Search found 562 matches

by MillenniumFalsehood
Fri Nov 24, 2023 6:35 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Applying Walthers Solv-a-set with an airbrush?
Replies: 7
Views: 17583

Re: Applying Walthers Solv-a-set with an airbrush?

Well, the main problem I was trying to solve was not the "hotness" of the solution, but rather the tendency for decals to sometimes move when I brush it on, even when I use a soft bristle brush. When this happens, it's a disaster because I often don't have enough time to push it back into ...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Tue Nov 21, 2023 5:57 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Applying Walthers Solv-a-set with an airbrush?
Replies: 7
Views: 17583

Applying Walthers Solv-a-set with an airbrush?

I was struck with the notion to do this in order to apply Solv-a-set to a decal without disturbing it, and it works pretty well for the few that I've used it on, but I was wondering if anyone else has tried this and if there were any issues that this might potentially cause before I go ham on some w...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sat Nov 18, 2023 6:34 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Wholesale options for LED strip components from flashlights/lanterns?
Replies: 2
Views: 5355

Wholesale options for LED strip components from flashlights/lanterns?

Okay, so I've seen these green, linear LED modules/components in flashlights and electronic lanterns that would be very useful for lighting up bar-style engines and starship interiors, but I can't seem to find a combination of search terms that will allow me to find the naked component online. I don...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sun Jun 18, 2023 4:08 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Reliable methods for scribing on a sphere or cone?
Replies: 5
Views: 14881

Reliable methods for scribing on a sphere or cone?

Scribing on a plane is easy. I can do it in my sleep. But I swear, whenever I try to scribe on a curved surface, it turns into an exercise in frustration that ends up with lines that are not straight, not parallel, too deep, etc. I have tried so many ideas to get a good scribe on a curved surface, a...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sun Jun 18, 2023 12:35 pm
Forum: Important Site News
Topic: 25th Anniversary, right?
Replies: 42
Views: 193372

Re: 25th Anniversary, right?

Dang, I remember back in "the old days" of 2001, I was just a dumb kid looking for modelmaking stuff online, and stumbled on the main site when looking for information on how to build Star Wars kits and being so inspired by the articles written up there and the reader's gallery! I still lo...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Fri Apr 07, 2023 8:58 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: LED flexible filament
Replies: 13
Views: 25644

Re: LED flexible filament

I'm using these to light up the 2500 Enterprise D. Bit of advice. Use thin wire, unless you are a soldering grand master, as the terminals are only a few millimetres in length and is very fiddly. Speaking as someone who does this for a living, thin wire would be a mistake. Use thicker wire (prolly ...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:43 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: LED flexible filament
Replies: 13
Views: 25644

Re: LED flexible filament

I'm using these to light up the 2500 Enterprise D. Bit of advice. Use thin wire, unless you are a soldering grand master, as the terminals are only a few millimetres in length and is very fiddly. Speaking as someone who does this for a living, thin wire would be a mistake. Use thicker wire (prolly ...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sun Oct 02, 2022 12:37 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Anyone else have problems with Vallejo?
Replies: 11
Views: 32317

Re: Anyone else have problems with Vallejo?

I genuinely don't know what to do about it. Vallejo just seems hit or miss, and mostly miss.
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sat Oct 01, 2022 11:41 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Anyone else have problems with Vallejo?
Replies: 11
Views: 32317

Anyone else have problems with Vallejo?

I have been trying to get used to Vallejo acrylics for a while now since apparently the world is moving away from enamels and lacquers, and I am thoroughly disappointed by them. I can't get this stuff to cover properly when I hand-paint with it no matter how many coats I apply (no, I'm not using the...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sun Mar 06, 2022 1:01 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Another 555 timer question
Replies: 1
Views: 5493

Another 555 timer question

These chips are so useful to anyone who isn't good at programming (like me) that I feel like it needs an entire article on the main site, or at least a pinned comment... But in any case, I was experimenting with a 555 timer for my USS Grissom kit, and while a 470uF capacitor wouldn't allow the circu...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sat Feb 26, 2022 7:15 am
Forum: Important Site News
Topic: 25th Anniversary, right?
Replies: 42
Views: 193372

Re: 25th Anniversary, right?

Ahhhhh, memories... I remember being young and wanting to use Ask.com (before I started using The Goog) to look up sites of starship models. I remember trying to find inspiration and seeing a few suggestions pop up, one of which was the main SSM website. I clicked on it and started reading the artic...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:38 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: SMD floods on NX-01 - should I bother?
Replies: 4
Views: 13532

Re: SMD floods on NX-01 - should I bother?

