Pete J.

We really can't give you a ratio of paint to thinner without knowing the type and manufature of the paint. I thin automotive paints 6 parts thinner to 1 part paint. Tamiya acrylics 4 parts thinner to 1 part paint. Best rule of thumb is to mix it to the consistancy of milk. I know that is a bit subjective, but it is a good place to start. Start at 3:1 and adjust it until you get an even coat from a distance of about 2" to 3". Then go from there. Good Luck

Skip Samples here in San Diego use to build for Revell, but his did mostly aircraft. Both are members of the San Diego Model Car Club IPMS, and have been an inspiration to all. Alan is unfortunately no longer able to build due to father time, but Skip is very active.

Dave, nothing we do is necessary unless you are doing it for a purpose. The most visible part of a model(I think most will agree) is the paint job. If you have a bad or great paint job it really is the first thing everyone looks at. Nobody walks up to a model and the first words out of their mouth are,"Wow, great wiring!" The paint draws them in and then the rest of the model needs to speak for itself. How much you spend on paint is irrelevant if you get a good looking finish. If you can do it with a $5 rattle can then great. That is what you need to use. I spend a lot on paint because I have gotten great results and I like to match the factory paint when possible. If people get in a argument over the shade I have used, then there is so little wrong with the model they have had to look very closely to find a flaw, and that is great by me. I also buy some strange paints like Mirrachrome(better than Alcad chrome) but it use to be that you could only get it in quarts(at $200), or Chromillusion(color shift). But then I like to experiment. Yea, I spend a lot on paint, but I also spend a lot on other things like tools($1,200 for a Shurline Lathe), kits(about $40 a month) and aftermarket parts($650 SMS 935 super detail set times 5). That is my choice and as long as the mortgage gets paid, then the rest is recreation for me. Don't get hung up on what others spend. Just do what you can afford and what works for you. Making do with what you have at hand is the creative side of this hobby.

Hmmmmm, lets see, $500 for a quart of Mirrachrome, $150 for a pint of Chromalusion, $15 a quart for automotive lacquer X 25, 'lebenteen hundred cans of Tamiya spary paint, umteen bottles of Alclad, and s***pot full of other bits and pieces. I du'no maybe a lot of thousand dollars. It was all needed for something or other. Heck, I don't remember.

I would like to know what you chose. Did you find a 135? I was suprised to see several board memebers associated with the aircraft. I flew them from 1972 to 1981. Saw one at an air show a coouple of months ago and a lot has changed, but a lot remains the same. Love that old work horse! Pete

Was going through some older photos and came up with a couple that I like a little better. Same model though.

I can understand your feelings! There is a fundamental difference in IPMS in general and auto modeling. I am a member of a SoCal model car club. We were formed 30 years ago with the car guys got fed up with IPMS attitudes and split a club off. Strangely, 2 years ago we became an IPMS club again. That happened so we could fall under the IPMS insurance umbrella for shows and other activities we wanted to do. No, IPMS generally doesn't get auto modeling in general, but don't hammer them too hard. For the most part they are historic modelers. In 99% of the categories they are recreating historic vehicles and documentation and precision is important. It is very much as if the factory stock category dominated our hobby. Fortunately it doesn't. We have much broader "artistic" categories. Our club is more about the social end of things and getting people it to the hobby. Very laid back. I suppose just what you would expect from a group of old southern Californians. We run the spectrum of models from detail freaks like myself to 10 year olds who play with their models when they are done. Most of us just get a kick out of cars. Modeling is our way of doing what we can't afford to do with 1:1 cars. Sorry you got burnt! Companionship in modeling is a great thing and I am glad you are able to share that electronically.

Ok, I will throw a bit of a different twist on this conversation with a side bit on nitpicking the words others use. I build for others. In short, I do get paid for some of my builds. Not all of them, but some of them. The question then becomes, "What do I get out of it besides the money?" Well, actually a lot. In fact a heck of a lot more that the ones I build for myself. First, I get to meet some very interesting people. I spent Monday with Lee Holman of Holman-Moody discussing the GT40. Never would have done that without modeling. I get to build things that I wouldn't otherwise build. I get to challenge my skills and create something that makes the client go Wow! Most importantly, I get to build! Getting paid to do what you love is a dream. I don't have to justify my hobby spending to any one, or feel guilty because I am spending money on things I shouldn't be buying. I don't spend anything beyond what I make off the sale of my models. I actually make a little profit out of it when all is said and done. What I make goes back into my hobby for new tools, for travel to do research, for supplies etc. This is not my primary source of income so in I short, I have a self supporting hobby. Do I build for myself? Yes, for sure. I do have some of my models that are for me, and I do go to contests. Some times I enter, some times not. I do like it when someone complements my builds, but most of the pleasure for me, and I have said it before on this forum, lies in the building. I love creating things. The fact that others like them as well and are willing to pay to own them is a bonus. I am not wealthy in terms of personal income, so I this niche suits me nicely. Don't ever believe that everyone builds for the same reasons that you do. Each of us gets something different out of the hobby. The only problem I know with the hobby is with those who get carried away with the competition and go around making life miserable for others. That is a small minority, but they attend every contest and we all know who they are. So I just stay away from them and don't get involve with their particular brand of "fun". So go ahead and build. Don't bother critiquing other's reasons and pleasures. Just enjoy the friends and the hobby.

