peteski

This seems kind of boring. What is the goal here? At least the "Once upon ..." thread has a story line. How about it? Just posting a consecutive number seems like a waste of time. Go build some models guys!

Probably too expensive (that seems to be a deciding factor here).

I probably have around 100 bottles (purchased few years ago) and I never encountered that sleeve. All my bottles have wide open glass neck. The cap has a gasket and brush in it, so I can freely pour the polish out of the bottle. Can't you pry the sleeve out of the neck, so you can pour the paint out?

I know noting about how the forum software operates, but I'm starting to wonder if it is the forum's software (not the ads themselves) that allows or makes the ads so large?

You shouldn't have to resort to a strong solvent like lacquer thinner. Depending on what you used for the wash, you can probably use Windex (ammonia), 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, or Naphtha. None of these should attack the "chrome". Of course you have to do this not too long after the paint dried (but is still fresh).

Very impressive. You also just gave me a new trick to try: fix the cracks and scratches in grayscale mode, the re-color afterwards. Brilliant!

So, did you pick them up? Will you build them? I know, silly questions.

Unfortunately this tells the story: https://www.debenllc.com/Jordan-Highway-Miniatures_c_15.html I also have some of those exquisite little gems. Too bad they are no longer being manufactured. But there is always eBay.

That looks great Scotty! I'm curious about how much of the retouching was using some automatic PS features, and how much was done manually?

I'm not a fan of the big-gaping-mouth grille that has been plopped on Lexus cars for few years now. Some other makes also use similar treatment. I hope it this trend will pass soon. As far as Ftraven goes, he only made 3 posts so far, and none are model car related. But I guess this section is for models and real cars, so he hasn't broken any rules.

A pink primer would make the red top coat "pop". White primer would also result in a bright red top coat. But if price is a decoding factor . . . Gray primer will make the red a bit duller looking. If you are using plastic compatible red paint, like others have said, paint it over the bare orange plastic. That will give the red nice bright look. I often skip the primer when I paint my models (with plastic compatible paints, like Testors).

JB Weld (the one that takes long time to set) will most certainly work well, but you will have to wait overnight for to to set. To improve adhesion I would roughen the rod's surface with sandpaper, and make absolutely sure that the glued areas are clean and free of any oils (including oils from your skin). I usually clean the parts to be glued with a degreaser such as 99% or 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, Naphtha, Lacquer Thinner, or Acetone. Either of those will remove any oil residues. Other (faster setting) epoxies and even CA glue will also work, but the bond won't be a strong.

Do you mean Snake45, or is there another Snake on this forum? Snake 45 is currently active.

Looking at the write-up, it looks like Charlie uses the "squish method" on 2-part molds. Charlie, I am comfortable with making simple 1-piece open molds and castings, but I have couple of questions about the tire mold above. 1. How exactly do you get such a clean separation line for the mold halves. The explanation you wrote is still not clear to me, and that is the trickiest and most important part of mold making. Some people partially embed the master in clay to make the first half of the mold, then remove the clay and pour the second half. TO me that method seems really messy. It seems that you figured out how to do this without the clay. I would really like to understand that process. 2. When you pour the resin in the deep part of that tire master, how to you make sure that air bubbles do not forum inside all the deep patterns of the tread? To me it seems that small bubbles of air would accumulate in all those tiny cavities.

Or if you will be handling the model a lot (or like smooth shiny models) then apply clear after decals (to seal and protect them). To be honest, since model decals have clear film, usually extending beyond the images, that does not look like 1:1 vinyl stickers (since those do not have out-of-scale clear film). Well, you could carefully trim the clear decal film from around the images, but that is a but of extra work. It is really up to what look you prefer.

Color laser printers (just like Alps) are CYMK printers. Some less expensive color laser printers which can print white toner simply replace the black toner with white. They become CYM+White. They are capable of underlying the white toner under color toners, just like Alps can (to print opaque images which can be applied to dark colored models). They can also print opaque white images. But since there is no black toner, to print black they use a mix of CYM toners. That results in a black that is not true black. It is very dark, but not a crisp black color. There are also better grade (expensive) color laser printers which use 5 toners (CYMK and white). Those can print colors, true black and white (as underlay or standalone). But they still don't come close to Alps capabilities of overlaying inks, and printing metallic and foil colors. No other (consumer grade) printer is capable of that. The other problem with color laser printers is that their color printing uses halftones which will show up as dots in the color areas. Wit Alps you can produce many solid (not halftoned) colors by using the overlay function. The other thing is that the edges of objects printed using laser printer are fuzzy. That is because the toner dots don't have sharp defined edges. It is just inherent to the printing technology. Alps is a thermal transfer printer and the printed dots have very sharp edge. Even thought Alps is a 600dpi printer, the printouts look sharper and crisper than laser or ink jet printers which have higher resolutions. On the Alps group, every once in a while someone brings up laser printers which can print white as a possible replacement for Alps, but after discussing the capability of those printers we always arrive at the same conclusion: Alps is still the best consumer grade printer for hobbyists to print decals. Alps printers are unfortunately in the end of life stage, but enjoy your Alps while you still can.

Very, very nice!! It must have taken a long time to put it all together.

I guess there is flashing and there is flashing. The stuff I bough (IIRC, at Home Depot, but about 20 years ago) came in rectangles about 12" long and do not have any coating - just bare aluminum.

Oh, ok. That's weird. If you only burned through the roof and trunk lid, why not just repaint them? Just mask it off at the panel lines, then spray some primer and white. Paint is white and non-metallic, so it is easy to color-match.

Sure, and then they plead insanity.

As far as USPS tracking info goes, you should be able to tell whether the package is sitting at the seller's, or lost in the postal system. When the label is created the tracking shows "label created". When the package is picked up, or seller drops it off, the tracking should show "shipment accepted". From that point on, any delay is caused by the USPS. That is under ideal condition - USPS tracking and even package routing seems to be not very reliable.

I think he burned through the paint on the roof. What I'm puzzled about it that the white paint seems to have pulled away from the door line edges, and it shows black. Is the body plastic color black? When the body was primed (using white or gray primer) that should have prevented the paint from pulling away at the edges.

Charlie, you might find the cartridges on eBay or even Amazon. There is also http://tangopapadecals.com/inks.htm and https://www.paoon.com/decal/index-en.html (difficult to navigate, but lots of useful cartridges). They are all getting pricey though! There is also an online group for Alps printers with over 2700 members. Might be a good idea to join. https://alps.groups.io/g/ALPS . I've been in that group for over 15 years. I dont; subscribe to emails - I read the messages in the Web interface.

Maybe your 91% IPA is not really 91%. Maybe it is diluted (either on purpose, or it absorbed moisture). Try 99%IPA. I get mine from a hardware store. It comes in gallon tin cans (in the paint thinners section). If they don's stock it, they should be able to special order it for you. I've seen it sold under names like "IPA99" or "Isopropanol 99".

I don't know the Yost method, but I always airbrush heavy coats. I have never polished any of my models and they are quite glossy. Not sure why most modelers keep on airbrushing mist coats on their models. If the paint is not applied in a uniform liquid state on the model, it will never dry smooth.