Dave Ambrose

If you go by the one in my driveway, they look really sweet (and handle awesomely) if you lower them a few inches.

Tech Savvy? Me? Yup. Guilty as charged. I've been a software engineer long enough that the machines I learned to program on would make a great acquisition for a museum. I've designed several computers of my own. I was lucky to be attending Cal at just the right time. It was the second stop for a lot of great professors. Now, I have a nice computer, iPhone, iPod and I just got an e-reader for Christmas. I'm not generally a leading edge buyer. But I do like my music. And yes, there's a rather large disk drive full of music. Technology is great when it serves a good purpose. I think the great part of "Web 2.0" is the way it's brought people together. In some ways, we're getting back to the old Usenet environment -- a rich exchange of ideas, but this time, the fonts are better, and we get pictures. I'm not a slave to my machines, though I do use them frequently. Quite frankly the most valuable pieces of technology in my house are a telescope, a wet suit, and a surfboard. My house is full of books; real paper books. And a fair number of models. Our beloved model cars are quite a feat of technology themselves. We'd never have a Hudson Hornet without a bunch of CAD programs and CNC milling machines. So yeah, tech is good, but not everything. I can have a great time with a model car and a cigar box of tools; just like when I was a kid.

Box stock? How about box rock! Very very nice. I'll be very happy if mine comes out half that good.

We need a like button, just for you. Nice clean build. All the little carburetters look very cool too.

I've used them several times, all with good results. They shipped within a couple of days. they're located in upstate New York, so shouldn't be a long trip to New Joisey.

I got back into modeling to tide myself over after knee surgery. But I just really enjoy building. I'm a software engineer and I just need the contrast from my day job.

I've done that. Broke some chrome parts too. It happens, and you just gotta pick up the pieces and get it back together. (a bit more literally than usual)

Sweet. Can I come over and play at your house?

This is so awesome. I'm just blown away. Can I second the request for an Alclad tutorial?

I have a Paasche VL and an Iwata Eclipse. The VL is my go-to airbrush for just about everything. The kit comes with three cones and needles, a cup, small bottle, and a large bottle. You can't beat the versatility. You can find them for $60 on Amazon. Compressor-wise, get one with a tank. A diaphragm pump with no tank will pulsate when you're trying to put down a heavy coat with the large nozzle. Be sure your compressor has both a filter and a regulator.

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.

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.

Welcome back, bro! It's good to see you again.

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.

That dragster looks great. I'm getting to appreciate these vintage kits more as my skills improve.

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.

It's on my "buy now" list.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

That's the nicest custom I've seen in quite a while. Super cool design that just reeks awesome.

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.