Mecha Gaikotsu's 10 Cheap and Lazy Gunpla HACKS!

[@MechaGaikotsu]

Once again another big thank you to Skillshare for sponsoring the video and helping to keep this Mecha train rolling! ---> skl.sh/mechagaikotsu Also make sure to add all your own hacks below, I'm sure you guys have some WAY better ones then I do!

[@Zyrgia]

How about the winner of MG Dynames??

[@inzagwa]

Another good tip is pick up some Aluminum Tape from the hardware store (hvac/plumbing section). It's easy to cut, has good adhesive and can be polished to a shine or duled to a mat. It's great for going behind clear pieces or just adding a bit of a metal shine to a kit. *Here's a video of Adam Savage giveing a wooden sword a "metal" blade w/ the tape: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWKQXmN6ga-pY5o

[@NEOREAPER4]

Yo have you ever thought of selling those extra parts because I'm willing to buy

[@y.o.l.o5761]

Thank you so much Mecha Gaikotsu,you give a idea to do something good to my broken barbatos lupus rex,it finally have a place to rest

[@UNSCPILOT]

Do you have any tips / recommendations for people starting to paint kits by hand / brush instead to a airbrush setup? (Kinda short on space for a proper airbrush setup, for now sadly)

[@sugarhoneyicetea3040]

Glad you know that I wanna save money after buying $200 worth of plastic in bulk

[@MechaGaikotsu]

->Destroys $200 of plastic from bad advice

[@queencyrys6309]

Sugar Honey Ice Tea my PG Exia and my MG Nu gundam both cost roughly the same once the paints were bought

[@JeromeProductions]

Sugar Honey Ice Tea oof 😂

[@joe74509migo]

I can provide a useful tip: you can decorate the walls using box arts! Just cut the covers nicely and post them as wallpapers.

[@calebleung3776]

200 IQ

[@seanchoy236]

And as a symbol of how much you've spent... RIP wallet...

[@vie3147]

You can also use runners.

[@jhuang8538]

If you're a real hardcore gunpla fan, make a handphone case from the runners.

[@plastic_love_]

I build a medium sized plastic trash bin out of gunpla runners

[@thatgreenfur6584]

#4- Another good trick is to keep the plastic bags the runners come in, put your accessories in one of those, then simply fold over the top and secure it with some scotch tape. Better to reuse the existing plastic rather than create more waste with new bags. Plus, they'll definitely be big enough. You can even cut them to the size you need.

[@gundamcollectorjames]

I put them in the box, yes I'm that type of guy to put the Gundam boxes behind the Gundam. (I only have 3,and the boxes seem too cool to throw away)

[@TheSpongyMallard]

I did the same thing with my extra Lego pieces. I also stored the instructions of all my kits in a Lego box.

[@makuuclarete3470]

-Use multi layered medicine boxes to store extra hand parts. -Coating rubber spray to the stands add toughness and thickness with stability on the base. -You can bend the beams faster and easter with a blow dryer. -Use 50%Acetone solution and 50% water to remove lacquer or acrelic paints before they dry. -You can remove metallic paints using a toothpick on sharp hard to reach sections. -You can use the plastic runners as rebar frames to reinforce diorama structures same as reinforce concrete techniques.

[@Bobert2020]

Yes, it is EASTER than using a lighter.

[@bomberguy06]

4:43 And here I thought Mecha Gaikotsu was part mecha.

[@xenowreborn]

I thought he was 100% Gundam -setsuna f seiei reference-

[@pangzhiyu8098]

@@xenowreborn why do you not have more likes.

[@pandasongunboatsbuildz9131]

As someone who is both cheap and lazy, definitely appreciate these hacks! I wouldn't have thought of upcycling the display boxes/runners in different ways, and using water decal techniques for stickers!

[@VaSoapman]

Bonus tip for #2 the DIY action base. Its a really really good starting point for dioramas.

[@OneStopBopShop]

for step 4 instead of using a cut out of the box you can just use the manuals.

[@MechaGaikotsu]

That you can! I find they eventually add too much bulk so I store them separately.

