fseva

I have tried heat shrink tubing, but unless you choose a wire that fills the tubing, it will probably kink on you (like it did for me). Tim - I'm assuming you just bought stock styrene tubing from Evergreen or Plastruct? I just wanted to make sure it isn't a special really soft styrene, 'cause your bends look great, but perhaps I just don't have that much experience with styrene tubing to know how much pressure it can stand before rupturing.

Hey, maybe I should be asking YOU to vacform me a new window for my 64 Marauder!?

I looked at this the other day... Say, how did you get that big gap at the top of the windshield (upper corners)? Or was that before you glued it in place? Yes, but where is there a 63 or 64 ford when you need one?!

Whoa... now I understand what you were asking (should have read it again). I can't be sure because I made up both hoods with the sides glued in place - wanted to see if I could use them, and it was obvious... the engine was too wide and would have gone beyond the side panels. Hey, just remembered - the radiator rod was a perfect fit! It was so close, I didn't even bother to glue it!

Well then, maybe my problem wasn't drying... Art - did you allow any air-dry time before you stuck your Acrylic Lacquer/Enamel projects in the dehydrator? What do you have your temp set at?

Well, first of all, I removed the Tamiya Clear Blue and did a do-over... brought it a little lower, and now it's completely covering the crack. OK - I'll save the Future for some other... future... need! In regard to the glass, it curves around and forms the vent windows - is that a compound curve? I suppose it could be made into separate pieces for the vent windows, and then I'd only have the windshield... sure hope the clear blue does the trick...

Well, just don't expect as good results... I tried this a couple years ago, and either had a problem lining up the circle with the tire, or having it not lay flat so as to form somewhat of a mask, and the whitewall got deformed by paint getting underneath the edge. Personally, I think Tulio was either very lucky or very good...

Well, the crack starts at the top and travels down below the point where a tint would stop. So, while the tint did help hide it, it's not completely invisible. I have some Future on the way, and will do a dip to see if that will plug the crack...

Neither - due to the fact that parts of the engine would be outside the hood. I don't see how this could ever have been made to work - the engine is just too wide...

Have you used the dehydrator with either of the newer auto-technology paints (acrylic lacquers/acrylic enamels)? I would be interested to hear how they responded...

I agree - your explanation is more correct. I think mine was more metaphoric than accurate. And because of the problem with the blue can, I ordered a can of the Exact-Match Clear, to see if that might have been part of my problem with it not hardening properly. Although, I had been using the Pro clear in the gray can, I wanted to see if the appropriate clear would help.

Wow - thanks! But don't you guys do this kind of thing all the time? (BTW, I was lucky it was such a close fit... and that I had guys like you to reassure me before I even looked to buy another kit!)

Project is complete... here are some photos of the Revell 1932 5-Window mated with the body from the AMT Boyd Coddington 5-Window...

Here's one not in your list... how about taking individual panels from another kit and simply adding them inside the tub?! Of course, sanding both adjoining surfaces as flat as possible would help, but this way, you would have the best of both worlds...

Tamiya makes an excellent clear in acrylic (X22). I tried it recently, and found it to be superior to every other of the hobby clears I've tried (it is truly clear rather than milky looking). The only problem is that the largest quantity you can buy at one time is the same size as their other acrylics (3/4oz), which when compared to Future, would be quite expensive.

I didn't know that there is a vacuforming service... who exactly does this? I'm not sure if the comet or parklane would work, and I really don't want to have to wait 4-12 weeks, but I thank you for the suggestion!

I tried to find my bottle of Future, but it's lost. So, I used Tamiya Clear Blue with a bit of alcohol to thin it and airbrushed it on my cracked part (a bar across the top - as recommended). It looks pretty good... but it remains to be seen whether it will completely hide the crack or not. Probably won't know for sure until I get the kit done.

If anything, you could cause the outside layer to dry almost instantly, and the inside layers have no chance to dry now that the layers above no longer allow air in, and you have paint that will never seem completely cured/hardened. This would lead to big problems every time you handle it - you would leave fingerprints that just don't go away! I know this because I have used a food dehydrator set to 105 degrees to dry Duplicolor Perfect Match paints... and that's how I know it's not recommended!

There are colors available at Amazon - categorized by auto manufacturer. Each mfr has a main page where all the colors for that mfr are, and you can click on them one at a time to see a larger picture of a can of paint and its color-matched cap. Here's GM to get you started... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00407V70G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=234G4NYWL9V8&coliid=I3LRO7FR1Q0A96&psc=1

Not necessarily, considering Meijer's is first and foremost... a 'GROCERY' store! It's also a... 'PAINT'... so, it must be in their paint department... And some stores lump paint in with 'HARDWARE'... so, it must be in the hardware department! Regardless, only someone who had actually found this item in a Meijer's would know where to find it again... Duh...

Wow - we've got one near us that is just about ready to open! Thanks for the tip! BTW, where would I go inside the store - do they have a hardware/paint or automotive department?

I've used Spaz Stix on plastic - without a primer, and without any problems!

Just had to pass this along... Future/Pledge is very popular with hobbyists at Amazon - guess what they offer as something other buyers usually include with their Future? Microset and Microsol!!!

I have to agree with Kevin - I can't believe there is anything anyone can do to save already applied decals without damaging them. Best to just soak the whole model in Super Clean or Bleche-White and start over. You just have to realize how delicate these thin pieces of clear film are, to think they could be saved, when products are used before they're applied to save "old" decals... and they don't work!

You have my sympathy - I've had lots of problems with Duplicolor products, and in my case it had a lot to do with the fact that I was trying to dry it in a food dehydrator! I finally realized that these products were made to be air-dried, which is logical when you consider they were created for automotive work by amateurs who don't have the cash to build paint rooms. Anyway, you can give yourself a headstart on the use of Duplicolor finishes by abiding loyally to the instructions on the can. Do that, then leave it alone in a dry room of your house at least overnight, and you may be surprised... Oh, and by all means, make sure the paint below the clear is fully cured before applying the clear!