Hello!
My name is Kawashima workshop, and I am a garage kit builder and painter, purchasing agent in Japan.
I heard that overseas anime and game fans are also enjoying garage kits, so I made an English page for them!
I’m using DeepL translation to write the text, so I apologize if it’s in wrong English.
More details can be found in the “Commissions” section, so please take a look!
Next, I’ll explain the process of how I make my work.
.
Production Procedure
(1) Surface treatment
Garage kits have burrs, parting lines, gaps, air bubbles, etc., which need to be dealt with.
If these processes are neglected, the painting will not go well and the appearance will not be good.
This is why I spend the most time on this process!
Checking for any noticeable scratches by shining the light from various angles.
Garage kits have burrs, parting lines, gaps, air bubbles, etc., which need to be dealt with.
If these processes are neglected, the painting will not go well and the appearance will not be good.
This is why I spend the most time on this process!
Checking for any noticeable scratches by shining the light from various angles.
(2) Shafting and embedding neodymium magnets
If you only fit the kit with the unevenness of the kit itself, it may not be strong enough and may shift when glued, or the glue may come off after a few years and the kit may collapse.
In order to avoid this, reinforce the kit with axes and magnets.
After that, if there are no problems, temporarily assemble the kit and check for any misalignment.
If you only fit the kit with the unevenness of the kit itself, it may not be strong enough and may shift when glued, or the glue may come off after a few years and the kit may collapse.
In order to avoid this, reinforce the kit with axes and magnets.
After that, if there are no problems, temporarily assemble the kit and check for any misalignment.
(3) Removing the release agent, cleaning, and re-molding
When the garage kit is made, there is a release agent attached to the silicon mold to make it easier to peel off.
If you leave it as it is, the paint will not stick to the mold and it will peel off, making it very difficult to remove.
If the paint is left as it is, it will not stick and will peel off.
Next, we cleaned with neutral detergent.
Parts that have been misshapen during temporary assembly are prepared with boiling water.
After that, let it dry for about a day.
When the garage kit is made, there is a release agent attached to the silicon mold to make it easier to peel off.
If you leave it as it is, the paint will not stick to the mold and it will peel off, making it very difficult to remove.
If the paint is left as it is, it will not stick and will peel off.
Next, we cleaned with neutral detergent.
Parts that have been misshapen during temporary assembly are prepared with boiling water.
After that, let it dry for about a day.
(4) Painting & Assembly
Before coloring, apply primer to make the paint bite firmly.
The primer is a kind of glue for the paint, and by applying it, the paint will bite extremely well and will not peel off easily.
Then, paint is applied.
The skin is basically painted without sapphires.
Depending on the color of the kit, it may be painted pseudo-safeless.
Other than the skin, I sprayed surfacer to fill in minor scratches.
After drying, if scratches are noticeable, I repeat the process once or twice, filing and buffing.
After painting and letting it dry for about a day, assembly is complete.
Before coloring, apply primer to make the paint bite firmly.
The primer is a kind of glue for the paint, and by applying it, the paint will bite extremely well and will not peel off easily.
Then, paint is applied.
The skin is basically painted without sapphires.
Depending on the color of the kit, it may be painted pseudo-safeless.
Other than the skin, I sprayed surfacer to fill in minor scratches.
After drying, if scratches are noticeable, I repeat the process once or twice, filing and buffing.
After painting and letting it dry for about a day, assembly is complete.
I’ve made a few other changes in some cases, but the flow is like this.
Thank you :))