# Quick Tips



## Hilltop Raceway

Thought I'd start a thread on "quick tips", if you have any you wouldn't mind sharing, that might help me or other customizers, that peek in from time to time. Sometimes the simplest idea someone has, will make a difference in that custom job. If you have a quick tip, please post it here. Thanks...RM
Here's a simple one: Put a touch of flat black inside those wheels for a little depth and distinction. Use a small tipped brush or even a toothpick... Also put a little flat black in those exhaust ports...


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## krazcustoms

Great idea for a thread, and I see it's off to a good start! I can't wait to see what kind of tips come out of the woodwork.


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## resinmonger

That's a really awesome hot rod in the first picture, Randy. The low roof line and slit windows give it a very distinct, even sinister, appearance. A villian with incredible taste would drive such a car... It would look pretty cool in a graphic novel as well - send it to Frank Miller.

:drunk::hat::freak::dude:


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## roadrner

To add to Hilltop's tip of wheel detailing, I use a wash made up of one part flat black and two to four parts thinner. Using a small fine point brush, load up some wash and apply it to the wheel. Let it set up for a minute or so, then wipe with a QTip. This leaves the wash on the background area and cleans the outer part of the wheel. Just another way to get the job done.  rr


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## fastlap

*not for teeth*

I find when detailing or gluing the tool I use the most is the simple round wood toothpicks. Very in-expensive too! I use them to apply all types of glue to small areas. I also use them to wipe access glue out of cracks, corners and crevasses with the sharp tips. 

When applying small paint details like rivets, bolt-heads, etc., it can be simulated very well with the toothpick end slightly dipped in the color paint you desire. I also will use the small tip to get paint into the tiny areas that the smallest brush can't get to. 

Only use natural wood toothpicks. The dyed ones will bleed their color when using with glue or harsh paints.


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## fastlap

Customizer's tip;

Keep all and every slot car body you can get you hands on. I use the broken bodies and their glued on parts to "kitbash". I even have started to separate the glued on bumpers, airscoops, mirrors, etc. from the broken bodies and put in thier own container. It makes it easier to look for the fender or roof you can get off the bodies in one container, and look at all the little do-dads in another container.


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## fastlap

Keep decal sheets in flat tuperware containers. It keeps them from getting moisture damage. I also use multiple labeled containers to separate the different types of decals. ie; F1, sports cars, Nascar, customs, etc. Makes it a lot easier to find the style decal you're looking for.



*This is really a cool thread Randy!!!!! *


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## bobhch

*I use Poster Putty to hold stuff in place...*

I use poster putty (get the light blue stuff because, yellow isn't as good) to hold parts in place, to hold bodies while painting, to hold bodies or parts while detail painting etc.

I find that putting poster putty on the bottom of a bottle with a body or part held in place lets me become hands free and also lets me move what I am painting to any angle for easier painting. 

When you are trimming a fitting parts this can hold pieces together to see how they mesh and then just pull them apart. Poster Putty doesn't leave any oily film either.

Here is a picture of a van painted by Ed and decaled by me. I just put a little poster putty on the end of a pencil and then dipped the body in Future clear coat. Then shook it off just a bit, put it in a hole in a box for holding it and just walked away.



















Here I used some poster putty (the yellow kind "it works for this but, isn't as pliable for my other uses" get the blue stuff!) as a paint mask.

I Future clear coated the scallop decals before hand so, they would not get messed up in the masking process.












































Bob...remember get the blue stuff NOT the yellow...zilla


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## GoodwrenchIntim

To paint round headlights I use the head of a common stick pin its the perfect size for most HO cars


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## Hilltop Raceway

A piece of wood in the top drawer, with some drilled holes, is great for holding all those dremel accessories. Also great for holding those special loose drill bits...RM


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## bobhch

Nice tools of destruction...Cutting wheel is my favorite.


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## slotcarman12078

Like that one Randy!! I was going to make one so i can get a bit more organized. Nice to have everything within easy reach, especially them collets. I'm always fishing for them and grab the wrong ones too many times


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## win43

Hilltop Raceway said:


> A piece of wood in the top drawer, with some drilled holes, is great for holding all those dremel accessories. Also great for holding those special loose drill bits...RM


I did the same thing just with larger holes .... I keep my bottles of washes, decal set, and and other bottled items in it. Really does keep me from knocking them on the floor all the time


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## win43

*Decal tip:*

This tip was passed along to me by 'doba. It really saved me. So with proper credit given...here's the tip.

I had applied a decal and you could see the stripes from the car right through it. So 'doba tells me......just put another one of the same decal right over the top of it. I did and it worked. THANKS 'doba your tip saved my little car.


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## win43

*window pillar tip.........*

I wouldn't do this to original cars...but for others it just might help. 

Tired of breaking the little window pillars on your cars??? I know I am 
So what I have tried is filling in the little "wing/butterfly window" with Testor's Clear Parts Cement and Window Maker. It's goes on opague so you can see what you're doing, but as it dries it turns clear. For really small openings I just put in in and let dry. On larger openings you can use tape on the inside of the opening and then apply the Testor's.


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## yankee_3b

This is what us rookies dream of. Great thread! I appreciate everyone's willingness to share the tricks of the trade. Thanks RM for getting the ball rolling.


