X-wing Fighter 1/72 bandai on the kitchen table

Hey Ross ,

With the canopy - build the basic shape from clear styrene sheet ( appropriate thickness ) , then attach the framework ( styrene strips / sheet ) onto it around the outside with Elmer’s , Micro Kristal Klear or similar glue that dries clear ... maybe ?

Or take the approach that another scratch builder extraordinaire ( Keiko ) doe’s - build up the framework on a thin sheet of styrene and then when satisfied with overall shape / thickness , cut it out carefully and assemble !

:cheersGed

now why didn't I think of that!? that's a brilliant idea!! do it in clear, it'll be perfectly proportioned, then lay thin sheet over it for the framing!! Awesome! What would I do without you guys? I'd be struggling with s#!T the hard way, that's what. You just simplified the canopy thing for me by leaps and bounds thumbsup YEE HAAA!!!

gedmac66 said:

Hey Ross ,

With the canopy - build the basic shape from clear styrene sheet ( appropriate thickness ) , then attach the framework ( styrene strips / sheet ) onto it around the outside with Elmer’s , Micro Kristal Klear or similar glue that dries clear ... maybe ?

Or take the approach that another scratch builder extraordinaire ( @Keiko ) doe’s - build up the framework on a thin sheet of styrene and then when satisfied with overall shape / thickness , cut it out carefully and assemble !

:cheersGed

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ok cool! picked up a sheet of .20 white and a .20 sheet of clear at lunch. I'm all set. I sure feel bad for you guys that don't have a well stocked hobby shop in your vicinity. having to drive a while to one, or worse yet having to order stuff and wait...got to be horrific. I'm pretty lucky.

this part is slow going, the end pieces being different from the rest, the VERY ends I haven't done yet. The saw blade was a bit more narrow so I ran emery in the slots and then also filed the fins to a sharp edge where they contact the block. will probably still need to put a still backing plate to flatten it back out by the time all the fins are in...it's curving a bit.

slow and steady. got this finned dude done and did the seating last night.

Looking good!

thanks Blakeh :thumbsup if I could get this cleaned up and get the detail better, like on a second try, and figure out how I could make decent molds for it, I'd sell my own kits! But that's about the time Bandai would introduce theirs :wacko I'm still hoping they will so I can replace these resin units

blakeh1 said:

Looking good!

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Impressive ... most impre ... Super Cool my friend , super cool ! :cool
Looks like you’re hitting your stride as far as scratching builds go as well , not just in the intricate lighting department now !

:cheersGed

thanks Ged! :thumbsup it does take a hell of a lot of time though, even with having another kit (the resin) to size up the parts. can you imagine if I was going solely off images? :wacko:eek
I'm definitely going with your recommendation though, the scratcher more prominently featured with lighting, and the resin jobs dormant in the alcoves :thumbsup

gedmac66 said:

Impressive ... most impre ... Super Cool my friend , super cool ! :cool
Looks like you’re hitting your stride as far as scratching builds go as well , not just in the intricate lighting department now !

:cheersGed

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Very nice work on everything.

Quick question on the X-Wing... what color did you go with for the canopy? I used steel blue, which looks like an almost perfect match to the decals and stickers but it just seems too dark when I set it on the cockpit.

now that you mention that, I think I screwed up...I think I shot it with the same Citadel Corax white, and ten went over that with a slightly darker gray fine tip felt marker I have a variety of that I got from a local art store...crap! Well it's not something I can't correct of course, but that's what I did. I'd guess that the variation you're seeing on yours is, the decals are slightly translucent anyway, so it depends on what Bandai recommends go under the decal. I attempted the decal but it was too cumbersome for me, and...I'm not one to fuss too much about getting things quote/unquote "exact" but I don't knock those who do. I'm more of a, "if it looks good, it looks good, proper colors not withstanding" My X wing is so far off of correct it's laughable...but it looks pretty good. Go with you gut on it, however, I think I'll swing by the art store and get the proper shade of the bluish color and make that correction. Thanks for pointing that out :thumbsup Sometimes I run too fast and loose with such things facepalm

whb64 said:

Very nice work on everything.

Quick question on the X-Wing... what color did you go with for the canopy? I used steel blue, which looks like an almost perfect match to the decals and stickers but it just seems too dark when I set it on the cockpit.

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and BTW, thanks for the compliment :thumbsup I also sometimes get so wrapped up in the lighting that I neglect other details :facepalm

whb64 said:

Very nice work on everything.

Quick question on the X-Wing... what color did you go with for the canopy? I used steel blue, which looks like an almost perfect match to the decals and stickers but it just seems too dark when I set it on the cockpit.

