Junkman

One beauty after the other. I thought this is an ugly car contest?

With the first ones I built, I encounterd the same issue. My solution for the issue was tissue (pun intended). I folded tissue paper and stuffed the tyres with it. On a different note, I think we have highjacked Doug's thread long enough and should open a seperate one. What do you guys think?

No, seriously now. Posting is a natural in a forum, isn't it? It comes automatically when you start following threads. The reason why I'm here is because I enjoy discussing the subject of car modelling, with all its nooks and crannies. And this here turned out to be the forum, which has attracted the elite of the hobby. Where else do you find a group of people with such a vast amount of accumulated knowledge, industry insight, building skills, imagination, and good spirit? It is the best forum on the subject I know. The bad news is, until I find a better one, you will have to put up with me. And look at my posts. My questions outnumber my comments by not a narrow margin. Says something, dunnit?

It was about time somone brought this subject up again, thanks for that! There is an existing thread if you are interested: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14390&view=&hl=diecast&fromsearch=1

Yeah, I think I have seen AJ's work before, either at the Telford expo or Aldershot Wheels Day. Very gifted man. Dean, there is a cuppa waiting for you here.

Because I can.

The nice thing about modelling is that you can do whatever you please. In real life much of the stuff might be too expensive, too impractical, or downright illegal.

They call them 'spray paint caps'. Here is a set which will get you starting: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/20-MIXED-SPRAY-CAPS-aerosol-art-paint-fit-Molotow-/110425217015?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item19b5db17f7 The IMO best polishing kit on the market is by Micro Mark and it's called Micro Mesh finishing kit: http://www.micromark.com/MICRO-MESH-FINISHING-KIT,7601.html

Believe it or not - I was actually fooled there for a second.

Stockport here. Cheers, m8.

They would sell like hot cakes in Europe if they were the 'correct' scale.

I always thought Pocher released this engine kit exclusively for people who want to install it in a Monogram Deuce? Roy Brizio once built a 1/1 32 Highboy with a Lampredi V-12 and Borrani wheels, but I think the car is no longer with us.

No, I live in England.

In no particular order: 1. Krupp Titan 2. Magirus-Deutz Rundhauber 3. Camions Bernard 4. KrAZ-255 5. UNIC Izoard 6. Berliet TBO 7. Foden 'Mickey Mouse' 8. Scammell Highwayman 9. Lancia Esatau 10. Magirus-Deutz Uranus

I had this kit decades ago. It was molded in a soft plastic which wouldn't accept any paint whatsoever. I'm so glad it's styrene this time around. I have this totally weird daymare of putting a scratchbuilt car transporter trailer behind it with seven or eight Lindberg 1/20 Gremlins on it. Gosh, the cost alone would nix the project.

Wow, this is terrific work! Not sure how accurate you want to make it, but the 1964 commercials still had the 1959 windscreens: I admire your body engineering. It would have never occurred to me to do it this way. But it actually makes perfect sense! Man, we need more model hearses. You are doing the right thing.

Craig, you can use automotive spray paints from Halfords, trust me. They also sell standard appliance white. There are a few tricks to the trade though. 1. You need to lay down primer before you use paint. I use Halfords white primer and it works. I let the primer dry for a day before I shoot paint on it. If you paint too soon, you risk the paint eating through the primer and the plastic will potentially craze. 2. You need to shake the rattle cans very, very well. Ten minutes shaking is minimum. 3. You need to heat the cans before you spray. I boil water in the kettle, then pour it into a small cooking pot and put the rattle can in. When I use the spray can, it is so hot that I need to handle it with a rubber glove. 4. Never use the spray nozzles that come with the can. You can get an assortment of nozzles intended for grafitti artists off Ebay UK. It's an assortment of 20 or so nozzles for three quid or so. You need to experiment which of the nozzles gives you the spray pattern you prefer. You can use plastic spoons for your experiments (this last trick I learned on this forum here). 5. Ye olde storye: Spray in thin coats, leave at least 15 minutes between coats. The last coat is the 'thickest' to get the paint as smooth as possible. It will never ever be perfect at this stage. 6. Let the paint dry for at least a week, then use a polishing kit and polish the entire model. This makes the paint job good, not the paint job itself. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. If everything fails, you are welcome to pop over and we can have a painting session.

