BDSchindler

Been working on this little by little based off of a street truck I saw in a magazine a while back. The frame is scratch built with a Corvette rear suspension. Front suspension isn't done yet...still trying to figure out what is going to work best. The bed has a lot of work in it. It's a 99 Chevy 1500 bed with the quarters flattened just a bit and smooth over. The wheel wells from the 50 Chevy bed are attached to the 99 outer fenders. I raised the bed floor by a third. Still a lot to do. It's my first really radical custom attempt in nearly 30 years and my 3rd project in the same amount of time (recently back in the hobby again).

I could tell you tons of stuff about this man since I wrote for The Car Room Magazine from it's inception. We were brothers from different mothers for longer than the The Car Room Magazine going back to Toy Cars and Models Magazine. After 4 years, untold number of lies and 2-faced behavior topped by a breach of contract and failure to pay ANYBODY associated to the magazine, I had enough and took him to court and WON. Rumor mill (and no I do not know for sure) is that Air Age Media who owns Diecast X, uncovered some very dirty things regarding Kelly and fired him. He started Heavy Metal Models but last I was told, nobody has any faith in the guy anymore as he has proven to everyone in the hobby as he is more full of himself than physically possible. Nope...never heard of the guy.

Bill is right on the mark with this. Prior to getting back into modeling, I was very active in Diecast Replicas from a collector, manufacture and Media standpoint. Many of trhe diecast companies stopped putting brand name tires and used generic tread patterns on replicas to avoid paying royalties to Good Year and Firestone. Some manufactures may not even care until a certain amount is available for sale. Like Bill said...YOU need to check into it for yourself.

here's a few more examples of using a Macro lens, f22 f-stop, lt. grey white balance, manual focus and remote (battery operated for total hands off the camera) shutter release for no movement in the camera. This wheel-tire from Danbury's 33 Ford Cabriolet was composed using 3 separate pictures then blended together and cropped...no adjustments for light or exposure... Another example of blending photos depending on the features in your camera, some will take a side-by-side shot...kind of a before/after type that is useful for demonstrating a feature of the car like this opening gas cap on the DM Owens/Corning race Corvette... I agree that reflective backgrounds add a bit of drama to a shot... or even a bit more subtle approach that still packs a ton of drama like the DM 38 Custom Hauler... Work with it and play til you find something that fits what you are trying to do. Fortunately, digital cameras make the whole photography thing much cheaper that the old film cameras once you bought the film and had the slides developed. It was a super expensive hobby back then but now, there's no guilt involved when you take a bad shot...just delete it and reshoot!

here's a couple of the Danbury Little Deuce Coupe... This one is lit from underneath using a photo table One of the cool things you can do with a digital SLR in full manual mode is taking a shot where everything is in focus. In this shot, the lens is 4" from the engine bay and using a macro lens, individual pictures were taken of of the engine bay and then blended together using Paint Shop Pro. 9 pictures make up this shot If there is any interest...I can post more

I used to write for Toy Cars and Models and the poorly managed The Car Room Magazine where I reviewed higher end 1/24th scale diecast cars and trucks. Some were shot with a photo booth some on a photography table. I kept trying new things to get a feel for what I wanted. Everyone used 3 diffused "Continuous" lighting sources...1 overhead and 2 from the sides where I could move them around. I shot with an Olympus E500 Digital SLR in full Manual mode setup in .tif format for ultimate in detail shots. White balance was normally set with a light gray as opposed to white...softened the pictures just a tad but still allowed for a lot of detail. The biggest deal is the fstop...I set it to f22 for maximum depth of field and almost always used a macro lens. Focus was accomplished manually and I used an electronic battery operated remote wireless shutter release to minimize ANY movement in the camera. When you have the lens less than 1 inch from the part you are trying to highlight...anything that can cause the camera to move...and I do mean ANYTHING down to a mouse fart will result in a blurry shot. Take a look at this shot of the headlight lens of a 1/24th scale Danbury Mint '58 Pontiac Bonneville...this lens detail is on the INSIDE of the lens. This lens is less than a 1/4". The camera lens was seriously less than 1/2" from the nose of the Bonnie. Interior shot I'll add more in a second post

Rookie question here but on the recommendation of a good friend of mine, I've been using Evercoat Polyester Glazing Putty but the setup time is so short that it starts to lump on me and just frustrates the beejeevers out of me. I tend to use an amount about the size of a half dollar and just basically a dot of hardener and I get about 10 minutes of time to apply it before it gets clumpy and I go back for more. It feels like I am using more than I should. I know the more experienced I get using it will result in better results. I do like it as it sets up in a short amount of time and sanding is fairly easy as well as the fact I can sand it inside of an hour...which is a plus. Years ago I used squadron green but that has tendency to melt the plastic and the testers stuff is just garbage in my opinion. So... what do you use and how are the results?

