Author: Mark

Posted on by

HG Bracer Phoenix Review

Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

Introduction

I recently received a HG Bracer Phoenix to build after watching some of the Pacific Rim world / universe anime which left me curious about the models. This review covers the box, what the parts look like, and the subsequent model.

In my previous post I reviewed the HG Obsidian Fury which you can find here.

The Box

The box for the HG Bracer Phoenix is slightly smaller than the other models I have built; its box dimensions are 19cm by 30cm by 5.5cm tall approximately, and as with all the boxes from Bandai the cover art is evocative of the whole world the model comes from.

HG Bracer Phoenix Box
HG Bracer Phoenix Box

Inside the HG Bracer Phoenix Box

Inside the box there is a small section of stickers and a few plastic wrapped runners. It is worth noting that I didn’t bother with the stickers on this model because I feel that it will ultimately benefit from some painting to make it standout.

HG Bracer Phoenix Box Contents
HG Bracer Phoenix Box Contents

Once unpacked I found the 4 runners along with the stickers. It is worth noting that as with the Obsidian Fury model the JTP-2 sprue had more parts than I needed. As is normal with these kits the runners are labelled (A, B, C, and JTP-2).

HG Bracer Phoenix Sprues
HG Bracer Phoenix Sprues

Underneath the runners was also the all important manual. Again this features some stunning artwork and helps add to the feel of the product. The art is also laid out in the same format as the Obsidian Fury front cover.

HG Bracer Phoenix Manual Front Page
HG Bracer Phoenix Manual Front Page

HG Obsidian Fury Build

The build itself runs along the same process as building the other HG grade models. Starting with the kits head, I then moved on to the torso, arms, and finally the legs.

Torso Top
Torso Top
Right Leg
Right Leg
Left Leg
Left Leg
Right Arm
Right Arm
Left Arm
Left Arm
Pelvis
Pelvis
Torso and Head
Torso and Head
Torso Back
Torso Back
HG Bracer Phoenix Parts before final assembly

I found the instructions easy to follow, and used the normal tactics of cut from the runner leaving a small piece, then trimming with a knife. To clean up visible areas where they were cut from the sprue I used 800 grit sandpaper, before finishing it with 3000 grit sandpaper. On the Obsidian Fury build (here) I used 3000 grit only and it took forever. By using the 800 grit first, and being careful, I increased the speed of the build without compromising the quality of finish.

The Final Model

After approximately one and a half days of assembly I finally had the model complete.

HG Bracer Phoenix Finished Model Front
Finished Model Front
Finished Model Front
Finished Model Front
Finished Model Back
Finished Model Back

Pros and Cons

I really enjoyed this build. However, a couple of the pieces of the manual could do with more clarity, and I found myself, a couple of times, having to triple check to make sure what I was doing made sense. There is also an odd combination on this model between the smaller sections and the larger armour pieces. The finished model is smaller compared to the other models and with him in a crouch position he comes up to just above the Obsidian Fury’s waist. That said, personally I prefer this model to the Obsidian Fury and for me it feels more sturdy and I like the overall look of the model. I would buy it again, and I would buy it if it was twice the size!

Thanks for reading this HG Bracer Phoenix review. Please check out the other articles on the site, and let us know if there is anything you would like us to cover.

Contact Us

Posted on by — 1 Comment

HG Obsidian Fury Review

Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

Introduction

I recently was fortunate enough to receive a HG Obsidian Fury. I was interested in this model after watching some of the anime available around the Pacific Rim world, and decided to write up a HG Obsidian Fury Review.

The Box

The box for the HG Obsidian Fury is slightly smaller than the other models I have built. The box dimensions are 19cm by 30cm by 5.5cm tall approximately. The art, like with all the boxes from Bandai, is however, evocative of the whole world the model comes from.

