Introduction >Equipment >Building >Painting >Weathering >This and That >Falldog's Kit Reviews & Collection

> What is Gunpla?
> Buying Kits & Difficulty Grades
> Terminology
> First Kit Recommendations

> Building Equipment
> Detailing Equipment
> Painting Equipment
> Misc Equipment Recommendations
> Glue Guide

> Project Flowchart
> Construction Guide
> Detail Lines
> Decals & Stickers
> Top Coats

> Paint Space Prep
> Paint Types
> Sampling Paints
> Paint References
> Priming
> Airbrushing		 > Preshading
> Spray Cans
> Decanting Paints
> Masking
> Camouflage
> Hand Painting

> Weathering (Old Tutorial)
> Weathering General
> Oil Weathering
> Hairspray Chipping
> Advanced Hairspray Chipping		 > Other Chipping Methods
> Battle Damage
> Dry Brushing
> Other Weathering Tips

> PlaPlating
> Sig Super Stripe
> Mini Thrusters
> Option Parts
> Action Bases & Posing		 > Misc Tricks & Tips
> Kit Photography
> Gundam Line Art
> Recommended Sites

> About Me
> My Projects
> My Model Reviews
> My Collection
> LGG Change Log

Want to see what kits and builds I’m getting into? Follow me on Instagram and BlueSky! Hey all, did you know I had an Etsy Store? Complete with customizable Gunpla bases, stickers, and more! Please come checkout my odd collection of wares.

LGG – Equipment

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Layman’s Gunpla Guide – Guide to Glue

Now, 90% of the time, you’ll be able to complete a kit without needing any glue. Unfortunately, that other 10% is filled with broken parts, loose joints, and extremely small pieces. There’s quite an assortment of glues out there and picking the best one for the task can make life a lot easier, and make your kit look better. These all should be available at your local hobby shop, aside from super glue, which is available at grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations etc.

For simplicity’s sake I’ve divided glues into five basic categories with recommendations based on personal usage. There’s a lot of glues out there and, depending where you’re located in the world, may not have access to the same ones I do.You can search for the active ingredients in most glues online, cross referencing them to what I have here. Though, at the end of the day, nothing beats a bit of old school experimentation. read more

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Layman’s Gunpla Guide – Detailing Equipment

The most popular way to make your kit look its best is to paint its detail lines. Some people think kits look best with out them while others think they look best when done in heavy black. The popular consensus however is that you should line with a color and darkness relating to the plastic you’re working on. For example, when lining on white use a light gray. For medium colors try a darker gray, and on dark or somethings vibrant colors use a black. If you’re lining with paint try to mix in portions of the base color for a subtle effect. Remember to try different things and go with what you think looks best. read more

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Layman’s Gunpla Guide – Miscellaneous Equipment

Another revamp in progress! New stuff at top, old at the bottom.

The further into the hobby you get the more and more odd tools and bits of equipment get picked up. This is a partial list of some of the miscellaneous equipment I’ve used here and there for the years. It’s not a comprehensive list by any means but may help stir some brain cells. Note that these are items you will not need for a basic build, paint, or detail only project.

Large Cutters

Have a pair of large cutters laying around? They’re no good for removing pieces from runners but are great for taking apart runners. If you strip down a length of runner it will make a good paint stir or even a support when you paint a piece. Some kits feature extra or unused pieces. One option for storing them is to trim down the runner and only save where pieces remain. Sure, you can do that with your regular nippers, but larger cutters make the task easier. read more

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Layman’s Gunpla Guide – Painting Equipment

I decided to break this page down into three different sections relating to airbrushing equipment, hand and detailing painting equipment, and everything else that you’ll need. Of course, you’re also going to need some paint!

Airbrushing Equipment

Airbrushes


(Click to Enlarge)

Picking out an airbrush can be pretty daunting at first. Here’s some information on the basic types of airbrushes…

  • Gravity, Siphon, or Side-Feed – Different brushes receive their paint in different ways, gravity receives it from a reservoir on top and siphon brushes pull it from a jar beneath. Side fed, as you might have guessed by now, receives it from the side of the brush. Gravity fed brushes are my favorite on account of their ease of use. You can add as little paint as you like to the reservoir as opposed to a siphon fed system which will generally require a bit more paint for proper suction in a jar below. Siphon fed systems are also more painful to clean as the small tube used to suck up the paint can easily become clogged without proper maintenance. The benefit to siphon airbrushes is that the bottom heavy jar will generally provide enough support to rest the brush between coats. In addition most models allow you to swap jars on the fly compared to having to empty a gravity fed brush’s reservoir.
  • Single Action and Double Action – Single action brushes only allow one spray mode. Push the button and paint comes out the other side at a standard rate. Changing the rate requires moving the needle back and forth, usually by turning one end of the brush. Double action brushes allow you to move the needle back and forth on the fly, changing the flow rate.
  • Internal/External Mixing – At some point paint and air are going to mix, either internal to the brush or external. I feel as though internally mixing brushes give a more consistent spray and have had better luck with them over the years. They are a bit more difficult to clean than externally mixing brushes where the and air paint mix outside of your brush’s components.

Which brush is right for you? Well that’s something only you’ll be able to figure out. Each type has it’s own pros and cons and everyone is going to have their own preference. Some advanced modelers even have multiple types on hand for different purposes. To make things easier I recommend a simple gravity fed brush. read more

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Layman’s Gunpla Guide – General Building Equipment

If you’re looking to build Gunpla you’re going to need some tools. Thankfully you only need a small set at your disposal to accomplish great builds.

 Must have…

 Must have if you’re building regularly…

A pair of basic hobby nippers

A pair of GodHand nippers

General Hobby Nippers

Unless you’re a 15 year-old me you’ll want to do the smart thing and cut – not rip – all your Gunpla pieces from the runners. The easiest and safest way to do so is with a pair of hobby nippers (also known as hobby cutters or side cutters).

Ranging from $10 to $80 you should be able to find a pair at any hobby store and many online retailers. You’re probably wondering, is the more expensive pair better than the cheaper pair? Well, the short answer is, yes. Long answer is that generally, especially when it comes to tools, you get what you pay for. read more

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