StevenGuthmiller

Is Ed Fluck not offering them right now? Something tells me that if this kit is successful, (which I’m certain it will be) he will begin casting them again, if he is not at this time. Steve

Thanks Joe. I have no experience with it, so I wasn't sure. Steve

Super Clean will not harm the clear plastic. That said, depending on the flat black paint used, it may not remove it either. I have flat black painted parts that have soaked in Super Clean, and IPA, both for weeks, to no avail. You may have to resort to brake fluid, but I have no idea what it will do to the clear plastic. Don't know what adverse affects, (if any) that a product like Testors ELO would have on it either. Your best bet might be to just replace the glass with clear plastic sheet, which looks more realistic than the overly thick kit glass anyway. Steve

Thanks Jim! It's models like this that will make you a BMF expert in very short order! Steve

Thanks everyone! As I said to a gentleman on Facebook, "These cars are from an era when a car could be gaudy and stylish at the same time. Nothing says 1950s America like a finned monster, awash in chrome, in fabulous shades of pastel paint". Steve

Apparently, some others have not had the same luck. I'm just going by what I have heard from some other people in various conversations, including Mr. Shirley in this thread. I don't have first hand experience as I don't use the stuff myself, but I've heard of difficulties removing Tamiya primer and paint from others on various occasions. Just offering some alternatives. Steve

I can't disagree. Just another thought as well, is if you feel that you must use Tamiya primer, but are concerned about the ability to strip the paint and primer should something go wrong, (which if you are relatively new to the game, is absolutely certain to happen at some point) you might want to consider a light base coat or 2 of a more stripable primer prior to the Tamiya primer. I have no experience that this will remedy the situation, but it may help should stripping the paint become necessary. Steve

There are a whole host of really great pre-thinned paints available that will require no mixing or thinning whatsoever. shake ‘em up, pour in the cup or jar and go to work. MCW and Scale Finishes, (just to name a couple) will carry just about any color that you can imagine! They are an invaluable resource for paint, especially if you are looking for particular factory stock colors. Whatever color it is, between the two of them, they’re almost guaranteed to have it. Steve

True. most of the time, when I hear someone complain that Super Clean won’t remove lacquer paint, it’s due to the fact that they used a primer such as Tamiya. It’s a pretty simple operation to remove lacquer depending on the primer. A primer such as Duplicolor or Testors will dissolve and the lacquer will slough off in sheets. So in short, keep in mind that if you do plan on using Tamiya primer, you’re going to have limitations as to what you can use to remove it, and any lacquers that you might use over it, should the need arise. Steve

I've been going back and assessing the photos that I have of a lot of my old builds and have not been generally impressed. A lot of my old shots look so washed out, so I've began retaking some pics. It's surprising to me how much better a photographic illiterate such as myself can do with a smart phone camera over a digital camera! The colors are correct 1959 Dodge "Rose Quartz" and "Coral". Steve

Then you just have to weigh the risks. Either you buy from BMF directly and be certain, or buy somewhere else and take a chance. It’s an individual choice. Steve

You're probably going to get it cheaper ordering directly from BMF anyway. $7.50 per sheet. Steve

Yes, as Tom said, it has nothing to do with the paint’s temperature. ”Hot paint” is a term used to describe a paint that has harsh chemicals that are not compatible with styrene plastic. You can use these types of paint on plastic, but proper preparation is an absolute must to guard against damage. Steve

I only meant that it will look pretty dull with visible lines, much like brushed aluminum. If it looks too shiny right out of the package, you’ll probably be disappointed in it’s performance. The thicker “ultra-bright” foil, and the thicker stuff that everyone has been complaining about for the past year usually look a little glossier right out of the package. Call it a failed attempt to describe what looks like a good sheet of foil when opened. It’s just a look that it seems to have right out of the sleeve that’s been a pretty good indication to me that it’s going to be a good sheet before I even cut into it that is a little hard to describe. Steve

Yup, the paint was too hot for the plastic, and whatever primer was used was insufficient to protect it. I agree with Rodney about ditching the Rustoleum paint. There are far too many “good” paints on the market to risk the cheap stuff. A good primer is a must with any lacquer, and more is better than too little when it comes to protecting the plastic. Find a good lacquer primer, use several coats of it, and you should be able to spray almost anything over it without issue. Steve

I agree. My opinion is that lacquer thinner works the best for thinning enamel. Steve

Just received my BMF order today, so here's the assessment that I promised. I consider it about a 90% win. First of all, shipping was crazy fast, which is a great start. Ordered last Thursday, and received it today. Not bad at all in my book. My first inspection was just the general look of the sheet right out of the package, and it looked fairly good. Generally, a good sheet will look like smooth, flat, brushed aluminum. The look was pretty good, although it did display what could be a little bit of adhesive texture. Next, was to cut a piece and remove it from the backing. It performed exactly like the old foil, cutting easily and pulling up from the backing without the curl that you get from foil that is too thick. A very good sign. Then a test application. Again, it went on, burnished down, and polished up just like the old stuff. Adhesion was exceptional, and conformity to contours were very good. Trimming went just as well as the old foil. Now, the only complaint......and this is really nothing new. There appeared to be a little too much adhesive texture for my taste, as stated earlier in the post. But, as I said, this is something that was an issue on occasion with the old stuff too, and is not a deal breaker by any stretch in my opinion. So, for any of you that were on the fence about the performance of the latest incarnation of BMF, you should be fairly confident that you will get an acceptable product. Both sheets that I purchased were pretty much identical in performance features. Steve

I'll keep you posted. As soon as I receive my order, I'll try it out and give everyone a definitive answer. Believe me, I've used enough of this stuff to know exactly how it "should" perform. Steve

The tail lights are clear red resin replacements from Modelhaus. Steve

Okay. You talked me into it. I just went ahead and ordered a couple of sheets right away. Steve

Yes. The tires are the old Satco style whitewalls.

Good to hear! Maybe now we can put all of this foolishness behind us and move on. ? I’m about ready to re-order myself, but maybe I’ll wait for a few weeks until all of the craziness subsides. Steve

Another old build that I posted long ago that was in need of some new photos. A Johan 1960 Chrysler New Yorker in "Iris" and "Lilac", built in a curbside fashion. Steve

I agree. I’ve spoken my piece. Steve

This was my objection as well. We all proclaim to want to help fellow builders who may be newer to the hobby, or not as experienced as others, and while it may be helpful to make recommendations in that respect, I don't think it's particularly helpful to impugn an entire segment of the hobby because they don't meet our particular standards. Offer descriptions of what the modeler can expect for a particular kit, and avenues to deal with the issues that might arise. That seems to me to be far more constructive than turning people off to an entire company's product line because you may have found personal issue with some of it. Steve