JayMesawitz

Definitely strip & start over. Not you… the model! Anyway you will want to stay away from the brake fluid. It works but it is MESSY! Oven cleaner is messy too but not as bad, you just can’t soak in it. A day or two soak in 90% isopropyl is a less messy option, works on just about any paint and won’t harm the plastic no matter how long you let it sit. It’s cheap & easy to find too. Be sure to check the %. Standard rubbing alcohol is usually 70% and won’t do much. Castrol Super Clean or Westleys’ Bleach White are both strong automotive degreasers that are commonly used as stripping baths. I’d rate them somewhere between oven cleaner & alcohol mostly because the nasty container of gunk that is left behind after the plastic is back to original. I have never used ELO so I can’t comment. Don’t expect miracles regardless of what product you use. You will probably need to spend some time scrubbing whatever solution into the panel lines with an old toothbrush mid soak and maybe again at the end. Good luck and show us some progress, man! I’d like to see more Hot Auto Action on this site.

Well done Gil. Love the wood grain on you bumpers and the dude is great. I've never tried painting a face. Could be a interesting new challenge. Jay

Surprised no one thought of the hot redhead from 5th Element. also in my list: MadMax Aliens PitchBlack Abyss HeavyMetal

DUDE ! That is quite a few builds you have there. All are very well done. I also like the '56 the most. And I must also say that I really like this year-in-review idea for a topic. It puts things into perspective. As for myself... 2 completions all year. Yet, I still call myself a builder. Kind of sad really. Again. Great work

I know a lot of guys that swear by Tenax. I have tried it but it evaporates out of the bottle faster than I can use it. To me it is rather a pain too. For strictly plastic, I have used testors with the needle tip for years. In fact one tube has lasted for over 25 models. Don't overlook the need for a instant CA glue in your arsenal though.

Good looking build. What 's next on your to do list? ??? 2007/10/07 :D

I'ts good to know I'm not the only one with kitty litter on my hobby room floor. And they warn us about breathing paint fumes. Mine is an oversized closet with door to the outside, roughly 6 x 10 with a low ceiling. I have appointed it with a computer dest for working on and installed several cabinets for storage & counter space. 20 lb. CO2 tank with regulator is my airbrush propellant of choice. I like the quiet.

Alclad produced a very nice silver tone and the graphics are a way cool concept. Nice job.

I suspect that the lower psi is the issue. Low psi is best for up close detailed work (the tip 1" from the work surface) paint should be very thin, and volume would be rather low. The technique you describe is for a wider area that requires more paint flow. Guessing your paint distance is 4 to 6 inches form the work surface. The lower psi simply spits the higher volume. Higher psi equals increased atomization. I think that is what you are after.

Thanks for all the comments guys, I appreciate all the positive remarks but don't hesitate to offer up critical observations if you have them. Thanks again, Jay

Oh Yeah ! ! ! And the car guys come out swinging. Great engine work there Raisin. I particularly like the orange boots on the sparkplug wires. It is rare to see a kit with decals for the engine other than on an air intake. Are the ones on the valve covers from the kit or your own addition? The paper filter element is also a cool addition though it looks too clean in the photo. Some pastels could soften that up a bit. I look forward to more more more.

Finally, a leap to completion Thanks for looking, Jay

On to the engine (the cockpit was done somewhere in between but seems I did not take many pics) On my hobby room wall you can see some reference pics.

After seeing others inspirational work on a web site, I thought I would open up the front to expose the foot box and some extra detail.

Lets bring some action to this anemic automotive section... Here is my most recent project. Started with an older Tamiya kit I picked up at a contest a couple years ago. Used Studio27 photo etched set And Scale Motor Sports templated carbon fiber decals Chassis prep. Gotta fill those sink marks Two mods here. Puttied in the front section that was supplied as a separate piece and extended the front air dam as seen in references on the gurneyflap web site. The underside of the engine cover got sink marks filled, smoothed in NACA ducts with putty and added extra secure points where the cover meets the body.

Nice job. Like it! Like it! Like it! The chrome looks a bit bright in the pics. Mostly the rear wheels. 30 year old chrome or chrome-tech refinished? Could be the camera flash making it look brighter than actual. still...Well done.

Yes, the first time that I thought I would try presenting a project on a web forum in the 'work in progress' section I found various things show up in pictures that never caught my eye. This was really not too long ago but I now have a habit of taking 4 or 5 pics after each model session. Not just the finished product. No special background or anything just some shots on my digital at a mid to high resolution. Then I store them on the computer in a folder relating to the project. It may sound like more work that it is worth but with 40 something eyes failing me more & more it is really an easy way to spot problems others may have no problem picking up on. While at first blush I would attribute the percieved advantage to clatity/resolution/zoom I rather believe it is simply a change in perspective that allows for the sight of previously unnoticed details (right or wrong)