thebeans
Well-Known Member
Me too iv'e got myself obsessed the last few days, anyone want to hazard a guess on the price one of these might be 300 USD would be competitive i reckon , but it could end up being more???
Bandai release schedule
- Thread starter TazMan2000
- Start date
G W Zipper
Well-Known Member
I would love to see them option out the different towers, like ESB or ANH, and I would especially like to see the upright "whatever you call it" between the two deflector balls as seen in 1977. I always liked that that element kind of had a samurai feel to it.
robn1
Master Member
That "X" shaped antenna is on both versions, it's just laid down flat on the ESB.
chiangkaishecky at Starship Modeller found that the A-wing product page is now up:
http://bandai-hobby.net/sw/jp/products/awing_starfighter.html
http://bandai-hobby.net/sw/jp/products/awing_starfighter.html
Galactican
Sr Member
Apparently there is something in the plastic that reacts with white spirits. Do not use enamel colours, white spirits and oil washes on it to prevent this:
http://www.themodellingnews.com/2015/06/ever-since-new-star-wars-at-st-kit-from.html
Richard Baker
Sr Member
By 'White Spirits' are you referring to Mineral Spirits?
I do not care for water based paints- I have been using classic enamels since the sixties- it is what I am familiar with and what I own. I have been doing some prepainting
on the Bandai TIE/SF kit and it does not seem to have any problems yet with these paints.
Might just be lucky or the plastic might be slightly different I guess
astroboy
Master Member
I tend to use tamiya acrylics for everything. With lots of clear coat between layers.
But I do use odourless turpenoid for oils. Do you think that will be okay?
INVAR
Sr Member
I've recently switched to acrylics because getting enamels at Walmart and the drug store is now moot - because they now only carry Testor acrylics or got rid of their model kits altogether. If I want to use enamels, I need to make a trip to Hobby Lobby or get them online. I will say that the acrylics are a lot easier to clean and work with through my airbrush.
I would advise to stick with the acrylics on the Bandai models given their unique process in casting the parts themselves.
If you notice on some of these model sprues - they have different colors on a single sprue. I watched a video someone posted on how they make their kits and there is some injection involved with the modified styrene as well as a spray process going on with the release of the plasti I assume this is necessary to be able to get the very minute details these kits have, and also to be able to mold them in different colors on a single sprue.
I have used the Tamiya fine surface primer on my Y-wing, Fett and mini-Star Destoyers and there have been no issues with brittleness or melting of the plastic. I then use acrylics that I build up between coats of future for more colors and weathering. I know enamels have that smooth application, opacity and shine that water-based acrylics just cannot match - but I have figured out how to mess around with acrylics and other types of things like shoe polish to do washes and achieve weathering effects.
I think to be safe, we can assume the plastic and process Bandai uses to make these kits (snap together kits, no glue or paint needed) staying away from solvents that can be hot and damage the plastic is probably a wise thing.
basementdweller
Active Member
Here is why white spirit can mess with your kit:
Polystyerene and ABS (which is also a styrene) do react to white spirits, although ABS is a bit more resistent. It is exacerbated by stressed plastic (tight fights that BanDai uses) but is not limited to just BanDai's plastic. This because white spirit is mostly naphtha (petroleum based) and the plastics have the same base. Plastic that has been annealed prove much more resistent to white spirits. What this means is that the inherent properties of the injection molding process leaves the resulting sprue cooling at different temperatures and makes it "weaker". If then reheated in an oven to below melting temperature and left to cool at slow and even pace - the plastic can be annealed. I am not sure if BanDai anneals their sprues.
reference: https://books.google.se/books?id=VOLqCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=white+spirit+and+polystyrene&source=bl&ots=sinyiZJh0F&sig=A8mWbLizOqlwvbczinq-4Bq5xH0&hl=sv&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjiq5_Qz_XMAhVCjCwKHZWUBJgQ6AEISTAG#v=onepage&q=white%20spirit%20and%20polystyrene&f=false
reference: https://books.google.se/books?id=VOLqCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=white+spirit+and+polystyrene&source=bl&ots=sinyiZJh0F&sig=A8mWbLizOqlwvbczinq-4Bq5xH0&hl=sv&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjiq5_Qz_XMAhVCjCwKHZWUBJgQ6AEISTAG#v=onepage&q=white%20spirit%20and%20polystyrene&f=false
Richard Baker
Sr Member
IIRC that top structure is a sensor suite- when tilted up as in ANH is was long range tracking mode trying to find the blockade runner
Galactican
Sr Member
That is the right way. I do so, too. So far I found out that you can use Revell Contacta glue, Revell decal soft and Revell Aqua Colour colours without problems. "Odourless" might be a good indicator, too (if it smells, stay away from it / which is a good thing because it will keep yourself healthy, too
). Sealing the model with a nice clear coat could also protect it from bad side effects because it prevents the fluids from running inside the model (especially when it was not glued together) and destroying the joints.
Galactican
Sr Member
I think so.
That's OK. Use whatever does the job properly. Before the reports on the Bandai AT-ST I used enamels only, too. However, a few months ago I tried acrylics for my models. I was so surprised because they do not smell (which is a major advantage because I am allergic and had to make special preparations when I wanted to work with the enamels) and they dry very fast. I can apply several coats within a few minutes and do not have to wait hours for one layer to dry. I'll use up all the enamels which are still in my box but I doubt that I will get any more of them.
That's my theory, too. There are reports of fans who did not experience any major trouble which could mean that they used a different concentration of colours and / or solvents
or that the "contamination" of the plastic differs from kit to kit.
Thanks for the explanation! Very interesting!
