Ace-Garageguy

To some of us old gearhead masochists, the "misery" of having to tinker occasionally is just part of the fun. It also always kinda seemed odd that cars made in a wet country would never start in the rain, and had soft tops and body seals that always leaked water on your seat. Must be a lotta British masochists too.

Got me a big ol' ham for Christmas dinner. Doing an apricot /maple glaze, roasted sweet potatoes with walnuts, steamed Brussels sprouts in a brown butter sauce, and a wild rice mix. Mmmmmm mmmmm. Might need some biscuits to go with that.

I love British cars and have owned many...still have a big ol' Jag XJ6 (last of the REAL Jags). But It just might be prudent to buy yourself a cheap old Honda or Toyota to get you to the parts store to pick up the inevitable relays, carb diaphragms and fuel pump points you're going to need.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it. To everyone, I hope you find the peace, compassion, kindness and generosity this time of year should make us mindful of.

One of my favorites from the wayback. "Just Like a Woman" and "I Shall Be Released" still have the power to move me like they did then. I'm so glad that technology has allowed the work of so many fantastic artists to be preserved, remembered and maybe rediscovered by generations to come.

I understand. Several years back I went to work building hot-rods as a vocation. Many days there IS a pleasant feeling of accomplishment, and I have wide freedom to do things the way I know to be right, but many times, the old buggers of having to deal with crapp work that's gone before us, re-engineering expensive aftermarket parts so they'll actually work and fit as advertised, and juggling the client's often-conflicting wants with their budgets...well, it gets to be just like any other thing you HAVE to do to make a living. At least for the time being, I still enjoy it more than I dislike it...but now that I'm being handed all the higher-tech, late-model electronics because I CAN do the work (I went in there to build low-stress traditional cars, which I can pretty much do in my sleep)...the scales may be turning.

I don't know about anyone's perception, but my own uses of caps ie. GROSS ERRORS, was primarily to get the attention of posters who seemed to think my criticisms were in pursuit of the "perfect kit". Whenever anyone criticizes anything, no matter how politely, he's immediately labeled a "rivet counter" and accused of trying to drive the manufacturers out of business by wanting impossible to achieve perfection. It's difficult to compete with the piling on of those who refuse to see legitimate gripes concerning big scaling and proportion errors, and label them as incessant criticism of trivial things, without screaming sometimes. At least is it for me.

"Best cook in the world" = getting fish fillet in middle of bun. I didn't know it was that easy.

Very nice, subtle custom. Fine craftsmanship, perfect period vibe.

Danke.

I've REPEATEDLY said I have respect for the products that Moebius produces, and a GREAT MANY of the products others turn out. REPEATEDLY. I've REPEATEDLY said I fully understand the problems a manufacturer faces today, when much of the product development and tooling is outsourced overseas. I've REPEATEDLY said positive things about the products of Moebius AND Revell that contain NO GROSS ERRORS in scaling or proportion. BUT, many of you choose to say I "endlessly complain" (when I COULD very well point out COUNTLESS flaws in every kit out there) and name-call me "jack-wagon" (don't bother saying "get over yourself"...that was directed at ME personally) for simply pointing out that many of the "reasons" cited by so many for second-rate products are in reality excuses for just not trying hard enough. Part of the problem with this country today is that FAR more resources and energy are expended avoiding responsibility, spreading blame, covering asses, and making excuses than go into getting things done. I've "done professional project management" and I KNOW what can be achieved if you crack the whip occasionally and hold your people to a high standard, rather than endlessly praising and rewarding mediocrity. My illustrations of a "bad kit" were examples of things that are easily avoided. If you, Tom, had ever had to get the best from a group of people who do things with their hands, you just MIGHT have a clue how a bad example, even an OLD bad example, can be a very useful teaching tool. And I would CERTAINLY imagine Mr. Metzner is a big enough boy to not be "run off the board" because I had the unmitigated audacity to voice opinions based on first-hand multi-national manufacturing and management experience. (Last corporate client Canadian based; market Pakistan, India and England; engineering, pre-production tooling and prototyping done by me; production tooling and production in China).

