First time into this hobby in 2020 - cable cutter + office knife = 2 hours of gunpla build Now fast forward to 2024 - dspiae nipper + sanding stick + hobby knife + panel lining + decal = 3-4 days of gunpla and 4-5 boxes of backlog
The fingernail tip to reduce stress marks is a godsend, I've been doing this since forever and its crazy that I see a lot of guides going into files and sandpaper without ever mentioning this
That is because, it weirdly does not work for everyone. It works for me, but I've demonstrated it to real life friends at a build day, they tried it and of them only one other could do it, the others could not, it had no effect for them.
The thing is, sanding prevents the marks from ever appearing, to begin with. There's no need for the fingernail trick if you just don't stress the plastic. Especially considering that the fingernail trick only works on shallow marks. If the marks run deep, you ain't fixin' 'em with your fingernail. Prevention > cure every single time.
not necessary but I'd recommend buying a big make-up brush, helps dust off any sanding particles leftover very well and even doubles as a nub sweeper for brushing the nubs into a little pile!
Makeup brush also good for after the model making process for cleaning dust off of your models for years to come in the case that you have them out in the open instead of a display case!
Dspiae package is so good, and not only those, but their acrylic markers are so comfy and good. The really are the best tools for people with low budget.
Yeah I use their paint markers on pretty much every kit I build. The silver and gunmetal ones especially get a ton of use to just add some tiny metallic detail.
In my area there wasnt much hobby store back when i started in 2017, were a smaller city where sport is everything for most people (except me apparently) so i had to do with super cheap tools, i used a wire cutter and a hobby knife for at least 5 to 6 master builds, the cutters were so bad, i made a cut super far from the gate (did it on the runner straight up) and twisted the part off then trimmed a bit, man its different now
Tamiya Extra Thin is a must imo. Nothing kills the beginner's enthusiasm in it's tracks faster than a broken part, and nothing fixes a broken part faster than Tamiya Extra Thin. As a side, you should do a video on tool maintenance/cleaning! Something like lubricating/oilling nippers, poly-erasers for cleaning glass files, a keyboard vac for nub clippings, and pointed cotton swabs for excess paint etc.
The only other thing I would recommend for beginners is a jar of plastic cement (I use the tamiya extra thin in the jar with the green label) it’s great for when you have a kit with small parts that keep falling off or when you accidentally crack or break a piece (like a V fin). And once you get more experience it’s good for seams
Just don't buy the "quick-setting" extra-thin cement if you're a beginner. I bought it when I broke my first v-fin, and unless you have three arms or an alligator clip setup for spray-painting, it will have already dried too much by the time you put down the brush applicator and pick up the piece you're trying to glue back on. At least in my experience. Quick means QUICK.
protip: tamiya airbrush cleaner is the exact same thing as extra thin cement and is about half the price, in case you need extra to make sprue glue. i bought a bunch of little glass jars from aliexpress and use it for everything
Its uncanny how useful tamiya cement is. Its worth paying a huge markup for if its not super available in your part of the world and you need to pay a tonne of shipping, since one bottle lasts forever. Underrated use is if you accidentally smear a little plastic glue on a model, making the surface look all shredded and gunky, just delicately dropping a little cement onto that area with the brush once its set sometimes smooths it out to the point it looks like it never happened. More speaking from warhammer models but still. Also fantastic for if there's a little roughness where you've removed a nub if you're going to be painting. Again not so great for Gundam because it leaves a glossy splotch on the surface, but it does do a lot to even the surface t out and make it look a lot smoother once the paint is on.
The remaster is here, boys! Now I have more tools than I need, but when Mecha did the first gear recommendation video, I was just earning my Gunpla stripes...
After about 2 years of gunpla building, I would say the only tools needed to get started in gunpla is nippers ($10 amazon nippers are fine), tweezers and a $3 glass file and maybe a hobby knife. Novice builders should get a set of sanding sponges and a simple file set and something to do panel lining with (either a liner pen or tamiya panel line ink)
As my tools kit grow bigger, better and more expensive. My backlog also grows bigger, builds become slower and I don't know if I'm doing it right anymore. 😂
Yea, that is a normal phenomenon. Sort of like “imposter syndrome “ but it’s ok. Some kits need very few tools, others may need several. So having the tools just means you can switch to the tool you need, and not struggle with something.
I just yesterday started my first build ever, and already found out that a soft rubber pencil eraser is fantastic to help apply stickers, especially it is applied to an uneven surface or nook (like the tiny round stickers on the Aerial Rebuild). Not only does the rubber help slightly adjusting the position of the sticker, it pushes it on evenly and helps fill every gap.
Thank you so much for this. I took your advice and I'm ordering all of these.Also thank you for helping beginners like me since Gunpla can be quite overwhelming to get into.
For a lower-budget single-bladed nipper, I'd recommend the Godhand PNS-135. It's amazing and still durable enough to cut thicker plastics, and barely leaves a mark if you do it right. Edit: I also use the small flathead screwdrivers you can get as parts separators. It's easier and chances are you already have them.
Quick thing to address Mecha, at 9:10 you say you start with high grit, but in most cases a low grit count (the number of grittiness) means a low grit sandpaper. Love your videos but this messes people up sometimes, Rough is Low, Medium is Medium, and Fine is High, just letting ya know ❤
I’m massively guilty for using a pair of nail clippers and a goddamn toolbox file but I do like the extra challenge of trying to finesse my builds with clunky tools and it’s been awesome You can barely tell if I had nubs on my kits
It’s optional, but if you’re thinking about painting your gunpla one of the best things to have is a plastic spoon (like the kind you get at fast food restaurants). You can test out the paint on the spoon to see what it will look like before you commit to painting the gunpla and find out you don’t like the way it looks.
