jaymcminn

Thanks! The Mercedes is as close to box-stock as I generally allow myself to get. The only aftermarket bits on it were the mesh for the air cleaner and the photoetched pieces on the rear wheel skirts. That being said, the entire body was basically tweaked and scribed and trimmed to get everything to fit as well as it does. The chassis to body interface needed work as well, out of the box it sits really nose-high. It's a great kit though, and a lot of fun!

I'm more concerned with accurate proportions on the DB5 than whether it's a snap kit. I'm sure the aftermarket will come to the rescue for any missing details.

Was hoping to finish build 3, but I'm probably not going to get it over the line in time. For 2022 I managed quality but certainly not quantity! First was my Tamiya 1/12 scale Porsche 934rsr... Then my Monogram 1/24 Mercedes 540k Coupe. Hoping for a more productive 2023!

I'm loving this build. Great weathering and detail work. Can't wait for mine to arrive, I'm surprised by how legitimately good the turned-aluminum effect decals look!

Is that the new Italeri? Mine is on the way, can't wait to see the benchmark you set!

The boring tedious part. Removing parts from sprue, cleanup and mounting them to craft sticks/toothpicks for painting. Have to stop at my LHS for some Tamiya TS29 later (fingers crossed they have it!).

The t50 is an interesting choice and a very interesting car. That being said, I'm not sure how eager I am to purchase one. Same with the McLaren Senna... I get that it's the new model but I'd rather have a P1 on the workbench. A lot of the new hypercars are technical marvels but look like a disjointed mess. The t50 is probably the prettiest of the bunch. Being Tamiya, I'm probably going to purchase it for the fun of the build. I'm currently working on the new Z (WIP thread soon) and it's so well engineered. It's a perfect slumpbuster when you don't want to have to continuously tweak and fettle a kit to get it to look right. I do wish that Tamiya would continue developing kits of classic European cars like the Gullwing and the 90's classic car series. I bought every single one of those releases (some multiples) and would happily keep buying new ones.

Acrylic paint, such as Tamiya, Revell or Vallejo, is the best for brush painting. Acrylics tend to level themselves out and minimize brush strokes. Make sure the paint is thoroughly mixed and thinned with the appropriate thinner to a consistency where it covers but doesn't leave brush marks. You'll need to test this out on a scrap piece until you get a feel for the consistency you need. Load your brush and apply one coat of paint in one pass. Going back over the surface is what leads to brush marks as the brush pulls up the paint while it's beginning to dry. If you need a second coat for coverage wait until the first coat is completely dry. I prefer to spray everything with either rattle cans or airbrush, just using the brush for small details. There are builders who get fantastic results with brush painting, but it takes practice just like anything else.

Picked up the new Nissan Z at my LHS. I'm thinking about doing a compare/contrast build with the reissued 1983 300zx kit. I'm doing the new Z in a pearl dark green with saddle over black interior. Bronze wheels and possibly bronze roofline moldings. Basically a phantom "special edition".

Laundry day! normal sized basket, very large cat.

One thing the clear gloss is pointing out on your chassis is coverage issues that probably stem from applying multiple coats of paint too quickly (the same thing that likely caused the crazing). When too much paint goes on too wet it will lift lower layers including primer. It will redistribute the paint away from raised areas and sharp edges, including around panel lines. It'll even reveal things like sanding scratches in the bodywork under the primer. By giving each coat time to flash, you'll be building those crucial layers of paint in a way that creates a smooth surface with even coverage. Something else to consider is how that Tamiya clear will look after it's completely cured. TS13 is wonderful stuff but it actually takes a while to completely cure, and it shrinks while it cures. Once it's done, it might show more of the initial damage in the paintwork. You already have the answer to the question of trying to salvage the paint. If you're getting back into the hobby, learning how to strip paint and start over (and when to strip paint and start over) is pretty important. Trying to salvage a paint job with this level of damage just isn't practical. Using more paint to cover flaws in your current coats will just wind up exacerbating the current issues. You seem pretty comfortable working with an airbrush, but Plowboy's suggestion above of Tamiya rattlecan paints is a good one. These paints are absolutely wonderful to work with, and the TS11 maroon was actually created as a factory color for the 1/12 Datsun 240zg when the TS paints were initially released. They even decant nicely for airbrushing. Finally, welcome to the frustrating and wonderful world of automotive modeling. There's a mountain of learning ahead of you, but this site is full of Sherpas that will help you climb it!

Big guy lived his best life. RIP 22!

Cautiously excited for the DB5. I'm hoping it's not too toylike and there's the ability to "debondify" it, or that they'll release a non-MI5 version as well. Of course I want to build the Goldfinger car, but I want to build an Almond Green over oxblood "civilian" car too. Whatever we get has to be better than the Doyusha abomination! Edit: Something about this seemed familiar, so I started digging a little. Revell announced a new-tool Bond DB5 in 2017, but the licensing fell through. I'm guessing this kit has probably been waiting in the wings for a while waiting for that licensing deal. Hopefully we get it this time!

I've never seen one of these that looked "right" when built up until now. Beautiful work!

When building my 1/12 scale Fiat Mefistofele I drilled out some 300 molded rivets on the body with my spring-loaded pin vise. I probably punctured myself at least 10 times between the bit jumping out of the hole and my finger being in the wrong place at the wrong time when the bit broke through the plastic. Good times!

The Gerry Anderson "Supermarionation" shows were amazing examples of ingenuity and model-making. I recently caught a documentary about Anderson's studio on Amazon ("Filmed in Supermarionation") that provided some great insights into the process and history of his shows.

Plus some bonus holiday cheer...

Just heard this on Sirius XMU last night. My kind of Christmas song. NYC punk band The So So Glos with Spider Stacy from The Pogues.

Bill is on the money here about looking for interference first. The challenge is obviously that you're in the final stages of the build which limits your options at this point, but if you're gluing those halves together against tension that joint could open back up. If you can't find and fix the fitment issue I would recommend using 5-minute epoxy and Tamiya tape to hold the join together while the epoxy cures. I'd give the epoxy 10-15 minutes for a stronger bond. You might even want to attach some styrene "tabs" to the inside of the body shell to increase the surface area of the bond.

Be super careful with the "polish" you use, especially if laying down decals and clear. Scratch X's formula includes polymers that will impede adhesion of decals or clear coat. True polish, like Meguiar's Ultimate Polish or Meguiar's 205, won't leave residue or protection on the surface and will be safe for clear coats and decals. I use both of these extensively and have applied decals and clear over them with no issues. Tamiya's polishing compounds are good as well, but I don't use them anymore after discovering Ultimate Polish. If your surface is properly polished then scratches will not show under your decals or clear.

Great work! I love those Bandai Star Wars kits. The engineering is fantastic so you can concentrate on the effects and weathering.

Hey, it is molded in white! Awesome!

I'm a big fan of Bulova's Archive watches like the Devil Diver in your other post. My Chronograph "A" and Spaceview II Alpha get a ton of wrist time.

Sweet score. Nezumi is making some of the best-looking watches out there. Honestly, I'd have tried for this one if I'd known they were releasing it (see pic below for a hint as to why!). I've been back and forth on buying the blue and white Nezumi Tonnere chrono for a while. That 38mm size really speaks to me. However, having bought an enamel-dial Seiko SARX049, a Seiko Antarctica "Happy Feet" Monster and several spendy custom straps over the last couple of months it's time to pump the brakes a little! Ready? The watch... The Hasegawa 250TR I built several years ago. The color is strictly coincidental, BTW!

Beat me to it. Tamiya paint callouts were my first big clue. You know, this could be a fun weekly game!