Lunajammer

Some excellent clean builds there partner. Nice work, welcome aboard.

"It's not the having, it's the wanting." So let us want gentlemen. Announce.

WHAT?! Oh no you di-in't.

I love the retro futurism and it's as good as any from the era. It surely can't be uglier than this... This just makes no sense. Spectacular build. All your choices feel good. Well done.

The cold may not ruin the plastic but I can say with some confidence that the condensation that can occur with temperature flux can warp boxes and/or decals. Depending on how much humidity there is, I've also seen frost build in storage units when temps drop after a mild or sunny winter day. Seems worse closer to the ground than shelved up above and most noticeable during warming spring temps. I keep my crummy stuff in a storage unit but not my good stuff.

If you don't already have that Harbor Freight motor tool you should know it's weak. I have it, like it, and and use it for certain applications but it's just a small motor that drags down easily, even just cutting plastic. Slowing it down with a controller to manage the speed will take away all its momentum unless you are cutting very small detail parts. On bodies, like lopping off a body panel, it bogs down but you can manage the drag with careful use. It's no dremel but it has its merits.

I went to the local pipe fitting supplier and they cut me scrap sewage and drainage pipes for free. I think I had a 12-inch and about a 6-inch. The smaller (but taller) one I use for degassing the RTV and resin before pouring into the molds. Then I degass the final pour in the 12-inch. I cut seal rings from thin but dense foam. I've been doing okay using thick plexi but I don't think it's 1-inch.

You know John, for as little as you say, you sure make a comprehensive presentation with your photo sequences. You are the master builder.

Donnie is mostly right but I think I'll add something. I just had to do this over the weekend. I've tried in the past running the part under the hot tap, but my hot water is not set high and never got the results I wanted. I put a pan on the stove and heat until it's not quite boiling, then MOMENTARILY dip the part, shape, then cool in cold water. Looked great but the next day it had slightly sought it's warped shape again. It's close enough to use but just repeat if need be.

Well done Jr. the colors look exactly right. Be sure you bring it out in public.

You are a masking maniac! That's my achilles heel so I admire your patience and skill.

About ten years ago, I had a conference call interview for the SA editor position. Their call began with an apology, saying they decided to hire from within. I believe that's the time JH was named editor. However they then informed me that due to the internal hire, there was now an editor opening at FSM and would I like to interview for that position. I, of course, said yes but then completely bombed the interview because I was not prepared to discuss a magazine I hadn't read for about three years. Good thing though, I would have stunk there. But what I learned in prepping is that the pay is not generous and frankly would probably not be worth it for anyone living far from the Milwaukee area to move there unless it is just a stopping off point in your career. That's when I changed my feelings about the hobby magazine industry, their budgets and their products. Frankly I think SA is a pretty good magazine for what the publishers allow them and they're lucky they have a current staff that seems to be sticking around. That being said, MCM is also a very good magazine considering the editors are also, in a sense the publishers. Nobody's getting rich, they're not McGraw-Hill, so we're lucky that they give us what they do because they are committed to the hobby, are connected to the right people and are doing what they can with what they've got, which by the way is excellent. Without them and SA, there would sure to be many magazines with good intentions that would come and go with the seasons.

I've got nothing against it as a new vehicle. What bothers me is corporate exploitation of a wonderful sentimentality for the old microbus on a vehicle that is nothing like the old one beyond the nose emblem. A sentimentality, by the way, that was user generated at a grass roots level. I image a bunch of executive suits in a mahogany board room saying, "Come here homies. We call it the new Microbus because it's cool. Know-what-it-is-that-I-am-saying?

46/48 = 96%. Curse you Willys and Henry J! You're supposed to be each other.

I don't know Nick, I may be a little slow to judge people, (or just a little slow period) but I'm not sure two weeks is crisis mode yet. I can see where his delay could be inconsiderate but it seems a little early to burn bridges. Doing so may just cement his notion that he doesn't owe you anything for giving him a muckraking. I assume you've made requests for updates or status. I find patience prevails. Maybe two more weeks then send out the dogs.

Jeepers Mathew, I glad you didn't go mining. I wasn't expecting such a thorough answer, but I'll take it and file it. Now, where else could I have gotten an answer like that? You too Rob. Thanks.

Whoa, Bruthah! I seriously thought the first photo was an actual bike shown as an inspiration reference photo. That is sooo smoothe!

Yeah, I'm all on board with the standard wagon roof. If I'm not mistaken the Ecto-1 is 1/24. You might consider the Tom Daniel '60 Street Fighter as a donor. It's also 1/24 scale and is currently available. I even see Hobby Lobby carries it in some places and can be had with one of their discount coupons.

Easy Off. It's fast, it's nasty, and you'll be snapping your rubber gloves off in 5-minutes. Oh, that burning cough goes away after a day or two.

What is this magical utopia of which you speaketh? This... how do you say... Peeeee - Ehsss - Ehnnn? Oh it sounds grand, but for the warring. I must step aside and travel to this great place.

Oh, I'm just yankin' your chain a little Jim. I've consciously avoided Hot Wheels most of my life for the simple reason that they're cheap, you buy a few, they don't take up much space, you get to liking them, you discover certain ones have some value and before you know it you have 27-thousand. Naturally, I own about a dozen favorites but it's a seductive mistress to flirt with.

This might be a good place to ask where the uninformed would commonly find scale 6-bangers?

So if he's not telling you whether he's selling them or not, does he just want the world to know he has 27-thousand Hot Wheels?

Because there are still a few rare and highly collectible, pristine muscle cars out there that haven't been smashed to bits yet.

No so fast. Glue getting old, yes. Liquid cement, yes. But I find liquid cement much too watery for my preference so I glob the old tube glue into it and mix. You can get a really nice viscous liquid cement that's thick enough to avoid running all over but still thin enough to wick into delicate areas.