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HJK

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    1948 Sterling HC 175

    in WIP: Model Trucks: Big Rigs and Heavy Equipment

    Posted

    Charles, thank you for the info. Although the Micro-Mark chain is probably nearly double the size of the Mack AC chain it doesn't look like it. I agree with you that the chain of the Mack kit is a bit too small. I thought about creating a chain on my own but being an older person the eyes aren't that keen any more and the size of my fingertips and their sensitivity sometimes refuse to follow the building wishes. Well, anyway.

    The bumper and the headlight buckets look really good. Casting parts is also something I still want to learn.

    The Waukesha engine looks gorgeous, although probably the parts from the other kits aren't identical with the corresponding parts of the Waukesha engine.

    Please don't feel insulted, you shouldn't take it as criticism, I would be happy if I could create the things you always surprise us with. In the end you have to take into account that I'm a kraut and that is lifetime burden itself:).

    Thanks again for your answer. As always I definitely will follow your build. Juergen

    1948 Sterling HC 175

    in WIP: Model Trucks: Big Rigs and Heavy Equipment

    Posted

    Charles, it's always amazing to see your builds become true. It's really inspiring.

    May I ask what size the Micro-Mark chain is? I mean the pitch and width of the chain. Is it my bad eyes or does the chain seem a tad beefy?

    And my other question is about the Waukesha engine. Is it a resin-cast set of parts? Can one get it on the aftermarket? Or did you choose parts from different engine kits and sanded it together?

    I'm excited to see the update regarding the brass bumper.

    Thanks very much. Juergen

    You're welcome ..... at the Crossroads Coffee house

    in WIP: Dioramas

    Posted

    Hi Ellen,

    I followed this thread and was amazed by all the details and the craftsmanship you put into your Crossroad Coffee House. When can we expect any update on this?

    We're all sitting in front of the computer screen and waiting what'll be going on at the crossroad. 

    What movie and book is hindering you to go on with coffee house?

    Take care

    Removing Chrome Plating

    in Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Matt Bacon said:

    I’ve never tried using caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) more than once, but it’s a chemical reaction with the aluminium that forms the “chrome” coating. As long as there’s still sodium hydroxide in the solution left to react, it will keep working, but when it’s all formed aluminium hydroxide it won’t. One reason I’ve never tried it more than once is that it’s cheap enough not to worry about ... a lb of caustic soda powder is £1 more or less, and lasts a year or more... about 10-12 builds. I put a couple of tablespoons in a pint of water to strip a full chrome spruce or two. The other good thing about it is that since it’s sold as drain cleaner you can just pour it down your sink when you’re done... WEAR GLOVES!!!

    best,

    M.

    That's the info I wanted to know. Thanks a lot Matt.

    Removing Chrome Plating

    in Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials

    Posted

    On ‎5‎/‎29‎/‎2020 at 10:39 PM, peteski said:

    Yes, I suspect that German environmental protection laws are stricter in Germany than in USA (especially in the last 3 years).

    You are correct. Ethylene Glycol based brake fluid is used by some modelers to strip paint (not "chrome" plating) from plastic  car bodies.   So it is more of a paint stripper than "chrome" stripper.  It will eventually affect "chrome", but the sodium hydroxide solutions are much better for "chrome" stripping.   And going the other way, sodium hydroxide also works for stripping paint from plastic model cars. There is another sticky thread dedicated to paint stripping.

    So while both ethylene glycol, and sodium hydroxide are good for stripping paint from plastic items, I prefer sodium hydroxide for stripping "chrome".

    Peter, thanks again. Ok, I've got the message regarding sodium hydroxide. But how often can you use it to strip paints? Do you have to dispose it after one truck or car? Or do you have to pour it through a strainer after each use and dispose only the residue in the strainer?

    Removing Chrome Plating

    in Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials

    Posted

    12 hours ago, peteski said:

    Brake fluid (ethylene glycol based) is not very good for removing "chrome" (actually thin layer of aluminum and a clear coat) from plastic.  This liquid cannot be dumped into a sink - has to be disposed of properly.  Maybe your local car mechanic can recycle it. But I would not use it for "chrome" stripping.

    Sodium hydroxide (Lye) is much better for the job.  Purple Stuff, LA Awesome and Easy-Off oven cleaner are Lye based.  Lye is also main ingredient in drain pipe clog removers.  Those are all household chemicals and should be safe to dump in a drain (might even clean your pipes). :D

    I see that you are in Germany.  I'm surprised that you can find some of those chemicals in your country. Germany might also have stricter laws for chemical disposal than USA.

    Peter, thanks a lot for your reply. Ha-ha, might even clean my pipes, that's a good one!! Will think about that:D. Well, we certainly do have the products over here as well but we surely use different names for them. Actually I don't know the US laws so we might have stricter laws here regarding the disposal of said chemicals. I thought I read somewhere in this thread that someone used brake fluid in a Tupperware container and put the whole body of a car into it to remove the paint. But I might misread it because of my poor knowledge of your language. Anyway, this thread is really interesting to me, I've learned a lot. Thanks again and take care.

    Removing Chrome Plating

    in Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials

    Posted

    Hi all,

    There seem to be a couple of chemicals which can be used to remove paint and/or chrome plating.

    I'd like to know how long you can use either brake fluid, oven cleaner, Easy-off spray or LA Awesome for removing paint or chrome?