Personally, I like to put a little paint on the runner in an out of the way place. Seeing how it applies to the actual plastic you are going to put it on
I use: -Tamiya basic nipper + GodHand for cutting. -Mr Hobby hobby knife for basic nub removal. -Gunprimer Raser glass file + balancers for advanced nub removal. -USA GS part separator. -Generic tweezers for decals/stickers. -Fine tip panel liners or Tamiya accent liners depending on the effort required (topcoating vs straight build)
Nice tip. I'm new to this gunpla hobby. I built my first Gundam a few days ago. And bought another one today. Looking forward to this new found hobby for me. I'm starting with the HG kits. And bought the required tools. Especially nippers instead of nail clippers. Thanks for the helpful tip.
Don't sleep on the entry grade kits. They are really impressive when you consider how cheap they are. Also since they are ao cheap, they are great to practice painting and various customizing techniques.
Especially as she basically said that godhands are a necessity and then proceeded to single cut all of the parts 😅 The dunning Krueger effect was in full force for that particular part of her video
the bandai part separator is a must buy! the little post on the end is exactly the right size for poking broken joints from their sockets during repair. also i swear by the gunprimer balancer sanding sticks. the white one gets your parts shiny like they just came off the runner its absolutely crazy as far as tweezers for decals you can get some that have plastic tips that reduce curling from static
For a good beginner toolset, the apex hobby tool set on usa gundam store is on sale now for $25, includes a pretty decent double bladed nipper, a good hobby knife w/10 replacement blades (and a dull side for help applying dry transfers or moving waterslides around), a nice pair of straight tweezers, a parts separator, and sandpaper in both 600 and 1000 grit as well as some acrylic sticks to put the sandpaper on to use as a sanding stick. Honestly besides that all you’d really need in your arsenal tools wise are some panel lining markers (grey, black, brown covers the vast majority of what you’ll use) and the gunprimer balancer to buff out the plastic once you’ve sanded off the nubs if you were a bit overzealous
I'm gonna throw a wildcard suggestion out there right now for an alternative to your standard hobby nippers: Fiskars Micro-Tip Easy Action Scissors (typically cost around $20 USD) They have a very fine point tip that can easily get into the most difficult to reach gates, and they also have a much longer cutting edge that lasts forever for cutting big easy to reach pieces off of the sprues. And for a $20 pair of spring loaded scissors, they'll easily last over 100 kits, (even when also using them as regular scissors,) plus the worst of the nicks they might get on the cutting edge can often be burnished out, or even sharpened, if you want to be super thrifty.
36 years ago I built my first plastic model kit. It was a model of the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka. The kit had about 20 parts and had to be glued together. I was 7 years old at the time. You might be wondering how I built it, it was easy. I twisted the parts to get them off the runner and when I couldn't twist them I used a kitchen knife. To glue the parts together I used UHU all-purpose glue. This kit, glued together with all-purpose glue, lasted for 10 years and only fell apart when I dropped it. What I'm trying to say with this story is that you don't need any fancy tools. Just don't do what i did on an expensive kit 😁
Stedi single bladed nipper is also a good option, although you need to sand it off. It's a very smooth cutting nipper and is cheap i used it for a while, and i recommend it
It's a good beginner nipper. I started with the cheap stedi nipper and now use their pro version. Though I'm thinking of upgrading to the godhands to get the cleanest cut as possible.
That DSPIAE kit is great! Even if you’re just a beginner you eventually grow into it, using more of the tools out of it as you build more kits. It’s a good investment that will pay for itself.
I like the squared away chisel blade rather than the scalpel style. You can put some force without digging into the piece. Serves a secondary purpose of smoothing the plastic out. Nubs disappear easily. You can even use the other side for practice that will never cut into the piece no matter what you do.
I have a pack of sharpie fine tip markers that I use for things like panel lining and doing cover ups of nubs after sanding. You get a huge variety of different colors.
My very first kits like when i was a kid all i had was what they call side nail clippers at the time yeah i still remember the horrible spike like nubs it left behind if only i knew then what i know now
When I fully adopted the hobby, ofc I heard about Godhand. But because those are so expensive, I watched a few reviews and ended up getting mid-tier nippers by Stedi (MS-109 ~25$) and later a set of 3 glass files, also Stedi by pure accident, to get rid of nub marks. They work absolutely perfect and I'm pretty happy with them 😊
I bought my nipper from a hardware store. The brand name is Sellery, very cheap but surprisingly as sharp and far more durable than the Tamiya nipper. Sometimes I use a standard flat metal file to remove excess plastic or nubmarks, but you'll still need to use sandpaper and/or sanding sponges for the finishing. A very nice, cheap alternative to glass files are manicure sanding sponges. It comes with four grit sizes on each sides of the block. You can also use manicure glass files which will work on gunpla kits just as well as any branded glass files marketed for gunpla builders.
as someone who started gunpla with nail clippers (the arrowhead type) I thought they worked fine. Then my dad got me wire cutters which worked a lot better. Fast forward to my 16th birthday I got my first pair of godhand SPN-120s, and broke them because I wanted to test their limits a few months later. Now with my 2nd pair of SPN-120s, I take better care of them and oh my god they are so much better than nail clippers or wire cutters. Definitely go with nippers for models and not just wire cutters or nail clippers. Makes a massive difference.
