Impalow

Had the pleasure of seeing that in person last year in new jersey... amazing work! and great advice! personally, and others may disagree... I just spray the tamiya primer (or duplicolor/ plasticoat) straight out of the can... no real need to decant it, unless you are priming really finite detail work. You are going to sand before paint anyway, so a little texture from the can spray doesn't hurt. Plus the tamiya primer fine primer is super fine and sprays pretty decent.

I agree and disagree with this.... Not all of the 2k products are equal. I have noticed the premium clears are thicker and have a higher build than most, but the value line clears are thinner and seem to work better for model purposes. The clear I use is a USC product that is 35.00 for a quart "kit", it sprays great and doesn't have that syrup look. My paint guy always tries to up-sell me to the premium clears touting "higher build, and better UV protection" neither are really positives for what we are doing with them. Personally I prefer the basecoat/clear coat process for painting models... It allows me to separate my stress into two compartments, color and shiny. Get the color on even and smooth, then get the shiny on even and smooth... Two chances to succeed (or goof up) but more control throughout. Plus the drying/curing time, buff-ability and predictability of the urethane clears are huge advantage in my eyes. I have had the issue with the decals on my recent project.... and it was a major bummer... I tend to think I can spray urethane clear over everything without any issues... and I have for the most part... its pretty mild... but decals have caused me all sorts of headaches. I had some spots where it actually ate/dissolved the decals, other spots where air bubbles trapped under the decals released... it was a pain. Back to this.... when i had this problem in the past... My paint was too thick and I was using too small of a airbrush... I'm guessing that's probably your issue. Not sure what type of air source you are using... but.... I spray all of my overall color paint jobs and my clear with this gun: http://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-detail-spray-gun-92126.html It lays down most paint nice, has a nice fine spray pattern... and with a coupon you can usually get it for 12.00ish We tend to use them for a year and throw them away, and get another. If you do get one, make sure you tighten all of the packing before the first use, I have had them loose from the factory and my paint just runs all over my hand... haha.

another thought.... Ive had basecoat and nail polish spray like that when its too thick... goes on dry and pebbly... thinking that could be the issue. With base you only want to put enough on to get an even color, so if the first coat went on a bit pebbly..and then you loaded up the second coat to try and hide it... its possible it got a bit thick, and the solvents attacked the primer? Its hard for me not being there... and not having used that particular paint... but those are 2 scenarios I've ran into before.

My guess is.. and only my guess... looks like the base coat lightly attacked the primer or the plastic... or you put it on a tad too dry... For what its worth, you usually can sand a metallic basecoat to save this sort of issue... you will just have to put on another color coat before you clear.....

holy moly thats nice!!! Great work as usual Tim!

As someone who bought a budget 3d printer... that is now kinda a paper weight... If i had to do it all over again... I would just use Shapeways, I could have bought a lot of pieces off of them for the 400.00 I have invested in my printer. Plus if something cant be printed, they tell you and their software helps you correct it.... eliminates hours of wasted time and experimenting. Example: I have 3 weeks messing with files, and failed prints to create 1:25 scale 4cyl Head, block and cam cover on my printer that shape-ways would have charged me $7.11 plus shipping and 2 day turn around. I agree that currently 3d printing is kinda of a hobby in itself... and these budget printers are serving a niche in that market... getting people interested in 3d printing at a reasonable price point.... That is a great thing!... But for now, if you are interested in the quality of the parts over the joy of printing yourself... I would suggest putting the time and effort into working in a 3d software package and let shapeways handle the printing. just my .02... I do agree that all of this is great for the hobby and creativity in general... and that makes me happy.

Thank you guys!! Im home stretching this one... I appreciate all the encouragement! I got the engine in last night... boy that was fun... some major "ship-in-a-bottle" stuff going on here... First of all it barely fit and then the engine is mounted with 4 straight pins, that I added micro o-rings to simulate rubber filled mounts...boy that was fun, all tweezer work trying not to scratch anything....oh well no one to blame but myself.... Once I'm done poking around in the engine compartment I'll add some photo-etched bolt heads to the pin heads.. fun stuff.

If you check out page 2 of this thread you can see how i make mine.... ive done quite a few sets this way and they turn out pretty good. There is also a link to the styrene rod I use that bends and holds it shape without heat.

Man, that diamond tuck looks great in the larger photos... I'm gonna have to give that a try. Excited to see how this 1 week curbside goes... i love it so far... and those big wheels are growing on me.

Thank you guys! Less than a week left and I feel fairly confident I'm gonna get this thing done. I have the engine and the fender pods to attach.. and i'm still playing around with steering wheel designs... but that's basically it. Here are some highlights from the weekend: Dash Complete- Pedals added- shift boot scupted from milliput- exhaust made with brass hangers- and exhaust installed- Turned acrylic taillights- and the main fuselage assembled-

Thank you guys!! It keeps getting more fun, i'm excited to get it all together, and see everything in context! Took it easy last night and just finished the BMF on the dash, and interior bits. designed a gauge face... but its a bit to small to accurately print on my printer, so ill scale up some items for emphasis: and the knocked out the BMF on the floorpan:

Dude! Awesome!

Same here... I have yet to see Norm at a show, which is sad... but probably good for my bank account... I have been making an order every year.. his stuff is amazing... and his service and communication is great.

