ZTony8

I use my mug warmer often.I've never had a can go on me because of overheating and I've gotten some cans of Tamiya spray so hot that I couldn't hold them for very long.Maybe I've been lucky.

Ah,the Auto Melter-I mean Cutter.I never did get the hang of using mine.It ended up in a drawer in my model desk where I rediscovered it years later.The blade carrier was fused to it's threads and refused removal so into the round file it went.

Soon you'll find you have more kits than you thought you had.They breed in the dark.

I'd like to improve my consistency.I can do one nice paint job or a clean assembly and then the next bunch of models ends up with horrid paint or glue spots in visible places or parts break during assembly.

It takes me longer to paint the parts in a Tamiya kit than it does to assemble the kit!And some of the painted parts are invisible when the model is assembled unless you leave the body parts (or shell,as the case may be) unglued.

Many years ago in Special Interest Autos magazine there was an article about starting and driving a Model T Ford.I've never owned a T but I learned all about the experience from that article. As far as VWs go-the very early cars have a specially shaped crank pulley bolt head designed to engage a specially shaped hand crank.A buddy of mine has a '51 Beetle with this feature.

Always on a Saturday,always with coupon,but not every weekend.It's about a 25 minute drive one way so when I do go I stop at a Michael's that's close to the Hobby Lobby and a regular hobby shop not too far from there to make the trip worth doing.

In no particular order- 1)Pontiac Aztek 2)SSangyong Rodius 3)Renault Avantime 4)Renault Vel Satis 5)The last AMC Matador 4 door sedans 6)Any full size 1960 Dodge 7)1957 and 1958 Packards 8)The new Chevy Spark 9)Dallara DW12 Indycar 10)Ferrari "Uovo"

OWWWWWWWWW!My eyes!My eyes!

With the Tamiya kits usually the parts that are called out to be flat black are supposed to be carbon fiber(except for things like seat trim).

Wheels aren't centered in the wheel openings?Move the body on the chassis.

A few years ago I was given an old Testor paint rack.I filled that up and later I got another,larger Testor paint rack.I haven't switched to the larger rack yet-that's gonna take a readjustment of the bin in which I have the original rack.I'll need to do it soon because my paint stash seems to breeding in my basement.

Either the Barnes & Noble by me doesn't carry MCM or they sell out so quickly that I miss it there.I think the former is more likely as I always see Scale Auto there.But the LHS by me does carry MCM so I can get it there(as long as I don't forget the arrival date-the LHS sells out of it quickly).

I've got waaaaaaaay more car magazines than car books.But I do have more than just a few books.I think the prizes of my books are the early printing of mark Donohue's "Unfair Advantage" and the 1967 edition of "Ford-The Dust and the Glory" by Leo Levine(where the pictures are not all muddy and dark like the later printing).I do want to obtain more books- I need to own a car nut bookstore like The Auto Zone here in metro Detroit.

Sometimes it's a lack of motivation that keeps me away from the model desk.I come home tired from work and just want to veg out in the recliner after dinner.When I do get motivated to head to down to the desk I'll do it for couple of hours at a shot.Sometimes I get things done,sometimes I just look at some kits and try to brainstorm a future project.Or sometimes I end up rearranging the kit stash in an effort to create more room(aka "rearranging the Titanic's deck chairs").

I think that I too would go along with one of those multi kit packs from AMT that they sold through Toys R Us years ago.Maybe the molded in color El Camino,Duster,Monte Carlo set.

No pix to post but when I inventoried my stash a few years ago the count was at 1,000.I know its more than that now 'cuz I've bought a couple collections and kept the kits from them that I wanted and also just the normal buying of newer kits plus finding deals I couldn't resist.My guess is I'm up to about 1200 kits now.Yes,I'm running out of room in the basement.So it's time to glean some boxes of old magazines and VCR tapes of bygone races-so I can have room for more kits!

Ahh-"People's Choice".Where those voting just wandered by the contest area and may never have built a model in their life.The "gotcha factor" is most at work here.Shiny paint,elaborate graphics,and sometimes wild styling are what attracts the novices in the crowd.However-since the voting public doesn't always have the best access to the models,what other recourse is available?I don't think we modelers want just anyone picking up our models (many builders go apoplectic even when the judges pick them up) so unregulated access is out. One thing I've realized about People's Choice type contests-get your entry on the table as early as possible to garner the most possible votes. Tom G. makes a good point.In a show like the NNLs where the attendees are predominantly modelers the results are more in line with what a judging panel would find.

Color isn't a factor in judging a model.Any black vehicle (real or model) is difficult to do without flaws.But the effort to be flawless can be equalled with any color model.

I'll try for brevity since this could become a long post. In general,overall build quality and the amount and type of modifications made(where applicable) are what (should) determine what models win awards and which ones don't win. In reference to Jantrix's Cougar-did the other cars in class have more detail?More modifications?Better build quality?Gloss paint jobs?A good flat paint job is far easier to do than even a single color good gloss job so right there is a difference in any judges eyes in effort made between two entries.We don't see pix of the underside.Was there plumbing added?Did the other entries in the class have mods the Cougar didn't have? Were the modifications spelled out on the entry form or just described as "a lot" or "many"?That's a BIG turn off.Judges may be able to see some mods but not all of them.Listing them improves the chances of the model being judged fairly against the competition.A build sheet or book is even better.If any of you have ever seen a model built by Steve Perry at the GSLs or at a contest here in the Detroit area you may have seen his build books.They go into extreme detail and are very well organized.I've even told Steve he should enter one in the Miscellaneous class just for grins and giggles.They're that well done. At a contest,take a look at the other entries,even in classes you don't enter.A "gotcha factor" shouldn't influenence your judgements.Try judging the other models yourself.See what stands out (good and bad) and soon you too will be able to discern what makes one model better than another one. Remember, the same model can win at some contests and not at others.Many factors contribute to that so no model is assured of a win every time. We are currently attempting to create some judging standards for contests in the Detroit area.I've been looking at the criteria used at the GSLs as a starting point.Once we sort out what we want and write them out we hope to print them up and make them available for all the contest managers.

Since this may be the last time that the race is broadcast on TV here I'm getting the VCRs (yes,VCRs) ready to record the broadcast.Somewhere in my tape stash I've got the entire broadcast from,I think,1997.I'm not sure if Speed ever broadcast any of the subsequent LeMans races in their entirety.

This works for me-First,put a drop of setting solution on the model where the decal is to be placed then apply the decal as usual.

Now you need to go and buy 2,000 model kits to use up all that glue.

Yeah,Joe,it does kinda look like Fujimi box art.Just move the guy and the sign out of the way and substitute one of those wide eyed cartoon kids or some movement streaks and it's right on. And I'm definitely not "in the know".What's an Arma 2?And why should I care?

You're just experiencing the long time variable AMT quality.You want top quality parts fit?Build a Tamiya kit.Then you'll be spoiled.