Alternative Aftermarket Parts

I've been reading a lot on scratch-building and customization lately and I came upon these articles. I just want to share what happens when an Otaku is NOT on a budget, and has a passion for building stuff.

This guy built his very own Warmachine suit, complete with opening face plate and rotating mini-gun...
http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2010-05/you-built-what-real-iron-man

And this guy thought it would be cool to build his very own Tumbler...
http://jalopnik.com/399892/man-builds-batman-tumbler-replica-single+handedly

Hats off to these guys for their dedication and perseverance!

I wish I had the resources those guys had, but as the title of this blog implies, I am short on funds but full of imagination, so I'm always on the lookout for cheaper ways to acquire or build the parts that I need. Thrift stores (japan home, saizen etc.) and electronics shops (deeco) are a mecha builder's mecca (pun intended) - hiding parts for customization that would otherwise cost an appendage to obtain.
A number of items i've found at these stores are as follows:

MG Kampfer WIP 3

This is WIP 3 for the MG Kampfer. You can find WIPs 1 and 2 here:

WIP 1

WIP 2

This build is taking FOREVER...and I'm loving it! In the past weeks i've been putting the panel scriber, pla plate and putty to good use. I think I've just about worn out the 1st blade of the scriber..It did come with 2 spare ones but I hope Lil's carries extra blades for cheap. Anyway it's a great tool for adding panel lines and cutting pla plate and I'm glad I have it in my arsenal. Less talk, more pics!

(sorry for the terrible quality of pics)

scribed the lower half (most of the lines were patterned off of the G-System Kampfer)

  

Some pla plating and scratch building...

 

Opened up the foot armor, and I built a waist spacer to improve the proportions of the body, which looks kinda stumpy on it's own.

Overall design, showing approximate height when the spacer is added...

I was also thinking of doubling up the shoulder armor to make the shoulder canisters look shorter and to blend it in with the rest of the design. I'm still 50/50 on this mod...maybe when the waist spacer is done I'll figure it out.

 

That's all for now. I still have a lot more pre paint work to do for this model, which is fine given how bad the weather has been lately. I thought I might be able to use this as an entry to GBWC in October, but alas, the new rules require entry kits to be purchased at sponsor stores only. Anyway I started this project for myself and I'm happy it will stay that way. No pressure means I can take my time and go crazy with this build.

Later gunplars!