U.S.S. Thunderchild

[Grendels]

Well, before I get back the NX-01, I wanted to build a quick model, so I picked Starcrafts 1/1400 Akira class starship.

Here is the unboxing video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htV_jvWFvWs

This is a resin model, and will be my first one, if anyone has any tips, or comments they will be welcome. I spent a couple of hours tonight working on removing seam lines. I still have another couple of hours at this, and then I will have to start working on filling voids. I had hoped that this would be quick, but from the looks of it, it will take about a week before it sees paint. The saucer section is not is good shape along the edge like I thought. I will have to examine the reference photos to see if I can fill in some of this detail, or just try to fix it.

Here is a link to a good set of reference photos if anyone is interested


http://shipyard.scifi-art.com/thunderchild.html

Too bad polar lights didn't release this one as they once planned. It would have been an interesting model.

Here is the history of the model:

http://www.utopiaplanitia.info/akiramain.html

 

[DreamKnight]

WOOT! This is gonna be a cool watch!

 

[DreamKnight]

BTW, you work with resin like you would with plastic. Exceptions are the glue you use, which I think CA Glue is the thing, but if some one knows a better solution for glue (Gator glue?) please do tell. And when you sand, it produces a heck of a lot of dust!

Also, resin can break like plaster (though strong than plaster) so don't go dropping it on the floor

 

[Maknifiso]

Fun, Fun, Fun.
Akira class looks damn cool.

Wash your resin very good, you don't want any release agents left on the kit whatsoever.
Dawn dish soap works well, simple green too. Some people soak it over night.

CA glue is the ticket for resin. you can can use it to fill pin holes too. I use Wave CA black.
You can cut and sand this CA much easer than Zapagap or stuff like that. Hard to get tho
Also wet sand as much as possible. wear a dust mask too! resin dust is very bad stuff.

Great stuff Grends, you will love resin
Will be watching

 

[Grendels]

Thanks guys, I knew about washing the resin. I put this model in a bath of dish soap for one hour, after scrubbing it with cleanser, comet cleanser. I think that some of it was still there after that bath, but the sanding I did in the last few days got the rest of it.

I also knew about the glue. resin is a different type of plastic than styrene, so styrene glue would just sit there while the resin laughs at it. I have tried filling seams with super glue before and baking powder, but I don't like it, so I will probably stick with squadron white. I know that some of you don't like this stuff, but you should give it a try with finger nail polish remover as a thinner. (acetone kind) It works really well that way, and I can fill seams fast.

Here is an update video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6vRz88t7GQ

I actually got a lot done tonight. Build times are MUCH faster when you are not lighting a model.

 

[DreamKnight]

I know that some of you don't like this stuff, but you should give it a try with finger nail polish remover as a thinner. (acetone kind) It works really well that way, and I can fill seams fast.

That's how I used to fill seams too. But then I discovered Magic Sculpt/Epoxy Sculpt and never looked back Working with the Squadron stuff is ok but it shrinks and I end up going back to fill in more seams from the shrinkage. Not to mention the smell and with the right combination of Squadron putty, Nail Polish, liquid cement and a spark from my lighter that I can blow up my city.

Magic Sculpt/Epoxy Sculpt is very nice. It's just clay based epoxy, doesn't shrink when it dries, use a qtip or your finger with just water to smooth it out, and that stuff dries like rock solid and can still be sanded. You can also make cool stuff for your models AND when you're bored waiting for models to dry or something, you can make little cool space/sea monsters.

You can get a pound of this stuff for $15. That's less than 4 2.5oz tubes of squadron putty so you're getting more putty for your dollar.

Check it out. Really recommend this for ease and variety of use and safety too. http://www.magic-sculpt.com/Magic-Sculpt-1-lb/

It's really basically Play-do on crack.

 

[JMac]

Great update Grendels.

 

[Grendels]

Also wet sand as much as possible. wear a dust mask too! resin dust is very bad stuff.

Great stuff Grends, you will love resin
Will be watching

Thank you for this comment, I forgot about wet sanding, and it made a huge difference in my progress with sanding. I would say it really speed-ed things up. Not to mention no dust, which is a concern because I have two cats who just have to get into everything. Between wet sanding and sitting everything on a damp rag, I caught almost all of it. I also wiped her down constantly

I still don't know what any of you are talking about with squadrons, I have never had it shrink up on me. I guess that maybe I am just lucky with it. I have some aves epoxy sculpt, and have done a bit of work with it. But I have not used it for seam filling. The voids on this model are pretty small, so I will probably just stick with the squadrons. I am not too worried about blowing up my city, it is pretty small.

