[Random note]New Year! Youtube Comment Question Reply Corner! (Patreon)

The New Year has begun. I wish you all the best for this year.

So it is now the year 2023. Let's work hard this year! So, first of all, I would like to do a light New Year's "Reply Corner to Frequently Asked Comments on Youtube"!

Please be assured that we will not reveal the names of the commenters on Youtube, but will display the content of their comments.

And thank you for always commenting on my videos!

I will not be replying to each one individually, but I read through almost all of them.

■Youtube Comment Question and Answer

Let's get right to it.

Q1. Why did you start the Garage kit?

I got started with garage kits because I suddenly realized that there was something about the figures I saw on the Internet that I could not find in PVC finished products. At first I was someone who was satisfied with buying PVC finished figures and taking pictures of them.

So I looked into it and found out that it was a type of figure (garage kit) that you paint and assemble yourself, so I decided to give it a try.

I have never done Gunpla before, so I just look at them thinking that it is amazing that people can make such detailed plastic models with so many parts. lol

I think it's nice to have a one-of-a-kind figure that is not mass-produced and has a special feel to it. And I could express myself in a way that I couldn't with commercial products. I got into it.

It was around 2018 when I started working on it seriously, and it was easy for me to start because the tips for the production procedure and necessary tools were almost ready by that time.

I think you don't have to worry about the technique, because it will be relatively high depending on the time you put in, and I tell people that if you don't try to make something perfect from the beginning... but I was the type of person who wanted to make something perfect from the beginning (to put it simply, the same level as a PVC finished product = enough to be sold). 

 So, in the beginning, I kept repainting until I was satisfied. (This is still the case today...) I don't recommend it because it's a lot of work.

Q2. Where can I buy this garage kit?

As for Thea, no sales date has been set yet, so check back with Eldora Models for more information.

Q3. What clear paints do you use?

He says varnish, so I guess that means clear coating... I am writing to you. I am using Fujikura's Axel S #100.

I use a rock paint agitator cover attached to a 1kg can. It is convenient and recommended. I find it easier to use the clear if I divide it into small dressing bottles of 100.

There is no problem with Gaianotes EX Clear, but sometimes it is out of stock both online and in stores, so the biggest advantage is that I don't lose time working with it.

Q4. What is Ｃyanon? And what else do you spray?

Overseas niki answered perfectly, Cyanon is a white instant adhesive commonly used for white cast garage kits. I've never seen it used for anything other than models. haha

Apparently, Starbond is the recommended alternative to Cyanon.

Cyanon doesn't harden immediately for being called instantaneous, so you need to use a hardening accelerator to make the placing process more efficient. The most famous one is Artecospray, which has a unique smell, but I personally could not use it because of the smell, so I looked for another one, and as a result, I only use Ci's Quick Primer Spray anymore.

Q5. What do you use for clear primer?

Finisher's Multi-Primer. The three most common transparent primers are Mitchacron by Currently Some-Q, Metal Primer by Creos, and Finisher's Multi-Primer.

The reason why we use Finisher's Multi-Primer is because it is not sticky after drying.

Finisher's is probably the only one that has this non-sticky property. Mitchacron is sticky after drying, so it is easy to get dust on it before painting. On the other hand, Finisher's is not sticky, so there is less to worry about when painting.

Mitchacron can be used for painting immediately, but not for painting on the next day, because of the risk of dust adhesion.

Q6. How to dilute and make masking fluid

I try to use the masking fluid as much as possible without diluting it.

I use it as if I were spreading it thinly with a brush and protecting areas that cannot be covered with masking tape.

There are two types of masking fluid: rubber-based and vinyl-based. Good Smile's Masksol is rubber-based, while Gaia's Masking Coat R is vinyl-based.

In Thea's video, she used Holbein masking ink (rubber-based).

Basically, liquid masking sol is adjusted so that it does not need to be diluted with water. So, use it as it is.

However, as noted in the comments, if the water (solvent?) is drained and the product becomes sludgy, it is easier to use by dividing it into separate containers and diluting it slightly with purified water. If the water (solvent?) evaporates and becomes a sludge, it will be easier to use if it is divided into separate containers and slightly diluted with purified water.

Masking fluid is best used up as soon as possible because once the water (solvent?) is removed, it hardens in the bottle and becomes unusable. When the water (solvent?) evaporates, it hardens in the bottle and becomes unusable, so it is better to use it up as soon as possible.

Pen-type masking ink is light in color, but the amount of ink that comes out is small, so it is quite easy to use.

Q7. How long does it take to complete a kit?

It depends on the condition of the kit, the difficulty of masking, and the number of colors used. In my case, for a kit assuming casting by vendor, I would say around 40 to 70 hours for around 40 to 50 parts, and 70 to 100 hours for 60 to 100 parts.

The number of colors will vary considerably. The time measurement does not include retakes, so the actual time may be an additional 10 to 20 hours.

It takes that much time to add detailed gradations, and the more masking areas, the more difficult it becomes.

If the kit looks indescribable, it will take time to deal with air bubbles and bumps, so you will spend more time than you imagine.

