peteski

LOL, yes. I don't know why but I thought you wrote "Believe it or not, it's not the first time it has happened to me, so I was clueless. " Looking at it now, the statement as I thought I saw it made no sense. but my brain was obviously not fully engaged.

This is the exact definition the club I belong to uses for their model contest rules (other clubs and contests rules might be different). BOX STOCK (additional requirement for Class 11 and 12 only): Finishing materials such as paint, metal foil, flocking and/or aftermarket decals are allowed. No other modifications or added details are permitted except as follows: Putty may be used to fill seams and/or to correct manufacturing flaws such as sink marks. Removal of details such as door handles, chrome trim or incorrect/extraneous underbody details are also allowed. Kit instructions MUST accompany the entry.

Yeah, the Super Kings trucks are around 1:64 scale

Never knew this existed. It reminds me of the Matchbox Super Kings Shell Tanker which I have in my collection.

OK, so what did you do the last time this happened to you?

Well, whatever dude. You'll never know what you didn't try. I'm not really interested in buying one either, but I was curious how they work. Now I know, and I feel educated.

Why not just put the decal in a ziploc bag and tape it to a window exposed to sun? That is the strongest source of wide-spectrum UV light. MegaWatts! I used natural sunlight to bleach decals in the past.

Might not be the best idea. It adding thinner to a paint, best is to use the same brand of thinner as the paint. Testors enamels use petroleum distillates which are chemically different than lacquer thinner. You might your your paint gelled after few months. And once enamel paint gels or partially solidifies (unlike lacquers), nothing will redissolve it.

Funny that this discussion was about other model-related forums, but it turned into free-speech gripe session. If one wants to discuss politics or religion, t here are places for that out there (liek FB or other non-modeling forums). To me modeling-themed forum is for modeling. Sure, many modeling forums have OT section, but many of the members don't even look at it, and the ones who participate usually post silly or entertaining things there (or obits).

That's correct. Just because they are lacquers, that doesn't automatically make them hot (unlike the lacquers designed to paint 1:1 metal-body cars, but which modelers used to paint plastic kits). Glosscote and Dullcote have been around for decades and are specifically designed for the hobby market.

The black coating on BMF can wear off, and it is too shiny for representing typical rubber gasket or even satin black painted trim. The silver edge will also be visible. Annd as others have said, it is not as pliable as the original or new chrome BMF.

But that is the visible diameter of the 1:1 rims. Rims of majority of the models are not accurate replicas of the 1:1 tire and rim. Model rims do not have lip. So visual diameter is what we use for models. The diagram afx posted is correct. If you were to use the diameter of the 1:1 tire bead, your model would not have accurately scaled wheels..

If none of those liquids removed tape residue, and only sanding took care of the problem, that to me indicates that it is not adhesive residue but the solvent in the paint you used permeated the tape and actually softened the plastic, so the tape's adhesive imprinted into the plastic. Either change the type of paint used, spray lighter layers, and remove the tape as soon as the paint flashes over.

I bought an Optivisor (good quality magnifier often seen used by jewelers) back in my 30's when my eyes were still excellent. I tried using it for some modeling tasks and found it very awkward. My naked eyes were quite up to the task without any magnification. fast forward few decades and now I couldn't do any modeling without that Optivisor. I'm addicted to it. Mine has a #7 lens plate which is fairly strong. When I don't need such high magnification, I just cheap reading glasses from a dollar store. I have 2.00 and 2.50 and those work well for me. In the meantime I also went to optometrist and got fitted for real reading glasses. Of course those work well too. I usually wear the glasses under my Optivisor. Optivisor's design is to me better than many other inexpensive ones because it shields the ambient light. I don't care for the magnifiers which just hang the lenses in front of your face. Plus the Oprivisor has removable lens plates, so you can easily switch between different magnification factors. Don't forget good illumination for your workbench - it is as important as good magnification.

Actually John, Testors Glosscote and Dullcote are lacquers, not enamels. They have always been lacquers. That is why they dry so fast.

Yeah, with all the FB groups you belong to, then here and possibly other online forums, even just skimming the contents, how the heck you still find time to build all those beautiful models? You must be retired or independently wealthy!

I don't think that vintage of Miata/Eunos was made as a (non-removable) hard top. It was roadster-only sports car. It did have removable hard top which could be installed. Yes, this vehicle is known as Mazda MX-5 Miata in the States. My GF owned one before I met her. It was the "M-Edition" and she said it was lots of fun to drive. I wish I met her earlier. Like Jason mentioned, Tamiya released both versions as separate kits. Both have the hard top option (molded in clear plastic, on the same tree as rest of the clear parts. I have both kits.

In the early days of the horseless carriage wasn't there a law that a person with a flag was supposed to walk some distance in front of the vehicle to warn people of the incoming vehicle? That tells you of the breakneck speed those vehicles could achieve. Same thing happened when first railroads were built - people were afraid that traveling faster than 25 MPH would do something nasty to the human body. Plus those contraptions spooked the horses used as a main means of transportation. We seem to have adapted to and embraced all those weird contraptions. Well, except maybe for Amish (and some wild tribes in Africa and South America).

I agree that when a full conversion to EVs (or hydrogen cell vehicles,or to some other mode of propulsion) takes place, most of people commenting here will be pushing up the daisies.

If those bottles are translucent milky plastic then they are likely safe for solvents like acetone. If they are glass clear then I would test them first. I suspect that whatever plastic the manufacturer used will be safe with organic solvents used in paints.

Some of the luxury makes you mentioned now have EVs too, and more will be coming in the future.

Do these bottles have the triangular recycling symbol somewhere on them (likely on the bottom)? What number is in it? I suspect they are safe for acetone, lacquer thinner and similar solvents.

Question? Have you ever driven an EV? I have, and I was amazed at the instant and silent acceleration. No throttle lag or turbo lag - it just goes instantly! Not only I was pushed into the seat, I could feel the blood draining back from my face! Electric motor have maximum torque at zero RPMs, And this was a plain Tesla Model 3 (low end Tesla). That ride in the Tesla was a birthday gift from my GF last October. She heard me mention few times that I would like to experience driving an electric car (like the brake-less driving, and fast acceleration) - well, I did experience all that. She rented that Tesla for one day, and we both drove it. I think it was the best birthday gift I ever got. If you have the funds to do it, I highly recommend to rent one of the EVs for a day. It will change your view about those vehicles. These are not little put-put toys. EVs are real cars with lots of power.

I was building models long before any sort of social media or even Internet. I read modeling magazines, and visited hobby shops. Both excellent sources of information. At some point I joined local modeling club and that was like an "in-person forum". Opinions and modeling techniques are freely exchanged in real time between club members. Then I joined few online forums while still reading magazines and being a club member. "Physical" (not online) model contests are also excellent places for learning techniques and exchanging info with others face-to-face. I have no desire or time to join FB or watch hours of YouTube videos. If the online forums disappear, I'll survive. If the model club breaks disbands, I'll just go back to being a lone-wolf modeler (if I'm still alive). It is not that complicated, or the end of the world.

Awesome! Love the lit roof topper!