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THE Idiot's Guide to Kitbashing


WraithVerge

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I am trying to reshell an alternator with a model kit wherein the wheels dont line up exactly.

In one of LOBO's guides, he recommended lining the model up to the dashboard instead of the wheel bases.

What happens to the wheels then??

 

In a situation like this you might need to alter the transformation to one degree or another. Ie if the original or base figure's transformation calls for the legs to be folded then you might want to put them out straight. If that still doesn't fix your problem then you might need to cut and elongate a piece or two of the base figure in order to get things lined up. What mold and model have you chosen anyways? There might be some other Alternator mold that may line up better with your model. Though if you are working with Smokes, or Jazz then then leg extending method might work for lining up the wheel base.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hoy hoy, guys. Got a bit of a question. I've been following Jin's paintguide topic too, so I'm not sure where I should actually post this question.

 

I picked up some of Avon's Mirror Shine Nail Polish "Foil". I test painted an item last night, didn't like how visible the brush strokes were...so I was wondering, can I do the "add a drop or two of water" to thin it out to nail polish, or is this just for paints only?

 

Aoi

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I beseech thee, O Kitbashing Gods!

I sifted through 13 pages and couldn't find the answer for this problem (which prolly means it was on page 14)

 

I'm bashing Movie Payload into a school bus (don't ask)...it's pretty much gonna be a straight-up repaint, except the roof. How to I extend the front over the truck cab and add to the top of the roof to round it off? I figured on using something to mold/sculpt the shape i need, but wasn't sure on the best way to do it. I'm sure it'd need to be something lightweight, so he won't be topheavy. Or should I just keep it hollow, curling pieces of plastic over some sorta ribbing? This'll be my first bashing/painting of ANY sort, so use small words.

Infinite aprreciation!

-Hearse

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I beseech thee, O Kitbashing Gods!

I sifted through 13 pages and couldn't find the answer for this problem (which prolly means it was on page 14)

 

I'm bashing Movie Payload into a school bus (don't ask)...it's pretty much gonna be a straight-up repaint, except the roof. How to I extend the front over the truck cab and add to the top of the roof to round it off? I figured on using something to mold/sculpt the shape i need, but wasn't sure on the best way to do it. I'm sure it'd need to be something lightweight, so he won't be topheavy. Or should I just keep it hollow, curling pieces of plastic over some sorta ribbing? This'll be my first bashing/painting of ANY sort, so use small words.

Infinite aprreciation!

-Hearse

 

The answer to your problem is styrene plastic sheeting, and styrene plastic angles. Now this isn't going to be extremely easy your first few times however the more you practice with it the better you'll get and the easier it will become.

 

Step 1 measure the space you need to cover then draw it out. Always sketch out what you want to do before you start cutting.

Step 2 start cutting the shapes you need out of the sheeting and gluing it to angles, and the figure. If you really want a bus then I suggest making the sides double layered so that you'll be able to have windows molded on.

Step 3 paint

 

I know this seems super easy and it is after you've done it a few times.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi, I read the guide on kitbashing/painting and Im very interested in giving it a shot. My question is: are there any TFs that would be particularly good for a beginner? You know, something simple to practice on that wouldnt break the bank (Cautiously looks behind for wary wife lol). Or any TF in particular to avoid if your a beginner? Thanx in advance. :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil

 

Hahaha, that lil Grimlock cracks me up!

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Hi there, Vigil. My personal advice, if you're wanting to get started in kitbashing/repainting is to go after the Knockoff figures from Big Lots and the various Dollar stores that are about. That way you'll only be out a couple bucks if the kitbash comes out not how you're liking it.

 

Other than that, I can't really recommend which figures to start off or to not start off with. Keep an eye on the various kitbashers here, and I'm sure you'll start picking up ideas. :thumb Now that I'm out of work and have the free time, I'm ready to get back into the kitbashing game myself.

 

Good luck!

 

Aoi

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Hi, I read the guide on kitbashing/painting and Im very interested in giving it a shot. My question is: are there any TFs that would be particularly good for a beginner? You know, something simple to practice on that wouldnt break the bank (Cautiously looks behind for wary wife lol). Or any TF in particular to avoid if your a beginner? Thanx in advance. :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil

 

Hahaha, that lil Grimlock cracks me up!

 

Hey there VIGIL welcome to the kitbash forum. The easiest kind of bash to do is a repaint. What I usually do before repainting is look around tfu.info at the G1 characters, and figs to see if there's a character you want to update. Then you need to check out the latest figures, and the Knock Offs at biglots and other discount stores to see if you can find a figure that has some resemblance to it ie. Cybertron Hardtop looks like G1 Beachcomber aside from color, Cybertron Shortround looks like G1 Seaspray also aside from color, and Cybertron Armorhide looks like G1 Huffer, and pipes aside from color. There are other examples you just kind of need to see what strikes you when you look at a figure. The next step many take into kitbashing is head swapping, and then there is reshelling. Head swapping is when you find a figure that fits what you want for your project perfectly except for the head and then you find a head that works just right. Reshelling is one step away from scratchbuilding. When Reshelling you take an existing transformer, and cut it up to make it so you can make it into a different alt mode. Like many here have done with Alternators Jazz, Smokescreen using there basic bodies and putting a 1:24 or 1:25 scale car model kit over the bodies. Next of course is the scratbuild. Scratchbuilding is when you build your figure from styrene plastic, model car parts, and some actual TF body parts creating your own transformation scheme and everything.