Click to expand...

whb64 said:

Very nice work on everything.

Quick question on the X-Wing... what color did you go with for the canopy? I used steel blue, which looks like an almost perfect match to the decals and stickers but it just seems too dark when I set it on the cockpit.

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Same here... I'd rather paint than decal. And to make sure... I wasn't criticizing your work at all, in fact I think it is fantastic work! In fact I like the look of your canopy better than mine I think!
I also don't worry about whether something is 1mm off or 'this isn't right' or 'that is off'... if it looks like a representation of what was seen that's all that really matters right?

It's also interesting hearing from some of the people that actually built the props. I saw a video (don't remember the artist) and one of the prop builders said it's almost impossible to get 'everything right' simply because even they didn't have a set plan. He said sometimes parts would fall off and get lost and they'd just glue on something else in its place. So he was saying sometimes things were different from one movie to another, sometimes even between scenes. I kinda take that to heart and it's more the spirit of the build. I understand to some part of the fun is getting every detail 100% right, and there's nothing wrong with that either. For me the fun is looking at something and having memories of when I was a kid. I do want things to look as close as I can get it, but (and especially for these smaller scales) I just enjoy building them

I have to admire you lighting these small guys! I light the bigger scale but right now I haven't been lighting small kits. I personally found it was taking forever to get a build done and I was losing interest, so I decided to light the larger ones that are close to studio scale and just have fun with the little guys

Not at all buddy, I didn't think you're comment had even a hint of criticism, and even if it had I always take it as constructive and that's always helpful. You can tell when someone is being negative and I've yet to come across any of our fellows here who has been remotely close.
I appreciate your kind words, you can always recognize that as well. In the past, I would have never even tried lighting the smaller kits, but with this diorama project it seemed like I needed to light at least one of he Xwings and one of the snow speeders. The rest will be static/inactive. I've now got a total of 4 Xwings and four speeders and will only light one of each, as well as the PG Falcon. And the only speeder that I'm going to light is the scatcher. the 3 resins are solid cast anyway. I'd like to see some of those videos you spoke of, the prop builders, I'd bet that's very interesting to see. :thumbsup Don't be a stranger my new friend, chime in anytime, share with us what you're doing as well. most fellas I've been in contact with don't regard a thread as theirs even if they started it. Sharing with others is the best part of this site . We're all brothers here and so far my experience with this site has been awesome and I've made friends with a few that have outlasted a thread that went cold :thumbsupQUOTE=whb64;4435709]Same here... I'd rather paint than decal. And to make sure... I wasn't criticizing your work at all, in fact I think it is fantastic work! In fact I like the look of your canopy better than mine I think!
I also don't worry about whether something is 1mm off or 'this isn't right' or 'that is off'... if it looks like a representation of what was seen that's all that really matters right?

It's also interesting hearing from some of the people that actually built the props. I saw a video (don't remember the artist) and one of the prop builders said it's almost impossible to get 'everything right' simply because even they didn't have a set plan. He said sometimes parts would fall off and get lost and they'd just glue on something else in its place. So he was saying sometimes things were different from one movie to another, sometimes even between scenes. I kinda take that to heart and it's more the spirit of the build. I understand to some part of the fun is getting every detail 100% right, and there's nothing wrong with that either. For me the fun is looking at something and having memories of when I was a kid. I do want things to look as close as I can get it, but (and especially for these smaller scales) I just enjoy building them

I have to admire you lighting these small guys! I light the bigger scale but right now I haven't been lighting small kits. I personally found it was taking forever to get a build done and I was losing interest, so I decided to light the larger ones that are close to studio scale and just have fun with the little guys [/QUOTE]

not much to report, spent most of the weekend trying to finish the master bath sink/vanity for her majesty...so I didn't get the table time I expected. though I did get the seating done Friday night, yeah...the well is a bit shallow, oops. And the lower hull panel yesterday afternoon. I cut the main front and rear panels, beveled the edged for a flush fit, glued together, then taped those to the upper. then cut a glued the center front to back panel and the outer ribs. that's as far as I got by the time TWD came on. I know the guy plays the character very well, BUT...will someone please get rid of NEGAN already!?:angry

gt350pony66 said:

View attachment 806883View attachment 806884View attachment 806885not much to report, spent most of the weekend trying to finish the master bath sink/vanity for her majesty...so I didn't get the table time I expected. though I did get the seating done Friday night, yeah...the well is a bit shallow, oops. And the lower hull panel yesterday afternoon. I cut the main front and rear panels, beveled the edged for a flush fit, glued together, then taped those to the upper. then cut a glued the center front to back panel and the outer ribs. that's as far as I got by the time TWD came on. I know the guy plays the character very well, BUT...will someone please get rid of NEGAN already!?:angry

