Customizing Q&A Thread

[TTT]

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

[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.