MrBuick

Looks nice, great job on the weathering. Small suggestion...try moving a bit further away from the models when you take pictures and I think they'll be less blurry...judging by the stuff in the background that's in focus even another 10" or so back will make a world of difference.

I think I'll try a Future dip first as it sounds like it has the least chance of damaging anything further...just to clarify, you're talking about Future floor polish, correct? If the Future dip alone doesn't fix it this will be my next step...I'll probably look for a set of these next time I'm at Wal-Mart regardless...since it's a 3-board "system," I assume you start with the rough and work your way to the fine, or do you just use the fine?

Sorry if this has been driven into the ground before...I've searched a bit but haven't found exactly what I'm looking for. I currently use Testors "Red Label" Liquid Cement (the one in the triangular bottle that "welds" parts together), and overall I've been very happy with it. However, I'm running low and before I get more, I wanted to see if there's something else that's generally recommended by a majority. I'm looking for pros-cons of other glues and possibly how they compare to the Testors, as well as any cons that I may be unaware of about the Testors I'm currently using. Also, what exactly is the difference between the red and blue label Testors cement? I know the blue is "non-toxic," but what's the catch...if it's "as good" as the red, why do both exist? I'm actually (as of this second) planning on ordering Model Masters brand glue next, but I think it's the same thing I'm using, it just has a metal needle applicator instead of plastic so it flows more reliably and is easier to get it "started." Here's what I like and don't like about the Testors; Pros - bottle is pretty much spill-proof, precision applicator is nice (the plastic one is pretty good, the metal one is even better), good value for money, dries\sets quickly but not too quickly, not messy, great bond once set, I can buy it locally Cons - takes a bit of patience to get it flowing from bottle, and it sometimes takes a bit for it to stop flowing, so I usually end up wasting a bit into a paper towel

I've seen pictures of other members' kits that they polished the molded color and they looked great. I've tried it on two of mine and had the same issues listed already. One was a Corvette molded in red, and as Snake45 said, the plastic was too thin and it didn't look good. You could see the colors under the body (interior, chassis, engine, etc) in certain lights, and even if you could view it from that certain angle where nothing showed through, it still just looked very plastic. The other one was a Tri-Five molded in black, and it didn't look good, because like JTalmage said, it kind of looked swirly (I think there may have been certain areas that were just ever so slightly thinner, so the "deepness" of the black was different...you could see the flaws no matter how much I polished it (to be fair, it did look okay once it was polished aside from that, so if it weren't for the molding flaws it probably would have come out fine). I know it can be done successfully, and whenever I get a kit that's molded in color and I want it to remain that color, I'll probably still try it first (nothing really to lose but a little time), but so far I've not had any luck.

This was waiting for me when I got back into town yesterday...it'll be a while before I start it, there's some body repair that needs to be done that I'm not quite up for yet.

Maybe it's a matter of where you live, but I've never had an issue with magazines or papers being damaged by water or anything else...my mailbox is large enough for magazines, papers, and small packages, and the lid has a gasket to keep rain out, and that's where they get delivered.

Unless the wheels don't fit tight enough in the tire, I don't normally glue the wheel to the tire. If I do, I normally use Testors Clear Parts Cement, because it sticks well enough to hold everything but is easy to break looks in case I decide to change the wheels and won't discolor anything. I do the same for gluing them to the model...that way they're on there well enough where I don't have to worry about them falling off/shifting, and again, it's still easy enough to get them off if I want without breaking anything...a light turn of the wheel breaks the bond and it pulls right off (the stuff dries similar to hot glue in that it can sort of just be peeled off).

Very very cool...looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

Would you recommend giving the first color some decent cure time...maybe 2-3 days before taping it off?

Thanks guys, I'll give these tips a shot and let you know if it doesn't work...sounds like I shouldn't have any issues, as they're just light surface scratches and nothing too deep.

LOL! It's flexible so you can position it anywhere. I've looked at this a few times, but according to the manufacturer it's only safe for water-based paints. Lacquers for example could cause and explosion hazard with the fan motor. However, as long as you let the fan run for a few seconds before you start painting, the fumes shouldn't build up enough to be a danger.

I'm putting the '67 Vette Roadster in the box for a while because the high-gloss black paint job is stressing me out...I think I'm gonna wait until my painting skills are a bit more refined before I tackle that job because black is the king of showing flaws. In the meantime, I've moved this "Goat" to the front of the line. I've not decided on a color yet, but I'm leaning towards red with a black interior. I'll need a few tips along the way, starting with the wheels. I want to use the stock outer wheel, but the chrome doesn't seem right to me...maybe it's too shiny? From pictures of the 1:1 cars, it does look like the stock wheels might be chromed, but I'm having trouble telling. Should I hit these with some flat aluminum or steel, or maybe shoot a lustless clear to take some of the shine away, or does it need to be left alone?

I picked up this '64 GTO at a garage sale a while back...it's a clean kit aside from a few small issues with the "glass." Is there anything I can do about this?

Yeah, I've done that since I last posted...did it before applying the final primer coat. I don't usually worry too much about sanding mold lines before I primer, because I inevitably find more once I get some paint on it.

From what I've heard, this happens sometimes with lacquers, and the colors should "even out" after polishing. That being said, I've never experienced it myself, but I've seen several other threads where people mentioned that.

