jaymcminn

I know Revell AG released the 540k roadster as recently as 10 years ago. As much as I'd love for the Monogram classics to come back, they're so easy and relatively cheap to find on EBay or swap meets that there isn't any desperate need for them to return to the market.

Kits of classic cars from 1929 to 1941 that Monogram produced from the mid 60's through the 70's. Three different Duesenberg SJ's (4 if you count the metal-bodied boattail never released in plastic), two Mercedes 540k's, two 1930 Packards, two "Springfield" Rolls-Royces, a Cadillac V16, a Cord 812, and a 1941 Lincoln Continental. I've probably forgotten a few. They're incredibly nice kits that lend themselves well to building with modern tools and techniques. Gratuitous pic of my recent Mercedes 540k build below...

Yeah, that's some nasty stuff in there. Honestly, the guy at Hobby Lobby isn't going to be some sort of paint guru and he definitely isn't going to be aware of the tendency of acetone to react badly with polystyrene (I think that's what caused the crazing). At best, he'll have some basic training and a little experience with a few of the products. At least you did the smart thing by sacrificing a test part. Lesson learned, no harm done. "Acrylic" is a catchall term that by no means refers to whether a paint is water-based. The Revell acrylic spray paints are billed as acrylic, and they indeed are, but they're an acrylic lacquer just like Tamiya.

9am: Quit trying to get second breakfast from the human and hang out in the sunbeam from the front window. Rest up for lunch...

I've had Verizon for 20 years or so. I agree their rates are high but the service is excellent. My phone (Google Pixel 6) gets reception everywhere, including places where my colleagues with Sprint and T-Mobile have challenges. I've thought about changing providers but I've never had a problem with Verizon, either their phone service or on the customer service side.

She likes a Big Salad!

Awesome piece. That translucent dial is great. Christopher Ward makes a nice watch, and I really dig the modern aesthetic. You'd definitely expect a 600m diver to be a bit heavy (and I'll bet the frosted sapphire dial adds some weight too) but it looks like it should wear really well at 42mm. Great score!

I was shocked reading this earlier. His characterization of Batman, especially by the time he was doing the Justice League/JLU shows, was unparalleled. He played Batman/Bruce as young and cocky, jaded and cynical and even old and cranky. His delivery and dry sense of humor created what many people consider the definitive version of Batman. His voice work managed to make an animated superhero in a cape and cowl seem, well, human.

I don't have kids, but I'm the front office manager at a medium-sized hotel and my entire staff (God help me) are young women under the age of 20. Things I never thought I'd hear myself say and have within the last few months: "No, you can't dye your hair in unicorn colors" "Please don't FaceTime your boyfriend while checking guests in" "No, you can't dye your hair grey" "Yoga pants are not suitable work attire" "Platinum blonde is fine, as long as it's the only color" "You're changing your preferred pronoun? So, do I have to order you men's uniform shirts now?"

As a watch collector myself, I gotta ask... what is it?

Can't wait for that Corrado. 1/8 E-Type with modern Revell decal sheet will be a winner as well. Looks like the next variant on the Series 3 Landy will be a three-door commercial version. That could be an awesome resto-mod.

The challenge on this side of the pond is shipping. Spot Model's price is very reasonable (and I'll second that they are excellent to deal with) but FedEx shipping is almost half the cost of the kit. When these kits eventually hit US sellers some time in probably 2023 the price will be much higher.

The Herb Adams "Pontiac Vivant" is breathtaking. The yellow Rolls Phantom convertible parked next to it is breathtaking too... just not in a good way.

Bandit flagrantly violating the "no cats on the kitchen counter" rule.

That is a beautiful cat. Great picture!

Huh, I actually had the H and had the jar liberate itself from the nozzle a few times. I'm not ruling out user error on my part. That being said, I used that brush for many years until I bought my Eclipse and discovered the joys of a gravity-feed airbrush.

Friction. And yes, the bottle can (and, at some point, will) fall out.

Only irritated in the sense that Italeri released the Monza version of the 8c first and then released the Roadster a year later with parts that could have easily been included in the first release. I'm guessing they're going to do the same thing with the Bugatti. I get the need to monetize expensive new tools as much as possible, but do it in a way that actually adds value, like the 1/12 Fiat 500 and Abarth 695SS. For the Alfa, including the Roadster parts would have created an excellent 2-in-1 first release then the Zagato version I mentioned would have been a killer second issue for that tool.

As much as I really, REALLY want this, I'm a little irritated that they're doing the same thing they did with the Alfa 8c and not including fenders/spare tire/headlights on this version. I'll probably buy both versions anyway... anything to encourage Italeri to keep producing 1/12 scale kits of long-overlooked subject matter like prewar sports/racing cars. Speaking of which, since they've already got the chassis, engine and wheels tooled up I'd love to see an Alfa 8c Zagato Spider...

When this song blew up on Sirius XMU I figured them for a one-hit novelty act. The rest of this album is 100% bangers, not a bad track on it. They're the real deal!

The Metal Color line are really nice paints. The chrome works well for polished aluminum and the other shades are great as well. They like to be sprayed about 20psi, so a little higher pressure than metalizer. Being brushable is a big benefit as well. I'm not as crazy about the Vallejo gloss black primer they recommend as an undercoat... it takes forever to dry and seems to stay a little rubbery for a long time. I'm going to try them with Tamiya gloss black lacquer and see how they do.

I love it. I built the Monza when it came out and have been toying with the idea of getting the Spider as well... the fenders, spare and headlamps really change the character of the car.

That is lovely. Bold color choice that works really well on this car. Great photography as well.

That is a handsome cat. Tank is the perfect name for him! I had a Russian Blue named Samantha growing up. They have a lot of personality and tend to bond pretty strongly to one or two people. Sammy loved me and my mom, mostly tolerated my dad and absolutely hated my little brother, who came along after she did.

Got lucky here in Naples. Only lost power for 18 hours or so, probably because all of the power infrastructure in my area was replaced after being decimated by Irma. I live about 7 miles inland on a freshwater canal so I didn't have the storm surge that wrecked coastal areas. There's some cleanup I need to do in the yard but not too bad. I'm the front office manager at a 183 room hotel on the Gordon River where it meets Naples Bay. Our property was built 7 years ago to withstand both category 4 winds and worst-case storm surge and made it through with flying colors. We're open running on enormous generators and are accommodating FP&L crews who are working to restore power in the area. Our executive chef has been working hard to set up a "soup kitchen" to provide free meals to our guests who can't go out to eat with local restaurants closed. The downtown area sustained significant damage and the beachfront is a wreck. My old hotel on the beach had 8 feet of water inundating the ground floor. The devastation on the Lee County barrier islands is heartbreaking. Ft. Myers Beach, Matlacha, Sanibel, Captiva... these areas will take years to recover. So much history and local color was lost and it can never be the same. One of my favorite day trips would be to hop in the Miata and take the long route up to the Bubble Room in Captiva for dinner. Seeing all the places that I know well along that drive destroyed is... there aren't really words for it. That doesn't even take into account the human misery. The death toll, which won't be known for a while. People displaced and homeless. I love this area. SW Florida has its frustrations and annoyances like anywhere else but when it comes down to it we pull together. In that spirit we will rebuild. Hopefully smarter. Hopefully stronger. The reality is that storms are getting more powerful and major storms seem to be more frequent and damaging.