peteski

Well guys, if you look few posts above yours, the test of the article has been posted here.

Yeah, sort of like Apple vs. PC, or more contemporary like Apple vs. Samsung. Apples are coveted by the "elites", while other brands are for the "unwashed masses".

There are many sources for thin sheet aluminum. Flashing is relatively thick and stiff. Yes they have their uses for modeling, but the cheap single-use (disposable) aluminum cookie sheets, and pans used for roasting turkey also offer plenty of cheap aluminum which is just right thickness for many modeling projects (and thinner than the aluminum flashing). Those trays are sold in dollar stores. Then of course, aluminum soda cans are another good source of stiff and thin aluminum.

I also heard about the LA's Totally Awesome stuff, and I even bought couple of bottles, but haven't had a chance to use it yet. I believe the reason it should work as a stripper is because it contains Sodium Hydroxide (lye), just like many of the other stripping liquids we use on plastic models.

Never had one, or heard of them (that I recall). I use Badger. I also like to offer a friendly comment: Your subject line of this thread is very vague. If you were to edit your initial post (while you still can - there is a time limit), and changed the subject line to something possibly like "Master Airbrushes - what is your opinion about them?", that will likely attract more members who actually have some experience with the subject.

Yup, that is one of those "magic" words. Unfortunately. You could have left that word in your post, and like here, just separated all the letters with a space. It is a pain, and is silly, but it is a valid workaround for the forum's overly sensitive "nanny filter".

Yes, I have that kit too. I believe that it was originally produced by Pyro.

Looks nice! What scale is it, and which company made the kit?

Which transparent paints do you use? I usually use Tamiya paints (in glass jars) as they have a full range of very nice transparent colors. One slight problem is that they have to be applied rather thick to give good coverage. I also picked up a set of transparent Alclad II paints. Those are water-thin for airbrushing (you like that), but they smell "hot", so they might craze clear styrene. I haven't actually tried them yet.

Kurt, You painted those lenses transparent yellow? Aren't those transparent orange on the 1:1 car? Directionals usually use amber (orange colored) lenses. Foglights (and headlights on French cars are usually yellow.

Is it me, or does that thing look pregnant? Still, cool and unique vehicle.

Bandai (and then some Chinese company) made a 1:16 model. Very nice (I think Harry P. built one).

Ah, I have here an example of why sometimes it is good to bring back 8-year-old thread - the new replies were useful.

Even if the kit cost $90?

Yes, I have few of those (unbuilt as of yet). While they don't have a lot of detail, they seem like nicely molded kits of some early horseless carriages. And they are the same scale as the Pyro/Life-Like Highway Pioneers series of cars.

Thanks for all the info JP! I was also able to contact Alex (who sells the photoetched ornaments) and he does have the Caddy ornaments available.

People on the Internet will complain about anything and everything (and I'm sometimes guilty of that too). I don't mind (and actually prefer) if someone has a question or a statement related to some topic already covered in the past that they bring the topic back and continue the thread. But some people seem to randomly bring back a really, really old topic, just to post "good job", "looks good", "good idea", or some other similar comment that does not add any value to the old thread. Kind of "out of the blue" or "out in left field" comments. I think you know what I mean. We all seen them. Those types of topic resurrections are IMO irksome.

MCG is Model Car Garage - a company that makes lots of model car photo-etched detail parts.

I think what others are saying about clogged spray cans is that the tube inside is clogged (not the nozzle itself). Here is how I maximize the life of my spray cans. I'm an airbrush guy, but whenever I use spray cans (hey, even when I decant them for airbrushing), after spraying I always turn them upside down and spray until no paint comes out. Then I religiously follow this procedure: I first pull off the nozzle. Next, I take a pipette with lacquer thinner and I put the thinner in the valve hole in the top of the can. Make sure it goes down all the way (sometimes an air bubble forms). I let it sit there for a minute, then I use compressed air to blow the thinner out of the valve hole. So, that I know that the valve is nice and clean. Next, I have a nylon-body pipette where its opening perfectly accepts the spray can nozzle stems. I push the nozzle stem into the pipette. I put some lacquer thinner in a shot glass then I immerse the nozzle in it, alternately squeezing and releasing the pipette's bulb. This sucks and expels the lacquer thinner through the nozzle, completely flushing it out (while the paint in it is still fresh). That's it. I then don't put the nozzle's steam back in the clean valve - I just drop the clean nozzle in the spray can's cap and put the cap over the can. That way I don't take a chance of jamming the nozzle too deep, causing the paint to spray through my freshly cleaned valve and nozzle. Yes, I know this seems a bit of an overkill and a chore, but it really doesn't take much time and I actually enjoy doing thus (especially knowing that this will prevent clogging of the valve and nozzle). The process takes much less time than it took me to write this up. So every time I spray from that can, it is like a brand new can. No paint residue!

And I missed all the "fun". I will buy that kit when it becomes available. Why are car modelers so averse to prices outside of their comfort zone (assuming that is what killed that thread)? Wasn't the price simply just a speculation? Even new Tamiya 1:24 automotive kits go for pretty penny nowadays (and you should see the prices for some of their larger scale aircraft). How about the Ebbro Citroen DS21? I think I spend about $80 for that kit (not including the shipping costs).

There is another currently active (and even longer) thread about this problem. There, Matt posted a link to a list of SQL commands which are likely triggering the SQL Injection Filter which causes all these problems. If someone is having the problem, it would make sense to look at the command words listed on that site and see if your post contains one or more of them. If it does, try to misspell those words or break them up somehow. Maybe l i k e t h i s. That will not awaken the dreaded filter and allow you to post your message. Here is Matt's post which had the link to those forbidden words. Too bad that this thread cannot easily be merged with the above thread, but I really don't think that would work.

Thanks for the info JP. Yes, once I get building my Caddy models I'll post my progress here. As for the decals, I thought that those were not just pinstripes but also those Caddy emblems your model has on the C-pillars and trunk lid. If those are not decals, how did you make them? Bare Metal Foil under paint? Your job at "Musée Keyaerts" must have been quite interesting. You are a "Cadillac Man" for sure!

Here comes this one! https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/trucks/a30000525/thor24-big-rig-sells-for-12-million/

The link works but only shows couple of paragraphs. To read the full story I would need to sign in or subscribe.

As I mentioned in several other BMF-related threads here, there is no substitute for the BMF's original chrome foil! It is not an aluminum foil and it is very thin. Whatever alloy it is made, it is quite stretchable and pliable. Much more so than stiff aluminum foil. I suspect it contains some low-melting-point metals (like tin, bismuth or somoe other similar metal). You can actually melt it with a regular soldering iron running at around 700 deg. F (can't do that with aluminum). Because it is not aluminum, it has a slightly warm color which make it look a bit like nickel, but it still looks great as chrome. That pliability is what makes it the best. Other foils (including some other varieties of BMF) are aluminum foil. They are nowhere as good or easy to work with. Years ago I tried Detail Master foil. While it looked just like chrome, it was impossible to snug into complex curves. I only used it few times on flat surfaces and tossed it. And to toot my own horn a bit, the model showcased on the BMF packaging is mine. I sent some photos of my models to BMF, back around 20 years ago, and El (BMF's proprietor) decided to use them in ads, and on the packaging.