peteski

Well, back then I did not have a credit card to order by phone (if the option was available).

While connecting LEDs directly to a small 3V battery (which cannot supply high enough current to damage LEDs) should be safe, as a long life-long electronic hobbyist and professional electronic techcnician, I recommend using resistors with the LEDs. Small resistors with 1/8W power ratin will work well. If you Google for "LED calculator", you''ll find plenty of examples. Some better than others. Here is I handy one I randomly chosen from that search: https://ledcalculator.net/ With a 3V power supply you will have to take each LED/resistor combo and connect them in parallel with the battery. This site shows how to connect them in parallel: https://www.ledsupply.com/blog/wiring-leds-correctly-series-parallel-circuits-explained/ A small 3V battery has very little capacity. It will not last very long with directly attached 4 LEDs. Well, that depends on how much current you pass through the LEDs (see the calculator). 10mA (or 0.010A) current is a good value for fairly bright light. Go higher (20mA or 0.020A) lower (5mA or 0.005A, or even down to 1mA or 0.001A). If you hook the LEDs directly to the battery you have no control over the current. If you use resistors, you can control (lower) the current to make the battery last longer (but the LEDs will not glow as bright).

Not sure if you are old enough remember when mail order involved receiving a printed catalog in the snail-mail, puling out the order forum inside and filling it out, then mailing it along with a check or money order (via snail-mail), then waiting 8-8 weeks to receive the order via snail-mail, or UPS. Back then there was no such thing as tracking either. You just waited, and if the item showed up sooner than 6 weeks, you were overjoyed! Oh, I often used the C.O.D. payment method. My, how the world has changed . . .

Maybe so, but I have read that they pay crappy, wages and tread employees like poo.

Same like Tom: if there is a Best Offer button, I usually use it, since I have nothing to lose. I received rejections or counteroffers (they you can respond to or decline seller's counteroffer). I also had one offer with no reply from the seller (so my offer expired). I seem to recall that if you try too many offer/counteroffers then you cannot buy the item anymore. In more instances than not, I was able to save few bucks (especially when I place offers on multiple quantities of the item - those are usually not model related). I also think that some sellers are not aware that they selected to show the Best Offer button (or eBay does it for them automatically).

I hope that you don't mind some levity, but that looks like she was able to time travel? On a serious note, my condolences on your loss.

You could also add some Testors/Model Master thinner along with the lacquer thinner. It has slower evaporation rate, allowing the paint to level out better. Always test on a spoon!

I'm starting to smell a thread-lock (and I ain't talkin' Loctite).

I recall both Alumilite and Smooth-On carrying similar 2-part RTV putties. The come in plastic jars. You kneed both parts together then press the object you want to take impression of into the putty. It then hardens to a rubber-like (Purple color) material. Dentists also use similar (but less viscous) material to take jaw impressions for making crowns. https://www.smooth-on.com/products/poyo-putty/ https://www.alumilite.com/silicones/mold-putty/ Then there is this https://www.michaels.com/amazing-mold-putty-kit/10410575.html also from Alumilite ( https://www.alumilite.com/silicones/amazing-mold-putty/ ). There are also others (Google "silicone rtv putty"). Yes, they are all fairly pricey, but worth it when they are needed.

There is one (or few) of "them" in every online forum (or even in real life).

Well then, I hope that I widened your point of view. There are lots of collectors like the ones I mentioned out there in the world. That's why prefinished diecast models are quite popular, with wide range of subjects (often not available in a kit form) are available as diecasts.

IMO, this would have been a perfect fit in the General Automotive Talk section (where all sorts of similar thugs are discussed). It is for "For general model car hobby or 1:1 automotive related topics ONLY. Both trucks and cars are appropriate topics."

I'm not upset with you or your questions. I apologize if I sounded that way. I was simply trying to broaden your view, that not all people who collect things, necessarily want to build their own collectibles. I actually have a sizable N scale Model train collection. Factory assembled and unmodified by me train models displayed in cases. Don't you know anybody who collects something, just to own and enjoy looking at their collection?

