csavaglio

Just want to say that I purchased and used the camo B and marking sets for the Kotare Spitfire(before the sale). The sets are remarkably complete and fit really well.  They're a good value for the money for sure.  Order with confidence and put your cutting machine to work. 
Chris 

If this is in the wrong spot, please move it over.  I know it's been a long time since I was active here, but I do occasional poke me head in to see what's going on in the industry, what everyone's up to, get inspiration, etc.  I'd been seeing stuff on the David Union tools, so I contacted Troy to take the plunge on an order.  I ended up getting the D150 pin vise, D400 sander, D365 router, a set of router accessories, various grits of sandpaper for the sander, and some MadWorks sanding sponges. 
 
Bottom line up front...  buy with confidence from Troy.  He was awesome to work and chat with, answered all my questions and shipped super fast.  The tools are super high quality, quiet and smooth.  Even the packaging really makes you feel like you've bought something special. I wish I'd gotten them sooner....if you're on the fence, just go ahead and order the tools.
 
No relation or affiliation with Troy or DU, just over the moon with the new tools!  And a good excuse to start posting again.  I haven't stopped building, that's for sure.
Chris

If this is in the wrong spot, please move it over.  I know it's been a long time since I was active here, but I do occasional poke me head in to see what's going on in the industry, what everyone's up to, get inspiration, etc.  I'd been seeing stuff on the David Union tools, so I contacted Troy to take the plunge on an order.  I ended up getting the D150 pin vise, D400 sander, D365 router, a set of router accessories, various grits of sandpaper for the sander, and some MadWorks sanding sponges. 
 
Bottom line up front...  buy with confidence from Troy.  He was awesome to work and chat with, answered all my questions and shipped super fast.  The tools are super high quality, quiet and smooth.  Even the packaging really makes you feel like you've bought something special. I wish I'd gotten them sooner....if you're on the fence, just go ahead and order the tools.
 
No relation or affiliation with Troy or DU, just over the moon with the new tools!  And a good excuse to start posting again.  I haven't stopped building, that's for sure.
Chris

If this is in the wrong spot, please move it over.  I know it's been a long time since I was active here, but I do occasional poke me head in to see what's going on in the industry, what everyone's up to, get inspiration, etc.  I'd been seeing stuff on the David Union tools, so I contacted Troy to take the plunge on an order.  I ended up getting the D150 pin vise, D400 sander, D365 router, a set of router accessories, various grits of sandpaper for the sander, and some MadWorks sanding sponges. 
 
Bottom line up front...  buy with confidence from Troy.  He was awesome to work and chat with, answered all my questions and shipped super fast.  The tools are super high quality, quiet and smooth.  Even the packaging really makes you feel like you've bought something special. I wish I'd gotten them sooner....if you're on the fence, just go ahead and order the tools.
 
No relation or affiliation with Troy or DU, just over the moon with the new tools!  And a good excuse to start posting again.  I haven't stopped building, that's for sure.
Chris

If this is in the wrong spot, please move it over.  I know it's been a long time since I was active here, but I do occasional poke me head in to see what's going on in the industry, what everyone's up to, get inspiration, etc.  I'd been seeing stuff on the David Union tools, so I contacted Troy to take the plunge on an order.  I ended up getting the D150 pin vise, D400 sander, D365 router, a set of router accessories, various grits of sandpaper for the sander, and some MadWorks sanding sponges. 
 
Bottom line up front...  buy with confidence from Troy.  He was awesome to work and chat with, answered all my questions and shipped super fast.  The tools are super high quality, quiet and smooth.  Even the packaging really makes you feel like you've bought something special. I wish I'd gotten them sooner....if you're on the fence, just go ahead and order the tools.
 
No relation or affiliation with Troy or DU, just over the moon with the new tools!  And a good excuse to start posting again.  I haven't stopped building, that's for sure.
Chris

If this is in the wrong spot, please move it over.  I know it's been a long time since I was active here, but I do occasional poke me head in to see what's going on in the industry, what everyone's up to, get inspiration, etc.  I'd been seeing stuff on the David Union tools, so I contacted Troy to take the plunge on an order.  I ended up getting the D150 pin vise, D400 sander, D365 router, a set of router accessories, various grits of sandpaper for the sander, and some MadWorks sanding sponges. 
 
Bottom line up front...  buy with confidence from Troy.  He was awesome to work and chat with, answered all my questions and shipped super fast.  The tools are super high quality, quiet and smooth.  Even the packaging really makes you feel like you've bought something special. I wish I'd gotten them sooner....if you're on the fence, just go ahead and order the tools.
 
