mikemodeler

I spread it around as best I can. I will shop online for those items that cannot be bought locally. I am lucky in that I travel throughout the Carolinas and Virginia for work so I have found some decent LHS and Hobbytown USA locations that can feed my need for plastic. Sometimes I end up paying more than I would online but instant gratification is a powerful thing. I have used only a few online retailers and like others have stated, it is primarily for those items that I can't get in person. Hobby Lobby is great if you have a coupon and need to stock up on certain kits or luck upon some closeout deals. Like using them for paint and knives too and when they have display cases at 50% off, I load up!

Thanks for clarifying that Aaron, I knew there was a formula but could not locate it. I do remember someone building a homemade booth with a Dayton fan and ran it through a 5 gallon pail that had a charcoal pile and water to dissapate the fumes so they wouldn't have to duct it outside. Not sure if that is a workable solution but sounds like it could work.

Harry, I think Aaron was referring to a recommended air flow that was posted on the forum in another post about spray booths. IIRC, Klaus Raddatz had detailed how to construct your own spray booth and he referenced some specs about how much CFM the motor should move based upon the size of the booth. While I like to tinker with things and have built a spray booth (minus the motor), I would rather spend the $$$ on something that was engineered properly and will handle my lacquer fumes without worry.

kinda like that warning on a pack of cigarettes or the side of a McDonalds coffee cup, huh?

Very impressive and great color choices as they stand out well against that silver. It would take me a month of Sundays to be able to figure out, lay out and spray those colors and you made it look so easy! Can't wait to see this one cleared and polished.

NO ! Do a search here of the topic "paintbooth" and you will get a bunch of good, informative answers on building a booth and how to properly vent it. Using your shop vac to vent a paintbooth is NOT recommended.

took the easy way out and went with real. it has been a long time since I was wrong so hopefully the streak continues!

Hobby Lobby stores are great if you want to pick up kits at their 30-40% off sales or coupon deals but they will never be an outlet for new releases. As some have mentioned, they vary in the selection and size of their departments and I would guess that has something to do with the manager and sales history. I use them as a source for duplicate kits that I may want for kitbashing but that is about it. Where I live in the Charlotte area, they are about my only source unless I drive an hour away for a real hobby shop or a well stocked Hobby Town USA, which I know sounds funny but I do have a couple of those!

Not sure what all the problems were but I can say that whenever I see one of John's builds, they truly are impressive and we could all learn from him. In regards to the interpretation of one's comments, I am reminded of something one of my bosses once told me when we got email years ago. He warned me to be careful in my comments as an email, much like a post on a forum or chat room, is an one way conversation. The person on the other end cannot always detect the tone or inference you make with your comments. Add in the thin skin and quick response tempers some of us have and it makes for a perfect storm. I am glad that Harry was quick to see a problem developing and acted in the right manner. It is a shame that he has to watch us so closely but again we all think, act and behave differently. Keep building them John, I like to see what you are working on.

scan some of the posts here in the tips and tricks area for some hints on weathering and what some folks use. If you have any of the back issues, there have been some great articles on how to get realistic looking results with some products found in a craft store, usually for less money than Micro Mark. Save your money on the plastic cutter. As Harry mentioned, a razor saw works much better and gives cleaner results. I had one a long time ago and it was better at melting plastic instead of cutting it!

Harry, don't feel bad, here in Charlotte we have had over 40 days of 90+ degree weather and might set a new record. The rain has stopped for now so I can sympathize with you on the "tan" grass! Worst part is that our soil is red clay and when it gets hot and stops raining, it dries up and my house starts shifting- making it hard to close doors and funny cracks start pop up in the drywall! Like I tell my in-laws that moved from Arid-zona to be near us....Unlike Phoenix, this is a "wet heat"!

Model, just something says it is a diecast model to me.

Great tip there Steve and to add to it, that 2 part putty can be found at a NAPA or Carquest parts store as well. It might also be available at hardware store and possibly the auto section at Wal-Mart, depending on the local market. Good stuff and easy to work with.