HG Obsidian Fury Box Cover Art
HG Obsidian Fury Box Cover

Inside the HG Obsidian Fury Box

Inside the box there is a small section of stickers and a few plastic wrapped runners. It is worth noting that I didn’t bother with the stickers on this model. I feel that it will ultimately benefit from some painting to make it standout.

HG Obsidian Fury Box Contents
HG Obsidian Fury Box Contents

Once unpacked I found the 5 runners along with the stickers. The yellow runner only has a couple of parts and two of those are the plasma chainsaws. As is normal with these kits the runners are labelled (A, B, C, D, and JTP-2).

Underneath the runners was also the all important manual. Again this features some stunning artwork and helps add to the feel of the product.

HG Obsidian Fury Manual Front Page
HG Obsidian Fury Manual Front Page

HG Obsidian Fury Build

The build itself runs along the same process as building the other HG grade models. Starting with the kits head, I then moved on to the torso, arms, and finally the legs.

Partial Torso
Partial Torso
Completed Chest
Completed Chest
Back
Back
Torso
Full Torso
Pelvis
Pelvis
Head
Head

I found the instructions easy to follow, and used the normal tactics of cut from the runner leaving a small piece, then trimming with a knife. I then used 3000 grit sandpaper to sand down anything left.

The Final Model

After two days of assembly ( I spent a lot of time on the 3000 grit sandpaper), I finally had the model complete.

Obsidian Fury Front
Obsidian Fury Front
Obsidian Fury Side
Obsidian Fury Side
Closeup
Closeup

Pros and Cons

I’ll start with the bits I don’t like about the model. I found the model feels less sturdy and stable than the other Gundam models I have built. It feels more awkward to pose and is nearly entirely reliant on the stickers to add colour to the model. However that said I love the look of the model, and I think with some airbrushing it will help it pop. Would I buy the model again…absolutely! Despite the bits I am not too keen on, I love how different it looks, and the general style.

Thanks for reading this HG Obsidian Fury review. Please check out the other articles on the site, and let us know if there is anything you would like us to cover.

Contact Us

Posted on by

Gundam HG PHARACT Information

Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

Introduction

Bandai are due to release the Gundam HG Pharact model towards the end of this year. Certainly the renders of the model (as seen below) look absolutely stunning. At the moment there appears to be only a little information available about the model. However, below is what we do know so far.

HG Gundam Pharact
HG 1/144 Gundam Pharact

HG PHARACT Shipping Date

The most recent update for European shipping has an estimated arrival date of January 2023. Obviously this could slip due to the global shipping / transport conditions but that is the estimate at the moment.

Estimated Cost

At the moment it is looking like the RRP for the model in the UK should be around the £20 price range. However most retailers (ourselves if we are fortunate to get them in stock will likely have them at slightly less.

External Links – HG PHARACT

Contact Us

Posted on by

Shop Update

Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

Shop Update

This is just a brief shop update to keep everyone in the loop. Everything is currently setup except for the VAT number and EORI number. I have, unfortunately, no control over this. I have to wait until HMRC have completed their checks and issued the ID. As soon as I have that I can put an order in for stock. So if there is anything you are interested in me looking to order in please let me know.

However, that doesn’t mean I have been sitting back and doing nothing while prepping to provide the shop update! On top of making sure the shop is configured and ready to accept the products. I have also tested the email integration and been working on social media accounts. I will update more on those once we get posting.

In the meantime feel free to checkout RX-78-2 Head Prep where I go through the process I went through in prepping my RX-78-2 Gundam head for making the join line disappear. It looked like the image below before I did the work on it!

Head before cleaning facing left
Head before cleaning

I will keep everyone updated as I learn more. Thanks everyone for your patience, and here is hoping we can build a great portal to let you purchase the models you want at prices that are as pocket friendly as possible.

Posted on by

RX-78-2 Head Prep

head clean
Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

Before I could detail the process I use to remove / hide join lines I needed to take my RX-78-2 head and prep it. I had already worked on it previously so some clean-up was in order.

Tools

First I gathered all the tools I was going to need.