I concure with the ccmment about the macro feature. Kind of hard to say from the photos. If you want solid constructive critque, a well focused and lit photo the first place to improve. Try backing off about 3 feet and zooming in. It will really improve the clarity. Use a tripod if you have one. simple steps that will help us evaluate the work and make constructive suggestions. Good Luck!

I learned a long time ago that just because I want to build a particular model, doesn't mean I will be able to find it in the store. I have more than once paid way too much for one on eBay! I collect what I am interested in because it may not be available when I want to build it. Saves me money in the long run. Of course I have enough to last through my retirement, my sons retirement and may grandsons(unborn) retirement, so I should stop buying, right? Not a chance! More is never enough Last count over 200 car models. Don't know how many aircraft, ships and other stuff. Over 180 Tamiya alone.

Thanks for the comments. I would like to see the twin turbo! That has to be a lot of work. The frame is made of square brass tubing. That is about all that would hold it in such a leveraged position. I soldered in gussets for added strength. The rear mounts were fun. I learned how to do "weld seams" from the armor guys. Easy and I think they look much better that the photo etched stuff.

It is not a whole model but it is one of my favorite photos. I have fooled more people who thought that it was a shot of the real deal.

Just took some new referance photos for the second engine(the one that goes in the chassis) and thought some of you might find the display engine interesting. Enjoy

Can I ask what Martini 935 you are talking about? Is there a new one out there that I didn't know about?

Thanks guys! I do enjoy the large scale. You can just keep on detailing. It is kind of hard to know when to stop. I guess that is why I am so excited about the GT 40. I think Matthew at SMS has a real treat in line for this beast. Should be as good as the 935 kit.

Just though I would throw up a set of pedals I finished for my 1:12 scale 935. These are Scale Motorsport parts combined with scratch built parts and original Tamiya parts. The clevises are photo etched soldered to the end of .017' wire. I turned the mounting shaft and fabricated the blocks from plastic.

Been using it for years. It is IMO the best out there. As you know, carbon fiber comes in different sizes for different applications so saying it is to scale is never really correct, but it is very close. I have also received some of his new stuff as used on the FXX kit. When it becomes available, it is really killer. All the decal is, is the fiber pattern printed on clear carrier. You can make your own base color. Check out the work on the this thread "Jean Todt's Ferrari FXX". Very convincing pattern. If you use the original pattern you will need to look at the tutorial on the SMS site. http://store.scalemotorsport.com/merchant2...p;Store_Code=SM It is for the upholstery pattern, but the process is the same. Failure to follow the process with result in huge frustration. The deals are a bit different to use, but they work. Patients is the primary ingredient. Use abundant amounts.

Len - Congratulations, you are in for a really good time. Step # 1 is to order Joe Martin's(owner of Sherline) book, Table Top Machining. http://www.sherline.com/bookplug.htm I got my lathe about 8 months ago and this book goes into a lot of detail that is very helpful, like feed rates and speeds and how the lathe works. He also covers how to sharpen and make your own tools. It is written as a reference manual not a how to book, so as you have questions, you look up that topic and go to that section of the book and read all about it. He covers a lot of topics and it is an invaluable resource. Second look up the type of metals on the internet. There are hundreds of different types of aluminum and getting the right type makes a huge difference in ease of machining and how the final result looks when you get done. I buy mine from a local metal dealer and can specify the type of aluminum I am getting. Unfortunately I can only buy it in 12 foot pieces. Luckily they cost less than $15 per piece, so I have a great instant supply. Don't use the ###### you get at hobby stores. It is tough to machine and is really hard to get a good finish on. You might also wish to join the Sherline users forum http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/sherline/ There is a lot going on there that you will never use but a lot of it is good information. Good luck. Oh, incidentally, I feel sorry for you. This thing is addictive and you can quickly quickly acquire more in accessories than the cost of the lathe.( I already have). I love the radius tool. Here is a photo of the fire bottles I made for my 935. The original plastic part is on the left. This is 1:12 scale. My Christmas present was several of the two sided tool holders. They make the use of the machine much easier. My problem is that I live about 6 miles from Sherline. It is too easy to run over and pickup a couple of pieces.

Hummm! Our Christmas meeting was last Tuesday. Regular day - Third Tuesday of the month. San Diego Automotive Museum. Snow not an issue.

Yes, actally they did!! Oh, no that was for Christmas holiday! Oh well, good thought.

Actually very cold for SoCal. Mid-thirties. Woke up this morning to frost on the neighbor hood roofs. Palm trees and frost. Something you don't see very often.

My boxes become a chronology of my builds. I cut the top off and date it and stick it on the wall of my shop. Gives me a running history of my builds. Now this works for me because I generally get two or three builds a year done and I have a large wall.

Here is another "different" piece that I did as a club challenge. It started life as Tamiya NSX for those that can't quite figure it out. I have always been a fan of the P34 and this seemed like a logical idea at the time.

West coast version - Did the rest of the US fall into the Atlantic yet?

Yea, the winter weather has been horrible! Temps here have been in the high 50's and we are just buried in liquid snow. Actually turned off the sprinkler system 4 weeks ago. Shot a picture of my back yard to give you an idea of what a mess this liquid snow causes. My pond is almost overflowing.