Customizing Q&A Thread

[dak]

Post here for any questions on customizing, or any useful tips and hints.

[dak]

DAK's Random Tip #1

Lets say you have a cube with no roof and one of the side walls missing, and you want to fill it with a putty to make it a solid object. Because putty can be so thin, how can you fill it so it's solid, and doesn't leak? Here's the tip:

Take a flat, glossy piece of plastic and use a very small amount of super glue to stick your piece to the surface. you may now fill your object with putty. When it hardens, simply remove the Glossy plastic.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/787/photo542kq8.jpg

The glossy plastic acts as a temporary wall and a simulated non stick surface. As mentioned in the class, super glue holds, but not forever, especially on a glossy surface.

So remember, little amounts of glue, and a glossy piece of plastic.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/4137/photo543fm2.jpg

[soundwaveCA]

If someone would make these for me I would be their bestest friend :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/soundwaveca/House/1178146180607.jpg

[dak]

those would be fun.

[Devastator]

Okay. I'm totally new to repainting/kitbashing, and I've got an Alt Skids that I would like to repaint. What's the best way to remove the decals that are on his front body panels/windshield? I've heard that you needed to soak them in some type of alcohol.

[Xalticus]

Okay. I'm totally new to repainting/kitbashing, and I've got an Alt Skids that I would like to repaint. What's the best way to remove the decals that are on his front body panels/windshield? I've heard that you needed to soak them in some type of alcohol.

Nail Polish remover tends to work really well.

[dak]

Yes, use nail polish remover and some cotton, and it'll come off nicely. Use cotton pads rather than cotton balls for a lease likely chance of leaving cotton fibers behind. Cheapest remover is the pink "Life" brand found at Shoppers.

[kidkid]

LOL, nail polish remover, that's a good one. I work at an autobody shop, I use wax and grease remover. Not sure if it works on those TF's plastic, but it works on cars, rubbers, etc, as long as u don't soak it for too long, it is easy to clean afterward. U can actually put it in water to soften the sticker decals. That way u can also remove all the wax and grease, next blow it off, or let it dry. This way u haf less chance to get fisheyes on your paint job, cuz i am not sure if the polish remover has wax or grease in it. It is a pain in the @ss when u get fisheyes....

[GMfan]

What do you think about using the same paint used on warhammer figures to be used on repainting transformers?

[kidkid]

I think those paint u use for war hammer should work, but make sure u clean the plastic properly before u paint. I dont' think u want your paint peel or chip off.

[dak]

Nail Polish remover doesn't dry greasy. It dries like alcohol.

[GMfan]

I think those paint u use for war hammer should work, but make sure u clean the plastic properly before u paint. I dont' think u want your paint peel or chip off.

What would be the best way of cleaning the plastic....alcohol and a match disinfects well :P

[JLvatron]

DAK's Random Tip #1

Dak, this is an awesome thread, and that was a great tip.:)

Us TransformersCon fans are really fortunate to have your expertise.:cool:

[GMfan]

And your random yet totally related TF quotes JL :P

[kidkid]

Nail Polish remover doesn't dry greasy. It dries like alcohol.

Cool, haha~ Now I learned something from u, so the nail polish bascially act as a wax and grease remover. Nice trick :)

[JLvatron]

And your random yet totally related TF quotes JL :P

HAH!:D
You hit the nail (polish remover) on the head.;)

[dak]

For those of you that were not able to attend, or did not get the chance to see it up close, here is the before and after of using Nail Polish Remover on TF's:

Subject: Classics Starscream
Piece: Right wing (looks like the left because the image was reversed)

Before:
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8458/photo544oq3.jpg

After:
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/6771/photo545fx3.jpg

[Aernaroth]

So is there an easy way to determine what will be removed by nail polish, and what will remain? Will it take off everything but the base plastic?

[dak]

all paint will be removed, along with the gloss coat. what would be left behind is the plastic. It will not remove the color from plastic.

[GMfan]

Interesting to say the very least...

[GMfan]

2 Customizing Questions

1. How could I remove remove the pegs holding movie Jazz's hands in so I can turn the hands on him so there on properly? (Many may want to do this too, they look totally off)

2. How would I go about painting black plastic yellow? I want to costomize my movie BB but the yellow paint doesn't spread very evenly on black plastic.

[Shepp]

i can answer the second with my really limited knowledge. you need a primer before you can paint a light colour on a dark colour. at least thats how it goes with wall paint.

[dak]

I read what you said, and looked at my character and did some research. On the back of the box it does have the hands the opposite arms. I decided to make this into a small tutorial. Here ya go:

Subject: Movie Jazz
Operation: Hand Switch
Difficulty: 7/10
Time: 10-15 min

First I'd like to say, as easy as it sounds to switch the hands, it really isn't. 2 things 3 things make this difficult.
1) You're working with really small pieces.
2) Some parts are thin and could easally break if not careful.
3) There is a really stupid barrier preventing this project from being easier than it is.

so lets begin:

Take the hood off the rest of the body, and know where the right and left side are. All you will be doing for this is removing 2 pins, switching hands and replacing the pins.

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/559/photo554mq2.th.jpg (http://img167.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo554mq2.jpg)

Take the side you would like to start with first, and grab a small screwdriver. Jewlers type is prefered. You will want to push the pin from the center of the hood (where the screwdriver in the pic is pointing) to the outside. That little tab that is covering the pin hole is what's going to make this difficult. The reason you want to push from that side is because the jagged side of the pin is on the outside of the hood

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/2933/photo555im8.th.jpg (http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo555im8.jpg)

If you can put the Screwdriver on the Tab side of the hood, do it. The method I used is a little trickier and a little more dangerous. How I did it is, I pushed the pin from the outside of the hood, going in. this closed the gap between the pin and the tab. what this also does is frees the one side of the hand from a pin. Take a small flat head screwdriver and wedge it between the tab and the pin. Push the pin in away from the tab and back to the outside of the hood.

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/3862/photo556kg4.th.jpg (http://img164.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo556kg4.jpg)

What has happined now is the one side of the hand is free and you are pushing the pin through to free the other half. The pin should bend the outside of the hand and not re enter the hole. go slowly, and the hand should be free of stress marks and cracks. When that's finished, move along to the other side.

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/3705/photo557fw2.th.jpg (http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo557fw2.jpg)

As I mentioned before, this method is risky and would be alot easier if that damn tab wasn't there. You do run the risk of streaching and cracking the part that is attached to the hood, as pictured. as long as the piece hasn't fully come off and is only stressed, you can easally dab a bit of super glue on it and it will mend it. Make sure the glue is totally dry and hasn't covered your hole before you continue.

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/50/photo558sw5.th.jpg (http://img164.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo558sw5.jpg)

When both pins are removed, switch the hands. and test fit them on the arms with no pins. For this character, the underside of the hood should be facing up, and the 2 fingers are on the upper side aswell. Always make sure you do a test fit cause you don't want to put something together and realise it's wrong, especially with a pin joint.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1854/photo559ka4.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo559ka4.jpg)

When you are satisfied with how it looks, simply slide the pin in towards the tab clean side first. The easiest way I find to putting pins back is just using my teeth. bite the top of the pin and the end point and it should slide in. Other methods are to use Plyers, or vicegrips. but don't apply too much pressure, cause you don't want to mark up the plastic. And then, you're done!

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/8148/photo561bh9.th.jpg (http://img516.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo561bh9.jpg)

[dak]

As for paint, on a dark surface, use a primer, and then use the paint over top. Use a Krylon Primer cause it will stick better to the plastic. be sure not to use too much primer, and make sure you mask your surface.

[GMfan]

Always helpful, thanks Dak. I'll put up pics of what I've done with my Deluxe Movie BB...it needed some more silver (especially with that face plate) but still needs some yellow accents.

[Polenicus]

Okay, here's the issue. A few days ago, Starscream took a dive off a high shelf onto a wooden floor. Damage? A minor chip to his foot, which is easily repairable (Got the piece, not load bearing) and the ball joint that holds the hip kibble on snapped clean off.

It's the second that's the issue. As this is a load-bearing piece, subject to torsional stress and constant weight, I can't see any glue or epoxy holding it satisfactorily, so I have two options.

1. Drill a hole in the ball joint and hip and attempt to use a screw to pin the two back together.

2. Perform a customization such as this: http://www.tfans.com/talk/index.php?showtopic=54417

Unfortunately, aside from doing the arm mod on Armada Prime (To allow the arms in super mode to free-rotate) I've never done any customizing or repair work. And Masterpiece Starscream is kinda expensive to learn on.

So I was hoping there was a Toronto-area transfan with experience with this sort of thing that could help guide me? I'm willing to do the work myself, I just kind of need a mentor I can post questions to, who can give advice on tools, glues, how to do things like those custom posts in option #2, etc.

Anyone willing to help me out?

[Phy]

I had a Kotobukiya Armored Core action figure, busted the foot off its ankle balljoint. What I ended up doing was boring out a hole in both the ball and the foot, inserting a bit of paperclip wire as a rod, and supergluing the whole thing shut. I haven't looked at it in a couple of years but at the time it seemed okay.

Anyone else?

[agesthreeandup]

You know you can pose it with the wings on the legs, not on the ball joint? He does not stand straight up when they are on the legs but he can do some good action poses that way.

http://agesthreeandup.com/sites/age3andup/files/mp03/IMG_1088.jpg

The ball joint is not cruical when in the jet mode as well so you can just dissregard it all together if you do it this way.

Spencer.

[Shepp]

phy's method sounds pretty stable, i might try something close to that.

i'm also having this sort of problem with a galaxy force optimus prime. the gear-like piece that connects the arm to the shoulder has been sheared off.

its a high load bearing joint, and using superglue didnt hold as well as i had hoped. on top of that, i only have half of the gear-like piece. so i'm in a bind as well.

perhaps the answer to polenicus' problem will work for mine as well, but i'm open to suggestions.