Cotton tips
Cotton tips
Nitrile gloves
Nitrile gloves

Paint remover
Paint remover
Dissolved putty
Dissolved putty

RX-78-2 Head Before Cleaning

Before I started here is what the head looked like prior to cleaning

Head before cleaning facing left
Head before cleaning facing left
Head before cleaning facing right
Head before cleaning facing right

RX-78-2 Head Cleaning Method

Step 1 – Put on the gloves 😀

Step 2 – Lay down a piece of tissue paper. This is important for while you are cleaning.

Step 3 – Dip the tip of one of the cotton tips into the paint remover and apply it to the head in a circular motion on a small section.

Step 4 – Repeat step 3 until the paint begins to lift / bunch up into globs.

Step 5 – Clean / dry the head with the tissue paper.

Step 6 – Repeat steps 3 – 5 until the head is clean, moving to new sections as one area becomes clean.

Once completed the head looked like this:

head clean
Clean Head

Next time

In my next post I will detail adding the putty to the head, sanding down, and finally adding the undercoat.

Posted on by

Customising my RX-78-2 Gundam

RX-78-2 Gundam Head Front
Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

After watching many different videos, I decided I wanted to try customising my RX-78-2 Gundam. Or more accurately my HGUC RX-78-2 Gundam – E.F.S.F. Prototype Close-Combat Mobile suit.

I planned on using this as a test bed for multiple types of customisation’s. This included:

  • Lighting
  • Gap Filling
  • Airbrushing / Painting

This project has been delayed by me breaking a couple of pieces of the model. This occurred while taking the model apart multiple times. I am writing a blog post about that whole experience (replacing parts) but that will be completed once I have managed to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Customising – Lighting

I will go into more detail on lighting in a later post. However I have tried multiple different LED sources, and different voltages. I will go into the details in a separate post as they are worthy of a post on their own. I will say that I have used small scale lights website to order leds and the service has been fantastic.

Customising – Gap Filling

I decided to use Mr Hobby Mr. Dissolved Putty for filling the gaps. Again I will do a full post with pictures covering the whole process. Before filling the head has an obvious join/gap running up both sides and over the top.

RX-78-2 Gundam head with gap
RX-78-2 Head with Gap

After filling the gap and sanding down there is still a clear line. I use my fingernail to run across the line to feel for any indentation or raised parts; if there are any then I continue to sand. Once I’m happy I move on to painting / airbrushing.

Customising – Airbrushing / Painting

The aim of airbrushing the model for me is to gain a greater control over the look of the final model. I have seen fantastic work done with weathering and other paint effects and want to explore the options available to me. However, the first test was to see if airbrushing over the head would remove the join mark.

Painted RX-78-2 Gundam Head
Painted RX-78-2 Gundam Head

I was fairly happy with the result, certainly the join mark (to me) is invisible. However, I do need to clean the head up and give it another coat to make it a lot cleaner.

Customising – Conclusion

I am happy with the results that can be achieved with a few tools and a little patience, and aim to do a more thorough walk through of the prep, and painting of the head, to make it clearer as to all the steps taken to achieve that result. I definitely think if nothing else the time taken to hide any visible joins is well worth it.

Posted on by

Gundam.co.uk Store

Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

Introduction

After much debating I decided that gundam.co.uk store should have the ability to purchase models. Initially I am in the process of trying to put together the necessary contacts to import the models. Once that is in order I can make them available to everyone in the UK at competitive prices.

I want to ensure that the gundam.co.uk store provides everyone who loves the hobby the ability to purchase or request the models they want to buy.

If things work out I will have everything put together as soon as possible. However, as you can imagine as a new venture there are a lot of things I need to consider. My plan is to put everything in place, so that once I start listing items you will have minimal delay from ordering to the goods arriving.

Can you help?

I am open to suggestions or queries on items people would like to be able to buy. That can be anything from what would be the best price for something, to an item they just can’t source.