If you really wanted to impress us, you would build one of each color too! Just kidding, great looking builds and an impressive list of to be done builds. Keep them coming!

Not sure what size tire you are looking for but Ma's Resin and The Modelhaus are the two best sources I know of and have ordered from. Alan at Ma's does excellent work but it is a side job and sometimes demand is great for his product and he can get behind. The product is great stuff and worth the wait and you won't be disappointed. The Modelhaus has a great reputation and the longest I have ever waited was 4 weeks, which they typically tell you up front to expect 4-6 weeks before your order ships. If you are looking for some large tire and wheel combos (think 44 or 49 inchers) try RPP Hobby as they have some nice stuff too.

I have family and friends back in NE Illinois and they expect to be without power for 48 hours, for the second time in less than 2 weeks. They are looking at throwing out spoiled food if the power doesn't come back on soon. And they worry about me living in the South and hurricanes! Ha, they have lost power more times in the last 30 days due to storms than I have in 6 years! Luckily no one in my family or friends have been hurt by these storms and I hope it stays that way.

The car is real but the woman standing next to it is a model- Sorry, I couldn't resist! I will have to do some research and see if I can play this week.

Not to mention it is easier to stash away a lot more Hot Wheels than Revell kits! The display cases are much smaller too!

Lee, There is no one solution that will work for everyone and I think you will agree. What I was merely saying is that if the magazine was available online, you COULD print out an article if you wanted to. You could also burn them to a CD/DVD and store them a lot easier than a box of magazines. One of the attractions to an online magazine is that it becomes available to everyone at the same time. I am one of those folks who seems to be a week or more behind in getting my copy and I would welcome the chance to view the magazine when others do and start posting comments here. I know you have had a tough 3 years and are slowly getting back on your feet and if my comments were taken as "blasting you", then maybe you should re-read them. I wasn't blasting anyone but felt that some might not share my views and they would object to them and obviously you have your reasons for not feeling the way I do.

Let's get Donn to do it, yeah, yeah! He can keep us all on the straight and narrow! Met him last year at a show down here. We talked for nearly 45 minutes, watched his video and discussed models and life. He got $20 out of me for the video and a fan of his for life. Haven't used the all of tips yet (long story there) but his approach is so simple and straightforward I highly recommend using it.

Nice attempt at a subject that is probably long overdue for a kit manufacturer to offer. My advice for your next trailer is to take your time and concentrate on clean details. You have the right idea and I think if you really wanted to, you could make something that looks like it came from a kit. Some practice with foil and it would look much better, take your time gluing and painting and don't be in a rush.

Dave's comments here have some merit. Every time a new issue comes out, the posts start adding up over the torn/damaged copies, haven't seen mine yet, what are Hot Wheels doing in a model mag, etc complaints and having the mag online allows you to avoid those problems. Everyone would have access to the magazine at the same time, no ripped up copies, ignore those articles that don't appeal to you, and if you HAVE to have a paper copy, print off the pages you want! Gregg would save himself time and money if he were to go this route and server upgrades would be much easier to do. Just my two pennies, I am sure I will get blasted. PS- the connection problems seem to be worse for me in the evenings so I find myself not logging in then.

Very cool looking 'Camino and nice choice of colors. The painted bumpers give it a neat subtle look.

It first I thought maybe it was my re-configured company issued craptop, but then it started happening on my new HP desktop that is superfast. I guess maybe someone is pinching the internet hose again?

Good points there Harry, and as a buyer of kits that occasionally gets around to starting and finishing one, I buy for the subject matter more than correct dimensions on that quarter panel! I had a passing interest in the Trumpeter Falcon until so many flaws and omissions were pointed out that I figure that $40 could be spent on something more worthwhile. BTW- still waiting for #159 to show up. The "other" mag came today and have already given it a quick scan. MCM must be really good as the mailman is still reading it !