[dak]

I'd need to look at my SS, at some point to give you a better description of what to do, but if it's just a ball joint, you should take some super glue, stick the piece on, then drill a screw into the shaft for secure support. I've had to do this a few times. I would not suggest using anything other than a screw, cause the thredding on a screw will hold it on alot better than a smooth object.

A few note:

-Predrill your hole so it is a tad smaller than the screw.
-Use a super glue to hold the piece a first, then when it totally dries it can leave behind a white frosty residue. Just wipe away with a damp cloth.
-after all glue is dry and the screw is in, add a bit more glue around the outside edges to fill in the cracks and add extra support.
-BIG NOTE: take your pieces appart, as best as you can before starting.

If the joint is not actually a ball joint, and it is a clicking type.... this method will not work.

[dak]

I've also merged this into the Customizing thread.

[Shepp]

If the joint is not actually a ball joint, and it is a clicking type.... this method will not work.



the gear i speak of within cybertron GF op's shoulder is not of the clicky kind (which makes me wonder why it was a gear shape in the first place). there is a hole in the midle of the gear already, but my main problem is the fact that i'm missing half of the gear. is there a way to build up plastic to get it up to the original shape? or should i find something else to put in its place?

[dak]

I wouldn't try to build up on a broken piece like that. Try to find a replacement, or if it's easy enough, scratch build one. Building up on a clicking disk could make it crumble when re assembled.

[dak]

If you have a pic, that would be even better.

[Shepp]

okay, here's the joint that needs the fixing. there are no ratcheting parts inside where it connects to. hopefully this means it can be repaired.

[Shepp]

also, i have tried using superglue already without success.

[dak]

that's a tough one. I'll need to take a look at mine to see ecactly where things go. or if you could take a pic of it even more together, so I can see exactly where each piece goes and I can see the stress points.

[Shepp]

well, anymore together and it will look pretty much like the regular arm. that small gear piece that broke off is all that holds the arm onto the figure.


but i'll see what i can do.

edit: i only removed the rest of the arm for clearer shots, the only thing needed to access this gear is to unscrew the red anchor that lock into prime's side in robot mode. the one on the hinges, that allow the arm to move from vehicle mode to robot mode. just 3 screws and bam, that gear is open to access. there's no need to mess with the ratcheting shoulder joint, i just removed it for clearer pictures.

[soundwaveCA]

Just throwing this out there but how hard would it be for a novice such as myself to kitbash movie Barricade? Thinking about doing one up as a OPP or RCMP cop car. I dont know but I'm thinking about it, one of the few inspirations for a custom I've really had.

http://www.meaford.com/town/opp_car.jpg

http://www.tfw2005.com/gallery/data/1741/medium/Barricade_Car_10.jpg

[dak]

would you just repainting it or re molding the car?

[soundwaveCA]

I dont know I think remolding would be a tad much on the first try lol

[Barpharanges]

A good hobby store can have decal sets for local police vehicle conversons. I have seen Toronto, Peel Region and OPP decal sets at North Star Hobbies in Mississauga, before. The only problem is they are for a 1/24 to 1/25 scale vehicle, and most transformer cars are 1/32 scale. But it may be worth checking out...

[Tech Spec]

So I got some BT Subaru Impreza KO's recently and I knew they were not going to stay as is and are not going to be Autobots. I planned on making a few alterations to both of them. I am not a hardcore kitbasher but like to do small alterations to make the bots look better. I finished one of the Subarus (the Gun Metal Grey one) and wanted to get opinions on what ya think... honest opinions welcome, you ain't gotta lie to kick it. :D

So heres what they looked like before:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/souldrunk/Transformer%20Pics/TF%20Repaired%20and%20KB/DSC00764.jpg

Hers the first one completed, he is a Decepticon named him Oil Slick. I stripped the paint off the head and it was already black which worked in my favor. Painted the eyes red, after I just dyed the forearms and legs black. Also switched the grills from a black to chrome one, then added faction symbols on the arms and gun.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/souldrunk/Transformer%20Pics/TF%20Repaired%20and%20KB/DSC00780.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/souldrunk/Transformer%20Pics/TF%20Repaired%20and%20KB/DSC00774.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/souldrunk/Transformer%20Pics/TF%20Repaired%20and%20KB/DSC00782.jpg

[Tech Spec]

Now I have the second to work on, but I am having trouble figuring out what color to dye the parts. The car body paint is more orange than it is red and the red forearms and legs didn't go well. Should I dye these parts black or orange? Lemme know your thoughts.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/souldrunk/Transformer%20Pics/TF%20Repaired%20and%20KB/DSC00785.jpg

[GMfan]

For those of you that were not able to attend, or did not get the chance to see it up close, here is the before and after of using Nail Polish Remover on TF's:

Subject: Classics Starscream
Piece: Right wing (looks like the left because the image was reversed)

Before:
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8458/photo544oq3.jpg

After:
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/6771/photo545fx3.jpg

Hey dak, I'm working on making a Skywarp and Thundercracker myself but I guess the nail polish remover got into the shoulder and loosened the glue holding it in. I'm gonna super glue it but anyone else using the nail polish remover method be careful round those shoulders.

[dak]

Now I have the second to work on, but I am having trouble figuring out what color to dye the parts. The car body paint is more orange than it is red and the red forearms and legs didn't go well. Should I dye these parts black or orange? Lemme know your thoughts.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/souldrunk/Transformer%20Pics/TF%20Repaired%20and%20KB/DSC00785.jpg

I think you should make the legs black with red armor.

[dak]

Hey dak, I'm working on making a Skywarp and Thundercracker myself but I guess the nail polish remover got into the shoulder and loosened the glue holding it in. I'm gonna super glue it but anyone else using the nail polish remover method be careful round those shoulders.

Good advice. That being said, you can now say Nail Polish Remover is great for un gluing parts too. those nasty parts that hasbro glues together.

[Tech Spec]

heres the last guy... I named him Curb Stomp

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/souldrunk/Transformer%20Pics/TF%20Repaired%20and%20KB/DSC00817.jpg

[dak]

looks great dude!

[Tech Spec]

Thanks for your advice... black looks waaaay better than orange. After I put this together he started to remind me of Cliff Jumper.

[dak]

Thanks for your advice... black looks waaaay better than orange. After I put this together he started to remind me of Cliff Jumper.

NP, the figure looks realy good. glad I could help.

[Devastator]

Any advice on repainting over cracks/repairs? I'm fixing up a few old/broken pieces and I'm hoping to make them look new again, if possible.

[dak]

if you've got a pic, post it. I can get a better idea of what we're dealing with from one. :)

[Lio Convoy]

Dak, buddy, I never knew you were a Canuck, even after all that time in Iaconhub! I always thought you were an American!

Me and my wife just moved to T.O., so a little closer to you than Ottawa. One step closer to your collection becoming mine! :D

Alright, the thread hijack is now done. ;)

[Devastator]

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x90/kstam_album/P1030043.jpg

It's that crack across the back of Onslaught's leg on the right. (You can see the bit of white that's the glue). I've glued it back down so I think it'll hold, but I'm hoping to cover the crack now. Any suggestions?

[dak]

hmm... There's no real solid way to remove the crack. Gluing it flush so it's smooth will work, and then painting over it will remove the look of the crack as long as it is flush. If you're not into painting it. I suggest trying to find that part to replace. If there is a gap there, you can take some epoxy glue, or a "thicker" glue and sand it down. It will still need to be painted.

So if you are willing to paint the part, and all other area's to match, use a 2 part epoxy, or "thicker" glue and sand it down and paint.

If you are not willing to paint it all, and try to keep everything as origional as possible, I suggest trying to find a junker, and replace the part.

[Devastator]

I'll probably look at replacing the whole leg part then, just because it seems easier. Thanks Dak.

[dak]

DAK's Random Tip #2

When using any remover to remove paint from a surface, be careful to not rub too long. Only rub enough to get the paint off. The remover can actually eat away at the plastic. It will only happin if rubbed for too long.

[chisau]

For painting Alternators, how to do prevent spray paint from getting on the windshield and headlights? tape don't work so well.

Also, when i'm painting models, i always give them a coat of white primer paint before i start applying colours. Do i do the same with toy repainting?

[dak]

A model is not much different than a standard toy. Yes you can still prime them. if you're using a spray paint, it should work fine with just taping the windows. the thing you need to remember tho is not to spray too much at once. A build up of paint will cause it to leak. So just spray with light dustings. It will take longer, but will have a better result.

When applying the tape, make sure all edges are covered and the tape if firmly down. and there are no air pockets for paint to leak into. Use either green or Blue painters tape. and be sure to let the paint FULLY dry before putting tape on it to mask off another area. cause you then risk pulling up the paint.

[chisau]

is there a easy way to paint a plastic surface to make it look like it's made of carbon-fiber? i try spray paint over a stainer mesh. not the result i liked.

[dak]

mmmm, not sure on this one..... how about a screen from a screen door?

anyone else?

[Code of Honor]

This is just off the top of my head... One way I could see doing it is first paint the part black, or a dark gray, then take thin strips of painters tape and mask the whole part in a pattern that looks like carbon fiber. Next using a lighter shade of gray and an air brush do a quick dusting of paint, that will hopefully give it a gradient look between the two colors. Like I said this is just off the top of my head, so no guarantees. It also sounds very time consuming.

[dak]

very good idea. I actually thought of saying that. but the only thing I can see being a problem is pinstripe tape is thin on a normal car, but not on a smaller model. the tape would need to be as thin as a pin. but this is the 'prefered" method.

[Tech Spec]

Try and look for carbon fibre stickers, I found some on Ebay for like $3 shipped.

[dak]

speaking of that, i think repro lables has carbon fiber sheets you can cut out.

[dak]

Speaking of that, I think Reprolables has full carbon fiber sticker sheets.....

I think you need to special request it...

