Gundam

[dave branson]

I finally got my son to try modeling been trying for 25 years. So here is the 2nd model he built.

[peter31a]

Cool!  We in the car building community don't realize how big the Gundam thing is. Two years ago the hobby shop I go to regularly didn't have any Gundam. Now they have several shelves full of them. There one shop in Toronto solely dedicated to Gundam. We lament about no young builders but this is where the younger builders are.

[iamsuperdan]

So i don't know anything about Gundam. Are these things just robots? Or do they transform into stuff, like those other robots.

 

[Rob Hall]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundam

[Jantrix]

5 hours ago, peter31a said:

Cool!  We in the car building community don't realize how big the Gundam thing is. Two years ago the hobby shop I go to regularly didn't have any Gundam. Now they have several shelves full of them. There one shop in Toronto solely dedicated to Gundam. We lament about no young builders but this is where the younger builders are.

I've been surprised how popular they are. Adding these kits (and other sci-fi stuff) and the gear to build them has rescued a local, independant, Clearwater hobby shop from the edge of solvency. They are doing quite well now. 

My son builds them. I might give it a try here soon as well.

[Fat Brian]

I'm not into Gundam stuff but if anyone would kit the Battletech/Mechwarrior mechs I'd buy every one they put out. If I ever get really ambitious I might scratch one.

[Oldcarfan27]

Hey, whatever gets them off the video games and into using their creative skills. I say, that's a good thing!

Maybe cars could be in the future. 

[styromaniac]

I attended the Old Dominion Open model show and contest put on by the local IPMS chapter in Richmond Va last Saturday the 23rd. Despite really rainy weather attendance was good...close to a 1,000 models entered by almost 300 modelers. Last year there were 25 Gundam models...this year 95...close to 4 times as many. It's a growing thing...bringing in younger modelers to an event thst has been predominantly aging baby boomers.

[Dave Ambrose]

We have a thriving Gundam scene here in Southern California. There is a yearly Gundam-mostly contest. Last year, they brought in 238 paid attendees, and I'm not even going to speculate on the number of models. It was a lot. They outgrew their previous venue, and this year, they're moving to a larger location. 

Their work there is first-rate. There's glossy, weathered, and everything in between.  The people are nice, and they are young. I was just about the oldest guy in the room. There was someone from Orange County IPMS who was older than I. 

Our model car club puts on a contest in conjunction with our local IPMS chapter. A couple years ago, we put in a specifically Gundam category. There was some skepticism, and even some resistance. It just about overflowed the table we allocated for it. The judges were impressed by the craftsmanship, and last year, a Gundam won best in show. They are indeed a good thing, and anyone putting a more general interest show or contest should reach out to the Gundam builders.

We're not all that different. I don't know about you, but I'm building models of cars I thought were cool when I was a kid. For them, Gundams fill the same role.

[misterNNL]

Nice work on the Gundam figure. I notice some edge paint wear as well. For those builders not familiar with this trend you might want to pick up a copy of the spring 2019 Damaged magazine by Fine Scale Modeler and read the article there on the weathering work on a Ginn Type Insurgent Gundam. Any modeler will be very impressed with the level of paint work. The scale is 1/144. Just because we aren't familiar witch's doesn't mean we can't appreciate them.