Never an issue, good products, fast shipping

"MEAGER efforts"? "fairly SIMPLE shapes"???? Randy, compared to you...I figure I'm the village idiot! Just curious...where did you learn to do this?

picked these up from Steve from the last NNL

Replicas and Miniatures of MD has 3 sets of floor shifters depending on your need. I picked these up from Norm at one of Mama's Boyz club meetings a couple of months back...

So a couple of months back I was in the grocery store and passed by the magazine rack looking to see what was there...automotive speaking, that is. I noticed a different magazine that I've never seen before..."Street Trucks Innovation" and on the cover was a really striking 52 Chevy 3100 street truck in bright orange, black grill, wheels and window trim. Built by HPI Customs in Canada for the owners father. The background story is touching...and long so I won't go into it (google "Vicarious Chevy Street truck"). Here's the original art for the truck...the final product changed just a bit... Pretty much, it appeared to be a near stock 52 cab with minor body changes and the bed is from a more recent Chevy P/U with shaved sides and original 52 fenders. Here's the finished version: so with a few changes, I figured it would be an easy enough build using the 50 Chevy 3100 from AMT as a base with pirated bed sides. For stuff and giggles, I emailed HPI and told them that I thought they did a beautiful job and intended on an attempt at replicating it in scale. HPI could not have been nicer and provided all sorts of pictures from the build. After trading emails and looking at the build pics...typical with street rods, about the only thing in common with the stock 52 is the general design of the cab. After looking at the frame (below) I knew a scratch built frame was on order and while I thought I could do it with plastic I also thought...what about a simple frame in Brass? Enter Randy and his impressive soldering that makes you want to toss everything into a wood chipper and take up whittling tree branches into sharp pointy sticks to shove in your eyes (just kidding randy, really beautiful work)! We recently had our water heater take a dump on us so while the plumber was installing it, I started asking about soldering. He was intrigued with the amount of Danbury Mint diecast (don't hate...I used to collect and review them for magazines) that lined the basement (man cave) walls (especially the butter nut yellow 68 Chevelle of which he had a similar 1:1 of) and he asked if I had the brass, solder and a torch and he would show me a few pointers. Just so happened that I had brass already cut and a handheld torch. So he took 30 minutes and gave me a quick lesson in what he called "micro soldering". Fairly simple, measure the brass, cut the shape, clean it while roughing it up a bit, "tin" it, hold it together with some sort of clamp/hold down to keep it from moving, heat the brass up hot, remove the heat and immediately touch the solder to it. If it is hot enough, it will flow into the seam and hold it tight. I had solder with flux in the core and my new-found plumber friend mentioned I was better off using flux paste and silver solder for better hold. Paid his bill for the water heater and gave him the Danbury Mint Chevelle as a thank you for his lesson in micro soldering. Granted, this is a simple soldering job but it is my first attempt. what's more is...it actually held together tightly and still at 90 degree angles! Maybe attempting the basic frame out of brass isn't too far out of the realm of possibilities...(d*mn you, Randy Ditton, d*mn you!)

Scott...who makes those wheels and where did you get them from Frank...I'd seriously be interested in those wheels, shoot me a message or email me SFHESS...thanks, I'll take a look

I am attempting to replicate a Street Sport Custom truck that I saw and it uses Budnik Remington wheels like the one below from their online site. Doesn't have to exact although that would be preferred. Anybody have any leads to this in 1/24th scale or something close?

Totally speechless! I look at builds like this and then look at my own little world of projects and tools combined with my skill level and all I can think of is... "For Sale: 50+ kits Unbuilt, various hand tools, 4 airbrushes, compressor, dremel paints assorted parts" Now I know why some people collect higher end higher detailed diecast models.

Well, my first FINISHED automotive model in 30 years and I gotta say...I need lots of practice to rebuild skills! But it is officially done and just in time since my daughter's birthday is tomorrow.

So many great things in the thread, makes a guy of my skill level go "who the hell was I trying to fool!" I have posted this in other forums but prior to getting back into this hobby again I was heavily involved in diecast collecting and reviewing 1/24th scale diecast. After an unpaid 3-year stint for The Car Room Magazine, I took a serious look at the hobby and created this diorama. It has a whole 4 page background story to it but the bottom line is that the dumpster is filled with items from different companies that were a part of the diecast industry/hobby that once had a dream before going out of business. Hence the name of the diorama..."Broken Dreams" Not everything is scratch built but the 1/12th scale dumpster, decals on the dumpster, diecast boxes and the Magazines are photo-reduced to 1/12th scale included in the trash are.

