Pete J.

Don't know if it is going to help yet, but I have been doing a lot of reading and talking to machinists. I also was told years ago to buy a lathe first(notice the back ground) to learn how metal works. As to the money, well I just don't get any new kits for a year or so which is not going to cause me to miss much. I have about two lifetimes of plastic so far.

Just got back from Vista, Ca. About a 15 minute trip. I don't remember exactly what happened, but this box was in the trunk when I got home. Oh, yea-Let the modeling begin!

Just when you though this build was over, I am resurrecting it! Well, I have been waiting for a part to get here so I could really get into the build. I went out and bought the part today. Here is a photo of it in the box. I need to get it and all the other parts out. Oh, yea! Let the building begin! I have the first part laid out and ready to go. This is the chassis side rail. It will be the first parts cut on the new mill.

1328 miles and not an inch further! Actually I am going to Dallas for eagle quest.

I can tell you from experience(see the prior post) that the Umm tool is the best I have had for scribing panel lines and other things that need to be scratched. They are on sale and for $13 are a worthy addition to anyone's tool box. The issue you mention with the X-acto blade is exactly the reason I use the second tool I mentioned. They are very thin photoetched saws and take very little material out of the cut. The trade off is that you have to have patents. They work quickly but need to not be forced. The thin set is right at about .005" and have very fine teeth. They actually saw through the plastic rather that scraping it away. You get plastic sawdust rather than shavings. As thin as they are you can cut around corners if you are careful.

I have two scribing tools that are indispensable. This first one is great for rescribing panel lines. I like it because it is very controllable and precise. I do not use it for opening panels though. It removes too much material. http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_105&products_id=474 These are a set of photoetched saws that I have been using for over 15 years. They are very thin are require a delicate touch to not bend. They only work on the pull stroke. Do not try to cut with a push stroke or you will bend them and destroy the tool. They make a cut so thin that you can actually put the panel back in place and reglue it and there would be no evidence of the cut. I get mine from HLJ not ebay but the photo on Hobby link was not good enough to post. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HASEGAWA-Trytool-TP-4-Modeling-Saw-Scriber-Model-Tool-Free-Ship-/261027644888?pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN&hash=item3cc675c5d8

Probably one of the best I have ever done.

Casey You are correct about the Carousel red on the Judge. Early in the production run that was the only color available and that is why you see most of the Judges in that color. If you go to a auto paint store they will show you that the formulation for Carousel red is the same as Chevy Hugger orange. GM at it's best. You are more likely to find premixed Hugger Orange than Carousel red.

Randy, I have to say that I wait with baited breath for each update. I really appreciate your craftsmanship. This is probably one of the best builds I have seen. On a par with Gerald Wingrove. Keep it coming! Pete

Very nice Mark. This is really shaping up to be a true masterpiece. The next Seven will have to run to beat it!

I know - should be a car, but I am also a pilot - Papa Three Eight - one of the best of Kelly Johnson(no relationship)

So, where did you find that giant set of calipers? :lol: Very nice piece!

Did you ever hear Jeff Foxworthy's "Here's your sign" story about the truck driver hitting a low bridge? Goes something like this. Semi driver hits a low bridge and gets stuck. While he is waiting for assistance, Highway patrol rolls up and approaches the driver and says " Did ya gitter stuck? to which the truck driver replies "Nope, I was delivering this here bridge down the road and just ran out of gas!" Heeer's your sign"

So what I don't get is that they spent money to put up a double camera system, so why can't they go in an lower the road(being a railroad bridge you can't raise the grade) about a foot for 100' either side of the bridge and fix the problem. Maybe the city is just having too much fun watching trucks get destroyed.

The GT 40 photo was taken at the Holman-Moody shop in Charlotte N.C. several years ago. It is one of the few FIA sanctioned continuation cars that Lee Holman is building to original specs. He owns the license and all the original plans and paper work for the Mk 2s. Interesting story about those cars. I got to spend the day with him listening to all the history. He is also had the original gulf car in the shop for restoration at the time. The owner was a little touchy so I didn't get any photos of that car.