 

As for what you should start with basically you need to start by looking around and seeing what kind of bash you think you might be able to handle starting out, and what tools you might want to buy to help you. The first thing on your list really needs to be a Dremel.

 

What ever you decide to start with good luck and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

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Hi, I read the guide on kitbashing/painting and Im very interested in giving it a shot. My question is: are there any TFs that would be particularly good for a beginner? You know, something simple to practice on that wouldnt break the bank (Cautiously looks behind for wary wife lol). Or any TF in particular to avoid if your a beginner? Thanx in advance. :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil :tfevil Hahaha, that lil Grimlock cracks me up!
Hey there VIGIL welcome to the kitbash forum. The easiest kind of bash to do is a repaint. What I usually do before repainting is look around tfu.info at the G1 characters, and figs to see if there's a character you want to update. Then you need to check out the latest figures, and the Knock Offs at biglots and other discount stores to see if you can find a figure that has some resemblance to it ie. Cybertron Hardtop looks like G1 Beachcomber aside from color, Cybertron Shortround looks like G1 Seaspray also aside from color, and Cybertron Armorhide looks like G1 Huffer, and pipes aside from color. There are other examples you just kind of need to see what strikes you when you look at a figure. The next step many take into kitbashing is head swapping, and then there is reshelling. Head swapping is when you find a figure that fits what you want for your project perfectly except for the head and then you find a head that works just right. Reshelling is one step away from scratchbuilding. When Reshelling you take an existing transformer, and cut it up to make it so you can make it into a different alt mode. Like many here have done with Alternators Jazz, Smokescreen using there basic bodies and putting a 1:24 or 1:25 scale car model kit over the bodies. Next of course is the scratbuild. Scratchbuilding is when you build your figure from styrene plastic, model car parts, and some actual TF body parts creating your own transformation scheme and everything.As for what you should start with basically you need to start by looking around and seeing what kind of bash you think you might be able to handle starting out, and what tools you might want to buy to help you. The first thing on your list really needs to be a Dremel.What ever you decide to start with good luck and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
Thanks alot for the insight. I actually found something I wanted to do. It was to remake Soundwave into a B2 bomber and somehow create a M1 Predator into Laserbeak. Fortunately I came across a "bomber" type transformer in Dreadwing/Smokescreen. I thought of converting Smokescreen so that he transforms into ya know, Laserbeak and a jet but then during my online search I discovered that the Cybertron Soundwave already looks like a bomber and comes with Laserbeak. Arg. So I scrapped that idea. Now have a bunch of Dreadwing/Smokescreen parts lying around, I just gotta figure out what I want to do with them. I wouldnt expect anything from me soon. Me and my wife are in the process of moving from Illinois to Virginia beach so this is something I wont be able to really dig into until I have a lot of free time. Probably when she gets shipped out to sea :(. Again, thanx for the help :).
Hi there, Vigil. My personal advice, if you're wanting to get started in kitbashing/repainting is to go after the Knockoff figures from Big Lots and the various Dollar stores that are about. That way you'll only be out a couple bucks if the kitbash comes out not how you're liking it. Other than that, I can't really recommend which figures to start off or to not start off with. Keep an eye on the various kitbashers here, and I'm sure you'll start picking up ideas. :thumb Now that I'm out of work and have the free time, I'm ready to get back into the kitbashing game myself. Good luck!Aoi
Thanx alot Aoi!
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I want to try and make a Devil's Due Starscream out of an existing G.I. Joe Cobra Night Raven toy...but then we are talking some pretty big arms and legs...so then I thought that it would be easier to do the same figure, only use a plastic model of an SR-71 since it's already in pieces and ready to be built up...any thoughts?

 

Also, I have a 1/48 scale B-1B bomber still in the box sitting in my closet that is just screaming to be made up into something realy scary like along the same lines as Blackout, but again, we are talking about a kit that's about 3 feet long when completed...so I guess yoda was wrong, and size DOES matter...

 

Just hunting for ideas/inspiration...

 

Thanks!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hoy hoy, guys. I was poking around HobbyLinkJapan earlier, and found a few things that I was wondering about.

First off, this seems like a nifty product. Has anyone used it? http://www.hlj.com/product/GNZM-133

 

Next, http://www.hlj.com/product/KBYST-03 is a set of Modeling Nozzle. I think I actually got some of these in a modeling set I purchased, but I actually have no idea what or how they're used for.

 

Aoi

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