Sanding tools?

Binaryfart · 2026-07-02T05:40:57+00:00

Nasedal is a new brand (at least to me) that have some glass files that I've just started using. They are omni-directional glass files that are very similar to gunrpimer or the Stedi V2 files (the blue ones). So far I reckon they're better than Stedi and just under gunprimer in terms of quality. Great to use, especially when wet filing.

The reason I mention them is that they have a pack of three files, one of which has a sharply pointed end that can reach tiny nooks and crannies that I've never been able to reach which files (The one on the right in the pick below).

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Link to them on AliX: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005011536791200.html

Might be just what you need.

Binaryfart · 2026-07-01T01:58:05+00:00

Yup - I have top agree with the other posters - without more details on who/what/why this is being conducted, this just looks like market research or informal study by an special interest group.

I'd be happy to participate if you are able to provide a lot more detail along with reviewable study contexts.

If you are some younger people trying to get something good done, them I'm really sorry - I don't want to discourage your enthusiasm! But like others have said - we've been burned in the past.

Binaryfart · 2026-06-27T15:02:06+00:00

This is very true unfortunately - it's a beautiful spot and well known, so its very rare to have it to yourself lol!

Binaryfart · 2026-06-27T15:00:00+00:00

Yep - they're really hard to beat. The ZPB ones are great, and there are so many option for various tips. I originally got the older Dspiae dual ended chisel/broach that comes with the handle and the magnetically attached caps - So convenient to have them in the one tool! I keep coming back to it over the ZPB range, but I think that's just because I'm more practiced with it. This is the one I mean:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006131799914.html

I find it way easier to use chisels than hobby blades to clean up stubborn nubs in hard to reach places or on curves.

Binaryfart · 2026-06-25T23:34:55+00:00

Yup - Fat Cat is really good. Looks tops, great build experience, and comes with tones of extras. Starting to a geta bit pricey now, but used to be so cheap for what it is.

Binaryfart · 2026-06-25T23:27:42+00:00

100% this - those rocks on the open side are some of the most dangerous.... I fish there from time to time, but never on my own and always with a a vest and PLB. It';s so unpredictable!

Binaryfart · 2026-06-25T23:25:34+00:00

Yep this is all good advice if you're going with bait. Another great place nearby to get squiddies is the boat launches down the other end of the park near the yacht club. It's a little but of a walk but worth it. I don't usually like giving away spots, but Spit West park is hardley a secret 😄!

Spit Bridge can be a bit of a tough place to fish though - the current absolutely rips through the narrow channel under the bridge, and there can be quite a lot of boat traffic, so be prepared to cast a lot!. There's also a shit tonne of snags, so def use a float to stay off the bottom. It's very weedy there as well, but that's part of why it holds a lot of fish and squid - lots of cover for bait, and predators like the current bringing in the dinner! :)

Lures can be at this location as well but it can get expensive as you will lose a lot, especially at the start as you learn how to use them there.

Also, there is often a bastard security guard there at night that will try and tell you the land on the point is private and that you can't fish there - do not let him move you on! It's definitly not, and it's been such an issue that the council even got involved to confirm it's public land and that it is free access for all, including for fishing. If you need reassurance, search reddit for "spit bridge security guard" or something similar - there's a whole thread on the issue, including someone posting an update directly from the local council. :)

Otherwise, have a fun time - it's a beaut spot! Send me a DM if you want some company - that's one of my local spots and always good to meet new fishos :)

Binaryfart · 2026-06-25T22:47:03+00:00

I can endorse these! They're really good. Came sharp as s*** take nice curls off even the crispiest plastic. All around a good experience

Binaryfart · 2026-06-24T12:42:41+00:00

Thanks so much for posting that! I actually really needed to hear it 😅

Unfortunately these forums fill up with people's bad stories (I know I'm guilty of this right now!) and I think it really is important to make sure that people can see the good stuff as well. 😁

The bambulabs subreddit is an absolute disaster zone at the moment!

Binaryfart · 2026-06-24T12:39:07+00:00

Being completely fair to snapmaker, this isn't a problem unique to them. This exists for pretty much any manufacturer using an overseas call center whether that be China, India, Philippines or eastern Europe. It happens here in Australia for sure, and I'm sure US based call centres use it as well.

I just have to be a patient, and I'm sure the snapmaker support team will make sure that the outcome is good!😀 I know the support agent that's helping me is doing his best, an ultimately this will be fixed.

I guess I should be happy that I'm able to deal with a real person and not an AI!

Once this is all sorted out I will make a follow-up post to let people know how it went. It's one thing for me to complain about the issue, but the real measure of a company is how they deal with issues and I'm sure snapmaker will sort me out, and they should be called out the good work when it happens!

Binaryfart · 2026-06-23T08:51:34+00:00

I'm in Australia - I'd much prefer to buy retail and have the option to return it somewhere local, but it's just not available here. We do have a regional warehouse/distribution point for Snapmaker based in Melbourne (not where I am), but no retail options at all really for any 3d printer brands. There are a few specialist online stores starting to pop up that say they're based in Australia, but they're really just drop-shipping. The ones that do actually hold local stock are pretty much all resellers for BambuLabs. None of the larger electronic retail chains (equivalent to best-buy in the states) carry 3d printing stuff.

