What Irked You Today?

[dshue76]

What did you mix for the paint?

I've been scratchin' around for a good red, and they're all either too bright or too burgundy. Been thinking of plain old Testors flat red with a little black, but I'm open to other ideas.

Charlie Larkin

I use water based craft paint. What I mixed were Apple Barrel Real Red, AB Brown Oxide and AB Jet Black. I just add more of one or the other of red and brown until it's right. A tiny bit of black goes a long way. Then I gave it a coat of flat clear The front seats haven't had the flat clear treatment yet. Later I will address the different surfaces from flat to semigloss. I'm also not going Concours. I can't stand the black engine so I went with a shade of blue that I used on all of the Olds engines I've ever put into one of the various Cutlass' I've owned.

Edited May 16, 2016 by dshue76

[Xingu]

Jim,

Don't focus on the negative. The positive side is, they know what is wrong and it is probably an easy fix. Your double vision will go away and you will have a cool scar to show off at the next NNL show you attend.

[Harry P.]

Thanks Ray.  I've been depressed with the double vision.  Today's news just thoroughly kicked my ass.

Jim, the advancements in medical technology recently are amazing. You will be ok. I know you're scared... that's a perfectly normal human reaction. But you will be ok. Let the docs and today's modern medical treatments work their magic.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Jim, the advancements in medical technology recently are amazing. You will be ok. I know you're scared... that's a perfectly normal human reaction. But you will be ok. Let the docs and today's modern medical treatments work their magic.

Harry's right. A friend of mine just went through some scary stuff, and he's doing great now. No problems at all...and his deal was pretty severe. 

We're all pulling for you too. 

[charlie8575]

Went for the MRI on my brain this morning and the neurologist called this afternoon with results.  I have a cyst on my brain that's running interference on a nerve for my left eye.  Next appointment will be with a neurosurgeon to find out when they'll open up my skull to do the repair.  I'm REALLY scared now.

Jim, I'm very sorry to hear this. I hope the operation goes as well or better than expected. 

As other have said, stay positive and think positive thoughts. It may be a bit tough, but you'll get through this. 

Are you getting this done at the VA? They have some very good neurosurgeons, and if you have problems, my dad works there and knows a lot of people, so we might be able to help you out there, too.

Charlie Larkin

[charlie8575]

Went to my local super market an saw an idiot parking in a disabled parking bay. No disabled sticker on his fancy Mercedes, casually got out of the car and walked quite comfortably into the store to do his shopping. Came back 20 minutes later with a shopping cart full of purchases and proceeded to load it all into the trunk before driving off as if he had done nothing wrong. While waiting for my wife to return I saw an old lady looking for a suitable parking space to park so that she would not have to walk to far with her goods. She had a disabled sticker on her wind screen and ended up having to park quite a distance from the entrance and struggle to get out of her vehicle and walk with her walker to the store. If the idiot in the Mercedes had parked in a normal parking bay a few spaces away, the old lady would not have had to struggle so much. Some people are so inconsiderate! 

I don't know about South Africa, but in Massachusetts, that's an automatic $500 ticket, tow and an insurance surcharge for improper parking.

Charlie Larkin

[charlie8575]

This is Testors "Dark Red" on the dash and console. I used "Flat Red" with a touch of blue for the seats and "Flat Red" and "Flat Black" for the carpet. 

See how brown and muddy the carpet looks? Ok for carpet, not for seats IMHO.

G

I use water based craft paint. What I mixed were Apple Barrel Real Red, AB Brown Oxide and AB Jet Black. I just add more of one or the other of red and brown until it's right. A tiny bit of black goes a long way. Then I gave it a coat of flat clear The front seats haven't had the flat clear treatment yet. Later I will address the different surfaces from flat to semigloss. I'm also not going Concours. I can't stand the black engine so I went with a shade of blue that I used on all of the Olds engines I've ever put into one of the various Cutlass' I've owned.

Wayne- great tip, I never considered that. I'll play with it a little. 

Doug- that looks good. Do you airbrush your craft paint? If so, what do you use for thinner? I was thinking about using Acryl thinner. I know a lot of people use Windex, but I don't trust it not turning purple or something because of the blue dye.

Charlie Larkin

[Harry P.]

You can thin craft paint with plain water.

[SfanGoch]

You can thin craft paint with plain water.

That's also the preferred medium for cutting bottom shelf liquor in some bars. Used to be liquid camphor.

[Joe Handley]

http://abc7chicago.com/news/grandfather-survives-hit-and-run-while-mowing-lawn/1341757/

 

Happened less than two miles from home and on a residential street (25-30mph limit and arrow straight with only minor elevation changes) that has a grade school and high school at opposite ends of it as well as a middle school near it.

[crazyjim]

Thanks guys.  I plan on going through the VA for the surgery because the Gainesville VA (Florida) facility is connected with the University of Florida medical school and also Shands Hospital.

[crazyjim]

Are you getting this done at the VA? They have some very good neurosurgeons, and if you have problems, my dad works there and knows a lot of people, so we might be able to help you out there, too.

