Search found 24 matches

by starseeker
Sat Apr 01, 2023 9:08 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Scribing - my way...
Replies: 29
Views: 102023

Re: Scribing - my way...

Well, I can't seem to get Imjur to work in any of my browsers, no matter what I try. So unable to log on there, I'll try this. Right now I'm scribing 3 out 8 x-plane models that I'm scribing or re-scribing. I looked at what was spread out before me this am and thought, a photo is worth a bunch o' wo...
by starseeker
Thu Mar 30, 2023 9:27 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Scribing - my way...
Replies: 29
Views: 102023

Re: Scribing - my way...

I started using a Mr Scriber, blue handle. Nicest scriber I've ever used, lovely clean lines pared right out of the plastic, no cleanup required. Used it for about a month, just picked it up again for another model, and the hooked little scribing tip was gone. Can't find it anywhere. The tip was jus...
by starseeker
Sun Feb 12, 2023 10:11 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Burnishing Chrome foil
Replies: 19
Views: 68624

Re: Burnishing Chrome foil

I gave up on Bare Metal Foil a long time ago. It's not what it was a decade or so ago. These days, it's thin and usually old in the hobby shop and won't adhere well and if its wrinkled the largest piece you can cut has to be smaller than the slightest wrinkle, where it will tear. It's very difficult...
by starseeker
Fri Apr 22, 2022 2:45 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Fixing panel line messes
Replies: 23
Views: 81504

Re: Fixing panel line messes

Recently picked up a great scribing tool. Chose this site at random just for an example. This is the whole set but you can buy individually: https://www.premiumhobbies.co.uk/scribers/mrp-mr-scriber-complete-set I've only got the black/narrow one right now. It's the best thing I've ever used for scri...
by starseeker
Sun Apr 10, 2022 9:18 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Working with old second hand kits
Replies: 6
Views: 15133

Re: Working with old second hand kits

I use Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic for ovecroating old or fragile or home printed decals. Whatever you use for overcoating, make sure you test it on a scrap piece of your decal as some decal coating products may react badly to some decal chemistries. Also, given the crudity of many old (and even new...
by starseeker
Thu Dec 02, 2021 10:50 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Fixing panel line messes
Replies: 23
Views: 81504

Re: Fixing panel line messes

Just going through some of my old files on the computer, and re-discovered this one from a few years back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRnKEwsQSaQ&list=RDCMUC9UUZIFvHRQPfDoCP-bTB7A&index=8 A great panel line primer from the great Paul Budzik. As he says, panel lines are completely subjec...
by starseeker
Thu Sep 02, 2021 2:30 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Fixing panel line messes
Replies: 23
Views: 81504

Re: Fixing panel line messes

CA is one of my go-to's. Use thick, don't use an accelerator, as that actually weakens the CS, and don't use talk or baking soda as a thickener/accelerator, as both, after about 20 years, start to dissolve. You have a couple of hours after the CA is dry to sand and scribe, otherwise, as others have ...
by starseeker
Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:47 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Lighting kits for the 1:350 NX-01
Replies: 1
Views: 13093

Re: Lighting kits for the 1:350 NX-01

There is a brilliant, step-by-step tutorial here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSbSjuB ... HxZBAxFuy-

It's also a tremendous amount of fun. Cheers!
by starseeker
Sat Oct 31, 2020 6:33 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Metal etchant acting weird
Replies: 9
Views: 32337

Re: Metal etchant acting weird

A couple of photos, mostly old from an old Photobucket album I'd made about etching. This is what my artwork looks like: https://imgur.com/0ZyTTdp I always do two sided artwork, which is why I want the parts to etch evenly from both sides. To register the parts, I drill as small holes as I can from ...
by starseeker
Fri Oct 30, 2020 11:16 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Metal etchant acting weird
Replies: 9
Views: 32337

Re: Metal etchant acting weird

You've got me stumped on the coppery finish on the etched side. Both sides of my etch looks pretty much the same, anything ranging from brilliant brass to blackish tarnish. Ah! - I'm going to guess that it's because one side was close to the side or bottom of the etching container. The two sides of ...
by starseeker
Thu Oct 22, 2020 4:15 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Metal etchant acting weird
Replies: 9
Views: 32337

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 crispest...
by starseeker
Tue Apr 14, 2020 7:14 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Removing 20 year old paint
Replies: 19
Views: 53640

Re: Removing 20 year old paint

I'm editing this one to put the most important bit from the end, at the beginning as well, as it's really a long and boring post: Two years a chem major and I can guarantee that nothing you use to strip paints will be safe for your skin, eyes, or lungs, let alone children or pets. Always wear protec...
by starseeker
Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:47 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Removing 20 year old paint
Replies: 19
Views: 53640