If you proceed with the wrong color selection, eye size, etc., you will lose a lot of time, so I am always careful about it.

(But for some reason, I lose a lot of time... why is that?)

It is not always the case that the longer you spend, the better the product.... Recently, I have shifted to the idea of doing the best I can with the limited time I have, so I try not to spend time unnecessarily, thinking about the painting and masking procedures and so on.

So I sometimes paint from places that beginners might find strange.

However, it is difficult to work efficiently when you are a beginner in garage kits, so I think it is better for beginners to paint in an order that makes it easier to see the whole picture, such as skin, hair, costume, face, and so on.

Q8. Is the production process the same as for mass-produced products?

Probably not. The fastest way to find out about mass-produced products is to ask the manufacturer. I don't know.

In terms of the production process for mass-produced coloring samples, it is probably the same.

Recently, we often see that the eyes of coloring samples are not painted, but are handled with decal stickers.

In fact, in order to reproduce the size and image as it is, data is considered to be more stable in quality and quicker to work with (in most cases, the person who colors the data is also responsible for the creation of the data, so the creation of the data also requires training).

I think that the number of jobs where craftsmen draw eyes on commercial coloring samples will probably decrease in the future.

In fact, I think there will be almost no more.

On the other hand, we may have more work to paint the eyes if the order is from an individual. The individuality of the person doing the painting can easily be expressed.

Data can be created by individuals using drawing software, etc., and printing can be done by requesting HIQ-PARTS, so anyone can create decals if they want to. 

Decals are actually more difficult than you might imagine, since you need to adjust the size and angle of the decals, and also to determine whether the modeling of the eyes itself is suitable for decals or not. It is not as easy as you might think to do the work as shown in the example because there are decals, so this may be a pitfall for beginners. It is quite difficult to align the angle, distance, and height of the two eyes.

Q9. What sanding tools do you use?

This is the Artima7 from Argofile, an updated version of the Artima5 with a feedback feature that prevents the actuator from slowing down when the tip is pressed against the part. I think Artima7 is the best one to buy now.

Q10. Did you make the sticks you use to hold the parts yourself? Or did you buy them?

It is not sold, so I make my own by inserting 1mm brass wire into a bamboo skewer.

Alligator clips cannot hold the parts of garage kits, and they tend to fall off while painting, so without this handle, work will not progress at all.

I think it is good to make about 150 clips in small pieces when you are waiting for the clear to dry or when you have free time.

It is rare to find a kit with 150 parts, so that should be enough to have enough spare parts.

Q11.What is that pokey looking thing you use for eye correction?

It is a sponge called Rubyhead (H31).

It is sold by Gaianotes as Finish Master Ultra Fine R and by Wave as Clean Stick. I am not sure if they are the same, but they all have similar uses.

Rubyheads are bought in bulk of about 100 sticks, so some people may not be able to use them up forever, so depending on the situation, Finish Master Ultra-Fine R or something like that may be better.

By the way, the aluminum round bar handle of the Rubyhead in the photo above is not for sale, as I made it myself. Please be careful.

Recently, I also often use God Hand's Tsun Tsun S brush in the same way as Rubyhead. With the Rubyhead, if you try to wipe off the paint that is not dry, you may end up stretching the paint in the opposite direction. The Rubihead does not have this problem, so I use it differently depending on the situation.

Q12. What kind of paint is used for matte coating?

For matte coat paints, I basically use Creos GX114. This is the only one I currently use because it is safe and easy to use in terms of texture.

Q13.What size magnet did you use for Chiel's shoes? Do you use it much these days?

I use 2mm x 1mm.

By the way, having multiple sizes of magnets like this can be used in various situations.

If you think about where to use them properly, their use is limited, so you should only buy more when you have no choice but to use them in a situation.

In fact, I rarely use magnets these days. There are many kits that don't require magnets to be buried, so I don't use them.

Q14. Why don't you fill in the putty to eliminate the seam lines?

This question, Kaigai niki has been carefully answered. I just don't do it because the prototype is often designed so that there is no need to erase the seams with putty.

Sometimes, depending on the situation, we may fill them in (for example, the La+ sofa).

It is important to choose to do it if it is necessary or not if it is not necessary.

Q15.What attachment did you use at 00:47 in Chiel?

It says "graver" so I think it probably means 00:49 zirconia bits.

Argofile's Slim Nose (Fine). It's versatile because it has just the right cutting power without cutting too much.

Q16 . Are all the figures we buy ourselves handmade like this?

It's a half right, half wrong kind of thing. At least it's not like a garage kit, where one person is completely responsible for the entire painting process.... 

Think of the division of labor in a factory. There are several people in charge of each part of the painting process, such as only the hair painting, only the costume painting, etc. 

I think they are mass-producing with manpower. The eyes, of course, are not hand-drawn or decaled, but tampo-printed. It is this kind of corporate effort that makes mass production possible.

If you want to know more details, I recommend you to look up "フィギュア　工場" and you will find a lot of information.

... So this time I tried my hand at replying to Youtube comments.

The most common question type was, "What sponge do you use for eye correction?" The is.

I have already answered this many times, but I guess I will have to keep answering it. hahaha