Pete J.

Tim, I glad you mentioned cutting blocks to keep everything square. I have friends who often question my "mistakes" box, full of botched parts. That is the "scrap" that gets made into jigs and such, then once used tossed back into the pile to live again in another jig. Never toss scrap. I always know that I will use it again later. Great looking work!

Many years ago I wrote an article for Tamiya when they first started to sell their rattle cans. Although it was aimed at rattle can painting, it applies to all forms of painting gloss finishes and I think it is still worth a read. Apparently Tamiya thinks so also as it has been on their web site for over 20 years. https://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/painting-with-tamiya-synthetic-lacquers-35?article-id=35#.Wl9tbainGMo

Micro mesh is available in sheets up to 12"X12" or rolls 6" wide and up to 50 feet long. This is the address for Micro-Surface. The company that makes micromesh. http://micro-surface.com/index.php/products-by-type/sheets/adhesive-back-micro-mesh-sheets-individual.html I have been dealing with them for years. Great company to deal with and you get to eliminate the markup from the middelman! Oh, and yes they to make belts.

I have a whole drawer full of wire in various gauges and colors to suit my modeling needs. The majority of it is from the jewelry making(AKA beading) aisle at the local crafts store. You can get yards of the stuff for what you would pay for a few feet prepackaged and labeled from your hobby store. I use to be a big fan of Radio Shack as well but they are for the most part out of the local store business. If you are not sure what size you need, go out to your car. Measure the plug wires and divide by the scale you are using. Then look at a wire gauge chart and got get that diameter. Save yourself some money for more kits!

Ok, I didn't get that one. I wasn't even on the right continent! I spent all my time searching Japan. It is very reminiscent of several Nissan/Datsun domestic models. Nice pick. I would have never thought to look to France for this one.

I would try straining if first and if the problem persists then return it. Sound like they had some old white pigment or bottom of the can. Hmmmm, just another thought, did you check the shade? Is it slightly darker than you requested. If the white pigment didn't mix properly, that would through the shade off. If it is off by a noticeable amount, then return it. Straining it wouldn't cure that issue.

Mark, I have to agree with you 100%. It is all about what looks right. Our eyes deceive us in so many ways. Color, sized, distance, etc. That is the art in model building. See you Friday!

RB Motion does all their own stuff. Robert Bently has been a miniature machinist for years now. I first dealt with him over 20 years ago and he did some custom work for me. I buy all my nuts and bolts from him. Not cheap but well worth the money for me.

Plastic or resin is fine and for screw head photoetched is hard to beat but they are a lot of work to get to look spot on. If you have an exposed nut or bolt head, machined aluminum or brass looks much better to my eye. In short nothing looks more like metal than the real deal. Yes they are more costly and if you have weak tweezers, they can disappear in a hurry but if you want the most realistic look they are the best. Also, no clipping, sanding or painting. All opportunities to loose them. Tip: Spend the money on really good tweezers. Peer Grobet makes tweezers for jewelers to handle diamonds. Want to talk about an expensive "Twing", try having a diamond take off! These tweezers are expensive but that is because they are precision instruments meant to handle tiny things. I have two pair(one stainless and one brass) that I have had for at least 20 years and they can still pick up a phototeched screw head edge to edge. How much is is worth to have a precision tool that will last you a lifetime? Source: The nuts you see in these photos are by RB Motion. http://www.rbmotion.com/ I have been using him as a source for a very long time. His stuff is top drawer. He was the machinist that did most of the stuff for Cody Grayland's stunning builds. I have my own mill and lathe and could do my own, but I figured out some time ago that it cost me more in time and effort to do than than I would spend to buy them from him.

Yup, that was the logic in my old guy brain as well. Why I would remember Monteverdi is beyond me. It is not a company that produced any "mainstream" cars. Very small Swiss company. Perhaps it was the offbeat use of a Hemi that stuck. Kind of a theme of the era starting with the GT-40. Mid engine big 'merican iron in a sexy body. The Pantera was a similar formula with a Cleveland engine.

It helps if you are an old guy(substituted "guy" for a four letter word) and have a vague memory of these late 60's early 70's super cars. I remember seeing this for the first time in either Car & Driver or Road & Track. Funny how I can remember this stuff but can't remember if I took my Med's this morning!

I have always painted in my garage and it is a dusty place as I do all sorts of work in it including woodworking. My solution is a simple one. I keep a large hand spritzer bottle(Home Depot has a Zep bottle) with distilled water and 20% alcohol in it. Before I spray, a quick wipe down with that and a cotton(not microfiber) cloth and then a light misting of the air and area around were I am going to spray. The latter part helps remove most of the dust from the air. I stop between coats to re-mist the area. Then I made a dust free cabinet with a HEPA air filter blowing air into it to let the piece dry. Just some simple fixes that seem to work for me.

Yup, pretty much says it all!

This photo might change your mind about owning one of these. I was at first intrigued with the choice of the Hemi engine for this car and then I saw how it literally was intruding into the passenger compartment. I cannot imagine the racket and heat from this beast sitting next to you.

I remember well the first FWD car I had. I lived in Spokane, Washington(eastern side of the state on the Idaho boarder) where it really gets cold and we actually had winter. I figured studded snow tires on the front because I got through winters in a RWD car with them on the rear only. Bad move!! First time I hit the brakes, the rears immediately locked up and lost any semblance of traction and steering control and I was doing 360's down an ice road, and there was no catching it with opposite lock. I learned that FWD needs studs front and rear.

1:16 scale Here is a link to the original kit. http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/56010tiger/tiger.htm This is not a photo of mine. I did mine as an eastern front version with battle worn white over gray. I just love to fire it up. You first hear the internal starter whine and then the engine kicks in. Really cool!

It is on Lionshead, just off of San Marcos Blvd/Palomar airport road Very close to the San Marcos, Carlsbad, Vista border. This museum was founded by the owner of Sherline. It started in the factory and moved to it's current location not that long ago. As I tell all of my modeling friends, whenever I get to feeling a bit smug about my modeling, I go over there for a serious dose of humble! The place is full of great projects and thing to inspire you to get back to the bench. They also have a lot of outstanding machinist who are more than willing to answer your "how to" questions. No secrets in the museum!

I have the large R/C version of this model. I just love taking it out in the driveway from time to time and playing with it. Full sound and motion. Firing cannon that the whole model recoils from and a fiber optic machine gun. The kids in the neighborhood go nuts.

Very interesting power plant in this one. Not at all what you might expect!

Very cool! I was not aware of these. May have to try and cobble one together!

A place for everything and everything in it's place. Right were I left it! If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, what is and empty desk a sign of??

I may have posted this before, so if you recognize it, my apologies for the repeat. I am very lucky. This started as an empty single car garage in 2000 when we bought the house new. Everything you see here, I build. This houses not only my modeling, but my woodworking and general work shop. Lots I would do different if I had a clean slate to start over, but just glad I have it.

First of all, Happy Birthday! Thought you might like to see this Porsche commercial. It is actually a 111 but close enough.

Ok, maybe is was on not today, but Monday. Santa must think I am very good. I got the newest Paasche air eraser. Now back to work on the Bugatti's!

With all the talk about vans, I wonder if any of you ever built a race van? Just for the record, the most common vehicle in the first three Cannonball Baker, sea to shining sea memorial trophy dash in the 70's were Dodge vans. Of course they were fitted with 300+ gallon gas tanks for the event.