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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Featured Brand - Harder & Steenbeck

Guten tag plamo nerds! It was just another lonely and boring day, about three months ago during my business trip in California, when I suddenly had this bold idea to make my time away from the workbench worthwhile: I was already in the US, so why not try to get in touch with western tool and hobby brands? I could let them know what the blog is about, ask if I could formally introduce their brand to my readers, and perhaps even solicit some samples of their fine products for review. And so I went to work, searching for the right people to get in touch with, sending out emails and PMs left and right. Days passed. Weeks. A month went by without responses from any of the brands that I reached out to. I figured it was a lost cause, and was ready to scratch it off of my list of ideas for the blog - until finally, my phone beeped showing one unread message...

from Harder & Steenbeck.

I nearly fell off my chair. I mean I did send them an email, but knowing that the company was based in Germany, I never got my hopes up, and they were the last company I expected to respond. But there it was, a message from Harder & Steenbeck, saying they were interested in taking me up on my offer. After a couple more email exchanges, we finally set a date for a chat with a representative!


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Paasche Talon TG3F Review

Hey guys and gals, I just got back from my 3-month work trip in the US, and I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. A fine layer of dust has settled on all my plamo equipment since I left, and my workbench is well overdue for spring cleaning - but I just couldn't wait to try out one of my newest toys - the Paasche Talon! I already did an unboxing of the Talon TG3F set a couple weeks back, so today we get to focus on performance. Jump in!

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Paasche Talon TG-3F Unboxing

Hey plamo nerds! You'll have to pardon the erratic posting schedule on the blog as of late - I'm still in the US and have been really busy with work. I've been told retail therapy is good for relieving stress and homesickness, so I've been surfing Amazon and Ebay for parts to upgrade my airbrushes back home. Somewhere along the way I found a great deal on the Paasche Talon TG - an airbrush that I've been curious about for some time - but have been on the fence on purchasing due to the mixed reviews I've seen. In the end I just couldn't let hearsay deprive me of a potentially awesome tool without trying it out myself, so here we are. Established in the early 1900s, Paasche is one of the oldest airbrush manufacturers in the world - and with decades of experience and engineering going into the Talon's design, I have really high expectations from this tool. The package I purchased has quite a few things included, so I thought it best to split the unboxing and performance review into separate posts. Let's take a look!

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An Open Letter On The State Of Sanctioned Contests

Greetings and salutations!

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I have been building gundam model kits for 6 years, and I also operate a blog that promotes the hobby. I've decided to reach out on behalf of fellow enthusiasts in my country, regarding numerous recurring concerns on how the Gundam Model Kit Contest (GMKC) and the Gunpla Builder's World Cup (GBWC)  is conducted in the Philippines. These are annual events mandated over by the local distributor -  Bankee Trading.

Every year the hobby community voices out the same concerns, but it seems all our complaints fall on deaf ears. I am reaching out with an open letter, hoping it will find it's way to someone who has influence over these events.


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Cast Away

Hey there plamo nerds! I must apologize for the lack of updates on the blog, but if you've been following my facebook page you'd know that I'm on the other side of the planet right now. Work has me on a quarter-long deployment to the company's facility in California, and while that may sound pretty great from a career standpoint, I'm not so psyched about it. Last time I was here I got to take my wife and kid along, but as school wasn't out until the end of March they could not come with me. These trips are part of the nature of my job, and as such I must expect to be called to the front lines every now and then- but this is the longest I've ever been away from my family.

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A Call For Social Media Reform In 2018

Hey plamo nerds! The millennium just turned 18! This year I'd like to see less negativity within the hobby community. I wish we could just leave all the hatred behind and try our best to respect each other's opinions, regardless of how rashly we express our thoughts, or how immature we sometimes behave. I am guilty of this as well, but I would like to be better.

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