[Robimus]

118

119

Here's my little Runabout, I'm working on my picture sizing here. He's my first custom attempt - Id only rate him 2/10 but it was still fun.

[dak]

from what I can see, it looks great!

Try using www.imageshack.com and linking from there. You'll be able to get bigger pics from that.

[Robimus]

123

124

125

OK, here's another try. Dak do you recommend any specific paint for going over the plastic? I've always used Acrylic type paint but its not working the best for this type of custom. I then seal it with a varnish gloss. It works pretty good for Star Wars figures/Mcfarlane stuff but Transformers have so many moving parts I find the paint chips and rips off very easily even with the seal. Instead of heading out and buying paint at random I thought I'd ask what your experience has been?

[dak]

I like it, very nice. What did you use as a head? here's the difference between McFarlane and SW figures from TF's. they use a softer plastic. This softer plastic can accept certain types of paint better. and the amount of joints they have are lower than what you find in TF's. So it's just paint in the joints that's chipping? there are a few choices you have. but it still has the risk of chipping, no matter what you do. But to help prevent it, here's what you can do.

One thing is sanding down the joints. Do not do this to ball joints, but with the hinge stuff you can give them a slight sanding and what you remove in the way of plastic, should be replaced by the build up of paint.

Another thing is remove the paint completely from joint area's. this will totally prevent any wear on joints.

Dye the plastic. I don't dye my work, but there are tutorials out there to help you. but from what i've read it's not an easy process.

One type of paint that's good to use, and was actually recommended to me by a painter at Hasbro, is Car spray paint. It dries hard, and is chip resistant.

Here's some Prep tips that can help when adding the paint. clean your surface with a bit of nail polish remover. you want to try to take away that glossy surface and some of the factory paint. paint can have a hard time sticking to glossy surfaces, same with glue. So you need to roughen it up a bit so it bonds better. One word of caution, do not rub for too long or it will start to eat away at the plastic. only do it enough to remove the gloss. if you like to prime your work, especially if your painting light on dark, use a spray primer. Automotive or Krylon. And do seal your work with a clear coat of some sort after.

the only other advice I can give is let your paint dry. I know i've done this. even if it feels dry to the touch, it might not be fully cured. try to leave the part for the full dry period. 24 hrs is best. sometimes sooner. Dry to the touch lets you paint another layer, but letting it fully dry is when you can put it back together.

Paints: Model type paints (testors, model master) are best for painting details but not for larger area's. Car paints are great for the larger surfaces. Chip resistant.


DAK

[Robimus]

Thanks Dak, I'll try some of those idea's when I get around to Runamuck. As for the head I just altered classic Bumblebee's head which is of course the base as well. Cut off his "ears" and added some padding around his mouth. Slid back the spoiler to the trunk and painted. I've also got the seeker bot-cons in mind and maybe a Dragstrip from a classic Mirage. Hopefully GMFan will post up his seekers when he finishes them off. At least I think it was GMFan working on them?

[TTT]

WOW ! ...didn't know we had a custom thread here...cool !
Anyhoo, some of you may have seen my work before, I also am knowledgeable in the repainting field, head mods, detailing...etc. I've been doing model cars on/off for 10 years. I'll try to help out here if I can.
One thing about nail polish remover is that it does damage plastic so I wont use it anymore. I use Isoprophynol Alcohol 70% (at any drug store) it is safe - I've soaked parts for a week at a time - no damage to the plastic whatsoever, also heard brake fluid works really well but will try it later this week.

[TTT]

Any chance of a custom gallery ?.....?

[dak]

I'm working on a gallery thing. Hopefully something
soon ish.

[TTT]

OK, so I tried brake fluid to strip paint....after an hour soaking & scrubbing w/ a old toothbrush it didn't really do much.....'cept for give me a headache.
I'm going back to iso. alch. 70% (or 90% if I can find it - no headache either !)

[TTT]

I was searchin' for some 90% Iso. Alch. at my local drug store(Shoppers Drug Mart), I wanted something stronger than 70%...had to ask for it behind the prescription counter, they only had 70% and 99%.....tried the 99% - WOW, works great !
Soaked some Alt. Ricochet parts (his head/waist/crotch can be tough) overnight, paint slid right off with no effort at all.
Plastic is completely undamaged, not even any discoloration.

I'm sold.....its 99% Iso. Alch. for me from now on !
Hope this helps.

TTT

[Aernaroth]

Yeah, for people in quebec, the 94% Alcool from the SAQ is pretty good for this. I always tell my friends that I don't buy it to drink, but in case I need to strip paint. I'm actually pretty much serious about it.

[Tech Spec]

Does anyone recall seeing a Alt/BT Rachet kitbashed from a KO Metals Transform white Hound? I remember seeing one but I can't find it anywhere.

[dak]

I do remember seeing it.... let me find it.

[jourdo]

dak,

How do you find automotive paint sticks to the plastic? Would you recommend this over Kyrlon Fusion paints?

I've had good luck with the Krylon, but it is just limited in the colour selection.

Also to others: Can you only get the higher concentrations of Isopropyl Alc. from drug stores, or do places like Walmart/Home Depot carry it as well? I've had very little luck with this method of removing paint, likely because the concentration was too low. I've been using paint thinner and a cloth basically to date... little too stinky for my liking.

[jourdo]

Dye the plastic. I don't dye my work, but there are tutorials out there to help you. but from what i've read it's not an easy process

Dying is actually not that difficult. I've done it a few times and have either been really lucky of it is actually fairly easy. I've never had distortion/melting of the parts or problems like that. I'll take some photos of my limited dye jobs and try to recall the recepie that I used.

[dak]

here's one: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=148423&highlight=ratchet

Another: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=146166&highlight=ratchet

[dak]

dak,

How do you find automotive paint sticks to the plastic? Would you recommend this over Kyrlon Fusion paints?

I've had good luck with the Krylon, but it is just limited in the colour selection.

For a Spray paint I use automotive. When I was at Botcon this year I went on the Hasbro tour and asked one of the painters what type of paints they use for their Test Shots, and repaints. She told me a laquor based paint, but it is toxic and not good for home use. The closest paint to that type of paint, she said, was Automotive paint. Which is what I thought all a long.

Automotive paint Dries hard and works pretty well on plastic. One thing I suggest to help make sure the paint sticks, no matter what type you are using, is to wash the surface of the plastic with a paint remover or something just to get rid of that shiny clear coat. The reason why is because it's like putting oil or water on glass, It stays, but does not stick cause it has nothing to hold on to. Now I'm not trying to say paint will not stick to a glossy surface, but there are chances that it might not. removing the gloss layer will open up purs in the plastic, letting the paint grab on. even a Light sanding will work.

but yes, I do say Automotive paint is good. Compared to Krylon, is hard to say. both work good. but i prefer Krylon's Primer with auto paint.

[Tech Spec]

here's one: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=148423&highlight=ratchet

Another: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=146166&highlight=ratchet

Greatly appreciated Dak :D

[TTT]

Also to others: Can you only get the higher concentrations of Isopropyl Alc. from drug stores, or do places like Walmart/Home Depot carry it as well? I've had very little luck with this method of removing paint, likely because the concentration was too low. I've been using paint thinner and a cloth basically to date... little too stinky for my liking.

Answer.....
I was searchin' for some 90% Iso. Alch. at my local drug store(Shoppers Drug Mart), I wanted something stronger than 70%...had to ask for it behind the prescription counter, they only had 70% and 99%.....tried the 99% - WOW, works great !
Soaked some Alt. Ricochet parts (his head/waist/crotch can be tough) overnight, paint slid right off with no effort at all.
Plastic is completely undamaged, not even any discoloration.

I'm sold.....its 99% Iso. Alch. for me from now on !
Hope this helps.

TTT

Its only behind the perscrip. counter so you gotta ask for it, Wal-mart may have it but again....behind the counter.
Let your stuff soak overnight.

[Robimus]

I've tried out Dak's spray paint techniques and must say that I'm very pleased. I haven't actually done any customs since my Runabout but I'll try again soon, I've just done a couple of practice runs with the spray paint and I love the results I'm getting so far. Very nice.

[dak]

I've tried out Dak's spray paint techniques and must say that I'm very pleased. I haven't actually done any customs since my Runabout but I'll try again soon, I've just done a couple of practice runs with the spray paint and I love the results I'm getting so far. Very nice.

awesome, great to hear! :D

[Spacemonkey]

The waist ball joint of my Longarm is very very loose. I would like to know what is the better way to make it more tight without lose the possibility to move the waist.

If I put a coat of clear nail polish around the ball OR the socket, could it work??

[dak]

yes, clear coat can work or a bit of glue and let it dry. There are prob some other methods out there, but those 2 should work the best. what ever the method, make sure it's completely dry before re attaching the ball joint, and you also want to make sure it's not too thick, and the paint, or glue is a hard enough substance so when the joint is back together, it doesn't crack, and chip right off. I'd say go for the clear nail polish around the ball part. but not too thick.

[Spacemonkey]

Thanks for the info I'll be able to correct some lose ball joint in the future but for my Longarm, the problem finally was that the ball wasn't snaped correctly in the socket. Now it's tight enough to allow some good pauses.

[TTT]

I know this isnt a gallery but I'd thought I'd throw this in for all those who might be interested.
I hope it inspires others to do their own customs just as others have inspired me to this one.

Would the real Divebomb Alt. please stand up.....

Thanks to reprolabels & superquad7 ! ! !
I loved the reprolabels Divebomb conversion set by Dec0y13, but always thought it was kind of a waste to put them on without getting rid of that awful white color.(which worked great for Ricochet)
NOW he's Divebomb ! ! !
This is partial repaint #2 for me....also Predacon Alt. #2
This will go great with my Binaltech Rampage Predacon .

ENJOY ! ! !

