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jaftygas

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Posts posted by jaftygas

    What do you look for in a diecast?

    in Diecast Corner

    Posted

    On 3/26/2023 at 5:08 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

    I am at heart a "builder" and "restorer" rather than a "collector", so I tell myself (though my ratio of built to unbuilt models would indicate otherwise). My early forays into diecast were for damaged versions of 1/24 subject matter that has never been kitted in styrene, probably never will be, and would afford me the pleasure of repairing castoff models (which I particularly enjoy for some odd reason), or give me a relatively inexpensive basis to build modified, custom, or racing versions of same, much like what I do with styrene.

    My love of machines is deep and complex, and a large part of it is visual. There are some things I can just look at for hours, and as I began to realize the range of visual delights was far wider in diecast than styrene, I began to acquire examples of designs that had particular appeal from a purely aesthetic standpoint, then more from an engineering or competition milestone standpoint, then old trucks large and small...but always with an eye to controlling expense by going after damaged or (occasionally) perfect examples priced way under market value for one reason or another.

    At some point I began to appreciate the convenience of having models I could look at to get an eye-candy fix without having to build them, and my very modest diecast collection is made up of vehicles that strike a particular chord within my soul, models I'll take out and savor for their interplay of volume and line, light and shadow and proportion...and some that just remind me of what I firmly believe to have been, in many ways, a much, much better time to be alive.

     

    Amen Ace, I get this feeling that we are somewhat kindered spirits! 

    • Like 1

    Cloning with improvements program

    in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)

    Posted

    On 3/20/2023 at 2:21 PM, Tcoat said:

    I can pretend that an AT is a MT, I don't care if the wheels are proper for the year or even make and overall I can live with most "errors".

    But...

    On the off chance that anybody from the manufacturers and especially Round 2 read this what I would like to see is some sort of consistency in the quality of the rereleases. I understand they are working with old and sometimes worn molds but I don't enjoy paying full market price for a kit ('69 Corvair) that has so much flash and massive mold lines because of bad alignment that I may as well have carved it out of a solid block of styrene. Then you open the next one ('64 Galaxie) and fine a beautiful work of casting that doesn't even see a sanding stick. Then the next is a mix of horrid Aurora like blobs for parts and some super fine ones. I am reaching the point where Round 2 will soon be dead to me unless I simply must have that one kit. Want full price spend some time to clean up these old molds and give us full quality on a regular basis.

     

    Oh and side mirrors would be nice with every kit! Only about 50% seem to have them even though they are a highly visible part of most cars.

    Amen Brother!!!!

    1/8 agora GT500

    in WIP: Model Cars

    Posted · Edited by jaftygas

    I really love these big scale cars, but man they sure did skimp on the level of detail on this engine and tranny. I mean the amount of money spent for one, and then have to wait for a year, a month at a time for the parts.  The electrics and the interiors are magnificent though.😁

    • Thanks 1

    How Stable Is The Plastic Used In 3D Printing?

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted

    On 9/26/2023 at 5:07 PM, MeatMan said:

    Resin tech is changing rapidly, so the resin used in the past is not the same as what is being put out today.
    I took a course in 3D printing before I put down the money for a printer, and learned resins developed today are made for for longer life.
    I had a body printed over a year ago and its still white, and still in as-printed condition. It was printed in standard resin. But yes, I'd say the jury is still out on how long it will last.

    Where did you take a course in 3D printing? I’m very interested in learning this, so that I can start using mine.

    Bare metal foil small writing

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted · Edited by jaftygas

    I was just giving some advice to somebody, and someone completely different from a peanut gallery chimes in and contradicts what I was saying. Which was in short form,”putting a semi gloss color after clear on a badge earlier than a 73 let’s say, would in fact have semi to matte finish on the colored portions of a badge anyway and he wouldn’t have to worry if the clear coat would adversely effect the color. 
    that’s all I was saying, and yes I feel pretty stupid pissing this out with someone I don’t even know, but happy I don’t😁

    Bare metal foil small writing

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted

    10 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

    In either case fellas, it has no bearing on badges on a 1/25th scale model.
     

    If anyone can tell what “sheen” the paint on badges of this size is, well, more power to them, but yeah.......not.

    Even if you think you can tell in a close up photo, you can forget about it with the naked eye.

    Not possible.

     

     

     

    Steve

    I’d agree. 😏

    Bare metal foil small writing

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, peteski said:

    I'm willing to learn. I replied basing my view on my experience.  Could you provide some examples of chromed badges (like the ones that are foiled in this thread) which are not shiny chrome, and which don't have glossy color fills?

    Just about every single one of them. I had a 67 Galaxie in high school, and the badges were stamped aluminum, NOT polished, and never mind the red in the 390 badge was stone flat. I own a 70 Chevelle thous badges are pot metal chrome, with flat white and black TAMPO print in them. And as for the early 60s and before most of the stuff was cloisonné, and was glossy. We are talking about a 67 Chevelle that had nothing glossy on it except the paint. 

    Bare metal foil small writing

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted

    11 minutes ago, peteski said:

    In my experience 1:1 badges/emblems/scripts  are  either metal or plastic that has been chromed to a smooth (glossy finish) Shiny chrome is by definition glossy - if it wasn't, it would look like satin-finish metal.  If there are colored areas in the badges, those are often reverse-painted pieces of clear acrylic (also glossy).  If the colors are painted directly on the badge, they are also rather glossy.

    But either way, 1:25 badges are so small that it would be difficult to see if the colored areas in chrome badges have glossy or flat finish.

    No they are not!

    Bare metal foil small writing

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted · Edited by jaftygas

    37 minutes ago, atomicholiday said:

    Do you add color before or after clear coat?  I was thinking of using acrylic, but that might not agree with the clear lacquer.

    By the way Steve, that looks great.👍 

    Yes Steve it does look great. If you wanted to be more replicated of stock, you would use a semi gloss color after the clear, as the real badges are put on after the fact and are not typically gloss.

    How Stable Is The Plastic Used In 3D Printing?

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted

    5 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

    As yh70 said above, it's way too early in the game to have identified the long term issues.

    Consider that these materials were developed for rapid prototyping, not specifically for production. Prototypes don't have to last forever.

    Also consider the now-well-known issues with tire melt, some tires literally crumbling, old acetate bodies shrinking and warping and crumbling as well, some styrene kit plastics becoming brittle and crumbly...it becomes apparent that many problems with material degradation only come to light many years or even decades after the parts were made, and artificial aging cycles simply do NOT duplicate the effects of time.

    And remember that many commercial products made from a wide variety of plastic resins deteriorate to the point of sticky, gooey uselessness over time, even if stored sealed in the original packaging.

    The facts that SLA resin is UV-sensitive by design, and is hygroscopic, both would hint at instability over the long run.

    EDIT: From my own experience, it appears that acetate bodies that have been painted both inside and out survive much better than those that haven't. It might be a good idea to paint the insides of SLA bodies as well.

    That is for sure Ace, you have a very practical mind. It is the obvious stuff we as humans seem to overlook. 

    • Like 2

    Bare metal foil small writing

    in Model Building Questions and Answers

    Posted

    1 hour ago, atomicholiday said:

    I’ve recently started using Steve’s method too.  It does take a little practice, and it really helps to keep your primer and paint coats thin so you don’t bury the details before you ever get foil near the surface.

    But my two cents?  It’s the easiest way to get good looking scripts.  And I say that as someone who has pretty bad hand tremors.

    I wonder though, what if you cleaned it off after every coat? That way you would not be trying to burn through 5 + coats of medium. 🤔

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