Why? Because some people just enjoy displaying their collection. There are plenty of collectors who collect all sorts of objects. Dolls, Teddy bears, jewelry, etc. etc. They are not into the creating things - they are into owning the finished product. You wouldn't expect a doll collector to make their own dolls? How about a collector of fine paintings painting their own (paint by numbers?) canvases? Model trains is also a hobby where there are lots of collectors who buy expensive (finished) models, just to place them in display cases. Same is be true for model cars. Franklin Mint and Danbury Mint were catering to model car collectors for decades. 99.9% of those diecast collectors never ever considered modifying their precious Franklin Mint models. Some even kept them in their original box, only to be infrequently taken out and enjoyed. While those 2 diecast manufacturers are gone, they have been replaced by a dozen new companies that produce really good quality finished diecast models.

BillPoint was eBay's own payment system, competing with PayPal (back then PayPal was a separate company, as they are now again). I didn't participate in many Dutch auctions, but as I remember them, the listing was for multiples of the same item. Multiple bidders were winners, but the selling price was not the highest bid, but one of the lower bids (second highest?). I don't remember more than that, but I always thought those were a bit weird.

Very cute. Went back and fixed it.

But it Now (and Best Offer) are fairly recent features on eBay. Well, probably in the last 10 years, give or take few years. If you were active since 1997, then you must have been a regular bidder. There used to be regular auctions, reserve auction, and who remember Dutch auctions, and BillPoint for payments?

I've been a sniper since I joined eBay in 1999. Back when members could freely communicate, I got some nasty emails about my sniping from disgruntled losers. What they don't seem to understand is that I snipe with the highest amount I'm willing to spend on the item (not some outrageous top amount like a million dollars that would guarantee my win). If those nickle-and-dimers aren't willing to put up the money, it is their loss. But I will not have them drive the selling price up by me not sniping. Even sniping, I don't win every item. There are bidders who earlier bid higher amount than my snipe amount - eBay automatic proxy bidding feature doesn't show their highest bid until I bid my amount. I'm not angry at those winners. They had more money to spend that I do.

It is not about what judges do, it is about what looks realistic to me. Of course if I do enter the model in a contest, that might help. Of course not many people are bothered by, or notice the braid's angle, but the ones who do will notice the difference (just looking at the lines, not needing to pull out a caliper protractor). If I have the funds, and I know a source of a better looking braid, I will use it (for my own viewing pleasure). I don't really build models for the judges -- I do it for my own satisfaction.

Oh well . . . There was someone on this forum who was in the process of making a master for casting resin bodies, but I have not seen any updates of that thread for probably few years now.

You guys almost made me pee myself! I wonder what made @Casey bring up a thread dormant for 11 years, to out-of-the-blue post that link?

Yeah, what Jack said. For the extra cautious (Bob Smith Ind.) also sells Odorless CA (Gold) which does not cause fogging. Yes, it is more expensive but it is a cheap insurance against fogging. And as Jack said, if you use some sort of accelerator (I also used the BSI brand), which instantly cures CA, there will be no fogging. Coating the "glass' with Future (or whatever the current name is) also prevents fogging. Coatign the "glass" with Future after it fogged up will also make the fogging disappear. CA fogging is caused by the uncured (liquid) CA evaporating. The vapors get deposited on surfaces causing the fog. As I understand this property is desired by the police - they use the CA fogging property to lift fingerprints.

It costs $90. Here is the link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/255081937220 It is by Olex Dimitr, the same guy who produces those nice 3D printed wheels and engines. It is a strange kit because it includes a frame, but not full floor. Interior and glass are included. Not sure what kit could be used for a donor. I'm also not sure how smooth the surface finish is on all those parts. I suspect some love would be required to make the body ready for painting. I'm also wondering how accurate the body shape is. I"m not quite ready to jump in on it (although I would love to build a model of this car). Hopefully someone here will buy one, build it and post a nice thread about it.

That's exactly what I was going to say. This is an automotive-themed forum with very little of other genres of models being posted here.

I had a feeling. Yuck!