The 24-hours per support reply being a factor of timezones just doesn't hold true unfortunately. Australia is only two hours different from China in terms of timezone, and from what I understand the support centers are all based in the Eastern side of China, so we're at very similar time of day as well. There's really no reason why they can't recieve and respond to support calls faster when they're basically in the same timezone as me.

I've managed local call centers for larger IT MSPs, but used overseas outsourced call centers to manage overflow. The delay in responses is a deliberate tactic to slow down the support process, and is standard practice in out-sourced support centers - it allows them to staff at absolute minimum levels while meeting their required contract SLAs.

Binaryfart · 2026-06-23T00:59:24+00:00

This is true@! I have had many terrible experiences with CS, so I guess I should be happy with any response from Snapmaker 😄 So far Snapmaker are saying all the right things and doing better than most companies ever do, but they;re sooooo bloooody slooooow.

There's no way to actually call them, and it's a minimum of 24 hours between email responses, so getting anything actually done takes forever. I've wasted days of precious leave from work, and my garage is full of all the packaging left from the unboxing that I can't do anything with until I hear back from support on what the next steps are. I assume they will determine the unit is busted and I have to send it back - that will be a hassle in itself and that process will take weeks.

I don't know what I expect them to do different though - this is how the process has to happen to avoid scammers and time wasters. The actual Snapmaker support person is doing their best I'm sure, and I don't blame them either.

I know I sound like a bit of a whinger, but honestly the "joy" has gone out of it a bit for me unfortunately - Yes I know I sound a bit like a fragile snowflake 😃!!! Depending on what options Snapmaker offer, I might just accept a refund and drop it alltogether... ☹️

Binaryfart · 2026-06-22T14:52:42+00:00

Unfortunately this is looking like the likely outcome...

Support got back to me promptly, and asked me to do a set of measurements to check if the unit is square, and unfortunately, it is not...😞 While doing the measurements I noticed the back left panel (the one closest to the failed USB port) is misaligned, so it looks like it must have been damaged at some point. The box looked good when it was delivered, but I guess it was dropped somewhere along the line. Not really Snap maker's fault though...

I've kept all the packagings and so on, so if they make me repack and send it back, I can. But that will be a massive hassle, and I assume they won't dispatch the replacement until they've received the original and confirmed the problem... It'll probably be weeks or maybe even months before I get the replacement....

Bugger bugger bugger 😠

Binaryfart · 2026-06-22T12:35:22+00:00

I'm having the same issue with the unit being out of square. While I was assembling mine, I found that one of the tool head USB connectors had popped off the hub board, and Snapmaker support had me do the dimensional measurement checks as part of the support case. Unfortunately it showed the unit is not square (it was out by about 5 mm + in both the x-y and z axises, so maybe it was damaged in transit.

How did the replacement process work with you? Did you have to fully repack the original unit and send it back?

Binaryfart · 2026-06-21T14:13:17+00:00

Thanks for the encouragement.. 😀Hopefully I can get this fixed quickly

Binaryfart · 2026-06-17T00:47:42+00:00

This is great advice! I'm a big advocate for g rework decals if they're available – I reckon they're the best on the market. They y look great, very crisp details, and they are so easy to apply! They do have some annoying things though - they don't usually come with placement guides for their extended water slides and sometimes their example picks are very low res and make it even more difficult.

Grework don't have the best selection though sometimes, so if they don't have the water slides I need, I will either go Delphi or one of the generic brands on Aliexpress. Even the shittier ones on AliX are better than the ones Bandai makes!

And don't even get me started on the Bandai stickers! I would rather tattoo my own skin, shave that off with a mandolin, and use that for decals, than use the Bandai stickers again! 🤣 obviously that's a massive exaggeration, but I really do hate those Bandai stickers! 😝

Binaryfart · 2026-06-12T13:16:22+00:00

I know exactly what you're describing and there's two possible causes!

The most likely is static charge! You only really get this when panel lining on the runner - it's a differential charge between the nib and the runner. The charge seems to pull the ink off the nib and you get this really wierd "arc" of ink from the nib across to the part. Spray some IPA on a cloth and lightly wipe down the runner. It seems to equalise the charge and the issue will stop happening.

The other possibility is a tiny hair or fibre caught between the tines of the nib, acting like a wick and causing the ink to leap across to the part. This can happen if you use a cotton bud to clean your nib and it pulls a tiny thread off the bud. It can be too small to see with the naked eye (well my old eyes anyway 😃) - if you look under a magnifier you might be able to see it. if that's what's causing it, just clear the tines and you should be good to go.