I haven’t advertised or really put this out there yet, I want to wait till I have everything sorted. If, however, you stumble across my blog in these early days please feel free to let people know.

I realise this is a fairly short update but at the moment everything really is in the early stages. As soon as I hear more then I will update everyone.

While I wait for this to get sorted, why not check out my post on where to start here.

There is also found this awesome wiki that you can read through which is packed with information.

I want to ensure that I stock the items that you want, so feel free to drop me an email at [email protected] and I will see what I can sort once everything is in place.

Posted on by — 1 Comment

What Model Grade should I start with?

Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

What model grade should I start with is often an opening question. As a general rule of thumb as you step up through the grades, they have more parts, they take longer to build, and they are more complex. Roughly speaking from simplest to most complex the grades go as follows.

Grades
HG (High Grade)
RG (Real Grade)
MG (Master Grade)
PG (Perfect Grade)
Most common Gundam grades

What is your starting point. What experience do you have?

I have been building war-game models since they were pretty much available. I started with the solid cast lead models, and then the larger multi pieces like dragons etc. As time went on the materials changed but a lot of the techniques remained the same.

As a side note some people refer to sprues but in Gunpla they refer to them as runners. I would describe them both as just a plastic frame with the model parts attached.

generic model sprues or runners
Example sprue/runner

Model Grade for someone with no experience

Ok so you have 0 experience and you are wondering what model grade you should begin with. There are entry grade models available but I will be honest and say I’ve never built one and in most cases it shouldn’t be necessary. I would go for one of the HG kits. There are a huge number so do some research. You want to find one that you like, but that is also not going to have any known issues. My very first build was the GX-9901-DX GUNDAM DOUBLE X Satellite System Loading Mobile Suit. (HG After War – 163). I have just cut out the pieces, sanded them down a bit and clicked them together. I am very happy with how this came out. The instructions were easy to follow (ignore the textual descriptions and use the diagrams).

Model grade for someone with previous model building experience

OK so you are used to building models. That may be planes, boats, or war-games. In essence the methods and techniques are normally fairly transferable. Cut out pieces attach pieces. The big bonus here is that unless you get a very old kit (always double check) you shouldn’t need any glue for a standard build. That means none of those “I can’t detach my thumb and index finger” moments. I would probably still recommend going for a HG model or two to get the feel for the models. I find they are relatively inexpensive compared to the other ranges, and still offer some beautiful looking models with no customisation’s necessary. However based on my massive experience (of 1 and a 1/2 builds so far both HG builds) I would say that if you are competent and confident and want to try something a little more challenging then the RG models shouldn’t be outside of your ability.

Model grade for someone with a lot of model building experience

OK so you are a massively experienced builder. You are looking for a challenge and something that maybe can take centre stage on your display cabinet or shelf. Straight off the bat, as with the other levels of experience, I would say trying a HG model will let you get a feel for whether this is going to be for you or not. However if you are really looking to push yourself then you will want to look at the PG models. Note that you also need deeper pockets for these. Many people build the HG or RG models as well as performing various customisation’s etc to make the builds more challenging, more fun, for themselves, and to stretch themselves and get the end result they are specifically looking for.

Conclusion

Ultimately you get to choose what you are going to go for. Personally I tend to pick models I just like the look of. The newer HG kits still offer decent colour separation, along with decent detail. My second build is taking me forever as I try different customisation techniques. However ultimately whatever you choose as always take your time and enjoy the build.

Posted on by

Model Types

Mashup of Gundam Logos
Home » Archives for Mark » Page 13

Before going any further I needed to look into what the different types of Gunpla model types there are. I will be honest and there are a LOAD of awesome resources that cover model types out there. For example:

There are sure to be many others but those all cover the basic information and then some. It is worth noting that the types of model get referred to as the model grade. The grade will determine a lot of factors, like the level of detail and how big a hole it is likely to put in your wallet.

