dmthamade

Bondic doesn't solidify fast, it stays flexible for a while( can't quantify a while unfortunately) Doesn't sand well, tends to ball up if tried. I've used it for marker lights and instrument panel lenses on aircraft builds. Will be curious to see how it turns out in your application. Don

I just tried this on a plastic spoon and a yellow sprue. The paint is pretty thin, i spray this direct from the squeeze bottle. It did dry brush mark free, but i think it would need more than one coat. It did scratch off easily from the spoon, so a primer is needed. I have used anything but the recommended primer with good results. HTH. Don

That's a challenging green to match, Canadian zips usually showed a weathered finish, thought IIRC that one was maintained . Did the kit not have those decals? Don

Off the top of my head, Leading Edge Models, Belcher Bits and Canuck decals. Don

We do mechanical work/SRS work for body shops in the area. Seen lots of cars that didn't make it through their first tank of gas or first oil change before getting badly bent. Some of them weren't being driven, just parked and unfortunate casualty. Repair bills total into 20-30 G's but when the car is worth 100-130G's, it gets fixed. Don

A trick I've never tried but have heard and seen give excellent results is to mist a coat of straight lacquer thinner or Mr Color over the build, supposed to help level the last coat. Don

Never used it over Alclad,. I have used a lot of X-22 as a gloss, thinned with Mr Color Leveler Thinner, start at 50/50 at low pressure. Excellent shine, levels off and dries fast. The fumes are like TS-13, so ventilate!! Used this on aircraft before decaling to prevent silvering decals.

Hobby shop visit yesterday yielded the Tamiya Porsche Boxster Special Edition kit. What makes it special are different mags, hard double bump top cover. This is a curbside kit, body moulded in one piece with no opening hood or trunk. Bottom plate does have some moulded in drivetrain detail, looks pretty accurate as well. Hoping for a straightforward build. Not may parts or sprues, 6 in all. Up on the board. Wouldn't normally do a Porsche, but just started on a Chevrolet LS into a Boxster conversion at work. Something different in the display case. Don

It does look like gold color coat, but it is dark copper. In some light it looks pink at times. Nothing bad really stands out as far as the build goes, normal stuff, clean up parts, flash removal, dryfitdryfitdryfit. Pedals look odd, gas pedal looks too big, other two maybe too high? Steering column angle looks like it should be shallower. Interior side panels are missing a panel line for the door gap. Part 41 rear body panel sticks out, should fit flush with rear of body. Used a piece of stretched sprue to temporarily spread the rear to properly fit part 41 and rear bumper. Part 40 stone shield has a odd fit, dryfit and trim before painting. Fitting the headers and tie rods required patience and holding your tongue just right. Can't vouch for accuracy, looks like a Comet to me. Don

Late to the party!! I've done the three different Tamiya spraybombs, and the results are fine, but I've also painted a fuselage the dominant sheen of black, then masked off and airbrushed different clearcoats. I found this works well, is more economical, easier to mask and clear small areas, easier to control the amount of clear than a rattlecan. Clears are available in lacquers in most sheens. I've also mixed sheens to get the desired effect as well. Had to do this aloooong time ago on a A-26 Invader in a black Korean War scheme. Depending on the desired result, I've mixed Tamiya clear colors with the clear coats for jet exhausts. Don

Great idea for a post!! Great seeing the past to present builds. I especially like those Chevelles. Don

I left a lot out. I painted this with Tamiya Dark Copper XF-28. Nothing special done, but i've learned a few things to watch for when buildig cars. There are things i need to watch for, especially regarding finishes. One thing i did wrong, and i know better not to, i glued in the clears with super glue. The windshield and back light frosted up. Pulled the back window to clean and made a mess of the Bare-Metal, had to redo...it's a start. Thanks for the support, guys. Don

Had to do a double take on that green GTO. Had one in last year? Owner died, son inherited car. Picked up car from northern Ontario, driving back to southern Ontario it threw a rod(s) through the side of the block. I pulled engine and was sent out for rebuild. Took about 4-5 months to find parts. Car is really clean.