Well, this helps to rectify the situation. I received an email from Matt at Gravity Colors. I had sent an email recapping the transaction much like the initial post in this thread. Matt apologized as the transaction was just bad from the start and even though I have not received the product yet...HE REFUNDED THE ENTIRE ORDER INCLUDING THE SHIPPING! Granted the order was less than $60 with the discount but that, my friends, speaks VOLUMES for Gravity Colors and shows confidence and passion in the products they offer not to mention just GREAT customer service. I'm impressed and will be back.

After I read a few things including publicity articles in both SAE and Model Cars Magazine about Gravity Colors, I decided to pull the plug and make a purchase using their first time purchase discount. About a week later I checked the status of the order and the site said it was still pending...so I sent an inquiry to see what was going on. No answer. My second inquiry 5 days later was replied to and I was given a USPS tracking number told on February 11 that the package was shipped 6 days earlier on the 5th . When I checked the tracking number, the items purchased were not shipped yet but USPS was notified the item was ready to shipped but not rec'd yet. I was given the excuse that the tracking software they use was having issues but when I tracked the package at the USPS site, it told me the same thing as their tracking software. Now they tell me that the package was dropped off at 6 pm tonight, Friday 2/12 (a full week after they originally told me it was shipped) and I won’t get it until Tuesday although it was supposedly shipped 2-day priority mail. As a former writer for Toy Cars and Models Magazine and The Car Room Magazine, I recognize the excellent press that Gravity Colors has gotten in magazines lately, based on this transaction...I’m just not seeing it. I'm not saying I was lied to but...well draw your own conclusions. My opinion, buyer beware.

We have an 8-year old Great Pyrenees (Harley) that still thinks he's a puppy. I couple of years ago, I was building an N scaled diorama for work involving a Grain Silo (8 silos) when he swiped off the desk and ran off in an effort to get some attention. Harley is certainly Mommy's baby and garners more attention than everything else in the house combined...that was just him being a huge goofball. Like your Newfy...excellent guard dog. Fortunately, I was able to use paper towel tubes to repair the silo's he crushed.

I was a huge collector of 1/18th scale at one time and over the course of 3 years, sold nearly 500 on ebay. I never ran across this issue but having been involved in the hobby between collecting, reviewing for Magazines and working with the manufactures, I have seen the end result several times over. One of the cars that I sold on ebay nearly 15 years go suddenly developed the problem. It was a rare car that went for large money. The guy that bought it (remember, 15 years ago) messaged me through ebay as I have had the same handle on there for YEARS and wanted his money back. I told him 1). I did not remember him but I do remember selling the car and 2) he had to talk to the manufacture as it was a manufacturing issue. It sucks, especially if you paid an enormous amount of money for something that is rare.

Jeez...I have an 18 year old who isn't at all interested in getting his license.

I've been picking up a couple of insignificant kits lately (read: CHEAP!) to practice with and get my skills and (most importantly) patience back up to par. Especially painting skills that weren't always so great anyway. Well, my daughter's 14th birthday is this Valentines day. She is obsessed with the color pink and recently, she became doubly obsessed with the new Mini Cooper. So I seized the moment and picked up Revell's Mini Cooper and tonite, it got painted...pink. I figured I'll build it for her Birthday. And boy is this thing PINK! Going to be a standard build. The kit I picked up I didn't realize it was a curbside model but just the practice I wanted. I also picked up the Photoetch kit for the Mini from MCG. Should a fun build. Besides, how many guys can say they bought their little girl a new car for her 14th birthday!

Years ago when I wrote for Toy Cars and Models Magazine, I did an in depth article on Revell-Monogram's Creative Masters 1/20th scale diecast cars. This line was top of the line in so far as detail went in the mid to late 80's. I was fortunate to interview 4 of the executives that were behind the line, Roger Harney, Ed Sexton, Ken Merker and Bob Johnson. Bob Johnson was one of the founders of Accurate Miniatures. When he and I were talking one day about the model kits that A-M did, he also mentioned that they had intended on doing a 427 Cobra to include in the line but funding was an issue towards the end and it never made it to fruition. About a week later, Bob sent me one of the original kits out of the blue complete with the higher end decals and photoetched and strict instructions to contact Harold Bradford at HRM to get the aftermarket suspension pieces from HRM. Also picked up the oil cooler from Norm with Replicas and Miniatures at the last MAMA's meeting. Now I just need to figure when I can get this one started!

My point was in the price reference from Brian's post regarding a 1/8th scale model to surround the subject of this topic. While not 1/8th, Tony's 1/10th diecast does hit the ballpark of what Brian suggested. The quality of an Exoto diecast car was not the point of my response nor the point of this topic.