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## Hilltop Raceway

Hobby Lobby has the plastic see thur divider boxes for 1.99. These have the molded in dividers that want pop out. For those of you that have the pop out divider boxes, a little silicone on the bottom of the divider, should hold them in place, to keep your parts from going to the wrong compartment...RM
P.S. Don't foget your 40% off, on line coupon. Hobbylobby.com under weekly specials


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## Hilltop Raceway

*Add some bling to your ride!!!*

Picked these up at Hobby Lobby. They are in the jewelry making department. Snip the ring off and they make great exhaust pipes. Add a little flat black . The best part is no need to polish, already shiney!!! RM


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## roadrner

win43 said:


> This tip was passed along to me by 'doba. It really saved me. So with proper credit given...here's the tip.
> 
> I had applied a decal and you could see the stripes from the car right through it. So 'doba tells me......just put another one of the same decal right over the top of it. I did and it worked. THANKS 'doba your tip saved my little car.


 
Some of you will find that this will be a common solution for some of the decals that are marketed out there. I have had some in the past that were "thin" and required a second layer to get the right look (good color). :thumbsup: rr


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## Dranoel Dragon

Tips.... tips.... what can I offer?.....

Never let your mother comb your hair when she's mad at your dad.

Seriously though, I have had many great paint jobs ruined when brush painting details with the same type of paint as the main colors. Usually the second brush stroke drags up the original color because the detail paint softens the paint underneath. Solution? I've taken to using acrylic paints for detailing. It won't craze the underlying colors and if you make a mistake you can "erase" it with a damp paper towel and still not damage any other paint.


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## JordanZ870

Post leveling

I nip away at posts I will install to a body to get the right stance.
I get it to the right length and the derned thing is crooked!
Bills dremel-mill is one option, but I sure as heck am not going to send all of my cars to him for post leveling!  Seriously, I was reaching for end mill bit with the dremel wrench in my hand when I noticed the hole in the wrench itself.:thumbsup:
I round-filed the hole just a bit and it is a perfect fit to my favorite post material. The thickness of the wrench cross-section keeps it perpendicular to the post itself. Zip across with blade or dremel and have instant level!:woohoo:


Oh, and this is the last fuzzy pic I am going to post. My camera is crap and I know it. I get a new one soon!


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## slotcarman12078

Hmmm... I look at Randy's last post, and then I look at Joez's and I can't help but wonder if those jewelry thingys might be an option for the very small ring terminals I've been looking for. The question is, will a Tjet screw fit the ring? I can cut the exhaust part you're using off for the most part, and use silver solder to hold the wire in.. Note to self.... Find a Hobby Lobby!!!


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## Hilltop Raceway

slotcarman12078 said:


> Hmmm... I look at Randy's last post, and then I look at Joez's and I can't help but wonder if those jewelry thingys might be an option for the very small ring terminals I've been looking for. The question is, will a Tjet screw fit the ring? I can cut the exhaust part you're using off for the most part, and use silver solder to hold the wire in.. Note to self.... Find a Hobby Lobby!!!


Yes Sltman, The screw will fit and you could also insert your wire into the tube and squeeze clamp it...RM


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## bobhch

Hobby Lobby here I come...great idea Hilltop!


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## Hilltop Raceway

Aluminum tubing makes great header or exhaust pipes. Take your Dremel and polish the tubing up with a nice shine before cutting. To help hold the portion, as your cutting, slide a Q-tip, pipe cleaner, or toothpick into the tubing. Helps you keep from loosing it!!! RM


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## LeeRoy98

win43 said:


> This tip was passed along to me by 'doba. It really saved me. So with proper credit given...here's the tip.
> 
> I had applied a decal and you could see the stripes from the car right through it. So 'doba tells me......just put another one of the same decal right over the top of it. I did and it worked. THANKS 'doba your tip saved my little car.


In a similar vein, I make my own decals but don't have an ALPS printer for white. So I make an extra copy of decals and apply. Those that need white to shine through or are on a dark background are carefully painted over with white. I then apply a second decal over the top and have the decal appearance I was wanting.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


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## coach61

Hank can we get this thread as a sticky?


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## resinmonger

Great idea - that's why your'e the coach!


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## Hilltop Raceway

For mounting those Lifelike bodies to AFX chassis, I use the the same old screwdriver technique to make mounts for the Lifelike body. After making your mount, just glue em in. I used a credit card to make a spacer to bring the mount out, as the Lifelike bodies are a little wider. As you can see, you can leave the Lifelike mounts and run either chassis. I usually glue in one side at a time and let it dry, then do the other. Gives you more adjusting time. I haven't done this one yet, but a little JB Weld added around the mount will hold in place better, especially if you like hitting the wall as much as I do...RM


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## tjd241

*Spring has sprung....*

So it's time to get back to the business of landscraping. I've tried to proceed with a plan. Part one is now over. I've discovered where most of the de-slots occur, so now I can place some more details without worrying too much about running little folks over or wrecking into stuff. With that in mind, here's a thrifty little tip for those who are either tree shoppin or tree choppin. We do things on a pretty small scale here at Land HO. Size and budget constraints call for alot of "cut-backs". All ready-made trees are pretty expensive. The best deals are had with the kits to make your own trees, but I have little time for making trees lately and dammit I just don't feel like it anyway. The sized ready-made trees are also either too small or too big for my taste. So I have learned to cut them apart to suit my needs. Woodland Scenic's are mostly what I work with. The trunks and branches are extremely pliable and you can straighten them out or bend them into whatever configuration you want. They stay where you bend them almost as if they have wire in them, but they don't. Here's the math.... 

