LDO

Got it finished today. Functional, anyway. Fired a few test shots with it. It fired well beyond a tree line that is 40 yards away. Possibly as much as 100 yards. I want to make some kind of mount for it. I held it by hand to fire it today. It's a pretty cool thing. I can't wait to go fishing with it.

It's the same concept as a potato cannon/spud gun/whatever. I've never built a spud gun, but I hear that a lot use hair spray or even propane as a combustion source. Not very consistent and may make it a firearm in legal terms. This will use compressed air, with a gauge so I can get repeatable trajectory. It's not done yet. It needs the PVC barrel glued on. The green plastic thing is a sprinkler valve. It opens faster than a ball valve. It has been modified to open even faster. The barrel is 1 1/2" PVC. The bait will get a hook in it, then aattached to a 12" stainless leader. That will go into a 6" long piece of 1 1/2" pvc and have water poured in. That will get frozen. At the lake, the bait will be taken out of a cooler and allowed to thaw just enough to push the ice/bait plug out. The fishing line will be attached to the leader, then dropped down the barrel and launched farther than a rod and reel can cast it. I have seen YouTube videos of 200 yard launches in fresh water. Surf versions can go 350 yards or more. I want repeatable trajectories so it can launch for different people and their different rods. My nephew's Zebco only holds about 90 yards of line. We don't need to dial in a 200 yard launch for him.

I've had a paid account with Fotki since 2000 or 2001. Never had the problems that I have seen with Photobucket. The days of free things like this are over. Fotki is a good host. Price is fair.

Eh. It's not so bad. Way back in the day...before internet...I never knew they had different lights back home. I thought the single lights were awkward looking the first time I saw them.

I just bought one for my brother. It's in the Entex box with a rear 3/4 view for box art. I'm wondering if some other issue offered the oval shaped headlights, rather than the US-spec dual round headlights on each side. My brother may go factory stock, but he did find a pic of a Koenig XJ-S and he kind of likes that, too. It's his model. I'll help him do whatever he wants with it. Thanks. Lee

I prefer this; "The Chopper" from Northwest Short Line. It can cut at several angles and can cut multiple pieces to the same dimensions. You won't be chopping 1/4" thick styrene with it, but for most Evergreen strip/rod stock, it is awesome.

I watched the video today on my work phone. Pretty cool. I also ordered a copy of Art Of The Automobile In Miniature, so I could get the Silver Ghost reference material.

I'd like to watch that video, but that format is not supported on my computer or cell phone. I'll see if I can watch it on my work phone tomorrow.

That is awesome. I wish monster trucks had not killed off tractor pulling. I know it still exists, but not like it once did.

I trust Gerald Wingrove more than I trust a model company. There have been plenty of kits that didn't get it right. Oddly enough, it's armor kits that I'm thinking of specifically.

I checked out the link. From the few photos I've seen of Silver Ghost chassis/drivetrain, the paper model dimensions are way off. I'm going to look for a copy of Wingrove's The Art Of The Automobile In Miniature. Maybe order the old Franklin Mint diecast as well. One of them has the artillery wheels used on a Rolls-Royce ambulance.

Well it's a bit of a bummer to find out it's not in the book I have (but can't find). I'm looking for info on the chassis and drivetrain for a scratchbuilding project of the 1914/1920 Rolls-Royce Armored Car. It is pretty much just a rebodied Silver Ghost. My main source for plans for this build is an article in the September 1989 Fine Scale Modeler. The article was about building one in 1/24 scale and used the old Heller 4.5 liter Blower Bentley as a chassis and drivetrain donor. I would rather have Silver Ghost reference info. The Silver Ghost chassis was also used for armored car tenders (resupply vehicles) and at least one military ambulance. A cool diorama would be a soldier being evacuated during resupply, and another soldier taking a picture three different Rolls-Royce military vehicles. Just getting started on the project. Turret is pretty much done. I had a cowl section and hood, but the geometry was not right so they didn't make the cut. It's in 1/12 scale, BTW.

I've lost my copy. Can someone tell me if it has plans for a 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50? I have read that they are in this book, but I have also read that they are only in the book "The Art Of The Automobile In Miniature". I would like to see plans for the chassis and drivetrain for this car. Thank you. Lee Owens

I have one or two of these. Do you need more info that provided by the links above?

It's not the only Heller pre-war car with a body split down the middle. They also did a Mercedes 500 or 540 like that. Maybe others.

Something else I have heard of but have not tried: carving a master from Corian or similar solid-surface counterop material. I heard about a guy using a CNC mill to make a multi piece buck for a '50s Maserati race car, then vacuum forming over those bucks. You may not have a CNC, but good old power tools and files work just fine. You can find it on Craigslist. I have become somewhat of a Corian hoarder. I just can't get enough of it. I probably have 3 kitchens worth.

When I tried that, I was stretch-forming; just heating up the plastic, holding it with leather gloves, and stretching it over a canopy master. There were no problems, but I think it would be a good idea to use thicker plastic, like .020" or .030".

I haven't done any modeling in ages. It's time to get back to the bench. I have a project that is just beginning. My goal is to stick with this one project until it's finished; to not get distracted with anything else.. The 1920 pattern Roll-Royce armored car. The September 1989 Fine Scale Modeler has an article on scratch building a 1/24 body and using the Heller/Airfix Blower Bentley as a chassis donor. I started one like that a longtime ago, but went with 1/35 and the project stalled due to lack of wheels and tires. This time I have a donor kit...but it is the 1/12 Blower Bentley. I got a great deal on a sealed kit off Craigslist. I've only just started. All I have done so far is begin work on the turret. In 1/12 scale, it is about 4.380" diameter. I used a PVC pipe coupling as a form to wrap sheet plastic around and laminate several layers. The PVC fitting had to be cleaned up first. It is slightly bulged at the top and bottom. It took about 2 hours with big files to make it nice and straight-walled. Right now I have a simple styrene ring. I was thinking of cutting the beveled sides on a Sherline mill with a tilting angle table. The rest of the body is mostly flat panels.

Hard to go wrong with Ambush paint scheme. I think a cool "what-if?" model would be a late war tank done a fictional winter ambush scheme. White and shades of gray with tiny white dots to simulate blowing snow. LOTS of different ways to do Zimmerit. There are purpose-built tools for pressing it into putty or softened plastic. (Soften with a solvent glue).

Nice work. If I can make one constructive comment, I'd like to say that rusted tank tracks are sort of an old wive's tale. When they are out maneuvering, dirt and mud run across them with some force and clean off rust. Those areas should be bare metal. I was an M1A1 tanker from 1996-200 in Germany and 2000-2005 in Texas National Guard.

I signed up before it was cool.

I graduated in 1988. I recently slipped and fell in the shower for the first time ever. Nearly got a can of shaving cream where it does not belong. Went out and bought a non-slip mat. Gettin' older.

Thanks. I forgot about that. Nice looking model car.

Where can we see it? I didn't see it on his website or ebay.

No interest here. I hope they don't make a 4 door. It would be a giant flop and could even prevent that company from making something cool, like a '29 Ford on Deuce rails.