So last week, I got a call from the local model distributor, chatting up about upcoming anime conventions, model contests, etc; and he asked if I could get a crew together to put together some 1/12 scale gunpla kits for him to use as display pieces. These large HYGM kits came out 5 years ago and I’d seen them once or twice at various conventions and events; so I jumped at the idea; I figured that the usual suspects I gather to work on such projects would be excited. This was sometime last week, and during my busy weekend, it slipped my mind until while in Solvang, someone mentioned the up coming build gathering. I mentioned the possibility of building the two 1/12 scale HYGM kits and all I could see was a HUGE grin form on Angel. They were all in, so I made the call to the distributor and said we were good to go on building the things. I figured that since the build gathering was coming up, I could pick up the kits this week and then just have them sitting there until the build gathering and then just have the folks at the gathering put them together.
Yesterday, I took off work a little early; I still have some hours to burn off too; but I made it out to the distributor’s warehouse and sat down with the guy to discuss some other up coming events and a contest event I’m working on for him. Two hours later – the guy likes to talk, we get around to moving the boxes for the two kits to load into my little tc. I fold down all the seats, and everything fits perfectly. I take off on my way home and then I remember a little bit of the conversation from earlier. I give the guy a call back to confirm that the two kits need to be finished by Friday; he confirms. There goes the idea of doing this at the build gathering. On the drive home, I call up the most local of model builders that I know may be free to help out tonight; and set the evening’s events into motion.
No more than 10 minutes after returning home, Sharon and David show up and they help unload the boxes into the living room. We opened the boxes for the RX-78-2 and just started laying out parts. While doing this, Angel shows up with Sammy and Nicky in tow. Nicky is pretty much useless as she bee lines to the other living room and cracks out her books while flipping the tele on to BET, it’s like a stereotype oxymoron; but Sammy is up for helping out.
The parts are taken out, and the thing’s leg parts are just about the same size as us. The thing will definitely be at least 5 ft tall. Sharon is about 4’9 so we’ll get a nice little prom date picture later.
The instruction sheet is pretty cut and dry. The nice thing about the organization for the screws are that they are well organized. There are about 20 pouches of screws with a labeled number that corresponds to the instruction steps. This should be a fairly quick build. Everyone sets off to work on specific appendages, Angel quickly starts on the feet, I get the legs going, Sammy helps out Angel, Sharon starts organizing the parts and gets down to working on the skirt pieces and the hands, and David gets to work on the shield.
We take a little bit of a dinner break when the pizza arrives. But get back to work. Jay tries on the crotch piece, but it doesn’t fit; so Sharon puts it on – for some strange reason, it smells like fish now. Jay and David get the main torso piece together. Angel and I are working on the arms, and Sammy is working on clipping flash and sanding. When I originally saw the parts, I figured that everything was set and it was just a giant lego kit; however, at close inspection of some of the parts there were flash pieces that needed to be clipped and sanded down. I resisted the temptation to break out the putty and fix some seam lines. Oh well, maybe when we get the suckers back and can modify and paint them. Sharon continues on the fingers and hands. Hugo is constantly pacing back and forth not giving a damn and just stepping on parts and stuff, so I grab him and we now have Hudam, or is it Gungo? Well, he has a v-fin, it’s proof he’s a Gundam now. And of course, the ubiquitous middle finger pose…
The shield and weapons are done, so with that, time to make some new facebook profile pictures. With the kit put together, we still have the decals to add. The problem here is that the decals are not cut, it’s just one big sticker sheet. I call it a night for the build and decide that the decals will be added on the following night. The Zaku needs to be built, so we can probably dedicate a few folks to working on the decals while another team works on the Zeek.
And with the damn thing build, the silliness begins… oh just wait until the Zaku is built. I already have a list of things I want in photographic evidence.
More pictures are here: http://gamerabaenre.com/1_12_gundam_commish.htm
So you’re doing the Gundam -and- Zaku? Nice… It sounds like there’s not a lot of time but are you gonna do anything fancy?
Not in these two days, just assemble and the stickers. But there is potential down the road to do mods/paint/etc… There is so much potential with the damn things…
Ah, not even paint at this point? That’s too bad… Still, good times.
LMAO I didn’t comment that you knew David and Julie! We’ll all have to hang out and do some group-build stuff sometime!
…And by Julie, I of course mean Sharon. LMAO I’ll have to tell those two that I switched their names here. /Ffffffffffffft