charlie8575

I just grabbed a Missing Link '65 to convert a '66. And I'm not trying to figure out how to fix the '65 interior to build a correct '66. I'll enjoy watching this. Charlie Larkin

One of the reasons I teach a bunch of pre-teens and teens how to use film and a darkroom is exactly this reason. The process...the hands-on, the full, total understanding of what you're doing and why. The understanding of limits and abilities and why certain things have certain capacities. Kids don't get that in school now, in virtually any form, and this is my way of combating that. While what Harry does is remarkable (and I mean that with all sincerity,) the manual versus electronic process is so very different, and learning how to do things with your hands and mind instead of a computer is what a lot of kids need to do in order to help reach their maximum potential. That, and it teaches things like patience, technical accuracy, thought and planning. Charlie Larkin

You and I are of the same mind. In 2013, one of my best friends growing up got married, and his wedding present was photo work. When we got together a few months later, and I was able to present him and his wife with their photos, she said "wow, you did better work than the the pro we hired for the rest of it, and the pictures are really nice. And this is film?" Yep, and as I had a real tight budget at that time, I couldn't even pop for the good stuff like Kodak Portra (best skin tones of any media, film or digital, the wedding and portrait photogs who use film either by habit or request usually use this,) and had to use Kodak Ultramax 400; very good results in a wide variety of lighting conditions and action/still. I was actually rather surprised (and pleasantly) at how well it all came out. Charlie Larkin

Nice job on that. Charlie Larkin

Hmm...I'll have to get some of those decals for myself. They look good. Nice job, Steve. This is going to look really nice together. Charlie Larkin

Second that. Charlie Larkin

Point of information. What is a Deluxe Reading Crusader 101? Charlie Larkin

Call Vermont Color Labs in Bennington, Vt. They're very reasonable and might be able to help you. Charlie Larkin

Kodak's film line was bought by Alibris. Their professional stuff has gone from good to WOW and their consumer stuff improved quite a bit. Fuji still makes film in 35 mm, 120, 220, sheet film, and is now making replacement film for several different Polaroids, as is another company. Fuji also makes Velvia slide- probably the closest thing now to Kodachrome- BEAUTIFUL film, especially in 50-speed, the film a huge percentage of award-winning landscape photos have been taken on; as it has color saturation digital doesn't. Really nice stuff, and if you use it in 120- prepare to be astounded. Fuji also started making a new line of instant cameras that have been selling like hot-cakes, especially to scrap-bookers and, believe it or not, teenagers! They actually take really nice pictures, too. Ilford is still in business, as is Agfa, Arista, and few small companies making black and white film. Black and white is still very much a domain of film, as is large-format photography. All stores still offer send-out. CVS, much to the protest of store managers and customers, pulled their 1-hour tanks about a year ago. As late as the end of the service, my local CVS still developed about 100-150 rolls and disposable cameras a week, and no, it wasn't all from me! However, all the send-out services from the retailers now seize your negatives and give you a CD, and not a very good one, maybe 2-3 MP resolution. I refuse to use those services because of the horrible quality and blatant disrespect for the customer. We still have a couple of local camera shops that can do next-day service (fine with me,) or, if I need them now, there's a fellow in Boston that does monring in/afternoon out; If I get into Newtonville Camera when they open, I can usually get them back that day if they're not real busy, which is uncommon, as they do about 200-300 rolls a week. Vermont Color Labs in Bennington has 2-day, and that includes mail time, at least from here, as they give you a pre-paid sticker with express post and it goes in quickly and is returned overnight at a very reasonable cost. Their developing costs aren't bad, either, and their CDs are nice. When I have a little extra time, I take my negatives and scan them with a negative scanner; even standard Fujicolor has decent resolution, and Kodak Ektar in 35mm can go to about 10 MP; 120 even higher, and that's with current scanning. Film is actually having a bit of a resurgence, and there are a few articles on it around the Internet. Read, you might be very surprised. I've actually taught a few kids how to shoot film. Believe it or not, they find it more enjoyable than whipping out their phone or digi-cam. They like the process and the fact that film makes them actually think about what they're shooting. Giving the mind-numbing experience school has become, the kids like the mental exercise. They've found using my cameras- a Canon FD, Pentax K-1000 and SF-10, and my Olympus IS-2, to be interesting. Most colleges are still starting you on a K-1000 and hand-develop B&W. Before anyone asks, I do have a small digital camera for when "now" means "NOW" if it's electronic media; it's not bad, but I always feel something is missing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to transcribe this from my Selectric II. Charlie Larkin

