peteski

Thanks for the very complete explanation. It is good to learn how life is on other countries. I have visited Japan (Tokyo and Shizuoka City) back in 2005 and I was very impressed with the neatness and organization everywhere.

While without a doubt the overall fidelity of these wheels is amazing, every time I look at them, there is something off about them. I think the spokes seem a bit too chunky when compared to photoetched or metal wire wheels.

Thanks for the explanation, but I'm still a bit confused. So basically you want to see the passenger side mirror while still paying attention to the road directly in front of you, or is is just impolite to turn your head to the passenger side? As far as the rides sharing (Uber, Lyft) go, isn't the liability covered by the companies themselves? And why there is no incentive? Is it because the public transportation is so well developed that it just as fast and convenient to take trolley, bus, or a train?

Interesting . . .

That is an odd one, including the suicide passenger door. I also don't get Japanese fascination for fender-mounted side mirrors. I rather have that mirror closer to my eyes than one mounted couple of feet away from me. It must be like peeking through a keyhole. I also wonder if Uber and Lyft will eventually kill off the "real" taxis in Japan.

Um, one of your friends doesn't appreciate gifts (returned the model you gave them), and now another stabs you in the back (or is it the same "friend")? Seems that you might benefit from a change of friends.

Interesting idea. I think that just squeezing the monofilament in a pair of small pliers (placing it closer to the joint for greater pressure) will flatten it nicely too - no vise needed. I do this to even flatten copper and brass wire.

Blending some VM&P Naphtha with the thinner will also slow down its evaporation.

Static electricity can be neutralized by a negative ion generator. Some hair dryers have one of those built in, or you can buy ones built into a small fan (used to neutralize static electricity on electronic rework benches). Placing the plastic body in the air stream full of negative ions should neutralized the static charge. Or wait until Summer when the humidity in the air naturally dissipates the static.

What a bunch of groaners! You guys just further prove that there is a "P - U" in every pun.

I think it is because there aren't *THAT* many North American cars which are hard to identify. Unless you are looking for some very small specific annual detail change (like the color of the directional signal lens, or some small script on a fender). But like Michael said, you are free to post your own quiz here (in parallel with his). Ads for the same people correctly answering those quizzes, I suspect that they would also be the same ones correctly guessing the American cars. To me they are just very knowledgeable individuals.

And you are one of the moderators here! LOL!

I use Corel Draw and Photo Paint - these are graphic editors which allow for very accurate scaling. Then there is this bitmaps vs. vector-based images thing. And printing is yet another subject. It takes lots of experimentation to get optimal results. Ink jet printouts are often too fuzzy for small images like 1:25 gauges. In your example, if you want to use a bitmap, first convert it to black/white (sometimes called line-art color space). No colors, no grayscale. The actual scale image should be at least 600 dpi (but 1200 or 2400 will be even better). When printing try to find a selection in your printer properties where it will only use black ink (sometimes it is called grayscale). Then you will need to mess around with the print quality and different paper types to get best results (with minimal ink blooming). Often using lower quality printing (like draft) will yield best results with small black/white images.

Well, if a leak develops in that area then the propellant will simply escape, and the paint won't spray.

It reminded me of a Polish Syrena car, but it was not quite that either. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FSO_Syrena

If applied to a clean plastic surface and sanded within few hours of setting up, it sands well. But if you wait a day or two, it is not so good (it sets harder then styrene). Of course I assume that you use accelerator to set the glue (I use the BSI brand accelerator).

Yes, those *LARGE* scale 3D printed models are beautiful. But I'm sure they didn't come out of the printer looking like that - I'm sure some prep was involved to produce those stunning models. Also, I would be really interested what brand/model printed is being used to print those parts. I'm pretty sure it is not a $700 hobby printer. It is likely an industrial machine, way out of reach of reach of an average modeler. It probably costs more than your yearly salary. And the cost of resin also needs to be considered. But (as seen here), I have to say that the technology is already here for making 3D printed model cars.

I don't know that either, but seems more reasonable than the seller offering a discount or a sale ever few days. It would make sense that it is done automatically (if the item is not selling).

The 2-part (catalyst and resin) fillers do not shrink appreciably, and neither does CA glue when used as a filler. I'm not a fan of "liquid plastic" mentioned here, especially applied fairly thick. While the solvent will evaporate from the surfaces, it can stay trapped in the center of the "filler" for quite some time. It might even soften the plastic part it is applied to. It might take weeks or months in some instances. But different modelers use different techniques. Whatever works for you . . .

Yes, it seems that embossing powder is the "new flocking". From what I read here on the forum, it results in more realistic looking carpeting.

I think that this cyclical price reduction "sale" is something done automatically by eBay. Probably some setting the seller enables on long duration or buy-it-now listings to entice buyers.

Nice collection! Most of my childhood toys were left in Poland (and now gone) when I immigrated to USA. I did manage to bring few with me. And throughout the years I have reacquired (usually on eBay) several of the items from my childhood.

Yeah, couple of days ago mine was put away in my private warehouse at Hobby Link Japan! It should be well worth the wait!

Never tried it. Maybe the one Rico recommended is non-acetone kind? He didn't say. I'm old school - as soon as I hear fingernail polish remover I think: acetone.

Put me in the "doesn't do anything for me" category. Actually I think it is ugly. The proportions seem all wrong and exaggerated.