Love it! I've got one of these waiting to be built, but I can't land on a color...Grabber Green, Jet Black, Grabber Blue, and now you've got me considering Go Mango...this car just looks good in too many colors. Maybe I'll have to pick up a few more so I don't have to choose!

F60-15 6.50 9.20 25.94L60-15 7.00 10.50 27.86If anyone else needs the answer to my question, it looks like they're both wider and taller. These specs are from a factory tire width, but I trust the AMT's should be to scale..I found a good image of the AMT's that shows the difference in height and thickness. http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-41037708895877/amt-muscle-car-redline-tires-four-f60-15-and-four-l60-15-parts-pack-18.jpg

Awesome truck! I've got a spare "Wildcat" grill from the '53 kit if you don't want to wait to buy one. PM Address if interested.

Hey all! I'm thinking of ordering a set of the "Red Line" tires from AMT because I need some for a '67 Corvette and a '69 COPO Camaro and I'm not 100% satisfied with the way my tire decals came out (I struggled to get them perfectly even and I failed on a few and I'm worried if I keep messing with it I'll just mess up the decal). The tires in the kit come in two sizes...F60-15 and L60-15...can someone clarify the difference? Is the difference in the width? If so, does anyone have dimensions? I'm trying to decide if I need 1 or two sets (want to save on shipping so I don't really want to order and find out I need two sets).

Looks great so far...much nicer than my first build! Yeah, you can use primer strait out of a rattle-can, just make sure it's not too "hot." Get a primer that's either made for the hobby (Testors, Tamiya), or something that's safe for use on plastics. I get mine at Oreilly Auto...it's the cheapest primer they carry. It does require a bit of wet-sanding to smooth it out, but 1 can will do about 2-3 models (priming every part) and it's like $2 per can...I just can't justify spending $5-7 on a can of Tamiya primer to do maybe 2 models...maybe once I get to the same level of skill as some of these other guys I'll be willing to splurge for it, but for the time being I'll stick with the cheap stuff. I do spring a bit though for the color coat. I mostly use Testors, but I just ordered some Tamiya, and I've used just over-the-counter spray paint as well.

Picked up these 1/64's on clearance today at Hobby Lobby. '68 Buick GS and Eleanor.

Very cool! I guess I need to pick one of these kits up.

From my own personal experience, I recommend always using primer. It allows the paint to stick better and gives you much more even coverage. I airbrush/Spray whenever possible...I only use a hand brush for detailing or very small parts. I recommend test fitting everything, assembling everything that will use the same color that doesn't have to be taken apart to put the model together (for instance, chassis, engine, etc), then paint. I still rattle-can everything. I just bought an Iwata airbrush, but I've yet to use it. I figured I'm always gonna use rattle-cans for certain things (primer, chassis, motors, everything except for the body basically), so I wanted to perfect that skill before moving to an airbrush. As far as what you're using, I can't say as I've never tried one. This isn't really a yes or no question...I'm sure people could have a 30 page discussion about that. Practice practice practice. keep your paint source about 10-12" from the model and spray in even, light coats. I've learned that it's best to wet-sand with 2000-3000 grit paper after every coat. Your first few coats shouldn't cover completely, they should be more of a mist, then the last 2 (or so) coats should be heavier, but not overly heavy. I've got mine in the boxes still...I'm in the process of building a display case into a wall in the basement with built-in lighting and glass doors that seal (to keep as much dust out as possible). It's slow going but eventually I'll have a nice place to display my builds. Like MeatMan suggested, go easy on glue and find something that works for you. I use toothpicks occasionally, but mostly I just use the bottle. I just switched to Model Master's glue with a precision metal applicator. It flows nice and slow and is easy to control. I also highly recommend you pick up some rubber/plastic/latex gloves. I get mine by the hundreds at Harbor Freight for really cheap. They not only help you keep your hands clean, but prevent oils from your hands messing with the paint. There are many other tips I could provide, and thousands of tips more experienced builders than myself could give you, but honestly I think you should just cruise the forums. Also, check out this thread...lots of good info. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/108789-the-secret-to-building-a-better-model/?page=2#comment-1596941

Other than some metallics having out-of-scale flaking in the paint, I don't think there's a paint out there that you couldn't get a good finish with, I just think there are some that make it far easier to achieve than others, and I don't think you can skip from one brand to another and paint the same way. For instance, I've got a few early builds that I want to touch up that were painted with Testors...absolutely no prep was done to the body (not even washing it), no primer, no clear, no color sanding, and the paint was probably sprayed on too thick, yet really the only thing wrong (in my eyes anyway) is a slight orange-peel, which isn't really noticeable until you look at it closely under light. It looks like it should be easy enough to color-sand and apply a final coat, then clear, but if I would have done it right the first time I think it would have come out fine. I've got another one on the bench now that I'm probably gonna end up stripping that was done in Rustoleum that's heavily orange-peeled. Again, no body prep was done, but I did lay a primer, but again, no sanding of the primer, no sanding between color coats, and again I think I probably sprayed it on too thick. I've never tried Tamiya either, as I've not seen it locally, and I've just never bothered to order any, but from what I understand it's about the easiest to work with. There is a local hobby shop in town that may carry it, but I've always avoided going there because they have a bad reputation of price-gouging and being a-holes to their customers, and they cater more to remote-control hobbyists than modelers.

This is stunning!