TTT


http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/DivebombA%20001.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/DivebombA%20002.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/DivebombA%20010.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/DivebombA%20004.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/DivebombA%20009.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/DivebombA%20006.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/DivebombA%20008.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/DivebombA%20005.jpg

[dak]

very nice! awesome weathering detail!

[TTT]

Hey thanks dak ! ! !

How 'bout I throw in my recently finished Razorclaw as well ?

TTT

http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20001.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20002.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20003.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20004.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20005.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20006.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20007.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20008.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawB%20008.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/gettingridoftoys/RazorclawA%20011.jpg

[dak]

One thing I love about your Predacon characters is how the only weathered area's are the bot parts, and the car mode if fine. Gives them a real mechanical look.

[dak]

DAK's Random Tip #3

Subject: Unidentified Custom Project
Materials Used: Chubby Pop bottle, Ball Point Pen, Styrene, Leg of E Megatron.

For as long as I have been customizing, I have always enforced one simple thing. Think outside the box. let me show you and example.

I needed to make a certain part for my character, and I had no TF's that fit the exact shape and size of what I was looking for, so i went to the grocery store. There they had a dollar section (and yes I could have gone to the dollar store) and I started to look for objects that fit what I was looking for. I eventually made my way to the soft drinks, and found what I needed. This:

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/4094/photo730on0.jpg

I got home, cleaned out the bottles and cut away:

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/9546/photo731ew5.jpg

After working on it, here's the end result. Still not finished, and i cannot tell you what it's for... but you can guess if you'd like. lol.

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/507/photo732wg6.jpg

[Pascal]

I have no clue.

[Aernaroth]

Some kind of "limb in a jar" setup? I personally would have gone for a "head in a jar" one. :P

[BadJeff]

Looks like something you'd wear on your head to help keep the government from reading your mind....

[Pascal]

Are you trying to recreate the scene from the movie with the possessed Nokia cellphone?

[jourdo]

Omega Supreme? Assuming you are using E.Meg's leg as an arm.

Give us a hint here.

[dak]

only hint i can give is it's a character from a recent comic series. could have a toy, could not... but I'm not telling. :p

[Robimus]

So its not Buckethead? DAMN! :mad: ............:p

[jourdo]

only hint i can give is it's a character from a recent comic series. could have a toy, could not... but I'm not telling. :p

Could he be a bringer of storms? Some might say even say Thunder is some close to his heart? ;)

[dak]

there's usually more thunder in the wing rather than the heart.

[Paradigm-Shift Prime]

Great looking alt Predacons, Transtorture! I like Razorclaw best, really 'feels' like the g1er.

[Dark Rage]

I was thinking of repainting an Alts Rumble into a Alts Frenzy, would repainting an Alt need to have the toy broken for a repaint?

[jourdo]

there's usually more thunder in the wing rather than the heart.

LOL! Can't wait to see this one.

[dak]

I was thinking of repainting an Alts Rumble into a Alts Frenzy, would repainting an Alt need to have the toy broken for a repaint?

no, it all depends on how you want your final product to be. If you want it looking nice, go for a newer rather than broken toy. but no, doesn't need to be broken for a repaint.

[Aernaroth]

I'd still rather see Prime's head in a jar ala the marvel comic.

[Robimus]

Here's some picks of my second custom Classics Dragstrip. I'm getting better and learning as I go, but still wish to improve a lot. I hope practice will make perfect one day.
I still have a bit of detailing to do but he is pretty much done. Still need to finish up his canopy a bit better too. Click to enlarge.


215

216

217

218

[dak]

That looks great! have you made the others or had thought of making them combine?

[noodle]

awesome job! did you use spray paint or dye? also what head did you use for dragstrip?

[Robimus]

That looks great! have you made the others or had thought of making them combine?

Thanks, Dak. But baby steps is my thing right now. I've got my Runabout back a few pages and now Dragstrip. Runamuck is my next project. I'd love to do a few more Stunticons in the future. Maybe once those new molds of Sunstreaker and Sideswipe hit late next year. I'm pretty much just trying to get some good painting techniques down pat right now. The Mirage was easy to breakdown into components as his arms, legs, and head just pop of and on at will. The spray painting worked quite well to get the base color.
I dunno, could a classics Prime become Motomaster? Its certainly a possibility. Anything could happen. I've had my eyes on doing a little Huffer from a little Cybertron scout for a while as well.

[Robimus]

awesome job! did you use spray paint or dye? also what head did you use for dragstrip?

Thanks Noodle.Spray paint for the yellow and just a brush for some of the purple. The head was from a KO transforming dinosaur I picked up at biglots in the states. I cut some parts of the head off and used the rest. I really like how the head turned out.

[Spacemonkey]

I'm using those KO constructicons to do a more accurate devastator. i'm taking the green and purple vehicles as principal parts and the red parts of the dollarama rainbow devastator (chest plate, waist plate and leg connection plate). I would like to paint those parts with the right colors and would like to know if you could recommand me paint type and colors for the green and the purple (color number or name, testors for example or other). I'll use a paint brush to do the job. I used nail polish remover to remove golden apps and plastic finition. I'm also thinking of buying stickers from reprolabel.

[dak]

if you're willing to spray paint, use either krylon or a car paint. altho I don't think you'll find the right green in the car paint. If you're just going to use a brush, any model paint will do, I personally use Model Masters, or Testors. I don't know the right color to recommend to you. you would need to go to the store and just look or bring with you a constructicon and compare the paints to the real thing. There is a chance you might need to mix if you can't find the right color. Try looking for a lime green, or light green, and if mixing, a bit of white or yellow to mix in.

I don't really have a for sure answer, but maybe there is someone that has done this project before can tell you exactly what color they used? But one thing I do suggest, paint on a primer. There is a big chance the red color will show through, so you need to cover that up.

[Spacemonkey]

Thanks for the info

[Dark Rage]

I have 2 questions:

Does anybody airbrush for customs? I have seen a lot of customs, but my personal liking is Spencer's, since he airbrushes them with Tamiya paints. I don't know how durable the paint is (probably not much), but I don't know if it's significantly strongly with a finishing coat afterwards. I'm thinking of repainting a toy sometime in the future, so I'm hoping to get some ideas/tips on the basics of painting, and altho most people prefer krylon and handpainting, I don't really like it.

2nd question, does anyone know which Barricade toy has it's head with the closest sized-scale to the Alternator's toy line? Wondering about an Alternators Barricade.

Thanks guys, hope you don't mind if I'm all theory and no actions, kinda hard to paint in this time of year, and a small house.

[TTT]

I have 2 questions:

Does anybody airbrush for customs? I have seen a lot of customs, but my personal liking is Spencer's, since he airbrushes them with Tamiya paints. I don't know how durable the paint is (probably not much), but I don't know if it's significantly strongly with a finishing coat afterwards. I'm thinking of repainting a toy sometime in the future, so I'm hoping to get some ideas/tips on the basics of painting, and altho most people prefer krylon and handpainting, I don't really like it.

2nd question, does anyone know which Barricade toy has it's head with the closest sized-scale to the Alternator's toy line? Wondering about an Alternators Barricade.

Thanks guys, hope you don't mind if I'm all theory and no actions, kinda hard to paint in this time of year, and a small house.
Check it out its a custom Alternators Barricade I saw the other day...*I did not make this, this is not my custom.....*

http://www.figurerealm.com/viewcustomfigure.php?FID=4705

[Dark Rage]

Thanks for the link Transtorture, but that head looks really weird...

Also curious, how do I remove parts of an alternator not connected by a screw, but with a metal bar.

I'm hoping to switch roofs of two Alternators.

[dak]

Each pin, or "metal bar" has a smooth end and a rough end. Take a fine pointed screwdriver and push from the smooth end and the pin should slowly pop out with a bit of force. after a bit has come out, take a pair of vice grips and grab the pin and pull out. Sometimes it's hard to tell what end is the rough one. Easiest way to tell is the end that is rough usually sticks further out of the hole than the smooth side.

[Spacemonkey]

Some KO and a bit of paint:

-At the beginning
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc181/GEOtheSPACEMONKEY/IMGP1111.jpg
-then
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc181/GEOtheSPACEMONKEY/IMGP1546.jpg (http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc181/GEOtheSPACEMONKEY/IMGP1546.jpg?t=1195870026)

The repainted parts are: headgun, waist plate, the plate that hold the leg and torso, the chest plate, the hands and the gun, all took from the rainbowstructicon. The color match is'nt perfect but t mess me some colors to do it right (more withe and a bit of yellow in the green and dark blue instead of black in the purple). Regardless that I like the final result.

[alicethegoon]

Hi, I'm new to transformer repainting and would like to know: Is there an acutual chrome paint that can be applied to plastic in either spray form, brush, or whatever. All the paints I have found are silver metalic and not really what I want. I need Shiiny mirror Chrome. This is applied at factory on many plastic items so I'm wondering if I can purchase this type of finish somewhere.

[TTT]

Nope, its a coating, try "bare metal foil" from a hobby shop.
Paint won't quite get as good results but some come close.

[alicethegoon]

Thanks for the info, I have seen the metal foil that you speak of and was wondering if anyone has had experience applying this foil. What kind of tools do you need and what would the substrate prep be if any?

[TTT]

I've never used it just seen it in model car magazines/tutorials....check w/your hobby shop, it's not commonly used by TF customizers.

[Devastator]

Anyone here taken apart an alt hound before? I'm trying to remove the back seats and it seems the only thing I can do now is pry the panel right off. Is there a step I'm missing?

[plowking]

Anyone here taken apart an alt hound before? I'm trying to remove the back seats and it seems the only thing I can do now is pry the panel right off. Is there a step I'm missing?

The lower part of the legs have the pin running thru them...that holds the foot joint on....they also used glue on this piece to hold the two halfs together....take a razor knife and continuously scribe the seam line where the two halfs join together...if you just try and pry it apart first your gonna break something....trust me, I did it before....just keep scribing the seam line....eventually you'll cut thru the glue they used and the halfs will sepperate...then you can remove the screw that holds the back seat on

[Devastator]

Thanks for the advice Plowking! Thankfully I stopped trying to pry it apart before it was too late.