No relation or affiliation with Troy or DU, just over the moon with the new tools!  And a good excuse to start posting again.  I haven't stopped building, that's for sure.
Chris

If this is in the wrong spot, please move it over.  I know it's been a long time since I was active here, but I do occasional poke me head in to see what's going on in the industry, what everyone's up to, get inspiration, etc.  I'd been seeing stuff on the David Union tools, so I contacted Troy to take the plunge on an order.  I ended up getting the D150 pin vise, D400 sander, D365 router, a set of router accessories, various grits of sandpaper for the sander, and some MadWorks sanding sponges. 
 
Bottom line up front...  buy with confidence from Troy.  He was awesome to work and chat with, answered all my questions and shipped super fast.  The tools are super high quality, quiet and smooth.  Even the packaging really makes you feel like you've bought something special. I wish I'd gotten them sooner....if you're on the fence, just go ahead and order the tools.
 
No relation or affiliation with Troy or DU, just over the moon with the new tools!  And a good excuse to start posting again.  I haven't stopped building, that's for sure.
Chris

As said, definately go in light coats. The first mist coat will help seal the edges from bleed and if you go light, it'll keep it from getting ridges. Also, if you go to heavy, sometimes the masks won't want to come off without taking chunks of the newly sprayed paint with it.
 
A trick a full size auto body guy told me one time was to spray a light coat of clear after masking. This seals the edges, so any bleed over is clear coat. This works really well if you're worried about bleed over.... i.e. on compound curved surfaces and surfaces with lots of detail.
 
Chris

This will be my last post for the foreseeable future. I'm not leaving because I'm disgusted, feel wronged, or my feelings are hurt. Yes, there are certain members that I don't care for and grate on me, but not enough to warrant me leaving on their own.
 
I'm leaving because I feel that this forum has gone in a different direction than myself. It's become far too serious with the rivet counting (which is fine, to a point, when constructive), manufacturer bashing, and the overall "mood" and feel of the forum.
 
I work with NASA doing orbit operations on spacecraft. I have an extremely stressful job that requires far more attention to detail than any rivet counting done here. That said, the last thing I want is make my past time as intense.
 
My intent was not to ask anyone to change, although I think it got people pretty vocal about what they think is wrong around here.
 
Simply put, we've grown apart. This is a hobby, so there's no need to stick around a place where you have vastly differing ideas and opinions. When I got here, I enjoyed it because most of us had similar ideas on the spirit of the hobby. Now, we simply do not, so I'm moving along.
 
Chris

This will be my last post for the foreseeable future. I'm not leaving because I'm disgusted, feel wronged, or my feelings are hurt. Yes, there are certain members that I don't care for and grate on me, but not enough to warrant me leaving on their own.
 
I'm leaving because I feel that this forum has gone in a different direction than myself. It's become far too serious with the rivet counting (which is fine, to a point, when constructive), manufacturer bashing, and the overall "mood" and feel of the forum.
 
I work with NASA doing orbit operations on spacecraft. I have an extremely stressful job that requires far more attention to detail than any rivet counting done here. That said, the last thing I want is make my past time as intense.
 
My intent was not to ask anyone to change, although I think it got people pretty vocal about what they think is wrong around here.
 
Simply put, we've grown apart. This is a hobby, so there's no need to stick around a place where you have vastly differing ideas and opinions. When I got here, I enjoyed it because most of us had similar ideas on the spirit of the hobby. Now, we simply do not, so I'm moving along.
 
Chris

This will be my last post for the foreseeable future. I'm not leaving because I'm disgusted, feel wronged, or my feelings are hurt. Yes, there are certain members that I don't care for and grate on me, but not enough to warrant me leaving on their own.
 
I'm leaving because I feel that this forum has gone in a different direction than myself. It's become far too serious with the rivet counting (which is fine, to a point, when constructive), manufacturer bashing, and the overall "mood" and feel of the forum.
 
I work with NASA doing orbit operations on spacecraft. I have an extremely stressful job that requires far more attention to detail than any rivet counting done here. That said, the last thing I want is make my past time as intense.
 
My intent was not to ask anyone to change, although I think it got people pretty vocal about what they think is wrong around here.
 
Simply put, we've grown apart. This is a hobby, so there's no need to stick around a place where you have vastly differing ideas and opinions. When I got here, I enjoyed it because most of us had similar ideas on the spirit of the hobby. Now, we simply do not, so I'm moving along.
 
