peteski

Yeah, looks sort of like small claw-less lobster.

A wicked jumbo shrimp?

That is odd. Polystyrene is a type of a resin, and even with additives (like pigments or plasticizers), its basic chemical properties are still the same. So, strong solvents like acetone, MEK or methylene chloride (either of which is used in liquid cements for styrene) should soften or melt it (which is how those glues weld parts together). If those types of cements are not working properly, I wonder if JoHan used some sort of different type of plastic?

In New England the last weekend was the 1st rain-free weekend we had for months! It seems that rain would arrive just in time for most of the Summer's weekends (and we often had some during the week too), but not as bad as other parts of the U.S. It has been a very wet Spring and Summer here.

I should clarify me response. I stated that I use an Ad Blocker, which is not quite correct. I don't use an Ad Blocker per se, I use NoScript Add-On in my browser which blocks browser scripts from running. The effect often is that it will block the ads (or many of them).

I thought it was just the opposite. Lacquers are the ones which can be dissolved after they dry, and enamels (after they harden) cannot ever be redissolved, as their chemical properties change. So they come off in sheets. Example: if the solvent mostly evaporates from a bottle of lacquer, adding more solvent (thinner) will revive it, so it can be used again. But if the solvent mostly evaporated form a bottle of enamel, the remaining binder/pigment turns into a rubbery "goo". Adding more thinner will not reconstitute that "goo" it cannot be redissolved. Even if you mechanically breake it up and stirr it, it will still be floating in chinks in the thinner, not a homogenous paint that can be used. BTW, thanks for expanding on what I mentioned - not many modelers understand the ins and outs of paint chemistry. But they should, since they use paints all the time. Understanding paint chemistry (even if just the basics) makes them better modelers.

Interesting . . . And I love that shrimp on a Barbie image! But isn't it really supposed to be "prawn", not "shrimp"? I thought Aussies use "prawn". ??

Yeah, that custom Volga is prety sweet looking! Going back to the original, as a kid I was fascinated by the really cool transparent speedometer in those cars. It was a transparent blue half a dome located on top of the dash (you can see it in the photo), with the numbers printed on a clear plastic sheet. I thought that thing was a cat's meow! IIRC, one of the Ford T-birds from the '60s has a similar speedometer.

Nothing personal Tom, but "dizzy" sounds really silly to me. One of those things I hear which makes me roll my eyes. I know, it takes 6 more letters to type in "distributor", but still . . .

I make my own precision applicators by cutting off the part of the eye on a sawing needle (using a Dremel tool), so it looks like a miniature fork, then inserting and gluing the sharp end into a handle made from 1/8" acrylic rod (but a dowel would work too). Micro-Mark sells similar tools, but mine are *WAY* cheaper, and I can pick my own needle sizes. These are perfect for applying small amounts of CA glue. If the glue clogs up the forked end, I just scrape it clean with a hobby knife. Others just burn the glue off using a flame from a lighter. I also use Micro Brushes - they are perfect for applying small amounts of CA accelerator.

I bought few bottles few years ago. Did a test-spraying onto a spoon. The paint dried fast but never hardened. Even after few months I could easily put a mark in it by pushing the edge of my fingernail into the paint. I contacted Jameston and he said that if I used hardener, the paint would get hard. He send me a bottle of hardener with instructions on the mixing ratio. But I ended up working on other projects and (still unopened) hardener hardened solid in the bottle. So if I ever get back to the original project, I'll have to order a fresh bottle of hardener. To me this seems like too much trouble. I rather use single-part paints. But that's just me . . .

Problem here is that things aren't as simple as a token "enamel over lacquer is ok" statement. There are many different pain formulations (both lacquers and enamels) and different solvents used in all those paints. In some cases, you can get away with breaking the rules, and in other paint combinations you will not be so lucky. Then how do you know for sure whether certain paint type or brand is enamel or lacquer? Often that fact is not mentiones anywhere on the can or bottle. If you ask the "expert", they might not be correct either. Bottom line is that the best way to check compatibility of all the paint layers you will apply to your model is to do a test spraying on something like plastic (polystyrene) spoon or soft drink bottle. Spoon is the same, or similar plastic used in a model's body - plastic soda bottle is not quite the same.

Interesting. I wasn't talking about high power laser - just a small laser cutter, like ones cottage manufacturers and some hobbyists use. Like a 40W CO2 laser. It has enough power to cut plastic and wood, but not metal. I was just speculating . . .

Ah, I get it now! LOL!

That might be so, but if the man says (in his blog) that is is not taking orders, I take his word for it.

I thought we were on the "current" (new) version yesterday, when I tried the test. Did you update the forum again since yesterday 9:41PM EDT (when I tried the test)?

I checked eBay just now and he has active listings on both accounts. The anthongrimald-0 is not a new account - it was created on Dec-12-16 . Has some items listed there but still zero feedbacks. He has over hundred items listed under the other account (and lots of negative feedbacks). Even with all those negatives, his yearly feedback rating is around 93% (which too me is poor, but looks high).

So how do you know when someone posting a build thread in the "on the bench" section is or isn't receptive to hints or criticism? With a wife or significant other, you might have made that mistake once, but you quickly learned to keep your opinions to yourself unless specifically asked for them (and even then, walk on eggshells). But here we are just bunch of single-minded individuals (buddies) showing the progress of our builds. Unless you had previous experience with certain member, you really don't know if someone is receptive to constructive comments or not.

Ok, since the forum was updated, lets try my test case again. I'm pasting the text with that word which caused the 404 error. Once you finished composing your message, still in the compose window, hit Control-a, then Control-c. The first one selects all the text in the compose window, the second copies it into computer's copy/paste buffer. If something goes wrong and your message is lost, you can just try to reply again and in the empty compose window hit Control- v. That pastes the text f r o m the buffer into the window. Keyboard shortcuts are wonderful! Of course the paste buffer does not persists through reboots and gets wiped out by anything else you "copy". No joy - if the word "f r o m" (in the paragraph above) is typed in without spaces between letters, the forum pukes and gives me the 404 error. So this problem still persists. Can't you provide this easily reproducible test case to the forum's vendor so they can figure out how to fix this bug?

The initial post is an interesting view. I participate in my hobbies for fun. Whether I am building a super-detailed or a box-stock model car, model train, or some electronic circuit, I find it pleasurable. If I didn't have fun, I wouldn't be doing it - period! So to me the notion that super-detailing a model car is not fun, and that building a simple box-stock (or a snapper) model would give me more pleasure (or less frustration) seems odd. Maybe if I was building models strictly to win model contest, that would be frustrating, but I don't - I build whatever subject I fins appealing. If I enter a model contest with it and win - great. If not - no big deal. Hobbies are meant to be fun (not frustrating work).

So Vanderwoude's son approached you wanting to buy that model? Nice!

That's pretty cool! How did the purchase come about?

I'm sure you'll do fine with PayPal. The are closely integrated with eBay (even after the companies split up). As far as the feedbacks go, what is the sellers positive rating percentage? If those 298 negative feedbacks are among 20,000 feedbacks, they are still in eBay's good graces. but if the total feedback of 2000, then that would not be so good for the seller.

I always go to eBay first (request refund, or start a dispute), then PayPal, then credit card (I use credit card for most PayPal payments). In my (not very frequent) experience, eBay always comes through. But if needed, I'm covered 3 ways.

Interesting. So what is your current method? Do you use laser to burn off the resist coating? In the '90s I used to sent my vector artwork to a publishing bureau to be printed on clear film using a Linitronix Phototypesetter (don't recall the specific model number). But that was still the old school "photo" system.