Curt - I have owned four houses since 1977 and this is the first one that I had space for a separate model building area. Good things take time! As to the chair, it is special even though it doesn't look it. It has had many coats of paint on it. The original owner was my grandfather. The center of the front lip was carved out with a pocket knife by him to relieve his arthritic leg. It is surprisingly comfortable. I really should do something with it as I am sure it is probably 75 or more years old. By the way two of the houses I owned were located at East 10918 26th and South 2914 Bates Road in Spokane. We lived there for 10 years. I have been in California for the last 24 years.

Ok, so back to the Black Knight. As I think I mentioned, I am not really happy with the model. I got my hands on another kit and after hours of careful cutting with photo etched saws, the frame in now separated from the bucket. I am going to rebuild the model and do the frame in brass this time. I will salvage most of the parts off the old model and this time I plan of having a bit of fun with some new parts. Here is the start.

Hi guys! Well I am back with an update. So, what have I been up to for the last four weeks? I have been working at my modeling desk. Building models? No, working at my desk. You see, years ago when I was building the modeling desk in my garage, I ran out of bucks for the plywood and drawer glides so it when unfinished. I had some really nice drawers on the right side and an open hole on the left. I had a tool chest that I made do with for all that time. Here is what it looked like. So, I retired a couple of month ago and was digging through the shop and found the drawer glides that I pickup on sale some time ago and got to thinking that I needed to straighten out the mess that I called my work bench. So out came the table saw, router, chop saw, nail gun, glue and a host of other tools(my other passion is wood working) and several weeks and two sheets of plywood later, I now have a nicer place to work. Amazing how much space 5 new drawers adds. The old tool chest is now under the desk as a reserve space and the top of the desk is now a place for work, not storage. Oh, the photos make the new drawers look almost white, but they are the same baltic birch plywood as the old ones. They just don't have the patina of age.

Mark- From the lack of discoloration I suspect you are using an American Beauty. Just one bit from my experience. If you used simple butt or mitered joints, a gusset would add a lot to the strength of the frame. With resistance soldering they are very easy to add without destroying the joint. Just keep the tweezers on the gusset. The pieces look nice and symmetric. In my world that is always the toughest part.

I agree with all the above but considerations for which one? 1. Where do you live? CO2: How far do you have to drive to get a CO2 bottle refilled? Compressor: Do you share your residence with others that the noise may bother? Are you close to neighbors that noise may be a problem for? 2. Are you just going to use it for the air brush or would you like to do other things with it? CO2: Very quiet but about the only other thing you can do with is run a beverage dispenser. Compressor: If you get a regular garage style compressor you can use it for a lot of other things like inflating tires and runing air tools like nail guns, impact wrenches etc. If you are going to just use it for the airbrush, you can get ones that are vertually silent. 3. Portablity CO2: Generally, light weight and can be moved from room to room. Not really any restrictions on where you use it. Also you don't have to look for an outlet to plug it into. Compressor: Can be heavy unless you buy one just for airbrushing. Have to have an electrical outlet to use it. Noise may limit where you use it. 3. Cost. CO2: It can cost less but you have to fill them from time to time and I guarentee that it will run out right in the middle of a paint job. Also, how much does it cost to refill it. Compressor: Not cheap to buy but that should be the only cost for a long time. Mine is 15 years old and still chugging along with no problems. Get what suits your use and needs best

Na, it has turned to penicillin by now. Just eat it…it’ll do you good! Oh, I forgot there are people out there that don't remember penicillin.

Hmmmmmmm........a new material to tackle. Have to get me some of these. It would be nice to have a clear material that you could throw into some acetone to clean. Ok, just orders some. They are cheap enough at $5.50 for a box of 100. That way I can break a few while learning about them and not worry about it.

Randy - By using glass, can it stand heating for soldering, such as a closed frame like a model T? I understand the desire for a real glass reflection, but I have not been pleased with just having the piece glued into a frame with no back structure. What do you think?

That would be black, white and shades of gray.

Randy- This project continues to get more amazing with each piece. Are you planning on taking it to GSL when it is done? It would certainly be a runaway for best of show.