peteski

Cool, but why post it in the WIP section for models? That looks like a 1:1 vehicle, and it looks complete.

I agree that Matchbox are more of a scaled down miniatures of 1:1 vehicles, where Hot Wheels are more whimsical. Still, I like both brands. When I was growing up on Poland, all we had access to was Matchbox models from England (and those were highly prized toys because even they were hard to get).

"Discontinued" seems a bit strong. For the last few decades, all the plastic models kits are "limited run" type of production. Manufacturer produces a run of models, and then mothballs the molds for some indeterminate amount of time. The modeler's motto is "if you want some kit buy right when it is released, as later that kit will disappear from the hobby store shelves, and fetch outrageous prices on auction sites". Only back in the "good ol' days" kits festered on hobby store shelves for years. That hasn't been true for quite some time.

Doesn't Replicas and Miniatures Company of Maryland sell resin cast door handles?

You use baking soda to simulate carpeting?!?!? That's a new one on me. I stay away from baking soda (for anything related to modeling) because it is water-soluble, and humidity can liquefy any exposed grains creating a mess.

If you are not joking, that makes no sense. If they only broke even (no profits), there would not be any funds to develop one tooling and produce new models. But companies still produce new models. No company makes anything for "fun".

I suspect that Bill is looking for the look of smooth polished aluminum, not a cast-aluminum flat finish. He is probably looking for a semigloss finish. Flat aluminum paint is good for simulating brushed aluminum finish.

Welcome to the forum Hans! I agree with you. Too many exotic, sports and competition models - give us some pedestrian "everyday family drivers". I'm in USA and I would love to see some of those pedestrian American cars from the '60s, '70s, and '80s, but I also wouldn't mind models of similar European cars. I believe that the reason that type of model is not being produced because model manufacturers don't think such models would sell well enough to even break even on the tooling. One ray of hope is the continuous advancement of 3D printing technology, and growing number of 3D model designer hobbyists. With that technology it is possible that some individuals (not a model company) will design and offer such models for sale. Kind of like what the resin casters (small cottage industry) have been doing for decades. Lets hope that my hopes come true.

No, they did not ask me for SS# either. I in the past, I was able to keep the money I received from buyers in my PayPal account, but few years ago they changed the rules and now they force me to transfer the money I receive there to my bank account right away. If I wanted to keep my money with PayPal for more than a day or 2, I would have to treat PayPal as a banking institution, and I would probably have to give them my SS#.

I have *NEVER EVER* used anything but water and good dishwashing detergent to clean the parts before painting, and I never will! I would not trust any sort of "cleaner" or "treatment". I'm not sure where people get the idea that some other compound is is needed *BEFORE* painting. If decals are dry (I give them few days), it is safe to wash the decaled part with water and dishwashing detergent. Take a 1" soft natural hair brush, wet the bristles, then squirt little detergent on the bristles. Then I work up the lather by rubbing the bristles on my palm and gently brush the decaled part to be cleaned. Don't spend too much time doing that. Then I rinse it off using warm running water from the faucet. Then dry the part blotting (not wiping) the part with a towel. I suppose microfiber cloth might work well too. If there is some moisture left, I just let the part air dry. If there is any lint or fuzz left after it is dry, I blow it of gently using compressed air (the "canned air" in aerosol cans works good, or just compressed air from your compressor). After that the pert is ready for a clear coat. However, after seeing the problem you experienced it might not just be Novus - maybe the clear coat is attacking/crazing the plastic?

I don't have any problems with my paint jobs, and I never sand/rub out/or polish them, except for couple times I had to remove some small speck of dust that landed in the paint.

Unless you use "model paint". But on a serious note, I don't think that it is always the case (at least as far as I'm concerned). I believe that paint on 1:1 cars is applied in a thicker layer than what we do on our model cars. Well, some modelers do lay it on rather thick (especially the clear coats), so the model looks like it is dipped in honey. At least I always strive to minimize paint thickness. I avoid primer as much as I can. Not using water-based hobby paints allows me to often skip the primer. Then I don't apply 20 coats of paint to build up thickness - I apply as few coats as possible.

The model in that video is amazing! I wonder what he uses for chrome foil? It sure does not look like BMF. And it seems to conform to complex curves (like the taillights).

Lacquers dry, but can be dissolved again using lacquer thinner. That actually can be a good thing in many instances. But they do dry, and dry hard. Enamels however nto only dry (when the solvent evaporates), they also cure exposed to oxygen. It is a actually a chemical reaction which cures them hard, and they can never be redissolved again. But both types of paints are widely used and both result in very durable finishes. So the "never dry" statement does not really make sense (as far as paint's durability or hardness are concerned). After all, when was the last time you cleaned your lacquer-painted vehicle using lacquer thinner? That is just silly.

Another gorgeous cleanly-built model from Chang! And as usual, great photos. Awesome! I have one of those kits to be built some day.

Not sure if the Dick Van Dyke Show, and I Love Lucy were mentioned - they are both excellent old sitcoms. Cheers was another (newer) sitcom that was quite good. Someone mentioned Seinfeld - I did not watch it when it was new, but I found it in reruns - brilliantly funny!

What you said is true. I watch it on MeTV sometimes, but most of the stories are just so implausible that I just roll my eyes. Funny that they all can speak perfect German whenever they go out of the camp dressed in German uniforms. Actually the whole German/English language thing is just so silly. And an Africam American pretending to be a German, back in the WWII days? That is so out in the left field.

There is a sticky thread in this forum with lots and lots of ideas about stripping paint.

Miles, if there was such a thing, don't you think that lots of Modelers would be using it already (and loudly touting that paint on this forum)?

Instead of shooting the iffy paint on model parts, take a plastic spoon, and give the paint (Molotow) a quick test. If it is up to the expectations, spray your wheels. It is as simple as that, and no paint striping required if the experiment on the spoon doesn't work out.

That looks good Tom!

Yeah, right on! Especially a motorcycle with straight-pipes going by at full throttle at 3am! Or really going by me at any time of the day. Loud pipes save lives? Really? Paying attention while driving saves lives.

I hope that this new development does not mean the end for BMF company. Not sure if they can survive just selling decals and decal paper. Either way, I hope they stay open because I really like their decal paper (and I have tried several brands) for my Alps printer. And of course the (original) chrome foil is indispensable in my automotive modeling (which I haven't done much lately).

The black is likely the is standard black paint but the other one . . . very interesting. I never used any of their spray can paints (just the 1 oz. bottles), so that is likely why I missed it. But I think I've seem similar speckled spray paints either at a hardware or a crafts store.

Come on Tom, I use Floquil fairly often, and even have their color chips booklets, and I have never seen the sell paints called "parking lot" or "road spray". But whatever are the "real" color names, your base looks good too. For another idea, I also use roofing material to represent asphalt. It is a leftover piece of rubber roofing sheet. What is nice about it is that it is larger (about 6 sq. feet) and it can be rolled up easily and taken to some place which will give me a realistic background (like an empty company parking lot on a weekend).