics when I can dig out my mom's old tripod. Until then, those two are all I have in the way of pictures without flash.

The Ball, although it looks finished, isn't yet finished. I don't particularly care for the bright blood red hatch and window surrounds, but they'll have to do until I can get a paint color that more closely matches the parts' color (that's why everything is just snap-fitted for now.) Until then, this guy will have to wait...

Keep up the outstanding work!

Orkork,

Woo-hoo, another Zaku!  We've got quite a little Zaku group build going on here!  Remember, Zakus rule!  The Feddies are lame and weak! 

Howzit going everyone!

I've been checking out this forum for awhile and decided to join in the group build.  Right now, I'm currently working on a MG MS-06R-2 Zaku II Johnny Ridden.  I haven't really worked on anything Gundam related in a while and trying I'm to get back into building Gundam. So many pieces, so little time.

Real G - say what you will, those hands are GREAT!

Real G

My first tries at making manipulaors were kind of laughable compared to what B-Club puts out today.  i used square and round section plastic rod, tapering and shaping them to form individual fingers, then cutting them into sections to create the bends.  I think the feeling was like assembling Sherman indie-link tracks.  This was in the deep dark days of 1987 or so.  Here are some piccies:

It's good work. Even if it has its shortcomings, it's far better than the stock hands...  And it's good to be able to solve issues like that without always running to B-Club.

Anyway, that's why I started using the B-Club resin hands.  However, Bandai has gotten better at injection molding the hands on their newer HGUC kits, and only lack knukle joint details.  Thank goodness the amphibious MS designs don't need resin replacements!

It is very nice that HGUC hands have gotten so much better in recent years. Even though they're not as good as B-Club hands, they're good enough that they could be used as-is...

But it's also worth noting, HGUC hands started out good, then got bad, then got better again.

The very first HGUC, the Guncannon, had good hands similar to what you see on current HGUCs - but they very quickly switched to the two-part hollow fists before finally (I think around the time they did the HGUC Hazel?) starting to offer decent hands again...  Meanwhile, other HG lines like Seed and 00 have continued to offer the junk hands...

There's really nothing that prevented them from providing good hands except that, I think, they didn't want to. I think maybe they felt their audience wanted easier weapon swapping more than they wanted good looks.

Tetsujin,

I have not tried resin casting, although I have studied it for quite some time.  A lot of companies won't ship resin to Hawaii due to the hazard classification.  I can't wait for the day when regulations prohibit shipping anything flamable to the islands.

My first tries at making manipulaors were kind of laughable compared to what B-Club puts out today.  i used square and round section plastic rod, tapering and shaping them to form individual fingers, then cutting them into sections to create the bends.  I think the feeling was like assembling Sherman indie-link tracks.  This was in the deep dark days of 1987 or so.  Here are some piccies:

The Dauzehn, from "Dragonar."  The fingers for this one are square section.  This was my first try.

And a Schwalg, again from "Dragonar."  The fingers were round section, which were more difficult to cut and line up compared to the square ones.  Note complete lack of detail!  (And flat spot on the index finger - digital photography is a cruel mistress...)

Anyway, that's why I started using the B-Club resin hands.  However, Bandai has gotten better at injection molding the hands on their newer HGUC kits, and only lack knukle joint details.  Thank goodness the amphibious MS designs don't need resin replacements!

wow .. good explanation.

i presume the zaku is not the hguc.. i'll update the list.

some goggdates

using the humbrol 94 for lighter parts, the colous is about finished but fortunately all parts are at good point.

no pictures of it, really few changes from original kit, just some pane lines on hands.

then moving on the chest i used milliput to fill breaks rear shoulders, added some piece to detail and panel lines

the inner head start, i'll leave a mechanism to allow head opening to see inner details, and more after to allow head turning and if possible height movements with a double hinge

tried to get a similar inner detail as the mg kit

added the pin that have a metal part in to better solidity

he work!

on the next i'll try to finish the structure