Project #2: Part 1B - Building the Orchis

Objectives:
For the second part of the building chapters, I will continue on those parts that require gluing, sanding the seams or any minor modification.

Duration: Hopefully by 1 week.

The Weapons:

No frills here. Simple glue, join and sanding.
The missile pods fittings are bad. It does not flush. Pretty lots of sanding will be required.
I opt for the faster fix. Using my Dremel then sanding it with a 400 sandpaper did the job well.

The Main Cannon Assembly:


This is a very huge assembly!

After getting the seams out of the way, roughen the entire surface and redraw the panel lines, my arms were sore! The end results were satisfying. With such a nice huge part at hand, new ideas starts to pop up in my mind. I might just add LED into it... Stay tune..

Note: Notice that there is a gray area which is surrounded by all the white parts.Initial plan was to have the gray part painted first. But I decided to go with the plan of masking. Hopefully I will not regret this...

The Weapon Bay Assembly #1:


These bays are made of some smooth plastic material with a purpose.
To allow the weapons to slide in and out of it smoothly. So I am faced with a dilemma for these part.
To paint or not to paint.

In the end I have decided to paint only the exterior with Surfacer then Matt Black. With this decision, I will not be taking too much time building it or sanding it to shape. I will just remove the burrs and join the parts according to the instructions.

The Weapon Bay Assembly #2:


This part looks out of place for a weapon bay right? In actual fact, this is the most critical part for the weapon bay. Its the part that pops the weapons out from its docking bay. Each of these parts contains a spring strong enough to rotate its mid section. Thus giving its "popping" effect. I have also applied a good amount of grease to prevent spring seizure and rusting. It will also provide better "popping" effect (..I hope).

The Rest:


Managed to complete earlier than what I set out to do in my schedule. So I decided to focus on the rest of the parts and reduce the build time for Orchis.

Well... I must say... this is a very daunting task. Sanding every remaining parts and redrawing its panel lines are no joke. Some parts are huge. By the time I finished them I decided to take 1 week break to recuperate from the monotony syndrome these parts have given me...

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Project #2: Part 2A - Completing Denbdrobium Stamen

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Project #2: Part 1A - Building the Orchis

Objectives:
For the first part of the building chapters, I will be focusing on parts that requires gluing, sanding the seams or any minor modification.

Duration: Hopefully by 1 week.

The Docking Bay:

Very simple and easy to build here. The toughest part is having to sand the seams due to some difficult areas.
To overcome the problem this is what I did:
Step 1) Using a 200/300 grade sand paper and  fold it in halves and sand those seams which are very narrow.

Step 2) Then used a 400/600 grade sand paper to go over those in step 1. This should smooth out the surfaces.

Step 3) Slightly wider areas I cut out a square 3mm pla-plate and stick the sandpaper on it. Making it a simple tool to sand it.

After Step 3, I realised how useful Tamiya pla-plates are. So, I decided to make a few more, each comes with different shape and sizes. Try it. You will not regret it.

Note: I did not invent these steps. I learnt this technique from the internet. Especially from the master hobbyist shown in Hobby Japan magazines.

The Arms:


This is a very interesting part to build. There are so much details on it and it will be wasted to cover it with the outer "armor". The articulation was fantastic. The mechanics molded on it was great. So I decided to build it like all exposed parts. Which is glue, sand, putty and sand.

In the end, I spent too much time and I was left with very little time for the other parts. My first slippage on the schedule...

The Tail #1:


In my opinion, this part is the worst when it comes to fitment. When joined, the 2 pieces do not flush along the seams. Even the surfaces are uneven. So I planned the following steps:
a) Even out the surfaces.
b) Apply putty
c) Sand it down

Well... I did carry out my plan except I got over zealous with the sanding part. I decided to use my Dremel instead... In the end, I created quite a lot of uneven surfaces due to my poor handling on the Dremel. It looks like I have to reapply my plan again. But time is not on my side. I need to complete the rest of the parts first. Only then I will come back to this part. Moving on...

The Tail #2


This is another straightforward part. And its fitment at the ends are not fantastic. Just take note of the seams at the ends. It can be a chore to get it sand down. I actually applied putty twice to get it covered...

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Project #2: Part 1B - Building the Orchis

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Project #2: Bandai 1/144 HGUC GP03 Dendrobium - Prelude

The project:
This has always been the Gundam I have in mind to complete. Got this model in a Gundam fair at Bugis Junction (singapore) at least 8 years ago. The objective to this project is to convince my wife that we need to have a custom build a show case to put my finish models. To achieve that, I'll need to try something new :
1) Using a Double action airbrush (Used single action previously)
2) Colour Shading learnt from Youtube.

Estimate Time required to complete: 3 months. (only 2 to 3 hours daily due to work commitment)

PS: Do note that I have no art knowledge to start off with. All techniques are learnt from the internet or from my past experience.

The box cover:

The Build Process:
Unlike my previous posting on Kamen Rider, this project will be updated progressively on the build. It will finish with a suite of pictures. For its first posting, I will start off with a prelude.

The Workplace:
Moving to a new house has given me enough space to put a proper table. Nothing like what I did last time when I had to sit on the floor for hours... with an aching back, a proper chair is definitely required.

The Airbrush & Compressor:
Bought this from an art shop near Bugis. Its the shop I bought my air compressor. And that is more than 10 years ago. Anyway, really do appreciate how inexpensive airbrushes are in the market. Good for budget modelers like myself.



The Spray Booth:
Use to spray in the common corridor outside my house, family and neighbors would complain about the fumes. But the cost of 1 such device really puts anyone away during that time... Fast forward 15 years ahead, I manage to get this spray booth in less than $200 (SGD)! And best of all, its compact!


The Tools:
No frills in this topic. Just the usual pliers, different grades of sandpaper, modelling knives, cutting mat and etc. Most of my stuffs are from Tamiya. I like them as their stuffs are really beautifully manufactured. Lastly, my trusty Dremel tool which I got it as a surprise present from my wife more than 10 years ago!



The Paints:
Still in dilemma. Was thinking of using Tamiya enamels but read that it will not be an easy task. I will deal with the paint when I am about there. For now, I will KIV this.

Next Post:
Part 1A - Building the Orchis

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