peteski

Oh yeah! While this is a thread about irksome things, I can't help but commend on the Brit sitcoms from the '70s and '80s. I have DVD sets of Keeping up Appearances and Are You Being Served. Those shows are so funny and well done. I also enjoyed One Foot In The Grave. Couplings was a bit later, but it was funny too. So was Vicar of Dibley.

I don't know. We pay $40 for small plastic kits. Have you looked at the gas prices, your grocery or utility bills? The brand name $120 5' sled doesn't seem all that unreasonable. It is probably made in China . . .

I also thank you all for your service. While not for the same reason Bill mentioned, I'm not sure if providing the details some of you do is such a good idea on a public forum. There are scammers out there who might be able to use that info for not so kosher purposes. I'm not paranoid, but the Internet is a wast wasteland full of bad people. Just saying . . .

I extensively use liquid masking media to protect bare plastic gluing areas from paint. I also use masking tape, andr for small cylindrical shapes I use pieces of stripped wire insulation (basically plastic tubing).

Welcome to the forum Jason! Many years ago I have built my one and only Pocher kit: 1935 Mercedes 500K sports roadster. I even had my grandfather build a glass display case for it. I Still have it. It took me much longer than a month to build. I wouldn't expect you to have finish it by Christmas (especially if you are not an experienced kit builder). As others mentioned, these kits require quite a bit of "massaging" to but them together correctly. Do you have any model building experience? This would not be my choice for a first build, but have fun with it, and take your time. These kits (even partially assembled) fetch amazing prices on eBay. Also, if you want to see some amazing Pochers and aftermarket accessories, along with amazing prices, check out https://www.modelmotorcars.com/ As for the screws, those are usually brass and while they can form threads in plastic, they can also snap while doing that. I seem to recall that I might have used one of the screws as a tap by grinding it into a tap-like end.

Just a warning about those transparent tangle-free hair bands, I have been using them (for modeling tasks) for several years and originally I thought that these were made from some long lasting material and unlike rubber bands they would not turn brittle and break down. Well it appears that some of them are long-lasting while others deteriorate just like rubber bands. I have some that are several years old and they are as clear and stretchy as the day I bought them. Others (which looked identical to the others when new) after couple of years have turned from transparent to milky white, and started to crack and crumble. As far as I can tell, you don't know which one you have just by looking at them when new. Not sure if this is only applicable to transparent bands (not the colored ones), but I figured I would give a heads-up.

Pretty clever Greg. I made my tweezers stand out of wood.

Interesting, Why both? Looks like the same stuff in both bottles. If I was going to try it, I would have just bought the small bottle. If it doesn't work out, I would be only out 7 bucks. If you look for the manufacturer on the back of the bottle, is it made by one of the large companies (like Johnson & Johnson), or by some small company we never heard of?

Oh ok. I thought there was something weird that eBay allowed to occur. It was just a low-life non-paying buyer. I used to, but haven't sold anything on eBay for a while. Isn't there something eBay does for non-paying seller. I guess you have to send him the invoice so eBay cana ding him for non-paying? Also, if you were to agree to his terms, how would you complete that transaction? After all eBay will send him to PayPal with $91.00 (plush shipping) charge. You can't change that, right? Or would he pay the full amount, then you would refund him the difference? Anyway, that is a sleazy buyer.

I'm unclear on this. You had this eBay listing. Was it auction style or BYN? Did you have "make an offer" option? I guess either way, someone won the auction (for whatever was the closing or BYN price). Did he pay, or before paying he sent a message offering you 1/2 payment? Is that even possible? A side deal? Since eBay doesn't allow members to exchange address or information, how can he conduct a side-deal with you? If the buyer doesn't pay in so many days, won't he will be penalized by eBay somehow? Just ignore his messages and if he doesn't pay the winning bid for so many days, something bad will happen to him. Right? If he paid, just send him the kit he won and be done. I guess I don't understand.

Thanks John! And it is true - it is all about what you are going for. That 1:1 Caddy looks larger than life due to the forced perspective of a wide-angle lens. The 1:1 green car looks like a model to me due to the angle of the photo and longer focal distance lens. When I build a model and I photograph it, I usually like it to look more like a 1:1 car, so I prefer the forced perspective look.

I find this pretty funny as we are basically rehashing what is in that thread I linked to earlier. The only thing new here (if it wasn't already mentioned in the other thread) is the MODO D-05h stripper.

