Before chronicling the build process, here’s a list of tools and supplies I’m working with.
Sprue Cutter - I actually found a sprue cutter in Hobby Lobby, so I decided to grab it rather than relying on nail clippers for cutting out pieces. So far, I’m happy with the decision. They work really well as long as I’m careful. I’m sure the clippers would function well enough, but I feel like they would also be less intuitive.
X-acto Knife - In all honesty I didn’t need this, but it cost three bucks, so it wasn’t really a splurge. I’ve used it to remove certain pieces in lieu of the Sprue cutter, and for cleaning up some of my shittier cuts. I’ve also found that some of the kit’s joint pieces are kept rigid via very small pieces of connecting plastic that only the knife can really remove. I’ve also found it to be useful for taking stickers off the sticker sheet.
.02mm art marker - It isn’t a Gundam Marker, but it’s acid free and wipes off clean, so I think it’ll suffice. It looks like this was one of the thinnest markers available, and yet it is still a bit too big for some of the panel lining I’ve done.
Cotton Swabs - I’m using these for removing mistakes made with the marker.
Nail care stick - I learned that you can use a toothpick to better position stickers on a model. Instead, I’m using nail care sticks. They’re longer and sturdier, making them easier to wield, and rather than having two pointy tips, the bottom of the stick is a flat end. This makes it a 1-2 punch for sticker application; one side positions, while the other sets in place.
Super glue - I had a bottle already, and I keep it handy just in case.
Nail clippers - I still found an old pair which I’m also keeping handy. I occasionally use the nail file attachment to clean up excess plastic.
Actual nail file - Same use as above. I think it’s a bit too heavy in grit, so I have to be careful.
Hobby Tweezers - My wife insisted that I buy these, instead of using facial tweezers. She says they’re better for the task.
Testors Matte style spray lacquer - Most builders say that even if you don’t paint your kit, you should still spray it down with clearcoat paint. It removes the toylike finish to the plastic and can hide certain mistakes. Most builders also recommend specialized brands, but I just went with basic Testors. I’ll report on my findings later.
Now, without further ado, the build….
I started where the manual told me to - the right leg. It took me three and a half hours on my first night of building, plus an unknown amount of time to apply the stickers later on. I definitely made some mistakes on this one, mostly in regard to the stickering. These decals are incredibly tiny, making them tough to remove, tough to manipulate, and tough to position. I didn’t have a good feel for getting them on, and as a result I lost a few to the carpet, while others were applied with wrinkles. Some I took off myself after coming out terribly. My other big mistake was in not letting my panel linings dry completely before continuing my work. The marker started to smear where I touched it, and some of it came off underneath the stickers, giving them a permanent blackish hue. Nothing I can do really.
On the other hand, I’m rather proud of how well I did with cutting. I didn’t leave behind too many noticeable marks, and those I did make are hidden underneath the model’s exterior armor.
In regards to filing, I shied away from it. The two filing tools I currently have seem a bit too aggressive, and can really scratch up the plastic. Since I’m not painting the kit, I won’t be able to go over these mistakes, so in the future I’ll have to be more precise with where I use them.
As you can probably tell from the pic, the sticker on the knee portion is janky, as are the two on the foot. Also, on the front right part of the toe there is some damage from cutting, though in this picture it is obscured by shadow.
With the left leg, my fortunes reversed. I ended up acting much quicker during the cutting phase, and wound up with more poor cuts than I did with the right leg. I tend to do everything fast and sloppy when I’m tired, and I believe I was a bit too sleepy when I tried to do the work (also, the beer I drank got to me a lot more than the one I had on my first night). Here’s a good example of where my sloppiness is clearly visible; the left circular vent thingie is nice and scratched:
On the other hand, I got into a nice groove with the stickers, and for the most part they all came out a lot better. Here’s a comparison of the backs of the legs to give you an example (notice the gold stickers in particular):
The right leg was the first piece of the kit I gave the clearcoat treatment to, and if you look at the photo above, you can kind of see the difference in the shine and coloring of the two legs. So far, I like the results.
The next post will cover building the torso and weapons.