 

[DreamKnight]

I still don't know what any of you are talking about with squadrons, I have never had it shrink up on me. I guess that maybe I am just lucky with it. I have some aves epoxy sculpt, and have done a bit of work with it. But I have not used it for seam filling. The voids on this model are pretty small, so I will probably just stick with the squadrons. I am not too worried about blowing up my city, it is pretty small.

LOL Go boom!

When I had to fill a huge gap on a plane or something back then, I used the squadron putty and smoothed it with a Q-tip and Nail Polish remover. Then when it dried, it shrinks and I had to do it again. I thought it was me but when I looked around the net, some people had the same problems. It's random I think cause same have the problem and some didn't. I'm not sure what causes it. Maybe it's cause I live in California cause we're all weird down here.

 

[Solander]

A very interesting model. I really enjoy the akira-class design, one of my favorite in Star Trek. Will follow watching Your building process with interest.
And yeah, I agree, it is very sad that PolarLights denyed (or maybe dellayed? don't know for certain as I haven't heard anythin precise about it since last september) the production of an acira-class starship kit. It seemed to be really great..

 

[Grendels]

A very interesting model. I really enjoy the akira-class design, one of my favorite in Star Trek. Will follow watching Your building process with interest.
And yeah, I agree, it is very sad that PolarLights denyed (or maybe dellayed? don't know for certain as I haven't heard anythin precise about it since last september) the production of an acira-class starship kit. It seemed to be really great..

I spent an hour looking on the net for information on this. I found a lot of listings at various on line hobby shops but nothing on Round2's site. Since it got as far as art work for the box, hopefully they will release it one day. I would love a lit up version.

As for the squadron, I think shrinkage occurs if you use too much at once. When I do fill work, I put down a thin layer, sand and repeat until the project is done. I have never put down a lot of it at one time. Is it possible that the shrinkage occurs when you use too much of it at once?

I will give Aves a try for fill work soon, I haven't touched it yet because the directions say to use protective gloves, and I don't have any on hand. This build is getting squadron. Nothing large to fill at all.

 

[DreamKnight]

As for the squadron, I think shrinkage occurs if you use too much at once. When I do fill work, I put down a thin layer, sand and repeat until the project is done. I have never put down a lot of it at one time. Is it possible that the shrinkage occurs when you use too much of it at once?

Hmmm that could be. I used to use it for big gap work so I had to use alot of it.

 

[Grendels]

Well I didn't have any shrinkage again last night. So I am willing to bet that the amount of it that you use is related to that. Plus I am very liberal with the nail polish remover. My technique is to lay down some squadron, mixed with the remover, and then wipe with either a q-tip dipped in the remover or a paper towel soaked in the remover. In most cases I only have light sanding left. And I do mean very light sanding. I will be finished with void filling tonight.

 

[DreamKnight]

It could be! Could be I was using a really old tube too. I had that problem last year and the tube was maybe... I think 3 or 4 years old? It was during my Ex Andi's time so it's about that... maybe 5 years old. I was surprised it wasn't all dried up yet. I don't know where it's at now though. I stashed it somewhere when they guy at the LHS turned me to Magic Sculpt when I tried to buy a new tube of Squadron to see if that was my problem.

Anyone find it sad I time my life events with Ex's? Anyone find it even more sad I have enough Ex's to time my whole life events too? I'll settled down one day when I find a woman that doesn't drive me crazy. I have a feeling I'mma gonna die alone though.

 

[Grendels]

I am using a new tube, so maybe the people over at Squadron's fixed it when they found out about the complaints. I have had little trouble with it.

 

[Grendels]

Well here is the third part in the series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb-NFEyZtlg

In this video I show how I filled the voids. I have finished this up, and later today I will work on a little bit of the detail work, and glue her together. I am also working on the paint job a bit. Experimenting with silver paint and clear paints. I want to try and get a glowing effect with out lights. Don't know how it will work out.

 

[Quaralane]

Always nice to see how other modellers attack problems

 

[Grendels]

Well I have a new video up, in this one I show you how NOT to bend resin. That was a learning experience!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us4RUXMGxIc

 

[Quaralane]

Heat can be your best friend, or your worst enemy.

 

[java]

Looking good,i was terrified for a moment there when the heatgun came out,worked out fine though,just goes to show your braver than i am with heatguns with resin.