The best way i build is wet filing with glass files, the ones without the nano holes, but ones with straight lines. Wet filing makes the glass file glide across the part. Go in one motion and use yoir nail to clean up the remaining plastic. This takes me just as long as cutting out each part!
For broke setup like me I just use: Nanye nipper, eyelash tweezers (for picking up and align stickers/decals), 8 sided nail file, cutters, and a sharpie felt tip pen. The key is just not necessarily buy the targeted conventional hobby items as they slightly pricey. Then you will have money to buy and store more gundam backlogs XD
Fun story: When I was at job training for the army, we couldn't have nippers, but I REALLY wanted to feed my gundam addiction, especially after 2 1/2 months of absence from the the hobby (because of basic training). To get around the limitations, I got some steel Straight Edge nail clippers (Im not that crazy to use regular ones that are curved lol) and used those. I would cut the part out of the runner still attached to the gates, then trim very close to the part but not flush. Then, I would sand down the rest with a glass file I bought. 4 months and 17 kits later, and my sanity remained intact. I use Godhands now though cause long away from that situation lmao.
Dspiae or Godhand nipper, a cheap heavy duty nipper (to cut pieces out of the thick sprue before you cut the sprue off with the nipper) hobby knife and a Gunprimer Raser are all you need to make fantastic builds.
I also use Harsher pens/markers and nail polish remover perfect for lining near the edge of stuff also clear plastic lacquer as I live in a really humid area and without it a single drop of water can ruin my panel lining
Somethings to note: 1: You don't necessarily have to buy the nippers mentioned, you can just buy from a local store which could be cheaper, just make sure the nipper is a small one and not a giant industrial sized one. 😂 2: Wouldn't recommend getting single bladed nippers if you are just starting out because single bladed nippers are more expensive , as mentioned, than the double bladed ones and the blade is really thin so use it the wrong way and you can easily snap the blade, get some experience with the double bladed ones and once you get used to it then try using a single bladed nipper. 3: For Sanding, if you are on a budget then sandpaper will do but if you wanna fork in the cash then i would recommend the Dispae sanding sponge set, as the name suggests they come in a variety of grits and thickness.
I use the electrical wire cutter type without the damage you showed, but I never use the cutter to remove nubs, fine hobby knife only for that. I use a glass file and finally for parts sepperation... well... I got this big baggy full of lego parts sepperators that work fairly well.
Here are my tools.. God hand SPN 120 + My wife's nail filing sticks"she gets mad everytime I take one" the usual sanding paper "don't worry im gentle regardless of the grit"+ a REGULAR BOX cutter/"Sometimes a hobby knife" For painting.. I'm too poor and or dumb to use a compressor and spray paint "I broke 1 already never again" so I stick to hand painting by getting some of those kick ass Citadel ones + the usual flow type panne lining markers
Me who use just use a good wire nipper + olfa hk4 for nub cleaning. Tamiya panel line + tamiya thinner for panel lining. And a needle for sticking some decals or stickers
I actually can recommend the DSPIAE's toolkit for gunpla. It isn't that pricey and gives you literally ANYTHING you need: single bladed nippers, parts separator, knife, pen for panel liners, glass file (!!!), sanding sticks and a little supply of sanding paper. Best purchase I've ever made, it really elevates quality of kits assembled
If you're careful and the details aren't too shallow I've managed pretty decent panel lining with a dry erase marker. Fill in the line, gently wipe with a kleenex (or your finger if you don't care about having black fingertips) and you're good. It;s super easy to clean out and correct and if you let it set long enough it's more or less permanent. I;ve not had it come off with normal handling if I let it set a while. I usually do this with toys rather than models though as the effect can sometimes look a bit grungy and weathered and I prefer my models factory fresh looking (so just regular panel lining)
very good advice, especially the tooth picks. never seriously thought about using them for stickers and them sticking to the tweezers always was annoying...
Guitar picks work well as a make-shift parts separator and they're a lot cheaper than actual parts separators. It'll chew up the pick, though, so don't use one that you actually need for playing the guitar.
I kinda wish this video existed a year or so ago, since I started out with the Bandai entry nippers and that was a mistake I currently use a combination of the Ninesteps Essential side cutter ($19.99AUD) and the SMS single-edge nipper ($39.99AUD) (both Australian brands) and they seem to be similar in quality to the DSPIAE box nippers in this video (the single-edge nipper leaves a tiny bit of nub when you cut flat against the plastic) Didn't know about the toothpick trick, I just use my tweezers currently for that
Thanks for this awesome guide! I have heard that BEFORE applying the top coat and the panel liner / marker, you need to use a scribing tool on the panel lines, is that true?
Depends on how deep the panel line is. It just needs to be deep and wide enough for the panel line ink to flow through. Sometimes panel lines can be a bit shallow and might need to be deepened. I almost exclusively build MG kits so it's not a common issue for me. Maybe in the smaller scales, it's more necessary.
what are your thoughts on dust generated by sanding? I know resin is bad for sure, but surely breathing in PS or ABS isn't great for you either. Especially over time.
the raser is just a better file in general, it can take off a lot of material at once but it has rounded edges so you're far less likely to accidentally gouge your parts. ive tried both and the raser is definitely just better. also might be worth mentioning i think the raser plus has a lower grit than the regular version.
