peteski

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!

Sharks do not have metallic-sheen scales. They have skin. The lower part of a shark would be light gray (as one of the earlier photos shows), not silver or metallic or color shifting. The article above confirms that. I have the promo (assembled) model and the lower part is factory-sprayed silver, which as we know is incorrect.

Do you actually have a source of real acetate? Not picking on you specifically, "Acetate" is a old name for clear plastic sheets, colloquially used for decades by modelers. I doubt that any of the clear sheets available to modelers today are actual acetate. They can be Plexiglas/acrylic, Lexan, PVC, PETG, Polyester or similar materials (and of course the clear polystyrene you mentioned). Those materials all have slightly different properties. Pigeon-holing them under the name "acetate" IMO does a disservice to modelers. Sorry, but I had to mention this.

This exact topic comes around here fairly frequently. Nothing new. Some parts of the country seem to have more problems than others. And now with the new USPS Ground Advantage postal service replacing several older shipping methods we'll have to wait and see how that works out.

There are lots of EV here in the New England region. I'm actually surprised just how many there are. Over a decade ago I used to play "count the Priuses" game on the highway, and there were plenty. Past few years I used to play "count the Teslas". Today there still are quite a few Teslas (which are easy to spot), but just as many as Teslas, there are lots of other fully electric cars from from many different IC car manufacturers, and those EVs look list like any other IC based cars, so they are hard to spot. But if you pay attention, there are plenty of EVs around. At least around here.

Don't get me started about bad drivers and bad parkers!

Nor sure how storing upside down will work for you. Think about it. Since the cans leak the liquid inside, and the leaking occurs at the bottom of the can, if you store them upside down the only thing near the bottom can seal will be the gas propellant (not liquid). It it leaks, it's gas, so it will be invisible. The only way you will know the can slowly leaked the gas over time will be loss of pressure (it won't spray anymore). Since slow leak of gas cannot seal itself over time (like the liquid which hardens as it leaks), the defect will be invisible.

There is no information about the source of the plastic sheets in your post Brian.

No, I didn't. To be honest I got sidetracked on other projects.

As I explained in detail earlier, when I click on the link you posted I get to the main page of the Fireball website, not to a Gmail email links. Yes, there is another place on that page you have to click to get contact info. But whatever, this is obviously pointless, and the actual correct email address was already provided here. I guess I'm just being too pedantic. Sorry.

Brian, I was responding to the initial post where Gary seemed to imply that the brake cleaner has a smell similar to the orange tube Testors cement. At least that is how I interpreted his statement. And yes, Tetrachloroethylene (brake cleaner) will attack (melt) polystyrene, so it cab be used as liquid cement, but to me it doesn't smell like the tube glue.

Mike you posted a URL link. It shows up on the screen as Fireball Modelworks (fireballmodels.info) and when you click on it, the browser goes to https://www.fireballmodels.info/ which is the Fireball website. Nowhere in your link is any embedded gmail.com email address.

Mike, you posted a URL to a website, not an email address.

Bob, think about it logically. Complete items made up of 2 parts, such as the rear end, or engine block can be just glued together without test fitting them first. Why? Because even if they have to be modified to fit into the model, the modifications can be made to the assembled block or rear end. There would be no advantage, as I see it, to being able to modify them in separate halves. The halves halves either fit together or don't. If you think about it, you will see what I mean. But if you don't see it, that's ok too. Like I mentioned, I'm just voicing my take on test fitting model parts.

As I viewed the initial post I also thought the photos were reference photos of the 1:1 cars, rather than model photos. Absolutely amazing! I went back to view the photo again and is still looks to me like 1:1 car, not a tiny 1:24 model. Usually things like headlights or taillight lenses give models away, but in this case, it is all perfect! EDIT: I went back again now knowing for sure that it is a model and now I can see that the windshield "glass" is thicker than 1:1 glass, and that the concrete texture of the island where the pumps are is slightly rough, but I really had to concentrate to look to find things that were "off".

Does brake cleaner spray even contain Toluene?! The stuff I have (CRC brand) contains Tetrachloroethylene. While it has a strong odor, to me it doesn't smell like Testors orange tube glue.

I don't think anybody is stating that he is doing something wrong, or that you should stop watching his videos. I know I'm not saying that, but I also think we are all free to offer some additional suggestions too. I'm simply mentioning that I use a "modified" process of logically determining which parts will be temporarily assembled.

While I'm a big proponent of test fitting and temporarily assembling kits before painting and permanent assembly, I have to agree that for certain specific items (like the ones Greg mentioned) test assembly does not really make sense.

No arguments here. Baking soda and CA always was and still is a bad idea, especially since many filler alternatives exist, are easily obtained, and inexpensive. And for quick hardening there are multiple brands of CA accelerators. Person who thought that idea up should be banned from giving modeling advice forever.

If the hydrolysis used 100% solar, wind, or hydro energy, that would make the production "clean". Electric cars are more efficient, but then the source of electricity is questionable and what I mentioned above applies here too.

Cute!

"Holdon" or "Holden"?

Yes, FDM printers have come a long way. Early ones produced objects which looked like they were made from wraps of heavy thread. While I have not had any personal experience with the current FDM printers I imagine they do not handle deep horizontal overhangs very well. SLA (resin) printers seem to handle that problem better (since they can print support structures for such features in the printed object. Or can supports also be added when using FDM printers?.

Excellent idea, and excellent model!