Tamiya 1/12 Kawasaki Ninja H2 Carbon

Post by **MrBowcat** » Wed Feb 16, 2022 10:06 am

Morning All,

Pulled this one out of the stash last night.

I've already got a few after-market bits for it.

I've ordered some Zero paints candy green for the frame and some braided hose. Spent a while last night going through the instructions and marking what needs modifying with the PE parts, hope to start cutting plastic tonight.

Post by **digger303** » Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:53 pm

Post by **MrBowcat** » Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:04 am

Morning all.

So I've made some progress on this over the last couple of days, I'm really taking my time over every part to eliminate mould lines and the AM stuff is quite challenging as it's so small. There are several bags of small pins that represent bolt heads. some are only a couple of mm long.

This part is the oil cooler, kit part on the left, AM on the right. It took a couple of hours.

Hoping to get some paint down over the weekend.

Post by **digger303** » Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:54 am

2 hrs of concentration, but it is heads above the kit blob.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:42 am

Yep, it's a nice part and time better spent that staring at the TV.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 10:30 pm

Evening all.

Got some paint down on the engine and frame this weekend. The engine needs some black panel liner to finish it off.

The blower in particular is a lovely piece.

But the star of the show is the frame in Zero paints Kawasaki Candy Green.

I was so pleased with it that I did the pit stand the same colour.

I'm now just waiting for some braided line to arrive from Spot Models so I can finish the engine off and get it installed. In the meantime I will probably make a start on the swing arm and PE chain.

Post by **digger303** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:03 pm

looking sweet...

Post by **MrBowcat** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:20 pm

Cheers Digger.

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:50 pm

Cool

Don’t think I have seen this one built.
Love the green frame

Post by **MrBowcat** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:55 pm

Cheers Scott.

Post by **BigWall** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:59 pm

That frame just glows! Very nice

Post by **MrBowcat** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 7:25 am

Cheers Joe, it really is a lovely colour.

Post by **WordenB** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 5:57 pm

Beautiful work Mr B, those Hobby Design kits certainly do add that extra wow.

Post by **DRUMS01** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 9:25 pm

Lovely work.. as usual Mr. B. The bike is going to be a looker in the green and carbon; can't wait to see it. I was debating getting on of these in 1:1 scale, but at 63 I think it may be a little much for me. I'll keep the FZR1 and Harley for now, but wow that sure is a rocket.

DRUMS01 / Ben

Post by **MrBowcat** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 9:30 pm

Cheers guys

Post by **MrBowcat** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 12:51 pm

Afternoon all.

Been cleaning up the front fender/mudguard and swing arm parts the last couple of evenings and gluing everything together, so not interesting enough to post pics. So instead, here's some gratuitous engine in frame shots.

Post by **digger303** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:10 pm

Man that green has a life of it's own.
Nice paint work.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:51 pm

Cheers Digger.

I've been browsing Aoshima Lamborghini kits, that green is screaming to go on a hypercar.

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 3:51 pm

MrBowcat wrote: Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:51 pm Cheers Digger.

I've been browsing Aoshima Lamborghini kits, that green is screaming to go on a hypercar.

Definitely!

Post by **MrBowcat** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 9:04 am

Morning all.

Spent about 3 hours at the bench yesterday and only have two tiny parts to show for it.

First up was a small part that goes on the top of the shock tower, made up of 16 parts, a couple of which were less than 1mm wide. Still need to do some clean up on this.

Second was the rear brake caliper frame, another 14 or so parts.

I had to stop after this as my hands were cramping up.

Post by **digger303** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:28 pm

MrBowcat wrote: Thu Feb 24, 2022 9:04 am Morning all.

Spent about 3 hours at the bench yesterday and only have two tiny parts to show for it.

First up was a small part that goes on the top of the shock tower, made up of 16 parts, a couple of which were less than 1mm wide. Still need to do some clean up on this.

Second was the rear brake caliper frame, another 14 or so parts.

I had to stop after this as my hands were cramping up.