That's cool. Charlie Larkin

That color works very nicely on that car. Charlie Larkin

Looks good. I like the colors, too. Charlie Larkin

That's easy. Any suggestions for wheels and a decent set of whitewalls? I'm thinking the Firestone Supremes AMT has might be a bit old, possibly the re-pop MPC Goodyear whitewalls the Modelhaus has? Charlie Larkin

It's very disturbing. I have a younger friend who's a civil engineer, and even in describing basic construction to him, even though he's out there in the field a good 60-75% of the time, I have to re-explain it, and I'm not even a professional in construction; I have experience in real estate and I took a construction course in college. I've talked with younger mechanical and electrical engineers who seem to think that the real world is like one of those crazy Japanese cartoons, and then are mightily disappointed it isn't. They seem to possess great theoretical knowledge and, as you noted, have the practical skills of a turnip. When I finished my M.Ed. in 2012-13, I re-designed junior/senior high school as a theoretical school, and part of my school included about three years' of mandatory hands-on (or at least observed if a hands-on course can't be made acceptably safe enough,) industrial arts, including drafting, basic home repair and maintenance and a survey IA class in 7th grade that would include woods and metals as well. The drafting class *GASP* would be REAL pencils and papers, using drafting arms! CAD can come later, but first, as you noted, the student must have a feel for what can and cannot be done, visualize spaces and sizes easily, and more actively engage their imaginations and thoughts so they can actually design stuff and perhaps see problems before they start. Someday, we might learn how to teach again. Hopefully, before it's too late. Charlie Larkin

I would, but...well, I build stock, too! Gary- nice work on that maroon pickup. Charlie Larkin

Not a big deal. Very easily puttied. What I do need to ask them for is the spindles. Those went missing on me. This one will be Emberglo in and out. Charlie Larkin

Mine has a big divit in the driver's side wheel-opening. Fixable, but just a heads-up for everyone. That aside, nicely-molded. Charlie Larkin

The drum reminds me of a Wonder Bread wrapper. Nice job. Charlie Larkin

I wanted to go out tonight, but I couldn't. I took a one-night job for a few extra bucks doing store inventory, and I was hoping to take a break to go out, but the store management decided to make all the breaks uniform instead, so I couldn't. All the drama was over when I left at midnight. Charlie Larkin

It looks good together. I can see where the tuck-under in the lower part of the body is a tad shallow, but the overall impression is very good. Just need to figure out how to get a stock ride height and find some Magnums. Al, as always, great work. Hope to see this at LIARS. Charlie Larkin

The Volare would be great. I wonder if someone will do a wagon and Aspen parts so I can build my grandfather's '79, which was the last car he bought. Charlie Larkin

Randy, you're doing the best you can to make this as good-looking a model as possible. And it's working Charlie Larkin

There was an article in MCM a year or two back about how the Revell kit got flubbed. A lot of mis-communication between Revell and GM and running changes in the Brougham program. Result: oops. I'd very much like a modern tool of this in 1/25 scale. I think it has the potential to be a pretty decent seller. Charlie Larkin

Or a Del Rio. Or a '49 Merc. Or.... Charlie Larkin

I can tell you that when I was substitute-teaching, most of the kids I was talking to were interested in either supercars or pre-1980 cars, with a smattering of other interests here and there. And trucks of all sizes and vintages. I think it would be wise to try and cater to both. Modern cars as snaps and less-complex (but still well-detailed) glue kits that will appeal to the broadest audience and older cars that will appeal more to adults, and possibly make good adult-apprentice projects. Charlie Larkin