peteski

I want to repeat what has already been stated few times, yet the gauge is mentioned again as a valid diameter measurement. WIRE GAUGE (AWG) IS THE SPECIFICATION FOR THE DIAMETER OF THE METAL CONDUCTOR. It does not include the insulation diameter (which is what we really need for our use in models). Insulation thickness is not standardized or universal. It will vary depending on the manufacturer, type of plastic used and on the voltage rating of the wire. The overall diameter of the wire and insulation is usually not specified by the manufacturers (or extremely hard to find). So while knowing the gauge of the wire only gives a rough idea about the relative thickness of the overall diameter. Then by the same token when using non-insulated or enameled craft wire then the AWG size is a useful measurement. But in my experience I very seldom use that type of wire for modeling rubber tubing, hoses or insulated wires.

The way I interpreted Harry's comment was that on your model the the decal goes right over the door line and it is solid red, even in the gap between the door and the fender. On the real car that is not done - the gap shows up as a dark line. If you were to take a a fine dark color marker and ran it in the door line, or apply a dark wash, the model would look more realistic.

For simple molds, if the resin is fresh, and the ambient air is dry then yes, you can cast in open air. But other than that pressure pot is really required to produce quality bubble-free casting's.

Sure, repeat all you want but nothing will change . . .

My answer would be to get an airbrush, but that is not what you are looking for. Did you try to warm up the spray can in lukewarm water before spraying? As far as paint removal goes, is it the color layer or the primer layer which is not coming off?

Using a pressure pot helps a lot in getting bubble-free castings.

I agree with Pete - experiment on spoons. That is always good thing to do when you change paints or their formulation. When I don't use lacquer thinner (I use the SCL brand) with hobby enamels, I use the thinner specifically made for that brand enamels. Like Pete said, thinners are mixture of chemical compounds. Odorless thinner might not be fully compatible with whatever paint you're thinning.

I actually like that one (not sure why). Even have (still unbuilt) model of it.

Yeah, what he said!

The longer we use the Internet, the more problems we will encounter. The more complex the websites get, the more bugs will show up. Also since the security is sorely lacing on most sites, hackers will eventually break in and create more problems. Then there are the DoS attacks which happen, causing more problems. It is just part of the online experience. Isn't Flicker part of Yahoo (which recently admitted to a large data bread after they were hacked)? Give it some time and Flicker will have problems too. Best way to handle photos relating to forum posts would be to host the photos locally on the forum. But that requires server space which most forums don't want to manage or can't afford. So we are at the mercy of the free photo hosting sites which will from time to time go offline.

0.0075" wire can be used for spark plug wire in . . . 1:43 scale models.

Yes it is. Here is a good review (with photos of that detailed interior): Nautilus Review

I might be a bit anal here but 2-part putties do not "dry" - they harden by chemical reaction. That is a very desired property (since there is no shrinking or long-time out-gassing). The 1-part putties have solvent in them which evaporates to make them hard. So those putties "dry". Since the solvent was taking up some volume in those putties, once it evaporates the putty shrinks. If the putty layer is thick enough the solvent gets trapped deep inside the layer of putty and it will not fully evaporate for a very long time. That is also undesired properly.

I wonder if the foil adhesive is not applied smoothly under the foil (at the factory)? Maybe that is causing the waves on the foil's surface?

That was my first impression: a strange-looking Henry J! Only after the second look the fins said: Cadillac. I also agree about the wheels - not a fan.

Your 2nd guess is right on the money! N-Scale (1:160) 1910 Knox fire engine. For more info go to http://micronart.com/customerPratt_details.html and then click on the top middle photo. BTW, if you right-click on any of the photos and select view image (or the equivalent for your browser) you will see a full-size photo. As I mentioned I use wire insulation as tubing but I also use heat-shrink tubing if I need larger-diameter tubing. As for the double-sided tape (in the photo I posted earlier), this is what I use:

I have bunch of 1:43 NEO models and I agree that they are all excellent quality. They also make models of many cars which have never before been produced as models (like the '79-'85 Cadillac Eldorado, or the same vintage Buick Riviera for example).