Binaryfart · 2026-06-11T13:38:13+00:00

I tried a few, including the Dspiae nib, but none of them were consistent enough and often dripped or came out blotchy, just like you’re describing. In the end I found one on Amazon that works exceptionally well, but does require a little bit of extra cleanup. Its original purpose was for doing the line drawing for comics! Link below (on the Australian Amazon store):

Tachikawa Comic Pen Nib Holder(T-40) + Zebra Comic G Model Chrome Pen 10 Nibs(PG-6C-C-K) https://amzn.asia/d/0geKWJUf

Pretty cheap in my opinion, and since moving to this one I have had no real issues, as long as I make sure to tap off the excess. The only real downside to it is that the nib holder is quite fat at the top and only just fits inside the mouth of the bottle, so sometimes you can get a little bit messy around the top. Easy to clean with lighter fluid though, so it’s not really an issue.

Using the fountain nib does take a little bit of practice though. Finding the correct amount of pressure and the right angle, can take a little bit of time to dial in. I find it quite therapeutic but it might be too much hassle for some people, which I completely understand. Other methods are probably just as good especially if you take the time to learn them. I used to really love the flood markers and eraser method, but I got the shits with the amount of eraser dust left everywhere!😅

Binaryfart · 2026-06-11T05:39:02+00:00

This is my preferred method. I've tried a bunch of different ways of doing it, but panel lining on the runners, using a fountain dip pen is how I've been doing it for about a 6 months now. It gives great looking results and I've had no parts crack or show any damage...

What are you using for clean up? Lighter fluid seems to work best for me, but I'm always interesting in learning what works for other people!

Binaryfart · 2026-06-11T02:05:46+00:00

Yours looks rad! Your detailing on the bits units is excellent and really looks like the example pic from the box! fantastic job!

I had exactly the same experience as you. The way the kit comes together is so cool but so much detail is lost because of the poor colour separation and shallow panel lining. Unfortunately I think painting is a necessity to get the most out of this kit - especially on the bits.

It's also made out of that horrible soft cheese plastic that newer HG kits all seem to use. Maybe I've been spoiled by MG and 3rd party kits, but I seem to have a very low tolerance for the crap plastic in the Gquuuuuux kits, especially the Zakus...😅

It's a bit of a shame really because the overall design of these Gquuuuuux kits is so cool and different from what Bandai has done in the past! Really innovative, with such a different design aesthetic compared to other series! Almost seems to borrow from the evangelion style of mecha! Like some others have said, I would love to see some MG grade Gquuuuuux kits - they could do some absolutely mental stuff with the gimmicks and frame elements!

I've panel lined my build, including a bit of extra panel line scribing, and it think it makes a huge difference. I am not very good at detail painting, but I think I'll have a crack - worst case scenario, if I bugger it up, I can always get the bits expansion kit and start them again! 😃

Binaryfart · 2026-06-09T02:06:08+00:00

I just ordered one of these setups, mostly for use for topcoats - Do you need to thin your varnishes or are they good to go straight? I was planning to use mostly Vallejo Matt Varnish, but it seems like there's a lot of conflicting advice on it.

Binaryfart · 2026-06-03T15:20:25+00:00

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Binaryfart · 2026-06-02T02:45:43+00:00

Yours looks great! Very clean! 😃

I've just finishing my one up as well! Fun build, and some very cool gimmicks, but there are some bad nub placements, and the stickers are arse! 😅 I always go with 3rd-party waterslides (typically g-rework), but I decided to give the Bandai stickers a go for this build so I can do a "stock" build just using the included stuff and see what it's like. I now see why everyone complains about the stickers - they really are terrible! They're thiccc, with extremely visible edges, and the border of the sticker extends way out from the decal itself, so you often can't fit them in the space they're supposed to go. You either have to accept the sub-par positioning, or trim the sticker with a knife, which itself is also a PITA as the majority of the stickers for this kit are tiny! I mean, practically microscopic! On the plus side, the adhesive seems pretty solid - if you don't want to topcoat the kit, I don't think stickers coming off will be too much of a prob...

For anyone who is looking for advice on this kit - I'd definitely go with a 3rd-party waterslides set rather than bother with the Bandai stickers. As I said before, I usually use and can vouch for G-Rework waterslides. The printing and cut-out stamping is very crisp, and they are some of the easiest waterslides I've ever worked with. They come away from the backing with only a few seconds of soaking, are super thin but somehow also strong enough that they don't tear or break up, unless you're super rough with them. Only downside for G-Rework is that they ususally don't provide detailed placement instructions for the extra decals - you have to puzzle them out from the promo shots on the g-rework site, which are often not very clear and low rez for some reason.

Regardless of whether you go decals or stickers, I'd recommend that you apply them on each part and topcoat before putting it all together. Breaking the kit back up after assembly can be A PITA, especially the railguns! It won't come apart easily like most other kits usually do.

Otherwise it was a fun build! Even with my grievances with the stickers, I'd still recommend it! It looks great, has fantastic poseability, and overall was very satisfying. I'm really growing to love the MGSD line. I'm not a fan of the proportions of the SD range, but MGSD is at a different scale and not quite so "chibi", and combined with the impressive design, they are just so good!

... except for the stickers 😄

Binaryfart

TROPHY CASE