straightliner1

Good to hear from you, Jim! We've hung out at Salt Lake a time or two and you ALWAYS make me laugh! And I mean LAUGH! Thanks for that. Your philosophies regarding scratchbuilding mirror mine. I have always felt that any "average" modeler can do this. Hell, I can! I'd like to see your miniature English wheel. I've been wanting to construct one for several years, now. When I get the second part of my article on dragster bodies posted, I'll put a link here, so you can check it out. The first part is posted, but it's only creating the motor plate, which isn't really anything too fancy.

>>You're sure right about the camera - when you can blow a one-inch-long part up to fill a 21-inch monitor That's essentially looking at a 1:25 scale Donovan in 1:1 size. Thanks for the kind words about the website. I'll get an email to you no later than Saturday.

Mark, I do owe you an email. Go look around the website, and you'll see what I've been doing when I'm not sleeping or driving, and you'll know why I haven't sent it, yet--I am getting close, though! I think Eric was just busting my chops because of an earlier comment I made. I think you're right, maybe I should start a hardcore scratchbuilding sub-forum. Man, your stuff always looks great, Mark! Always! Treating subassemblies as models is also a great way to have a whole bunch of little, finished models that nobody else thinks of as finished models, too. I need to finish up the Enderle small block manifold and send it and the Donovan off for casting. I can't remember if I've showed it to you. The super macro setting on my camera really shows the warts!

Why you little! Well, Eric, I have to confess to being a bit ignorant, where that's concerned.grin

So, Andy, you're not going to let me slide by with my standard "A completed subassembly is a completed model.", are you?

You are correct about that. In fact, much of the scratchbuilding info on the SLM site is quick, easy stuff that can be created quickly, but that improves the look of a model greatly. Things like the wire wheels will take an investment of time and frustration (yeah, I said it!), but they are leaps and bounds better than kit wheels or photo-etched wires--Right, Shane? On the other hand, things like slapper bars and fuel pumps can be built in an hour or less. You resin guys are in a league of your own. I admire the heck out of you guys!

Thank you so much for the kind words. I there was anything I've ever wanted anyone to say about the SLM website, you just said it. I am humbled and appreciative. Quite a few folks have donated their time to make the site what it has become. I know that sometimes it'll go for months without anything new, but I strive to put up content that is difficult to find elsewhere. Most of the large scratcbuilding articles are my own work, including the one on wire wheels and the new piece on tinwork. I am thankful to Tom west for the work he did in putting together the story of Aurora's Racing Scenes series. I have several more illustrations and photos to add to that piece--stuff that Tom's only recently made available, so look for some new stuff in that article, soon. Anyway, I've always tried to create a well-rounded, visually attractive and informative site that provides a source of ideas for all car modelers. All that said, rather than post how-tos on this board, I will post links to new information and tips as I publish them--that makes it easier on me!grin Thanks for all the interest in this subject. I am somewhat surprised that it's been so good!

Thanks to Shane for the heads-up! If anyone is interested, please go wander around at http://www.straightlinemodeler.org Let me know what you think. I think anyone can find something of interest there, or of use, anyway.

Wow, Andy, this is wild and way cool! I can't wait to see the body as it comes along. I'd like to discuss the techniques you'll be using. That's far more complex that an aluminum digger body, unless somebody was to go totally "Hanna". You just had to mention that thing about finishing, didn't you? So, I have over a year to finish something for Salt Lake? Maybe so...nah, probably not!

They are a tough bunch! Hell, they scare me, sometimes, Shane. I liked the Saddleback car, but that Hollish Bros. coupe is special. Very nice work on that, indeed. It's not for the faint of heart, but I hope that anybody who is willing to work at the hobby and who sticks with the group will benefit from it. Thanks for the kind words, and keep up the great work!

No fair, Andy Martin! You're commercial, dude!grin

Here's a peek at what I'm working on currently.

Am I allowed to post a link to my website here? There really is a lot of good stuff there, and it's not all hardcore stuff. But, it's all good stuff!grin

I kind of look at every part/assembly as a model in and of itself. I'm the kind of nut who'll spend an hour cutting and sticking tiny strips of styrene to a length of masking tape to make a gilmer drive blower belt! Thankfully, I'm not alone in such lunacy, or I'd surely be put away! If I've learned anything through the years, it's that we can learn stuff that pertains to our interests in places outside of our specific area of interest. For instance, I've learned a lot of wonderful techniques that can be (but aren't usually) applied to model cars by reading articles on armor, aircraft figures and model railroads. While I am, and always will be, primarily a car modeler, it's good for us as car modelers to step outside this study and build something else, because it gives us a different perspective on the hobby.

Excellent, a smart ass. Always much better than a dumb one, in my book! Nice looking salt/lakes roadster you have there!

Thanks, Shane. Glad you're with us, too! The chassis the body fits is actually just a Ramchargers chassis. My killer project will be the one that this chassis belongs to--if I ever get myself happy with it!

I'm not asking because I want to start scratchbuilding. I'm asking more because I interested in gauging what kind of interest(grin) there is in doing it. I'm asking because I've posted several tutorials on my own website, and often, a question will be posed like, "What kit has the best traction bars?", for example. I'll point them to a tutorial that illustrates how to build a set of highly realistic slapper bars in less than an hour, and will be met with the response "Those are cool, but where can I find a good set in a kit?" Last night I posted the beginning of a three-part piece on building aluminum dragster bodies for scale models. Dave Pye suggested that it would have been a good submission for MCM. I told him that I doubt that the vast majority of car modelers couldn't care less about how to accomplish such a thing, and that, at least where I posted it, a handful of guys would really appreciate it. Dave then said that perhaps if more folks were exposed to that kind of thing, then perhaps more folks would be interested in it. Therein lies the basis to my question. That said, if someone was to make the effort to explain how to do something that is highly accurate and realistic, how many people would care enough to not only appreciate it, but to actually try it for themselves? In answer to one of your responses, virtually everything I'm talking about can/is done with basic hand tools. The biggest investment is time and the desire to, as Jairus said, keep working at it, until it's right.

I'm curious to know how many people here are seriously interested in real scratchbuilding. I'm talking scratchbuilding techniques that would essentially allow a modeler to build a complete car, virtually from the ground up. You know, soldering, metalworking, etc. Anybody?

Here's one I built a million years ago. It's showing wear from handling. This is a circa '90-'91 fuel motor. We also have a great reference here: http://www.straightlinemodeler.org/research/fuel/nitro1.html And here: http://www.straightlinemodeler.org/researc...l/fuelwalk.html