Maybe get a butane lighter for pipes? Those are like mini torches but probably not quite as hot.

There are several paint stripping chemical in my arsenal of plastic safe strippers, and 99% Isopropyl alcohol (from hardware store in the paint thinners section) is one of them. I'm sure that IPA has been mentioned numerous times in the Paint Strippers sticky thread, in the Q & A section of the forum. The 99% one is a bit more potent than what you used, and will work well with some types of paints, so-so with other, and wont' even touch certain other types of paint. Paint stripping from plastic is a very inexact science - more like black magic.

I'm of the other thought: Telephoto lens flattens the already small model. I find that using as wide angle lens as possible and closer to the model exaggerates its perspective, making it appear like 1:1 vehicle. Wide angle lenses also have greater depth of field, so more of the model stays in focus. Of course using the smallest possible lens aperture (largest f-stop) also improves the depth of field. I'm talking about 3/4 shots of course. Example: a 1:32 scale model where the front appears large but it gets smaller towards the rear. Makes it look like it is long. 1:8 scale model. Again the wide angle lens gives the perspective effect.

Ok, I understand now. So you want to make the typical model hinges using flat, instead of round stock. Detail Associates (company catering to model railroaders) sells flat brass stock. 2526 Flat Brass Wire .015x.024" 2524 All Scale Flat Brass Wire pkg(4) -- .010 x .030" 2522 Brass Flat Bar .010 X .018

Can you give an example of the specific hinge you are making (or the vehicle that uses it)? I have a hard time picturing exactly what you want to do. Will the hinges be functional or just for looks? Vintage cars with side-opening hoods used long piano-type hinges, and the hinges like used on that Willys kit are either cut from flat sheet stock (or formed from bent wire), not from thin strips.

91% rubbing (Isopropyl) alcohol.

I tried Bondic and craft store UV-cured resins, and the UV curing LED lamps recommended left me unimpressed. Not only the resin stays slightly rubbery, the surface doesn't fully cure (stays sticky). I was only able to fully cure the items I cast under full sunlight. It then cures much harder (although still not as hard as styrene, and the surface becomes glossy without being sticky. Remember that since the resin is cured by light (not by a chemical reaction like other 2-part urethane or epoxy resins), the mold you use has to allow the light to get into it. Simple open mold without any undercuts will be the best.

If the metallic layer can be easily rubbed of when buffing sounds to me like the Alclad is going on too dry (not too heavy), and is not sticking to the gloss undercoat. Like it is dusted on, not going on wet. I haven't airbrushed Alclad chrome for some time, but I seem to recall that when I airbrushed it, when it hits the undercoat surface (directly under the airbrush nozzle) it looks like dull silver, but as I move on, the dull silver turns shiny and mirror-like as it dries.

To me the cost of the paint is really irrelevant. If the instructions on the label do nto state that the paint works (is safe) on plastic, then some caution should be exercised (like testing the paint on a scrap of plastic or inconspicuous area of the item being painted). Even the most expensive paint can be hot enough to damage plastic. And if plastic compatibility is not stated, if the pant contains acetone and xylene, those are big red flags for it not being plastic friendly. And of course clear plastic also seems to be most sensitive to hot paint solvents.

Despite the wide misuse by the modelers of the phrase "acrylic paint" to mean water-based plastic-safe paints, Acrylic resin is used as a binder in many types of paints, including the "hot" organic-solvent based paints. I wish modelers would stop using "acrylic" to mean water-based paint.

I have seen some "chrome" (vacuum metalized) parts come coated with a layer of clear lacquer. Those are much more resistant to damage. But that is rarely done.

As I see it, Steve hit hit the nail on the head. Kit "chrome" is an atom-thick layer of aluminum. Any acidic or base liquid can easily eat away that thin layer of aluminum. It does look like something got sprayed accidentally on those models, and it affected the chrome. This might have happened some time ago.

I was following this thread hoping that Norm still cast those filters. That's a bummer, but I imagine they were never really a big seller (not many modelers build model motorcycles). Back about 15 years ago there was a 1:12 kit of Harley Custom Springer made by Imai/Imex. It includes that air filter. I built that kit back then. Here is what it looks like. It's a long shot, but if you find that kit you will have that cleaner, although it will likely be pricey.