Olle F

Has Badger quit making airbrushes, or what's the deal? I actually got some spare parts through my LHS just a few months ago without any problems, so it might be time to stockpile. My trusty 200 has been with me for maybe 30 years now, and I'd hate to throw it away.

The SAAB 93, with a 2-stroke, 3-cylinder engine? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_93 Also check the SAAB 92 with a 2-cylinder engine. These 2-stroke cars were known as the "jungle drums", because of their caracteristic exhaust note. I can still remember the sound and the smell of these...

Here's a list of 20 dealers in NC, just for starters... http://www.graupner.de/de/service/haendler...h-carolina.html Honestly, I think Graupner is more known for R/C than model ships here in the US, so I don't know how much those stores keep in stock. They should be able to get it for you though.

You'll see those door handles on all kinds of customized cars in Sweden (they're a dime a dozen at the junk yards), but the rest sure looks like a Volvo too... An EPA tractor with 142 body on Duett frame, maybe?

You know, now when I look again I can see that the roofline is not right for a 142... Could possibly be a com-bloc car that has been "Volvofied"... or is it an "A-tractor" or "EPA-tractor"?

You might want to try what I do when I dry fit small parts like fuel pumps, rear view mirrors, door handles and other parts that can be tricky to glue on when you do the final assembly. I drill holes and insert straight pins that I cut to length, then I check the fit, adjust as necessary, take apart and paint. When it's time to mount the parts, I will know exactly where they go and I just glue them on with a tiny drop of Kristal Klear. It won't really matter what kind of glue you use and if there's paint in between, the joint will be plenty strong anyway if the holes are snug enough. Sometimes I don't even need to glue the parts and there are also places where I don't want to use glue anyway, like on parts I might want to take of when I pack the models before going to a show (antennas, mirrors etc).

It sure looks like a 142 (not necessarily a GT), and the Swedish license tag is one giveaway.

So why did you have to say that? Every time I'm in a hobby store I'm looking for parts I can use for something else than they were intended for, and now you got me obsessed with U-joints...?

Eh... I'm not too well versed in your kind of English and I'm not a yankee either, but I take this as that there is a model show in Atlanta in November. So what's the challenge? Or is this a personal thing?

I would never admit that, I'd just take the credits for it.

Neato! I have several project ideas that could use a nice pinstripe job so I have saved the link.

I'm looking for that too. I haven't checked yet, but a possible source would be the doll house section at Hobby Lobby.

You're right, ball joints in this location should be called tie rod ends. I was also planning on using them as uniballs for a rear suspension and pivots for the tilt front end, so I'm not sure what I was really thinking of when I wrote that. And that price is 34:- (Swedish), not $34... I bought these a long time ago, but that's about $5 or so... maybe $10 today. You can get two ball joints (tie rod ends, uniballs, or whatever you want to make) out of each post so the price is still not too bad.

I'm trying to build a straight axle setup for a Corvette gasser, and was thinking about buying some aftermarket ball joints for it. Then I found this in my collection of "miscellaneous junk that might come in handy one day". They are intended for railing on model ships... ...but if you file them flat, cut them to length and insert them in an aluminum tube, they will look like this: I couldn't find anything to use as lock nuts, but I think it turned out pretty good anyway. I might still take it apart and add nuts if I find something that will work. Aftermarket ball joint setups do look better, but this could be a "quick and dirty" option if your local hobby shop happens to carry ship building supplies.

I use Krystal Klear for PE parts. It may not be the ultimate adhesive, but I use it anyway because I can clean up with water if I happen to make a mess. And I can assure you that I do make a mess quite often while handling those little pesky parts, so water based adhesive has saved the day many times.

So you're showing a perfectly detailed engine and calling it "almost" complete? I guess the bar has been raised again.

I believe so, I think it was issued in the late '60s. I built it in the early '70s and was actually hoping for a reissue so I can build a better one, but I guess I can just dream on. Still, I'd buy it with or without swastikas, I'm not as obsessed with them as those who want to remove them. BTW: Here's a nice build of this kit: http://www.showrods.com/gallery_pages/rommel_super.html Edit: Seems like there is a reissue: http://www.modelmansion.com/models/detail/MOE03.php And not surprisingly, the swastikas are gone...

