10thumbs

Brian, sad news about the paint. For me the paint job is still the biggest unknown factor, will it work, or not? I'd suggest at the current stage of progress, just redo the paint, same color. The frame and all of the parts there are done, and have color. My last project had a paint job that kicked my butt good, so bad that I lost interest in finishing the build, even though it was as good as done. You've had a pause now, I hope for you the road gets smooth again.

Moving is a great opportunity to weed out the really unnecessary stuff. The wife and I sold our apartment and downsized in preparation for the senior life a few years ago. I was thinking sometimes while packing, there's 5 times more junk in the basement than upstairs to get rid of, and to make some room for the smaller place. I'm happy about getting rid of things and the basement nowadays is still in an orderly manner. I haven't missed a single thing!

Dale, another stunning paint job you're showing us here, compliments on a fine build.

Beautiful job, Chris. Looks absolutely perfect, I'd like to come to this as a reference.

The car looks to be in good condition. I'm wondering if the bench seat has the original position. I had a 71 Plym Satellite as a dealer car, red/white interior (looked good, 400" smog motor) but the bench position was not good. A terrible riding position, the thighs were not supported and I thought how could Mopar get this so wrong. The interior / dash looks just like the Satellite.

Great pics Pete! I've learned the simpler the better. Good if you have a good camera and understand apertures and such. I have a cheap Canon digital, the IXUS 165, it zooms in like a champ and sharp pics too. Just a dull poster paper on the bottom, and a desk lamp shining on top. Here a few examples from recent projects; Shown here is a long frame and a few really closeup pics, all done with the most simple technique. Poster paper, cheap digi camera and a cheapo desk light. Very easy, cheap and decent results for our forum.

Intricate and amazing detail. Randy, that's the neatest jig plate I've seen to date! Very variable and always correctly positioned. Great idea!

PC STUFF! I tossed all kinds os stuff earlier this spring. Instead of desktop pc's, the wife and I have notebooks finally, at my workplace too. Enough still usable components to make 3 pc's was tossed. The cabinet had all of a sudden lots of room. So in went my modest stash of model kits, and other stuff that was in the way. Strange though, the really still good Creative 5 in 1 Digital Sound deal I couldn't get rid off. Had it for many years, yet it still rocks. Hmm, can it be hooked up to a notebook?

Hey Joe, great move on the Proxxon piece. I'm really nuts about the micro motor, so far its been indestructible. I'll have to look into the sliding table, don't have that part, just the tilt-able drill press basics. Just a heads up here, the 2.3mm spindle has caused me some headaches already as it won't hold burs that aren't brand new, not enough friction. Even some brand new ones won't hold, aggravating. The 3mm spindle is better, just I use only mandrels in 3mm. The 3mm shafted burs are hard to come by over here, although expensive cutters for my milling machine come in 3mm shafts. Please give us a report on the table and its functions, pretty please?

I ask myself if I'm nuts or not....again. This time, after clearing out the basement, all kinds of junk came upturned, and I actually threw lots of the stuff away. What the heck do I need old screwdrivers that are bent and rusted? Junk! Just last week I got four (read 4) new eyeglasses. The usual regular deal to see while driving, the same as sunglasses, then a PC set, then a more important prescription for model building. I caught myself wanting to save the old lenses. What BS!! Chunk 'em, they're outdated! How readily do you throw useless stuff away?

Let me add as well, just recently I finally cleaned out the basement and put a lot of old metal melting torches and other stuff, torch hoses and fittings and gauges on ebay and received a sum that completely overwhelming, what a surprise from old "junk" that I thought was outdated. Hidden away for 20 years or so, yet still so valuable. I'll gladly donate again, this is a worthwhile venture and I felt very good going through with the deal. Giving for a worthy cause is a good thing.

Good work Joe, looks like the fins sit well and good too that the rig tilts. What a shame otherwise to let details remain covered up. Oh yeah!

Hey Doug, I always thought one of those Trabis would be cool with an injected small block, they're light as heck and would look good with a fat tire out back.

Got it! Thanks guys. Doug, the car has Euro plates, that would definitely mean the headlight bulbs would be replaced, not the whole headlight should the lamp not shine anymore. On a simple car like the R4, that would mean the juice goes directly to the bulb socket in the back, meaning right in the middle of the lamp housing. I've replaced many halogen lamps bulbs on economy Euro cars, they were all middle. But never on a Renault car, so there is a possibility of being otherwise.

Hi Doug, man I just had a big grin viewing these models. Well done! These cars were seen everywhere in all of Europe back in the day, even the "Plastik Bomber", the Trabi in eastern Europe. They were real stinkers though, just about indestructible. Then the "Duck" in all of its various styles. Just the R4, I don't understand what Harry means with the headlight wires. The car appears to have French plates, what's with the wired headlights? Nice collection, thanks for showing.

Looking good Joe, the car has some serious wingworx. No way that thing would go airborne, it would for sure run like it was on rails. I just noticed, even the blower hat has wings. By the way, what's with the blower hardware? Looks darned good up there on the pulleys! Whats the deal, can you offer some insight?

Looks fantastic mark, well done. What scale is it? Could you please show a few closeups of the rear of the motor and axle setup?

@Tom Geiger, "the interaction of people"... You are so right. What I like also, and I have to say amazing also from the old films, the women spoke a neutral clarity, with a normal voice, and not the high-pitched squeaky and nasal tones we hear today. To hear an American woman on the media speak nowadays hurts my ears. Why the overly affected speech? Man, I remember my northern cousins making fun of my sisters' speech, but at least the northern girl spoke a more neutral dialect. My take is, the classy level has dropped immensely. Too many folks have nothing real to offer, yet have the desire to say too much. Worse, they're being listened to, too often.

Done. How many members does this forum have anyway? Even a small donation from a lot of us could mean helping someone we all know. Come on guys!

Hi Randy, hey I saw one of those dapping blocks and the taps too.....I like! Got a set coming my way soon. Here we go domes.... For me, you're the true metal scratch builder. I like your style and admire your abilities, always a treat to view.

...."lighting the fuse" I visited the USS Constitution way back, lots of fusing was done there. OK, here's one for our sea-legs members. So, months at sea, under water none the less. No foreign port visits, no bars or girlie fun. I can understand when nature calls, and you get to barking at the moon and all that jazz But geez, a whole ship full of young virile dudes waiting to get at the head for some relief....!! Do they put anti-erectile potions in your chow? Or is it....wait a minute boss before we can blast, cause I got to finish.....first? Any sailors here? Man, I did some flying back in the day, good that the longest stretch was doable in this respect. Off in the morning, on in the evening.

I was happy today as the wife and I had planned on going to the Oktoberfest in Munich. I wasn't really into it this year. She says, we make Oktoberfest at home. I said, OK. We had a couple of very good beers and some typical type great food this evening. Prost!

Happy Birthday Tom!

Happy Birthday John! Six-0. Now that's a number! Enjoy life and get it on as you wish. Good luck too with further great modeling.

....stuffy down below. Maybe they sent him up on deck so the others could get a cleaner whiff. That must be the loneliest place on Earth, the deck of a nuclear sub, all alone, and no friggin land in sight. He must have flubbed up big time.