StevenGuthmiller

If your building a ‘32 Ford with a 283, it’s obviously a custom, which means there’s really no “correct” set up. The advantage of building a custom is that you don’t have to follow any play book. You can do it however you want. Steve

I’ve never decanted any of the Duplicolor primers. Maybe the decanting is the issue. Steve

Probably just a bad batch. It happens. I use the exact same primer on pretty much every project, and I've never had any issues with it. I have however had the same sort of issues with the "Perfect Match" clear a couple of times, but even that hardens up eventually. I had the "tacky" issue with the clear on my '69 Coronet, but I was still able to get it cut and polished, and now it's just as hard as any of my other models. Steve

Correct. And we have Round-2 to thank for a large portion of that. You know, the same re-introduced kits that haven’t seen the light of day for 40 or 50 years or more that people on Facebook like to piss and moan about because they’re not brand new tooling throughout! ? Steve

An update from 2018. The Johan 1968 Olds 442 that I was bragging about back then after it’s restoration. Steve

As a rule, most molded in color bodies usually have some issues that make polishing the plastic a problem. Many are so thin as to be somewhat transparent, and there is often swirls in the plastic where it came together in the mold. The only circumstances where I have ever elected to possibly polish the bare plastic is if it’s thick enough to make it completely opaque, if there are no swirls or color blemishes, and if the color is “believable”. Often there’s no possible way to make the surface look as if it’s been painted without actually painting it. The only reason that I did my ‘61 Plymouth in this manner is because it met all of the criteria. I haven’t found another true candidate since. Steve

Just treat it as you would a painted body, but remove all of the mold seams first. I did this Johan ‘61 Fury this way. Sanded off the mold lines and then used a Micro-Mesh polishing kit and Novus liquid polishes to shine it up. Steve

If Easy Off works, Super Clean will work just as well. Both products rely on lye as the active ingredient that is instrumental in the removal of the paint, and they both contain roughly the same amount of that ingredient. There are however advantages in using Super Clean versus Easy Off. Easy Off pumps out a LOT of noxious fumes when sprayed, so I would certainly suggest wearing some form of protection when using it. Super Clean has a fairly pleasant smell, and as you’re soaking and not spraying, you’re not pumping a lot of fumes into the air. Another advantage of Super Clean is that it’s able to be used over and over again, unlike Easy Off which is a one shot deal. I’ve been using the same tub of Super Clean for at least of couple of years, so in the end, although Super Clean is more expensive initially, it’s vastly more economical in the long run. In any case, the two products will perform almost identically, but Super Clean is much less messy, and a lot easier to use. In both cases, skin protection should be used, as lye is very tough on the skin. Steve

Yes, it is in fact a ‘58 Mercury. Unfortunately, the ‘58 Mercury was never produced in kit form, however, it was produced in resin by Modelhaus at one point. Unfortunately, Modelhaus kits have often become even more expensive than some of the originals that they copied, and even more so for kits like this that were never produced in plastic. Steve

It’s good to remember that there are no silver bullets when it comes to stripping paint, (or at least very few) I’ve heard that some products such as Testors ELO and the like will strip virtually everything, but in those circumstances, the products are not designed for a soaking process and can damage the plastic if left on too long. Of course this is second hand information as I don’t use those products. In any event, which products will work is entirely dependent on a number of factors, not the least of which is the type of paint to be stripped, and how it was applied. Your painting procedure and the materials used will determine what will work, and what won’t. What works perfectly for one type, or even brand of paint, might be a complete and utter failure for another. The best approach for settling upon a successful paint removal system is to settle upon a painting regimen that is constant and consistent. In other words, once you find a regimen that gives you the results that you desire, stay within those parameters, and then find the products that work best for removing those materials and you will be successful every time that stripping is necessary. Bouncing back and forth between a number of different types and brands of paint and the procedures for applying them will all but guarantee that you will run into circumstances where your preferred removal process will fail. Steve

Super Clean will work quite well with lacquer as well, as long as the primer used is affected by it. I’ve had very good luck stripping multiple coats of automotive lacquer color and clear with Duplicolor primer underneath. A good soak for a couple of days and it comes right off in sheets. Steve

I’ve heard that as well. I only remember using brake fluid once many years ago, and I wasn’t particularly impressed with it’s performance. Plus, I realized that disposing of it after it’s useful life was over was kind of a PITA. On the same note, I’ve also had concerns about IPA drying out the plastic and making it brittle. I have little experience with that claim though as I’ve only used alcohol on a limited basis as well. (also with very limited success) Steve

That sounds suspect to me. If Moebius uses polystyrene plastic for their models, as I would certainly think that they would, Purple Power should have no adverse affect on it. By the way, I would suggest graduating to Super Clean. It works much better for stripping paint than Purple Power. Steve

Fantastic news! Guess I better start paying more attention to Spotlight Hobbies! ? Steve

I think everyone understands that for modeling purposes, what we call chrome is in fact vacuum metalization. I think the huge majority of modelers have called vacuum metalized parts contained in model kits “chrome trees” since time and memorial. All entities offering “chrome re-plating” services for the hobby in the past have all used the vacuum metalization process. I doubt that there’s any confusion about that. Steve

Also the first I’ve heard. Hopefully not just another rumor. Steve

And it’s not just the “look” of the chrome that’s in question. For me, it’s all about durability. If someone produced a chrome paint that approached the same reflectivity of chrome, as well as something close to the same durability, I’d be on board. To this point, there’s nothing that comes close. Steve

That would be quite the revelation if true! They could corner the market in an instant. Zero competition! I hope that they plan accordingly for the inevitable heavy load that they’re likely to receive. I know that I will undoubtedly use their service should it materialize. I have zero interest in all of the chrome paint incarnations of the past few years. Chrome all the way baby! Steve

Since Fireball began producing these, and I discovered that they were available, I use them on every project that uses this style of door handles. The scale seems to be perfect, and they look so much better than the vast majority of separate handles included in most modern kits. They carry GM style, Mopar and Ford, and even GM style truck handles, and they are designed to be used for 1/25th and 1/24th scale. Steve

Just shave them off, sand smooth, and order some from Fireball Modelworks. They’re not expensive, and a lot easier to deal with than drilling them out. Steve

Looks like the Moebius ‘ 65 Belvedere will fill the Bill. Close anyway. Steve

Absolutely! Steve

Looks considerably better just by adding some primer. Nice work Greg! Steve

Looks way better! In this circumstance, I think I'd re-scribe all of the panels and seats. Seems as if all of the detail is extremely faint. Steve

Steve