Search found 33 matches

by Salamander
Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:25 am
Forum: Important Site News
Topic: Special Hurricane Harvey forum not accessible
Replies: 3
Views: 18820

Special Hurricane Harvey forum not accessible

I see you've created a special forum for people who want to help with the aftermath of hurricane Harvey, but it isn't accessible. I get the following message:
You do not have the required permissions to read topics within this forum.
by Salamander
Sun Jul 30, 2017 5:41 am
Forum: Important Site News
Topic: Russian spammers
Replies: 13
Views: 43459

Re: Russian spammers

Chas wrote: Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:46 am No spam posts in <thunderdome> or <marketplace> . . . interesting.
Both require special permission or a minimum post count to post there?
by Salamander
Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:37 am
Forum: Important Site News
Topic: WE HAVE MOVED
Replies: 9
Views: 32954

Re: WE HAVE MOVED

I can't understand why a hosting company would be down in the weekends (unless they're trying to go out of business real fast ](*,) ). Hopefully this new host will be better.

I see the "Home"-link bug has been fixed :D
by Salamander
Wed Aug 05, 2015 5:09 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: So I can't use Mr. Surfacer to prime a vinyl figure?
Replies: 23
Views: 52633

Gaia Notes is 100% compatible with GSI Mr. Color products, which are acrylic lacquers. These are made especially for modeling, and they target the figure modelers too. People earlier in this thread said that they'd work well on my vinyl figure, and I am not surprised. With others talking about usin...
by Salamander
Fri Jul 31, 2015 3:29 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Monza Red?
Replies: 9
Views: 17611

Re: Monza Red?

Hey all, I'm looking for a match for Monza red. Where does the color belong to/come from? If it is a real car color, using the actual car paint is a good way to go; many colors are available in a rattle can, either from the manufacturers themselves or as generic offers, and these tend to be water-b...
by Salamander
Fri Jul 31, 2015 3:24 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Buying paint from Japan...
Replies: 6
Views: 11525

Sadly, it's impossible to do unless you just keep trying and it slips by...but that is breaking the rules. If they catch it, they'll stop it, maybe confiscate it, or worse. That's why HobbyLink Japan and other Japan-based net shops no longer offer paints for overseas customers. That is just sad. Be...
by Salamander
Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:19 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Is it just me or do acrylics not cover nearly as well?
Replies: 22
Views: 50815

I tend to prefer lacquer paints. Then again, I live in Japan, where using lacquers is more commonplace, whereas it seems that Western modelers have an aversion to lacquers. It's not an aversion; they're just much harder to obtain, especially in Europe, since most lacquers are forbidden here due to ...
by Salamander
Fri Jul 17, 2015 1:13 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Cutting PVC for a PVC figure
Replies: 3
Views: 8209

Putting the parts on top of a heater (especially water-filled ones) for a while also works., with the added bonus that the parts won't slip out of your fingers since they're not wet.
by Salamander
Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:11 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Is it just me or do acrylics not cover nearly as well?
Replies: 22
Views: 50815

Another thing you can do with Tamiya's less well covering paints (e.g. flat red and yellow) is to take the equivalent gloss color, Tamiya's flat base, and a tiny bit of flat white, and then mix your own semi-gloss color. They dry very well, rock hard and level quite well too compared to the stock fl...
by Salamander
Sat May 30, 2015 4:10 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: So I can't use Mr. Surfacer to prime a vinyl figure?
Replies: 23
Views: 52633

On the two vinyl kits I've built over the years, I painted the first with Tamiya acrylics straight over the vinyl (after washing it), and the paint turned sticky some months after drying because the plasticizers in the vinyl leached through. :( The second one (wanting to avoid the earlier problem......
by Salamander
Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:09 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Cleaning resin parts
Replies: 9
Views: 23129

Thanks all, will see what works best on this kit.

Of course, some more primer flaked off parts I superglued together, so it will also include discovering whether superglue can survive those products... :P
by Salamander
Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:06 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Cleaning resin parts
Replies: 9
Views: 23129

Other than NOT needing to soak the parts for weeks, looks fine. That's because whatever they used to prep the molds on the older kits is a total pain to remove. For most recent resin kits a few days seems to be enough. Makes me wonder if the problem might be that the mold release agent remains on t...
by Salamander
Sun Nov 23, 2014 2:41 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Cleaning resin parts
Replies: 9
Views: 23129

Cleaning resin parts

Okay, I keep having problems with certain resin kits and primer adhesion. So I wonder whether my preparation method is okay: 1) Remove parts from trees, remove tabs and other imperfections. 2) Wash parts under running tap water, give them a good scrub, sand off the more visible molding lines and tab...
by Salamander
Wed Oct 22, 2014 12:31 am
Forum: Traveling Model II
Topic: Traveling Model II
Replies: 89
Views: 223303

I'm usually in for something like this, but I'd like some guarantee that it won't disappear like my last two entries. :( We had one guy last time, kill one completely. Burned it if I remember. It's an act of trust and faith in the team members. I was part of the "model killer" group. I wa...
by Salamander
Fri Aug 22, 2014 2:56 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Straightening Resin
Replies: 4
Views: 14053

Hot tap water should be fine, but you may have to straighten it several times or use a jig to keep it straightened while cooling down.

