March 24, 2011

Kit Review: G-System-Best 1/48 Rx-78-2 Eiyuu Tan ver.

Manufacturer: G-System-Best
Cast Quality: 10/10 as usual from GSB
This enormous kit is very well casted and all of the parts fit very neatly together. Resin quality is superb. Simply glowing over this kit.










This kit is still in my queue.

New Series Beginning: Kit Reviews

Hello wonderful blog viewers. I've decided to begin a new series called "Kit Review". A very straightforward name for a straightforward series.

One thing that bugs me is the lack of detailed photos of what a kit actually looks like when you get it from the manufacturer. I want to know everything - the good AND the bad. So I've begun the process of detailing all of my kits that I have - which are mostly resin.

So far I have:

- Tatsu 1/100 Banshee Conversion
- Tatsu 1/220 Jaguar II Zwei
- Tatsu 1/144 MSZ-007
- GSB 1/100 The-O
- e2046 1/100 Sazabi ver. Patchwork
- SMS 1/24 Hi-V bust
- GSB 1/100 SMS Kshatriya
- GSG 1/100 GP04G Gerbera Tetra Conversion (VP ver)
- SuperG 1/100 AGX-041 Gerbera Tetra Conversion kit (GMG version) + internal frame
- SuperG 1/100 MSZ-010 ZZ Extra Fit Conversion kit (VP version) + internal frame
- SMS 1/100 Geara Zulu ver. Angelo Sauper
- GSB 1/48 RX-78-2 Eiyuu Tan ver.

Key:
GSB = g-system-best.com
GSG = gunplasg.com
Tatsu = tatsuhobby.com
e2046 = e2046.com
VP = Vicious Projects
SMS = ae-model.com
SuperG = supergk.com

I will not be updating the list in this post, but just be posting them as I go along. To view all of the Kit Reviews I have, click on the tag "Kit-Review" or the series lined on the right.

If you have any questions about any of the kits or want more pics, feel free to add comments.

1/100 SMS AMS-129 Geara Zulu ver Angelo Sauper - Part 3

I know I have not updated in awhile - I have been encountering some significant set backs in the painting department. Moreso than usual because I've been trying some different techniques.

I have the philosophy: nothing ventured, nothing gained. Well that philosophy has cost me some time, but I don't really regret it, it was worth the time invested.

I tried doing a reverse wash on the wrist and chest pieces on this bad boy with different types of paint than usually are used, but these two paints I used don't work well for what's going on.

I used, in order of layers:

-Mr. Surfacer 1000
-Tamiya Custom Lacquer spray paint can
-Tamiya Acrylic Black (First gloss, then semi-gloss, then flat, all yield the same result)
-Then used Tamiya acrylic thinner and a tip to wipe away the black paint to let the white paint shine through.

I had a glorious plan for a tutorial...

Tamiya Custom Lacquer spray paint can

(no pic of this)
Tamiya Acrylic Black (First gloss, then semi-gloss, then flat, all yield the same result)


Then used Tamiya acrylic thinner and a tip to wipe away the black paint to let the white paint shine through. Bad idea. Does NOT wipe cleanly, hard to come off, and eats through the custom lacquer paint can (I think it's acrylic paint with lacquer thinner), you can see the gray Mr. surfacer coming through in areas.


I used lacquer thinner to wipe off all of the paint and I'll re-paint using the lacquer paint can, then spray black enamel and wipe it off with lighter fluid. Blah. Pics coming soon.

As of now though most parts are painted!




Just have to do the white trim now that the paint is stripped :)

Kit Review: SMS 1/100 AMS-129 Geara Zulu

Manufacturer: SMS
Cast quality is 10/10.
Very minor defects. I found 1 minor bubble that can be fixed, and it was inside of the flash, so there was no apparent bubble when it was cast. I don't fault it. Resin is fantastic and all fits very tightly together.









This kit is currently being built.

Kit Review: Super G 1/100 ZZ Extra Fit Conversion (VP Version)

Manufacturer: Super G recast of the VP version
Cast Quality: 9/10 as usual from SuperG.
There are more errors with this kit, but I have only found 4-5 errors with the 150+ parts that are in this package. All of them are easily fixable. See below for pics.



^^ Even comes with clear resin. Very nice for $59 IMO


^^Great detailed casting here

^^Casting Error

^^Weird casting error. Looks like it was knifed or something haha. There are a few more casting errors with the circular parts (i.e. beam sabers), but they are so negligible I won't post them.

This kit is still in my queue.

March 23, 2011

Kit Review: Super G 1/100 AGX-041 Gerbera Tetra Conversion

Manufacturer: Super G recast of the GMG version
Cast Quality: 9/10 as usual from Super G.
1 minor error I've found so far with the gun, but it is an interesting error... See the pics for an explanation. All other details duplicated in great detail.



^^ Even comes with the green plastic "Dot". Great touch.


^^Okay, now here's the weird part. Look at the pic just before this one with the 5 parts and look at the bottom of the gun. You'll see a casting imperfection. Because it's on the bottom means it should show up on top. Then I looked at the top. It appears that they went through the time and effort to actually sand down the casting error themselves. Very nice of them to do IMO, and it's not a bad sanding job for a quick one.

Kit Review: Super G 1/100 GP04 Gerbera Tetra

Manufacturer: Super G recast of the VP version. Bought via gunplasg.com
Cast quality of the actual conversion kit - 9/10.
Only error I can find with the casting is on the binders, but it's easily fixable with some sanding. Very good quality resin used.






And the internal frame (came with photocopied Bandai kit instructions and circled the parts)
Note: Frame is similar to the VP ZZ extra fit internal frame (based off MG Freedom)
Cast quality - 8/10, 7/10 for some of the ball and sockets. I will try to test fit some parts soon as I'm considering placing another order from Supergk in the future.
Actual USE QUALITY: 4/10. Don't use it if you can afford the actual frame. These barely fit together, and usually have to be cemented in place.



^^ What sucks here is that they have recasted the nubs... blah...

This kit is still in my queue.

Kit Review: G-System-Best 1/100 Kshatriya

Manufacturer: G-System-Best (SMS version)
Cast quality - 10/10.
Great resin quality, pieces are fantastically cast, and the molding nubs (I forgot their proper term) were very easy to clean. Comes with all metal parts and decals.










This kit is still in my queue :)

Kit Review: SMS 1/24 Hi-V (Nu) Bust

Manufacturer: Revision by SMS
Cast quality - 10/10.
Fantastic cast quality, smooth, high quality resin. Buy SMS if you can.







Kit is still in my Queue :)