ROKR Rhinoceros Beetle

 From ROKR, a China wood model maker which I love! Here is their new product in injection plastics, which also comes with lights and movement. Damn I CANNOT resist such offering despite the slightly higher in price.

ROKR is one of China's top wood model kit manufacturer. Their stuff are always high quality: Good design, clear manual, smooth process, user friendly and techincally accurate.

This is one of their series that they venture into injection plastic and multimedia. The best part is, it is battery powered, with lights and movements too. I admit I was sold when I first saw their video about the V8-like engine at the abdomen part of the beetle XD

Overall, I did zero painting. Everything is prepainted. Besides that, I have had added a little extra here and there: some tiny gear from watch clockwork stash i bought from internet, and added 3 pcs of green LED.

Overall this is a fantastic process!

How Cat Around The World In 80 Days Wooden Flying Ship

 

This is an absolute fun project! Ok, as usual, photos first:

This is a kit by China Wood Model Maker named "How Cat". Laser cut ply wood with lots of details and good accuracy. Besides that, with the help of laser cut fancy cards and thread, this multimedia kit is definitely easy to build with a pretty attractive finished look.

The usual complaint i have for wood model, which is the lack of fine details, is being kinda rectified by the used of last cut cards and the use of thread. Overall just white glue, knife, and a little sand paper, this is like having a relaxing evening walk in the park after the rain.

Will definitely get another one from them. Worth every penny.

Resin Group Build: Android Cat Skull

 This is my entry for PlaZone's Resin GB 2022, the last GB of the year.

This is the project I did to join Plazone's Resin GB. The kit is a concept drawng of the cyborg cat skull. 

Basically, it is just a very fun n fast project. Did some panel line scribbing (For masking purposes), mask the orange color stripes, change some nuts n bolts to metal option parts.

The whole project probably I spent the most effort is on the display stand, which I have made it to looks like some sort of a CPU. Basically is just dissecting some old TV remote controls and whatever random leftover electronic parts I have in my stash. To make the whole thing a little more interesting, i just added a blue light and a warm white COB filament and two LED, which later enamel clear green was painted on them to make them green lights.

Overall am very happy with the project, not because of the workmanship but the experience of carefree building.

RGB 2023

 

Huhu......... Coming soon.

GBWC 2022

 

Think of it those years when I joined bandai's competition (bakuc n gbwc), we were really lucky:

We had two judges, one from Japan n one from Malaysia, n out of the 2 judges, at least we are damn sure one is a modeler n knows about modeling n gunpla in n out.

When times the Japanese judge picked something totally weird (he is not really a modeler, just happened to be an employee of bandai who travel Malaysia), our local modeler judge wasn't afraid to fight for the worthy winner based on modeling judging criteria.

After yesterday's event, it reminds me I should appreciate all the hard work this local judge had done for Malaysia gunpla community.

(The man I m thanking here is Eric Yap )

The least is, we knows the direction of the competition clearly ( it is really based on static modeling; ground work, craftsmanship, creativity, presentation etc) n if we were trying to improve our standing in next year event, we know where n how to improve.

Probably the only drawback is, dued to the result majority skill based, the podium hoarder (😝) might ended up to be d same same groups of people. This is not good for encouraging newcomers n new blood.

Now bandai as a business entity, I believe, see this as a problem too. Maybe it s d reason of having a lot more unpredictability in the event.

As a modeler, though I know it is a sales promotion event by core, waving d flag of modeling n doing something like this isn't right. However, I try to look at it in a positive way:

Continue to striving for improvements n new technical challenges, while it could be fun, no doubt there s always some stress in it too. So instead of just doing that n stressing ourselves, since gbwc is so unpredictable seems like everyone has a chance to go to podium regardless of the level of finishing of their entry, why not just chill, build something u feel happy, n take the opportunity to meet friends from all over Malaysia, n wait if u got some prizes, that s a bonus?

The event doesn't carry the question of "deserve" nor "worthy". Every entry s the sweat n blood baby of its builder. N getting a prize is always something happy n should be congratulated for.

Embrace d changes,
continue to enjoy the hobby n make friends!

Btw, the photo credited to Don Suratos 2008 bakuc world champ

Finisher's HaroPla Motorsport Group Build Round 2

 This is a quick project for Finisher's Malaysia Haropla Motorsport Group Build; also my first project since the pandemic in MArch 2020.

As the name, the group build is about building a Haropla in motorsport theme.

My pick for this round is the legendary Honda RA273 F1 car.

Basically I just painted the round red japanese flag's sun, the black strips (No 11) and put some rivet at the back as inlet ports. However, my mistake what I somehow remembered wrongly that this is a V-8 engine instead of in real, a V12 engine. Besides that, I forgot to put on Honda's metal transfer logo.

Anyway, it's a fun n quick project, so all i can say is "I ll do better next time" XD

WIP - Sankei Let's Miniautart My Neighbour Totoro #1

One of the best time in modeling for me: in between projects. This is the time where I will slowly take my time, dig out and browse through my stash. Slowly admiring the boxes of model kits hoping to find one that inspire me to put it on workbench as my next project.

This round, I am in a little dilemma.

I have had set my mind to go for Gunpla project for year end while i was still working on the previous faceless ghost project, but since I know I will be spending months on that, it kinda makes me reluctant to "officially" start it.

So i was trying to dig out something simple and quick, yet i will find it motivated n fun.

Then this caught my attention:

I bought that during my last trip to shizuoka with Andy. I would have got it done a long time ago, just like the other 2 that i bought. The reason this is still in my stash instead of my display cabinet is it is freaking 8,300yen!

Yes, call me cheapskate. But getting a kit done in probably a week or less that cost me near to an MG Sazabi Ver KA, I feel the pain. So I have decided this: Call Andy and get him to do his as well. Hahahahaah

This is how this build off is born.

This is indeed not much of a WIP, more like a slowly open box post; for that 8000+ yen i d paid, i must fully enjoy it. Of course, the packaging looks more like a premium gift that a model kit is one of the reason too.....

The front and back of the packaging:

The contain:
As usual from Sankei, they use top notch Facy card and have extremely good quality laser cut lines. Since I havent build this yet, I would reserve my praise on their building design later.
Seeing the picture already got my hype up!

This is the outter label, front n back.