[@lulyopy7704]

Putting manual together with leftovers part will damage the manual a bit due to ovelapping. since manual big and mostly if you put in it, u need much bigger ziplock bag. So my solution. Put leftover part in suitable ziplock bag. Just write name on the ziplock plastic using permanent marker and the manual i put in 1 box

[@jaypeterman9721]

Couldn’t you also find pictures on the web of the box and paste them on the outside of the bag?

[@silveraceiv9416]

That's what I started doing but I do see where it can start to add some bulk but for now as I'm just getting into gunpla doesn't affect me to bad

[@ExieNguyen]

You could also just write on the bags which gunpla it belongs to. Won’t recommend it but it works for bags too small for the manual and/or box art.

[@kryse4806]

"there's just something about a beam rifle looking a bit on the blank side" me: BEND IT "just use this beam effect" me: oh ok that works too I guess

[@zeka2255]

I TOTALLY THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO SAY THAT! HAHAHA

[@dardex1753]

Beam Effect Part: -Straight clear plastic runner piece -Glue gun -Some paint Cut one end of runner piece to fit the gun barrel. Swirl glue around runner piece. Stylize to taste. Leave dry. Paint to desired colour.

[@UNSCPILOT]

@@dardex1753 commenting on this so I can find it later, fantastic!

[@genkimusic5984]

This is what I’ve been looking for

[@escothaprophet3430]

@@dardex1753 now this is a hack! Thx bro

[@YangKaruna]

I can afford the materials but can't afford the thing I'm using it on

[@hands_0n543]

Anotner cool thing about that last wash, if any flame comes near the gundam, you will have the sickest looking figure for around three minutes

[@xSkye629x]

Cheap asf tip. Use basic coloring markers to cover up nub marks. Buy the 25+ color ones, gives you more coverage on colors. Beats having white marks on colored surfaces, even ifs not a 100% match

[@MechaGaikotsu]

Thats literally what gundam markers were designed for, but never thought of trying normal markers. Sounds like a solid idea!

[@thomas_mafty_haha]

Wouldn't some sanding sticks be cheaper than buying a whole ton of different coloured markers though?

[@MichaelJCaboose013]

@@thomas_mafty_haha That works if the issue is a nub sticking out, but if the discoloration is from the plastic stretching (usually from cutting from the runner too close to the part) then no amount of sanding will help.

[@thomas_mafty_haha]

@@MichaelJCaboose013 yeah you're right, the only way to solve it is cutting carefully It doesn't bother me too much though, I'd rather it be a bit discolored than not sanding, and I plan to paint my kits anyway

[@NoLieIm51]

Loving the quality of your videos. Literally got a car model that I have to build I’m really excited but don’t have any glue or paint lol. So I literally open KZbin up and have never looked up any model hobby material and was surprised to see your videos. Thank you

[@seanchoy236]

Now if only I can afford the gunpla.... Any cheap and lazy hacks for that? Also that doggo mug though...

[@ironkeko4423]

Buy from an online shop find those with free shipping buy from a shop within your country, or well save money, i survived because of that😂😂😂😂

[@jonpines2740]

Scam on Amazon/ eBay

[@TheHipisterDeer]

USA Gundam store arguably has the best prices for US costumers even with the shipping costs because most import gunpla online is just.... Pricy... Also you can just google hobby store and see what pops up, some of them carry reasonably priced gunpla.

[@seanchoy236]

The thing is that I'm living in Brazil ATM and... we don't have local hobby shops for gunpla here. Plus the online "national" store sells kits for 2 to 3 times the original list price. And importing kinda sucks too as we get taxed on pretty much every package.

[@ironkeko4423]

Well that really a problem for some countries, a gundam kit here in the Philippines especially MG, RG, and some higher HG cost equal my College fees

[@JohnDoe-oy1xd]

Mind blown by the sticker/water trick. Thanks man

[@OvAeons]

You know what would be cool? Take dozens of left over runners and lay them out into a mold, break them, cram in as much as you can! Pour some resin and make a table or display furniture.

[@MechaBorne]

Me trying to carefully bend my beam saber to be 100% perfectly straight: 🧑‍🔬 Gaikotsu: Haha beam saber go bwaow

[@coreyjameshaims449]

"D.I.Y RISER" 😅 A new build fighter MS!?