Time for an update! I managed to get the engine mostly assembled last night.... Still some detail items to add (nut, boltheads, mounts) but for the most part its done. I wanted to try not using the usual wire insulation plug boots I always use on my builds. So I actually managed to strip the wire back then bend little rings to attach to the terminal nut of the RBMotion stark plugs. A quick test showed me this would work.... it did not show me how difficult and frustrating it would be to do 8 of them.. haha Then I painted the porcelain area of the plugs white and installed them in the engine. Then wired and assembled... once it was done I added a drop of copper paint to each tip... but im thinking that was a bit to much contrast, and it accentuates the fact that they aren't all the same. Ill probably go back in and dab them with silver, or my chrome pen. The miller registration plate is from a Precision Scale "builders plate" set for an HO scale steam engine. I have another one for the firewall.

Thank you Bruce!! Thank you Randy!!! I actually noticed micro mark has them in stock the other day.... not sure how many... I almost ordered one as a spare.. but then decided not to. Check it out: http://www.micromark.com/122-91-Straight-Eight-Racing-Engine-1-25-Scale Looks like they have the offy as well... but its sold out. Thank you Tim! Yeah i know that feeling.. hahaha... As for whats next... I'm really not sure myself... probably finish up that pinto street freak, then i have a showrod pickup I should work on, maybe... I have a datsun 620 drift truck idea floating around, as well as a tube frame, rwd, v8, massively flared mini cooper. Its a jumbled mess in my head.. haha

Thank you! isn't that engine cool? part of why I love quirky projects like this, I get to research odd things and learn all about them. Its crazy the HP they were able to get out of 91ci for that time period.... supercharged, intercooled and all aluminum in the mid 20's... crazy. Here is the website I have been staring at a lot. lots of good photos in those galleries. http://www.milleroffy.com/Photo & Sound Gallery.htm I was going to paint the block a gold color and Andy had to correct me, "if you put that engine in a 1:1 car.... no way you would paint it and hide all that aluminum." He had a very going point... glad I listened. Awesome!! Cant wait to see you there! Hopefully I get this wrapped up and there... I'm feeling fairly confident but i don't want to jinx it.... I did bugger up the trunk a bit with the clear.....and im going to have to get creative to save it. some sort of air bubble issue with the decals... luckily it can literally be the last part installed.... Ill try to remember my extra set of headlights so you can see them, the finished set got alclad last night and im pretty happy with them.

Tiny tiny little update... getting the engine painted and detailed... Its fun playing with all the different shades of "hi-shine" alclad. The engine is polished aluminum.. and will have stainless and chrome accessories. Im pretty happy with it so far.

Thank you!!! Dele-A is awesome! I may have to use that! Thank you! I haven't joined that yet... but my dad has I believe. I grew up with him racing 510's in SCCA, hes had quite a few over the years... I think the last count was well over 60.. now we just tend to grab up anything locally datsun that isnt rusty... Currently have the 620, and 3- 510's (wagon, coupe and 4dr) and working on getting a roadster.... We going to start on my 1:1 510 coupe eventually here. Thank you Randy!... I'm trying.. nothing compared to your brass masterpieces, I cant tell you how many people Ive shown your carburetors to .. and they have all had to pick up their jaws off the floor.

Perfect! I have tried the metallic thread, as well as the white braided beading wire.. I tried dying them.. and it worked okay from a color aspect.. but the texture was pretty large.. Regular old thread looks okay.. but its all one color... and i havent had a chance to look at or try the fly fishing line.. but that looks promising, but worried I'm not going to be able to get the .015 size I want. To give you guys an idea of the scale cleanliness im looking for... im using the RB-Motion machined spark plugs... and instead of boots, im going to use some old detail master photo-etched wheel weights to make the small clips on the ends.. Like this: cause of all this going on... i'm going just use the nice small boring black wire.

Thank you guys! A bunch of great ideas and info here... I think I'm going to chicken out and just do black wires... I haven't found anything clean enough, and small enough, yet contrast-y enough to pull this off as nice as I was hoping. Oh I've looked at all/most of Harry's stuff... and its all amazing.. I didn't find anything this small though. I wish he was still able to get on here... I know he would get a kick out of my current build, as well as offer some helpful tips. This car is out of my comfort zone, but right in his wheelhouse.

Man... Kit these are all awesome.. I'm not going to comment on all the threads, but i have looked and they all showcase your phenomenal work.. Love the style, love the cleanness. Thanks for joining us here on the Web!

Managed to get some clear sprayed last night! Since my dad is also hustling to get a 29 done for the Columbus show, and my pinto needed another coat on it.. we just had a urethane clear party! Since we were clearing so many items... we needed an area out of the overspray to set finished items and keep them clean... My dad had an idea for an unortahdox drying booth... A Datsun 620 pickup! We made a flap to raise and set parts inside, then carefully lower to keep everything from getting dust on it. and all the shiny parts inside.. safe and sound.

Thank you Mike! im trying! Thanks bob! Bummer you cant make it to Columbus, its really become one of my favorite shows... hopefully this year I can get some sleep the night before and be able to enjoy it. I'm still up in the air when it comes to NNL East, I was originally thinking every other year on that one, but as it gets closer I may just cruise over. I am sure I will be at Toledo, as well as all the others in the area this spring.

Thank you all! As a guy that normally loves BMF, im gonna be happy to not see it for awhile... this was a challenge, but its ready for clear! Probably knock that out tonight or tomorrow.. now onto the engine..

Thank you guys! you truly help keep me motivated.... hahaha... yeah I am going to use a budget urethane clear over most of my gloss surfaces.... except the door top wood trims, I used pledge on those. I use the budget urethane clear because they are thinner and dont give that "dipped in goo" look. They supposedly have less UV protection... but that's not really an issue for models. Nothing but bare metal foil last night... Its crazy this Model A almost has more trim than a 1958 Chevy, oh well... no one to blame but myself. Here is a sneak peak of the chassis.... still needs some detail wash for contrast... but you get the idea.