Even if you're planning to attend a seminar, the videos give you a good oversight of the processes and materials involved, so the hands-on experience and opportunity to ask questions will have more value, because you'll ALREADY know something about what you're learning in the class.

Insurance companies will typically pay up to around 70% of the value of a car to repair it, almost never any more than that. Add up all the parts (large and small), and a LOT of labor (plus refinish materials and time), and consider the main structure is probably tweaked beyond cost-effective and safe repair too, and you have a "total" loss. The insurance will most likely replace the car, and try to attempt to recover some money by selling the remains for salvage.

Please please please a link a link a link...

I love this. "Prepare you a meal" (which implies some culinary skills) isn't the same thing as sticking something in a warmer and putting it in a bag. Neither is "get everything visually appealing" (which implies some food-design skills) the same as getting the fish actually ON the dammed bun. If those "skills" are worth $10 per hour, I should be making about $1000.

Frankly, I've never understood the sometimes rabid brand loyalty and "this one's better than that one" debates. All 3 have made some knockout cars, engines, transmissions and rear ends over the years, and all 3 have built some real loser turkeys.

Well actually, Ebay DOES allow you to block out a specific seller for a specific search, as the OP mentioned (I believe) and which I just verified. It's easy and only takes a couple of clicks to do.

People who work for me either get it right, which is what I PAY FOR, or they work for somebody else. And I'm FAR more critical of MY OWN WORK than I am of anyone else's. One more thing: the things I build to make a living these days have to work, fit and function correctly THE FIRST TIME, or I do them over for FREE until they're right. Kinda tends to make one a little more aware of quality as "job one". I guess in YOUR world, that's just unfair.

Question: Why do so many of you equate "NO GROSS ERRORS" with "PERFECTION"? These are TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS, and NOT HARD TO UNDERSTAND. Mr. Metzner's company gets it, and consistently turns out product that really IS good enough. Revell does it a lot of the time, like the '50 Olds and the '57 Ford kits. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT THIS LEVEL OF QUALITY EVERY TIME.

And where did YOU get YOUR expertise? Manufacturing is manufacturing, whether it's refrigerators, model cars, or locomotives. The same problems and constraints apply in every field. Quality vs. Time vs. Money. I've been heavily involved in the design, development, tooling and production for a wide variety of products...high-end aftermarket performance car parts, aftermarket aircraft parts, commercial aviation parts, sports equipment, toys, medical devices and prosthetics, and tools...just to name a few. NONE of the products I've been involved with would tolerate GROSS ERRORS. I WAS EXPECTED AND PAID TO CATCH THEM BEFORE THEY HAPPENED TOO FAR ALONG IN THE PROCESS TO CORRECT COST-EFFECTIVELY. This is the way it works: YOU CHECK YOUR STUFF BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR TOOLING. RAPID PROTOTYPING ALLOWS "TEST SHOTS" TO BE 3D PRINTED AND ASSEMBLED BEFORE TOOLING IS CUT. GROSS ERRORS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Got several consecutive hours at the bench for the first time in over a year. I'd really forgotten how much I enjoy actually building models. Got in the zone and the hours just melted away, very pleasantly. Even caught myself smiling once or twice.

Man, expecting the fish fillet to be on the center of the bun is the kind of perfectionism that could drive the company out of business. We should just all be glad we even have the fish in the same bag as the bun, and be willing to center it, or even cook it if necessary, ourselves. PS. I've known a few MBA holders who couldn't be employed if getting the fish fillet in the center of the bun was one of the required skills.

For the 100 dozenth time, NO ONE expects perfection. GROSS INACCURACIES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE, and IT DOESN'T COST A PENNY MORE TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. It takes better communication, more caring about quality-first, and management commitment. I've spent considerable time in product design and production engineering during my 45 year working life. Getting it right the first time IS POSSIBLE IF IT'S A PRIMARY GOAL. PERIOD. People ALWAYS whine and complain when you demand they consistently perform quality work...if you let them...but a truly effective executive will find a way to motivate his people to deliver first-rate product the first time...or get new people.