Lunajammer

Hey everybody, thanks so much for the warm response and interesting comments. This was my first build in almost ten years. It took a while just to get reacquainted with my tools, techniques and dried up supplies. For better or worse, I think I'm back, thanks in large part to the fellowship of the online community. Chuck, you'd be stealing from the thief.

NIIIICE touch with that fogged stripe. Everything is superbly executed. Now that's a smooth-stah.

This is my entry in Jantrix's Cannonball. It's a Revell VW on a Pinto Modified racer chassis. Custom built rear fenders and lower skirts, I shortened the chassis at the front and rear, widened the Pinto floor, customized a front grill and side pipes, scratch built a rear bulkhead and interior panels and added a Datsun (280Z?) dash. Parts box rear bumper and air cleaner. All chrome, except bumper, is Alclad. Paints were Testors enamels accented with two home made checkers decals. Here is a link to the full WIP http://s1229.photobu...l%20Run%202011/

It's not the New and Improved and I can see the chrome is already cracking. HOWEVER, even though I might not trust it for detailing, I'll bet it would be good for broad areas or even for masking.

Sadly, in my case, the sum of its parts was greater than the whole. Nice kit as a unit, but the wheels are awesome and engine, suspension, etc. etc. so chop, chop until there was nothing left but a mess.

A superb tutorial and outstanding results. Thanks for the clear and specific information.

Good news. Another retail outlet adding models. Bad news. Revell 1:25 '32 Ford 5 Window Coupe Model $41.99

Personally I like ebay too. I've made good, carefully considered purchases. The problem is that there are so many sellers with... um... exaggerated "free market" prices cluttering your browse that you feel like you're just wasting your time. The problem is the patience it takes to pool through all the pages of items that you know will never sell. But that's not ebay's problem. On a side note, ebay is a great research tool. I've learned as much about kits by looking at ebay ads as I have by reading articles.

That's absolutely beautiful. I'm glad you didn't mention the mistakes because I wouldn't know them to see them. I just see a meticulous rich piece.

That's such an amazing and mysterious engine. Looks great! Except everyone knows the wangdangler went into the snufflewuzzer only on the 68's.

Heh, heh, let me guess. Something like...

There was a time when carriers had cover your 20-cents-due personally and left an envelope in your box for you to reimburse what's owed. How many people do you think honored that remittance envelope when their package was already in their hands? The USPS has an encyclopedia of rules and whether it's a penny or a several dollars, there's little room for accommodating anything outside the policies, especially when it comes to them picking up the tab.

There you go again, posting photos of real cars and passing them off as models. We're on to you. Seriously, it's a beautiful, flawless build. It's amazing how appealing it can be without the clutter of the giant hood graphic.

Thanks everybody for your input. I had used lacquer thinner for airbrushing and it went over a base of duplicolor lacquer silver. Months later I could still put a dent in the finish with my thumbnail. From your responses I've come to believe it was probably the polish itself and that if I try it one more time with, maybe a different brand, I might have different results. At least I have more confidence in trying it again. Thanks.

Perfect. Thanks for the info.

Just so I'm understanding this right.... you laid down the gradated orange first, then bare metal in the shape of your graphic, then white all over, then removed the bare metal while paint was fresh. Correct?

Now that's a beauty. I'm gonna say, worth the wait.

I've seen people have great success airbrushing finishes with fingernail polish. But the one time I tried it, went on great, but took MONTHS to dry before it occurred to me that fingernail polish is designed to stay a little soft so it protects the nail and doesn't chip. How are you supposed to surface finish fingernail polish? Can it not be sanded and rubbed out? Are there brands that dry hard in a few days? Is it like candies where you don't touch it and instead polish a clearcoat layer? Once it's laid do you call it good, as is? What do you know about what to do AFTER it's been laid down?

This must be an extraordinarily hot seller for Mr. Jimmy F. because it seams like one out of every two modelers has one of these. It's been around and looking fabulous for ages. Heck, I've had MINE for almost twenty years.

You're not wrong Ben, but I'll have to partially disagree with you. Since Davin is only taking his first baby steps across the threshold, we won't get into compressors and pressure pots. Vacuum will indeed foam the resin if you leave it huffing long enough to let it happen, which is why I said to do it only momentarily with a simple set up. But pressure isn't going to crush the kind of air gaps I'm seeing on his rims. Suck 'em out. Vacuum is not just for RTV.

I especially like the gradated orange on the sides. Very subtle.

Looks to me like he's using one-piece molds. If you don't want to buy a vacuum pump to suck the air out, you could try putting them in a strong sealed box and for a moment hook your vacuum cleaner hose to it. Might at least get the big bubbles out.

One morning I was so miserable I waited outside the walk-in clinic until they opened at 7am. They let me in and did processing. I was the first one there, THE FIRST ONE and I had to wait a half hour for the doctor. It's good to be the doctor.

Breathe in... breathe out... breathe in.... breathe out.... go into your cave. You are going deeper into your cave and you will find your power animal.

Stunning!