peteski

I recommend reading the following threads for some good drill bit discussions (as that is a whole another subject). As it will become apparent there, whenever possible I highly prefer using the PC Board Tungsten Carbide drill bits with 1/8" shanks.

Oh yeah, in today's world you have to be ever vigilant to keep the bad guys away. Thanks for keeping the forum running smoothly!

Yes, the access speed seems back to normal. Thanks Dave! Now I'm curious what the problem was.

Dead? Maybe to you, but there are still lots of us using it. As for shelf life, I still have some remains of it on a backing sheet which is 30 years old and the adhesive still works (I tested it). BMF chrome foil is made from some special metal alloy (it is *NOT* just aluminum foil). That makes it more stretchy, which is a huge advantage when foiling complex shaped surfaces. Aluminum will also stretch but nowhere as much as BMF. But you're right, we need to wait and see what the Tamiya foil is like, but after trying multiple BMF imitations, I'm not holding much hope.

I do pin quite a bit of parts in my builds. Not only for attachment, but sometimes as alignment pins for parts which do not have any alignment aids otherwise. I mostly use hard brass rod (wire) in various diameters (depending on the size of the parts being pinned). From 0.020" down to 0.010". For that one I use #80 drill bit (0.013"). I use CA as adhesive. This is a very helpful technique for clean (no glue stains) joints for small items like the rear-view mirrors on the doors or fenders.

That's true Matt, and the solution is to buy directly from BMF. Unfortunately for modelers living outside of USA, this is not a viable or cost-effective option.

Several years back I had a similar problem with their (non-metallic) enamel paint. I did a test spraying on a spoon and the paint never hardened (even after several weeks (and spending some time in the dehydrator). I could still easily dent the finish by pushing the edge of my fingernail into it. When I contacted them about it, they sent me a small bottle of hardener. It was a clear liquid to e mixed with the paint before airbrushing. At that time I got busy with other projects and never tested the paint/hardener combo. Some time later I noticed that the liquid hardener has hardened in the bottle (which I never even opened). It looks like a solid block of crystal clear resin. I guess that is a good indication that the hardener would have have made the paint hard. I wasn't even aware that enamel paints needed hardeners. At least none of the hobby enamels (like Testors) or even household enamles like the stuff you buy in hardware stores need add-on hardeners. While they take long time to harden, they do that without any extra hardener needed.

I'm quite familiar with quality of Tamiya products, and myself a big fan. Sure, good to have yet another option for adhesive foil, but to me the BMF "chrome" is without equals in its pliability. I have tried multiple brnads of similar foils, and read and participated in foil reviews here. The problems with BMF (which seemed to correspond with the COVID-19 craziness which affected ever facet of out lives) seem to have been resolved. For some time now BMF has been back to its original quality.

We have been discussing this on a model RR forum I frequent. I can't link to that topic becuase it is in a members-only section, but here are some external links: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/firecrown-media-grows-again-with-addition-of-trains-astronomy https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NwhJgYUkKchceELvfckU32qAvA-bnxGEDNuI6RPEa60/edit?usp=sharing https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/kalmbach-publishing-sold-to-firecrown-media-13364332?trail=100 and https://firecrown.com/about/

I have noticed it few days ago that it takes exta long time for anything I try to do. After I click on anything (like bringing up a thread or going to the unread part of a thread, or hovering over a thread subject line to see the little first/latest post summary), the status line on the bottom of my browser shows "Waiting for www.modelcarsmag.com". Then after some time the forum websites responds and supplies the requested into which then renders fast. I don't recall experiencing anything like that for such extended period of time. I access the forum various times of the day (from about 7am to midnight), and the access is slow at all the times I have been accessing the forum. I have no sluggishness accessing any other websites.

Well, that information puts a while new light on the situation. The dehydrators are mostly used with the old-school stinky paints (enamels and lacquers). They are not really needed for the newer low-odor water-based paints that you use. For those paints a hair dryer is quite sufficient (and often used by the people who do painting demonstrations, showing how quickly those paints dry). Of course a dehydrator would work well with Createx, but it is not really needed.

