StevenGuthmiller

If done correctly, there should never be any place on a finished model where the glue should be visible. Steve

Bingo! I drive every day for a living. It just amazes me how many morons there are behind the wheel! Most of them on their phones!! Steve

Not worth fighting over guys. I never use Future anyway. As far as I know, I can't even get it around here. Steve

Low blow Harry!! You can rest assured that I had nothing to do with that! Don't forget, we also had Jesse "The Body" Ventura for a governor for a term! And Ross Perot won this state in '92. I'll be the first to admit, Minnesota has more than their fair share of goofballs! I'm a South Dakota transplant, so I take no responsibility! Steve

Those are exactly the "glitchy" problems that I was talking about. Sometimes it freezes up my computer so bad that I have to shut it down & re-boot. I'm using Windows 10 with Firefox & I'm having exactly the same issues as you are I have had absolutely "zero" problems like this with "any" other website. So I have to conclude that it's Photobucket & not my computer. Steve

I'm watching too Tommy! '61 is one of my favorite years for almost every make. The '61 Buick was probably my favorite Buick body style after 1957. The bubble top was beautiful! I found a nice one of these a couple of years ago & finally built it last year. Not as detailed as yours will be, but it is one of my favorite builds. Steve

In Minnesota we call it a "Twist". Steve

I use both also. I use Fotki more for cataloging my stuff & Photobucket more for posting, although either one will work fine. I find that Photobucket can be very "glitchy" on occasion. I have problems getting things done on there quite often. Steve

That's funny Johann! I appreciate that, but everyone has their limitations & I think a happy meal toy is well beyond mine. Steve

Maybe I'll come & visit when I'm 100 & we can build together! Steve

You're correct Snake. Testors "Wet Look" clear is a lacquer, & yes Chris, you can sand it. Steve

I've been building for over 40 years. I entered my first ever contest last summer only because my wife & daughter talked me into it. I won first place in the stock category so now I have one trophy. Quite possibly the only one I'll ever have. Steve

Nice Tommy! Whoever built that one had at least a little bit of a clue on how to build a model. Under all of the dirt it looks like they did a pretty good job. At least the '59 Buick doesn't have a lot going on around the rear fenders, so repairs shouldn't be too difficult. Steve

Thanks guys! The chassis never really bothered me on these old kits Bill. Over the past few years I've fancied myself as more of a restorer than a model builder. I like to keep these old annuals as close to their original state as possible while still trying to make them look a little more realistic. To me there's something especially satisfying about taking one of these less than detailed old kits & showing myself that they can look respectable without too much re-working. Plus the time involved is not something that I wish to get involved in anymore. In my past modeling life, I used to get into much more heavy detailing & as a result I was lucky to finish one kit in a years time. I realize it's not a race, but I am getting up there in age & there are just far too many subjects I want too build & far too little time to build them. So, for me, even the original engines with the axle holes in the block are just fine. With a little love, even those look pretty nice with a little added detail. Steve

Thanks Eric. That's pretty much what I settled on. I used Testors gloss black enamel for the base. You don't get a lot softer than that! I sprayed some clear over an inconspicuous area & discovered that a clear coat would not work. It looks good so I'm just going to leave it alone & try to handle it as little as possible. Thanks! Steve

Got it! I thought about foil, but I didn't want any seams in them. Plus the fact that some of the front of the seat backs will be exposed around the cushions & I decided they would be a hassle to foil. I thought the Alclad would be the best solution. It looks good, I'll just have to be careful while finishing up the seat detail & assembly. Thanks guys! Steve

Thanks guys!! I feel like I'm making a little better time on this one than the '65 Monaco. Got some good time in on the interior today, although I did have a couple of minor set backs. But I think everything is under control now, & with luck I'll pretty much have the interior done this week. Then it will be on to the engine! Steve

Not sure what you mean Cato. The black part is staying black & will be flocked. The chrome part has already been shot with Alclad. There's nothing to foil. Steve

I've had problems with Alclad "Polished Aluminum" rubbing off of transmissions & such Harry, but that's with quite a bit of handling while finishing an engine. Hopefully these won't require as much handling. Steve

Thanks for the responses guys. Luckily I found a way to test it by spraying a little clear on the inside of one of the parts. As Harry stated, it ruined the chrome look! I guess I'll just have to handle them carefully to minimize any finish rubbing off. Steve

Thanks Harry. That's what I was afraid of. The seat backs will require some work like flocking the carpeted area & possibly some extra painting, so I thought with all of that extra handling, it would be good if I could give them a coat of clear to make them a little more durable. At this point, I think I will still try it. I guess they're only seat backs. Steve

Well, there's really no "damage" with clear coating over Metalizer paint, it just makes the "metal" finish look like your average old silver paint. I just wanted to make sure that the clear would not change the "chrome" look of the Alclad. So far no answers, so I guess I'll play "pioneer" & give it a try. Steve

Hi guys! I have yet to try this, so I thought I should ask anyone who may know. Can you spray a clear coat over Alclad chrome without destroying the "chrome" effect? I needed to refinish some seat backs for my '66 Chrysler build & they will get a bit of handling before the end, so I thought a coat of clear would seal it up to prevent any rubbing off of the finish. I just want to be sure that they will still look like chrome after a clear coat. We all know what happens to Metalizer paint when you seal it. Steve

I usually do all of the cooking, but for the first time ever, I will be going with the wife & daughter to a restaurant for brunch. No cooking this year!! Steve

Been married to my beautiful wife for almost 29 years, & I can still say, honestly, that she is my best friend! And no, she's not looking over my shoulder as I type! Steve