$10.99 for 3 of the 4"-5" size costs $3.66 per tree 
after pruning...
$10.99 has bought you 12 trees now 2"-3" for only 91 cents per tree and a nice handful of extra ground cover 

$7.99 for 4 of the 2"-3" size costs $1.99 per tree 
after pruning...
$7.99 has bought you 16 trees now 1"-2" for only 49 cents per tree and again a nice handful of extra ground cover 

Avg price of 67 cents per tree? Ready made?.... not too shabby in my book 

A regular pair of wire cutters is all you need to do this. I myself can't stand the contrived spikey looking dead branches that are on the new trees either. I also hate the round "stands" that come on the trees. My layout is all permanent. All you have to do is yank the stands off by hand and snip off the spikes to make them look more like real cut-off branches. Foliage can be plucked as needed and recycled as ground cover. To install, I drill holes for my trees, put a drop of hot glue in, insert the trunk, and then immediately sprinkle some loose turf on the hot glue that happens to squeeze out. Go for 1 tree at a time though. Otherwise when you try to go back and sprinkle them, the glue has already cooled and dried. Happy Arbor Day!!!! nd


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## Dranoel Dragon

The Top of the Day thread reminded me of this trick:

For the Lexan guys;

I like to line up the body and poke holes for the body pins BEFORE I paint. It allows me to see the alignment on the chassis easier. To facilitate this I took a 4x4" piece of partical board added a blob of poster putty and stuck an empty wizzard chassis in it leaving the wheels off the "ground". Now I can drop an unpainted body over the chassis and see the mounting posts clearly. I can adjust the hight of the chassis by squeesing the putty up or pushing the chassis deeper into it. Once I have everything lined up the way I want it I poke a small hole through the body and into the mounting posts with a push pin and mark at the top, front and back of the tires on the outside of the body.

Now I can paint the body, cut the wheel wells and put the body pins in and know that everything is pretty much aligned without having to guess looking through the bottom of the painted body.

Also, I made a template from the wizzrd chassis using a scrap piece of lexan. I drilled a hole for the front and rear axle and one for each body post. I use the template for drilling Tyco and Tomy chassis for body posts. This allows me to use any lexan body I have on any chassis as the posts are in the same position relative to the wheels.


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## resinmonger

*Sano Ideas*

Wow, that's two clever ideas for lexan mounting. I like the alignment template aloows you mount bodies on all of your different chassis! DD, you are one smart slot head. :thumbsup:


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## Dranoel Dragon

Here's another one for ya RM. When I paint lexan bodies, I have an old cover from a spiral bound notebook that I cut a 1 3/4x3" hole in the middle. Slip the body into the hole and tape the edges down. Now the body is in a secure holder and you don't get any overspray on the outside of the body or your fingers.


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## 22tall

Those little silica gel packs you find in lots of things are good for keeping decals fresh.


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## bobhch

*painting tips...*

Here are a few things I have learned about painting flames and stripes from trial and error. Don't be afraid to mess up as a soak in some Pine Sol will get you right back to square one. Can't never did anything...

If you want to paint with flame mask or mask off stripes, etc. paint up your bodies ahead of time, let them dry thoroughly first. One or two weeks should be enough.

If you are in a hurry then try using flat paints or Zinc Chromates as they dry almost right away. After you get done painting up pull the masking off right away to keep the paint from drying on the masking. If paint is allowed to dry on masking it will come off in chip form and mess everything up...just do it right away.

Before painting with masking make sure you will have a place to grab onto body and hold it while pulling off masking. You don't want to put a thumb print in your custom paint job. Ouch




























If you use flats (I do some times) for your flames or stripes a clear coat of Future Floor Covering will gloss that flat right up!

Bob...you can never have enough paint...zilla


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## old blue

Rule of thumb.....

When you tighten the mounting screws on your t-jets if you use your thumbnail you will never over tighten and crack the post. 

Corney but true.

Old Blue


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## Andrij

Whatever you do, don't rush.

And one other, if you have ideas, write them down. Carry a notebook with you, or have one on your workbench as you work.

Cheers

Andrij


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## bobhch

*Poster Putty isn't just for breakfast anymore...*

Another example of how to use Poster Putty. 

















I just took some poster putty and covered the area of this, originaly painted gloss black, VW things interior and now will just do a light touch up with black around the edges. This will give you that Crisp interior look!

Used an X-Acto knife on the poster putty ends to give them a straight edge.

This body has been sitting around in gloss black for over 2 years and finaly it was time to Phsssssssssssht it with a silver base and then Testors Metalic Stop Light Red. My camera must be having the same problems as coaches now because, this doesn't show the way this realy looks. Sometimes taking pictures outside with natural sunlight helps ALOT with the picture quality.

Bob...will try to get a better picture of this when it is finished...zilla


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## Hilltop Raceway

*Body posts*

For making body posts for T-Jet chassis, fill a small straw with your resin mix, once it hardens, remove the straw covering. Sand the bottom area that will fit into the body to give your glue or JB Weld an area to bite or bond to. Any area that is to be glued, needs to be scuffed up for a better hold...RM


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## coach61

Hilltop Raceway said:


> For making body posts for T-Jet chassis, fill a small straw with your resin mix, once it hardens, remove the straw covering. Sand the bottom area that will fit into the body to give your glue or JB Weld an area to bite or bond to. Any area that is to be glued, needs to be scuffed up for a better hold...RM


If your adding posts to a resin body mount it using Resin..Bonds up real good too...