Charlie Larkin

Yes I'm going through the VA Charlie.  Your dad have any contacts for a neurosurgeon?

[GTJUNIOR]

I don't know about South Africa, but in Massachusetts, that's an automatic $500 ticket, tow and an insurance surcharge for improper parking.

Charlie Larkin

Unfortunately, traffic law enforcement in South Africa is mostly focused on speed trapping and occasional roadworthiness road blocks. Our police are not really interested in actual law enforcement. It is not uncommon to see them sitting in their cars or conducting random vehicle checks while other drivers blatantly disregard rules of the road and go unpunished. I hate to admit it, but corruption and bribery are rife in our police services. It is common knowledge that the equivalent of 10 or 20 $ US is usually enough to get you out of a ticket. The only offences that you can't get away with are excessive speeding and drunk driving. 

[GTJUNIOR]

Went for the MRI on my brain this morning and the neurologist called this afternoon with results.  I have a cyst on my brain that's running interference on a nerve for my left eye.  Next appointment will be with a neurosurgeon to find out when they'll open up my skull to do the repair.  I'm REALLY scared now.

Jim, focus on the positives. One of my wife's friends had a tumour on her optical nerve and the neurosurgeon was able to remove it successfully. She had some radiation therapy and is now 100%. I'm sure that the guys here on the forum will keep you in thier thoughts as you go through this. 

[charlie8575]

Yes I'm going through the VA Charlie.  Your dad have any contacts for a neurosurgeon?

He might. If you're having trouble getting one through your PCP, he can ask a couple of friends of his.

Dad does the computer stuff, but he's made a lot of contacts and friends throughout the VA around the country in each hospital's IRM, and he can work the backdoor. 

He's also helped a few people who have had major problems with service get it addressed. 

Let me know how you make out.

Charlie Larkin

[crazyjim]

The neurologist called Monday afternoon with the rresults so I was going to wait until noon Thursday to call the VA and start bugging them for a surgeon.

[ranma]

I and many others haven't been able to use our Wal-Mart money cards (Visa/Debit) for the last two days the whole systems F'd up globeably!  frustrating that one cant access their funds thus not able to pay bills and other needs! Also Wal mart never posted any news about this problem and they act like it's nothing to get upset about!

[dshue76]

What irked me today was breaking the steering king pin and tie rod pin on the Dodge L700 that I just finished and was getting ready to photograph. I had consider gluing the steering solid and if I would have it would have saved me from making repairs to a completed model.

 

Wayne- great tip, I never considered that. I'll play with it a little. 

Doug- that looks good. Do you airbrush your craft paint? If so, what do you use for thinner? I was thinking about using Acryl thinner. I know a lot of people use Windex, but I don't trust it not turning purple or something because of the blue dye.

Charlie Larkin

Plain water or the Testors acryl thinner or a mix of the two. I airbrush it for the most part. I only brush paint small parts with it or use it as a wash for brushing. It doesn't seem to lay smooth brushing straight from the bottle, but with thinning it sometimes flows nicely. The coverage doesn't seem as good as enamels though so many coats are needed.

If I could only brush paint an interior I would use the small Testors bottles of flat enamel colors. With a little thinning it goes on smooth and has great coverage. 

Wayne, I will give the dark blue substitute for black a try when mixing. Sometimes black is just too much.

 

[charlie8575]

I and many others haven't been able to use our Wal-Mart money cards (Visa/Debit) for the last two days the whole systems F'd up globeably!  frustrating that one cant access their funds thus not able to pay bills and other needs! Also Wal mart never posted any news about this problem and they act like it's nothing to get upset about!

One more reason I don't trust those non-bank services. 

Credit unions and community (local) banks can solve a lot of the same problems, frequently with far fewer (and lower) fees than all those cards have.

Charlie Larkin

[slusher]

Thanks Ray.  I've been depressed with the double vision.  Today's news just thoroughly kicked my ass.

Jim, i will keep you in my thoughts and prayers...

[Agent G]

Jim,

Stay the course shipmate. You have my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.

G

[cobraman]

Phoenix police officer shot in the head a couple miles from my house. Police were called by a man who said his son was stealing his guns. Police showed up and one was shot in the head for going to help. Son was shot and killed. Officer is in the hospital and is hanging on to life.  Prayers for him and his family. What a senseless act of this young guy. Just goes to show you that the police risk their lives no matter what type a call they are called to.

[cobraman]

Unfortunately the officer passed away.

[cowboy rich]

Unfortunately the officer passed away.

sad to hear, personally (nobody get offended) but I think the people that harm our public service people should be beat rather than shot, but hey at least we're not paying for him to be in prison. And I'm sure the other officers did what they felt they needed to do.

[Harry P.]

Phoenix police officer shot in the head a couple miles from my house. Police were called by a man who said his son was stealing his guns. Police showed up and one was shot in the head for going to help. Son was shot and killed. Officer is in the hospital and is hanging on to life.  Prayers for him and his family. What a senseless act of this young guy. Just goes to show you that the police risk their lives no matter what type a call they are called to.

It takes a special kind of person to be a cop. I know I don't have what it takes. But thank God there are people who do have what it takes.