[TTT]

Plowking can take apart an Alt. Jeep in his sleep.....with his hands tied behind his back...:cool:

[S.A.A.M.]

Hey guys. Any ideas how this can be done? I want to take the pieces from the Megatron gun that came with MP01 and attach it to the WST Megatron which is slightly bigger.

[dak]

I think REDLINE did it on the TFW2005 customizing forum. It requires destroying the MP-01 Megs gun and using it's attachment points on the WST Megs.

Now to try and find it...

[kakit]

@Dak
Just a question about the paint, I saw on a couple pages back that you talked about how to remove paint, is it necessary to get a clean paint coat? Also any tips on how to get a good clean paint coat? Is primer absolutely necessary? Thanks =D

[dak]

It really depends on the paint. And sometimes even when you think you have a good paint for your surface, it still goes screwy for you. So just to help it there are a few things you should do.

almost all TF's have a clear protective coat on the plastic, removing it will dull the surface to give the paint more of a surface to grip on. To remove it, and any old paint or paint mistakes, use either a strong rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, or nail polish remover. With every one, there is a chance it could eat at the plastic, so be very careful. Use very little, rub lightly and once the main paint is gone, stop rubbing.

A primer is a good idea when trying to put a light color on a dark, or if you paint is not sticking. Not 100% nescessary, but again depends on how your paint reacts to the plastic.

Here's a little story:
I work in the film business making props and dealing with props and sets on set. Still pretty new in it, but making my way up there. A friend of mine asked if I could paint 2 BB guns to look like real ones. I said yes, and told him all I needed was a flat black paint. So what I recieved was a spray can of Flat Black Satin Krylon Fusion paint. I prepped the surface buy rubbing it with Nail Polish Remover to open up the pours, and roughen up the surface a bit. then I started to paint, and it beeded up on me. looked like crap! So I then had to strip that new paint coat, and start alll over again. This time I coated it with Krylon Grey Primer. It stuck better than the other paint, and beeded up a very little bit, but i knew it would give the right amount of grip so the black would stick, and it did, and turned out very smooth and nice.
I have used car paints for other projects and really had no problem, only issue I had was too much paint. lol.

So as a general conclusion. Do you need to prep the surface? No. It depends on the paint. Some can stick to a slick surface better than other paints. but it's a good thing just to prevent. A light sandpaper helps too.
Do you need to Use Primer? If you're painting light on dark it's a good idea and if your paint is not sticking then yes. You will see if your paint sticks or not on the first spray. If it's a paint you know and trust works on any surface then no. Right now, I find the best paints to use are car paints. They stick, look good, and are the closest thing to factory paint.

Hope this answers your questions.

[kakit]

Ah thanks a lot Dak, I'm considering starting to kitbash. Saw that awesome Devastator on TFW, I'm thinking of replicating that once he shows more pics and how to make the mods.

What kind of paint is suggested? I usually don't do painting, most I do is panel lining with Gundam Markers.

Also what kind of tools are recommended for taking a TF apart aside from the screwdriver. Like the metal pins that are quite difficult to push out, any advice on those? Thanks again Dak

[dak]

car paints work, some krylon, testors or model master for details.

common tools:

dremel
multi screwdriver
jewlers screwdriver
exacto knife
vice grips

pins can be taken out by using the jewlers screwdriver and pusing it down one end of the bar. make sure it's not the etched end. you want that end to come out first. or the small pointy tip of the multi screw driver. be careful not to slip and get your hand.

[BlitzFire]

lol...yeah...slipping and clipping the hand hurts like a (insert explicit word).

Whats the best way to get started on a custom project? Obviously, finding the transformer you wan to customize is the first step and choosing what you want to change is next.

Now, im planning to completely change the vehicle form of the character and i would probalby need to make some custome plastic pieces. And Id have to make some lights (for the headlights and tailights side markers) and some rims.

i think the rims are going to be the hardest

What would you recommend for this custom pieces? a sheet of thin plastic molded with a heat gun?

I've never done this before lol and im taking up a pretty big project right off the bat, ill be doing most of the work here at my job since i dont do anything all day haha and i can do everything here, except for the heat gun (if i require one).

the transformer itself isnt changed and the car pieces are all staying where they belong, im just change the way the shell looks like,

any pointers?

[dak]

Well, I guess it all depends. If you can find existing head lights, that is prob your best bet. Or you could do the more animated painted headlights. Or if you're really crafty, make the inside, and take a sheet of clear plastic to make the lense. If you need to make parts, use sheets of styrene and cut and carve and shape. no heat gun required. If you want to bend pieces, use a blow dryer on hot setting, and when the plastic's soft you can bend it. For the Rims I suggest finding existing tires you like and rims that fit them, and just make new centers for them. That would be the easiest option.

[Buhawi]

i just saw your rotary tool kit transformer. dude, that is just waaaaaaaaay awesome.

[Tech Spec]

where can one find a jewlers screwdriver?

[Spacemonkey]

where can one find a jewlers screwdriver?
You could find it in many places: Home depot, CAnadian Tire, Walmart, Zellers, etc... in the screwdriver section.

[dak]

i just saw your rotary tool kit transformer. dude, that is just waaaaaaaaay awesome.

lol, thanks bud! it's one of my fav's.

here's the pics for others to see:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/2930/dak011yg4.th.jpg (http://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dak011yg4.jpg)

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2379/dak041ws3.th.jpg (http://img246.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dak041ws3.jpg)

[Tech Spec]

You could find it in many places: Home depot, CAnadian Tire, Walmart, Zellers, etc... in the screwdriver section.

Awesome! Thanks man :D

[Tech Spec]

lol, thanks bud! it's one of my fav's.

here's the pics for others to see:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/2930/dak011yg4.th.jpg (http://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dak011yg4.jpg)

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2379/dak041ws3.th.jpg (http://img246.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dak041ws3.jpg)

So hes the guy doing all those customs for ya? He is sweet!

[dak]

So hes the guy doing all those customs for ya? He is sweet!

:p hahaha thanks

[Buhawi]

thanks for finally putting a sticky on mods, kitbashes, repaints...

[TTT]

Thanks for making this a full fledged forum ! ! !
WOO HOO ! ! !
(No more sub-forum in gen. disc. ...:p)

[dak]

Thanks for making this a full fledged forum ! ! !
WOO HOO ! ! !
(No more sub-forum in gen. disc. ...:p)

And I'd like to thank Super_Megatron for making it happen. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. lol.

[Buhawi]

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/seali_me/avatar/000_0521.jpg
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/seali_me/avatar/000_0522.jpg
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/seali_me/avatar/000_0524.jpg
i absolutely hate this. i've been experimenting a lot with temp and humidity. the consistency of each spray changes drastically. i bet its the humidity.

help dude.

but then again i haven't seen you paint in awhile as well. sigh. if you have any tips. i'm going against the tide and drowning. lol

[dak]

I had it happen on a Prop I was making. I think the cause for that one was putting a new, fast drying coat on a not fully dry surface. I've also had Clear coat do that on a normal plastic surface. I assume it's because the plastic was too slick or it had some stickers on it and when it dried it "shrunk" and couldn't grip.... that's the best explination I can think of. a good coating paint that has a surface it doesn't grip to well..... Best thing I can think of. I'd need to research it a little more.

[alicethegoon]

Dak your example about the problem in painting the prop you made and why you thought the paint problem occured is exactly correct. I am an Autobody Mech-Painter by trade and deal with paint problems all the time on a larger scale, but the same rules apply. When any kind of paint or curing type material is used, the drying process always releases a gas or vapour of some sort depending on what it's base is. Anyway if you trap the vapours before they are fully cured they find a way out...cracks..pits..looks like crap. The Transformer doors I observed from our fellow collector either suffered from above or the door was contaminated with grease fromfingers or something paint will not stick to. ArmourAll very bad (Silicone) anything slippy. Always clean the item to be painted with diluted iso or grease remover. Mixing products (Company Brands) can cause problems too. Applying paint too thick can be a problem also, because it dries on the top and traps the vapours. Think multiple thin coats of paint everyone! Let the proper drying time occur between coats as recomended, the manufacturer does not make up these times because he is bored.

[Buhawi]

i see my errors now. learned and thanks for the advice. both of you. :D

[chans formers]

just be careful with the wax and grease remover.dont get it anywhere near the clear pieces.it could cause the clear pieces to go foggy or in my case,crack the clear platic.lesson learned.i like to use sunlight to wash the bot first,then its onto 90 to 94 proof alcohol for decal removal.i have yet to have a part melt or become disfigured with the isopropyl alcohol method.

[Devastator]

I'm just wondering what kinds of glue you guys use for your mods and customs. I need a kind that I can use for:

- gluing on styrene parts/model kit parts
- fixing/sealing small cracks and loose/open seams in TFs

Any recommendations and where to buy would be great. Thanks.

[dak]

I just use Super Glue. but i make sure what ever the surface is that I glue to, i sand it a bit first to roughen it up and give the glue a better surface to grab on to.

when I have a crack caused by me putting 2 pieces together i just use a Plumbers putty. when it's factory and there is a crack I don't really do anything about it.

[TTT]

Question about:
Taking apart MP Prime's head...

So the title says, I wanted to fiddle with the head, since I'm curious to see the teeth underneath. Has anyone had any success?

Answer from TFW2005.com

For DVD Prime's head, the pin holding his two "antennae" together needs to be removed. The pin runs from one side to the other through the center of a horizontal "tube" section which is all one piece with the left antenna. The right antenna is just a shorter piece that caps over it on the side with the pin's head.