Dave


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## bobhch

*or you could just mold the screw post in...*



coach61 said:


> If your adding posts to a resin body mount it using Resin..Bonds up real good too...
> 
> 
> Dave


Coach,

Soooooooooooooo what you are saying is if the body was made from Chocolate to use melted Hersheys (with nuts?) and if it was a Rice Crispy style body would melted Marshmellows work? 

Resin to resin...That sounds like a great idea man!

As for molding in the post I was having a problem with this on the Indy cars untill I figured out what was going wrong. Doh :freak:

I Now pour my resin into my female mold and then some into the male molds post holes. Squish them together "HERE IT COMES" and now flip the whole mold over to let the post stay filled with resin.....works for me! Was just a matter of flipping the mold over after pouring and they come out good almost every time. Me likes my molded in post!

Bob...I use a fruit cake recipe for my landscaping...zilla


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## Hilltop Raceway

Here's another quickie. Same idea as Bob...I can't paint just one...zilla's use of poster putty. Take a popsicle stick, wrap a piece of masking tape around it, then reverse wrap it so you have the stickie side out. Stick your small part to the tape and spray away...RM


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## JordanZ870

*Any Ideas?*

I have just began work on my first custom!:woohoo: It's a 71 Hemi Cuda. I have already decided on the paint job (Which will be revealed in good time). Any ideas, or advice would be greatly appreciated.


A wise person once said, " We cannot succeed, unless we are first willing to try."


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## Bill Hall

Yeah Jordan, 

Go grab yer old mans airbrush, that he never uses, and show him how to use it ...LOL!


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## Hilltop Raceway

Uh, get one of those Sleds or Chevy vans to practice on. Those large sidepanels are great for spraying on paint. When you get the side of one covered with a smooth finish, then jump on that HEMI !!! RM

P.S. Don't forget to mask off the lights


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## win43

JordanZ870 said:


> I have just began work on my first custom!:woohoo: It's a 71 Hemi Cuda. I have already decided on the paint job (Which will be revealed in good time). Any ideas, or advice would be greatly appreciated.


Jordan,
I have some Plymouth decals you might wanna use. I'll send them out today.


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## JordanZ870

*Thanks*

Thank you for the thought, but what are Plymouth decals?


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## tjd241

*Plymouth is... errr was the maker of the Cuda!!*

Jordan... Look here fore some Plymouth decals on a car. nd

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/attachment.php?attachmentid=15922&d=1109732494


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## JordanZ870

*Sweeeeeeeet!*

Those decals look sweet with that paint job. Im not sure if they would go well with mine. My paint job consists of flat red, yellow, and a orange stripe. Would the decals go good with that?


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## bobhch

*Go, GO, GO....JordonZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!*



JordanZ870 said:


> I have just began work on my first custom!:woohoo: It's a 71 Hemi Cuda. I have already decided on the paint job (Which will be revealed in good time). Any ideas, or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> 
> A wise person once said, " We cannot succeed, unless we are first willing to try."


Yeah JordanZ my advice is to have fun...lots of fun! 71 Cuda Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Iron Cross Decals look good on everything! :thumbsup::thumbsup: Big rear tires and Skinney up front... that is the Old School way. New school meets old school! 

Bob...It doesn't have to be perfect as long as you give it you best shot...zilla


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## JordanZ870

*Thanks Bob*

Thanks for the advice Bob. The fat tires would be an excellent idea had I not already slammed the body down as far as it would go. Ill keep it in mind next time. As for the decals, does the cuda have to be a race car if I use them?




JordanZ


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## Hilltop Raceway

On those Bad Dawg resin kits, take a little polishing compound and buff those windshields with your Dremel. They'll shine right up, just be careful...RM


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## bobhch

Hilltop Raceway said:


> On those Bad Dawg resin kits, take a little polishing compound and buff those windshields with your Dremel. They'll shine right up, just be careful...RM


No way Randy. :freak: I am going to be careless and wreckfull and sling that Dremel Crazily all over the place...seriously though this sounds like a great window tip.

Bob...I can see clearly now...zilla


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## JordanZ870

*Help!!!!*

I have been working on my second custom. The particular car im using was already primed. I didn't trust the primer so i stripped it. My instincts were correct as it seems to have permanently stained some parts of the car. I have tried stripping it several times, but that didn't help. I just tried sanding it for about a half hour with no changes. Does anyone have any ideas to fix the problem?


-JordanZ


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## Bill Hall

....pix?


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## JordanZ870

Ill ask my dad to help me with pictures if there's time. i have an idea though. i could just throw some squadron putty on it and just sand that. or i could just ask my dad if he has any more of the bodies laying around.




-JordanZ


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## Hilltop Raceway

JZ, I usually prime cars with Duplicolor High Build primer available at most automotive stores, comes in a spray can. After you strip the old stuff off, clean the body good, then spray on some lights coats of primer. You want to hide all the color changes (stains, added body parts, putty, etc.) on your body, with your primer. . If you sand the primer down into the body, spray on another hiding coat of primer. Once the primer coat looks good, then spray on your color coat of paint...A quality topcoat starts at the bottom. If the bottom coat ain't looking good, usually the top coat want either. Hope this helps...RM
P.S. Yea, there's always your Dad's bodies. Just tell him I said it was OK for you to use one. I'll take the blame.


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## roadrner

Hilltop Raceway said:


> P.S. Yea, there's always your Dad's bodies. Just tell him I said it was OK for you to use one. I'll take the blame.


Yeah, and I'll vouch for you and state it was HT's peer pressure that made you do it!  


