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Dave Ambrose

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Everything posted by Dave Ambrose

  1. Through some trial and error, I discovered that the forum software doesn't like special characters in file names. You need to stick with letters and numbers. No spaces allowed either. If you have any illegal characters in the file name, it will give you the "You are not allowed to use that extension in this community" message.
  2. What type of airbrush are you using? I use this procedure with my Paasche VL: Flush it with a 50-50 mix of denatured alcohol and Windex. Remove the color cup or bottle, and use a Q-tip to clean the inside of hole there the bottle or cup seats. After removing the cone and needle, I take a pipe cleaner, dip it in solvent, and run it into the front of the airbrush. Take the same mix, wipe down all the external surfaces with the same mixture. Wipe off the needle too. The cone and nozzle go into a jar with clean solvent. I've never been able to adequately clean the airbrush simply by flushing it with solvent; hence my more elaborate procedure.
  3. Welcome back, bro! It's good to see you again.
  4. When I got back into building model cars, I was hyperactively buying kits; not such a good idea. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to find the kits when I was ready to build them. That fear was unfounded. Go to a model car show, and you can find several of just about anything. If you cant, then those kits are the ones to put in your stash. I went back through my collection last year with the notion of weeding out models that I didn't want to build. I came up with a couple, but aside from the model railroad stuff, I still want to build what I have. The model railroad stuff? My wife wants to keep that. Go figure.
  5. That dragster looks great. I'm getting to appreciate these vintage kits more as my skills improve.
  6. Rapidographs haven't changed in years. They still need manual filling. You might need to go to an art supply store to get the right ink.
  7. It's on my "buy now" list.
  8. A wise man who painted Titan III boosters for a living taught me to spray the seams and creases. Let them dry a bit, then paint the whole thing again. That idea has served me very well. The problem areas get two coats, and usually get completely covered.
  9. Nice build. I'm really partial to Torque Thrust wheel. They seem to look right on just about anything, except Ferraris, and Jaguars. I like the color combination, and yes, cheeky sums it up nicely.
  10. Not necessarily. It takes six weeks for kits to get here from China. Costs in China are rising. The costs from the "float time" and transportation can significantly offset the price advantage of overseas manufacturing, especially if you're having quality problems with your suppliers. It's something you have to continually revisit. I wouldn't be too surprised to see manufacturing return to North America. Probably Mexico, but that will still help.
  11. Even if you clear, you have to ensure that the tape is tight on the model. I use a Q-tip shaft that I cut diagonally with a pair of wire cutters. I then use that to burnish the tape edges to make sure they're adhered to the model.
  12. Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but it's a wild one. I put the motor from a Dragula into a chopped '25 T.
  13. I have a hard enough time completing models without painting detailing stuff that isn't seen. We're building illusions. If you can't see it, it doesn't add to the illusion. That said, I did wire the Surfite engine. The wiring will never be seen given the way the car is put together.
  14. Dave Ambrose

    Badillac !

    That's the nicest custom I've seen in quite a while. Super cool design that just reeks awesome.
  15. Sorry Cranky, I realized that a long time ago. (you're not the only "old guy" around here. ) In my foolish youth, I bought an Iwata Eclipse. I got it on the recommendation of an artist friend, and the workmanship on the brush itself is just top notch. It's really the wrong airbrush for most model work. It awesomely sprays very narrow stripes. But, even with the larger tip, it's not a good match for a lot of model car work. It is just wonderful for stuff like camo and illustration. But getting enough paint on a model required pulling the needle out roughly and inch. So much for double action. I added a Paasche VL a few years ago, and I'm much happier with it for general purpose work. I get good coverage and a wide spray with the #5 tip and it's now my workhorse airbrush.
  16. Spray the lighter color first. Then mask. If you even slightly unsure of your masking, give it a very light coat of the light color to seal the edges of the masking tape. Then you can paint the darker color.
  17. I agree about the enamels. I do things a little differently. I use Testor's enamel and Testor's airbrush thinner to thin the paint. (I have to try the lacquer thinner -- next car project) I don't usually have to sand between coats. The paint comes out nice and smooth. This is a byproduct of the slow drying time. I let it dry for at least 36 hours, but can speed that process if I use a "bake box". This is a cardboard box with a low wattage light inside. Works like a dehydrator, without the expense. (What can I say? I'm cheap) I love the resulting finish, and it seems to look good even without clear. I've also done rapid recoating. I wait 15-20 minutes for the paint to skin over, then spray another very thin coat. Keep going until the paint has the depth you need. Put item(s) in bake box to dry.
  18. A 50-50 mix of Windex and denatured alcohol will strip the acrylic off just about anything. Combining it with the ultrasonic cleaner should do wonders. But, only for acrylics. It doesn't seem to do a thing for either enamels or lacquers. But it will remove any surface contamination.
  19. Peter, If it's any consolation, other people are having this problem too. The root problem is that pasting text from Word doesn't work like we want it to. This is Microsoft's fault. We cannot fix it. There are a couple of things might work for you. You might try the "Paste from Word" button on the BBS editor. I've had mixed results from this, but it may work well enough.The other solution is to either compose it with the built-in editor for the board, or compose it in Notepad, then cut and paste. The Paste from Word button is the third button from the top left. Try it. If it doesn't work, copy and paste the ext into notepad, then copy and paste the text from notepad into the Forum post. This will launder the pasted text.
  20. It's a British Motor Corporation A-series engine. Displacement could be 948, 1098, or 1275 cc. The single SU could have gone into either an Austin Mini, or a Morris Minor.
  21. I am so glad I wear glasses. If I didn't, my eyeballs would be rolling all over the floor. As it is, they bounce of my glasses and back into their sockets; just like good little eyeballs should. John, another epic build.
  22. Thanks. I always seem to be modifying or filling something, so I'm always priming. Think we could get Testors to sell us 6 oz bottles for $10? I like the idea of using a silver undercoat. Time to head for the garage. . .
  23. I've been using the Testor's airbrush thinner with my enamels. Aside from the drying time, I'm pretty happy with the results. Now, I have to try the lacquer thinner. What kind of primer do you use? Model Master primer is working well for me. It doesn't bury the detail and holds up to lacquers. I just wish it came in bigger containers. Something good, but cheap would be a welcome change.
  24. This is just awesome. Moebius is getting to be my favorite model company.
  25. I can explain that one. When my wife was due with our first child, our OB wanted to see her after his associate sent her home. He already had two in labor. Shortly after we arrived, he had three in labor. He stuck with us for the next two days until our daughter was born. After that, I never begrudged either cancellations, or my doctor's time off.
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