Maybe I should clarify: I use the paints which are sold in small cylindrical glass bottles. Modelers call them water-based acrylic paints, even though the solvent is mostly alcohol. I don't think those paints are actually enamels. For airbrushing I thin them with the Tamiya thinner specifically designed for them. I also have the transparent blue and as you said, if it sits for a while the blue pigment separates from the clear carrier/solvent. But I expected the blue to still be transparent after application, just like the other transparent colors. The transparent green for example also has pigment which settles down the bottle, but when it is applied to the model surface it dries transparent (not cloudy). Then I think Tamiya also makes a set of transparent paints in spray cans. Those are synthetic lacquers. As far as the glossy finish goes (and even coverage), I agree that it is tough to get. But you can always try and coat the transparent color paint with a layer of plain clear paint.

I'm not a long-time member here but even in the time I have been participating in this forum I can tell that Bill is not someone who is looking for attention or trolling to stir the pot. To me he is a knowledgeable member of the MCM forum who is always willing to share his expertise with others. But sometimes stuff happens - nobody's perfect. We now know that we watched (hopefully) a future model builder building his first model. Hopefully he is alright.

I've sprayed and brush-painted the Tamiya clear red, amber, yellow, and green over clear styrene pieces (like taillight lenses) and they all dried transparent (not cloudy). I have not tried transparent blue. Not sure what the problem is. Did you mix the paint well? Was it brushed or sprayed?

If and when I build mine I'll be sure to take photos of the interior. But don't hold your breath - I have years worth of other in-progress projects in my workshop. I'm also thinking of lighting up the interior, but even then with the small windows it will be hard to see.

Ok, with all this hullabaloo I watched the video. Did any of you check the comments? I also checked out all his other videos. The answer is clear: this video is not a joke. It is for real! It clearly is a teenager. If you want to meet the person you were chewing out, check out this video: That might have been his first (and only) model kit. He used the crappy water-based paints which were most likely included with the model. You can see the vials those paints come in. He obviously is a video game fan (his other videos are all Minecraft), so he was probably excited to actually build some tangible object. That is how I see it. Do any of you remember how your first model kit came out? Need I say more? What worries me (seriously) is that he has not posted anything for 3 years. Usually kids don't just abruptly stop posting stuff online! hope that he is ok. Seriously guys - lighten up! At our annual model contest we have models much worse than that entered in the Juniors class. Let a kid be a kid.

I smell it!

Here are some of the things I do to hold very small parts for painting. I use insulation stripped from various gauge wire (as tubing to hold the parts), masking tape and a thick double sided clear tape (similar to the foam poster tape but clear). You can also see small dowels (pieces of toothpicks). "Roach clips" also work well for some parts.

Not quite. Both Floquil and Testors were owned by RPM for decades. Rustoleum is also just another brand in the RPM portfolio. I suspect that dwindling sales and ever-strigent air-pollution regulations were the main reason for the discontinuation of all those paint lines. I couldn't find any specifics as to when RPM acquired Floquil but I have some bottles from the early '90s with the RPM logo on them (and with the Amsterdam, NY address). RPM owned Testors since 1984. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testor_Corporation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RPM_International All these mergers between companies seem to done to maximize the company's bottom line - not for the customer's benefit. Here is the original letter of discontinuance of the paint lines. It seems that RPM had them all managed under the Testors name. From http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/13972 Friday, May 17th, 2013 Dear Valued Partner, I am writing to inform you about changes that are taking place at the Testor Corporation. For over 80 years, we have provided premium paints and finishing systems to the craft and hobby industry. Today, we announced that we are transforming our business in order to more effectively address the changing needs of our consumers and their interests. We’ve made the decision to exit the following businesses within the Testor® Brand family - Pactra®, Floquil®, Polyscale®, and ColorArtz®. This will enable the Testor Corporation to return to our foundation of success – providing premium, innovative product that inspires creativity. We will continue to accept orders and ship product for a limited time based on available quantities. Going forward, the following brands will be critical to our success and development – Testor®, Model Master™, and Aztek®. These brands will be infused with marketing support, innovation and operational efficiencies. In support of this, we have announced a consolidation of operations at our Rockford facilities. Over the next several months we will provide updates critical to your order and delivery needs as well as product availability. We assure you there will be no disruption to service during this transition. Our commitment to the Testor brand has never been stronger. By implementing these changes, and the ability to leverage all of Rust-Oleum’s world class services, we are more strongly poised to take your business to the next level through product and merchandising innovations, and increased customer intimacy. Please contact me or your sales manager directly with any questions. We appreciate your business! Best Regards, Kristin J. Schiro Director of Sales & Marketing