Good one Randy. :devil: Dave


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## JordanZ870

*Thanks*

I have stripped the old primer off already. Its just some parts seam to have been melted into the plastic. we use the same dupli color primer but it wont stick to the stained areas of the car.




-JordanZ


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## Hilltop Raceway

JordanZ870 said:


> I have stripped the old primer off already. Its just some parts seam to have been melted into the plastic. we use the same dupli color primer but it wont stick to the stained areas of the car.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -JordanZ


Try some fine grit sandpaper, maybe 600 or higher and watersand if possible, then clean with some soap and water. Sometimes I use a worn Scotchbrite pad and lightly scuff. This puts hairline scratches into the body or paint, which gives the new paint something to bite into for a better stick. If this doesn't help the parts may have some type of residue trying to escape, if your using resin parts...RM


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## bobhch

*How to make a Kewl RYDER...*

I want a Coooo-ooooo-ooool Ryder flatbed so, I took a RYDER box trailer and carefully removed the top box with an X-Acto ( kids ask your parents to do this for you! ) & did a little sanding with a cheap cardboard nail file. BAM!



















Use a NEW X-Acto blade and go slow.....you don't want to mess this up. Always push the blade so that if you get a sudden forward cut ( a spot with no glue on it ) you will go up into the yellow box portion and not down into the flatbed part. 

Bob...Yep those two little nubs are hidding inside that box trailer...zilla


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## slotcarman12078

that's a cool set up there Mr. Zilla!!! I likes it!! :thumbsup:


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## resinmonger

Keep on Truckin' BobZilla! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## bobwoodly

*First Airbrush!*

Just bought my first airbrush. I already have a compressor (overkill for the job). Any good on-line resources for airbrush tips/techniques? I'll start on easy stuff first and will have a vat of simple green nearby to erase boo boos. Mostly I'm looking to be able to spray Alclad II and some stripes to start. Any advice would be appreciated!

Tom


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## bobhch

*Advice:sure it's free too...*



bobwoodly said:


> Just bought my first airbrush. I already have a compressor (overkill for the job). Any good on-line resources for airbrush tips/techniques? I'll start on easy stuff first and will have a vat of simple green nearby to erase boo boos. Mostly I'm looking to be able to spray Alclad II and some stripes to start. Any advice would be appreciated!
> 
> Tom


Tom it is great to see another painter on board. :thumbsup:

I painted some fun stripes on some GTOs for Win43 back when and they looked great. When he sent them they just screamed for roof stripes. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...can you hear them now? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...

Well my advice on painting stripes is to get some Tamiya masking tape in different thicknesses. It works great as well as Pactra also. Tamiya comes in a roll like scotch tape and is very easy to use.

Always try to paint away from your masking edged line. By this I mean if you can spray your airbrush from behind and over the tape. Never into the masked edge!! If you have a bunch of masked area all in one spot then spray from above. You don't want paint build up on the masked edge as this will cause you to not have a crisp edge when you pull up the masking because, of wet paint buldup falling off the top edge of your masking to your body and running wild.

If you are going to paint stipes make sure that your main body has dried for a while before laying down the masking tape. I paint up a bunch of bodies way ahead of time and come back to them after working on something else. This keeps those fingerprints out of you nice paintjob. Also with a completly dry base paint you can realy rub those masking lines down to keep any paint from slipping underneath...eeeew yucky.

If you want to spray some stripes RIGHT NOW then grab a pre-painted body like a Dash or AW and go to town.

One of the stripe jobs I am planning soon is a Dash Black 55 Chevy body. I will start with the center stripe first and then work my way out from both sides of that to keep them all looking the same width. Then I will spray some white down for some old school stripes.

First of all make sure your body is firmly mounted on a paint stick of some sort so you can hold it away from you and keep the paint from all hitting the body at once. You want to lightly mist straight down to keep paint build up on the masking edges. 

You do not want to lay down alot of paint. When you have the stripes completley covering the main body color STOP! Thin is good. If you can get a nice thin coat that covers well then you are set. This will leave crisp lines when you tear up the masking.

Put the masking on so that it will be able to be removed right after painting easily. You don't want to leave the tape on and let the stripes dry or it will pull the paint up and mess your stripe job up.  

Use an X-Acto knife to pull the tape up as its smooth clean side edge will get a good hold on the tape.

I will hopefully be able to spray that Black 55 this weekend and after you let the paint dry dip the whole body in Future Floor covering for a super trick clear coat. Future also brings the body paint job up a notch like magic. I got a 69 blue Chevelle from T-Jet a while back & it looked so much better after dipping it in Future. Future also makes windows look better also. If you have a dull window then use Hilltops secret window polishing method in an earlier post on this thread.

Bob...Have fun!!...zilla

P.S. Please post some pics when you get all done!


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## Bill Hall

Most important things are:

Practice! ...on whatever...It dont matter! The idea is to become one with the tool and learn how to adjust it, clean it, and make corrections on the fly. In time you should be able to look at a blat or splatter and say "Whoopsie! I need to adjust this or that."

Always spray a test shot/pass on EVERY load....or when your rig has set for a minute or two on a given job.

Always clean your rig IMMEDIATLY after use!

Practice some more!

Good luck!


----------



## bobhch

*Well here is a visual of that black 55 Dash body...*

Going to spray my Black 55 with roof stripes as per described in my last post. What Bill said................clean that brush right away!

After putting some chrome steelies & adding a chrome blower ( It came from a purple AW 62 Bel Air & yes I know it needs to be pushed down in the rear... it isn't glued down yet. ) the white stripe idea has now changed to alclad slilver.










