bobss396

I would just sand it smooth. Anything that would take it off would harm the plastic. There is a CA glue de-bonder, but I don't think it would help. Bob

I was one of the judges and didn't like some of what was going on. I was overruled on a few things that I thought were the right choice. Some of the orders of winners got mixed up and is being straightened out or already has been fixed. I'm not sure if I'll volunteer to judge the contest in the future. I'm glad that you had a good time though, it was a pretty good modeling day. Bob

Thanks Frank, I was able to get a name and phone number off the entry sheet from Bill M. and will call him today. Bob

Thanks for the nice comments. I figured it may have been good for a 3rd on the outside. But there were so many mind blowing builds on the table that day that beat it. I build what I like anyway. It was my first full tilt flathead attempt and I learned a lot doing it. The intention was to depict a period correct rod. One judge knocked it down for not having a urethane shine to it, but that would have been wrong to what I was doing. Some people have no clue to what they're looking at anyway. I did some different things that I haven't tried before. The trim rings are turned aluminum items I made up and had nickel plated, which goes with the body color. I used one of Norm's crab style distributors, beehive oil filters and dipsticks. I'll have to take more pictures and post them when I get a chance. Bob

Lots of things have contributed to GM's woes. They carry a considerable load of retirees that are living longer than anyone there expected, paying out huge amounts in pensions and other benefits. The labor unions have lost some of their influence since the mid 1970's but still are a factor. Then you get to them building cars that are not what people want. Losing Oldsmobile was probably a smart move overall, maybe Buick could go too? Even though I like Buicks in general. I bought a used car in May. I tried very hard to buy an American car and wrestled with it for close to a year before I bought a Nissan product. Even the car salesman steered me away from the Malibus and other cars I was looking at. Ford had nothing that I liked. I did like a couple of Chrysler products and test drove an Avenger, but I liked the Nissan over that as well. What about bailouts? The US government did AMC a favor by having them supply fleet cars for many official usage. They did tend to rust out and fall apart faster than anyone expected. In the end, AMC, exit - stage right. Does GM now offer a car that would be fleet-worthy or would the bailout be a one shot deal or would it involve other breaks? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Bob

This I had just finished for the show last week, didn't win anything but at least I finished one in 2008. Bob

Someone left a model at the show on the primer table. Its a white van with Roto Rooter decals on it. If anyone knows who owns it, shoot me an email. I'm also trying to see if we can track it down through the entry sheets if they haven't been discarded. I have it at home in a box which was padded to prevent damage to the model. Bob

I believe that a big can of bondo has a shelf life once you open it and so does the hardener. I can't see why so many people like to use it. Less is more sometimes, unless you're doing a wild custom and you throw it on with a trowel. I use those little tubes of what we used to call "red lead" or aka spot putty or finishing glaze. It dries fast (if you don't slather it on) and should be able to be sanded within an hour. Bob

Thanks for the advice. I'm probably leaning to the Krylon, but will look at the Floquil line as well. I have leftover decals from the sheet so I can experiment. Looks like I'm off to Michaels Crafts with the 40% coupon in hand. Bob

I've seen junior modelers with some outstanding builds, but no one has ever volunteered that "dad" cranked it out for the kid. I know that some dads might paint a car from the quality of the finish. No way a 10 year old could do that and polish it out. My kids always painted their own cars, the car and paint can were in their hands, I may have been close by giving pointers, but they did it themselves. And it looked it, but still a nice effort that they totally own. So you did the right thing. Personally, I've judged junior classes and have bypassed a suspect car for one I KNOW the kid built. I've seen some sour pusses, but no one ever came up to me afterwards grumbling. I'd like to see that 10-point list, can you cut 'n paste it into a reply? Thanks, Bob

Ok gents, here's an easy one for you. I have a stock car painted Duplicolor white and found that the Tamiya TS-13 (unlucky 13!) was not compatible with the decals. I have fresh decals on order and will deal with the mess later in the week. The question is, what clear is good to use with decals than won't yellow over time? I was thinking of a Krylon acrylic or enamel gloss. I'm sort of shy to use anything in the hobby and know that Tamiya X-22 acylic (ersatz cat whiz) yellows anything I've painted white. Thanks, Bob

It was quiet by me this year. I live a bit off the beaten path so I had less visitors than usual. The leftover candy doesn't go to waste. I used to take my kids up and down the block with a toy wagon as a support vehicle. The wagon came in handy to transport burnt out Power Rangers back to the base. I got 10% of the take as their "agent". It was always good to get out and tour the neighborhood and meet people. The bigger kids kept to themselves, egging or spritzing shaving cream over each other. I'd say that aside from a smashed pumpkin now and then there was no damage done anywhere for the past few years. When I was a kid, you'd see houses and trees wrapped with toilet paper, houses splashed with paint, street lights shot out and cars vandalized. Tires slashed, windows smashed. It was pretty bad on some streets. My "best" as a kid memory was when I was about 11, my brother was 8 and he was dressed up as a little old lady. He put his glasses in the pocket of his dress and lost them somewhere. In 1966, it was a BIG DEAL if you lost your glasses. It was one of those times that I was glad to be me and not someone else. Bob

