peteski

LOL. They don't eat shrimp down there - they eat prawns. But "prawn from the barbie" just doesn't 'have the same ring to it, doesn't it? We are silly Americans.

I cringe ever time someone uses "dizzy" as a word to describe a "distributor". Really?! If you are dizzy, lay down and take some pills until that sick feeling passes. Could this be some regional term, or someone just trying to be cute (and failing miserably).

Dykem uses a very hot fast-evaporating solvent - I highly suspect that it would instantly craze clear styrene. Do not use it! And if somebody has not noticed yet, model car builders are very frugal bunch. Like Scotish people, the own wallets that use Velcro to keep them closed - they "scream" ever time someone opens them up!

By now, many model builders that FSM caters to have moved onto other lines of paints. Sure, few still used the old-standbys, but if you read the construction articles in FSM, many mention other brands of paints being used.

If any kits were still shrink-wrapped (and water got inside, they will need to be opened and dried just like other kits. Otherwise they will eventually get moldy from the moisture trapped inside the shrink wrap (we ran into this when we were inventorying a large stash of kits of one of our club members who passed away).

"A while" is more like decades. Floquil/Polly-S, and Polly Scale have been under RPM ownership since late '70s or early '80s. Rustolerum is also another brand owned by RPM. I don't recall exactly when Testors was acquired by RPM, but it was at least 20 years ago (or more). Funny how these rumors keep coming back and back and back. Yes, some of the hobby paint brands that RPM owns are getting discontinued (and have been since Floquil was killed off some time ago), but there still are many other, new and old brands of hobby paints (not owned by RPM) to choose from.

That is odd. Several showed up in my Yahoo mail over the last couple of days. They were out of order and delayed by few days (they were probably sitting on the forum's server, but I got them (and in my Inbox, not Spam).

So your brushes simply gummed up with paint? Ok, that makes more sense now, As I read it, your earlier post seemed to imply to me that Humbrol thinner itself ruined your brushes.

I never had any problems wit paint running under Parafilm-M. One reason is that unlike masking tape this stuff is transparent, and you can see the difference when it is adhered or not adhered to the surface it is applied to. Plus, I apply it to the entire area, then cut it on the surface around the trim areas with a hobby knife with a new blade. The cutting action itself burnishes the edge of Parafilm-M to the painted surface, sealing the edge. Then of course I do not flood the paint onto the surface - I spray light coats first. And as I mentioned, I use mild solvent-based paints like Testors or Model Master enamels.

I believe that "Cellulose paint" is an European colloquial term meaning organic-solvent based (lacquer?) paints (like Accu-Paint, Tru-Color, Zero, MCW paints, or any of the automotive touch-up paints). Humbrol is AFAIK also organic-solvent based enamel paint (similar to Testors PLA enamels). Are you saying that Humbrol clears use different chemistry? Are they "hotter" than standsard Humbrol paints? Why would that destroy brushes? I almost exclusively use organic-solvent based "stinky" paints, and clean my brushes with lacquer thinner or acetone. I have newer "ruined" a brush. Most of my brushes are 20-30 years old. I do admit that I use my airbrush for as many painting tasks as I can (often more than average modeler), but my paint brushes still get a fair amount of use.

I usually use Tamiya clear paints (which I assume are very similar to Humbrol clears). Sometimes I have to apply more than one coat. I have the Humbrom paints too, but I havent' tried them (since Tamiya paints work fine for me). What is the specific problem?

Well, that explains it- thanks Josh!

I'm not very familiar with the way tablets work, so can you explain how does one "rigth click" on an iPad? There is no mouse with left/right buttons - just a touch screen.

But that was Les' method. Mine was to simply substitute baking soda with acrylic powder. Nothing else would change. However, if you hare happy with your method, so be it. It is just that I would never use baking soda. If you make sure that the powder is fully encased by the CA glue then it is probably ok and won't start oozing, even in water (since the baking soda is sealed in the glue).

While I also prefer reading paper versions, I have to admit that when the power goes out, Kindles, iPads or smart phones also have batteries (and back-lit screens), so you can keep on reading your electronic magazine (until the batteries run down). But nothing beats candlelight, except maybe for a kerosene lantern.

. . . and hopefully have a backup too.

Ah, that is where you go wrong. Don't hit the "link" symbol then type in the URL (http://...). The URL (the http://. . .) info needs to go directly into the text editing window to show up as a video. But I don't know if it will work correctly if you type it in manually one-letter-at-a-time (instead of copy/pasting the entire URL as a single chunk of text).

Praise and all those comments are well deserved. When I want to show relative size of a model, I photograph it using a coin as a size reference. In this case if a quarter was propped against one of the legs, would show how small that model was (or that you photographed the 1:1 item using a giant coin). This is what I mean.

It came out very nice! Helmut, you're not alone, I have some 20-year-old projects too. Some even older. But none of them are for paying clients, but for friends or relatives. I have that kit and IIRC, the lower body chrome are metal stickers that are included with the kit.

Ok, now we know - thanks for trying.

My Point was that the acrylic powder is *NOT* baking soda. I'm trying to come up with an alternative to baking soda for Kurt. I understand how the 2-part acrylic system works, but that is not what Kurt needs. As I understand, Kurt sprinkles baking soda on some area he wants to fill or smooth, then he drops CA glue onto the powder. Or the other way around. When the baking soda and CA glue combine, that caused a reaction, and the CA hardens instantly. Actually I suppose he could use the acrylic system in a similar way. Pour the acrylic powder into the area to be filled, then using eyedropper apply the liquid part of the acrylic system. Then wait for it to harden, and sand it. But the acrylic system does not harden as fast at the CA glue does. I see what you mean about the CA glue not fully getting soaked into the acrylic powder. That stuff is very fine-grained. But maybe use extra thin CA glue, and apply the acrylic powder in thin layers? Or apply thick CA clue first, then sprinkle the acrylic powder over it?

Ah yes, JC Penny. Now I remember seeing that photo. I got confused with Craftsman. Mine is Weller (I believe it was the original manufacturer, and JC Panny is just rebadged Weller). Mine was also purchased in the '80s. But we digress. . . I do like the paper cut method. I have to try it next time I'm making cuts in plastic.

Have you tried to see if the powder dissolves in water, like baking powder does? I have feeling that it will not. The powder is one of the parts of the acrylic nail system. The other part is the hardener. The hardener is not just a CA glue. You can even smell the difference. When it combines with the powder, it creates a plastic-like substance. Originally this acrylic system was used by dentists for temporary fillings and crowns. Trust me, it is not just baking soda.

Wow, that is clever. Gives it a new meaning to a "paper cut"! Just like rubbing 2 pieces of dry wood hard enough can ignite them, heat generated from the friction of paper against plastic heats it enough to melt it. Nice! And I can't help commenting on your rotary tool. I think I have done that in the past. Instead of the ubiquitous Dremel tool most modelers use, you still have one of those Weller (or Craftsman) rotary tool. I think you and me are the only2 members of this forum that still have one of those. But mine is put away - I now use a Dremel too.

Too funny! That was a great movie!