Here is a gold 55 that was done up for Tom Stumpf. I painted the window chrome trim silver which, adds more detail & will be done on this Black Beauty also.










The silver accents will realy help spotting this 55 as it drives around on my 2 lane blacktop layout.

This could all go wrong in a second but, hope it won't. No matter what happens. Will be posting more pictures up in just a bit. First with the window out and the masking down. Then after the masking gets pulled off.

Cross your fingers and toes for me because, I have been thinking about this car all day and really want this done on the first shot.

Bob...Hope I don't screw this up...zilla


----------



## roadrner

Those 55s look great! :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


----------



## DesertSlot

Nice '55's! Sweet!


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

As good as they look, I'd pass on the stripe and not take a chance, but any build is usally taking a chance for me. Good luck with that stripe!!! RM


----------



## bobhch

*Live to stripe another day....it worked (this time)!!!*



Hilltop Raceway said:


> As good as they look, I'd pass on the stripe and not take a chance, but any build is usally taking a chance for me. Good luck with that stripe!!! RM


Thanks guys but, you aint seen nothing yet! BAM...the black 55 got the stripe treatment earlier tonight. Ginger was hogging the computer and while waiting to get back on....Zzzzzzzzzzz I fell asleep. Dang it...

Randy the Gold one has already been done and sent to Tom Stumpf a while ago so, don't worry about that Gem getting buggered up in the stripe Phssssssshting process. It is just beeing shown for it's silver window trim treatment that will be getting done on this Black 55 soon.

Well it came out fine...Wheeeeeew! I masked her off with some Pactra ( the Pack is back!! ) skinney masking tape on the roof and then covered the rest in some wider Tamiya masking tape before the spray. Keeping any dust from getting stuck under the skinney mask was the key here. If you get some dust then just tear off a new piece and throw the other piece away.

A quick rub down on the edges with a toothpick before painting and she is ready for take off...Phsssssht





































The silver used is an Alclad ( it comes pre-mixed with thinner already so, just load and lock) SEMI MATTE ALUMINIUM and will have to take a picture of this outside in the sunlight to try and get a good picture of what this realy looks like. To much glare from the inside light right now.

After a quick demasking I put this gloss black 55 back on the paint stick & shot some Testors Dullcote. I originaly bought this to spray over my rust jobs to keep them from getting shinney in the clear coat stage but, this was a great transformation here also. The bottle says: Crstal-clear overcoat for altering glossy surfaces to a flat finish or protecting decals.

Didn't need to thin this down to spray. This stuff dries quickly which made it nice to be able to realy spray on a healthy protective coat. Am very happy with how the ending finish came out.  <--- ME very happy!!










The dang light is reflecting so bad on this picture. It looks way better than this picture. I will post another picture later of it taken in natural sunlight to hopefully show off its dullcoat beauty.










Carefully popped things together temporarly to show the end result. Blower and rims are going to stay shinney to give this some contrast. Now this thing will sit for a day before getting some Mooneyes Decals on the front fenders like toms did and some Testors chrome silver trim paint will be added around all the winidows to finish this off.

Figured pictures were worth more than words so, bobwoodly thanks for your question as it helped me get off my Arse & Get her done.

If anyone wants to use this blower set up and drill the holes to keep it in place. The blower came from a 62 purple AW Bel Air. First drill the front hole right next to the front screw post ( this is a T-Jet body ) and then figure out the back hole as this is a tight fit to keep it on the hood.

Bob...Thanks bobwoodly for the inspiration to get this one done...zilla


----------



## kiwidave

Very cool and some great tips. I like the matt look!


----------



## bobhch

*How to do the Voodoo that you do...wheeew whoooooo*



kiwidave said:


> Very cool and some great tips. I like the matt look!


Thanks Kiwi. The Dullcoat also totaly changed the crome up front an rear to match the stripes on the roof. Everyone should try this at least 100 times or so. 










This picture taken outdoors gives a better idea of the color of the matt black finish but, doesn't show the Awesum-ness of the Aluminium Silver Alclad...oh dang  You will all just have to come over to our house and see it for yourself.

Bob...If paint is magic then this clearcoat is Voodoo baby!...zilla


----------



## tjd241

*oh that's nice too but...*

... we thought the stripes would go the other way :tongue:... I kid... It's gawjus Bob:thumbsup::thumbsup:... you hit another homer:wave: nd

BTW Bob... That Testor's Dullcote looks handy, but do you think it's more of a "hot" liquid... In other words will you trust it to coat decals?... Some stuff is suposed to be safe on decals, but some decals wrinkle up sooo easily. Especially the cool ones. Will you test it?


----------



## JordanZ870

Very nice, Bob! :thumbsup:


----------



## roadrner

Another great looker Bob! Is that Foil on the trim work? Sweet! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: Dave


----------



## bobhch

tjd241 said:


> ... we thought the stripes would go the other way :tongue:... I kid... It's gawjus Bob:thumbsup::thumbsup:... you hit another homer:wave: nd
> 
> BTW Bob... That Testor's Dullcote looks handy, but do you think it's more of a "hot" liquid... In other words will you trust it to coat decals?... Some stuff is suposed to be safe on decals, but some decals wrinkle up sooo easily. Especially the cool ones. Will you test it?


