Bugatti Fan

Manfred, what did you not like about the OCCRE kit? I am thinking of buying one. Your model looks like a scratch build, so did you use the OCCRE parts to use as templates to make pieces from plastic card or metal?

It is a known fact that Polystyrene plastic degenerates with age and it is not only model kits that suffer. Naturally the chemical consistency of the plastic will determine how long it would take before any signs of deterioration take place. I pulled our Vax carpet cleaning machine out from a dark cupboard where it had sat for at least 7 or 8 years or so unused. The main moulding on the lower part of the machine almost fell apart when I lifted it up where it had gone brittle and cracked up. It is no small wonder that auction houses and the like tend to shun most models made from plastic kits. The only exception I can think of may be very well made classic Pochers. I am not sure about the durability of models made from resin however, and I guess that time will tell with these. I have also heard some horror stories about the metal in some but not all collectable and cheap die cast models deteriorating.

The Taig mini lathe has been marketed as the Peatol lathe in the UK for many, many years. Having looked at them at our Model Engineering Exhibition they are a very well made piece of kit. They tend to market to model engineers rather than general model makers so they offer a very basic machine that model engineers can customise to suit their specific needs. Sherlines are well made machines that are obtainable over here in the UK but less well known to the UK and European modeller than the Emco Unimats that also have many accessories available in a similar fashion to the Sherline machines. Another well made mini lathe is the Proxxon of German origin. Proxxon make a comprehensive range of machines for model makers, both for metal and woodwork. In fact you could fully equip a model making workshop with their range of bench and hand tools. Well worth a look on their website. Almost all the others tend to concentrate on lathes and milling machines. In the UK there is a manufacturer named Cowells who make miniature lathes. They are considered the Rolls Royce of miniature lathes and are built to tool room standards with a price tag to match I might add! I have an Emco Unimat 4 that is adequate for what I use it for and a larger Emco Compact 8 for bigger stuff. I decided to go for a separate milling machine as I felt that the milling attachments as fitted to the Sherline and Unimat 4 would only be a compromise due to their size limitations. Over on the Scale Motorcars website forum there is a section devoted to scale machining that is well worth looking at.

There was a guy who did the shows here in the UK that had a little BD5 in 1/72nd that he used to park on the wing of his Airfix Vulcan Bomber model.

Thanks for straightening that out Pete. I got the impression as Hobby Lobby and Michaels get mentioned so many times on this forum that they were similar to our Hobbycraft stores.

In the UK we have warehouse type art and craft shops named Hobbycraft. I would guess that Hobby Lobby and Michaels are a similar thing in the US?

In the UK there is a company named De Luxe Materials who make and sell a large range of model making adhesives and other sundries for model makers like scenic materials. I use their 4 minute epoxy that comes in separate adhesive and hardener plastic dispenser bottles that enable good control over the quantities being mixed. Another really good product of theirs is Perfect Plastic Putty. It is one of the best filler materials I have used. Normally I have a good buy up from their stand at Telford every year! I would thoroughly recommend anybody look at their website and see the large range of their products.

Danno, Kalmbach is a long established commercial publishing company. They probably had sound reasons for axing Scale Auto, because circulation in all probability was dropping including the advertising revenue within that magazine, and because they have Fine Scale Modeler that has a wider circulation, more advertising revenue ( that can now also pull in the SA advertisers ) and also being a general interest modelling magazine they can run auto related articles within it. I do not think that being ' fussy old women' is any reflection on the decision they made, just a cold commercial decision based on the profitability of SA as a stand alone magazine. I will miss it along with many others who were regular readers, but that is the hard reality of running commercial publications in this day and age where there is so much on line information available. Personally, I like a proper magazine, but have to be pragmatic as to the way in which things are going!

Thanks for the reply Larry. Les Budge posted to say that WHSmith besides their own shops distribute out to independent newsagents as well. This may be where local hobby shops in the UK get their magazines from also.

Larry, how about approaching WHSmith, the UK's largest chain of newsagent, bookstore, stationers who have stores in just about every high street in the UK. They carry all the other popular model making magazines, so why not set up MCM?

Dave, thanks for the feedback about MCM regarding the UK. Local hobby shops are getting to be as rare as hens teeth over here. I guess it is the same in the US. Maybe MCM should approach WHSmith who are a large UK multi store newsagents, bookseller and stationery I guess similar to your Barnes and Noble chain who have outlets in just about every town and city.

I like Tom and Russell's light hearted bit of banter in the last two posts. Nothing like not taking ourselves too seriously!

I bought the Robustelli PE parts about 25 years ago. I expect Robustelli may no longer exist if you cannot find them.

We all buy kits with every good intention of building them 'someday'. Someday seems to slip away all too often when one does the maths equation; Too many kits plus too little time = having to sell off shed loads.

Thanks for the feedback Geoff. I don't hold out much hope about MCM being available here, in UK but asked the question anyway. A bit reluctant to subscribe at present, so I will just wait a bit and see how the revival pans out.

I have used C1 Polishing Powder over gloss black and found it to be quite durable.

Companies like Proxxon make variable speed control units. This may be an avenue worth pursuing.

A pity that social media appears to have become detrimental to various forums. Facebook for example seems to have become like Spectre from James Bond in some respects with its spreading tentacles becoming ever reaching into many different things.I Emotion symbols on this site or tick boxes for like or dislike I feel would not be a good idea on a site like this where proper replies should be encouraged.

Good to hear that MCM is back under new leadership. I read the dealer list. But nothing is listed for the UK. I have asked in an earlier thread if MCM will be distributed in the UK but the question unfortunately remains unanswered. We have a nationwide retailer named WHSmith newsagents and stationers who carry many different magazines. I would imagine that they are a UK equivalent to your Barnes and Noble chain.

Don't worry too much about the tarnished metal. Just give those parts a good scrub with some washing up liquid in water using an old tooth brush to get into the nooks and crannies. Once dry just prime as normal. I noticed that the plated parts have been stripped on your model. I guess that you will spray these with some form of chrome paint.

Will copies be going on sale in the UK via WHSmith (UK equivalent to Barnes&Noble I believe)?

John, unfortunately I never built the Valiant car from Duel. Forgot to mention in my last post some time ago MCM ran my Duel build article in the magazine.

This is looking more and more interesting1 What you are doing is replicating customers requests to coachbuilders as it was back in the day.

Duel was also one of my favourite movies. It inspired me to build this!

You guys are lucky in the States whilst MCM is sorting itself out, as Model Car Builder is another available magazine (as I do not think that they have overseas subscribers), and Scale Auto was also another alternative up until its recent closure. We have a magazine named Truck Model World published in the UK and as far as I know it is the only automotive magazine published this side of the pond. I believe there is also an American truck modelling magazine who's title I don't know.