DK Hobby Blog

Tag: HG Demi Trainer

  • Gunpla 101: Your First Kit – Where and How Do I Actually Start?

    So, you’ve just bought your first Gundam box. You open it up, see five sheets of plastic parts, a tiny sheet of stickers, and a manual that might be entirely in Japanese. Don’t panic. Building Gunpla (Gundam Plastic Models) is essentially like building a high-tech LEGO set, but with a few specialized tricks. In this guide, we’re breaking down the absolute basics using the HG Demi Trainer from The Witch from Mercury.

    1. Decoding the Manual

    Newer kits (like those from the Witch from Mercury line) usually have English translations [01:56]. However, if you’re building an older High Grade (HG) or Master Grade (MG), you might be looking at 100% Japanese.

    • The “Part List” Secret: Before you snip a single piece, check the parts list at the front. If you see an “X” over a part on the runner, it means that piece isn’t used for this specific build—it’s just an extra from a shared mold [03:40].
    • Icons Matter: Look for the “x2” symbol (build two of these, like arms) and the “Diamond” symbol, which indicates a specific assembly order that must be followed [07:59].

    2. The Essential Toolset

    You don’t need a workshop to start. DK Hobby recommends just two things:

    • Double-Sided Nippers: Good for the first “rough cut” from the plastic runner.
    • Single-Sided Nippers (e.g., GodHands): These act like a razor, slicing the plastic rather than crushing it, which prevents those ugly white stress marks [10:39].

    3. The “Two-Cut” Technique

    Never cut the part directly against the runner.

    1. The Rough Cut: Use your Nippers to cut the “gate” (the plastic rod) about 1/8th of an inch away from the part [06:46].
    2. The Clean Trim: Once the part is free, use your high-quality nipper to trim the remaining “nub” flush with the surface.
    • Pro Tip: If you see a small white stress mark, use your fingernail to rub it. The friction and pressure can often make the mark disappear without any sanding [07:43]!

    4. Stickers and Assembly

    • Placement: When the manual shows a side profile or “zoom-in” view, pay close attention to the orientation of the piece. Some parts look symmetrical but actually have a top and bottom [09:06].
    • Click it in: Most modern kits are “snap-fit,” meaning no glue is required. If a part isn’t clicking, check for leftover plastic nubs—they are the #1 cause of parts not fitting together.

  • Stop Building Boring Kits: The Ultimate Guide to Panel Lining & Scribing (Gunpla 101)

    Have you ever finished a Master Grade or High Grade kit, looked at it, and felt like something was… missing? It looks like a toy, not a giant war machine. The secret between a “plastic model” and a “masterpiece” isn’t fancy paint—it’s definition.

    In today’s guide, we’re breaking down the two most essential skills in the hobby: Panel Lining and Scribing. Whether you’re a total beginner or looking to move beyond markers, this is how you make your Gunpla pop.

    1. The Low-Stakes Entry: Gundam Markers

    If you’re scared of ruining your plastic, start here. Gundam markers are essentially thin permanent markers designed for plastic.

    • The Trick: Just follow the natural contours of the kit.
    • Pro Tip: If you mess up, don’t panic! A bit of 70% isopropyl alcohol or even a specialized eraser will wipe the mistake clean [02:21].

    2. The Liquid Gold: Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color

    This is the “cheat code” for pro-level results. It’s an enamel-based ink that uses capillary action to flow through grooves.

    • How it works: Just touch the brush to a corner and watch the ink “zip” through the line [09:38].
    • The Warning: This stuff can make plastic brittle and crack if you use too much. Always use it in a well-ventilated area and consider a gloss top-coat first to protect the plastic [03:27].

    3. Leveling Up: Introduction to Scribing

    Sometimes the kit doesn’t have a deep enough groove for ink to sit in. That’s where Scribing (or “engraving”) comes in.

    • The Tools: You’ll need a scriber or chisel. Common sizes for HG kits are 0.125mm to 0.15mm [07:25].
    • The Golden Rule: NO PRESSURE. Let the weight of the tool do the work. If you push too hard, the blade will slip and gouge your kit [18:28].
    • Symmetry is Key: Use a compass or specialized scribing tape to ensure your custom lines on the left arm match the right arm perfectly [22:05].

    4. Customizing Your Look

    Don’t just stick to the kit’s original design. You can add “mechanical detail” by scribing your own lines.

    • Design Rule: Keep your custom angles wider than 90 degrees. Sharp, narrow angles often look unnatural on mecha [14:36].
    • Guide Tapes: Use segmented or transparent dymo-style tapes so you can see your pencil sketches underneath while you carve [16:05].