What I did was drill through the plastic of the left antenna side right through the center of the circle. I used a 2.5 or 2.75mm bit in a pin vise. It's just a layer with a round cavity behind it of 2.8mm diameter. When I drilled through, I could see the other end of the pin.

This seems like a fairly clean method which lets you tap the pin out. Unfortunately, I did not have a proper implement with which to do this so I just got impatient and clipped the plastic part behind Prime's face that holds his head on the ball joint of the neck. =) (Don't do that, btw, if you want to keep your head.)

Yah there are teeth but it's nothing special...trust me.
Try to keep questions like this in Dak's custom discussion thread/sticky...that's why it's here...to discuss...:)

[Dark Rage]

Thanks TTT, I totally forgot about this thread (Even though it IS a stick). And I thought it would be easy to display a MP Optimus with a smile :(

[Nemesis Predaking]

Hey guys. Don't know if this is the right place for this.
I'm trying to find somewhere to get a hold of some Styrene (sp?), preferably in blocks.
I've looked in craft & hardware store & I'm coming up empty.
Anybody be able to point me to a place I can find some ???

[Devastator]

I've been meaning to ask the same question too, except I'm looking for sheets, and ones that are lined if possible.

[brr-icy]

i've seen sheets at model railroad shops (up to 1/2 inch thick) but blocks i haven't seen yet

[Dark Rage]

For Styrene sheets,

Try these stores (GTA):

http://www.tapplastics.com/
http://www.professionalplastics.com/
http://www.plasticworld.ca/


Or these hobby shops (Although I was told they're much more expensive, might not be worth it):

http://www.hornethobbies.com/
http://www.advancehobbies.com/
http://www.wheelswingshobbies.com/

[Revolution]

Hi Dak,

Thanks for starting this amazing fourm. Your customs and well..you...are legendary.

1) How do I make (sculpt) an alternator head (materials, paint..etc) (i am looking at making Bumblebee)
2) or is there any place/person that makes these? (but it is way better to make in oneself)

Thank you.

[Nemesis Predaking]

Sculpt-bot over at TFW does custom head castings if you want to go the "premade" route.
http://www.tfw2005.com/radicons-customs/reproductions-14/sculpt-bots-head-thread-163481/

[jourdo]

Is there a good (read: easy) way to add chrome to a Transformer? Or at least a chrome look?

[Dark Rage]

Any idea how to get rid of dried liqiued paper or permanent marker off of plastic?

[dak]

Is there a good (read: easy) way to add chrome to a Transformer? Or at least a chrome look?

it's hard to get the full vaccume chrome look, but you could try a few options.

a) Use a Chrome paint. Shiny, but not mirror like.
b) Use Aluminum type Duct Tape.
c) adhesive Silver Leaf
d) chrome type Vynal.

[dak]

Any idea how to get rid of dried liqiued paper or permanent marker off of plastic?

liquid paper should be able to be scraped off, unless it's really on there. Try using the Alcohol method used to remove paint, or paint thinner. be cautious cause you don't want it to eat at your plastic.

[Bountyan]

Anyone have any easy way to line or to highlight panels on TF's, such as Animated Deluxe Bumblee or Movie Blackout, to make them stand out more?

I really want to do this on my Animated Bumblebee, so help is appreciated.

[dak]

take a thin paint (games workshop is great right out of the package), paint over the cracks you want to be lined, and right away before it has a chance to dry, use paper towel and wipe the surface clean of paint, leaving the paint in the cracks. always wipe across the line and not with the line, as going with the line could remove your paint from the crack.

that is one way to do it.

[Bountyan]

take a thin paint (games workshop is great right out of the package), paint over the cracks you want to be lined, and right away before it has a chance to dry, use paper towel and wipe the surface clean of paint, leaving the paint in the cracks. always wipe across the line and not with the line, as going with the line could remove your paint from the crack.

that is one way to do it.

Thanks alot. I may pick up some games workshop paint next time I go to the mall. :D

EDIT: Just finished repainting Bumblebee, worked out well. :D

[TTT]

From the GI Joe 25th Ann. thread...

I like your 2nd version better - but the chrome visor from the first is a great idea as well. Forgot to mention the Zartan/Bludd legs and the flak vest on your 2nd version too...the additions look great! Keep up the awesome work!

BTW is there some online tutorial on how to obtain the weathered metal look? I'm going to be putting some Gundam & Macross models together eventually...
Thanks !!!
Basically what you want to do is paint that area black first, then dry brush sliver(or whatever metal color paint of choice) over that.
Dry brushing means you are wiping most of the paint off of the brush and "dusting" the raised edges & corners etc.
The trick is to use the right paints(I exclusively use Games Workshop/Citadel for Joes & Star Wars), quality brushes and practice on junk toys before you start your projects ;)

[Powered Convoy]

OK thanks for the description!

From the GI Joe 25th Ann. thread...


Thanks !!!
Basically what you want to do is paint that area black first, then dry brush sliver(or whatever metal color paint of choice) over that.
Dry brushing means you are wiping most of the paint off of the brush and "dusting" the raised edges & corners etc.
The trick is to use the right paints(I exclusively use Games Workshop/Citadel for Joes & Star Wars), quality brushes and practice on junk toys before you start your projects ;)

[Bountyan]

Not sure if this is right place to post, but anyone know if there are fixes to Universe Galvatron's arms, to keep them from falling off? Does the super method prevent joints from coming off, or does it just tighten it? Any helpful response would be appreciated.

[Bruticus82]

Well, based on what I've read using super glue on the joints is done to "build them up" so that they're bigger, and therefore a tighter fit. If your joint is falling out because it's loose, then making it tighter will decrease the frequency with which it falls out. It might not prevent it from falling out all the time though.

[Bountyan]

Alright, thanks for the fast reply.

[The Ark]

I made use of all these sales going on right now and picked up 2 extra Acid Storms with the intention of creating my own Skywarp and Thundercracker. Seeing as how I've never repainted a TF figure before, are there any tips that you can provide for a "Green" novice as well as any recomendations for paint types and colours?

[Detective Barricade]

These might be pretty obvious, but I'm getting a new TM2 Dinobot (bright white version) in a few weeks. My old one's ball joints were extremely loose, and I lost it's beast head. Will the usual methods of tightening ball joints work? Also, I noticed on my old one that there are small bits of plastic near the tubes that hinder how far the joints can go. Can they be easily removed?

[Buhawi]

is there way to get the graphics out of this baby without touching the existing silver paint on it?
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/seali_me/classics%20voayger%20prime%20trailer/DSC00867-1.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/seali_me/classics%20voayger%20prime%20trailer/DSC00866-1.jpg

[Zim]

I just picked up a universe Hound. The fact that it's a non-brand-name jeep/made up ATV alt mode and the robot mode's really close resemblance to the G1 cartoon images makes me think that he'd translate well to a TFA character. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Zim

[Zim]

Okay...got another one for ya.

I've got a spare Lockdown and want to take him apart for a custom, but the joint holding his neck/head assembly appears to be a pin with no exposed heads. Any way of getting this apart without fracking up the model?

[dak]

I just picked up a universe Hound. The fact that it's a non-brand-name jeep/made up ATV alt mode and the robot mode's really close resemblance to the G1 cartoon images makes me think that he'd translate well to a TFA character. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Zim

I say go for it. The head might need to be a little more animated and the arms too.

[dak]

Okay...got another one for ya.

I've got a spare Lockdown and want to take him apart for a custom, but the joint holding his neck/head assembly appears to be a pin with no exposed heads. Any way of getting this apart without fracking up the model?

I don't have one in front of me, nor have i taken one apart. try taking apart as much as possible before drilling or anything... Also maybe shoot Nemesis Predaking a PM, I'm sure he's taken one apart a few times.

[Nemesis Predaking]

Okay...got another one for ya.

I've got a spare Lockdown and want to take him apart for a custom, but the joint holding his neck/head assembly appears to be a pin with no exposed heads. Any way of getting this apart without fracking up the model?

This seems to be a problem with just the Lockdown mold (mostly). I still have yet to come up with a way to get at this pin.
However, it is really easy (with the shape of the head & neck) to tape off for repainting (if that's what your doing)

I've got a few vids on Youtube, that go over some of the pitfalls & areas on the LD mold that are problems

*Shameless Plug*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUiZdW677gs&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw-z-jGZSGA&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw9uyKRVa9k&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r2UNuID_w0&feature=channel

I don't have one in front of me, nor have i taken one apart. try taking apart as much as possible before drilling or anything... Also maybe shoot Nemesis Predaking a PM, I'm sure he's taken one apart a few times.

:D 5 and counting.

[Zim]

Thanks for the input! I just broke down and took a razor saw to it. the plastic is mostly intact and I may need to replace the pin, but Insanity Glue wil probably make a solid enough join.

I've turned around the neck assembly to the back so that his torso is now the windshield and roof of the car.

Going to turn him into Sunstreaker. When I eventually get a couple of Blurrs, one's going to become Sideswipe. Both have chainsaws and are really tall/lanky, so I think they'll make good twins.

As for Hound...I think a chintastic head resculpt may be in order. :)

[Shepp]

moved from repair thread



I'm in the process of retrofitting an Armada Predacon figure into a Beast Wars Transmetal Megatron figure.

So far I've harvested everything usable from Transmetal Megatron (keeping the rest of the crumbled plastic in a ziplock bag for some reason), and swapped most of the parts with Predacon (Predacon's extra bits are kept in their own ziplock bag just in case I want to swap em back). There are a few more of the crumbly brown plastic pieces I'd like to replace, but they seem stable at the moment and I can live with it for now. Plus they're really hard to swap due to pins and non-removable parts on Predacon.

Anyways, I'm mostly done, except for painting (which I'd rather not do until a future time anyways) and the shoulder pieces.

Since the shoulder pieces on Transmetal Megatron use pins to hold in place (which are frickin impossible to remove at the moment, even with tools and enough force to risk breaking the plastic), and Predacon does not, how would I go about swapping those?

