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ipmsusa2

IPMS/USA Member
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Everything posted by ipmsusa2

  1. Hello Noel, David, Neal, et al, Couldn't agree more. And let's add clear, understandable English to your prerequisites list. Slack provided for those whose first language is not English. That said, I've been out of pocket for the last sixteen months or so due to a couple of serious medical problems involving my wife. It has been necessary to sell all our property in Ft. Worth, put my commission work on hold and even limit my IPMS/USA contacts/activities. I'm finally beginning to crawl back out of the basement...including breathing life back into The M Files ...but it's a very slow process. So, now that I've soaked your crying towels, I'd appreciate it if you would check out my M Files channel (a link a little further back in this post). Right now there's one gallery of finished models showcasing various buildings I've built for clients, as well as two stop motion builds...alternating description screens and step by step screens before I ran out of time to work on the channel. Background music but no narration...me reading the text screens...unless enough of you think that addition would be worthwhile. Finally, I'd like to know...both from you and anyone else reading this, If you like the approach, what type of subjects y'all would like to see, etc. All comments welcome, positive or negative.
  2. Looks like I'll stick with Invisible thread, fishing line monofilament or fine music wire. I'm used to it and have never had a problem. Thought about EZ Line since it stretches, but since I would have to color it I'll go with the tried and true. You know what they say: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
  3. Just a quick note to thank Bill O'Malley for an absolutely fantastic review on my Cat 60 tractor Modelbuilding Guide. Since Bill graciously recommended my Guides as 'a must have for modelers', I would love to have some input from y'all as to what you would really like to see in future Guides. Single subjects or two kit comparisons please.
  4. Any recommendations for which color of EZ Line is best for rigging on biplanes? French Blue or White? Or am I better off staying with invisible thread/fishing line monofilament or fine music wire? Since I'm planning a biplane kit build for a YouTube channel and/or a biplane Modelbuilding Guide, your opinions are more than a little important. Thanks in advance.
  5. Good day, If you like to view photos of completed structures (buildings), most of them scratchbuilt, you might want to spend a few minutes with my first photo gallery on the M-Files Youtube channel. As I get the time to create them, you'll eventually find photo galleries for aircraft and vehicles. Also full kit builds. You can find the channel here. Thanks for looking.
  6. Regardless of what you do or don't build, here's your chance to tell me...and everyone else who visits this forum....what style of video you like or don't like on Youtube. I'm working on developing a new kit build channel. Since I don't have the capability at the moment to produce full motion videos...and everything I've ever produced for books, magazines, etc has been static slides....I need to know the following: Visit the channel...The M-Files...and view at least part of the current video. If you like it, wonderful. If not, tell me why. I have several more vehicle videos I can post, using the same style as the one you're looking at...text description of the next image...and eventually moving on to other subjects, including aircraft and science fiction. But I have to start with what I have or can adapt. BTW, the next one, for those who are interested, will probably be the old AMT Clydesdale Hitch. Anyhoo, your help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
  7. Hey Phil, The PBY will be an ebook, but it will be basically OOB with USN WW-II markings. Can't make changes since it's a commission for a client who has specified appearance since his father flew it. No beaching gear but I will build a cradle for it to be displayed on. I will go ahead with the 1/64 equipment shed after reading your comments. I didn't realize that the Hot Wheels line is basically 1/64. Also like your suggestion to also include dimensions for upscaling to 1/72 and 1/24 options. By the way, I had considered including three other 1/;72 Williams Bros kits, but dropped them since I figured there wouldn't be that much interest in them. The kits? Northrop Gamma, World Cruiser and Boeing 247.
  8. Very nice work. For anyone else interested in early P-38 versions, they might want to check out my CD-ROM titled Lockheed P-38 Lightning Gallery. It has 517 photos, including 41 shots of the XP-58 Chain Lightning and two photos of the XP-38, one of which shows it after it crashed.
  9. Hi all, In an effort to provide Modelbuilding Guides...step by step kit builds...that y'all both want and will buy, I present a list of possible future subjects for your consideration. All subjects will be available in printable PDF format. There will also be a link to sites for epub and mobi formats for those who prefer alternatives. Look over the list and let me know the projects you can't do without. #1 Atlantis 1/48 JN-4D Jenny (repop of Lindberg kit. #2 Academy1/48 MiG-21PF Fishbed D #3 Trumpeter 1/48 MiG-15 #4 Hasegawa 1/48 F/A-18 Super Hornet #5 Encore & Trumpeter A-37B (kit build comparison e-book) #6 Revell 1/48 Arado AR-234 #7 Monogram 1/48 Do-635 Conversion #8 Williams Bros 1/32 F9C Sparrowhawk #9 AmTech 1/48 Hs-123B 10 Accurate Miniatures 1/48 SBD-1 11 Accurate Miniature 1/48 SBD-5 12 Accurate Miniatures 1/48 P-51B 13 Academy 1/72 PBY-5 14 Hobbycraft 1/48 DeHavilland Beaver on Floats 15 Accurate Miniatures 1/48 F3F 16 Revell 1/48 PT-17 Note that some of these projects may be incorporated into vignettes or dioramas for a better appearance. Finally, if there is a subject you would like to see as a Modelbuilding Guide that isn't on this list, don't hesitate to let me know. Richard Marmo
  10. Bob, thanks for your condolences. And yes, I am well aware of the potential legal problems if you set up booby traps to catch the perps, which is why I won't do it, regardless of what I might like to do. Incidentally, Texas has a carry law now...open or concealed..but the sad truth is that if you shoot someone in self defense, whether they are killed or not, you will spend a very long time in the legal system. It won't matter whether it's criminal or civil and once you survive all of that, you may not have any real money for the rest of your life. Considering that I don't have much money to start with, most of mine is going have to go to try replacing to some degree what has been stolen, damaged or destroyed. Not much of a choice, is it?
