Build Process: RG Gundam Epyon
Hey zesties! I have succumbed to poor financial choices yet again, so here I am with another build post, this time on the RG Gundam Epyon. Despite it having more plastic I worked through it pretty quickly. What took so long was waiting for the right weather to topcoat.
TOOLS USED (ASSEMBLY)
-Stedi ms-104 nippers
-double bladed nippers
-StyleX sanding sticks and soft finish
-Dspiae siren glass file
-craft knife
-Mr hobby cement
-tweezers
TOOLS USED (DETAIL WORK)
Dspiae markers: metallic red, silver, gunmetal, gold
Panel liners
-back (liner and pour type)
-gundam panel line eraser marker
-eraser
top coat:
-mr super clear matte uv cut
-masking tape
BUILD PROCESS
This is my first new RG and can I say the build process was so well thought out (like leagues better than previous RGs I've worked on). What really impressed me was undergating. Like I've heard the term before in yt videos but I didn't realize undergating really meant the gate connects to under the part rather than at the edge of the part which I have encountered so far. This saves a lot of time on sanding, though I must say not to get too complacent as improper nub removal could still leave a mark peaking in between the parts.
Secondly due to the darker colours of the kit, I mostly used a glass file and buffing stick as dark colours are not as forgiving for scratch marks from sandpaper. This made building move by faster as I effectively only needed to use 2 grits instead of up to 6. Personally I'm not happy with the nub and mould line removal though, as plenty of small bits are still visible, both outer armour and inner frame.
INNER FRAME FIRST
Learning from my last build (the RG Zaku II) I wanted to build the inner frame first so that I can paint and panel line details before they get covered up, so I can make sure parts that peek through the outer armour get the detail they deserve. I also wanted to do this as I wanted to see how the inner frame looks like in person. Building inner frame first isn't the most straightforward, as the manual does not define which are inner frame and which aren't.
Inner frame first has some things worth considering:
1. While most nubs will be covered up, still double check with the manual so you don't end up with nubs or mould lines that you cannot sand off because it's to difficult to disassemble the kit
2. practice painting small details. Even if the painting does not go well, at least it gets overed up by the outer armour. My work was quite rough because the paint makers' tips are not fine enough to cover small details without spilling over. In some cases I could just take tweezers are scratch off the excess after it dried. But there is always the easy solution of just covering it up with the outer armour.
PAINTING WITH MARKERS
Taking inspiration from pictures online I wanted to try painting, especially for the inner frame. However it's not an easy process as it isn't always clear what to paint (outside of colour correcting stickers). Dspiae's soft tip markers are also on the thicker side, so painting really small areas is a challenge. As such I targeted the following:
-distinct panels: silver or gold
-circles: silver. To minimise painting outside the circle, dot very lightly.
-exposed inner frame: gun metal. Some of these were meant to have silver stickers pasted over. Personally I feel gunmetal is a good alternative as it's subtle, but can still give some shine when you look closely. From this point forward I may even consider painting entire inner frames gunmetal.
-tubes: gold. I wanted a warm colour that would make these details stand out. In future I may try red
-verniers: gunmetal, gold inside (following anime reference images).
For parts where I overpainted, I waited for the ink to dry, then scratched it off with the tip of my metal tweezers. They are sharp enough to scratch the paint, but not the plastic. Should probably invest in the dspiae eraser marker after this.
TOPCOAT
This part held this build up the longest because I had to keep waiting for the ideal humidity. But one day when I was doing my school work I noticed it was sunnier than usual and saw that the humidity was 56% so I just stopped everything I was doing and went out to top coat.
This time I managed to spray without the panel liner smudging. the trick is to spray a thin coat (1-2 sprays) first, let the part sit to dry, then come back and spray more.
Matte topcoat on the Epyon causes the dark colours to become slightly faded, especially the dark blues. It's nice, though if I'm being really honest I preferred the more vibrant maroons and blue before.
CONCLUSION
This was one of my most enjoyable builds thus far, and the hype surrounding its engineering is really justified. My only complaint would be that the dragon mode only looks nice from certain angles, and the transformation process isn't particularly smooth. Great kit, now my mind is wandering to consider what to buy next...
When tackling the RG Gundam Epyon, one area worth extra attention is nub removal and surface preparation. While undergating greatly reduces sanding time, I found that some nub and mould line marks remain visible especially around complex inner frame parts. Using a glass file and buffing sticks gently on darker parts helps prevent scratches and preserves the finish, which is crucial due to the kit's mostly dark color scheme. If you're building the inner frame first like I did, it's essential to carefully review the manual since it doesn't clearly separate inner frame pieces. Double-checking for exposed nubs before assembly avoids later difficulty in cleaning and sanding. Painting the inner frame with markers like metallic silver, gunmetal, and gold can really make details pop, but it takes practice to control ink spread with thicker marker tips. Dabbing small circles lightly rather than brushing helps keep paint precise. Tweezers can be handy for gently scraping off paint overflow once dry. For panel lining, using a combination of liner and pour types followed by an eraser marker is my go-to routine to highlight panel features without smudging. The trick to a successful topcoat is spraying a very light first layer, letting it dry fully, then applying a fuller coat. I waited for the right humidity to avoid paint smearing and achieved a smooth matte finish that subtly tones down vibrant colors. Lastly, the transformation into dragon mode looks impressive from certain angles, but the joints feel stiff and the process isn’t very smooth—something to keep in mind if you plan to pose the model frequently. Overall, the RG Gundam Epyon’s engineering delights, and with a bit of patience, you can create a detailed, eye-catching build worth showcasing.