I use Model Nipper P.I.T nippers, Razor glass file, Gundam Markers Black,Grey,Brown, and pencil eraser. Unless I paint the kit which I don't do 70% the time.
I'm a beginner. So nothing about scribing existing panel lines? I saw some videos where they mentioned the moulded panel lines aren't always deep enough to panel line and clean properly.... so is that wrong? Should we scribe them or not? Is it kit dependent? what's a good affordable scriber for newbies and what thicknesses to get?
Sure the tools is important, but the kits that beginners choose is also important,just take any latest bandai release like wftm kits(optional,but i do recommend them for its quality) and im seriously not recommend 3rd party or bootleg,the pain of trying to snapfit and separating them was a tortured, i still remember the time i was trying to separate the 3rd party as a beginner, it was tight like hell and i almost give up on it, luckily i managed to separated them, but my fingers hurt a few hours after that
Optional but I think is important. Get a Dust collector, it sucks up the plastic dust when you sand so you don't get plastic in your lungs. You can buy the cheap ones made for Nail Dust used by Beauty Salons.
@@Jukeboxer11 Used to do wet sanding on scale models before I moved to Gunpla. I'm clumsy so I got electrocuted with my lamp and got some water with plastic in my eyes when I wipe off sweat frequently so I stopped. Got my Dust Collector around less than $4. (I'm not in America)
When it comes to working with sharps, i always cut away. I know that folks swear you have more control thd other direction, buuut then you have the knives taking their lbs of flesh 😅
If you're actually a bono fide beginner who is dipping their toe into the hobby, and not even entirely sure if you'll commit to the craft, a wire cutter will suit your preliminary nipper needs fine. A cheap flush cutter from a locale supermarket, craft, or hardware store will barely set you back 5 bucks. Heck, you might even already have one rattling about in a tool drawer/chest. Chances are, you're not going to be cutting your teeth on a super expensive rare kit anyway, so if it turns out model kits ain't for you, you're not left with a hobby tool that has lil other use.
![F.HERO Ft. JSPKK x ลำไย ไหทองคำ x M-PEE - ไม่สนิทบิดหมด (Thai Riders Anthem) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kPJZ0UihBfk/mqdefault.jpg)
First time into this hobby in 2020 - cable cutter + office knife = 2 hours of gunpla build
Now fast forward to 2024 - dspiae nipper + sanding stick + hobby knife + panel lining + decal = 3-4 days of gunpla and 4-5 boxes of backlog
Absolute me, doing 2 hours of gunpla feels so empty, doing 3-5 days of gunpla felt so very satisfying
This is so real
I got the basic tamiya file set and it's been very useful to file down bigger nubs. The Dspaie glass files are also very nice.
4-5 boxes of backlog? I Wish that. My backlog is 45 boxes 😂
But i use mainly DSPIAE tools too. 😎
The fingernail tip to reduce stress marks is a godsend, I've been doing this since forever and its crazy that I see a lot of guides going into files and sandpaper without ever mentioning this
Yeah, it is a small detail but it makes all the difference.
That is because, it weirdly does not work for everyone. It works for me, but I've demonstrated it to real life friends at a build day, they tried it and of them only one other could do it, the others could not, it had no effect for them.
The thing is, sanding prevents the marks from ever appearing, to begin with. There's no need for the fingernail trick if you just don't stress the plastic.
Especially considering that the fingernail trick only works on shallow marks. If the marks run deep, you ain't fixin' 'em with your fingernail.
Prevention > cure every single time.
I love these "gunppla for beginners" vidoes bc I can show them to people I know who are looking into this hobby but dont know what to really do
not necessary but I'd recommend buying a big make-up brush, helps dust off any sanding particles leftover very well and even doubles as a nub sweeper for brushing the nubs into a little pile!
I remove nubs while holding the part above a container. Much better than letting them just fall all over my desk.
Makeup brush also good for after the model making process for cleaning dust off of your models for years to come in the case that you have them out in the open instead of a display case!
Dspiae package is so good, and not only those, but their acrylic markers are so comfy and good. The really are the best tools for people with low budget.
Yeah I use their paint markers on pretty much every kit I build. The silver and gunmetal ones especially get a ton of use to just add some tiny metallic detail.
This is perfect for me. I'm just new to the hobby
Welcome to the Gunpla community!
What kit are you thinking about building?
In my area there wasnt much hobby store back when i started in 2017, were a smaller city where sport is everything for most people (except me apparently) so i had to do with super cheap tools, i used a wire cutter and a hobby knife for at least 5 to 6 master builds, the cutters were so bad, i made a cut super far from the gate (did it on the runner straight up) and twisted the part off then trimmed a bit, man its different now
Another tool to add is a lint roller to clean the glass file or sanding sponges. Dust removal cleaning gel also works too.
get the gunprimer dust brush! everybody needs a good dust brush! its more useful than you might realize lol
@lustreaux I got that too, but I had it put away in favor of the lint roller.
Tamiya Extra Thin is a must imo. Nothing kills the beginner's enthusiasm in it's tracks faster than a broken part, and nothing fixes a broken part faster than Tamiya Extra Thin.
As a side, you should do a video on tool maintenance/cleaning! Something like lubricating/oilling nippers, poly-erasers for cleaning glass files, a keyboard vac for nub clippings, and pointed cotton swabs for excess paint etc.
