Harder & Steenbeck Geminus - Review

Greetings and salutations plamo nerds! Here's the long awaited review for the Geminus airbrush by Harder & Steenbeck!

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Mecha Painting - Episode 2

Hey plamo nerds! Now that the Philippine leg of this year's GBWC is history, it's time we returned to our regular programming schedule here on the blog - starting with a well overdue follow up to the Mecha Painting series!

In this episode we'll talk about the different types of paint used in the hobby, how to properly thin paint in preparation for airbrushing, and I'll also demo some basic exercises and how to clean the airbrush after a painting session. As always your comments and suggestions on how to improve the format are very much appreciated!

That's all for now, until next time, keep building plamo!

Suzumebachi - Roll Out Photos

Hey plamo nerds! I finally got around to taking some half decent photos of Suzumebachi and her drones. If you missed the build diary, you can find it here: Suzumebachi Build Diary

I already shared this album on the facebook page, but as images get compressed there I thought I'd put some higher resolution ones here for anyone who might be interested / isn't sick of seeing it yet lol. Enjoy!

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Suzumebachi - Build Diary

Greetings and salutations plamo nerds! You'll have to forgive my absence from the blog since August, but I had to pour all my time and focus on my GBWC entry. With so many tasks in my to-do list up until the last few days, I was worried I'd bitten off more than I could chew and would not finish in time - but I barely made it, completing the project in the wee hours of the morning on the last day of submission! Now that the Philippine leg of GBWC2018 has concluded, I can finally share with you my WIP photos, build process, and lessons learned from the event. Let's get started!

Warning: pic heavy, give it time to load :)

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DIY Sanding Station

Hello plamo nerds! It's been a while since my last post, and I do apologize for the lack of updates on the blog. Between my ongoing WIP, the launch of my own tool line and the monthly preorder cycle, I just don't have enough time to do everything simultaneously.  I've given priority to my GBWC build, as I do need to actually build something, otherwise what is the point of all these tools, yes? But fret not - things will be back to normal once I finish my entry. In the mean time, here's a little something I made to help keep dust and debris off of my desk and out of my lungs: the DIY Sanding Station.

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Galaxy Sanding Tools - Review / Demo

Hey plamo nerds! I'm working my way through all the tools I've recently added to the shop, and this week we're taking a look at the new Galaxy Tools sanding bars and micro files. They're stainless steel tools that come in a wide variety of widths and lengths, and are designed to be used with your favorite sandpaper. There's also a video version of the review towards the end for those who prefer my sexy YouTube voice. Jump in!

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Mecha Painting - Episode 1

Hey there plamo nerds! I've finally launched the Mecha Painting series on the YouTube channel! The series will begin with basic stuff, and will soon progress into the different techniques used to achieve popular painting styles. We'll also touch on some hand painting, detailing and weathering, and perhaps even have some guests on to share their own tips and tricks!

This first episode is just a general introduction to airbrushing, so if you've already been at it for a while you can subscribe to the channel and just wait for the next ones - but if you're new to airbrushing or still thinking about getting into it, then this is the episode for you. As always, comments, questions and suggestions are welcome!

You'll have to excuse my amateurish vlogging gear and editing skills, but I'll try to improve the format and setup as we go along. With the support of great brands like Harder & Steenbeck, Armored Komodo and Hobbiworkz, you can expect some interesting topics ahead!


Until the next episode, keep building plamo!

Special thanks to...

Ustar Edge Line Scriber - Review / Demo

Hey plamo nerds! I've been adding a bunch of tools to the shop page lately, but I haven't gotten around to showing the new stuff here on the blog in between the airbrush reviews. Rest assured that we'll go through them one by one, so I can demonstrate what they do and how they can improve your building process. Let's start with this unique tool by Chinese hobby brand Ustar, which they refer to as the "Carved Sword". The name makes absolutely no sense, and I'm inclined to think that Ustar's marketing guys rely on Google translate for getting English translations - so I'm calling it the Edge Line Scriber instead. Strange name aside, it's a clever little tool, and a worthy addition to any custom builder's toolbox. There's a video towards the end for those who prefer moving pictures.

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Harder & Steenbeck Colani - Review

What happens when the best German airbrush manufacturer teams up with a world-renowned industrial designer? A groundbreaking airbrush design is born,  that's what! The enigmatic Colani is the product of close collaboration between Harder & Steenbeck and Luigi Colani - an award-winning designer who has conceptualized cars for BMW, Lancia, Volkswagen and Alfa Romeo among others. With the bold curves and vibrant purple grip, the tool resembles a retro-futuristic pistol straight out of a Flash Gordon comic book. But make no mistake - this tool exhibits the same quality, versatility, and precision expected of a Harder & Steenbeck airbrush!

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Harder & Steenbeck Infinity CR Plus - Review

Hey plamo nerds! While doing the review on the Evolution, I realized I was never able to share a performance review on the Infinity since the unboxing! I've had the Infinity for nearly a year now, and I was able to put it through it's paces painting both the Kitsune and Kimaris Trooper. If you'd like to know what comes in the package, you can jump to the unboxing post here:

Harder & Steenbeck Infinity CR+ Unboxing

Today we'll be going over performance notes on this truly fine piece of equipment, and maybe I can help you decide whether the Infinity is worth the premium price. As always, there's a video showing the airbrush in action. Jump in!

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Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline - Review

Guten morgen plamo nerds! These new tools have all but obliterated my hopes of making progress on my WIP, but I'm not even mad. It's a unique experience, being able to test these airbrushes out in rapid succession. The caveat is that I can only spend so much time testing each one, and therefore I can only share the unboxing and my first impressions of each tool. But rest assured that we will revisit these airbrushes later in the year, after I've clocked significant work hours on each one. Today we'll be getting a closer look at the Evolution - the model that made Harder & Steenbeck the airbrush titan that it is today.

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Harder & Steenbeck Grafo T1 - Review

How's it going my fellow plamo nerds? Keeping busy with your ongoing builds I hope! I haven't touched my WIP for a few weeks, as I've been too preoccupied just tinkering with some of my new tools. As mentioned in my last post, I've been given the privilege to review a few of Harder & Steenbeck's airbrush offerings, and today we'll be taking an in-depth look at the Grafo T1. This handsome airbrush features a unique trigger action that makes it great for both new and seasoned painters alike. More details after the jump, and there's a video towards the end showing the brush in action!

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