Harry P.

Nice photos!

How about it? Real or model? The answer: REAL!

Dave, if you're serious about that water-based chroming system of yours, you definitely are CRAZY!!! You've put more effort into that one system than most of us will put into the entire hobby in our lifetimes! Too bad you couldn't simplify it and patent it...

Dave-tell us about your water-based chrome system.

WILMA!!!

No other photos except this one, under construction. As you can see, the body is sheet brass, the whole thing is totally scratchbuilt, ala Gerald Wingrove style. It's 1/10 scale.

You can in Minnesota...

One more thing... someone mentioned that the door hinges look fake. I'm wondering if anyone out there knows if the hinges look like the real thing. I can't imagine someone who would build such a fantastically detailed model would then take the easy way out on the door hinges???

BTW... whoever just added the 51st vote... it doesn't count! You can't vote after I've already given the answer, it's TOO EASY that way!

Supposed to be 70 degrees and sunny today! George, when we're done with that weather we'll be sending it east! Well, you guys were too smart on this one. I thought it would be a closer vote, but you pretty much got me on this one... it's a MODEL! Next ROM coming MONDAY!

I got mine today, and it's in pristine condition! Woo Hoo!!!

Mojo, schmojo...

My head hurts...

Yeah, there are many different ways to get from "Point A to Point B' if the question is, for example, what type of paints are ""best"? or how do you chop a top?, etc. There's no one single answer to questions like that. But when the question is how to use one specific product, and you get diametrically opposed answers, that doesn't simplify things, it makes things even more confusing. From everything I've ever seen, getting good results from Alclad is NOT easy... apparently there's not much margin for error. That implies that a very specific method of application is necessary in order to get good results. So when the answers as to how to use Alclad are coming from all over the the place and contradicting each other, I had to wonder what the real story is? Let the base coat dry thoroughly or else the Alclad will rub off. Don't let the base coat dry thoroughly or else the Alclad will rub off. See why I'm confused??? I like Bob's answer best: Read the instructions. Nobody knows how to use the product better than the manufacturer.

Thanks, Bob! I didn't want to stir the pot, but when you get absolutely contradictory answers to the same question, it sort of triggers the old "red flag". Kind of like, "what's the weather like today?" and you get one guy telling you it's sunny and another guy telling you it's overcast and raining! Huh???!!!

I think the comments and suggestions posted here have created more questions than they've answered. We have directly contradictory suggestions here. For example: "Also I've found that the gloss black needs to be completely dry to minimize rubbing off when handling." "Over drying the base doesn't allow the Alclad to "GET A BITE" into the base color, hence allowing it to rub off easily." And this: "For Alclad Chrome, the base coat should either be enamel or their own base coat. It will not stick to lacquer." "I have sprayed Alclad over enamels, lacquers and urethane's with equally good results." Since Alclad is lacquer (says so on the label), why would you want to use an enamel base coat? Anybody have any definitive answers here???

When I first began working on a freelance basis (being "self employed") I figured it would be fantastic, because I wouldn't have a boss to answer to. A friend of mine who was a self-employed photographer told me something I'll never forget: when you're self-employed (or own your own business), everyone (that is to say, all of your clients) is your boss!

OK... I've done all I can do...

ok, guys... enough with the kid stuff. If anyone here has an issue with anyone else, do the rest of us a favor and fight your fights privately via email. The rest of us here really don't need to be part of a private disagreement or feud or whatever you guys call this.

It's not just the people in small towns that get it late. I'm always one of the very last to get mine, usually 3-4 weeks after you guys first post about getting the new issue. And I'm not in the boonies... I'm in a town you all may have heard of called Chicago...

Actually it's the other way around. The car is drawn, the background is real. Well, the sky is. That's a photo I used for the sky, I drew the "ground" in Photoshop. And you can tell that the car is drawn and not a photo... just look at the cheesy fake tire tread pattern I drew because I was too lazy to do a more realistic one...

And also... it's one thing to be detailing a buddy's junker. But what happens when someone drops off their Lexus or whatever, and you accidentally burn through the paint? Or your customer picks up his car after you're done with it, notices some scratch or whatever that he claims wasn't there before and blames you? Or you're polishing the fender, you get the buffer head caught on the mirror and accidentally rip it off? Or even some neighborhood kid on a bike falls and the bike dings the car while it's sitting in your driveway? Whenever your business involves handling other people's property (expensive property like cars!), you have to either be extremely lucky and never get caught in a "situation"... or you need plenty of insurance to cover your you-know-what in case something DOES goes wrong. Even something as seemingly harmless as detailing some guy's car in your garage can turn out costing you big bucks, sometimes through no fault of your own. Just remember... you have to anticipate the worst, and be covered for it somehow, in case it ever happens... because if you're not covered, you're rolling the dice every day...

There's a big difference between doing this as sort of a "hobby" out of your garage or in your driveway, and actually opening up a detailing shop. If you're thinking of a home-based thing, all you really need to do is go to the local copy/print store and print up a couple hundred flyers listing your info, prices, etc. and pass them out around town, on supermarket bulletin boards, etc., and wait for the calls to come. However, if you're talking about actually opening up a detailing business, that's a whole 'nother world. Now you're talking about renting space, paying utilities, insurance, business licenses, the IRS, etc, etc. Maybe more involved than you realize. You can't just "open a business" without jumping through a lot of hoops. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that it's a lot more involved than you may think.

Ok... how about this one? Real or Model? The answer: MODEL!

Looks good so far!