[@haydenfrost2692]

Die Raiser? 🤔 Hmmmm

[@austinreed7343]

Another trick I found was to use the beam sabers from an entirely separate kit as the beam rifle effects. One example is that RX-78-2’s beam saber fits in the rifle of the Try Age Magnum, and also vice-versa.

[@DrolthKar]

I use cut the straight sections off of the beam effect runners as stock for beam riffle effects. Most even fit in the barrels without sanding.

[@crystalclearchaos5387]

13:08 how to turn a gunpla into a random combination bomb

[@paulalagar892]

As for the weathering wash you can also use chalk pastels mixed with water and a little bit of dish soap. It's safe on the plastic and easy to clean up. Downside is that you need your kit to be topcoated in matte so that the chalk will adhere and coat it again to seal it

[@inkthinker]

My cheap/lazy trick for panel lines has been generic dry-erase markers... they fill the gaps nicely, and then you can wipe away the excess with your thumb.

[@def2020]

OMG, i always thought my barbatos was just bad put together by me because it was my first gunpla kit ever. Thank you a lot for the tip, ill put it to use right away

[@greyborg3846]

Another one that I sometimes use is a close color permanent marker to color correct nub marks. Just apply the marker to the nub mark and then immediately wipe it away with your finger or a cloth. The marker wipes away from the smooth plastic, if you do so before it completely dries, but soaks into the semi-porous plastic where the nub was.

[@goodolohmagatoki8377]

4:48 *NO!!! NOT THE BOX!!!*

[@Phantom2745]

These were some awesome tips for us broke gunpla builders. I never knew about the box method and always wondered what to do with all my gunpla boxes that take up space. Another tip that I found extremely useful and didn't know about was the DIY stand, that's a good $5-$10 saved. Sweet video!

[@cassandrafoxx4171]

To deal with Gundam sticker transfers, you can stick the whole sheet onto transparent acetate film, scan them and then print them on water-slide decal sheets, turning them into water-slide decals. Also, if you screw up the decals, just print out a new sheet...

[@BLAZE084]

I wouldn’t call the pencil panel lining lazy but it is a cheap alternative and I think a model supply company makes a 3mm panel lining pencil too(not 100% sure but it’s possible). But overall good tips 👍🏽

[@JoseJong]

Indeed. GSI Creos makes that mechanical pencil panel liner.

[@NekoNinja13]

Alternatively for number 4 if you prefer to think of leftover parts as parts for customization you could also use a tool box to store and sort parts you have interest using at a later date. This is what I do personally for leftovers and even for full kits that either have already had their time in the lime light, didn't live up to my expectations, or that I had bought specifically for customization fodder. Also just wanted to say thanks for the paneling tips you gave in the earlier videos. Despite being cheap, lazy, and messy they almost always turn out looking just great!

[@nerdfatha]

your Lazy panel lining vid was the first of your vids I had ever watched after I assembled my first Kit. Now you are one of my top gunpla channels.

[@ryanadisuryo2739]

This is what i’ve been waiting for so long from your channel

[@potato1499]

I do #4 too but you can do it without ziplock bags or cutting the boxes. The manuals are usually the same size as the bags with the runners in them. If you cleanly cut the top off a bag with scissors you can put spare parts and the manual in there.

[@Samflaful]

Yo, love the video, really happy with all these tips as someone who's just getting into gunpla, but I wanted to say in regards to the bit about building a stand out of the tree, it'd be nice to recommend wearing a mask while doing that, as inhaling pastic fumes can be pretty harmful. You're really unlikely to inhale enough to mess you up badly doing something this small scale, but for people with respiratory issues it can lead to stuff like asthma attacks and other issues. I hope this doesn't come off as too negative or anything, I really like the vid, I think it's just pertinent information for some peeps safety.

[@JMel2012]

Thanks! I didn't think of that, and I really appreciate it.