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l liked how you’re progressing with the snowy ... have no idea who / what TWD is or NEGAN !? :confused

thanks Ged, I've caught myself several time now, slopping through something on this build, then going back and re-doing it better. I finally collected some good photos to go by, rather than just the POS resin one I have and the unassembled parts of another. many more unplanned greeblies to do, but should be worth it. While angles and proportions are indeed off a bit, it should look pretty decent. I did order a Bandai 1/48-1/144 combo kit so I'd have the 1/48 to sort of go with my Deago (whenever I get to it) and the 1/144 for the AT-AT I did recently...and really think I should crack that box open and go off of the 1/48 pieces as we know Bandai doesn't fool around when it comes to accurate detail. So, this 1/72 scratcher may go on a bit longer. In hindsight, I should have gotten the 1/48 first, and gone off of that to start with.
TWD...The Walking Dead on AMC. probably the most popular TV show there is (here anyway). I take you guys don't get that show there? That'd be an awful shame...it's really good. Negan is the current "bad guy" on the show. he plays the part expertly. Ruthless, sick person. Carries a baseball bat he calls "Lucille", wrapped with barbed wire and beats folks to death with it. Yep, really BAD person. But given the popularity, I doubt they'll kill him off anytime soon. The show is based on zombie apocalypse theme. it started out with our "good" living folks always fighting of and escaping flesh eating zombies, sometimes large "herds" of them. Now, the show has morphed into groups of good living folks fighting groups of bad living folks and the zombies have been relegated into a sidebar annoyance that comes into play in certain situations.

gedmac66 said:

l liked how you’re progressing with the snowy ... have no idea who / what TWD is or NEGAN !? :confused

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LOL !!! , TWD = The Walking Dead . I’ve heard of this show , even watched some early episodes but never really got into it .
Saw them thanks to my sons ‘ cough , cough ‘ computer skills !
I think it’s available on one of the subscription services over here , not on regular t.v.

The 1/48 Bandai Snowspeeder is a beauty , it’ll provide strong references for your scratch no doubt , but you’re going great guns on it anyway !
I’ve got 3 sitting on my wardrobe along with a Revell 1/48 X -wing ( ex - Finemolds kit ) .
Purchased when I had grand plans of my own !:lol
I had a diorama setup ‘ Echo Base ‘ themed , similar to @seven and yours when I first subscribed to the Deago MF ( 2016 ) ... that dream bubble quickly burst when it dawned on me how much room such a display would take up in my modest home !!!:facepalm

Now I’m just plodding along with my Deago Falcon and living vicariously through your ( and others ) superb builds ! ... until I win lotto !

:cheersGed

Yeah! we're big fans...I'm a gun guy anyway but a few years ago I ponied up for a 6 inch nickel python, which I've yet to shoot. The wife has a replica Samurai of Michon's that hangs on the bedroom wall.
The space I have for the 1/72 dio is next to the 4 foot space the TV sits in, which I built a shelf above the TV with about 16 inches to the ceiling. I guess I plan to place the Deago there when it's built. I have a lot of electronics to learn before I start though. I want to give it every feature available. The 1/48 Snowy will work, and I've got a rather cruddy MPC Xwing that will also do, though they'll just be sitting together. not near enough space for even a fraction of a diorama for the big stuff. My house isn't so big either, but the wife suggested I add on a room just off the living room, for all my model stuff. nice thought but I got a contractor buddy who said even if I got the permits and did most of the work myself, I'm looking at least 30K! So I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon :lol

gedmac66 said:

LOL !!! , TWD = The Walking Dead . I’ve heard of this show , even watched some early episodes but never really got into it .
Saw them thanks to my sons ‘ cough , cough ‘ computer skills !
I think it’s available on one of the subscription services over here , not on regular t.v.

The 1/48 Bandai Snowspeeder is a beauty , it’ll provide strong references for your scratch no doubt , but you’re going great guns on it anyway !
I’ve got 3 sitting on my wardrobe along with a Revell 1/48 X -wing ( ex - Finemolds kit ) .
Purchased when I had grand plans of my own !:lol
I had a diorama setup ‘ Echo Base ‘ themed , similar to @seven and yours when I first subscribed to the Deago MF ( 2016 ) ... that dream bubble quickly burst when it dawned on me how much room such a display would take up in my modest home !!!:facepalm

Now I’m just plodding along with my Deago Falcon and living vicariously through your ( and others ) superb builds ! ... until I win lotto !

:cheersGed

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