southpier

i read recently someone who spent 5 hours making a jig to solder something in 5 minutes. it's all modeling when you think about it.

4x4 got some exercise

usually heat will do the trick. that can come from a lightbulb (not one of those silly fluorescents!), a dunk in hot water, or a swish from a hair blower. i've bent styrene with a heat gun, but too much and it curls and distorts so i am not advocating it. sometimes you will need to distort the chassis the same amount it's twisted but in the opposite direction as styrene seems to have a memory. if you do build a metal (magnetic) surface, you can weight the chassis in its intended position and then apply heat from source #1 or #3 above. number #2 might get a little messy. depending on the chassis style and amount of distortion, you might be able to make a relief cut, crank it back into shape, and then glue your cut back together. or make a cut and jamb a hunk of styrene into it and use it as a wedge. this would be in a location not visible on the finished product. obviously there will be six more replies telling you why none of these methods will work!

i think you've answered your own question.

an alternative to the glass plate i find helpful is a magnetic jig. there's all different recipes, but i have a sheet roughly 12" x 18" of 16 ga. galvanized metal contact cemented to two layers of 12 mm baltic birch plywood. because it was the most convenient source of magnets that day, i bought some single & double cabinet door magnetic catches and discarded the brackets. all types of washers, nuts, and other bits'n'bobs can be used for shims to get things where you want them before gluing. you can use slow setting epoxy ( 5 minute, 30 minute, overnight) or put things together dry and then adhere with touch & flow styrene or super glue. i've been know to put a sheet of wax paper down under the model so i have no cleanup woes.

until you think & feel it's finished. there is always something which can be added. no one is keeping score or tally.

i think there's already a very simple work around for this apparent conundrum which will make everyone warm and fuzzy. when a thread is started, under the title, there's a box for topic tags. the OP can now simply add "please tell me how nice i did" or "let me know if the supercharger looks good in the trunk". now the onus belongs to the OP, and we don't have to change anything from an administrative standpoint. everyone just has to assume responsibility for their actions. quite an idea, eh?

cutting could be done with a standard razor saw - a bit big and file it down to final size. if it's brass you're using, you could solder it together. if it's aluminum, i would guess 2 part epoxy would be the choice adhesive. and either be keyed with some mechanical interlock to the plastic and then attached with either ACC or the same epoxy. i think the better you interlock the pieces and depend less on adhesive the better the end result (i.e., not falling apart 3 years down the road).

nice

so now we've come to judge models and people? too much for my busy itinerary!

Spaulding Trading used to have them in photoetch but they're no longer listed

thanks; his website looks & works great.

after years of Pacer Zap in its myriad of forms and Ambroid Pro-Weld (which i believe is no longer being made), i've started using Tamiya green & orange flavors. gives a longer working time than the first two. then there's the Micro crystal clear, Smith Industries 5 & 30 minute 2 part epoxies, JB Weld, Elmer's Pro-Bond.

am i the only one who doesn't know what TMD is? or have a link to their website?

that Jungle Pam had a great set of zoomies, eh?

respect your business decision not to take $$$ until you have products! Kudos

yeah; the last picture gives perspective to the other close-ups.

hang on, Bra; it's gonna be a bumpy ride! and has anyone else notice products containing chia seeds provide a little too much bulk in their daily diet?

very cool

let's put things in perspective now

don't forget the 20% coupon

ha ha. I get no videos.

I was having a problem that was easily remedied thanx to my new BFF - we'll call him CL for short. windows menu - tools - compatibility view - a box pops up with the website. click ADD, and close. your browser window will refresh and you'll have more happiness in your life than ever before. I've used this trick on other websites too. sometimes, I have to uncheck. these are mysteries of the computer and i'll never understand.

after sticking it out in the construction business for too many years, I understand how a guy (electrician, painter, resin caster) can be great on one job, and so his popularity rate soars. unfortunately, he's still only one guy, but now has to cut his production pie in many more pieces. something always suffers, and now his reputation is shot. people who are craftsmen are not always good at business. even doctors are notoriously poor at business management. it's a rare thing to be good at both without the volume of business which will enable a support staff. RM of M comes to mind as one of the best but I know there's more. it probably takes as much time to refund a payment as it would to send the order. everyone (I know: bold absolute) believes they will get more done in a day than they actually are able. good thing there are venues which allow current conditions to be commented. otherwise, how would we know "who's good this week?"

I've been to early sunday morning model railroad shows in unfamiliar surroundings for years. #1. get as close as you can with road signs. #2. find yourself a fire station; they have not let me down yet.