Chris

This will be my last post for the foreseeable future. I'm not leaving because I'm disgusted, feel wronged, or my feelings are hurt. Yes, there are certain members that I don't care for and grate on me, but not enough to warrant me leaving on their own.
 
I'm leaving because I feel that this forum has gone in a different direction than myself. It's become far too serious with the rivet counting (which is fine, to a point, when constructive), manufacturer bashing, and the overall "mood" and feel of the forum.
 
I work with NASA doing orbit operations on spacecraft. I have an extremely stressful job that requires far more attention to detail than any rivet counting done here. That said, the last thing I want is make my past time as intense.
 
My intent was not to ask anyone to change, although I think it got people pretty vocal about what they think is wrong around here.
 
Simply put, we've grown apart. This is a hobby, so there's no need to stick around a place where you have vastly differing ideas and opinions. When I got here, I enjoyed it because most of us had similar ideas on the spirit of the hobby. Now, we simply do not, so I'm moving along.
 
Chris

This is it for me. With the addition of several new members who have upset what used to be a balanced and open forum, along with the absurd rivet counting that the recent batch of kits has brought, there's no way I want to be a part of this group any longer. This forum has devolved into the "other" forum that many refer to with distaste.
 
This forum has been helpful over the years, but lately has been more and more frustrating, with many threads breaking down into micrometer measuring nonsense and how no kit is worth it because it's not perfect. This is exactly why many of us left the other forums.
 
What I'm saying is that this place isn't fun any longer and takes itself and the hobby far too serious now. And because it is sucking the fun out of what is supposed to be an enjoyable past time, I want no part of it.
 
C

Iain,

I never considered your posts anything but constructive and helpful.  Your goal was to make a more accurate model by actually fixing them and that's a good thing.  It's the guys who go around damning a kit (many of whom don't even own the kit they're damning or defending), that have gotten out of hand.
 
 
I had a whole long post written, but decided not to send it.  I don't really feel the need to explain myself further.  From the posts, it seems like most of the guys understand where I'm coming from.  Really, I just want to distance myself from the poison pills that have surfaced and are making me dislike the hobby.  99% of the guys here and none of the moderators are part of the problem.  But, as usual, it's the loudest, most obnoxious 1% that ruin things for the rest of us.
 
I will miss most of the guys here, but there are enough things that have soured me to it, that I don't want to be a part of it.
 
If any of you guys run into me at a contest or wherever, still say hey and we can grab a beer, but I need to go back to enjoying the hobby for what it's supposed to be.  Maybe later down the road, I'll come back, but I'd rather distance myself from the negativity.

Chris

Guys, let me just clear some stuff up.  This has nothing to do with just a few topics that slid downhill.  It has to do with the overall feel of the forum and environment.  I don't feel like my own opinions were attacked (much) and I don't think I'm being oversensitive about things....anyone that's ever met me in real life can back me up on that. I have just been getting more and more frustrated with the direction the forum has gone. 

What 1/32 can you buy all day long brand new from retailers for 17 bucks (scale hobbyist and others......)?  You get what you pay for.
 
Scribed detail is very heavy and inconsistent, detail is soft and iffy in a lot places (well, anywhere there should be detail), the windscreen shape and framing is completely made up (they added an entire pane of plexiglass!!!!), and worst of all, I can't think of a single kit in any scale or genre that has worse fit.
 
Yes, oh yes, it is truly awful.  Ask any of us poor souls who built it.
 
That said, going by the amount of hours required / cost of the kit ratio, it really can't be beat.  Heck what other kit can you spend $11 on (if you search around a little) and spend endless hours curled up in the corner of your hobby room questioning where there's a god?
 
I'll put it this way, I've aquired 4 or 5 of the Mig-15/17 kits over the years.....I got one at a local kit auction for 5 bucks that had no less than 3 complete kits in the box..... and I still picked up a Horizon vacuform Mig-15 with the thought that it'd be easier to build.
 
Chris

Hopefully it hasn't been mentioned yet, but in the new Eduard newsletter, they're releasing fabric versions of their seatbelts this month (old news, I think) and for December, a Brassin MG set and 4 Brassin engine sets....one unique set for each engine/cowl. 
 
It was mentioned that there would be a BigSin set that includes all 4 engines (why on Earth would anyone only use 1 aftermarket engine.....). 
 
It was also mentioned that there would be 2 BigEd sets for the PE.  Just a guess, but I would figure on separate exterior and interior BigEd sets. 
 
For those among us who haven't spent enough money on their B-17, there you go....  The Brassin stuff is usually pretty reasonable, but I'm guessing those engines are gonna add up.  I'll have to see if they're worth picking up when the pricing gets finalized.
 
