peteski

I believe the $120k equipment you linked to is not what is used for "plating" styrene parts. Looking at the FAQ's from that website, I quote: Physical Vapor Deposition - also known as PVD Coating - refers to a variety of thin film deposition techniques where solid metal is vaporized in a high vacuum environment and deposited on electrically conductive materials as a pure metal or alloy coating. The vacuum deposition systems used by the model manufacturers (and 3rd party platers) do not require the materials to be electrically conductive. Our model parts are polystyrene and while they do apply clear glossy lacquer to those parts before the vacuum deposition process, I don't believe that the lacquer is conductive. But then again, I'm not an expert here - just a hobbyist who, like the saying goes, knows just enough to be dangerous.

Enamel paint used different chemistry than lacquer. Is there such a thing as "enamel-based" primer? I'm not talking about just some flat gray paint being used as primer, but a real primer designed to be a primer. I never heard of an enamel-based primer.

There was no mention if any decal setting solution was used. Those chemicals (often alcohol-based) can sometimes mar the paint surface and it will not wash off. But as far as the decal itself goes, it is all water-soluble, so any glue residue should come off with just more water. I also noticed that the paint onto which the decal was applied does not seem to be glossy, but more like satin finish. Water-slide decals should ideally be applied to glossy paint surface.

Weird! Maybe he was expecting cash? Or was that above and beyond the normal reimbursement you give him?

I thought that Barbie figures were closer to 1:12 scale.

I know that modelers generally call most clear plastic sheets "acetate", is it really acetate? Acetate (actually Cellulose Acetate) was one of early thermoplastics, and I don't think that it is actually used much in our hobbies anymore. Most clear plastic sheets are Polystyrene, PET, PETG, Acrylic (Plexiglas), or Polycarbonate (Lexan). I Acetate? Not so much.

So, you're leaving the old battleaxe behind? Nice! Hopefully the new pad has enough room for all your models.

What thickness was that? I think the 0.005" might have slight texture, but the thicker sheets should be perfectly clear. Another possibility is that instead of paper separator sheets they started adding a protective film over the sheet, which needs to be removed? It's been a while since I bought any Evergreen sheets.

Yes, I have replaced it once in the 30-odd years that I owned the airbrush. I did that when the needle could be reinserted into the airbrush with almost no resistance. But I don't recall if it pushes out through the front or the rear.

I have one pair of small tweezers with pointy tips where I slid some wire insulation stripped of a piece of cooper wire, and another pair where I slid some small diameter heat-shrink tubing, then shrunk the tubing with a heat gun. Both resulted in tweezers with soft tips

Yes, those files come in very handy. But for *REALLY* precise miniature work the best are reamers used by during root canal therapy. I had my share of those, and whenever I'm at the endodontist's office (for another root canal) I always tell them about my hobbies and as whether I could have couple of those tiny files they use during the procedure. They usually hav a a box with dozens of them (and many different sizes). They always let me have few of them (the unused ones of course). Those are the tiniest files I have ever seen.

I have been using the Blue Painter's tape in my modeling for years, and only the name brand stuff (no generics from the dollar store). It has a less aggressive adhesive than the regular tan-color masking tape. I use Tamiya tape for paint masking.

There is another Teflon seal where the needle enters the paint cavity. But being Teflon, it is solvent-safe.

Well, the license plates have white undercoat, and unless the other decals are applied to a white surface, ink jet or laser printed decals will not show colors correctly. Anything other than white will tint the colors on those decals. Doubling up will make them darker, but without an opaque white undercoat, they will still not look right. But to each his own.

I wish they would issue an electronic version, but I doubt that'll happen. There are some issues, but it is a good reference book.

Many of these Pyros were repopped by Life-Like in IIRC Historic Cars series. They are nice little kits. The show up on eBay often (or did last time I looked for them about 2 years ago).

Unfortunately it is not that simple. Ink Jet inks are translucent so the red and yellows will still need white undercoat. Unless you apply the decals to a white colored model.

That car has gorgeous lines - they sure don't make them like that anymore. it is pleasing to the eye and the hind quarters look muscular, like it is ready to go fast! When I was a kid I had a tethered-remote control one it was probably around 1/12 scale toy. It was orange. Actually it might have been my cousin's (but I just dreamed it was mine).

Exactly!

Nothing is real. Everything is fake. We are fake too! The conspiracy is real! I'm just a projection! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Thanks for the info Greg. There is another company called Cool Chem which makes Cyanopoxy glue which they claim is superior to standard CA. You mentioned how good a bond is when using the good old model cement - that is because that cement actually welds the plastic pieces together. A weld will be better than any glue joint which is only on the surface of the joined parts.

Yes, misinformation is rampant in this hobby. Including hobby companies It doesn't make things easier. I was enlightened few years ago at my club;'s meeting when one of the member gave a presentation on paints. That was an eye-opener! To answer your question, acrylic is the binder in those paints. Acrylic binder can be a water-based emulsion, or dissolved in a stinky organic-based solvent. So I think that Tamiya just tells you what substance is used as the binder. Similar to the house paints in a hardware store. They also give you descriptions like "latex" or "acrylic-latex". I think that Tamiya paints in the little glass jars are acrylic lacquers which use alcohol-based solvent (so they are only slightly-stinky). I never tried to thin them with water. I usually like to use thinners specifically designed for the paint. That way I don't have to worry about compatibility and bad reactions. Even the water-based paints have some other chemicals in the solvent - it is not just pure water. But then can be thinned with water. Those paints are usually enamels. My main gripe about the misuse of terms is that people just assume that acrylic=water-based and enamel=organic-based stinky solvent.

Yes, I meant Teflon when I wrote Nylon. Those are Teflon seals.

I accumulated them over the years, so I guess it makes me a tweezers collector. I did make that holder for them so I don't have to keep digging for the right pair in my tool drawers. And like you, I also use other tools for certain photoetched parts. And like I said, they are not just for photoetch - they come in handy for many different tasks.

Funny, I've been using this technique (but with the masking tape under the foil, not over) for years. It work really well for me (and no foil residue, and futzing with WD-40 on my paint job), but I might try it your way Steve.