redneckrigger

Great coverage.......................THANKS!

Have always been a history buff, especially with naval history, and even MORE especially with U-Boats! Very well done sir!

That is truly nice work!

Very nice builds of some classic birds!

Thank you to all for all of the great words! It was a fun build spread out over decades, but worth it!

Very nice work!!!!!

Very nicely done, and yup, the stock fenders are too long. Your rendition looks MUCH better!

I have a few, and some of those were just found. I had been looking for the Revell of Germany Kenworth Heavy Hauler, and the Bill Signs Trucking, as well as any of the tri drive Peterbilt's they made...........just found them all. I have been looking for them for a few years, and found them all within a month of each other. Wow! Am still looking for an original AMT 1964 GTO kit, built or not. Had one years ago, and someone wanted it more than I did, and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Now, I wish I had kept it!

I have used many of Joseph's parts...................they are without equal!

Tremendous work on that engine.........................as usual with your builds!!!!!

Very nice kitbashing! And it fits your story perfectly!

Wow..............THAT is a great display of dexterity! Great work!

Finally finished the lowboy for the White tractor to haul the Galion roller around. The lowboy is made from an AMT kit and a lot of Evergreen strip and structural shapes to give it the vintage fixed gooseneck look. A balsa deck and a scratch built pony motor driven winch in the neck complete the build. The White 3000 is an old build from about 30 years ago using a Rick Manz cab and a LOT of effort to make it work. It has a White Mustang flathead engine and is based on a Dodge L-700 chassis. I repainted it recently and treated it to custom decals, and a general freshening up. The Galion roller is scratch built and can be seen elsewhere in this forum. All in all, a very fun build spread out over about 30 years! But, it certainly was worth it! Hope you enjoy it.

Nicely done!

Phenomenal weathering and detail work. WOW! Great job! And the damage looks so VERY real as well! I can almost smell it!

Very nice work!

Bill is correct.................know your paint system first. Some systems MUST have all of the components such as hardener, some such as acrylic enamel it is optional. If I were painting a 1:1 project with acrylic enamel, I would use hardener, as it helps preserve the gloss when exposed to the elements. However, for a model build, there are likely few elements it will get exposed to, and deleting the hardener, makes it easier to get to the scale finish I desire, not the super shiny finish some want. I have also found that once the paint is reduced, it is usually quite difficult to do a tiny spot touch up. I don't reduce my paint if trying to touch up a nick or other tiny flaw, but again, it depends upon the system being used and the nature of the flaw being touched up. Bear in mind also, that a LOT of what you do depends upon the actual model being built as regards the finish desired. I seldom build cars, as my main interest is trucks and equipment. Because of that, I am not looking for the mile deep gloss paint job. Not using hardener helps replicate a much more "scale" finish than otherwise. Trucks and such can have a show quality paint job, but that is not what I aim for. I even often reduce the paint with a flattening agent, which gives it a much more realistic finish for the results I am seeking in my truck builds. If you are looking for a super glossy mile deep finish, look at the posts from Bill...............he has shared much info at acquiring those results, and you won't be disappointed! And yes, ALWAYS wear a respirator, even if not using hardener. The fumes can mess you up, and with most hardeners, there are very evil compounds such as isocyanates involved that can have a cumulative effect on you, and ruin your life.

That is the exact same mask I use to paint in my cellar. I store it in a sealed zip lock bag when not in use, as th activated charcoal folters will degrade if left exposed to air. I get about a total of 2 to 3 hours of total use from one before I dispose of it.

As with any type of finish, be it a paint job, a chrome plating job, bluing or nickel plating on a firearm, or the refinishing of a fine piece of furniture, the actual application of the finish is secondary to the results. It is the preparation UNDER that finish that is number 1, 2 AND 3 in importance. As Bill said above, once you have PERFECT bodywork, then you can proceed from there, and he nails it perfectly.

I have been using regular automotive paints for my builds for the last 45 years. One thing I do different, though YOUR mileage may vary, is that when painting my models, I do not use hardener. I use acrylic enamels, and I use a medium temp reducer. No hardener. I find that it drys plenty fast, has great gloss, and as it is not exposed to the weather, it retains that level of gloss forever. Hardener just puts another potential wrinkle into the mix, and as most hardeners are toxic to breathe, since I am spraying in my cellar, I don't want to introduce that into my house. When I ran my bodyshop years ago, of course we used hardeners, but for the little stuff, I have found it is not needed at all. If I want a lesser degree of gloss, I use a flattening agent along with the reducer. I also have never used any particular ratios for reducer to paint, as you will find after time that you just know what viscosity will spray right, and it is always easy to add just a drop or two more as needed. Enjoy the airbrush......................it is an awesome addition to any modelers tool box!

Very cool, and YES, very different!

Miniature PERFECTION!

Absolutely superb work Charlie! The town I used to live in, Savoy, MA, had two of these that were all wheel drive, and had Hydro-Turn plows and dump bodies. So, NOW, I have another project...............but THANK you, as your work is always so inspiring! And, I didn't think you had any other paint colors than red ! Nice work!

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KJ does fantastic work, at super prices as well!