peteski

For many years a friend of mine and I were collaborating on his model of a carnival in N-scale (that is a model train scale of 1:160). He built the models and I animated and illuminated them. The scene resides on a pair of NTRAK modules which we display at the local model train shows. Here is an older video showing the original midway. Couple of years ago my friend wanted to expand the midway by adding another couple of feet to the module set. One of the rides was going to be bumper cars. Since there are no commercially available models of N-scale bumper cars I offered to make them for him. I decided to make a master and cast them out of resin. The carnival is set in late 1960s or early 1970s. I first gathered some photos of bumper cars. I then got some rough dimensions. These are the prototype on which I loosely based my model. I started with a piece of acrylic (Plexiglas) which I cut to the scale length and width of the car. The scribed mark denotes how high the car needs to be. Then I planned on how to get to the shape I needed. Next, using a saw, files, and dental grinding bits in a Dremel tool, I removed all the material which was not the bumper car's body. I then scribed the front grille and a trim line around the body. Finally, I polished the body using an 4-grit fingernail polishing stick. The steps which I didn't photograph (I should have) were milling machine operations: Using a 0.025" mill bit I made a hole for the electric pickup pole in the rear and holes for 0.025" styrene rod I would use for the headlight pods. Then I glued in the styrene rod and trimmed it to represent the headlight pods. I then separated the car body from the rest of the acrylic piece. Then, using a piece of 0.032" acrylic sheet, I made the "rubber bumper" base for the car. Base glued to the car body (using a methylene chloride based liquid cement). I then glued the master pattern to a flat acrylic base. Using masking tape, I created a dam to hold the RTV rubber and ... ...poured the liquid rubber into the cavity. Once the rubber hardens, I remove the tape and pull the rubber mold off the master. It is a simple 1-piece open mold. I just poured the resin until the cavity was full. Here is the first molding popped out of the mold. I also went a little nuts: I photoetched the steering wheels. Then I soldered them to a steering column made from a 0.010" brass rod. Steering wheels ready to be painted black. A finished bumper car. The body and the bumper areas were airbrushed with Scalecoat II paint and the seat and grille/headlights were brush painted (under a microscope). Here is a couple on a Nickel .... And a whole gaggle of finished models. Before you ask, yes, I had to cut off the feet of the figures before I plopped them in the cars. I'll try a 2-tone paint job on the next batch I'll make. I am totally nuts for making them this detailed, since they will be placed inside a covered arena, viewed from about 2 feet. But I just couldn't help myself... Here are the bumper cars placed on the track. And a night shot. Here is an overall view of the new part of the midway. This is an early photo, before the people figures and final detailing was done. This is a newer video showing the entire midway.

I just mentioned this on another thread: used cars are now called certified pre-owned vehicles! That also means the price is higher. I also work for a large corporation and sometimes have to communicate with Indians (dot, not feather). I often have to "do the needful" and "revert back" "urgently". That drives me u[p the wall! And now for some more fun reading I'll bring you few gems from The Oatmeal grammar comics (I highly recommend visiting that site for some amusing grammar instructions)

Only when discussing them with old farts like us! Ask any 20- or 30-somethign and they will give you a blank stare. They are now called "frozen entreé". Just like used cars are now "certified pre-owned vehicles". Going back to TV dinners, they came on aluminum trays. You had to peel off the aluminum foil cover over the brownie or the apple pie. Couldn't heat them up in a Radarange...

While I have seen some amazing-looking models with unpainted (polished) bodies, you have to make sure that the plastic is not slightly translucent. If it is, even polished, it will look plasticky. In my experience bright red or yellow plastic is often translucent. Easy test: look at a light source (like a table lamp) through the body. you'll be able to easily see whether the plastic is opaque or translucent.

The seat looks really good. I would also follow Cato's advice about the bottom part of the seat. Black with chrome band. The Pocher Mercedes 300K I built many years ago had the floor factory-flocked with a very similar "carpet". I thought that was a great time saver!

Well done - nice attention to details - beautiful model!

Using electroless plating you can dump 100 bolts in the plating solution and do them all at the same time. Tinning using a soldering iron woudl have to be done one-at-a-time. Also, plating results in a nice even satin finish. Not so when using soldering iron. But yes, it is an alternative.

