StevenGuthmiller

If you're using good primer, (I use mainly Duplicolor) there won't be any excess thickness to speak of. Likewise, lacquer paints will go on much thinner than enamel, which is a small part of why I use lacquers. They dry so much faster and thinner, and the color availability is endless. Primer sealer is just what it says. It seals whatever is underneath it in place to prevent bleed through and it also helps with the gloss of the paint coats. There are many viable glues to adhere parts, whether they're clear or not. Personally, I use clear 2-part, 5 minute epoxy for nearly everything. The hobby has made great strides and advances since the days of tube glue and rattle can enamels, but I'm sorry to say that it can take years, or even decades, to find the right procedures that work for you. Just as an illustration about paint thickness, take as an example my current '64 Bonneville project. This model has 5 coats of lacquer primer/sealer, 5 or 6 coats of color, (lacquer) and another 5 coats of clear lacquer. There is no heavy paint build up or detail hide whatsoever. The materials you use are the true measure of whether or not you will have success. Just as much so as the techniques or processes that you use. Steve

Very cool! I've had both of these at one point or another, and if they're not acetate, they're probably X-EL re-pops from the 80s. I traded away my '57, and my dad threw away my '58 in a basement cleaning fit many years ago! Steve

Definitely need to prime! And prime well. I would start with a good gray primer and probably a primer sealer before considering a white primer. I haven't had a lot of experience with models molded in orange or red, although I've had success with blues and yellows, but my understanding is red and orange are the worst for bleed through. I would use a couple of coats of good gray lacquer primer, and then a few more light coats of primer sealer. I use mostly automotive lacquers, so I wouldn't be afraid to tackle this, but a good base of primer would absolutely be a must. Steve

I never do. But it's a consideration. I'm just careful and vigilant in those areas. Doing your polishing under magnification is helpful, and I usually have little problem with it. Steve

My process is pretty simple. I start with the finest grit possible to remove any orange peel or blemishes present. I use Micro-Mesh pads, so 3600 is usually a good starting point for me. I sand until the surface is smooth, or at least as smooth as possible, and then move on to the next finer grit. You can use the pads wet, or dry, but I prefer to use them just very lightly dampened. Just to relieve the monotony, I will usually concentrate on one section of the body at a time. Maybe just the trunk lid area, or one side of the body to start, and go through the entire process on that area before moving on to the next section, but that's not necessary. Just my preference. Once smooth, I move on the next finest grit, which is just to remove the scratches from the previous pad, and begin to shine up the paint. 4.000, 6,000, 8,000, and finally 12,000. Once you have progressed through all of the pads, you should end up with a very smooth, and relatively shiny surface. Then I proceed with the liquid polishes. I use Novus polishes, but generally prefer to skip the #3 "heavy scratch remover" unless it's absolutely necessary. I will usually start with the #2 "fine scratch remover". Polish everything, usually doing a couple of applications of the #2, on every panel. This should net a very nice, smooth, shiny, and even finish. But at this point, I give it at least one, maybe 2 more applications of Turtle Wax "scratch and swirl remover". I've found that this product will really bring up the shine to a high luster. Bear in mind that the thicker the coating of clear coat that you have to work with, the less chance that you'll have of polishing through the clear down to the color on the high points and body lines, but I still will be careful and use light pressure in these areas. In most cases, these high points will generally be smoother to start than the rest of the surface any way, due to the fact that paint tends to draw away from them as the paint dries. But this also means that the paint is thinner in those areas, so extra caution is required. I might skip sanding those body creases entirely with the heavier grits and rely on a few light passes with the last 3 or so finest grits to ensure no burn through. Use care in those areas with the liquid polishes as well, as they will also remove a small amount of paint. Finally, when polishing is complete, give the body a cleaning in warm water and dish soap to help clean away any polishing material residue from the panel lines, etc. I will often use a round tooth pick, sharpened to a fine chisel point to scrape away any polish stuck down in the deep panel recesses. Finally, once the model is all but completely assembled and ready for the shelf, I give it a once over with Novus #1, "clean and shine". This will help remove finger prints and smudges left during the assembly process, and also helps with static dust. Oh, and by the way, a soft cotton cloth of some sort works very well for the liquid polishing processes. A piece of old cotton t-shirt, or soft cotton flannel works great! This process by no means takes years to perfect. It's actually a pretty basic procedure. Anyone, no matter your experience level, can master polishing pretty quickly. And then sit back and enjoy the fact that you can achieve beautiful, nearly perfect paint jobs with a little elbow grease when other guys are still wasting their lives trying to achieve that "perfect" paint job right out of the can or airbrush through years of laborious trials and techniques, in the hopes that someday they'll get it right....... because they don't want to sweat a little today. Steve

Beef filet with mushroom green peppercorn sauce with roasted red potatoes and maple glazed carrots. Steve