Well then, I wouldn't use it for window trim (like they demonstrated), as those on 1:1 cars are more "chromey" looking.

Doesn't look very "chromey". At least in the photo it looks like brushed aluminum.

Your wife is one smart cookie! You're a lucky guy!

I never ever spray the accelerator. Yes, I know they come with sprayers, but it is like trying to put out a match with a fire hose! In our application we deal with very small glue areas (like a size of a pin head, or a long thin glue bead). Soaking the surrounding area with accelerator seems totally unnecessary, and a waste of accelerator. I use small glass dental mixing cups which have small depression in them. I deposit a pool of CA glue in the one covered with aluminum foil (for ease of cleaning). I also unscrew the spray cap for the accelerator and using a pipette I deposit a small amount in the other cup. That usually lasts me entire modeling session. I apply tiny amounts of CA using home-made applicators made from sewing needles, and I apply the accelerator using Micro Brushes. I don't actually touch the brush loaded with the accelerator to the liquid CA glue but touch to the surface next to it. The accelerator spreads out by itself, and meets the liquid CA setting it quickly. If I end up touching the Micro Brush to the glue, it can clog up. if it's not fully clogged, I keep using it. When it becomes unusable, I just toss it and get a new brush (they not very expensive). That precision application gives me nice clean glue joints.

Larry, You should still be able to find 40W incandescent bulbs in hardware stores. According to the regulations (as shown in https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/01/business/incandescent-light-bulb-ban/index.html ) still available will be: Appliance lamps, including fridge and oven lights Black lights Bug lamps Colored lamps Infrared lamps Left-handed thread lamps Plant lights Flood lights Reflector lamps Showcase lamps Traffic signals Some other specialty lights, including marine lamps and some odd-sized bulbs I also believe that standard 40W bulbs are also still being sold. It is the 100W or higher standard incandescent bulbs which are no longer available.

How long have you been away Larry? To put things in perspective, I had a food dehydrator dedicated to my hobbies (to speed up paint drying and resin setting) for over 30 years. That was before Internet forums. I most likely read about using a dehydrator for paint drying in the FineScale Magazine (that was the only model kit related magazine I was reading at the time and I was a lone-wold modeler at that time. I've heard of modelers building their own "paint drying ovens" using a light bulb (usually 40W) in an enclosure with some vent openings for the air to circulate and to control the temperature. That is basically how my dehydrator works. It is a plastic unit 40W heating element in the bottom and bunch of vents with adjustable shutters on both top and bottom. I have small baking thermometer stuck through one of the vent holes in the top lid to monitor the temperature. IMO, if you are interested in a dehydrator, you could probably just buy one of the basic ones (like mine) for some short money. I never needed all the fancy features some more expensive dehydrators (or drying ovens for models) have.

You're a man of few words, but pictures tell the story.

Not sure why this was such a hangup. As the parts list scan shows, decal (sheet) contains bunch of individual decals on it. As it has been mentioned, is it a translation issue.

I thought that nowadays Revell kits were molded and packaged in Poland, and tires were made in China. I didn't know they also had some production in Germany or Austria.

You know, there is a logic in this madness. They are doing this to get customers so fed up they will use different shipping companies, to the point that the USPS will go of business, closing this ancient quasi-government institution.

Yeah, Zip-Kicker is acetone-based so it can do nasty things to plastic and paints. I have ditched it in favor of BSI (Bob Smith Industries) CA accelerator. It uses a mild solvent which does not attack plastic, and is fairly low-odor with maybe even a somewhat pleasant smell.

Brutal? Really? I've been a frequent visitor here for years and I have not noticed a lot of this happening on this forum. Is that a problem? If one is a fastidious modeler, why not be fastidious in your writing? I'm far from being a perfect speller, but I try.

Do you have any Tamiya tape to compare with washi? To me they seem identical. The weaker adhesive is actually a good thing (will not lift the paint). The benefit is that the tape is thinner any slightly more stretchy than standard masking tapes, and the adhesive layer also seems thinner. Lots of modelers successfully use Tamiya tape for masking. But we all do have different techniques and preferences.

Yeah, we have a very similar active discussion is just few threads under this one.