peteski

This seems to be designed for those craft plotter/cutters. It is likely a metalized plastic film, probably at least 2mils thick - it wouldn't work as BMF substitute.

To me it looked similar to one of those American concept cars with Italian-designed bodies. I was wrong.

All beautiful models! Tamiya didn't make too many 1:6 scale bike models. If they were 1:6 scale, they would be over a foot long. They are likely standard 1:12 scale Tamiya models. Protar makes bike models in 1:9 scale.

While I have never done this, I don't think there will be a problem if you use clear designed to be plastic compatible (made specifically for plastic model kits - like Testors or Tamiya paints). But I'm not sure how the decals will stick to bare plastic. But if you think your color paint jobs are mediocre, do you think you clear paint job will be any better?

It is because it is derived from citrus fruit (thus non-toxic). I tried it back when I was a kid and I don't think it worked well, because I went back to the regular smelly orange-tube stuff. I seem to vaguely recall that it was more runny than the orange-tube stuff, and that it took longer to dry. Reading the online forums it seems that most other modelers are not loving the non-toxic cement.

Thanks! Since I "roll my own", I haven't really looked at the Micro-Mark kit. But I think someone on this forum might have posted some info about it in the past. As for recommendations, if you have access to a laser printer, Pulsar FX Pro makes a good kit. I recommended it to a friend and he had good results with it. It is geared towards making PC boards, but it should work for etching thin metal too. https://pcbfx.com/ Another item I etched from 0.005" Nickel Silver are all the Peterbilt emblems on this wrecker (and used them instead of the kit's decals):

Well, can you really say *nothing* European? I have an idea what it is, but not willing to research the specific details.

"Polyurethane" is a very nebulous term, covering many different coatings. For example there is Minwax Urethane which is used for finishing wood, but can be used on models. However it is amber in color. There is also a water-based version of that urethane which is clear. Can you give some specific types or or brands of the polyurethane you are using?

And another hobbyist-friendly etching company: https://www.ppdltd.com/ I have been etching electronic circuit boards since my teenage years. Etching model parts is a similar process. The only photos I have handy now is weather vanes and lighting rods I etched for an N scale (1:160) barn on my friend's model train layout. I designed the artwork in Corel Draw, then printed it on a transparency. Then I took a sheet of 0.005" brass, sprayed with a photoresist and a regular lacquer on the other side. Then I exposed the photo resist to UV light through the artwork (mask). Developed the photoresist and put the brass sheet in Ferric Chloride (etching solution). This is what I ended up with: And here they are after being placed on the barn.

Yes, I too visited the Yellow Submarine during the same trip. Amazing stuff!

Useless? It helps us understand the Universe. Or is that too nebulous for you, and you rather just worry about the more mundane goings on in your immediate neighborhood?

How about a detailed description of your workshop? Or how does your neighborhood look? After all, since you giving us detailed play-by-play (or is it stick-by-stick?) details of your build (including the raw materials you're ordering), why not tell us more about where it is all taking place. And I'm sure somebody will find a photo of that 4.5 lb block of clay very intereting.

Remember Rainbow Ten? They used to have really basic website with basically text-based listings of their stock. You had to email them your order. Well, Rainbow Ten is a wonderful large brick-and-mortar hobby shop which just had some online presence. I was lucky enough to visit them 14 years ago. That was an experience!

Wicked cool model (as we say in New England), and clear and sharp photos! Nice!

They probably don't even realize that the color picture is not real colors (as humans see colors) - they were added to enhance the image which IIRC is not even taken in the visible light spectrum.

That was a nice looking car - sort of BMW-ish. Never heard of it until now.

Correct. See

I'm pretty sure that all nail polishes are lacquers. But that doesn't change the fact that both, lacquers and enamels (the organic-solvent based ones) can usually be thinned with a standard lacquer thinner, acetone or xylene.

Dryer sheets are impregnated with static-dissipative substance which they deposit on the clothes being dried. I suspect some of it is leftover on the used up sheet - that is why it works on models.

Not the baking soda again. we have discussed this here before and the consensus is to use the "real" accelerator. But feel free to use your home-brew solution.

Cheap to buy? Compared to what? The seem to cost in a range of mid $20k US. I just got a 2019 KIA Soul (MSRP $19k US) for $17k. A much more useful small car than Smart for Two. and I'm getting gas mileage in low 30MPG range. Diesel fuel is also much more expensive than gasoline (at least in U.S.). No sale!

They actually don't have *THAT* great of a gas mileage, but they sure make a statement (and I suspect that's what most owners are after). In Europe, in urban setting, this little cars actually make sense. But seeing one on an American interstate, sandwiched between several 18-wheelers, just doesn't seem right.

Sometimes, certain email addresses get tagged as "junk" and dumped in the recipient's SPAM folder. This can happen on either side of the email conversation. That would be one explanation for lack of response. If I want to really get in touch with someone through email, I try at least 3 times (and from 2 different email addresses). Be persistent, be tenacious!

Yes, those tires would be at home on a Jeep or some other vehicle meant to be taken off-road. But there are so many tire options out there that it should be fairly easy to replace these with some more correct-looking tires. Otherwise, the model looks great!

I agree 100%! The correct interleaving of the spokes cannot be done with photoetched spoke discs. That is something that the 3D printing handles well already. I think give it some time for the technology to improve and the printers will be able to print thinner (properly scaled) spokes. We're almost there!