peteski

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!

I don't have a problem with a company making other vehicles (and IIRC Lamborghini made tractors *BEFORE* exotic cars). Porsche also made tractors and tanks (and Ferdinand Porsche was instrumental in developing the no-frills Volkswagen). It is just those SUVs make me want to vomit. I have no problem with electric Ferrari - electric drive train performance matches or exceeds IC engines. Their range is the current shortcoming.

Going by the subject line of this thread, I figured this would be a good place for a couple of funny memes from my GF (from Facebook I'm sure).

When performance car makes like Porsche, Maserati, or Lamborghini started producing SUV (crossovers, or whatever they call them), to me the world has turned upside down. When will we see a Ferrari SUV? Or does one already exist?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMC_motorhome https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/gmc-motorhome-is-fwd-wonder/ That sure was an innovative vehicle. Nice to see few of them still on the roads (I saw one few weeks ago).

Flip phone? interested in history? This just reaffirms that you are not like the average person in your age group. Not that there is anything wrong with that. While simplified, there is your answer why it is so hard to get younger people into building models. There are few that will, but the rest have no interest. While the way most new cars look is underwhelming (compared to the cars from mid-20th Century for example, few unusual (and slick or eye-pleasing) do show up here and there. The modern sports/exotic cars also look quite interesting (but some are way crazy and outrageous). I have to totally disagree here. While today's cars are full of computers (making working on them close to impossible), they are also *MUCH* more reliable and rust-resistant than anything built in the 20th Century. Back then you had to get a new car every few years because the mechanical parts wouldn't last, or rust would be eating the metalwork. Remember, odometers in all those cars only went to 99,999 miles. Nobody was expecting them to go more than 100k miles. Back then you would also see more broken down cars on the streets or highways. Nowadays you almost never see a broken down car on the side of the highway. The engines are also much more efficient. Today's cars can easily last over 10 years, or even 20 years (of maintained properly), and they remain almost rust-free (even in areas with harsh winters, where lots of road salt is used). Odometers also have an extra digit, so the cars are expected to regularly go over 100k miles. I don't think today's cars have any "planned obsolescence" built into them. Quality of their assembly is also better than anything from mid-20th Century. So while contemporary average cars are not very exciting (to build up some emotion attachment), they are much better than the the older cars. They are more like appliances that get you from point A to point B in relative comfort.

With the information overload from online sources, how do you separate the truth from "alternate facts"? It is really tough to find totally unbiased info (plus we have all become jaded, not believing anything we see out there). At least this article cites some sources of info. While the info was mostly about lithium, nobody hit on the facts that the EVs are still mostly charged with "dirty" energy. But without a question we will eventually end up weaning ourselves from fossil fuels. It will likely not be in my lifetime though.

Coming back from our vacation in Maine, driving on I95 south, we passed a GMC Motorhome like this one: I didn't have a chance to take a photo (this is a photo I found online). The one I saw was also green, but had a weathered whimsical paint job. It had a name like "Green cucumber" Or "Green pickle", or something like that. Not often one see these unusual motorhomes on the road.

While it is true that hobby shops are almost non-existent, and the mega-department stores (which killed off all the smaller ones) barely stock any kits and supplies in the toys section, all the younger people do most of their purchases (of everything) online, on Amazon, eBay, or at zillion other online retailers. Kits and supplies are available out there on the Internet, but it is not quite the same as in the "good old days". Times have changed.