    Final Thoughts

    Panel lining is the highest ROI (Return on Investment) skill in Gunpla. It takes a $20 High Grade and makes it look like a $100 collector’s item. Take your time, trust your tape, and remember: every pro started with a messy kit.

  • Gunpla Painting Exercise: Water vs Alcohol Paints & Primer Test

    If you want your model kits to have a flawless, professional finish, understanding the theory is only half the battle. Now, it is time to put paint to plastic.

    In part two of our Gunpla 101 series, we are diving into a hands-on Gunpla Painting Exercise to test exactly how water-based products hold up against alcohol-based (Aqueous) products. From the initial prep work to the ultimate masking tape adhesion test, here is everything you need to know to prevent your paint from chipping.

    1. Preparing Your Plastic for Paint

    Before you even think about loading your airbrush, your plastic needs to be completely prepped and clean. Skipping these essential steps will instantly ruin your paint job.

    • Washing the Runners: A tiny speck of dust hidden in a crevice will completely mess up your primer. Washing your plastic in an ultrasonic cleaner or with soapy water is absolutely necessary.
    • The Drying Phase: Cleaning is important, but drying is critical. Leftover water droplets will prevent the paint from bonding to the plastic. Always use a cotton swab for detailed drying in tight corners.
    • Sanding for Water-Based Primer: If you are using a purely water-based primer, you must sand the pieces first. You aren’t trying to grind the plastic away; you are just using an 800-grit sponge to rough up the surface so the primer has something to grip. This step is tedious but mandatory for water-based bonds.
    • Gap Filling: For annoying molding lines or gaps, use Tamiya Epoxy Putty. Mix it one-to-one, apply it to the gap, let it cure for a full day until it is as hard as plastic, and then carefully sand it flush.

    2. Airbrush Setup & Spraying Technique

    Having the right gear is great, but using the correct technique is what gets you that buttery smooth finish during your Gunpla Painting Exercise.

    • The PSI Settings: Following the Badger airbrush instructions, I highly recommend using a 0.5mm nozzle and setting your compressor pressure to roughly 28 to 30 PSI.
    • The Pulsating Technique: Never try to cover the entire piece in one heavy, wet press. Instead, pulsate the trigger. Your first coat will look like barely visible dust. By the second and third coats, you will start seeing the solid color build up cleanly.
    • Mixing Custom Colors: When mixing a custom off-white, I combined pure white, a drop of gray, metallic flakes, and water. However, I found that alcohol-solvent paints (like Tamiya and Aqueous) sprayed much easier and nicer than purely water-based Gallery colors.
    • Inner Frame Painting: For the inner frame, I used Tamiya acrylic gunmetal pre-thinned with lacquer leveling thinner. It surprisingly worked incredibly well and didn’t smell like a harsh lacquer spray.
    • Immediate Cleanup: Since I paint in my room, cleanup is highly important. You should thoroughly clean your airbrush immediately after use so the paint does not dry and get permanently stuck inside the nozzle.

    3. The Ultimate Gunpla Primer Test

    This is the most important part of our Gunpla Painting Exercise. We tested the bonding strength of a sanded water-based primer against an un-sanded Aqueous (alcohol-based) primer.

    • The Masking Tape Test: After letting the primers cure, I applied standard masking tape directly to both surfaces, rubbed it down hard, and aggressively ripped it off to simulate complicated masking work.
    • The Water-Based Failure: Even with prior sanding, the masking tape completely ripped the water-based primer right off the plastic.
    • The Aqueous Victory: The Aqueous primer, which had absolutely zero sanding prep, held onto the plastic perfectly. There was no chipping and no peeling.
    • The Final Verdict: If you are just doing a simple color swap, water-based primer is fine because it smells less. But if you are doing complicated masking for two-tone color separation, you 100% need to use Aqueous primer.

    4. The DK Hobby Hack: Mixing, Masking & Details

    Building Gunpla should be fun, not frustrating. Here are a few rapid-fire hacks to speed up your workflow.

    • Metal Mixing Balls: When transferring thinner or mixing custom paints, drop two small stainless steel mixing balls into your paint bottle. It drastically helps mix the pigments and residue at the bottom.
    • The Tape Trick: Never put masking tape straight from the roll onto your painted Gunpla. Always stick it against your skin or a cutting mat a few times to loosen up the extreme stickiness.
    • Gravity Leveling: When using slow-drying enamels (like fluorescent green for Gundam eyes), clamp the piece parallel to the ground. The enamel will naturally level itself out using gravity as it slowly dries.
    • Decal Painting: The HG Demi Trainer comes with swappable chest stickers. Instead of spending 30 minutes masking the entire chest piece, I just painted directly over the stickers using a Gundam marker and enamel green.