Understandable. Yesterday I started with 4 identical PE parts all about 1mm square. After the first 3 pinged off into the vast reaches of my cave I threw the last one in the bin....what was the point I thought if I managed to get 1 placed it would make the others more obvious I'd lost them plus there was the thought toss it a save myself the heart ache.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 10:25 am

Good morning all.

Work has continued on the rear end, slowly. I started with the suspension parts, decided to paint the spring to match the frame (have I mentioned Iove this colour).

Can't see much of it once mounted to the swing arm.

Then I moved on to the cogs and chain. There's 110 pins on the chain, they give you plenty of extra although I only lost 5 or so. The pins are around 2mm diameter at the thickest part and around 3mm total length.

I still need to add links to the back of the chain, but it's taken several sessions to get to this stage. Again, working with tweezers and such small parts my hands soon start to cramp so I can only work in small sections.

Post by **digger303** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 11:41 am

Chain looks very real. Is it work able or only looks that way ?

Post by **MrBowcat** » Fri Mar 04, 2022 12:10 pm

Looks only. There are two plates that sandwich the pins.

Post by **Mpfiend** » Sat Mar 05, 2022 9:23 am

Really nice progress on this one, and it's already been said but that green is stunning.
Do you think the trans kit is worth the money against the detail it adds to the finished model?
I toying with the idea of purchasing the trans kit for my model.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Sat Mar 05, 2022 11:34 am

Cheers Keith.

I think the AM stuff is subjective. It does add nice detail, a lot of which won't be seen. However I always feel I get my money's worth through the extra time and skills learned/honed through using it.

Things like that chain are a mini kit in their own right. True it takes a lot of time and patience, but the satisfaction of putting it together well is enormous, and it will add to the finished build being a quite obvious part.

I won't necessarily use all of the parts though. A flat plate added to something that won't be seen is probably pointless, but again it's subjective. Someone else might get enjoyment from fitting that part.

Post by **digger303** » Sat Mar 05, 2022 2:09 pm

MrBowcat wrote: Sat Mar 05, 2022 11:34 am Cheers Keith.

I think the AM stuff is subjective. It does add nice detail, a lot of which won't be seen. However I always feel I get my money's worth through the extra time and skills learned/honed through using it.

Things like that chain are a mini kit in their own right. True it takes a lot of time and patience, but the satisfaction of putting it together well is enormous, and it will add to the finished build being a quite obvious part.

I won't necessarily use all of the parts though. A flat plate added to something that won't be seen is probably pointless, but again it's subjective. Someone else might get enjoyment from fitting that part.

Well put.I agree and would add that there are the parts like in PE that simply fluff out the manufacturers product and are impossible for most of us to assemble or aren't better than the original part. One must make up ones own mind at the time.

Post by **Mpfiend** » Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:23 am

MrBowcat wrote: Sat Mar 05, 2022 11:34 am Cheers Keith.

I think the AM stuff is subjective. It does add nice detail, a lot of which won't be seen. However I always feel I get my money's worth through the extra time and skills learned/honed through using it.

Things like that chain are a mini kit in their own right. True it takes a lot of time and patience, but the satisfaction of putting it together well is enormous, and it will add to the finished build being a quite obvious part.

I won't necessarily use all of the parts though. A flat plate added to something that won't be seen is probably pointless, but again it's subjective. Someone else might get enjoyment from fitting that part.

Thanks for writing your thoughts, some of the parts in the detail kit do look to add quite a bit to the model and the extra time is well spent.
I think I will get one on order.

Post by **DRUMS01** » Sun Mar 06, 2022 11:17 pm

Give yourself more credit. It is not just the AM parts, your paint and assembly skills really make it all come to life. I too like the green that think it would look good on just about any 2 or 4 wheel subject.

DRUMS01 / Ben

Post by **digger303** » Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:22 am

DRUMS01 wrote: Sun Mar 06, 2022 11:17 pm Give yourself more credit. It is not just the AM parts, your paint and assembly skills really make it all come to life. I too like the green that think it would look good on just about any 2 or 4 wheel subject.

DRUMS01 / Ben

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:56 am

Love the chain
Lots of work but they add next level realism to the build

Post by **MrBowcat** » Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:50 pm

Cheers Guys.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 9:01 am

Morning chaps.

