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Nick Miller

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Everything posted by Nick Miller

  1. Thanks for the suggestions. I've ordered several extra fine Grobet swiss pattern files. I'll report back with once I've had a chance to use them a bit.
  2. Yep, that's for one file. More specifically I'm looking at Grobet Swiss Pattern files. If this link works it will take you to Artco's Grobet needle file page: Grobet Needle Files at Artco
  3. The Excel set I have looks exactly like the one in the photo though my set came with fewer files.
  4. After looking into needle files a bit more I guess what I'd really like to know is how well Swiss Pattern Cut 4 and 6 files work on plastic. Cuts 4 and 6 are very fine and I think they would clog up a bit. They do tend to be expensive, ~$8 for the smallest needle files to around $14 for the larger needle files.
  5. Could you be hunching over or sitting oddly due to the shorter focal length of the Optivisor? Even with a light mine is very light.
  6. I'm trying to find some high quality files to replace my Excel files in a pencil case set. Specifically I'm trying to find a set with clean, sharp corners with a fine "grit". I tend to round off corners with sanding sticks and I think with the right file set I can step up my game a bit. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
  7. Finishing "Killer Rays" has motivated me to kickstart an old Tamiya 1/48 Skyray build. I'm thinking about picking up CMK's Detail Set but I can't find any useful info on it. I'm wondering if the cockpit is more accurate than their 1/72 scale set. They list control surfaces included in the set, does this include leading edge slats? And of course, how does it all fit? TIA, Nick
  8. I also have a question about the regulator's pressure gauge. My gauge has a maximum pressure reading of 60 psi. I never go much above 20 psi. I'd like to swap out the gauge with a 0-30 or 0-40 psi gauge. Is there any reason I couldn't just make the swap? Anything to watch out for?
  9. Their sale runs through Monday. I picked up a Harder Steenbeck Infinity 2 in 1 for the best price I've seen in a while. I did have to place a second order with chicagoairbrush for some bits that are not available at artsupply.
  10. I'm thinking of buying a Harder Steenbeck Infinity Solo airbrush but have a concern with the 0.15mm nozzle and how it will behave with Polly Scale acrylics. I thin the paint with a mixture of distilled water, Liquitex Flo Aid and Liquitex Retarder and usually have pretty good luck with my Iwata and its 0.35mm nozzle. I was wondering if anyone was shooting Polly Scale acrylics through a 0.15mm or so nozzle and would share their experience.
  11. ******** The EA-18G Upgrade set has been sold I have a Steel Beach EA-18G Upgrade set with Pods (SB177) for sale. $25 shipped in the US and $33 world wide. I can accept PayPal and money orders. ******** I also have Afterburner Decal's Super Bug Shockers EA-18G, 48-061 for sale, $13 shipped in the US, $16 world wide.
  12. Here's my $0.02 from 3 partially successful, and still unfinished, attempts at this conversion just in case it helps. In no particular order: 1) The main gear doors can be sanded almost flat without breaking through. To do it right you need to also take some curvature out of the skin panel just forward of the door. There's a bit of oil canning so if you want the door perfectly flat it will have to be backed up with styrene, epoxy or whatever. 2) The ammo door needs to be totally redone; sanded flat, rescribed and a vent and two latches added. I knocked out the whole panel and replaced it
  13. Those books were a godsend for broke history buffs, I've got a box full from the 70's. Amazon.com is bursting at the seams with them. If you do a search for Bantam War you will get hundreds of hits. You'll probably be able to find your favorites for pocket change + $3.99 shipping of course.
  14. In order: Optivisor UMM Razor Saw Hasegawa Scriber Tamiya Extra Thin Cement Blue Acryl Putty
  15. I bought mine on Amazon. A 21 oz tube is $18.50 plus $5.00 shipping and looks to be in stock. It keeps fresh surprising long in a 1/2 oz paint bottle.
  16. Thanks for all the good advice, I'm actually looking forward to painting again.
  17. I tend not to use my Iwata HP-CS as much as I should due to the hassle of cleaning it. Turns out I probably have been going about it wrong. I would go through a full tear down after every session. Part of my problem is due to the rapid drying of Polly Scale acrylics. I think I've solved that problem with Liquitex Flo Aid and Retarder. A little searching on the forum turns up all kinds of good info on cleaning. I do have a question about backflushing. Mainly, what is it? Plug the nozzle, force paint back in to the cup? Needle retracted I'd guess. Backflush just for cleaning, sounds li
  18. My Canon 40D manual says to use a white object to set the white balance but casually mentions that an 18% gray card will probably give a better reading. I forgot one important thing. The target comes with a DVD that explains the whole process, shows it in use and describes how it can be used with Adobe Light Room. The DVD alone was worth the price of the set.
  19. This may be common knowledge by now but I thought I'd share a little I've learned about custom white balance. We bought a Photovision Digital Calibration Target a while back and I was so happy with the results shooting family photos around the house I thought I'd try it with a model or two. The target has an 18% gray band that the camera is analyzing, any 18% gray card would work the same way. I used a Canon 40D but any camera with a custom white balance option would work too. Basically you just take a photo of the target and tell the camera to use that image to set the white balance. The
  20. I'm thinking of moving up from the 10:1 mix Alumilite I picked up with a coupon at Hobby Lobby. Smooth-On's Mold Star 15 looks ideal for a dabbling wannabe. The 1:1 mix caught my attention, I've made more than one drippy master by screwing up the proportions of A & B. I'm curious to see if anyone has tried it yet and what they think.
  21. Those parts are not used on R/M's F-15E. There is even a faint panel line on the fuselage to aid in their placement. They must have thought a C was at least a possibility when the molds were cut. If Tamiya can reuse the F-15E's upper fuselage in their 1/32 scale F-15C kit it seems that reusing a lower fuselage must not have been out of the question.
  22. Great Models has set CMK5008 for the Hasegawa's F-16CJ on sale for $15.10. It looks like it may work in Academy's kit as my assembled Academy main gear bay fits nicely into the Hasegawa fuselage. If anyone has tried it or has any comments on the CMK part I'd like to hear them.
  23. After taking a close look at all of the available 1/48 F-15A/C kits I've decided the only way to get a nice looking, accurate F-15A/C in 1/48 is to start with the Revell F-15E. There's going to be some sanding, panel filling, scribing and aftermarket involved but considering the other options I think it's worth the effort. I've just started on the forward fuselage of my conversion, the center and aft fuselage and wings are done. I'll post some pics once I get a bit further. The most difficult parts so far have been fixing the lower ammo door and forming the left hand tail boom. I thought
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