The Ramblings of a Craftsman

Hey I'm Max and this is a blog dedicated to my hobby of building Gundam, other bandai, and kotobukiya model kits as well as some cosplay. I only post my own content which usually contains WIP pictures, completed kits, and anything else relating to my hobby.

[bosskeybuilds]

I'm moving!

So I'm moving! Not myself personally of course, that's already for the most part finished as I just moved into a new house with my fiancée and her friends. I'm moving my blog and all of my progress over to my facebook page! I'm never on tumblr anymore and I haven't been active for a very long time and now that I'm finally able to start building again in my new house I thought it would be a good transition to to also move my online presence elsewhere. If you are still interested in following my projects then come and give me a like at https://www.facebook.com/bosskeybuilds !!!

[bosskeybuilds]

Barely any online presence, a lot of in life presence

so if you couldn't tell, I haven't posted in a loooooooong time, but while I haven't been busy online, I have been quite busy in my local anime/gunpla community. I recently put on a informational panel at our local anime convention and have since gotten more people in the community interested in building gundam models. In our city we only have one hobby shop and until recently the main focus in stock has always been model trains, planes and automobiles, everything that isn't gundam. The owner was generous enough to donate a perfect grade Wing Zero Custom model kit to use an an example piece and I advertised his business heavily because of that. Anyways now that there is a big increase in the demand of gunpla being available locally, the owner has started to stock gunpla along with his other usual stock. Its an awesome feeling to be able to be such a big part of this community and it makes me incredibly happy to be able to inspire people to start up this hobby after seeing my work and actually being able to present things and talk to them in person. I'm extremely excited for next year's convention because I plan on a two part presentation, the first being an updated introductory panel about gunpla like I did this year, and the second part being a gunpla workshop where a limited number of people can sign up and reserve a simple high grade and follow along with me as I walk through how to start building a kit, and at the end they can take it home to finish if they don't get it done during the workshop. 

[bosskeybuilds]

My fiancee's insight on Gundam Unicorn and G Gundam Logic

Her: “Master Gundam rides the unicorn right?” Me: “Yes” Her: “Then what about Unicorn Gundam?” Me: “Nope only Master Gundam” Her: “WHY DOESNT THE UNICORN GUNDAM RIDE THE UNICORN?!?!??” Me: “Because the unicorn is actually piloted by a horse that the pilot of Master Gundam rides when they arent in their mobile suits” Her: “THAT MAKES ME SO ANGRY WHY COULDN’T THEY JUST MAKE IT A HORSE THEN WHY ARENT THERE UNICORNS IN THE UNICORN GUNDAM UNIVERSE INSTEAD OF JUST A GUNDAM WITH A UNICORN HORN ITS NOT A V FIN ITS AN I FIN THATS NOT A UNICORN IT DOESNT HAVE FOUR LEGS IT DOESNT HAVE A TAIL ITS JUST A GOD DAMN GUNDAM WITH A DRILL STICK THING ON ITS FOREHEAD AND WHY DONT THEY HAVE PEGASUSES THAT WOULD BE COOL THEY COULD HAVE GUNDAMS WITH HORNS THAT RIDE PEGASUS MOBILE SUITS THAT WOULD BE GUNDAM UNICORN NOT THIS GARBAGE WITH GUNDAMS WITH HORNS IM JUST DONE IM DONE!!!”

[crowe-lane-cottage]

Hey guys! So Max and I finally opened a Facebook page for our felt stuffies! We will be selling them at a local convention and then possibly opening up for online orders if we get enough interest. We’ve only completed one character (Makar) so far, but plan to start making templates for the next one soon, so keep an eye out. :3 Please check out our Facebook page and give us a like if you could, it’d mean a lot! Also feel free to send suggestions for what we should make as well! Thanks!  https://www.facebook.com/FennecFelts

[bosskeybuilds]

Yet another hiatus but here is the result, our new brand! We have launched Fennec Felts and we will be selling our handmade plushes at the local anime convention (that we help run!) this summer. Since we moved back to the city I haven't had access to any of my modeling supplies but I have had access to a needle and thread. Dont worry I'm still going to be doing my usual model kits again once our renovations are done but this is also something I may be promoting along side my model building.

