peteski

That model looks very nice Steve, and so does your 1:1 car (which you can actually drive around without having to make vroom-vroom noises).

You should have politely set her straight. After all, a pharmacist is a professional who should not be making that type of a comment. Especially in this politically correct world we live in. Although I'm not sure if it would have made much difference, but it would likely have made you feel better.

Yes, I have ordered from Hobby Search (1999.co.jp) and from Hobby Link Japan without problems. They can be a bit different to deal with than typical American online vendors, but they are perfectly reliable and safe to deal with.

I assume you emailed them at Becky@slixx.com . Maybe your email was intercepted by their Spam filter for some reason. If you have another email account you can try emailing them from. Or maybe try calling them at 770-720-3177 ? Or even send them an old-fashion snail-mail letter. The address is on their website.

You might be thinking of steel wheels with similar shape openings in them. Those would be used in trailers.

Carl, not sure if I understand your question. Do you mean that the bead area of the hollow tire is too narrow? If yes, then like others mentioned, stuff the inside of the tire with something. I use a foam rubber insulation rod which is sold in various diameters in hardware stores. It is similar material to pool noodles, but it comes in a solid diameter "rod" It can easily be stuffed inside the tire to spread out the sidewalls. Edit: It is actually called "closed-cell foam backer rod). It can be trimmed if needed.

Well, that's not good. Hopefully you will eventually get some answers from Slixx. Dave I asked and I didn't see a reply. Since you had successful experience with Slixx in the past, can you tell if those misbehaving decals are any stiffer or thicker than the ones which used to work well? And Bob, I would never even consider waxing the model before applying decals. Like you said, wax will leave likely leave film os toms substance (like silicon) on the paint's surface.

I stay away from using ball bearings or BBs (any metal objects) as agitators. Steel ball bearings can rust, and lead can also oxidize in water-based paints, discoloring them. I also had that happen in some solvent-based paints. I now only use glass craft beads about 1/16" is diameter. Glass will not react with any solvents. Larger glass marbles are used as agitators in spray cans. I'm also very fastidious in cleaning the bottle lip and the gasket on the cap before screwing the cap on. I also use Parafilm-M for masking but I noticed that some solvents will soften the film. I notice that when I remove the film fresh after painting. It is likely paraffin-based (hence its name). Naphtha for example will dissolve paraffin. I have not done any experiments with it and solvents such as acetone or mineral spirits, but I suspect those will also soften or dissolve it. Should be safe to use on water-based paints.

Dave, is it possible that the paint (gloss coat) is the culprit? Since you already have some unused decals, can you maybe try to apply them to some other smooth surface to see how they behave?

Sounds like a good thing.

Fun stuff. The "meat" of the thread was in the first few posts. The rest is just a fun discussion.

Weird! It is as if you were applying them to a Teflon coated surface? Are the decals as thin as older Slick decals you have used in the past, or is the decal film itself thicker or stiffer than the old ones?

Andy, sorry to hear about your health issues, and I'm glad you are feeling better. Nice to see you making progress on the model again. I'm also glad that you took my comment as educational (as intended by me). To further explain, yes generators produce DC voltage while alternators internally produce a multi-phase AC voltage, but they also contain a "diode pack" rectifier which converts the AC voltage to DC which then is output to the electrical circuitry in the car. Alternators replaced generators because they are lighter than generators, and they are also more efficient, producing more power (amperage) than generators did. Visually alternators are shorter than generators, and they are also have larger diameter than generators. Here's an example. Alternator on the right.

Nice ride! Monogram made 1:24 scale TR8 kit. I have one still in shrink-wrap, but I heard the kit is not very good, so it might stay wrapped.

My thought's exactly. If accurately scaled, it likely wouldn't really be noticeable. If made larger than scale, it would be visible. But then again, the human aye (actually brain) might interpret the out-of-scale visible pattern acceptable and look realistic. I owned a '74 or '75 (don't remember) Gold Duster and it had a brown snake-skin-pattern vinyl roof. Not trying to replicate that in scale.

Most likely because the prices were in U.S. currency. Testors likely made different lids for domestic and export markets.

And I'll say it again: if you are fastidious enough (no reason not to be) and clean the bottle lip and the gasket in the lid, there will never be a reason to use brute force to loosen it (and possible end up with broken glass). Simple enough.

Let's face it: unless the instructions on the paint can state that the paint is designed to be used on plastic, all the bets are off. The paints all of you use are general-purpose spray paints, usually used on metal or wood surfaces. Using them on plastic is like playing a game of Russian Roulette. You might get away with those paints on certain models (maybe some specific plastic formulations), then BAM, one model gets ruined. And as mine states, paint companies do change their chemical formulations. Again, check the label for compatibility with plastics.

Does that mean that PMs also moderated for new members?

Modeler Guy, geez, you could have used a better subject line, but I guess I took the bait. This question comes up here fairly regularly. Here is the latest thread from October. It contains links to previous threads with info about multiple decal producers.

I'm confused. The way you described it sounds like you are trying to trim them while they are still wet on the model? You need them to dry first. Or are you saying that even when dry, they don't stay on the model? If that's the case then yes, contact Slixx. It also sounds like you have successfully used Slixx decals (and decal setting solutions) in the past. If you are using the same setting solution as before, and the decals are melting, then again contact Slixx.

While I never been to a KISS concert, I am a big fan of the '70s stuff (original KISS) - their music and the theatrical performance. Everything else after that (with few exceptions) is meh. I also have to chuckle when I see any of those '60s and '70s Rock bands still performing today. Those guys are old farts! I wonder how, back in their prime in the '70s they would look at themselves as 60- and 70-something guys playing live rock concerts. It's surreal! Not that there is anything wrong with that. Rock on 'till you drop guys!

Better ads use clever plots or good (not stupid) humor. Those are more memorable to me than being annoyed by repetitive ads. I still remember The phone company Yellow Pages commercials from the '90s. Those were very clever. Furniture Stripping, Rock Drills, Dumb Waiters, Civil Engineers, and many more. In more recent times State Farm Insurance ads are also quite good. But Liberty Mutual ads with the emu are really annoying. Wouldn't get insurance from them.

Very bad. Right now it is a season for the Medicare "plan C" ads. Camp Lejune, Asbestos, and all the ambulance chasers ads. Ad-noseum!

That is not an alternator. It's a generator. I don't know if alternators were used on any cars of that vintage. I know "picky, picky, picky". But seriously that is a very interesting project (not one I would attempt). It is looking pretty darn good so far.