Sure nd that is a good idea,

I will lay down some decals (several different brands) and test it on a clunker body. This weekend if there is time. I will also do one side with just the decals layed down and sucked to it with the use of Micro Sol (this softens the decals and helps them fit in the cracks and over irregular surfaces & see if I can just brush a thin coat of future over the decals on the other side before spraying. I will explain again what is going on when the pictures go up.

rr,

Nope that isn't foil. Just the silver paint detail the Dash bodies come with but, the Dullcoat really makes everything silver kinda aluminium like. The chrome front & rear really have changed also to a neat aluminium finish also. Wish you could all see what the Alclad stripes look like but, with pictures the clear caused so much glare. It is sharp...try it!

Bob...on secret dullcoat double decal duty...zilla


----------



## bobhch

*Window roll down look...*

Nuther Dave,

Have not done up a decaled body yet to test that Dullcoat yet. I will though in time. (A Russ song follows) ***time keeps on turning into the future***

Say Hello to my little friend...Saw Blade in a Dremel...Bzzzzzzzzzzz! Picked up some of these for a song and a dance at a local Swap Meet last month. Dang this works much better than my carbonfiber wheel. On low speed it cuts smooooooooooooooooooooooth. With a barely needed,carfull trim job with the X-Acto knife it comes out looking like this. ( see drivers side window in second picture )










With the carbonfiber cut wheel it kinda has a melting effect that makes more build up. This steel skinney wheel cuts great. Don't try cutting slotcar glass with scissors or you will end up with a messed up window most of the time. A good example is the windows on an AW Sand van...they just break into little pieces like safety glass on a 1/1 car.










Need to find the perfect ho Dude or Hottie to cut up for a driver now. 

Bob...cuttem up & spit them out ( chomp, chiomp, hack, hack & phttttwwwwwy)...zilla


----------



## kiwidave

Zilla likes shiny sharp things!! Max damage!!! WTF is Goober??????


----------



## slotcarman12078

Well...... a goober means quite a few things actually. Goober is slang for peanut. I believe the product that brought this question up is a combo product.. kind of a peanut butter/ jelly swirl concoction so you only have to open one jar to make a PBJ samwich. Also, it can be a rather dipsy person... :tongue:<<<<<goober.

I was wondering what that mini saw was for Bob!!! I thought you wanted me to attempt a moving saw blade for Ghost Rider's new flaming wheels!! :lol:


----------



## bobhch

*Our kids love Goober...look for a couple Goober themed cars in the future*



slotcarman12078 said:


> Well...... a goober means quite a few things actually. Goober is slang for peanut. I believe the product that brought this question up is a combo product.. kind of a peanut butter/ jelly swirl concoction so you only have to open one jar to make a PBJ samwich. Also, it can be a rather dipsy person... :tongue:<<<<<goober.
> 
> I was wondering what that mini saw was for Bob!!! I thought you wanted me to attempt a moving saw blade for Ghost Rider's new flaming wheels!! :lol:


What U-Joe said:




























Hey a moving saw blade for Ghost Rider's wheels....great idea. lol No really that is a great idea!!

This is what I used to unload silver from my brush (see paper with silver lines on it below) when painting the small detail on the 55 Dead & Alive End Chevy today. Also the brush tip gets checked for any small dust particles before it hits the area getting painted.

When you unload the silver from the brush you are keeping to much paint from getting on the surface you are painting. When you keep your brush with little paint loaded up it can dry up pretty fast. I keep moving and keep the lid off of my small paint thinner bottle to clean the brush when needed to prevent clogging.










Now here is why I paint my bodies waaaaaaaaaaaaay in advance and let them dry. 










These will set for a while before they get detailed out. Even if you are the greatest painter in the world, mistakes happen and paint goes someplace you don't want it to. Don't panic or get frustrated  Just relax and act quickly.

You can take a pointed toothpick and dip it in some clean paint thinner and hit that small area you just messed up ( just the messed up spot ) and thin out the mess up paint area. If your bodies paint is completly dry it won't be affected by the thinner and the other paint that you just thinned can be pulled up with a larger dry brush. Repeat if necessary. Don't worry if you dull the paint slightly as when you clear coat it everything will go back to normal and look fine.

Another thing you can do to help you out painting fine detail is to sturdy the body so that it can't move. If you try to hold it in your hand while painting with your other hand you get the shakey, shakeyeeeezzzzz. I put my bodies on a tall skinney paint bottle held on with Poster Putty. I laid down the 55 on a box on my lap to do the side detail and moved my brush angle as needed. Sometimes you have to move the whole body 180 deg.

This 55 was practice time for me as the Black dulled silver stripped 55 body is getting done up in a few weeks. It should be dry by then...patience is a virtue. Got Virtue?

Joez hot rod will be getting a coat of paint soon. It will be a flame job. I will need to paint the base coat first and let it dry completly before doing the flames. This is going to be a fun one!!

Bob...Can you see a Camel 912 & another Camel Shadow for me?...zilla


----------



## kiwidave

Cheers slotcarman12078. A Goober is an idiot here. I was wondering why Zilla had a couple of jars of idiot juice!!!!!!!


----------



## Bill Hall

Goober is also any rubbery adhesive...

...also a term for lung oysters following a bout of the plague


----------



## tjd241

Goober is also a term used to describe yer average small town Filling Station Attendant.... _and not to be confused with a Gomer._ Goobers are slightly more intelligent than Gomers. :lol: nd


----------



## bobhch

*You guys are making me Laugh hard...hahahaha I love this place!*



tjd241 said:


> Goober is also a term used to describe yer average small town Filling Station Attendant.... _and not to be confused with a Gomer._ Goobers are slightly more intelligent than Gomers. :lol: nd


hahahahahahha :jest:

Bob...wheew I'm smarter than a Gomer...zilla


----------



## roadrner

tjd241 said:


> Goobers are slightly more intelligent than Gomers. :lol: nd


 
Really, I thought they were interchangeable? :devil: OFD


----------



## Bill Hall

If I'm not mistaken, Goober eventually makes Deputy in the later years...right?