  11. Unfortunately, it'll be catch and release. The perp had not gotten into the house and had no property on him. Nothing more than simple trespass, unless he has a record or outstanding warrants. Basically he's gonna get a slap on the wrist. Latest update. The way I blocked the floor opening seems to be working. Was over there today and everything was still locked up and no attempt had been made to get thru the floor opening. Cross your fingers. Of course we still have the perp or perps that got the tankless water heater and copper power line to worry about.
  12. After the police left with the perp in custody at 2 a.m. and telling me that the place was secure and all doors locked, I checked the place something like eleven hours later. Door was unlocked and closed. Called police...again. Latest police visitation finally found out how they're getting in the the house. Crawled under a very small opening at the side of the porch which gives them access to the underside of the house (pier and beam foundation). Then they forced their way thru the old furnace opening. The opening's now been secured...I hope...as follows: 3/4" plywood screwed down on top of the opening with 3" screws (hardwood floor). Cabinet placed on top and against adjacent wall. More 3/4" plywood on top of cabinet, then the plywood screwed down to top of cabinet with 3" screws. Combination of cabinet and plywood screwed to wall (no sheetrock, solid wood wall) with 3" screws. Two heavy metal doors placed on top of the whole conglomeration. This also proves that there are at least two and possibly three people/groups involved. According to police, the problem is the large number of homeless in the general area. They also said they have quit being surprised at how creative they are at getting into homes, occupied or not. It's reached the point that individuals are knocking on doors in the middle of upscale neighborhoods, begging for money and then trying to push their way in! I don't know what the answer is.
  13. Carlos, you make a good point. But I would tend to discount it simply because no one else around there is having similar problems. Last night a neighbor saw a guy around the place around midnight, called the cops and cops wound up apprehending him. Perp was in the backyard where he had no right to be. Hadn't made entry and all doors were secured. Trouble is that I don't think he's the only one involved because I doubt he would've also been the one to rip off the tankless water heater and get on the roof to cut the power and steal the copper cable. Of course the flip side is that I get multiple phone calls per day from investors/flippers wanting to buy my property, but that's going on all over the city from low income to high income. Not only does it not matter whether the property is occupied or not, they actually don't know if property is occupied because they work off the public property lists at the courthouse. I would agree with your theory if other houses were being hit but the house across the street just spent a slew of money to install solar panels on their roof.
  14. Back on the subject, the disaster continues and exacerbates. This morning I got a call from a neighbor. forced entry had been made again. This time more vandalism, including removing the braces that had been over the metal door with 2 1/2 inch screws in two locations...from the inside, no less. Then a heavy cabinet that had been sitting on top of an old floor furnace opening had been moved and the heavy wood insert that had filled the opening had been removed, leaving the floor open. More vandalism had been done, though how much I don't know until I can get back over there. If that ain't enough, I discovered a natural gas leak which was the result of the perps removing a tankless water heater from the outside of the house. And if that ain't enough to frost the cake, they had also removed the electric meter at the back of the house, then pulled the electric box, climbed on the roof, cut the power cable, then pulled the copper cable providing 200 amp service down and made off with it! Where this is going to end I have no idea. What bothers me is that by the time this mess is finally under control, is to be forced to spend an unimaginable amount of money...which I don't have...in order to maintain anything that can be referred to as a business. I've been in this activity since 1967 and have no plans to stop...unless I drop dead...anytime soon. Why? Because I consider it my calling and is what I was born to do.
  15. Carlos, the sad part is that more and more courts are becoming catch and release. Brett, cameras caught nothing, partly because they got in around four or five in the morning when it was pitch dark. And as for insurance, most of what I had that they took was accumulated on a multi-decade period, so the deductible/depreciation aspect would kick in to prevent the insurance company from paying anything. Then there's the inevitable do you have receipts for everything and what about serial numbers? Y'all know how we modelers acquire supplies, kits and equipment. It's even worse when it's a business and you're on the receiving end of either samples or kits provided by clients. Throw in freelance writing...mostly about models and modelbuilding...and you can see why I'm between a rock and a hard place.
  16. Point taken, Nick. But in this case it would've confused the P.O. machines worse. They would've had to recognize the normal !, then understood that the first 7 next to it...with a horizontal bar...was actually a 1 while the next 7 without a bar was truly a 7. I think you would agree that the machine's education would have been lacking in any case. Of course, the true cause of this fiasco would lie in the skill...or lack of same...of the human that programmed the machine in the first place. Richard.
