Terry Sumner

I raised this similar question in a thread a couple of years ago. Tried to find it for you but apparently it's gone?? Anyway, I've always thought we do a disservice to our fellow modelers when everyone repeats over and over... "nice job"...or something to that effect on a poorly done model. My thought was that the modeler then thinks that he is doing fine when in reality pointing out obvious flaws and maybe telling him how to correct those flaws would help the poor guy get better! I used to try to point out things that could have been done better but as Joe says, "your best intensions may not come across as such." And as a result of my observations I have learned that some people don't like me now because I used to offer my thoughts honestly and now think I'm a "Grumpy Old Man." So I will no longer offer any comments on anyone's model unless it's a really well done one and I can honestly comment on what a great job that has been done! If I see a model that's poorly done I just won't make any comments at all any more.... Oh, and btw...I am def NOT a grumpy old man. If you knew me in person you would agree! No one who is "grumpy" could possibly continue to be a club, wedding and party deejay since 1977 by being grumpy!

Heck of an intro! Welcome aboard!

Gregg...if you're not coming to NNL East this year, is there someone who is going to be taking pics for you?...

Thanks for that little bit of info. I was going to give that stuff a try......

Just brush it on. It is completely self leveling. Never tried on Alps decals before but I see no reason why not.

Coat the decals with either Microscale or Superscale brand "Decal Film." It's the same carrier that quality decals are printed on and works much better than any paint clearcoat. And you can use the setting solutions on them.

One thing I like about you Niko.... you have a lot of projects going on at once and you aren't afraid to post pics of your progress. And you take constructive comments better than or at least as well as the best of them! You're going to be a hell of a modeler when you're an adult!

Jack, by any chance was it Dave Mikrut's Comp Coupe that you saw that was your inspiration for this build?

Sa-Weet!

Ummmm.... I think you have that backwards!

A leg-wetting fact you can't live without!

I think he's got a few of them Oompaloompas workin' for him in secret!!!!

Well you didn't say that the best kit HAD to be a car... I think the best kit made is the Tamiya 1/48 scale P-47D Thunderbolt, followed by the Tamiya 1/32 scale Zero. The engineering, the detail and the fit of those 2 kits is the best I have ever seen of all genres of kits!

Add my condolences too Darrin. I have read all of your messages here and on Facebook. I am happy that she passed peacefully and did not have to suffer at that moment. Take care of yourself now..... Terry

Welcome back brother. I was in that place last year in March for a week...it's not a lot of fun! Glad you're able to get back to the important stuff!

165 came to my home today too. LOVE LOVE LOVE the Freight Train article! Great job Steve!

First of all...sorry about your misfortunes. Second.....feel fortunate that you actually have a hobby shop that you can go to. Most of them seem to be closing up shop nowadays...unfortunatley.... And third...welcome back to the hobby. It's alive and well and doing fine in spite of what I just said about the LHS's (local hobby shops) closing down. More stuff available now than ever before especially online. There are a lot more cottage industry small companies making all kinds of stuf for the hobby and a lot of new kits have been released in the past 14 years! And fourth..welcome to THE best model car forum on the net. Lot's of really good guys here.....

Nice! Are those kit decals?

Yes...he's another great one. I met him at the 96 IPMS Nationals I think it was, in Orlando. His models were unbelievable. Yes...Augie was truly one of the stars of this little hobby!

Like I said in the other thread...some guys amaze me...you're one of them!

THAT is pretty cool John!!!

It's fairly easy to scratchbuild the small stuff. What amazes me is these fellows who can scratchbuild a complete BODY! And make it correct too. That just blows me away. One of my good modeling friends is a fella by the name of Talal Chouman. I met him 20 years ago and we became friends and he taught me a lot. But this guy is a master. He scratchbuilt a number of complete military vehicles in 1/35 scale before they were kitted by the manufacturers. And he completely scratchbuilt a 1/16 scale Bradley Fighting vehicle complete with an entire interior AND the turbine engine and bay. This thing was fantastic. He took it to the 2001 IPMS Nationals where just because something is big and scratchbuilt...no extra points are awarded because it's scratchbuilt. Mistakes still will bring a piece down. Well he not only took the class, and Best in Class...he took Best of Show with it too! Wish I could find a good pic of it.

Ya know...I was wondering that very thing and was going to ask you if you had heated them up at all... You answered my thought? Now I wonder....would heating them up actually make it easier to bend them. I mean, I'm sure it would work with steel and brass but i don't have the knowledge as to how it would work with aluminum rod. Would it just bend easier? Or would it make the metal grainy and more prone to breaking? I just don't know but would like to. Also, what about discoloration of the aluminum? Would it get discolored enough where it would take some serious sanding and buffing to get the aluminum back to shiny. I know from tig welding that the surface of aluminum oxidizes quickly and there is a thin top layer that is a lot harder than the underlying aluminum...that's why you have to scrub the aluminum where you're going to weld with a scotchbrite pat really well....that harder surface makes it much more difficult to tig weld. Which makes me wonder if using heat would increase that oxidized area and make it harder to bend? I don't know about any of this...I'm just thinking and writing my thoughts down... Maybe will have to do some experimenting....

No deception noted! I had tried to bend aluminum tubing before but I had the same problem..in a short bend like that they kinked on me. I guess if you put little red balls on each opening like they did on the 1:1 cars to keep out debris it would work out great!