Declan, you may want to check out the cheap diecasts by Maisto or Welly. I'm sure there is one with suitable wheels out there. Do you need them particularily for an Escort? I mean, with the four lug pattern?

It's a shame, really. I'm amazed for how little money one can snatch them up - if they turn up for sale at all. And even in the much more popular 1/25-24 scale, classics fail to attract big money. This is in stark contrast to the real car world. I wonder why.

Oh yes, I understand. You are doing a superb job replicating the Hot Wheels setup.

When I look at the Camaro thread, I have the impression that all the photos, apart from the one where it is shown with the award, were made before it was polished, and the latter after. So in the end, it appears to have a superb finish of what is a very dangerous two tone combination. I would not even attempt it. My kudos to the man who dares and that alone is reason for my thumb pointing cloudwards.

Wow, you are certainly not afraid of colour! But all in good taste. Looking forward to your posts in the 'on the workbench' section.

Ad 1. I agree with you 100%. I'm not freaking Model Master Picasso myself. In fact, I am not even freaking. And I don't have a $20,000 600 Gigabit HD-IMAX camera either, because none of this is necessary to build decent models and take decent photos of them. I have already commented on this earlier and will again further down. Ad 2. You certainly act like it though. Ad 3. I disagree with you and them in that particular respect and have a different opinion. Ad 4. Very few people here build models to win prizes. All do it because they enjoy it. But to strive to make them look as real as possible is the very definition of "modelling". Your choice to avoid to try to make them look real makes you unique in the modelling world and I admit that I wasn't prepared for someone with this mindset. A few intital explanatory comments in this respect would have been enough to change my outlook on the models you presented. Ad 5. This is the single area where many modellers struggle most. There are well proven methods to overcome intital hurdles, which are published all over. If that doesn't suffice, ask a modeller whose paint jobs you like and you will not find a single one who doesn't tell you everything about his technique. I have seen and learned more about painting models here on this forum in a short period of time, than I did in the 30+ years before I joined. Ad 6. Nonsense. I was sitting at my desk and commented on what I saw in the pictures you posted. Ad 7. Truer words were never written. I critizised your models, all you do is critzising me personally for doing so. Ad 8. Which fact exactly would have been changed by this? Ad 9. Alternatively, you could ask. Ad 10. I think this kind of judgement should be left to people who actually know me. Ad 11. I know. Being honest is very commonly relagated to irrelevance nowadays. In reality it offers quite a lot, though, when you think about it. I'm one of the few left who dare to offer an honest opinion and now see what happens when I do. Ad 12. This is in contrast of what you just said. You said I offer nothing. Ad 13. Are you sure? I cannot recall having had that feeling. Ad 14. I stand corrected, but I think there are very few professional modellers on this forum. I certainly am not, so what I said was from amateur to amateur. Ad 15. No they didn't. But they improved tremendously, because I took critcism on board instead of slagging the criticisers and ignoring their citicism. Ad 16. Engrishy, prease. Ad 17. I do stuff tyres when they are too soft to support the weight of the model they go on. I use tissue paper. Does that count? Ad 18. I cannot be held responsible for your physical condition, social status, or choice of living in a country which does not support public healthcare. Ad 19. If you would stop this irrational ranting, you may find the time to think about who you actually did let down. I have now taken the time to respond to each of your points of citicism regarding my person. Will you take the time and discuss my points of criticism regarding your models, or is this thread supposed to remain off topic forever?

BTT. I haven't said a word about the TS. I said something about his models and the quality of his photographs. And the telling that his models look great are exactly what triggered my comment in the first place.

Totally off-topic now. I can totally relate to your 23 painting attempts on one model. I must have built something in the neighborhood of thousand models so far. I have maybe 20 built models atm, because I constantly give them away to people drooling over them. I cannot understand these people, because my models never turn out nearways good enough for me to consider putting them on display. Many of the recepients of my models are people whose own building skills I admire tremendously. Some of my favourite kits, I have built many, many times, then gave away each one because I wasn't satisfied with it and started all over. How is this for persistent insanity?