The only other thing I would recommend for beginners is a jar of plastic cement (I use the tamiya extra thin in the jar with the green label) it’s great for when you have a kit with small parts that keep falling off or when you accidentally crack or break a piece (like a V fin). And once you get more experience it’s good for seams
My first H.G. I split the helmet and saving it with cement made me feel like a plastic god LOL
Just don't buy the "quick-setting" extra-thin cement if you're a beginner. I bought it when I broke my first v-fin, and unless you have three arms or an alligator clip setup for spray-painting, it will have already dried too much by the time you put down the brush applicator and pick up the piece you're trying to glue back on. At least in my experience. Quick means QUICK.
protip: tamiya airbrush cleaner is the exact same thing as extra thin cement and is about half the price, in case you need extra to make sprue glue. i bought a bunch of little glass jars from aliexpress and use it for everything
@@DarkeLourd oh wow!
Its uncanny how useful tamiya cement is. Its worth paying a huge markup for if its not super available in your part of the world and you need to pay a tonne of shipping, since one bottle lasts forever. Underrated use is if you accidentally smear a little plastic glue on a model, making the surface look all shredded and gunky, just delicately dropping a little cement onto that area with the brush once its set sometimes smooths it out to the point it looks like it never happened. More speaking from warhammer models but still.
Also fantastic for if there's a little roughness where you've removed a nub if you're going to be painting. Again not so great for Gundam because it leaves a glossy splotch on the surface, but it does do a lot to even the surface t out and make it look a lot smoother once the paint is on.
The remaster is here, boys!
Now I have more tools than I need, but when Mecha did the first gear recommendation video, I was just earning my Gunpla stripes...
After about 2 years of gunpla building, I would say the only tools needed to get started in gunpla is nippers ($10 amazon nippers are fine), tweezers and a $3 glass file and maybe a hobby knife. Novice builders should get a set of sanding sponges and a simple file set and something to do panel lining with (either a liner pen or tamiya panel line ink)
As my tools kit grow bigger, better and more expensive. My backlog also grows bigger, builds become slower and I don't know if I'm doing it right anymore. 😂
I feel the same way.
Yea, that is a normal phenomenon. Sort of like “imposter syndrome “ but it’s ok. Some kits need very few tools, others may need several. So having the tools just means you can switch to the tool you need, and not struggle with something.
I just yesterday started my first build ever, and already found out that a soft rubber pencil eraser is fantastic to help apply stickers, especially it is applied to an uneven surface or nook (like the tiny round stickers on the Aerial Rebuild). Not only does the rubber help slightly adjusting the position of the sticker, it pushes it on evenly and helps fill every gap.
Thank you so much for this. I took your advice and I'm ordering all of these.Also thank you for helping beginners like me since Gunpla can be quite overwhelming to get into.
For a lower-budget single-bladed nipper, I'd recommend the Godhand PNS-135. It's amazing and still durable enough to cut thicker plastics, and barely leaves a mark if you do it right.
Edit: I also use the small flathead screwdrivers you can get as parts separators. It's easier and chances are you already have them.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Quick thing to address Mecha, at 9:10 you say you start with high grit, but in most cases a low grit count (the number of grittiness) means a low grit sandpaper. Love your videos but this messes people up sometimes, Rough is Low, Medium is Medium, and Fine is High, just letting ya know ❤
Good to know!
My friend that uses NAIL CUTTER just sanded the remaining and I called it HERESY
I’m massively guilty for using a pair of nail clippers and a goddamn toolbox file but I do like the extra challenge of trying to finesse my builds with clunky tools and it’s been awesome
You can barely tell if I had nubs on my kits
I used a cuticle nipper and a wire cutter for my first one lmao
I used to use nail clippers or my thumbs and then an exacto to clean up nubs but I've learned over the years
Thats how i built my first non eg kit.... Without the sanding....
It is heresy
I took your advice sometime ago on the toothpicks for decals truly is the best
It’s optional, but if you’re thinking about painting your gunpla one of the best things to have is a plastic spoon (like the kind you get at fast food restaurants). You can test out the paint on the spoon to see what it will look like before you commit to painting the gunpla and find out you don’t like the way it looks.
Personally, I like to put a little paint on the runner in an out of the way place. Seeing how it applies to the actual plastic you are going to put it on
Like for airbrushing or brush paintings?
I use:
-Tamiya basic nipper + GodHand for cutting.
-Mr Hobby hobby knife for basic nub removal.
-Gunprimer Raser glass file + balancers for advanced nub removal.
-USA GS part separator.
-Generic tweezers for decals/stickers.
-Fine tip panel liners or Tamiya accent liners depending on the effort required (topcoating vs straight build)
Nice tip. I'm new to this gunpla hobby. I built my first Gundam a few days ago. And bought another one today. Looking forward to this new found hobby for me. I'm starting with the HG kits. And bought the required tools. Especially nippers instead of nail clippers. Thanks for the helpful tip.
Don't sleep on the entry grade kits. They are really impressive when you consider how cheap they are. Also since they are ao cheap, they are great to practice painting and various customizing techniques.
Welcome to the modeling kit community.
A runner holder! If you start and doesn't have a lot of place, that's a must!
Considering Louise from Rogue Hobbies (a Warhammer painting channel) has recently gotten into Gunpla, this guide will be useful for many newcommers!