    Gear Mentioned in This Lesson:

    • Primer: Water-Based Primer & Mr. Hobby Aqueous Primer
    • Thinner: Mr. Color Leveling Thinner
    • Putty: Tamiya Epoxy Putty
    • Detail Paint: Enamel Fluorescent Green & Gundam Markers
    • Tools: 0.5mm Airbrush, Metal Mixing Balls, $5 AliExpress Ultrasonic Cleaner
    • Model Kit: HG Demi Trainer

  • Gunpla Painting Guide: Master Acrylic, Enamel & Lacquer (Gunpla 101)

    Welcome to the third installment of the Gunpla 101 series. If you are looking for a complete Gunpla Painting Guide, you are in the exact right place. After snapping together your first few kits, the next logical step to truly making a model your own is painting. Before picking up a brush or an airbrush, it is critical to understand the chemistry and safety of what you are putting on your plastic.

    1. The Three Main Types of Paint

    In the world of Gunpla, there are three main types of paint you will encounter. Choosing the right one depends on your tools, environment, and the finish you want to achieve.

    • Acrylics: These are highly beginner-friendly and are often labeled as water-based. Brands like Vallejo offer true water-based options, while Tamiya and Mr. Hobby Aqueous are technically alcohol-based (indicated by a flame logo on the bottle). They are lower in toxicity, making them convenient for indoor airbrushing.
    • Enamels: Enamels offer great durability and dry much slower. This extended drying time makes them absolutely perfect for detailed hand painting. Furthermore, enamel thinner is an absolute must when cleaning up panel lines made with panel line accent colors. If you were to use a stronger solvent like lacquer thinner to erase excess panel liner, it would eat right through your underlying acrylic base coats.
    • Lacquers: These paints provide unparalleled durability and dry the quickest. They are the gold standard for a rock-hard finish but come with a major catch: toxic fumes. Safety is strictly non-negotiable. Proper ventilation and a high-quality respirator mask are mandatory when spraying lacquers.

    2. A Gunpla Painting Guide to Thinners

    A common hurdle when learning to paint is understanding thinners. You cannot simply mix any thinner with any paint. Each type requires its specific matching solvent.

    • Acrylic Thinners: True water-based acrylics should be thinned with an airbrush thinner (mostly distilled water, alcohol, and a fluid retarder). Alcohol-based acrylics like Tamiya require their specific solvent, such as Tamiya X-20A. Do not confuse this with Tamiya X-20, which is exclusively for enamels.
    • Lacquer Thinners: Lacquer paints require lacquer thinner. A highly recommended option is a leveling thinner, which includes a retarder that slows down the drying time, allowing gravity to naturally level the paint for a smoother finish.
    • Universal Compatibility: Lacquer thinner is the strongest and can theoretically thin alcohol-based acrylics and enamels. However, it should never be mixed with true water-based paints, as it will create a gunky residue.

    3. How to Make a Homemade Airbrush Thinner

    Creating your own homemade airbrush thinner is a straightforward process and highly compatible with most water and alcohol-based acrylics.

    To make a standard 120ml bottle:

    • Mix a 1:1 ratio of 70% Isopropyl Alcohol to Distilled Water (if using 99% alcohol, use a 2:1 water-to-alcohol ratio). The goal is to bring the final alcohol concentration down to roughly 30% to 40%.
    • Add 2ml of Airbrush Flow Improver.
    • Add 2ml of Fluid Retarder (to make the paint dry slower).

    This homebrew recipe handles almost all standard acrylic airbrushing needs without the harsh chemical smells of lacquer thinners.

    4. Why You Need to Prime Your Gunpla

    Priming is a vital preparatory step. It prepares the surface, ensures a smooth finish, greatly enhances paint bonding to reduce chipping, and improves overall color vibrancy.

    • Gray Primer: The standard choice. Ideal for classic Gundam color schemes as it maintains original paint hues.
    • White Primer: Enhances brightness and vibrancy. Perfect for lighter colors and pastel tones.
    • Black Primer: Best for dark customization. It creates depth and richness in the final color.
    • Gloss Black Primer: Specifically tailored toward metallic colors to give them maximum shine.

    Keep in mind that using purely water-based primers usually requires an extra step: thoroughly sanding the surface of all pieces to improve bonding. Skipping the sanding phase often results in a much weaker finish. However, alternative products like Aqueous Surfacers—which are water and alcohol-based—might offer better adhesion without requiring as much tedious sanding.

    Watch the Full Video Lecture

    Want to see all these facts broken down in detail? Check out the full video lecture: Gunpla 101 – Painting – pt.1 Lecture

    Happy modeling!