I'm still waiting for my braided hose, it's now been pushed back until the beginning of April, so nothing has been put together yet. I have been pushing on getting sub-assemblies together, so here is what I've been working on.

First up was the exhaust. I used AK Extreme chrome on this and ended up with an OK'ish result. I had to paint it a couple of times as I found the paint rubbed off the edges with handling, so I eventually sealed it with a gloss coat.

I also painted and glossed some of the body panels and the tank. These still need knocking back and polishing, but not a bad finish straight out the AB.

Rear frame and air intake for the blower.

Wheels (silver bits hand painted).

And I got fed up with my Xacto knife rolling off the bench, so I made a new one that wont roll.

Post by **digger303** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 10:19 am

You might not be happy with the exhaust system color, but I think it looks really nice and the tank is bitchin.
Very very nice.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 10:37 am

Cheers Digger.

I still have to try heat staining, so I might screw the exhaust up yet.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Fri Apr 22, 2022 11:15 am

Hi Guys.

Long time no post. I'd found myself having a major mojo shortage so decided to come away from the bench entirely for a few weeks to recharge the batteries. It seems to have worked.

Got back to it by painting up a few small parts and also putting the front brake disks together. 25 PE parts per side,including multiple tiny metal pins.

Still waiting for the braided hose to come, now been put back to the end of the month. If it gets delayed again I may have top bench that idea and use the kit hose.

Post by **cor** » Fri Apr 22, 2022 2:24 pm

Thats some nice clean work. The AM cooler looks, as Digger said, so much better than the kit lump of plastic.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Fri Apr 22, 2022 3:29 pm

Cheers mate.

Post by **tg18083** » Fri Apr 22, 2022 6:08 pm

Incredible work - can't wait to see the finished model.

Post by **MrBowcat** » Fri Apr 22, 2022 6:50 pm

Cheers dude.

Post by **BigWall** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 1:43 am

I'm glad you found your mojo. The bike is looking nice

Post by **WordenB** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:39 am

Beautiful work as always Mr B. Which braided hose are you waiting for?

Post by **MrBowcat** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:08 pm

Cheers guys.

Worden, some Top Studio .6, .8 and 1mm. The .8's been on back order but has finally come in so should hopefully be here soon.

I'm getting the last few bits painted now so once the hose arrives I should be able to start putting everything together.

Post by **digger303** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:55 pm

MrBowcat wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:08 pm Cheers guys.

Worden, some Top Studio .6, .8 and 1mm. The .8's been on back order but has finally come in so should hopefully be here soon.

I'm getting the last few bits painted now so once the hose arrives I should be able to start putting everything together.

Post by **WordenB** » Sun May 01, 2022 9:50 am

MrBowcat wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:08 pm Cheers guys.

Worden, some Top Studio .6, .8 and 1mm. The .8's been on back order but has finally come in so should hopefully be here soon.

I'm getting the last few bits painted now so once the hose arrives I should be able to start putting everything together.

Was hoping I might be able to help you out but unfortunately I don't have any Top Studio.

Post by **kpisnuts** » Sun May 01, 2022 11:37 am

Looking very good

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Sun May 01, 2022 5:04 pm

Super keep at her
This is a hard time to model as the weather improves and outside beckons
Did you 3D print your Xacto handle?? I have not seen that design

Post by **MrBowcat** » Wed May 04, 2022 1:03 pm

Cheers guys.

Had an email to say my orders on the way so hopefully should have that soon. In the meantime I have started on the carbon decals, will post some pics when I get further along.

Scott, I turned it on my lathe. It's made from steel hex bar recovered from a shredder.

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Wed May 04, 2022 4:59 pm

MrBowcat wrote: Wed May 04, 2022 1:03 pm Cheers guys.

Had an email to say my orders on the way so hopefully should have that soon. In the meantime I have started on the carbon decals, will post some pics when I get further along.

Scott, I turned it on my lathe. It's made from steel hex bar recovered from a shredder.

Now I am super jealous!!
Awesome lathe work there mate

Post by **MrBowcat** » Wed May 04, 2022 5:28 pm

Cheers dude.