If, like me, you prefer to use cheat sheets here is a quick rundown for you.

Model Grades

AcronymNameScaleDescription
HGHigh Grade1/144, 1/100Generally seen as the most collectable kits. They are reasonably priced, have a decent level of detail, and on the whole have the largest selection across the range.
MGMaster Grade1/100These tend to have more parts that the HG models with more detail. They also take longer to build.
PGPerfect Grade1/60These are the top tier models. They are big, they have the most detail and will take the longest to build. Some have metal joints, and some have LED lighting.
RGReal Grade1/144Often seen as sitting between HG and MG grades. Advances in technology allowed Bandai to incorporate a lot of the detail and articulation normally only seen in the MG kits into the 1/144 scale RG kits.
SDSuper DeformedN/AAlthough these don’t have a specific scale they are normally short and in a chibi style.
Most common Gundam Grades

Scales

I didn’t have a clue what the scale sizes are like, so here is a rough approximation. Individual models may be bigger or smaller but it is a fair guide:

ScaleMillimetresInches
1/1441254.9
1/1001807
1/6030011.8
Approximate scale sizes

There are other model types and sizes, so always check the information on the specific model you are looking for.

Telling them apart

Although there are examples below, remember that some of the logos will be slightly different as different product lines can have slightly amended logos to distinguish them.

HG 1/144 should have a HG logo which will look similar to the one below.

Example High Grade Logo

HG 1/100 apparently do not have HG on the box, but they also do not have the MG logo on the box. If in doubt though google to make sure you know what you are getting!

MG 1/100 will have a logo like the one below.

Example Master Grade Logo

PG 1/60 will have a logo similar to the one below.

Example Perfect Grade Logo

RG 1/144 will have a logo similar to the one below.

Example Real Grade Logo

SD may have a logo like the one below (I honestly haven’t looked at them much as they aren’t my primary focus).

Example Super Deformed Logo
Posted on by

In the beginning

GX-9901-DX GUNDAM DOUBLE X

In the beginning Gundam was just something I heard people talk about. They mentioned they were building a “thing”, or maybe even used the term model. I was however none the wiser.

Years later I googled it and found a whole world of mecha, models, movies, and series that I was totally unaware of. Like many people who have been gaming and modelling for many years I was finding myself a little burnt out. Not from gaming, but from painting hordes of the same model in the same pose with the same everything. To date all my most completed units have been painted by my friend Steve.

Upon discovering the Gundam world I wanted to delve deeper into all the aspects of it. This is how I started (rightly or wrongly).

Before we go any further Gunpla = Gundam Plastic Model.

Where I started selecting a Gundam

After reading as many blog posts and sites as I could find, I eventually found a model I really liked the look of. This was the RG (Real Grade) Excitement Embodied number 05 Freedom Gundam. Personally I think it looks absolutely lovely.

It is also still in it’s box (I’ll explain that in a minute).

After ordering I then did even more googling and learnt a little more about the different types and grades of the models. A lot of people recommended going for a HG (High Grade) model for your first build. So I quickly ordered up the HG After War number 163 GX-9901-DX Gundam Double X Satellite System Loading Mobile Suit (pictured below).

GX-9901-DX GUNDAM DOUBLE X
GX-9901-DX GUNDAM DOUBLE X

The HG Gundam Build

So what would I say about the build; I just followed the pictures and it went together easily enough. The instructions have very clear images that make following along easy. Although most if not all text is in Japanese you can still work it out. Start from box 1 and slowly work your way through. Don’t rush and enjoy the process. In the end it is extremely satisfying and therapeutic.

Conclusion

Have you been modelling for years? If the answer is yes then really the process of putting these together should not be an issue for you.

Have you been modelling for years? If the answer is no then definitely start with the models in the HG line.

No matter which way you go, or what model you choose there is a wealth of information out there. Take your time and just enjoy the process. Most of the items can be deconstructed if needed so don’t worry and just enjoy. After all it is a hobby!