I have pics if those would help.

Oh, and on a side note, if anyone else out there is considering this, keep in mind that you'll get plenty of small brown plastic splinters in your fingers, I guarantee it.

[Shepp]

copied from repair thread

the pins that hold his shoulder pads/fans on him arent that bad to remove.the worst is the ones that allow his arms to fold in for dino mold.dont bother messing with those.but for the shoulder pad ones,the first thing you wanna do is identify which way it needs to be pushed out(on almost every pin,one end will be smooth while the other end will be textured to hold it in.)find out which end is textured then hit the smooth side forcing the textured end out first.(if you hit the textured end first,you're not going to be a happy camper at all,think of trying to ram a pin thats too big all the way through a hole that's too small)but once you have the textured end sticking out a bit,grab that sucker with a pair of pliers and puller outta there.


Thanks for that advice, but on closer inspection, both ends are textured on the shoulder pieces (that have the dino mode arms). I'm not worried about those arm hinges, since on Megatron they're pretty much scrapped and crumbled to begin with. Also, the shoulder pieces no longer have any of the crumbly brown plastic on them. I'm afraid if I really force it the whole part will buckle in half since there's only support for the pin at each end and the middle is completely exposed.

I'll post pics once i find the memory card that has them on it. And I'll take a pic of what the ends of the pins look like.

Getting the pin out is only half the battle. There's no place on Predacon's parts to pop that pin into. They redesigned how the shoulder plates mount to remove the need for a pin.

I'll see how it fits when the pin's out, but I'm not that confident about it.

[Shepp]

I think I'm going to make the whole Predacon - TM Megatron retrofit its own thread. Any further discussion of it will be made there. Plus I got a whole whack of pics.

[Prime Roller]

I hope this is the right place to post this.
I've been using some glue that is miracle wonder extreme! Put on the glue, than either spray on the activator, or drip it on with a syringe, and the glue is instantly cured! It's made for model airplane builders, and says on the bottle that it works on "fuel soaked planes"!! So no need to clean the parts first. And it is EXTREMELY strong (be careful!). You can get this stuff at RC hobby shops.
I was going to post some pics of the glue and activator bottles, but my photo files are too big.
The glue is called "Zap-a-gap" and comes in runny, medium, and thick.
The activator is called "Zip Kicker".
Thought someone here would find it interesting to try this stuff out.

[Bruticus82]

Thanks, that's really helpful! One always likes to try out a new glue, especially one with such promise!

[Johnboy]

Hi,

Is there any special way to remove the wheels of off an animated bumblebee, without breaking the peg holes?

Thanks in advance

[Robimus]

Hi,

Is there any special way to remove the wheels of off an animated bumblebee, without breaking the peg holes?

Thanks in advance

Well thats the real trick. I ran into this problem while I was doing Wasp. While I just trundled ahead with a couple bad wheels I think in retrospect I might try boiling the fender and wheel in water to soften the plastic.

Likely the wheel would come off easy then. Works great with Star Wars figures anyway.

[Johnboy]

Well thats the real trick. I ran into this problem while I was doing Wasp. While I just trundled ahead with a couple bad wheels I think in retrospect I might try boiling the fender and wheel in water to soften the plastic.

Likely the wheel would come off easy then. Works great with Star Wars figures anyway.


Thanks,

This worked really well

[OneShallFall]

I am going to be doing a Chromedome/Arcee repaint.I dont have any ideas for her head,so this will just be an alt-mode repaint.This will be my first project of any kind like this.I am looking for any ideas on the correct paint to use and sealant.I have read through much of this thread and this is what I have gathered:

Clean with Alcohol/Nail polish remover
Primer-Krylon works good
Originally I thought I would be using model(testor)paints,but I am reading spray paint is better for overall cover??
What would be a good sealant for the paint?

I know what I am doing is trivial compared to any of the projects shown in this thread,but it is a gift for my wife and I would like it to come out NICE.I thank you in advance for any info/help.

And I just have to say some of the things you guys do with your TFs is AMAZING!You custom guys are insane.If I had half of imagination and talent I could quit my job.

[chans formers]

I am going to be doing a Chromedome/Arcee repaint.I dont have any ideas for her head,so this will just be an alt-mode repaint.This will be my first project of any kind like this.I am looking for any ideas on the correct paint to use and sealant.I have read through much of this thread and this is what I have gathered:

Clean with Alcohol/Nail polish remover
Primer-Krylon works good
Originally I thought I would be using model(testor)paints,but I am reading spray paint is better for overall cover??
What would be a good sealant for the paint?

I know what I am doing is trivial compared to any of the projects shown in this thread,but it is a gift for my wife and I would like it to come out NICE.I thank you in advance for any info/help.

And I just have to say some of the things you guys do with your TFs is AMAZING!You custom guys are insane.If I had half of imagination and talent I could quit my job.no project is ever trivial my friend!!for myself,i prefer to only use sunlight dish soap and a toothbrush for the cleaning and save the isopropyl alcohol just for factory paint or sticker glue removal.and spraying will get you a better overall coat,but save the testors bottles for the smaller details with a brush.for clears,i like krylon fusions matte sprays for animated bots and semigloss for any other lines i'm working on.:)just remember,everyone has their own ways,different folks,different strokes:D

[OneShallFall]

I went to a couple different stores looking for paint,but to no avail.I thought Krylon was a Walmart brand and they sell it,but they didnt have the right pink in the Fusion paints.Do they have to be "Fusion" or can they be any Krylon as long as you seal it?I have never painted a TF before so excuse my ingnorance.Thanks

[OneShallFall]

Is there a practical way of making a ball joint larger?I am using a Movie Cliffjumper for a custom and the head ball joint is too small for the head I want to use.Replacing it looks far too complex for my skills,hoping there is a easier way out.Thanks in advance.

[TTT]

Cover the ball joint with a piece of masking tape :D
Repeat if necessary.
There are other ways but this might be the easiest.
If you still need spray paint help click the link in my sig.

[OneShallFall]

Cover the ball joint with a piece of masking tape :D
Repeat if necessary.
There are other ways but this might be the easiest.
If you still need spray paint help click the link in my sig.


Thanks TTT.I will try it as soon as I can.And I checked out your paint tutorial as soon as I saw it posted.Thank you.

[JLvatron]

What about clear coat? Would it wear down easily, by rubbing against the inside of the head joint?

[OneShallFall]

What about clear coat? Would it wear down easily, by rubbing against the inside of the head joint?


I would need a TON of it for it to work.The difference is pretty big.If I cant get the tape to work and look right I will just find a different head to use.Thank you though

[Icetron]

This is one question that I've been meaning to ask but keep forgetting.

I'm looking for a specific place to purchase some paintbrushes, or looking for any brush recommendations. :eek: I definitely need a smaller one and a medium-sized one.

I also plan to use the same brushes for Gundams. Are there any not-too-expensive brushes I could try out? The last set I bought hasn't been much use, it was probably too cheap.

[TTT]

I use Loew-Cornell brushes, I buy them at Micheal's craft stores.
Prices start at $2.50 each, multi packs are a good deal as well.

[dak]

I usually just go to the dollar store and get the kids brushes that are colored and have plastic bristles. Not a bad product for it's cheap price.

[Thehumanelement]

Apple Barrel brushes from Walmart....

They arent plastic bristles and they are more expensive/of better quality than the introductory level brushes (@ $6 if i recall) but not as expensive as the extremely high end brushes.

Ive had much success with these.

[Icetron]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll look around and see which ones I like. :)

[JaySmith]

I tried searching, but could someone give me the "411" on dying plastics, specifically Transformers Animated plastics?

[chans formers]

I tried searching, but could someone give me the "411" on dying plastics, specifically Transformers Animated plastics?what do you need to know?:)

[dak]

I tried searching, but could someone give me the "411" on dying plastics, specifically Transformers Animated plastics?

here's a few options: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/tutorials-how-tos/214539-how-dye-figure.html

[KBlurr]

Considering getting ROTF Voyager Megatron. If I get him, I want him to have a movie accurate color with the silver & stuff. But I need a step-by-step instruction sheet thing with pics or something about how to do that.

Thanks.

P.S. This is my first time.

[dak]

are you looking to dry brush, or just spray paint it? there's a few tutorials in our tutorial section that help with that.

[brr-icy]

other than rubbing alcohol, does nail poilish remover take factory paint off? or will it damage plastic?

[GMfan]

It does take off paint but it makes the plastic brittle and liable to snap. So for removing paint I would use a 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol bath. Leave the pieces in there for an hour or more and then wipe them down with paper towel.

The nail polish remover I find works faster but only use it if you're using it on thick plastic. AVOID JOINTS AND PINS....nearly destroyed the opening back on Classics Starscream making Thundercracker

[brr-icy]

ok, i want to remove all the factory paint from classics jetfire to make him into dreadwind, so avoid nail polish remover then? where do you buy it? shoppers?

[GMfan]

Ya you can get both rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover at shoppers....if you want to remove all the factory paint from him lemme give some tips

*goes and digs his Jetfire off the shelf...

ok the red on his crotch piece can be nail polished, same with the black paint on his "pauldrons". You can pop of the nose that splits to the sides of his chest and give them an isoproply bath....the rest is where it'll get tricky the rear tail fins are pinned in and getting those pins out looks like a nightmare....you could nail polish remover them but you risk breaking them since they are thin plastic. The main wing aren't easily detachable either and would require nail polish remover as well (same risks as before). The cockpit easily pops off, the back part can easily be thrown into the bath, but the main piece and the helmet have clear plactic underneath. Once the paint is removed you'll have an overall clear piece. Actual head can be iso bath'd.

I know there's not much paint on this guy but removing it seems like a night mare to me. In the long run it may be easier to just paint over whats already there instead of removing it. Be it a straight up paint job over what's there, or prime first then paint.