Mmmm, I don't know. Sounds like quite a mish-mash of different material brands, but if you're not experiencing any difficulties thus far, maybe you'll be okay. You're only problem is likely to be one of two things. First, as you have already polished the paint, there's probably going to be some vestige of silicates left on the surface. You never want to paint over anything that has wax or a polish containing silicates in it. The clear will fish eye on you like crazy. You can try giving it a good cleaning in hot water and dish washing detergent to remove them, or maybe someone else has another suggestion for that. I would recommend cleaning with alcohol, but I have no idea what it will do to the particular paint you're using. Second issue is of course would be the type of clear you're using. Be darn sure that it's compatible, not only with the decals, but with the paint underneath it. In these "experimental" circumstances, especially with paint, give yourself about a 50% chance of success. But I have faith in you. Steve

Spent a little of my time this holiday weekend using up some of the copious amount of beef in my freezer! First, it was smoked brisket on Saturday. Today, 3 lbs of jerky going into the smoker. (Probably a little over a pound will come out!) Tonight it's going to be fillets on the grille. Steve

Looks like a wonderful meal!! Steve

No matter the manufacturer, they’re all going to be expensive. Steve

Right. I just wish that the space between panels was a little larger so that chassis viewing was a little easier. Steve

Finally picked one of these up from Scale Motorsport for the next time I go to a show. Steve

A little insight on the paints that I pictured in my post. The flat black and satin black seem to spray and hold up well once thinned with lacquer thinner. The gloss black sprays well, but longevity after the fact is not great. The paint turns to jelly within a few days. So if you decide to use the paints pictured, mix only what you will be able to use up in a short period if you're using the gloss black. I have no evidence of this, but I assume that other gloss colors in the same line will probably act in the same fashion. Fortunately, there's so much paint in one of these little cans, that I don't mind losing a little to drying up. Steve

That’s absolutely the case in my family. ? Steve

Rustoleum enamel spray cans appear to be the same type of paint as the little square bottles of Testors enamel. I've been buying these cans of Rustoleum enamel and successfully thinning them with lacquer thinner. It still takes a while to dry, but it speeds things up a little. Steve

Well, I'm pretty excited about the results on this windshield!! I decided to try a little trick that I heard from a fellow on a Facebook group........That's right, I said Facebook! You never know where you might find a little tidbit. He suggested that when spraying the tint band, to lift the edge of the tape on the leading edge, and spray from the direction of the mask, (lower edge of windshield) to help eliminate any visible line, and give the slight "fogging" effect on the edge of the tint. Worked like a dream. It also helps to eliminate any fogging of the rest of the windshield that is likely to occur when just spraying it freehand, to keep it nice and clear. I have a little transparent blue/green Testors acrylic that I had mixed for glass some time ago, but seemed to have limited success with, so I masked in the prescribed fashion and gave it a few light passes on the inside of the glass. I'm pretty pumped that I've finally found a viable solution for tinting glass. A little more labor intensive than just shooting a coat of transparent blue on, but I don't mind taking a little extra time to get a result that I'm pleased with! Steve

I think I've got pretty much what I'm looking for! I let the enamel tint dry for a couple of days, got out the finest couple of Micro-Mesh pads, and some Novus #2 and gave it a quick polish to remove a few blemishes. The enamel is tough enough to withstand some fairly aggressive polishing. The result is a nice subtle tint, (which is what I wanted) with a very nice reflective gloss, and perfect clarity. Now I just need to decide on the best way to add a tint band, (probably with materials I have on hand) and I'll be very happy. This very light tint will probably be almost imperceptible along side the turquoise body and interior of my '64 Bonneville, but I really wanted to try this avenue for this, as well as future builds, to see if it would work as I had hoped. I'm satisfied, and I don't have to spend any more money on materials, other than what's already in my arsenal. Thanks for all of your suggestions. Steve

I'm just amazed at how many really ugly guys can produce such beautiful children!! Steve

Hmmm, haven't been looking at the rest of the pics, have you. Steve

This! It's always beneficial to warm your spray cans, regardless of what brand or type of paint you're using. I don't bother with it for primer, and I use an airbrush for 90% of my color coats, but I warm the clear coat spray cans that I use for each coat. Steve

The wife and I this past February in Cancun Mexico. Steve

Thursday was Grilled Fig Balsamic Chicken with Sautéed Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes. Steve

On Wednesday , it was Gnocchi alla Puttanesca. Steve

We invited several work colleagues of mine to our home recently for a Cinco de Mayo meal. Featured on the menu were Shrimp Ceviche, Mole Negra Chicken Enchiladas, Pork Carnitas Tacos, Grilled Marinated Steak Tacos, and Flan for dessert.

Chicken Picata with Garlic Spaghetti. Steve