Especially as she basically said that godhands are a necessity and then proceeded to single cut all of the parts 😅
The dunning Krueger effect was in full force for that particular part of her video
@aliensliveinme as far as I know, the Dspiae are also effective but way more cheaper.
the bandai part separator is a must buy! the little post on the end is exactly the right size for poking broken joints from their sockets during repair.
also i swear by the gunprimer balancer sanding sticks. the white one gets your parts shiny like they just came off the runner its absolutely crazy
as far as tweezers for decals you can get some that have plastic tips that reduce curling from static
For a good beginner toolset, the apex hobby tool set on usa gundam store is on sale now for $25, includes a pretty decent double bladed nipper, a good hobby knife w/10 replacement blades (and a dull side for help applying dry transfers or moving waterslides around), a nice pair of straight tweezers, a parts separator, and sandpaper in both 600 and 1000 grit as well as some acrylic sticks to put the sandpaper on to use as a sanding stick. Honestly besides that all you’d really need in your arsenal tools wise are some panel lining markers (grey, black, brown covers the vast majority of what you’ll use) and the gunprimer balancer to buff out the plastic once you’ve sanded off the nubs if you were a bit overzealous
I'm gonna throw a wildcard suggestion out there right now for an alternative to your standard hobby nippers:
Fiskars Micro-Tip Easy Action Scissors (typically cost around $20 USD)
They have a very fine point tip that can easily get into the most difficult to reach gates, and they also have a much longer cutting edge that lasts forever for cutting big easy to reach pieces off of the sprues. And for a $20 pair of spring loaded scissors, they'll easily last over 100 kits, (even when also using them as regular scissors,) plus the worst of the nicks they might get on the cutting edge can often be burnished out, or even sharpened, if you want to be super thrifty.
Good recommendation!
i had cheap nippers that just broke yesterday and was doing research to find which ones are best you fr dropped this at a perfect time
Ive had the dspiae tool box for like weeks now and i didnt know there was a second compartment istg
Yessss! I needed this video so badly, thank you 🙏
36 years ago I built my first plastic model kit. It was a model of the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka.
The kit had about 20 parts and had to be glued together. I was 7 years old at the time. You might be wondering how I built it, it was easy.
I twisted the parts to get them off the runner and when I couldn't twist them I used a kitchen knife.
To glue the parts together I used UHU all-purpose glue.
This kit, glued together with all-purpose glue, lasted for 10 years and only fell apart when I dropped it.
What I'm trying to say with this story is that you don't need any fancy tools. Just don't do what i did on an expensive kit 😁
Stedi single bladed nipper is also a good option, although you need to sand it off. It's a very smooth cutting nipper and is cheap i used it for a while, and i recommend it
It's a good beginner nipper. I started with the cheap stedi nipper and now use their pro version. Though I'm thinking of upgrading to the godhands to get the cleanest cut as possible.
stedi products are fantastic for the price. The upper range stedi single blade is godhand quality for half the price.
Thanks for the tips!
I swear by DSPIAE ST-A 3.0 with a glass file and 2000 grit sandpaper. I also have King TTC TN-120 for some heavy duty stuffs like clear kits.
That DSPIAE kit is great! Even if you’re just a beginner you eventually grow into it, using more of the tools out of it as you build more kits. It’s a good investment that will pay for itself.
I like the squared away chisel blade rather than the scalpel style. You can put some force without digging into the piece. Serves a secondary purpose of smoothing the plastic out. Nubs disappear easily. You can even use the other side for practice that will never cut into the piece no matter what you do.
Oh man, I was looking for a video like this last week when I ordered my first gunpla kit.
I’m new to the hobby and this video was really helpful I built my first gundam the entry grade Rx-78-2 and I can’t wait to try to panel line it
Love your vids and they are very helpfull. ❤❤
I have a pack of sharpie fine tip markers that I use for things like panel lining and doing cover ups of nubs after sanding. You get a huge variety of different colors.
My very first kits like when i was a kid all i had was what they call side nail clippers at the time yeah i still remember the horrible spike like nubs it left behind if only i knew then what i know now
When I fully adopted the hobby, ofc I heard about Godhand. But because those are so expensive, I watched a few reviews and ended up getting mid-tier nippers by Stedi (MS-109 ~25$) and later a set of 3 glass files, also Stedi by pure accident, to get rid of nub marks. They work absolutely perfect and I'm pretty happy with them 😊
I bought my nipper from a hardware store. The brand name is Sellery, very cheap but surprisingly as sharp and far more durable than the Tamiya nipper. Sometimes I use a standard flat metal file to remove excess plastic or nubmarks, but you'll still need to use sandpaper and/or sanding sponges for the finishing. A very nice, cheap alternative to glass files are manicure sanding sponges. It comes with four grit sizes on each sides of the block. You can also use manicure glass files which will work on gunpla kits just as well as any branded glass files marketed for gunpla builders.
as someone who started gunpla with nail clippers (the arrowhead type) I thought they worked fine. Then my dad got me wire cutters which worked a lot better. Fast forward to my 16th birthday I got my first pair of godhand SPN-120s, and broke them because I wanted to test their limits a few months later. Now with my 2nd pair of SPN-120s, I take better care of them and oh my god they are so much better than nail clippers or wire cutters. Definitely go with nippers for models and not just wire cutters or nail clippers. Makes a massive difference.