[brr-icy]

ok, i have him as far disassembled as possible, i think he might get a straight up repaint, except i want to mod the face so it is more dreadwind/less jetfire

[GMfan]

You;re gonna need someone else's advice for that one....I'm not one for sculpting....yet....

>: D

[brr-icy]

i know how lol, i have some thin plastic sheets to make his facemask

[brr-icy]

the paint on this is extremely resilient, some peeled quick, but the red on the fuselage is very hard, it's been soaking for like two hours almost

[TTT]

Use an old tooth brush & scrub em down ! :D

[brr-icy]

Use an old tooth brush & scrub em down ! :D

did that this morning, everything came off except what was in the grooves, i might just paint it white on top and only leave the white in the cracks

[generalblast]

What type of paint do you use to make a custom, because I never did one and I don't know if I going to use the wrong paint. I'm not going to do anything like airbrushing and I don't want paint that cost like pretty expensive.

[Icetron]

Hey guys,

Just wondering if there's a good way to paint a design on a TF. The custom I'm thinking of trying has a design on it that I'd have to paint on but I'm not sure what would be the most painless way of going about with that.

EDIT: Forgot to look at our tutorials section, I 'think' this is what I'm looking for. http://www.cybertron.ca/boards/showpost.php?p=39702&postcount=8

However, whenever I tried using that kind of masking tape the paint seeped right through it, so I wonder what I was doing wrong...

[Darth Wave]

^^^
However, whenever I tried using that kind of masking tape the paint seeped right through it, so I wonder what I was doing wrong...[/quote]


You'll need to spray very light coats (mist) and build it up. It may take you 3-4 coats to paint a section but this way it won't seep under your tape.;);)

[dak]

don't put the can too close to the part either. the paint will then build up and get under the tape. as Darth Wave said, very light coats on the first pass you may still be able to see the plastic underneath, but it's ok. each pass will cover it more and more, as well as make it a stronger paint. Look in the tutorial section for Spraying techniques by TTT. use that and this masking technique.

[Cliffjumper69]

I was wondering if anyone has ways to remove wheel pins not using a soldering iron? :confused:

Thanks


CJ

[Jessebot]

Hey, Im looking into customizing my own dinobot sword and rotor blades.

My original plan was too use a pager motor but Im not able to adjust the speed at which the motor spins.

Is there something better I can use that I can adjust the rate it spins and maybe add a stop'n'go switch?

I've also hollowed out his head in the hopes of adding laser pointer housings for his "eyebeams" - can anyone suggest a good material that I can use on the inside of his head that a laser would be able to shine through? - I tried using red polymer plastic but the only light i've been able to see through it is my surefire LED light.


Any insight would be extremely helpful. Thanks!

[Bruticus82]

Hello Jessebot.

LEDs are much more common than laser pointers as far as these things go. I actually can't think of anyone who has used laser pointers for a custom.

Now, electronics is not my field of expertise but motors tend to be designed with one fixed rotation rate, unless they're variable speed motors. Sometimes underpowering a motor can cause it to spin slower, but this may also effect the performance life. Your best bet might be to check out value village and similar stores to try and find a toy, or anything else, that might have a slow moving motor. Maybe a cassette player? I don't really know... But that's probably easier than trying to slow down the existing motor, especially if the you want to slow it down substantially.

[chans formers]

I was wondering if anyone has ways to remove wheel pins not using a soldering iron? :confused:

Thanks


CJi think someone on here mentioned before that they were able to remove wheel pins by dissassembling the bot and "boiling" the part that the wheels are pinned to in water.it may have been "zim"?(or the guy who had a whole bunch of awesome animated customs at tfcon this year.)

Hey, Im looking into customizing my own dinobot sword and rotor blades.

My original plan was too use a pager motor but Im not able to adjust the speed at which the motor spins.

Is there something better I can use that I can adjust the rate it spins and maybe add a stop'n'go switch?

I've also hollowed out his head in the hopes of adding laser pointer housings for his "eyebeams" - can anyone suggest a good material that I can use on the inside of his head that a laser would be able to shine through? - I tried using red polymer plastic but the only light i've been able to see through it is my surefire LED light.


Any insight would be extremely helpful. Thanks!
for the motor,like bruticus82 said,valuevillage is a good bet to find "donor" parts.if not,can you reduce the battery size/voltage you're using?it breaks down to the more juice you add to it,the faster it'll go and vice versa,the less,the slower.
for some thing to fill inside the head that still lights up pretty good,have you thought of using "hot glue"?it's pretty easy to use,holds a shape pretty well and is still pretty translucent enough to show a good light.but again,like bruticus82 said,try to stay away from "laser pointers" and get actual leds,even if they're gutted from valuevillage toys:)

[Cliffjumper69]

Another question, this ones for everyone but mainly for chans lol ;)

Ive always used Krylon Fusion and for my up coming project I want to use Tamiya Acrylics. I think they have great colors but I dont know anything about them. :o

Could someone give me some info, and whats a good primer, and clear coat? Ive never used a primer or clear coat before.

Thanks guys ;)


CJ

[chans formers]

tamiya acrylics are great.water wash up too.the main draw back they have is that alot of the metallic colors clump up fast.(i find enamel easier to paint with cause you have some extra time while it flows out)but for solid colors,i love'em.they're best left for smaller details,while larger areas are better to be painted with enamel.(unless you're airbrushing,which i haven't dabbled much into yet:o)for clear coats,i've found that the most compatible and "dummy free" choice is "krylon satin acrlic crystal clear" from walmart.i haven't had a mishap with it yet.just make sure that you give your new bots fresh paint a couple of days to dry completely through before you start clearing him.a good primer is "motomaster"high build primer from your local crappy tire:)

[brr-icy]

going to repaint a g1 slingshot into a g2 for a commision, does krylon make a suitable gold paint? and should i prime and clear-coat it? also where the heck can you get the wing stickers for him?

[Nemesis Predaking]

going to repaint a g1 slingshot into a g2 for a commision, does krylon make a suitable gold paint? and should i prime and clear-coat it? also where the heck can you get the wing stickers for him?

I recommend Krylon Outdoor space for a good choice of Gold paint
As for priming & clearcoat, that's up to you. I never had issues with chipping using ODS.
http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/radicons-general-discussion/213958-i-may-have-found-paint-better-then-krylon-fusion.html
Check out reprolabels for stickers, they have a Superion set for sale. I'm sure you could ask them, if they would do just a Slingshot set for you.

[brr-icy]

i asked delta, they only have a g1 set, and no plans as of yet to do a g2 set, i was the first to ask about it (weird, i would have thought people would have replaced GPSlingbroke with a custom by now just so they could have the figure displayed safely) thanks for the suggestion on the gold, i'll pick some up, what does it cost?

[GMfan]

For gold I like to use testors but it requires lots of shaking as the gold flakes settle quickly..that should be clear coated too as touching it constantly without that removes the shine.

[Nemesis Predaking]

thanks for the suggestion on the gold, i'll pick some up, what does it cost?

I have not picked some up in a few months.
I think it's about 7.99 a can.
Don't quote me on that, it could be more.

[brr-icy]

alright, it's close to what i thought thanks

[Cliffjumper69]

Anyone ever used Mighty Putty on a custom? Can you paint over it? And whats a good glue to use? :)

Thanks


CJ

[xeria]

Hi there,

I was wondering if someone in the Vancouver, BC region could help me locate some Testors Acrylic paint? I've looked in some shops, and can't find any! I'm in the Burnaby area, but anywhere in Vancouver works, really.

[blitz]

Hi there,

I was wondering if someone in the Vancouver, BC region could help me locate some Testors Acrylic paint? I've looked in some shops, and can't find any! I'm in the Burnaby area, but anywhere in Vancouver works, really.Hmmm, didn't Toys R Us or Zellers carry some.

[xeria]

I looked, but I didn't find any there, unless I was looking in the wrong section (checked the Metrotown ones, anyways) ... Is there a specific Zellers or Toys R Us that you KNOW has some?

[TTT]

Any decent hobby shop should carry it, should be easy to find in Van.
Don't buy the stuff in Zellers, TRU, Wal-Mart.

[xeria]

See, I'm new to this. I don't know where the decent hobby shops are!

[Cliffjumper69]

Anyone ever used Mighty Putty on a custom? Can you paint over it? And whats a good glue to use? :)

Thanks


CJ


Hmmmmmmmmmmmm................. :p


CJ

[Cliffjumper69]

Alrighty, Im trying to remove paint with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol, the parts have been sitting in a tub of Isopropyl Alcohol for almost 24hrs, and its not coming off. :( Any other ways of removing paint. (no counting sanding)


CJ

[Tekkamanraiden]

Not to sound insulting but you are scrubbing them with an old toothbrush or q-tips correct? I know a lot of customizers use nail polish remover to take paint off. You just have to be careful not to let it soak as it can make the plastic soft.

[Cliffjumper69]

Not to sound insulting but you are scrubbing them with an old toothbrush or q-tips correct? I know a lot of customizers use nail polish remover to take paint off. You just have to be careful not to let it soak as it can make the plastic soft.

I was scrubbing the parts about every 2 hours and I let them sit over night when I went to bed. I scrubbed them about an hour ago and nothing is happening :(


CJ

[Bruticus82]

Alright, well, one follow up question, they are painted parts right? They aren't just molded in that colour of plastic?

Which parts are they?

[brr-icy]

i had that problem too with my dreadwind custom, it took 24 hours and a whole lot of scrubbing (hard scrubbing too) some of the paint i just ended up painting over, the black just peeled right off after like 3 hours, but the red was something else

[Cliffjumper69]

Alright, well, one follow up question, they are painted parts right? They aren't just molded in that colour of plastic?

Which parts are they?

Im trying to remove paint on RID Grimlock's face, and some paint on a few Megamorph Hulk bits. Im going to try the nail polish remover trick, how long should they sit for? :confused:


CJ