steev

I've had that happen with some MCW lacquers from bottles that had been around for a few years but also with Ace Hardware interior metallic that I had just purchased and decanted to spray from my airbrush. I wrote it off as "old paint" with the MCW but as long as spray paint still has gas I'm guessing there's no oxygen there so it left me "back to baffled".

This was my third Nats since 2008. I've only attended 3, all in Hampton or Va. Beach. I've never been a banquet goer, primarily due to the cost. Also, as a member of the host chapter I was working up a sweat stacking tables and cleaning up the vendor room. My only complaint this year was that the slide show did seem to flit by pretty quickly. Even sitting in the non-banquet room facing the huge screen it required pretty strict attention to keep track. That should be easy to fix. Of course I was unaware of the screen situation in the banquet room. I would have thought there would be multiple screens so everyone would have a view of the awards. That might be a little tougher to accomplish, depending on the venue, but it needs to be done. The bottom line for me was that we were done at a decent hour and had plenty of time to clear out without incurring the supposedly massive cost of overstaying in the facility.

Found this

Sorry to hear of the ruined parts. I usually test a non-critical surface with a q-tip dipped in the lacquer thinner to see if there is any reaction. It's rare but I have had some parts that would get tacky or dissolve. I've had some kits that didn't react to industrial acetone but I guess I just got lucky. I just recently had to strip the Tamiya primer from a figure that failed the "tape test". An old brush and Klean Strip Green lacquer thinner did the trick and solved the adhesion problem too. Thanks for the warning. Steven

That's been my experience in automotive contest also. Bases and/or figures standing by the car are simply not considered as part of the model and are not judged any more than a squadron patch with an airplane. It's not unusual to see a car with tires off but I've never noticed them in the diorama category unless there was a crew changing the tires. If a car (tank, plane or whatever) on a base or with a figure beside it is put into a diorama category the dio judges likely say: "this is not a diorama" and it never gets judged beyond that. (I've judged dios at IPMS events as well as cars) It leaves some models without a viable category to enter into. For the car in question, it would be best to ask the head auto judge if possible. A car with the tires off to display the hubs, brakes, etc. would probably be better off in a non-OOB category than a diorama category.

I don't know if it would be acceptable to replace jackstands with something like acrylic rods attached to the base or or anything that doesn't depict a scale object but it would be not OOB if molded in lug nuts were removed from the wheels. Also, a kit that accurately depicts rotor hubs, etc. is likely to be a multi-media kit and the rules say that the model is to be build of only one mat'l. (with an exception for the vinyl tires).

Odd, I've never had to explain that to anyone.

They look great, I take it the Red Knight is the "dare to be different" one.

Thank you Phil!

I had fun with this resin kit, loved painting the chair. I 3d printed the gym bag, Qbert & Coily. Her hoodie is all painted and took way too long. LOL

Thanks for the larger pic. He looks great and so much detail for such a small figure.

They look great. I know the white shirt must have tough to do but the shadows/highlights are well done.

You're a far better sculptor than I am. He looks pretty convincing. Nice work!

He looks great, I only wish the pics were a bit larger.

He looks great! I always loved the Aurora figures kits.

Well done, I remember building a couple of these when I was a kid and probably never dreamed they could be made to look so good. Steven

Nice work Chris, that's the. . . "cat's meow"!

I thought Bat Girl could use an upgrade for this cold weather and I had a Tamiya Beetle kit on hand when I came across files to 3d print a fender add-on set with spoiler, skirts, wing etc. It also included the wheels and adapters to lower the car. I printed multiple add-ons including the seats, center console, steering wheel, engine hop-ups, wheel covers, "bat" part of the wing and Bat Girl. It's painted with Galaxy color and clear.

Wow! That's some impressive scratch building!

A good start to a New Year!

Thank you Kevin!

I 3d printed this bust from Fotis Mint and painted with acrylics and pastels.

Well done! Looks like you've got those AK G3 paints sorted out. I've played with them a little but haven't gotten too comfortable with them yet, at least not when I try to spray them. Steven

I 3d printed this Fotis Mint figure and painted him up just in time to become a Christmas decoration.

Well done. I'm sure Mr. Dickens wouldn't object to a little "artistic license" with the hair.