    And how do you get rid of the used chemicals? I reckon you can't put it in your household garbage or pour it into your kitchen sink, can you?

    Thanks.

    The issues with scratch building

    in Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials

    Posted

    On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2020 at 3:22 AM, Chariots of Fire said:

    What drove me to scratch build?  I found out real quick that it became boring building the same ALF over and over with slight changes here and there.  Fire apparatus over the years have been built by so many different outfits the decision was pretty easy.  Scratch build or continue building the same old same old.  It has allowed me to do some subjects that I otherwise would not have attempted.

    Along the way it has been an enjoyable experience trying different materials and methods.  Soldering has been the greatest improvement in my building BUT I am no metal worker.  Thank goodness for Evergreen stock, brass shapes and different sizes.  Peteski said it best above when he mentioned just building with styrene was way too limited.  I have to admit, though that without ACC I would be lost.  That has been the best thing since sliced bread!

    Just to be clear, though, I didn't start out scratch building and I suspect most of us who do it started that way as well.  I remember trying to scratch build a truck years ago but got way ahead of myself in the skill level.  To make a long story short I destroyed a Smith Miller GMC dump truck in the process.  It is a learning experience for sure and trying new approaches is just part of that experience.

     

    Hi Charles, can you please tell me what ACC stands for?

    Thanks very much. This is a great thread! I've learned a lot so far.

    Take care.

    I'd like a boat

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted

    On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2020 at 4:16 PM, espo said:

    Great kit, but about three times what it sold for when reissued. I would love to build another one, but I think the price is a little out of hand here. 

    Hey David,

    Yes, you're definitely right, $80 Dollars are way too much. I just wanted to show that it's still on the market and sometimes you can strike the lucky punch for little money. As you can see by the wrinkles of the box in my picture it's already an older kit. I didn't buy it as a new kit and I didn't build it so far. But the parts look good and maybe there's a re-issue in future for less money.

    Take care

    Juergen

    '59 Chevy Advance Scout Truck - African Airstream Caravan

    in WIP: Model Trucks: Pickups, Vans, SUVs, Light Commercial

    Posted

    Hi Brad,

    To be honest, I don't know what words to use to describe my face sitting in front of the screen and seeing the scratch work you do.

    All the words I can find momentarily are already said by all the other guys on this thread.

    But still I'd like to say that your work is absolutely stunning and inspiring. Most of the details I saw on the thread I even wouldn't know how to do it myself.

    But it's real fun to follow the thread and every day I open it in the hope that there would be an update.

    So, you should know that I'm standing guard in front of the screen always hoping the thread is going on.

    Thanks very much for sharing your gorgeous work.

    Take care,

    Juergen

    Loader Cat 966C

    in WIP: Model Trucks: Big Rigs and Heavy Equipment

    Posted

    Bonjour Alain,

    This is a very interesting project and I'm always impressed of what parts and models you scratch together.

    I hope you don't mind if I have a couple of questions about the parts you use. So here they are:

    Where did you get the drawing of the frame and even more interesting where did you get the dimensions of it?

    I always experience the difficulty to get hold of any dimensions of truck parts especially when it is a vehicle from Caterpillar. They don't even answer my emails!

    What engine did you use for the loader? Where did you get that?

    Where did you get the wheels and tires for it?

    I'm really curious about the next update, so please don't wait too long.

    Thanks very much and take care,

    Juergen

    Class 325 Chevy/Maxim fire truck

    in WIP: Model Trucks: Big Rigs and Heavy Equipment

    Posted

    Charles,

    This is again going to be an absolutely fantastic scratch build (at least in my view and humble opinion).

    I'm always in with all your builds as I can learn lots of solutions for scratch build problems.

    What I'm always impressed with is the cast of wheels, tires and rims of all sort.

    Is it really not that difficult as it seems and can you possibly explain it in a couple of short sentences?

    Or did you do a how-to in the tips and tricks section which is easy enough to understand?

    I would really appreciate a little help on this. Maybe others would be interested as well!

    Where did you get the cab and the engine from? Or did you scratch them too?

    Thanks very much.

    I'm keyed up for the next steps.

    Juergen

     

    Mack LMSW Quarry Truck

    in WIP: Model Trucks: Big Rigs and Heavy Equipment

    Posted

    Hi Lee,

    This truck's got a really impressive look, also because of the big massive dump bowl. I really like it. From what I can see you performed a very clean paint job. I also like this fresh-looking orange. You mentioned that you bought the truck from Dave of AITM. Did you also buy the tires and wheels there? I'm asking this because I couldn't find the those tires with this sturdy tread in his shop. Can you either give me the number of the tires or tell me where else you bought them, please? Can you give me their dimensions, diameter, width etc. please?

    Thanks very much for your help. For sure I'll be following this project. Thanks so far.

    Juergen

    Another Prostar Done

    in Model Trucks: Big Rigs and Heavy Equipment

    Posted

    Hi JT,

    Your Prostar looks amazing! I especially like the details of your paint scheme in the engine compartment. The orange-yellow color on the small container in the front on the right beside the radiator- does it indicate a liquid level?

    The blue of the truck and the two-tone of the trailer have come out as a wonderful combination.

    BTW, on one of the pictures I spotted a yellow farm tractor in the background. Where did you get the kit - AMT, Revel? What's the scale? Looks cute.

    Keep on your stunning work.

    Juergen

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