The best way i build is wet filing with glass files, the ones without the nano holes, but ones with straight lines. Wet filing makes the glass file glide across the part. Go in one motion and use yoir nail to clean up the remaining plastic. This takes me just as long as cutting out each part!
I would recommend the Dspiae 3.0 nipper. It's 90% of the GodHand and is only 30 bucks.
For broke setup like me I just use: Nanye nipper, eyelash tweezers (for picking up and align stickers/decals), 8 sided nail file, cutters, and a sharpie felt tip pen. The key is just not necessarily buy the targeted conventional hobby items as they slightly pricey. Then you will have money to buy and store more gundam backlogs XD
Fun story:
When I was at job training for the army, we couldn't have nippers, but I REALLY wanted to feed my gundam addiction, especially after 2 1/2 months of absence from the the hobby (because of basic training). To get around the limitations, I got some steel Straight Edge nail clippers (Im not that crazy to use regular ones that are curved lol) and used those. I would cut the part out of the runner still attached to the gates, then trim very close to the part but not flush. Then, I would sand down the rest with a glass file I bought. 4 months and 17 kits later, and my sanity remained intact. I use Godhands now though cause long away from that situation lmao.
Dspiae or Godhand nipper, a cheap heavy duty nipper (to cut pieces out of the thick sprue before you cut the sprue off with the nipper) hobby knife and a Gunprimer Raser are all you need to make fantastic builds.
I also use Harsher pens/markers and nail polish remover perfect for lining near the edge of stuff also clear plastic lacquer as I live in a really humid area and without it a single drop of water can ruin my panel lining
Somethings to note:
1: You don't necessarily have to buy the nippers mentioned, you can just buy from a local store which could be cheaper, just make sure the nipper is a small one and not a giant industrial sized one. 😂
2: Wouldn't recommend getting single bladed nippers if you are just starting out because single bladed nippers are more expensive , as mentioned, than the double bladed ones and the blade is really thin so use it the wrong way and you can easily snap the blade, get some experience with the double bladed ones and once you get used to it then try using a single bladed nipper.
3: For Sanding, if you are on a budget then sandpaper will do but if you wanna fork in the cash then i would recommend the Dispae sanding sponge set, as the name suggests they come in a variety of grits and thickness.
I use the electrical wire cutter type without the damage you showed, but I never use the cutter to remove nubs, fine hobby knife only for that. I use a glass file and finally for parts sepperation... well... I got this big baggy full of lego parts sepperators that work fairly well.
Here are my tools.. God hand SPN 120 + My wife's nail filing sticks"she gets mad everytime I take one" the usual sanding paper "don't worry im gentle regardless of the grit"+ a REGULAR BOX cutter/"Sometimes a hobby knife"
For painting.. I'm too poor and or dumb to use a compressor and spray paint "I broke 1 already never again" so I stick to hand painting by getting some of those kick ass Citadel ones + the usual flow type panne lining markers
cool, very nice
Me who use just use a good wire nipper + olfa hk4 for nub cleaning.
Tamiya panel line + tamiya thinner for panel lining.
And a needle for sticking some decals or stickers
I actually can recommend the DSPIAE's toolkit for gunpla. It isn't that pricey and gives you literally ANYTHING you need: single bladed nippers, parts separator, knife, pen for panel liners, glass file (!!!), sanding sticks and a little supply of sanding paper. Best purchase I've ever made, it really elevates quality of kits assembled
If you're careful and the details aren't too shallow I've managed pretty decent panel lining with a dry erase marker. Fill in the line, gently wipe with a kleenex (or your finger if you don't care about having black fingertips) and you're good. It;s super easy to clean out and correct and if you let it set long enough it's more or less permanent. I;ve not had it come off with normal handling if I let it set a while.
I usually do this with toys rather than models though as the effect can sometimes look a bit grungy and weathered and I prefer my models factory fresh looking (so just regular panel lining)
very good advice, especially the tooth picks. never seriously thought about using them for stickers and them sticking to the tweezers always was annoying...
Sadly for me 3:26 that nipper is the closest, cheapest and available one to me. Other than that the God hand single nipper $90 one is another option
If you don't like normal tweezers, you should try cross lock tweezers. They are pinch to open, which is wayyyy better for decals
i use leftover runner for parts separator. cut them and then sand one part into triangle shape.
My weapons:
Tamiya Basic Nipper
HobbyMio stainless steel nipper. No more rusting nippers.
Razer glass file 2.0
Tamiya Basic File set (Smooth Double-Cut)
Guitar picks work well as a make-shift parts separator and they're a lot cheaper than actual parts separators. It'll chew up the pick, though, so don't use one that you actually need for playing the guitar.
I ordered aome cheap spudgers that are usually used to take phones apart. I think they should do a good job.
When I got my first gunpla during a trip to Japan I made sure to buy a nipper together with it
Oh mah gawd
I kinda wish this video existed a year or so ago, since I started out with the Bandai entry nippers and that was a mistake
I currently use a combination of the Ninesteps Essential side cutter ($19.99AUD) and the SMS single-edge nipper ($39.99AUD) (both Australian brands) and they seem to be similar in quality to the DSPIAE box nippers in this video (the single-edge nipper leaves a tiny bit of nub when you cut flat against the plastic)
Didn't know about the toothpick trick, I just use my tweezers currently for that
Thanks for this awesome guide!
I have heard that BEFORE applying the top coat and the panel liner / marker, you need to use a scribing tool on the panel lines, is that true?
