Tallgeese Titan (TGII) WIP 2

This is WIP 2 for the MG TG 2. WIP 1 can be found here:

WIP 1

I thought a bit of fanfic might help me flesh out the plans for this guy, so in line with the competition theme, I'm imagining this build as a PPSE prototype and predecessor to the Meijin's fielded kits.

   "When PPSE finally got their new Meijin on board, they immediately had him pilot this unit - the Tallgeese Titan - in a series of practice battles. This allowed the development team to collect detailed data on his fighting style. The Meijin found the Titan to be a powerful and versatile machine. He enjoyed having a wide assortment of weapons at his disposal and the ability to detach the heavy armaments made it adaptable to the opponent's tactics. However the tests revealed that the Meijin preferred higher agility straight off the GP base over tough armor. This collaboration lead to the development of the Meijin's first GBWC kit - the Kampfer Amazing."

More after the jump!...

Beveling

I recently discovered a bunch of old Japanese videos on YouTube called Plamo Tsukurou - and boy do these guys know their stuff! Each episode shows a plamo master working on a kit from snap build to finish - highlighting their techniques in scratch building, battle damage, painting, weathering and so on. They feature builds from all scale modelling genres.

Too bad the videos aren't subtitled, but you do learn a thing or two just by watching them go at it. I've been applying one of the tricks I learned on the TG2, which I will refer to as beveling.

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TGII WIP 1

A lot has been going on these past couple of weeks. I've been so busy with work I've had to put extra time in just to meet my deliverables. We celebrated my son's 1st birthday last weekend which I am glad went very smoothly. Can't believe a year has already gone by since he was born...they do grow up fast! As for my hobby, the Templar won top spot in the recently concluded Level Up competition hosted by GundamUK, and I've also been having a somewhat heated "indirect" exchange with another blogger on the issue of bootlegs. While I have better things to do than argue with a self-proclaimed gunpla diety and his so called worshippers, I found it entertaining how we less fortunate knock-off builders were referred to as cheapskate bootleg collectors. Thank you captain obvious!

I'd also like to thank you for frequenting my blog enough and taking the time to update your previous post in response to my latest rant. Now that was funny. I'll be channeling all of this positive energy into my next plamo - the Daban TG2.

More after the jump...

Opening Up Armor Panels

I first saw pictures of how this was done in a Japanese blog and thought I'd do a quick tutorial myself to share with the community. This is probably common knowledge by now, but for what it's worth, here you go...

• Step 1. Check where you want to open up the armor. Make sure to check for any obstructions on the inside of the part that you don't want to deal with or destroy. 

Templar snags 1st place in Level Up contest!

GundamUK's Level Up contest concluded last February 1st, and to be honest I wasn't holding my breath. The Templar was up against some seriously mean builds - all the entries had a tremendous amount of work put into them, and I knew my chances were slim at best...But somehow, he was able to steal the top spot!

Click on the read more link for details...

From Gunpla to Plamo

After a recent discussion on facebook with some celebrities in the local gunpla scene, and reading a fellow blogger's post that hit home all too well it almost seemed like it was written in response to a comment I made in a facebook group  - I've come to realize that there is simply no way to justify a bootleg - just as there is no way to justify a downloaded movie or series episode, a copied .mp3, or a jailbroken phone loaded with cracked apps.

More after the jump...

DIY Screw Heads

I'm in between projects at the moment, so it's a good time to post a simple tutorial on one of the tricks I came up with while building the RG freedom. Although you can purchase actual micro screws from stores that specialize in metal detail-up parts, they can be pretty hard to find and are also quite expensive. Here's a quick guide on how to make plastic micro screw heads for detailing up your kit.

What you'll need to make your own:
1. A mini hobby saw. (I got a set by Trumpeter for about $5)
2. Masking tape.
3. Scrap plastic sheet.
4. Plastic rod. (Diameter of your choice, this will be the diameter of the screw head)

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Tallgeese Templar v1.0

After only 4 weeks...I present to you all, the Tallgeese Templar 1.0!

You read it right folks...this build took a mere 4 weeks from snapfit to photoshoot! A personal record for me, because I usually take a couple of months to finish a model.

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MG Tallgeese WIP 3

This is WIP 3 of the MG Tallgeese. Previous WIPs can be found here:

WIP 1
WIP 2

(WARNING: PIC HEAVY)

I've only got a few more days to finish this guy in time for the Level Up competition. The pressure is on, but I have to remember that a properly finished kit is better than a half-baked entry. Here's where I am, 4 days from the deadline:

The internal frame was painted a custom mix of mr. hobby gloss black and gold. I used a similar mix for the Freedom and I really liked the results, so I made a new batch with a higher ratio of gold. I then applied tamiya panel wash black, and then dry brushed with enamel silver...

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MG Tallgeese WIP 2

This is WIP 2 of the MG Tallgeese. WIP 1 can be found here:
WIP1

(WARNING: PIC HEAVY)
This build is going pretty smoothly and I think I might make it to the competition deadline if I get all modifications done within the week. Here is my progress as of yesterday.I decided to plate up the whole shoulder...

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MG Tallgeese WIP 1

This is WIP 1 of the MG Tallgeese.

I recently received this Daban kit as a Christmas present from my wife - and since I was in no rush to finish up the RG Freedom diorama I thought I'd kick off the new year with this build. I decided to submit it as an entry to GundamUK's ongoing Level Up competition. I really like the theme of this event, as it encourages the builder to up their skills and try something new.

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There and back again...

The company thought it would be a good idea for me to do some on-site support at our world HQ for a migration project we had lined up, so they sent me over to Florida for an entire month. This was my first trip to the US, so it was pretty exciting.

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