I had attached some parts on a '40 Ford body with CA glue and put it back in the box to set up. I took it out a few days later and the CA had left a haze on the polished out front fenders! I was able to use some Meguiars Show Car Glaze on the body and all the haze came off, whew! Bob

I'm the same way. After dinner, if I sit down to watch TV, I'm done for the night. I have a couple of cars I'm trying to finish for the LIARS show on 11/08 and its gonna be close. All I have to do is avoid the couch and I might make it. Bob

Nice cage work y'all. I agree with the Tenax. I don't deburr the filed ends, the extra plastic makes the joint stronger. I have to make up a few simple tools to help me fish mount the ends and drill holes in them. Bob

I use a lot of Evergreen .093 tubing and .080 rod. The tubing is great because it can be "pinned" together to make strong joints. Pick up some floral wire (dirt cheap) and use that inside the bends so they retain their shape. I have to try the xacto blade bending trick or maybe I can make up a radius chopping tool... hmmm. I have to work on that. But usually small round files are good to "fish mouth" the tubing or rod. Bob

I work around 60 hours a week between the 2 jobs and I'm up every weekday moring at 5:15. Two days a week I'm home after 9 at night, I might do a couple of odds and ends on the bench, but never anything mentally taxing or requiring fine motor skills. Usually shooting some primer or menial sanding tasks. Monday nights, my bro Will comes over and we retire to the basement modeling area for a few hours. I tend to work better when I'm inspired and its always good to have someone to ask opinions or otherwise try to shock and awe (it rarely works). Thursday nights are good for a couple of hours, so are Saturdays and Sundays if I can slink off and avoid household chores. I'm off every other Friday so I try to squeeze in some time before the wife gets home from work. Bob

Does it come apart to show inside detail? They're a bit pricy (hah, the way I pi-- away money?) but nevertheless very cool and would make a great platform to display models. Bob

Ohhhhh diorama! I feel better now. 15 is a little early to play with them thangs. Dioramas are cool. Me and a buddy used to make our own garage scenes out of big gift boxes that I guess were used for coats. The cardboard was heavier and we'd cutaway 1 end and maybe another side. We made window frames from construction paper, tire racks from sprue, engine cranes too. The stuff was way crude as compared to what people build now, but we had hours of great fun with them. I should do another just to have a place to park cars as I work on them, line up sub assemblies, etc. Bob

Well, I went and chopped the tail piece off the resin body and added a section to the fender assembly. Of course the resin body needed a lot of sanding to get the curvature to match the tail piece. I'll try to post some pictures when I get back to working on it. Bob

From what I saw him having to show at the NNL East, he didn't have that much to show. Johan had the most awesome offerings of Mopars at one point in time, where did all the good stuff go? It seems that he wound up with the dregs of whatever was left, a few promo style bodies and not much else. Yesterday it was what it was, and today it is what it is. Time for us to move on. Bob

I was one of 5 kids from a poor family. The weekly allowance from 1962 on was 10¢ per week. This usually got me a candy bar or two. No wonder I had some bad cavities! Models were generally received as a gift for my birthday or Christmas. My aunt and grandmother would send me a card with a $1 in it. So I'd have a whole $2 to spend on models! My dad worked by a hobby store that he passed on the way home and he'd pick up a model if I gave him a buck, they were $1.09 and he tossed in the 9¢. Whatta dad. I would give him a couple of requests off the sheet that came with the AMT Trophy Series kits. I had this bike shop in town (which is still there, only sells bikes now) that had this awesome selection of models, paint, etc. The $1.50 kits were $1.27 and the $2.00 kits were $1.77, also they had discounted kits for 99¢ which fetch $120 and up now! If I wanted kits year-round, it was up to me to earn the money. I'd shovel snow in the winter, mow lawns in the summer, clean pools. I also worked for this WWII disabled vet doing chores and odd things like pouring and troweling cement at age 9! Now I can buy whatever I want and have pretty much too much of everything. But it only tool me another 45 years to get to this point. Bob

Layaway is a good thing. I had a girlfriend who would diligently put down money on expensive things once a week until it was hers. This was in smaller stores, but I've seen it in other bigger ones. They would have a separate counter for layaway items only. The garment (it was usually for clothes from what I saw) went on a rack with a tag and the store had a file on what was paid on the item. In this day of "bad credit" and generally everyone over extending their finances, I think it'll catch on. I charge very little and pay cash for almost everything. Now if only my LHS would do that for me. I should ask, one never knows. Bob

That's a great way to divvy up a man's collection and in-process work so it gets good homes and will hopefully complete some of his projects. The man's name lives on. I was at one modeler's wake and someone (who I refer to as a bottom-feeder of the hobby) had the "nerve" to ask the widow about the departed's collection! I was astounded and immediately lost what little respect I had for that person. I'm glad to see something done right. We all get there sooner of later, hopefully much later. Bob

I just got the word that Norm from Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland will be at the show! So break the piggy banks, cash in those "beverage" cans you've been hoarding and come on down to the show! Cash in those moldy savings bonds, whatever it takes. Hope to see some of you there. Bob