[@ernestisom5878]

LMAO the red comet you pulled out of the trash is my first gunpla I bought to start on today

[@DurdleDers]

11:20 you made me laugh pretty hard, caught me off guard with that deadpan humor XD

[@vidfreak727]

Instead of cutting the box, you could also save the building instruction manual as a label. A solution to hide the ugly lazy action stand is to build yourself a simple diorama and use some of that woodland scenics turf product (type and color of your choice) to bury the runner with. I’ll be trying that out today.

[@antoinep.2565]

how did it go?

[@B3rrymon]

Dude I watch a TON of art stuff on youtube, seeing a skillshare ad by you really caught me off guard but great stuff! Can only recommend it to anyone interested in anything creative!

[@barmutah]

My favorite quote "i do nothing about it"

[@Memeamyoto621]

1. DESTROYING THE BOXES!? NEVER! USE MANUAL. 2. Very good tips. Was mind blown. 3. Nice display cabinets. I want one.

[@Its_A_Gundam]

Just ordered my first gunpla, the RX-78-2 beyond global. So excited!!!

[@flipsilog_Gaming]

Ooooooooooooohhhhhh that's painful seeing you cut that gunpla box in half.. I could never do that on my boxes. 😣

[@TheHipisterDeer]

Maybe not the PG, Mega Size or Big Gunpla, Hi-Res boxes because they look so good and to big to cut anyways but generally? I don't care about the cardboard boxes I just cut the cover and sides of it to keep it in a collection as well as all of my manuals.

[@lilmoeszyslak4810]

RIP Chars Zaku box 😭

[@nargarex2390]

Not bothered if he mess up with his'(box)... but I'll get shookt when he did something to mine

[@gerardray1232]

I cut my regular boxes but not the pbandai ones 😔 that was hard to watch

[@april.haunta6678]

“Which it will” made me laugh so much more than it should’ve

[@Pepepepepepenacho]

THE TRANSITIONS BETWEEN EACH HACK ARE SO DYNAMIC

[@jek.23]

You can also use the plastic bags of the runners as left over parts container then tape it.

[@unknownairman1875]

Thanks for the videos, helping out a rookie like me to get more creative with my kits

[@Scro10m]

A fine tip sharpie marker, alcohol, q-tips, mounting putty That’s a fraction of what you spent

[@MechaGaikotsu]

That sounds like one hell of night! Putty is a lucky girl!

[@Zackrobotheart]

alcohol does not dissolve oil paint

[@jeysenarosa3233]

You can make a white colored plastic look like it was weathered using water based markers and alcohol.

[@TheNonMemeLord]

Hey if I ever get another model I will use these hacks! I currently only have the barbatos (the first one you see in the show)

[@guardianvoidwalker2153]

The superglue helped really well for my kitbash,i had made 2 kitbashes a wing custom and ver ka and one with fa 78 full armor(thunderbolt),origin ,exia these were made for my grandpa when he was diagnosed wirh cancer,out with the old in with passionate kitbashes

[@ChronoPinoyX]

For the panel linings, you can use cheap fine line pens as well. Pencils and Fine line pens are super cheap and easy to get and they both work just as well as your standard Gunpla Marker.

[@BeeCrab]

As someone who makes DnD terrain and is getting into gunpla, it makes me happy to see Burnt Umber is still appreciated here too.

[@greyborg3846]

Immediately got thrown for a loop as soon as you started the actual list. The sound effect you played with the numbers is the same sound effect I use for my message tone on my phone.

[@akraftw3rkorange]

You can create a dry wash using Colored Pastels or Color pencils + Sandpaper, make a dust then apply with a brush dry...use hairspray to affix the dust. This is dirt cheap looks incredible, tank modelers have been using it for decades. It looks awesome on plastic parts no painting needed. Orange for example looks incredible on dark greys/black. The pencil technique is better than demonstrated here, just use a darker art pencil. The best part, is you can clean the kit up with water and rubbing alcohol if you don't like the results.

[@thebuildbear]

The shading thing and the poor man's gunpla stand are a great idea. I'm currently using these techniques on an HG 1/144 Barbatos Gundam

[@MakGohae]

You destroy boxes like @zakuaurelius, you monster!