Re: Removing 20 year old paint

Dettol is just a disinfectant - it might strip some acrylics but I wouldn't expect too much. To repeat, I used it on some of my auto models dating from the 60s, painted with Testors bottle and spray enamels, and it worked for me. I discovered it by searching the 'Net for paint remover suggestions a...
by starseeker
Sat Mar 14, 2020 6:14 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Removing 20 year old paint
Replies: 19
Views: 53640

Re: Removing 20 year old paint

I've always used Easy-Off. You need to apply it somewhere well ventilated, preferably outside, and let the model sit for a few hours if it's a water-based paint, possibly a few days with re-coats if it's an enamel. Last year I stripped some of my AMT cars from the '60s. It took several coats and a c...
by starseeker
Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:01 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: 33 inch TOS Enterprise - Studio Scale Replica
Replies: 65
Views: 194596

Re: 33 inch TOS Enterprise - Studio Scale Replica

Good Lord, Shaw! - welcome back! A couple years ago, I thought sf modellers had lost you forever. An amazing project, an amazing modeller, and an amazing inspiration. Just stumbled across this thread by accident, a bright spot in a bleak week. Thanks!
by starseeker
Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:30 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: 1701 Paint colors... again.
Replies: 5
Views: 24201

Re: 1701 Paint colors... again.

Back when Hobbytalk was still... well, it still exists but only in a kind of terminal coma - Gary Kerr had a thread where he was providing a lot of information on the colors of the E. This was the thread: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/99-science-fiction-modeling/512354-new-information-original-nacel...
by starseeker
Fri Jul 28, 2017 2:45 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Anyone Know of a Source for Plastruct/EMA in Canada?
Replies: 6
Views: 14908

Re: Anyone Know of a Source for Plastruct/EMA in Canada?

Got my order today! At last!! So everyone who are always complaining about how long it takes to get garage kits or parts, take note of how much time has passed here. MBS only stocks a small portion of Plastruct catalogue. Everything else is special order and they only do special orders from the US o...
by starseeker
Wed May 10, 2017 9:22 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Anyone Know of a Source for Plastruct/EMA in Canada?
Replies: 6
Views: 14908

Anyone Know of Another Source in Canada?

Well, Model Builders Supply does stock some Plastruct, maybe about 1/3 of their catalogue. In theory. As far as plastic hemispheres go, all they have in stock are the clear ones. The solid ones are special order only. So I emailed back about how to make a special order. Three times. So far no reply ...
by starseeker
Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:46 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Anyone Know of a Source for Plastruct/EMA in Canada?
Replies: 6
Views: 14908

Brilliant! It's like the clock has turned back to the 1980s. I see many of the things I'm after listed here. Just have to find my list and see how much of what's on it I can track down. And see if/what their minimum orders might be.
Thanks again!
by starseeker
Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:24 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Anyone Know of a Source for Plastruct/EMA in Canada?
Replies: 6
Views: 14908

Wow, that was fast! You responded before I'd even finished correcting my spelling mistakes. Thanks! I'll check them out right away!
by starseeker
Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:14 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Anyone Know of a Source for Plastruct/EMA in Canada?
Replies: 6
Views: 14908

Anyone Know of a Source for Plastruct/EMA in Canada?

Years ago, when people built things, Plastruct parts were dead easy to find here locally. Recently went searching for half a dozen marble sized Plastruct half spheres (the most basic Plastruct part ever?) and cannot find them anywhere. The only Plastruct distributer in Canada seems to be Walthers. W...
by starseeker
Sat Nov 12, 2016 10:02 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: How to make photoetch parts with multiple layers of detail?
Replies: 3
Views: 9679

Here's how I do two-sided etch: http://s1004.photobucket.com/user/jkirkphotos/library/Photoetching%20at%20Home?sort=9&page=1 Some of my other albums have other examples, such as artwork: http://s1004.photobucket.com/user/jkirkphotos/library/Galactica%20TOS%20Etch%20Artwork?sort=3&page=1 to f...
by starseeker
Sat May 17, 2014 8:36 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: A new big flat white LED!
Replies: 35
Views: 69787

Starseeker...what you're describing is a different beast with multiple LED's behind a plastic light diffuser of some sort. The LED product in this thread is a single LED applied to the edge of a special formulation of acrylic that produces an even glow throughout the miniature panel. I know. Just s...
by starseeker
Fri May 16, 2014 10:44 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: A new big flat white LED!
Replies: 35
Views: 69787

If those sizes aren't right for you, you could also make your own. Lee Valley sells the diffusers in 3/4" x 36" lengths (frosted or opal, opal is best for things like the 1701 nacelles) item #s 00u42.32, 00u42.52 and 00u42.72. (the difference is their shape). $3.20 each. If you look for &q...