Cato

http://www.scalehobb...php?s=3&t=1&u=1 Price, selection, service-all excellent.

SURE-but somebody's gotta pay the school budget---right??

Hate to pay the school taxes for those budgets...

Thanks Art, for sharing your knowledge here. It clears up a lot of details about the process for me.

Honest-I'm NOT trying to re-invent anything. Just find out about the process. Art, thanks for the detailed history to this point. I'm now hoping to learn if anything else has been tried and rejected because steel molds have been found to be the most successful. Moebius' Chrysler and Hornet seem like superior tooling techniques compared to many manufacturers for fidelity, accuracy and thicknesses. Am I right?

This is among the things I'm asking from model manufacturing professionals. Has nothing else been tried? But it seems everyone is away today.

Let's back up and educate me on how masters are created. My understanding is that a master modeler creates the original form of a vehicle (our example) from drawings and photo reference, in a scale larger than the desired finished product. The material can be carved wood, clay or some other durable material. I am leaving RP out of this discussion. Then the master is then digitized into the correct scale and that data fed to a CNC which cuts the steel molds. Now as far as the component break-down and the creation of a tree 'master' for the components-I don't know how that's done now. That's why I asked Art, who is / was an industry insider. This is my child-like understanding. Please enlighten if this is wrong. To answer your second question Harr, I just am under the impression that resins are cheaper than an ingot of steel cut in half and the computer and cutting and machining tools needed to machine them. Would like a better understanding.

All good points made so far. But this gets closest to my question. It just seems to me that pouring a mold from a master would be easier and cheaper than carving (CNC) a solid metal material. Will epoxy resin molds not hold up well to injecting hot styrene over time?

I posted this in the 'muscle car' thread to Art Anderson without reply. Like to get knowledgeable answers from any 'industry' guys. In that thread it was in reference to re-issues. Now I'm asking about new tool production and re-issue. I know the business case is poor for new tools on re-issues. I'm really asking about new ways to create models. Here's the quoted post: Art, Just talking through my hat here but-could tooling be made with another material (other than steel) which would be cost effective, durable and easily repeatable? OK-I know the simple answer is " they'd be using it if it existed". But have materials like a form of ceramic, or counter-top materials (soapstone?) been tried at least? I know that it must withstand heat and pressure and repeated use. It seems to me that between CAD and CNC this process could be done more easily these days-dunno about the relative cost be I'm sure the big mfgrs either have these systems or could afford them if the molds themselves were made more cheaply. Sorry for the simplistic questions but it seems as though you could enlighten us on the process.

Art, Just talking through my hat here but-could tooling be made with another material (other than steel) which would be cost effective, durable and easily repeatable? OK-I know the simple answer is " they'd be using it if it existed". But have materials like a form of ceramic, or counter-top materials (soapstone?) been tried at least? I know that it must withstand heat and pressure and repeated use. It seems to me that between CAD and CNC this process could be done more easily these days-dunno about the relative cost be I'm sure the big mfgrs either have these systems or could afford them if the molds themselves were made more cheaply. Sorry for the simplistic questions but it seems as though you could enlighten us on the process.

A black vinyl top with BMF trim at the base will fix your roof boo boo. Will also be the clone of my 396 / 375 bought brand new then-except I had the SS wheels.

And then you can selectively and lightly spray Dullcote around lower edges, faded areas-even glass areas which gives them a weathered, faded, dusty look. Practice on spare parts or bodies.

Yes and yes-shrinks forever. No, not the one part Bondo red. Look for 'Bondo Professional Glazing and Spot Putty' (number 801) in a blister pack with a small tube of hardener included. About $8 last time I bought. Harry swears by it too.

Think that Squadron putty will shrink. Two part Bondo will not.

A little hamlet called USA. I stand corrected about UK parts. You've answered your own question.

The heads are NOT BBC. Chevs do not have raised exhaust ports nor do SBF's. They are Ford FE. They may be glued to a Chev block. Ford distributor would be in front if there was one. It's a mess in any event.

Coil should be black. They are made of black phenolic and filled with oil. Modern HP coils are filled with epoxy.

Although this is a 'fantasy' build Anthony, here's a well intentioned suggestion to help pull off the illusion. The plug wires need to be scaled down. The originals were 7mm diameter and they were black. That's roughly 1/64" or .016" in 1/25th scale. Can't tell if there are headers on but you will need to leave out the inner fenders to get them in. And the radiator.... and the steering rack... OH never mind! It's a fun build with a lot of license! Keep going and show us how!

Thank you Skipper and for the site link also.

Matt, For the ill-informed (me), which manufacturer and scale please?

Sounds like a GOLDEN opp for the resin casters-where are you guys??

Thread is 2 years old...

Hawk, Given your skill level and the quality of your work, why not mask and shoot the stripes? For the GT 350 rocker letters, press-on type at art supply stores might be found in scale. That's what I did on my 1/12 GT-40.

Guess you're not gonna box the frame John??

John, Although probably not stock, consider boxing the inner frame rails like a race car. This model gets very flimsy while gaining weight. And those fender attachments will require ingenuity. Great project for you.