It's great being in the trade and being able to work on stuff you want to as well as stuff you have to. I see you had a great variety of cars as well, sometimes you do get to live the dream. Don

Well, done with this one. Need to confess, was really a challenge to finish this one. Not used to car models or working in smaller sizes. Enough of the excuses, pics below. Bare-Metal foil was a real challenge to do, did ok with it but there are rough spots. Will have to practice with that. Don

Thanks for the positives, guys. I have to confess, this was a lot more difficult than i thought it would be. 4.5"x 6.5"x 9.5" box, 7 or 8 sprues of parts, how bad could it be...have to tell you, i boxed it up a few times, mostly when dealing with finishes and fit issues. Worse part was doing the Bare-Metal parts, did manage to get it done more or less, took about 5 sessions. Stuff seems to have a mind of its own, and it was thinking bad thinks. Went to add the wiper arms/blades, foiling them first. Broke them. Sad. Well, real drag cars don't have them, so that's my excuse. Won't be adding the decals, i like the clean looks of if without. Done with this, i'll post in the finished forum some pics. Don

You should go have a look at some aircraft model sites. Can be pretty entertaining at times. Have everybody from casual builders to those that are ultra serious about dead nuts accuracy, and everybody in between. For the most part things are ok, but sometimes... Don

I hear you regarding the expensive kit builders. Definite lack of participation..i see the MFH kits and they blow me away in the detail, the price though...I would like to see Revell do 1/16 scale drag cars again, not rehashed kits of the Hawaiian or Revellution but current cars, with molding and detail like their recent 1/32 aircraft. Not going to happen, i know, but i can dream...Tamiya doing current F1 cars in 1/12, even the electric ones. Don

Panel lines are off, and they used a five blade fan on that model....Therefore it's unbuildable. Don

Funny how that works. I get along with all three guys as do most of our techs. There's always a few (in our shop, one guy) that has always badmouthed the tool guys, but if you spent an hour talking to "whine and Jeez" you would know where the problem really was....seen that throughout the trade and in all other aspects in life. Don

It's funny, last week at the hobby shop, i picked up and put this kit down 4-5 times. I guess sooner or later it's coming home with me. Don

Ok!! Just started into cars after a long time building 1/32 winged things. I have to say i was suprised by what wasn't being molded. Modern pick-ups, Camaros, Mustangs, Jeeps, some of the japanese stuff, exoticars, porches, BMWs....I'm also suprised by the kits themselves. "Warning!! My own opinion ahead!!" I understand it has to do with price and what they will charge, but the molding and detail of the parts isn't that great. I am doing an unfair comparison to what is available in the aircraft and armor world. "Adult prices" has everything to do with this, but the mold quality and detail available is astounding in these kits. Tamiyas P-51, Corsair, Mosquito or the detail and molds in the recent Airfix 1/24 kits will blow you away. I wish car kits were like this, again i understand price points, but there must be other car builders that would be willing to pay adult prices for a great molded and detailed kit. Don

Long time for an update. I've managed to get most all assembled. The Bare- Metal Foiling of the trim drove me nuts!! I have to say, 1/25 scale has been difficult, been having a hard time dealing with the small size of this kit and the small parts. Going to have a look for larger scale stuff, 1/12 or 1/16 looks easier to build. I have all respect to the builders here that turn out the great builds in this scale. Anyway, some pics. Still have some small parts to install. Don

Had very bad experiences with the gloss black Metal Color primer, did try the standard primer as an experiment. Seemed to work OK but am a little gunshy about trying it on a real build. The Badger Stynylrez does get good reviews, did buy some but haven't used it on a build yet. I did thin the primer, didn't spray well. Manufacturer says you can spray these paints out of the bottle, I've always found the need to thin. Used the Vallejo thinner. Lots of great tutorials here. https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/hobby-videos/ Don

Don't see a lot of breakage with the 3 big companies, happens, not no big increase in it. Sounds like you need new tool truck guys. We get all three, Snapon, MAC, Matco. All of them are in every week, warranty no issue, fair, get what you need, great stock, will keep abreast of new stuff. Two were techs themselves, so they understand. Some stuff being warrantied, they will look at you funny because they know how it broke...will warranty anyway. Brand loyal... yeah, I am, but not blindly brand loyal. I know what works for me. Don