[bosskeybuilds]

So I realize I haven't posted in months (and I still havent finished mg wing gundam...) but I've been taking a fairly hefty break from my hobbies but I managed to at least finish painting my level 3 Isaac Clark helmet and the lights have been partially installed but thr batteries are dead so I still have to replace them before I get it 100% finished but my fiancee talked me into posting the pictures of the progress I made. Oh yeah I'm engaged now, so I can't say life has gotten in the way of my hobbies since I wouldn't trade it for the world.

[bosskeybuilds]

Btw I dig your custom lights on your models :D

thanks! :D

[bosskeybuilds]

url change.

okay so as you can see i changed my url, that is all. its not a big difference really.

[bosskeybuilds]

I am determined to get Wing Gundam complete and up on my shelf by the end of this weekend!

[bosskeybuilds]

To change or not to change?

So I'm sitting here at work and I'm contemplating changing the url from Gunplabuilds to bosskeybuilds to fit better with my personal side blog and better suit the changes that have gone on since I started it as a strictly gunpla/model kit only blog. I've been posting more cosplay WIPs than model kits lately but I haven't stopped building model kits all together, I've just been in a bit of a motivation slump for a while now. So what are your thoughts on thr possible url change? (If i do change it gunplabuilds will redirect to the new url because of old watermarks)

[bosskeybuilds]

LET THERE BE LIGHT!! :D ahah i finally got around to installing the lights into the helmet and i couldn't be more pleased, now I have the next four days off so i intend to put a decent amount of time into this suit again since con season is quickly approaching!

[bosskeybuilds]

the kind of computer you have doesn't matter when the rest of your room is so fucking cool... all those posters and robot toys and stuff... your room is really really cool.

heh thanks, i take pride in my collection of neat things and hopefully soon i can add a few more shelves for more of my figures and expand my posters onto the ceiling :D

[bosskeybuilds]

your room is absolutely perfect and I personally think you're a really rad peson

ahah thanks! ive been getting some flack for owning alienware computers (i like the expensive pretty lights okay?) but im glad to hear some people still think im rad! :D

[bosskeybuilds]

Do you watch mech anime?

hell yeah i do! mech its my favorite genre of anime.

[bosskeybuilds]

so work has had me pretty damn busy for the most part, and the rest of my time has been spent trying to change my diet because my stomach has been giving me a lot of medical problems (two emerg. trips in the past month, one while out of town) and needless to say i havent gotten much done cosplay or gunpla wise. i will be updating very soon as i am currently back to my Warmachine cosplay and both arms are almost finished. also im about half way through building MG Wing Gundam right now so i should be posting about that soon! so in the mean time heres a photoset of my bedroom now that i am finally fully moved back home! i absolutely love my new home studio setup :D

[bosskeybuilds]

hey man i was wondering what materials you used to make your master chief armour :)

I use EVA foam mats for the main base of the armor and then thin crafting foam for some details and its all held together with a ton of super glue. I don't seal the foam like I should but I usually do two thick coats of primer and it seems to work out pretty well. 

[bosskeybuilds]

Okay so i know its been forever since i undated so here ya go! keep in mind none of the armor is strapped together so i have to awkwardly bend my arm to keep it all in place. The hand plate is primed, the shoulder needs another coat of red and the forearm still needs to be puttied and painted. I'm pretty happy with what i have so far and heres hoping it doesn't take me as long to build the other arm! (also i really need to get around to cleaning that mirror... seriously.)

EDIT: for some reason the post deleted so I'm reuploading it.

[bosskeybuilds]

okay so im starting to get things back on track and i finally have something new to show you guys, i put the first coat of paint on the shoulder armor and hopefully some time this week i will finish this and start on the gloves.