[@Iamtornado85]

Jeez calm down he really doesn’t want to fill his whole house with boxes would you fill your house with boxes in the bathroom in your bedroom everywhere of course not so calm down

[@Siegberg91]

@@Iamtornado85 no you buy a creepy and cheap holiday house which you fill with gunpla boxes

[@doorbladder5735]

It's all for a good cause.

[@AsapMilk]

@@Iamtornado85 you can make a huge poster by cutting out the figures in the front out of each box

[@morguhnburke685]

the sticker and water trick will absolutely be used. And that was didn't look half bad..... i'm really gonna have to try that out

[@benadrylthundercrotch7144]

For storing kits, I like to take the top of the box, measure the height and cut a section out of each side in the middle with about half an inch more on one side and then just clam shell it into a box. Looks good, protects everything and takes up like a third of the space.

[@victorapontejr.8244]

Love fun informative videos like these. Thanks for this man!

[@mdzl70]

11:17 basically the part of this video. Whoops you done gouf'd? Well cant do anything about it. Loved it. Keep it up.

[@Zaku211]

11:57 just blew my mind bro ! Cant wait to get off work to try that

[@drakimoto]

Love when you do these kind of gunpla help videos. Keep it up homie

[@baelreviewsshit5382]

Did the tip for making a beam sabre effect look more dynamic. It worked pretty well

[@marcustepase2997]

Dymamic? Do you mean... *V I G O U R O U S ?*

[@baelreviewsshit5382]

Oh shiznet, you're right. It looks more *V I G O R O U S*

[@spisee5445]

2017 Mecha Gaikotsu: dont use super glue because it wont work... 2019 Mecha Gaikotsu: you could use super glue

[@AzraelThanatos]

If you use the gallon sized ziplocks, you can fit the manual into it along with the parts for it. I tend to add a second bag, though a sandwich size one for fully extra parts that aren't used at all for the kit inside it as well

[@giovanni23048]

I saw that sector imperialis over there at 4:25

[@cacona6191]

Here's one. Can't buy gundam markers because of the price? Then use sharpie

[@nerovalentine9718]

really glad i found this. built a few of these when i was younger and have just started getting back into it and this will help me a bunch when my first kits finally get in.

[@8pengrams64spins]

You could also use pencils to do weathering by drawing into the edges and smoothing it out with a cotton bud (or eraser if it gets too messy). It works perfectly on white-coloured plastic, just make sure you sand it thoroughly first or it'll be too slippery for the graphite to shade.

[@davidstanisz9327]

slightly more expensive option, but for the storage, one can make use of the plastic tackle boxes that have the removable dividers- often finding a full on storage box will have the smaller storage trays in multiples that'll store in them. I've used em for other storage, and it can serve as solid storage

[@MrAngelofflames]

I find smudging the marker (rubbing the ink) works better when using my fingers because of the oils on my skin. I find it makes a better, longer, and more realistic gradient. So it’s even cheaper.

[@davidfitzsimmons2451]

Step ten, those of us into collecting figures and/or gunpla building on /toy/ swear by pledge with future floor care. It changes it's name often so look it up to see what it is now. It's just an acrylic floor polish so it's very model safe, brush it on and one bottle will last you a great many years. Picked up my bottle five years back, not even used a quarter of it yet. That fact makes it a FAR cheaper option then the super glue in the long run. Super glue will be used up far faster and not to mention it can dry in bottle on you.

[@adityatewari07]

I love ur videos ur explanation, view, tips ,honest review, covering all aspects. Is just perfect keep doing pal..

[@BlackHei711]

Lazy battle damaged Gunpla? Use firecrackers.

[@Phantomick]

For tip # 1 I do the same thing but I use acrylic paint thinned down with water, a bit safer than using chemicals and you can buy the paint separately at a craft store!

[@allendiaz1591]

do your gunpla gets dusty in that display shelf of yours? if yes, how do you clean it or prevent it from accumulating dust quickly. :)

[@Presbiter]

If you dont place them behind glas, then get a cheap aircompressor or compressed air in can from your local hardware store.

[@RandomPerson-cm2wg]

Presbiter will it work if I just use an empty spray instead?