I actually built the 1:350 NX-01 with SMD lights for floods. They worked really well in dim light for me, though they were rather finicky to fit.
by MillenniumFalsehood
Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:30 am
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Mechwarrior Timberwolf PC
Replies: 11
Views: 32754

Re: Mechwarrior Timberwolf PC

Looks fantastic so far!
by MillenniumFalsehood
Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:33 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Metal etchant acting weird
Replies: 9
Views: 31087

Re: Metal etchant acting weird

*snip* How many hundreds of hours of work, all that? Never again. He says. Well, at least for a while... Had a question pop into my mind. I was wondering what method you use to transfer the pattern to the brass? I've been using PCB etching paper, the kind that you print the pattern on with a laser ...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:28 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Metal etchant acting weird
Replies: 9
Views: 31087

Re: Metal etchant acting weird

I going to copy all that down into a Word document! That's brilliant! :D
by MillenniumFalsehood
Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:11 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: DIORAMAS you would like to build
Replies: 45
Views: 129163

Re: DIORAMAS you would like to build

One diorama that's been in the back of my mind for the last ten years is making a section of Kuat Drive Yards with a Venator, Acclamator, and Imperial Star Destroyer all in various stages of refit or construction, with the Imperial class being launched from its drydock. It would have a little supply...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Wed Jan 27, 2021 9:35 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Vallejo durability on primer?
Replies: 4
Views: 15867

Vallejo durability on primer?

I just had an opportunity to try Vallejo paint and I'm struck by how easily I was able to scrape it off the plastic of the model I'm working on. I did not use a primer; it was overspray from the cockpit and I scraped it with my fingernail out of curiosity to see how it compared to enamel. It came of...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sun Oct 25, 2020 5:36 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Metal etchant acting weird
Replies: 9
Views: 31087

Re: Metal etchant acting weird

I don't know exactly what you're describing there, but if you're saying that you're leaving the metal for a longer time in a weaker solution, you don't want to do that. When I etch, the weaker the solution gets, the longer it takes to etch through, and the resulting etch itself isn't of the crispes...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Wed Oct 14, 2020 9:03 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Metal etchant acting weird
Replies: 9
Views: 31087

Re: Metal etchant acting weird

I already have a bottle of PCB etchant on its way here, I just wanted to know what could have caused the reaction I got. It's so weird. :?
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:37 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: AMT Enterprise-E
Replies: 18
Views: 45848

Re: AMT Enterprise-E

Y'know, since the Arduino can only power a max of 10 LEDs, what I would do is give it two outputs for the formation lights and anti-collision strobes, and three or four for the "lava lamp" effect in the Bussard collectors. Then the rest of the lights can just be powered off mains.
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:03 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Metal etchant acting weird
Replies: 9
Views: 31087

Metal etchant acting weird

So I bought some ferric chloride on eBay thinking it was a solution. But when I got it in the mail, it turned out to be the powdered form. Luckily all you need to do is mix it in warm water, so I did that. But it turned out I used too much water and so the solution was weaker than I needed. No probl...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Fri Sep 04, 2020 3:35 am
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Looking for tie fighter wing material
Replies: 5
Views: 18388

Re: Looking for tie fighter wing material

At 1:144, I wouldn't bother with getting anything specific. Just get some finely grooved styrene sheet and cut your panels out of that. It'll look perfect at that scale. :)
by MillenniumFalsehood
Thu Sep 03, 2020 12:05 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?
Replies: 26
Views: 144601

Re: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?

Rocketeer wrote: Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:34 pmI'm obviously not reading the thread closely enough. :oops:
No worries, I do that, too! :P
by MillenniumFalsehood
Wed Sep 02, 2020 11:34 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?
Replies: 26
Views: 144601

Re: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?

Perhaps a mild acid, like white vinegar? Bleach seemed to work really well, until I discovered that it left a white residue which is being very stubborn. The Clorox website suggests using vinegar to get rid of it, but so far after several days of soaking the vinegar hasn't touched it. Whenever I sc...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Tue Sep 01, 2020 11:29 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?
Replies: 26
Views: 144601

Re: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?

Yeah, I should probably try that. XD I just need to get one!
by MillenniumFalsehood
Thu Aug 27, 2020 12:31 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?
Replies: 26
Views: 144601

Re: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?

The varnish has disappeared. What I need to get rid of now is the residue left over from the crappy bleach I soaked the parts in for a week. :/
by MillenniumFalsehood
Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:58 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?
Replies: 26
Views: 144601

Re: Getting rid of the undercoat on chromed parts?

Bleach seemed to work really well, until I discovered that it left a white residue which is being very stubborn. The Clorox website suggests using vinegar to get rid of it, but so far after several days of soaking the vinegar hasn't touched it. Whenever I scrub on them, it makes the parts want to fa...
by MillenniumFalsehood
Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:00 am
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Using Blender and other 3D drawing tools for builds
Replies: 16
Views: 57067

Re: Using Blender and other 3D drawing tools for builds

Sounds like a lovely idea to me. Plus, I have a lot of experience making and unfolding papercraft models, so I could contribute my own tips and tricks. :)
by MillenniumFalsehood
Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:26 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Using Blender and other 3D drawing tools for builds
Replies: 16
Views: 57067

Re: Using Blender and other 3D drawing tools for builds

This really needs to be pinned. Lots of useful information here!