Kit Basher

Well put, Art. I agree individuals have talent that allow them to excel in some area, like art, science, music, language, etc. Those individuals still have to learn and practice skills to fully develop that talent. Those, like me, who do not have a talent for model building, have to make up for it with extra effort, and perhaps lower expectations. I know I will never reach the level of some of the builders I see on here, and I'm OK with that. For me, I'm satisfied if I did my best, whatever the outcome might be.

Both mold releases seem to work fine. The Alumilite one is a bit more stinky.

SWEEEET!

I feel your pain! I have been working on that same kit for a while, and even asked the same question you did on this forum. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=94279&hl= I got a bunch of helpful and useful suggestions. I found I do not have the skills to do those, but I did have success using an "artists blending stump". I sanded the end flat, and kinda "tapped" paint onto those letters. The stumps are sticks of rolled paper, and can be found at art and craft stores. Good luck!

If you're airbrushing, Model Master also makes a gloss black lacquer in bottles. It lays down really smooth. I did not sand or polish this car, although I did put a coat of Pearl Ex and a coat of clear. (If it looks like it has orange peel, what you're seeing is the pearl. It's actually very smooth. Honest! )

No doubt! For your 1/8 version try using maple framing with bridle joints at the corners. That'll slow you down!

Every thing about this model is spectacular. As a professional woodworker, I really admire your choice to use real wood, and the way you have used it. Getting mortised in butt hinges to work well can be a challenge in 1:1, doing it in this scale is awesome. It looks great, and I've enjoyed watching you build it.

"Give me 40 acres, and I'll turn this rig around, it's the easiest way that I've found." C'mon, sing along, you know the words! That thing is wild! I'll be watching.

Nice job! I spent a lot of hours in the seat of one of those when I was a young man.

Hey Brian. I've been buying Alumilite at Hobby Lobby with their 40% off coupon. They have this starter kit http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/mini-casting-kit-579714/. The only problem with it is that it does not include mold release, a necessity for two part molds. They do have the mold release as a separate item. They also have this http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/super-casting-kit-580068/ which has everything you need. I started out with a Smooth On kit, but the rubber went bad before I could use it all. The resin was still good, so I've been buying this http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/quick-set-rubber-579599/. I usually use it up before it goes bad. If you end up making a lot of molds, or big ones, I think the Smooth On kit is more cost effective, even without the 40% coupon. Like I said before, I'm no expert, but if you ask a question I actually know the answer to, I'll be glad to help.

I have huge respect for anyone that has the patience to put all 17 million strings on one of those things. As Bob Dylan said: "It aint me, babe".

If you would like to learn casting just for the fun of it (I personally think it is a lot of fun), then you could definitely cast those parts. It would be a bit tricky because there are some undercuts, and it would have to be a two part mold. Maybe not the best choice for your first attempt, but with some experience you could get there. I am no casting expert, I've just been fooling around with it, but I've used both Smooth On and Alumilite, and both have worked well for me. For starting out I would recommend Alumilite, just because they sell smaller quantities of the mold rubber, and mold rubber has a fairly short shelf life once you open it.

Wow! That is impressive! I keep looking at it and I see more each time. I see these on the road from time to time, yours looks great.

I think it's gonna be fun. BTW, the link that Joe posted above has the instructions.

Thanks Art, I'll save my .030 for scratchbuilding.

Thanks, Greg. Windshields and headlight lenses are definitely something I want to try. Also hood scoops, and who knows what all!

Cool! I've got a bunch of .030 plastic. Isn't that about what plastic signs are?

Is the platen plastic? There are two rectangular ones, one with a bunch of tiny holes, and one with no holes and a ribbed surface. There is also a round one.with a ribbed surface and one hole in the middle. Thanks Thanks for the link, Joe. Looks interesting.

I picked up one of these at an auction today for cheap. It heats up and appears complete except for the instructions. I have a rough idea how it works, but would appreciate any advice. I don't have any of the perforated sheets of styrene for it. Can plain styrene be used without perforations? If so, what thickness? TIA

I use "artist's blending stumps", available at art and craft stores. They are basically sticks made out of rolled paper, so they are more absorbent than toothpicks, and hold more thinner. They can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener, and sanded to custom shapes. I suspect you could use the side of one to clean all your ribs at once, without having to worry about removing paint in the spaces between ribs. They're also good for burnishing BMF, and painting raised details, like scripts on valve covers.

Thanks, guys. I will trim it close and try a little Future. FYI, the decal is the "Challenger R/T" badge that goes in the grille on the Revell 1970 Challenger. Unfortunately, that area is not a molded in script, but a flat topped surface that has the script outline. So the decal is necessary, but I wanted a more chrome look behind it.

I need to put a decal on a surface covered with BMF. Do I need to do anything extra to make sure it sticks? TIA

What he said! (I have no idea what I'm agreeing with. ) Good luck and have fun!

Thanks Tim. You're right, I am not that far from D.C. Out of curiousity, what LHS are you using? I've been going to Frederick, MD and Winchester, VA.

Do Maskol and Micromask work with one coat? I have been using Parma liquid mask, and it works fine, but you have to use 3-4 coats, with the associated drying time. Kind of a pain. Also I hope there is a reasonable source for Maskol in the U.S. I did a quick search and found it on Amazon. $30 for a 28 ml bottle! (And no, that is not a typo!)