Chris

I'm also not really sure what to be answering here, but I'll throw in my 2 cents (with today's dollar, that's not worth much). 
 
Personally, on the rare occasion I model an exposed engine, I model it as it would look with the real panel removed, i.e., like the photo above with the exhausts in place.  I'm a car guy and have worked on my fair share of engines.  When cylinder heads have no exhaust, the ports aren't blocked off like you typically see in models, they're open and you can see the valve stems.  Leaving the exhaust ports flashed over without detail would be the same to me as leaving exhaust tips solid or not drilling out a gun barrel.
 
As far as Mustangs go, if I recall, some aircraft didn't have the shroud installed at all, some had it, and some had it removed later on.

I just built the A6M5.  It was a bit of work fitting the CMK tail cone, but out of box, it's a super nice kit.  I only used the AM wheel wells because of the injector pin marks.  In hindsight, it would have been less work to just clean up the marks.  I built the A6M2 way back in 2002 or so when it was a brand new kit and I lived in Japan during my return to modeling.
 
You really don't need to throw any aftermarket at it unless you don't like the rubber tires.  The cockpit looks plenty busy and all I'd add to the motor are some wires.
 
They come up regularly on the for sale forum here and on ebay for $50-$75.  If you're patient, you can grab one up for a good deal even after shipping.
 
Chris

The USAF seat had an internal O2 bottle....located on the left side inside the seat buckt.  On the real seat, it's visible from the front because the seat back cushion has a corner cut at an angle.  There's also a few smaller details like a little ball on the side.  The biggest difference is in the shape of the survival kit....the seat bottom cushion.
 
 
 
And no worries, Showtime.  I'm a New Yorker by birth, so I understand.  Hard to read people's intent and tone through a forum. And right on with what you said.  Also, for the record, I refuse to judge contests these days.....
 
Chris

I don't want to offend, but I'm just want to make one point about IPMS judging, as having been a judge in far more contests than I care to think about.....accuracy is used as a judgment criteria far more often and in far more detail than is allowed for in the rule book. 
 
You're friends are absolutely correct in that accuracy is the final say, but only at what IPMS describes as "gross inaccuracies."  In fact, coincidentally enough, the IPMS handbook even uses F-4's as an example.....
 
In the hundreds of categories I've judged, I've only seen accuracy legitimately play a signficant role once or twice, which I would describe as rare.  I have a car sitting in my garage that's one of 625 that I notice all the time, but that doesn't make it less rare.
 
I had a big rant typed up, but I'm at the end of my 5th 12 hour mid shift in a row with 2 more to go.  For the record, I don't care for IPMS these days and the way judging is conducted is at the top of the list, both when done by the book (unusual) and off the hip (much more common).
 
Chris

I'm guessing Trumpeter will hook up the weapons in the box, and not expect folks to pony up for them in addition to the standard kit cost, so that will offset the kit prices a bit too. I still can't believe ZM pulled that off without folks being up in arms. If Trumpeter did that, people would be petitioning to invade China.....

Plastic tires on cars would be awesome! You'd be able to flatten and bulge them so every car model I see doesn't look like its pearched on tires filled to 90psi.....
 
Another complaint of mine about rubber tires on planes to add to the list, which doesn't include cracking or splitting.

I used a set of real deal D-Molds on my F-4C build and I got a second set for my F-4J in the someday pile.  They fit great without any issues and looked good.  I think I got them from Victory Productions, but that was a while back.
The tough part will be finding any intake in stock anywhere......  That kind of stuff seems to be in and out of production so I grab them when I see them if there's any chance I'll need them.  I found a set of CE ones for the Academy F/A-18 cheap somewhere and it was probably 2 years before I finally got the kit from Squadron in one of their mystery deal things.
C

The Flypast Book of The B-17 shows several photos of the nose, waist, and radio room that show a finely ribbed rubber overlay on top of the wood floors. They looks to be screwed down in some places. It even shows it on the little walk way above and to the port of the ball turret.
 
Its a great book, btw, if you can find it.
 
I can't keep up with you guys in this thread. I thought guys went nuts with 109s and Mustangs. My plan is to build the kit just making major, noticeable changes with visual impact. In my opinion, the drastic surgery required to move the instrument panel a millimeter or two isn't worth the huge amounts of surgery necessary required. I just can't imagine it being terribly noticeable to all but a few of the most hardcore guys.
 
But, it is cool to see guys going inane on the kit. Hopefully some of these corrected kits will get built up and hopefully the immense amount of extra work will show in the end.
 
Chris