DrGlueblob

Model Master Buffing Gunmetal Metalizer, my closest guess.

Current more-or-less average for Revell, AMT, etc. -Around $20 give or take. Kits are still at swap meets in $10-20 range. Meng needs to make money, of course. Not at $70 ..$35 maybe.

My bottle is decades old, and kinda pooped out. Anybody have a source for another bottle, or is it not being made anymore? Any suggestions on an alternative product? This stuff is Max Sticky and I haven't seen anything that compares to it. Thankee. Chip

Real promise here. And diecasts are MADE for cutting up. I've fiddled with some JL Partridge Family busses in the past. Made po'man's motorhomes outta them. ..Wonder what they need a Freightshaker Meatwagon for?

..As cost goes, Meng Is Merciless.. ..Sorry 'bout that.

Price is way too high for the Meng truck. Just is.

Hobbylinc is great for tools, kits and scratchbuilding stock. They STILL take a few days after you order to ship it out to ya.

"No Gerfingerpokin und Mittengrabbin".. I have seen broken hoods, snapped-off photoetch, and big fingerprints on my stuff at contests waaay too many times. I rarely.. very rarely enter shows anymore. Especially anything associated with IPMS. An eight-buck trophy isn't worth the hassle. I do like to let folks look at my models. People's Choice is where you are safe from grabby judging, but there's always those in the crowd that have to poke a finger here n' there, as well as Mr.Ballcap, too. To combat that, I ask that I get mine displayed as far away from the table edge as practicable.

Use e same brand and type (lacquer/enamel) of spray paint for your primer, color, and clear. Krylon spray lacquer from Walmart is the best bang-for-the-buck IMO. You can tell it's lacquer by looking for the "Dries in 10/15 minutes of less" on the label.

Beautiful morning in spring in Phoenix.. Went to Mike Cholewa's local model swap meet. First time in twelve years for me and I've some observations.. Went with a 24 year old friend.. He was far and away the youngest fellow in a room of 100 or so. Rest of us were in our 50's+.. Looked like AARP Convention. Met old friends and we jawed while experiencing the visual overload of all-those-kits.. Prices were somewhere North of half- current retail. Some twenty year old stock were the cheapest at 10-15.00 each.. They were 5.00 new back then. Most good stuff around 30 bucks and up. Lotsa decals, but little aftermarket. I did find an estate sale of bins of parts, chrome trees, and scratchbuilding bits,( RIP, Chuck Granger). So.. a bit more expensive, but a good scene. Glad we still have these things.

Twisted Metal Killller Clown Van!!

Kinda reminds me of my Fire Dept. days. We had an annual statewide Fire School in The Valley. One class was held at the GM Proving Ground east of Mesa AZ. It was called Vehicle Extrication and we got to take the saws, spreader, and hydraulic rams to a few "New" Vettes one year. Low-mileage test cars, and we COMPLETELY DESTROYED THEM. Seems they couldn't be sold after being used for testing on GM's track. Sooooo.... Lawyers.

Just did a bunch with 2mm styrene rod and The Chopper. Love that tool.

Arrgh. Went for a spin in the Trusty Truck today. _Hit two 99.cent only stores, one Dollar General, and a Family Dollar ..and not ONE BOTTLE OF LA TOTALLY AWESOME MOP N' SHINE.... You Phoenix boys beat me to 'em? Oh well, it was a nice day for a drive

Pretty slick scratchbuilding. ..Wonder if Don Garlits will get to see it?

Love it Chris.. Best half-hour I spent today watching that craft paint video. Thanks much, bud.

It's enamel, right?

Trying to remember.. Didn't somebody sell a "fiberglass" ambulance roof extension, with side lights and such?

I drove a '62 Econoline back in the '70s. I bought another (bone stock) which is in my backyard. I would pay dearly for a resin body to do. Dad had a 67(?) Dodge A100 with windows on one side and a pop-up sheet metal camper top. I'm just about to start construction on that. My old Econolines both have the 200ci six. Three on the tree and ROTTEN gas mileage, weak as a kitten up any hill.. But throw a big beanbag chair in the back with an ice chest and some home made popcorn in a big brown paper grocery bag, back the van up at the drive-in, kick open the rear doors and enjoy the movie with yer girl. or.. "IF MY VAN'S ROCKIN, DON'T COME KNOCKIN"...

I'm going to buy a couple of these, if just for the neat decal sheet. Wouldn't is be great if someone with the side window inserts posted a scale sized pic of them we could work with (pdf?)..

A old sign painter's trick Carl.. You take a foot or so of wooden dowel, wrap masking or duct tape in a ball on each end. Think of a drum majorette's baton.. This is called a Mahle Stick, and it is used to steady your hand/wrist as to draw or cut a straight line on a vertical surface.. I wish you All Good. I'm gimpin too and it's all just another bump on the washboard Unpaved Road of Life. Be well.

If you have Prime, Amazon has the kit for $11.74.. I get mine Tuesday.

Used dryer sheets also make good paint finish polish-outers.. Kleenex and white glue make tarps..

I just came into possession of a can of USC "Feather-Rite".. Anyone used this? It's a two-part formula.

It looks RIGHT to me so far. Fun thing about fire apparatus is that most all of them are bastard children.. A mish-mash of factory stock, ALF-etc add ons, local dept. necessities.. Must be heck to judge at a contest.