That is some really great modeling Brandon! One thing that looks a bit odd to me is all the brass bolts. real car would not have those in brass color (unless someone painted or plated them). They to me would look more realistic if they were silver. When I use brass hardware in this type of application I always tin plate them. That gives them a dull silver finish which to me better. You can pickup the plating kit from http://www.caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing/tin-plating-kits/electroless-tin-plating-kits.html or also from electronic supply companies. Sometimes it also comes in powder form (to be dissolved by the user) which is easier to ship. Another alternative would be to blacken the brass bolts using one of the chemicals from https://www.jaxchemical.com/products.html I can't wait to see that car in white!

Good thread! What has been buggin' me lately is that some people use the word "ask" instead of "question". So, instead of saying "What was the question?" they say "What was the ask?" Like, WTF! But seriously, that bothers me.

You mean FRED?

and peteski! I grew up with these cars around me.

Nope. It is pure Toyota (made in Japan). All the parts have Toyota markings on it and the xB was sold as Toyota bB in Japan. I read that it shares its drivetrain with Toyota Echo. I agree 100%. The first generation xB was cuter and better than the second generation (2008 and up) xB. I usually get mid-30 MPGs in my 2006.

Decal solvents or setting solutions are usually needed when the decal is applied over uneven surfaces or over complex curves. That way instead of wrinkling up or having air bubbles under it, the solution will soften the decal film so it sucks down close to the surface of the model.

You're Welcome Bo. That website has this info about Sweden: Some members of IPMS Stockholm have been using a product from S.C. Johnson Sweden, called Pledge Klar Polish. It can be bought in ICA and COOP Supermarkets. Dan the Droid Building Viking reported this information for our use - thanks Dan.

What scale? They aren't "fuzzy"? Will they look like shiny smooth metal when painted?

I guess my 2005 xB (aka. "da Box", "the Fridge", "the Toaster", or even "pregnant roller-skate") will be a collectible someday? I have to make sure to save the emblems!

Not sure what that has to do with low oil prices and airlines making record profits. Sounds like that airline wasn't very healthy to begin with, or maybe it declared bankruptcy to get rid of debts (like pensions).

Because it reminds me of my childhood.

I decant paint using spray nozzles with a small tube (like the one in WD40). Only after the can is empty (by leaving the nozzle open until all the propellant is gone) I use a pair of dikes to puncture a hole on the bottom of the side wall and drain the remaining paint. Then I again use a pair of dikes to pry around the top cap which holds the valve. Next, I pull that cap off giving me full access to the interior of can. I then remove the marbles and the siphon tube. Both can be useful for hobbies. Last thing is to put the completely drained and open can in recycling.

You guys are killin' me with all those Polish foods! I'm starving! Anybody ever had kabanosy?

Another easy one for me. I have a model of it.

You should be able to find info about what we call Future in http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html and how to find it in your country.

I have the Triumph. Picked it up at a flea market few years back. I like strange looking models. I wonder if that Mercedes is the same as the old ESCI Mercedes 450SL? I have few of those.

You're not the only one to notice what has been going on for several years now. Just see what Incredible Shrinking Products others see out there. This is a good one. Things like cans of tuna have been shrinking for a long time. Not only is there less product, the cans themselves are made from much thinner steel. Peanut butter packaging seems the same on the outside, but if you look on the bottom of the jar, instead of being flat, there is a deep dome there, reducing the volume and weight of the product! Sneaky tricks! I had to laugh last time I picked up box of Nabisco Chicken in a Biskit crackers. While the box looked normal, there was something strange about it. When I brought it home I compared to the onld box I still had and there was less product in the new one. But the box was slightly shorted and not as deep as the old one. It also does burn me up that when the oil (and gasoline) prices skyrocketed in the early 2000's all the shipping companies and airlines all jacked up their prices due to the fuel costs. Now that we are back at the early 2000's cost of fuel, nobody is lowering their prices. The airlines just announced that they are raising their prices and raking the record profits.

Pro-Weld is similar to Tenax, which is mostly Methylene Chloride (same stuff as the much cheaper Weld-On 3 mentioned earlier). They all have that same sweet smell which will eventually kill us all.