  17. Thanks to Gil, I have received the Academy 1/72nd PBY-5 that I had an urgent need for. But we had a heckuva time getting it from Florida to Texas. Everything went smoothly until I checked the tracking info yesterday to see if the package was getting close. Incidentally, this was shortly after I shipped a kit and a couple of my CDs to Gil in trade. That's when the fun began. Rather than maintain the suspense any longer, the following is a blow by blow account then ensued, starting about 9:00 a.m. today (Nov 23). "Finally got the PBY in, but getting it the last few miles to me was an experience. First: Called the76177 station which is some twenty miles from me. Learned it wasn't there but had been sent to the 76111 station, which is some twenty miles in a different direction from 76177 and about ten miles or so from me. . Second: Called the 76111 station. Package was there. They agreed to hold it for pickup. Wife had a doctor's appointment, so arived at the 76111 station afterwards. They searched the station, both physically and on the computer. Couldn't find it. I left emptyhanded but they had my phone number. Third: Went to McDonald's, then home, which was about four miles. Halfway home, cell phone rang while driving. They hung up before I could pull over and answer. Called their number...three times in a row. No answer. In fact their phone hung up after a number of rings...many rings. Fourth: Had to decide whether to go home and eventually get them to answer since I didn't know if they were going to tell me package was still lost, returned to you, redirected to the 76117 station or had it and I could pick it up. Decisions, decisions. Fifth: Decided to bite the bullet, turned around and returned to the 76111 station. Sixth: Walked in to the station and they knew why I was there. Not only were they delighted, they actually had the box in their hand and very anxious to give it to me. Heck, they almost forgot to scan the postal code to show it had been delivered! Seventh: Got the box home, looked on the label and discovered that you didn't make a mistake. Your address label shows the zip to be 76117. In spite of that, It still ended up at 76177, Why apparently no one...machine or human...could read a simple five digit zip code? Darned if I know, but a comment from my wife may hold more truth than anyone suspects: "It (the box) wanted to see the world before it was delivered". Gil's response to the Catalina Saga? "wasn't it Shakespeare who said "all's well that ends well"?"
  18. Back in 2018 I was in the hospital for eight days. Four months later, my shop was burglarized to the tune of some $5,000...mostly computers and tools. Got nothing back except for one computer monitor. Then things rocked on and calmed down. Since then, due to medical problems, I haven't spent much time at my shop, but I had no other problems, at least from the burglary standpoint. Until the last couple or three months. Since then, my shop has been broken into multiple times with the damage getting worse each time. Being broken into is one thing, but they are specifically targeting model kits, modelbuilding equipment and supplies, etc. Worse, they are cherrypicking, taking mostly the good stuff. Today was the worst. Two or three days after the last forced entry, they got in again...and this time they vandalized the place. What they didn't take they tried to destroy. At least ninety percent of all the kits that were still in the shop were opened and strewn around, walked on, drawers pulled out and the whole place made a wreck. I doubt that I will be able to salvage anything more than a small part of what's been taken or ruined. I could go on, but I think I've dumped enough. Sorry for the long rant but I hadda find someplace to vent.
  19. Well, I see it from both sides of the fence. I have written for hard copy magazines for decades but now most of what I now publish is digital. And self-published at that. Leave us to not forget that Amazing Figure Modeler has thrown in the towel and gone 100% digital. Unfortunately, that is the fate every model publication is facing. Also, the wealth...or dearth...of kit build videos on Youtube, from Plasmo on down, is another factor. You can't overlook the fact that all of those videos can also be viewed repeatedly for free. If nothing else, it makes trying to make a living at this business more than a little difficult.
  20. Oops. Did you say Revell? I can't use it. That's the one that needs to be replaced by the Academy kit. The Revell kit doesn't have a dead straight wing.
  21. Hey Keith, You're a lifesaver. Incidentally, I just found out the correct kit number is 2123, but that doesn't matter as long as it's the Academy PBY-5 (not the amphibian). Let me know your price...including shipping...and how I can get the money to you. You can either PM me or use my personal email at tennexican@gmai.com Richard
  22. I failed to include a rather critical bit of information. The kit the client sent was the 1971 molding of the PBY-5 by Revell. THAT'S the one that needs to be replaced by the Academy PBY-5. My apologies.
  23. I am in urgent need of an Academy 1/72 PBY-5...kit # 2126...for a commission build. Note: this is not the amphibious version. Kit the client sent has a warped wing that cannot be corrected...suspect it was actually molded that way since the kit goes back to 1971. If you can spare one, let me know by either a reply on this forum or direct to my email at tennexican@gmail.com Any assistance y'all can provide will be greatly appreciated.
  24. Very nice, Gil. Especially the engines. Now if I can only get my work to that level 🙂
  25. Nick, I haven't seen anything that will help you, but consider that the XP-55 was exactly that, experimental. Chromate yellow in the wheel wells would be quite reasonable. And given the lack of documentation, no one can say you'd be wrong.
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