I like MM Metalizer. It has smaller pigments than regular metallic paints, and produces a much more realistic metal finish. Just spray it on, buff it a bit and weather it with a wash or dry pastel powder. The only drawback is that it's thin and dries very quickly, so it's difficult to brush (airbrush is the recommended method). Humbrol has a similar product called Metalcote, and it's a bit thicker and easier to brush. You can apply heavier coats with this, which can be an advantage if you want to cover small scratches and imperfections. BTW: I was in a hurry finishing a model a while ago, and discovered that you can actually dip paint small parts with MM Metalizer. Just glue it to a piece of sprue, dip it, shake off the excess and let it dry. The paint is so thin that it doesn't build up like other types of paints would.

That's what they want us to do, so I won't. History is full of examples of what happens to those who do.

You gotta be kidding me! I kinda understand the box art dilemma, but why cut up the decals? Even if there's an intact swastica on the decal sheet, you still have the option to leave it off and dispose of it properly. Or are they trying to punish those who are politically incorrect enough to build historically accurate models? All this sounds like when the Russian communists retouched pictures to hide people they didn't like... Like a problem would go away if you ignore it and refuse to talk about it.

I'm not an expert on swastikas, but I have heard that it's original use was as a symbol of the sun. Ironically, it has often been considered to bring good luck. In the case of this kit, I'd say that it's in extremely bad taste but as someone already said, you shouldn't try to erase history. Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it, so sweeping the past under the rug is of no help at all. As a matter of fact, I really believe that hiding parts of history can make it even more interesting and attractive, as it's too easy for it to turn into that "forbidden fruit" you absolutely have to taste. I would rather leave the swastikas alone and inform my kids about what it is and what it symbolizes. Before you flame me for this I better make it clear that I'm not talking about flying the nazi banner in public, it just irks me that some people think that it needs to be totally erased from the face of the earth, regardless of context. Personally, I find some of this "revisionism" quite ridiculous, like the WWII airplanes I mentioned in my previous post. I mean, do people really think that you'll turn into a nazi by building one? And if your kid builds one, wouldn't it be a great opportunity for a history lesson?

That is about as weird as they come. I bet it's one of those "it seemed to be a good idea at the time" things that they had to eat later, but that would be just totally unthinkable today. I have noticed that they don't even have swastikas on the box art for German WWII aircraft kits anymore... don't know if they removed them from the decal sheets though.

I'm facing the same problem right now on a '57 Corvette and as Randy said, some of it will depend on how the front is cut. If it's a straight and vertical seam, the front will have to slide forward a bit before you can tilt it. One way to avoid this is to cut the bottom rear pieces off the fenders and attach them to the body, but you can also make the mounts slotted or sliding. There are numerous ways to skin this cat, and another thing that makes it a bit more complicated on a model is that the paint may rub off afterwhile and make the hinges look ugly. My plan is to use aluminum rod ends as hinges, and attach them to rods that can slide inside tubes on the frame. That way I can leave them unpainted so I don't have to worry about possible paint damage, and it also allows for the front to be taken off by sliding the rods out all the way.

A demo version of Paint Shop Pro 4.12 will work indefinitely, it will only tell you that "you are on day 325 of your 30 day trial" when you start it. Despite it's age, it's a pretty good photo editor and there are still copies floating around on the internet. Search and you shall find.

Seems like this old thread popped up again, so I might better tell you about the outcome before I forget: I ended up using .015 K&S sheets, as this was what I could find locally. This was for a slightly curved rear window and after some careful cutting and trimming, it just popped in place between two strips I had glued to the B-post. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it also bent into a slight bubble shape (i.e. curved both ways) which made it look even more realistic. It's definitely too thick for any tighter bends though, so I'm going back later to get some .010 sheets. The only drawback I have found is that this material is pretty sensitive to scratches, and not very easy to polish out either. I might look for other alternatives later, but this will work for now.