Bainford

Nice score Daniel. A few years ago I bought this same kit from the local online classifieds. Have you tried using the side-feed cup? On mine, the cup doesn't seem to fit properly as it interferes with the airbrush body/hose fitting. It also seems to fit at an odd angle.

Another cool project, David. Looking forward to seeing this old kit come together.

Good looking Cuda, Keith. I always thought the Jo-Han Cuda would make a great street machine, and clearly, it does.

Holding very small parts while working on them is probably the biggest issue I have to deal with when building. Each instance often requires its own solution. I have a couple of hand vises that are quite handy for this, provided there is an area to grab the part without damaging it. I have also used pins or tacks into the end-grain of a piece of wood to secure the part. Sometimes it is simply a matter of holding the part down against the bench surface with a finger nail, and magnification helps. The hole in the part into which the pin will be glued is usually quite shallow, especially when drilling into a door handle or thin mirror stalk. This is where good quality drill bits shine; they will make a clean, straight hole in thin material without wandering, and with little feed force. I don't think there is a catch-all solution, but I am interested to see what others may be doing.

I don't agree with the comment at all. I think nickynicky is likely way off base. His comments don't reflect the reality of a builder with a larger stash of kits. I have almost 600 kits (moderate by some standards), and I build regularly, spending lots of time at the bench. But I know at least 90% of the kits will not be built by me. And, I still buy kits occasionally (in fact, I am wondering what it will cost to ship this collection to Canada). Every builder with a large stash of kits understands this. This hoard of kits is not the result of a builder who bought his whole life then couldn't get life sorted enough to build them, this could very well be a builder who built religiously and died at 95 with a bottle of CA in his hand. Looking at the collection, it is clear this fellow never intended to get to all of them. There is a huge lot of resin bodies, a good number of MFH and Fernando Pinto kits, each of which is a solid project unto itself. Decades of building there alone. This could very well be (I think, likely is) a fellow who built for much of his life, then died or went to a home, and this is just what is left. If, in fact, he was a builder at all. If he was merely a collector, then it is what it is. They were enjoyed for what they are, and now he's done.

Welcome back to the forum, Erik. Looking forward to seeing some of your builds. Cheers.

Cool project. Very impressive work here. My mind boggles at this process.

Welcome to the forum, Doug. A great place here to pick up a few tips and show off your stuff.

Yup, pinning is the way to go. I pin pretty much everything that is attached to a painted body (mirrors, door handles, hood scoops, wings, air dams, spoilers, roof racks, etc). One thing I didn't see mentioned above, I always apply the CA glue to the inside of the body after the pin is inserted. This keeps the glue well away from the paint, eliminating the potential for any glue to show at the joint. Also, when drilling a small hole in a precise location, I heat the tip of a needle with a lighter. I have a sewing needle that I keep chucked in a cheap pin vise for that purpose. The hot tip allows me to make the starting mark without applying a lot of pressure to a fragile part. Only a tiny spot is needed. And if I screw up the hole location a little bit, the hot tip allows me to adjust the location of the mark.

Huge improvement! I really like what you did with the quarter windows. Nice work.

There is nothing more gloriously tempting to a little fellow than a shelf of cool models. Build a cheap snap-together with him and let him play with it until it falls apart. (Or, maybe that's just encouraging trouble)

Thanks for this comparison. I have a few projects in my project book that require Ford Four-Cam, and as you have so aptly demonstrated, the kit offerings don't cut it. That Mad Mike piece looks really good.

Different Dart, but as mentioned above, uses much of the same chassis. The body shell on the kit in question is like a '75 or '76 Dart Sport.

Bummer!! That truly sucks.

Is there a visual difference between the RR Merlin and the Packard Merlin? I have been planning a project for which I want to use a RR Merlin, and I have a Packard Merlin from an Airfix P-51 Mustang committed to the project. This is not my area of expertise, and I am unsure of any detail differences between the two. Or, are they close enough in appearance that I can simply call the Packard a Rolls?

That is some good looking wood grain, Pat.

I've been thinking of stuffing a tissue in my re-fill bottle of the stuff and setting it on fire... Molotow cocktail?

Table cloth and a bowl of roses over the hole?

Here's my tip; Don't leave the stir stick in the bottle of paint whilst reaching across the bench for a pipette. I find the easiest way to idiot-proof my workspace is for the idiot to just not enter it. Accidents only happen when I'm there. Coincidence...? I think not.

Welcome to the forum, Larry. Congrats on shaking off the shackles. Enjoy that bench time. Cheers.

Presumably the paint has blushed? If so, let it dry then polish it out with something like Tamiya polishes (Fine and Finish). Most times a lacquer paint job that has blushed can saved with polishing.

Yeah, this has been discussed quite a bit on the forum. The disappearance of Model Master paints, especially the Meatlizers, deals a serious blow to the hobby.

Cool! I have a Dobberton J2000 I have parted out and still have most of the chassis. Your build has given me some ideas for using that chassis.

I think that says everything we need to know about facebook, right there.

I am really enjoying this build. I always appreciate a builder sweating the details. Some very fine model building going on here.