Boiling water will make you burn your fingers the moment you touch the resin.
by Salamander
Fri Dec 20, 2013 5:20 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Hot water method for straightening resin parts doesn't work
Replies: 13
Views: 31540

Last resort trick. Hot water. Soften. Bend back to straight. Drill into the end lengthways whilst still straight. Let Cool Cut a length or brass rod to the right length. Place part in hot water. Soften. Bend back to straight. Insert brass rod. Driible in superglue. Use a rig to hold shape. Let glue...
by Salamander
Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:55 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Hot water method for straightening resin parts doesn't work
Replies: 13
Views: 31540

Used really hot water (too hot to put my hand in for more than 1-2 seconds), let the part soak three minutes, pulled it out and held it bend in the other direction for five minutes => almost straight for a few minutes, then returns to its initial warped state :evil: This resin sucks. Banana-like gun...
by Salamander
Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:39 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Hot water method for straightening resin parts doesn't work
Replies: 13
Views: 31540

Can you build a jig to hold the part after you flex it back into shape? What's probably happening is that it's not flexing/stretching enough to counteract the way it's molded so as it cools, it shrinks/flexes back to its original state. Making a jig will force it not to flex as it cools. Right now ...
by Salamander
Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:25 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Hot water method for straightening resin parts doesn't work
Replies: 13
Views: 31540

Hot water method for straightening resin parts doesn't work

I'm trying to straighten a resin gun using the hot water method, and no matter what I try, the part will return to its banana-like initial state, making me suspect it was molded in that state. Any solutions besides scratchbuilding a replacement? Asking the manufacturer for a replacement is out of th...
by Salamander
Tue Nov 12, 2013 1:51 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Mr Surfacer
Replies: 135
Views: 450125

For those that brush on Mr. Surfacer, what do you use to clean the brushes with?
by Salamander
Sat Oct 19, 2013 5:00 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Cartograph decals + Microsol = wrinkly decals when dry?
Replies: 3
Views: 6527

I didn't use microset first as the decals were already sliding all over the place with only water. Will try that and the soft cloth method next time.

Thanks.
by Salamander
Fri Oct 18, 2013 4:10 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Cartograph decals + Microsol = wrinkly decals when dry?
Replies: 3
Views: 6527

Cartograph decals + Microsol = wrinkly decals when dry?

So I am building a Virtual-On kit that has those nice thin Cartograph decals that Hasegawa sometimes includes with kits. However, the decals have to go over some very curved parts (the boobs on a newer Fei-Yen kit :oops: :roll: ), and when I apply Microsol to them to get them to conform to the curva...
by Salamander
Sun May 26, 2013 6:29 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: RTV mistake, can it be saved?
Replies: 4
Views: 10252

Re: RTV mistake, can it be saved?

So I am moulding a fuselage, and due to an accident, I am out of RTV (oommoo300). about 3/4 of the rubber made it into the mould box, and I am out. If I pick up some more tomorrow, can I simply top up the box, over the cured stuff? Or do I have to start over completely. Its a fairly big part, and t...
by Salamander
Sun May 19, 2013 3:41 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Recasting vinyl parts?
Replies: 4
Views: 8985

Thanks. Is Tamiya lacquer primer just their normal gray or white primer, or some special primer?
by Salamander
Sun May 19, 2013 10:31 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Recasting vinyl parts?
Replies: 4
Views: 8985

Recasting vinyl parts?

Anyone know whether it is possible to recast vinyl parts in resin? If, so what should I keep in mind?

I won a mecha figure kit on an auction site that is a two-in-one kit: one set of legs, two different options for the torso (you guess right if you think I want to recast the legs).
by Salamander
Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:46 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Painting Bandai pilot figure
Replies: 4
Views: 6346

Okay, thanks! I'll try that on the sitting pilot first - he's mostly hidden when the kit's finished so problems won't show up as clearly.
by Salamander
Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:22 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Painting Bandai pilot figure
Replies: 4
Views: 6346

Painting Bandai pilot figure

I'm working on a Bandai Gasaraki kit, and it comes with two pilot figures that are made from a rubbery, flesh-colored soft plastic. The seams on the figures are a pain to clean up and are slightly sticky. Last time I tried to paint figures like this with Tamiya acrylics and Humbrol enamels the paint...
by Salamander
Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:31 am
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Poseable Resin Kit?
Replies: 12
Views: 18556

Hmm, I was wondering about those acrylic Hobby Base joints. I actually have a few of those that I've put to work on an old 1/100 Regult kit. They seemed awful toight. I'll check out the Kotobukia ones too. So, in that case, here's my idea: If I sculpt the master around the acrylic pieces, then pull...
by Salamander
Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:13 am
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Poseable Resin Kit?
Replies: 12
Views: 18556

Those Hobby Base ball joints for instance: I love 'em and they're useful for all kinds of things... But they do crack apart sometimes. In general I'd say it's important to have at least the socket part of those be replaceable. I had that problem on a plastic model kit where I used those joints to g...
by Salamander
Thu Jul 12, 2012 11:38 am
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Poseable Resin Kit?
Replies: 12
Views: 18556

If you want to make it poseable, use polycaps like those from Wave, Kotobukiya, and Hobby Base (all available through Hobby Link Japan and other places). I think Kotobukiya also offers special ABS joints for large and heavy resin cast mecha. Hobby Base offers some really hard and tight clear ball-jo...