[@vinnyvanhoe5614]

I guess skillshare works... never would've guessed coming from your new videos you were in anyway self conscious about your photography skills even 3y ago. Everything you post is so cinematic I'm always impressed

[@time4manmode945]

#7 freaking……awesome!! #1 why not just take a dump on it and done🤣

[@HaloDJumper]

To tighten up joints, I just use paint markers on those parts. Both the ball joint and the socket. Doesn't matter the quality or the color because it can't be seen anyway.

[@ancient_b0ss028]

Thanks for the action stand tips

[@goggleheroomegamaple53]

And with the pencil you can clean it off with some cue tips for when you have panel markers

[@severlst2293]

I’ve seen people heat spruce runners and stretch them. I bet it would be possible to use that process to create weapon fire effects.

[@greyborg3846]

My laziest cheat is that I use permanent markers to cover over unsightly nub marks. I use the closest color match that I can find, color over the mark, wait approximately one second, and then wipe away the excess ink with a cloth.

[@Dieselboy420]

Thank you for those tips very helpful bro just getting to this hobby doing my very first build today really appreciated

[@juliusjones7017]

The last tip was my fave. Thanks man. 👍👏

[@MechaGaikotsu]

You're welcome!

[@juliusjones7017]

And thank you for introducing us to HLJ. Iv ordered and received gunpla already also some snacky things 😄 You pics look good. I think Gundam Exia is my new fave. Ordered 1/144 .1/100. And the SD. Thinking about the 1/60. Thankyou again 🙏 and keep the content coming

[@ranwolf7650]

Panel lining marker substitute : You can also uses ultra fine size sharpies

[@UBER_DESTRUCTO]

Thanks for the tip about the boxes as stands. I love the channel, keep it up.

[@Smeltz247]

For the super glue hack some baking soda (which most households have by the way) can make super glue dry (cure) very fast.

[@tallymatt65]

Tip #11 magic markers work really well on the Inside of clear parts. Tip #12 close pins (wooden ones) are not just for hanging up you laundry, you can use them to hold up parts that need to dry if you paint them mainly hands. Tip #13 GUNPLY IS FREEDOM!

[@Wraithnine]

Great vid mate

[@NotHeitu]

When you can’t even afford... some of the cheap hacks.. Hmmm yes I love my Gundam coated in flammable liquid.. Amazing video X3

[@beeroniousy860]

If you want to next level your burnt umber wash, apply it liberally and then use a cue tip/cotton bud covered in your solvent of choice (I like using white spirits) and gently dab it on where you applied the wash. This will give you an excellent grimy effect. And if you're willing to drop a bit more cash, using this technique on AK Interactive's Streaking Grime gives absolutely amazing results.

[@lucaseichler3140]

My cheap panel lining technique requires a box of tissue and a fine liner sharpie. Essentially, you draw in a line and then wipe the excess off right away.

[@blazewind]

I actually prefer the pencil on white parts when they aren't SD's. I often find the bold black panel lining to look like somewhat cartoony outlines, rather than subtle shadows. But you do need a very thin mechanical pencil for more effective results. 0.3 is ideal, and there's even an official Gunpla detailing mechanical pencil for that.

[@AKImeru]

Here's a side tip regarding washes: If you go like this: Primer -> Base coat, then you can use Games Workshop and friends washes without impunity. If you do NOT, go for the oil wash.

[@AKImeru]

You can also apply some varnish finish at the end to allow you to touch your Gunpla once it's done! You better use gloves though, but it won't take the paint away.

[@francesstrong9152]

And if you somehow don't have a pencil. Pigma liners also work The smaller the number of the better the lines And if you don't want the lines to be overly dark You can use a cue tip to lighten it a little

[@arthurdub7901]

The number two tip had me cracking up so hard 🤣🤣🤣

[@dustandbonesorganization1915]

Gundam and Warhammer 40,000. We both have the same addictions, my friend :)

[@Equalsundew]

Sweet thanks man now I can do this stuff to my armored core model kits.

[@TaimatCR]

Agreed I used the lazy panel line one with my white glint

[@kapt980]

Mecha getting more sponsors. Congrats man!

[@MrJohncean]

for joint tightening you can also use something like gunprimers joint guard v3.0. it adds protection and also adds layer to you joint stiffening it