August 31, 2006: I finally cracked down and opened
up one of the MG Gyan's I have and snapped it together during the past
weekend. Over the course of this past week, I've been working on it off
and on, with the intial sanding for the internals and doing a few cosmetic
mods. On a side note, I recently picked up a new camera so I'm still in
the process of getting used to my new camera. (disclaimer for crappy pictures).
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 001_jpg.jpg)
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![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 005_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 006_jpg.jpg)
So having throught that I lost one of the index fingers
for the kit. Rather than keep searching, I decided to cast one using the
remaining index finger. The molds is made from a product called "faststeel"
a steel reinforced epoxy putty that hardens very quickly. I coated the
finger with vasaline and then pressed it into the faststeel putty. Once
the putty hardened, I used another blob of the putty and created the other
side of the mold. Once hardened, I used tamiya epoxy putty fast type and
pressed the putty into the mold halves that have been lined with vasaline
and then left it there overnight. I did this last night, so today, I was
able to pop the recasted index finger out; sanded, and washed it and it's
now ready for paint.
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 008_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 009_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 010_jpg.jpg)
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![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 015_jpg.jpg)
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Finally, I did some drilling into a few select pieces for
some small metal beads. The last two pictures are of the internals that
are ready for painting.
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 022_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 023_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 024_jpg.jpg)
September 4, 2006: Labor day weekend update. I've seen several
modelers build mono eyes with a round casing around the mono eye sensor;
which I think looks really nice. So using option venier parts and option
clear eye parts, I built a mono eye casing:
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 028_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 029_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 030_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 060_jpg.jpg)
I also modified the backpack thrusters to use mechaskunk's
machined aluminum thrusters. Since the thrusters are smaller than the
thruster area for the Gyan, I used another thruster from wave venier option
parts as an additional thruster casing for the aluminum thruster. Here's
the progress on that.
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 034_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 035_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 036_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 042_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 043_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 044_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 058_jpg.jpg)
Some other modifications include lengthening the head spike,
drilling small holes for metal bead fittings, and making a deeper scribe
on the leg panel lines.
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 031_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 032_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 049_jpg.jpg)
The following pictures are pictures of the completed internal
frame:
These are some pictures of the parts painting progression:
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 039_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 040_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 041_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 038_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 037_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 050_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 051_jpg.jpg)
Here's the kit painted as well as a comparion shot with
Mr. G3 for which I neglected to photograph with the initial snap fit.
Next up are the finishing steps: clear coat, decals, wash, final clear
coat.
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 052_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 053_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 054_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 055_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 056_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 057_jpg.jpg)
![](thumbnails/shin_gyan_prog 062_jpg.jpg)
Update Information:
The kit is finished, click
here for the completed page.