Depends on how deep the panel line is. It just needs to be deep and wide enough for the panel line ink to flow through. Sometimes panel lines can be a bit shallow and might need to be deepened.
I almost exclusively build MG kits so it's not a common issue for me. Maybe in the smaller scales, it's more necessary.
@fattiger6957 thanks for the advice.
what are your thoughts on dust generated by sanding? I know resin is bad for sure, but surely breathing in PS or ABS isn't great for you either. Especially over time.
How does the Raser glass file compared to Dspiae glass file? Does the Raser glass file produce a cleaner surface?
the raser is just a better file in general, it can take off a lot of material at once but it has rounded edges so you're far less likely to accidentally gouge your parts. ive tried both and the raser is definitely just better. also might be worth mentioning i think the raser plus has a lower grit than the regular version.
I use Model Nipper P.I.T nippers, Razor glass file, Gundam Markers Black,Grey,Brown, and pencil eraser. Unless I paint the kit which I don't do 70% the time.
To be fair I only use the wire cutter to separate them from the runner. My tools do double duty for my gunpla and vape mod.
Instead of the gundam markers to use for panel lining, I use a calligraphy pen with a 0.75 mm nib and craft paint diluted to a 1:1 ratio
That is a common tool actually. The dspaie set comes with a pen like that. I use tamiya panel liner with it (which smells lacquer-based)
would have been nice if you talked about that little vice, thats more usable than tweezers or part separators as far as Im concerned
I use the flow type and Mr clean magic eraser it's way better then the magic marker it doesn't bleed out the ink, unless you scribe
I’ve always used that Bandai nipper…. Should I get a different one? 😢
I'm a beginner.
So nothing about scribing existing panel lines? I saw some videos where they mentioned the moulded panel lines aren't always deep enough to panel line and clean properly.... so is that wrong? Should we scribe them or not? Is it kit dependent?
what's a good affordable scriber for newbies and what thicknesses to get?
I eat nubs.
Meh too😂
I eat knobs.
I breathed nubs. My lungs is probably full of them
I'd love to get some of those nippers, but even those cheap ones in my country are, somehow, literally 40 times more expensive
Back in my days I used a nail clipper
Sure the tools is important, but the kits that beginners choose is also important,just take any latest bandai release like wftm kits(optional,but i do recommend them for its quality) and im seriously not recommend 3rd party or bootleg,the pain of trying to snapfit and separating them was a tortured, i still remember the time i was trying to separate the 3rd party as a beginner, it was tight like hell and i almost give up on it, luckily i managed to separated them, but my fingers hurt a few hours after that
Are the ruitool purple nippers good or nah
If i use the gundam markers (black and gray), do i need to top coat them?
Optional but I think is important.
Get a Dust collector, it sucks up the plastic dust when you sand so you don't get plastic in your lungs.
You can buy the cheap ones made for Nail Dust used by Beauty Salons.
These don't work super well and cost money. If you wet your glass file before using it there is no dust.
@@Jukeboxer11 Used to do wet sanding on scale models before I moved to Gunpla.
I'm clumsy so I got electrocuted with my lamp and got some water with plastic in my eyes when I wipe off sweat frequently so I stopped.
Got my Dust Collector around less than $4.
(I'm not in America)
@@Aserbic Yea my point is for that money you're going to be getting a fan with a casing, it's not going to do much.
Cuticle nipper all the way!
When it comes to working with sharps, i always cut away. I know that folks swear you have more control thd other direction, buuut then you have the knives taking their lbs of flesh 😅
Should've Used the Gusion Rebake Full City holding the Nipper on the thumbnail
Remember not to use the pour type on ABS
Does it matter if before using the panel liner I apply a clear coat / top coat over the part?
@@fernandozavaletabustos205clear coat should protect the plastic
@@fattiger6957 thanks, good to know!
Why does this video come out the second I start thinking about getting more Gunpla tools?
Its a sign
just in time after i lost my nippers and about to get a replacement
I bought a scriber to make custom panel lines.
Does anyone has recommendations for EX Markers? Should i buy Gundam Marker EX or DPISAIE or Ray Studio ones, this is especially for replacing stickers
I have dspaie's acrylic paint markers and they are great. I wouldn't use them to cover large areas, but they're great for small details.
@@fattiger6957i see, thank you for the suggestion
Something he didn’t mention but used in the video, anyone know which kind of vice he used or can anyone recommend anything similar or better?
I don't have a vice, but I've been considering getting some kind of small hobby vice.
We should let beginer play with putty, plastic cement, plastic plate, chissel and drill 😆
Tamiya Thin and Thick Cement. Because you never know.
Bro my first gunpla I built using cuticle nippers and sand it down with my my moms use nail file💀💀💀
Umm,Sakuraco snacks...
If you're actually a bono fide beginner who is dipping their toe into the hobby, and not even entirely sure if you'll commit to the craft, a wire cutter will suit your preliminary nipper needs fine. A cheap flush cutter from a locale supermarket, craft, or hardware store will barely set you back 5 bucks. Heck, you might even already have one rattling about in a tool drawer/chest. Chances are, you're not going to be cutting your teeth on a super expensive rare kit anyway, so if it turns out model kits ain't for you, you're not left with a hobby tool that has lil other use.
Or instead of a knife use a Tungsten scraper.
Day 88 of asking Mecha Gaikotsu to review the Sentinel Riobot Gurren Lagann
I just pluck it
I use knife cutter to cut a gunpla 😂