...but.....uh oh..... that just opens another can of worms...er ....goobers!

Dont it?


----------



## roadrner

Bill Hall said:


> If I'm not mistaken, Goober eventually makes Deputy in the later years...right?
> 
> ...but.....uh oh..... that just opens another can of worms...er ....goobers!
> 
> Dont it?


 
Yeah Bill, but Andy didn't give Goober any bullets.  Dave


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

*Mailing slotcars*

For you guys that like to mail slotcars in those buble wrap envelopes, to save money, which can still get crushed very easily and break the body. Stick the car inside of a piece of 1 1/2 PVC tubing, then stick it in the envelope. You'll still save and have a happier customer...Just a thought...RM


----------



## roadrner

Hilltop Raceway said:


> For you guys that like to mail slotcars in those buble wrap envelopes, to save money, which can still get crushed very easily and break the body.RM


Randy,
I recall the first time I ever rec'd a body like that. I couldn't believe it. Of course, when I opened it up, you could tell someone had danced all over the package by the new location of the A pillars. I just thought how dumb was this seller on ebay. Trying to save a buck shipping, I get junk now. He did accept it back and I rec'd a refund but It was a bod I really would have rather had. Yes, I sent it back the same way he sent it to me as well.  Dave


----------



## win43

*Paperclip trick.....*

I'm pretty sure we have all seen those paperclips with the rubbery coating of stripes on them. These come in a variety of colors. I pulled the striping off a red and white one and used it to outline the interior of a 37 Roadster.


----------



## JordanZ870

Ah-ha! I was wondering if the paper clip was still in there...and since the postman has not dropped it into my mailbox yet, I couldn't check it out for myself. 

Slick trick, Jer! :thumbsup:


----------



## bobhch

*Thinking outside of the box is always a good idea...*

Jerry,

Great idea...maybee slotcarman can use those paperclip covers for his layout. Christmas decoration Candy canes? Christmas Tree tinsel?

Now you got me thinking...UH OH 

Bob...will never look at these paperclips the same way now...zilla


----------



## Bill Hall

Roll bars and roll bar covers.


----------



## roadrner

win43 said:


> I'm pretty sure we have all seen those paperclips with the rubbery coating of stripes on them. These come in a variety of colors. I pulled the striping off a red and white one and used it to outline the interior of a 37 Roadster.


 
That is a great tip Jerry! Who would have thunk it?? :freak: 

:thumbsup::thumbsupave


----------



## win43

*JL window removal ..........*

I have discovered that removing the little rear side window makes the JL Challenger look a whole lot better (in my opinion). The yellow body still has the window ..... the green one does not. I removed it with a small half round Swiss pattern file. It came out MUCH easier they I had expected.


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Well now you've done it Jerry, screwed up a factory mint car  Hey, I like it better myself!!! You couldn't see through it anyways...Sometimes it's the simple tricks that make all the difference, Thanks!!! RM


----------



## kiwidave

Great tip. Like it!


----------



## Bill Hall

Really stretches the roofline...

I know it's an optical illusion....but it works for me.


----------



## slotcarman12078

Pure genius I say!!! What a huge difference!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


----------



## tjd241

*You betcha RM...*



Hilltop Raceway said:


> Sometimes it's the simple tricks that make all the difference, Thanks!!! RM


Win hit upon a goody here too. :thumbsup::thumbsup: nd


----------



## roadrner

Jerry,
Great little tip here! Definitely gives her a better look. :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


----------



## win43

*The smell of PineSol .........*

really bothers my wife. I like the way it strips MOST paints and I guess it really is mostly non-toxic. So here is what I did to reduce the hardship on the wife's nose. I simply left the bodies outside for 3 or 4 days after stripping them. She says it greatly reduced the smell. I'll have to take her word for it as my sense of smell is almost non-existant.


----------



## sethndaddy

Ditto here on the wife/pine sol, I have started using ****-n-span first, that usually gets most paint off and leaves the original paint work near perfect. 
Some paints s-n-s just won't cut it, I dunno if theres a different base in the paint or what, but some paint has to be pine sol'ed.


----------



## plymouth71

where did you get this body? I've been looking forever...


----------



## bobhch

*From Wes...then sent it back...does that help? LOL*



plymouth71 said:


> where did you get this body? I've been looking forever...


You need to send Wes a PM and ask him. This is one that he sent me to paint up. Wes can paint just fine but, this one was especialy MESSED UP!! :freak: Plus he throws in a few bodies in the mix. Yeah who would have thought Nebraska was a large ho scale custom painting hub. lol We got corn too. 

If I remeber right it was a pain to paint it also because, it was a resin that had been striped several times and for some dang reason just didn't like to be painted.

There are many things that could have caused this but, in the end all came out well. I just let the dang thing soak in "WATER" for a few days and then let it dry out in my HOT (only in the summer) garage before spraying.

Bob...Wes do you remember?...zilla


----------



## roadrner

Can you believe the shine? Sweet looker. :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


----------



## WesJY

bobhch said:


> You need to send Wes a PM and ask him. This is one that he sent me to paint up. Wes can paint just fine but, this one was especialy MESSED UP!! :freak: Plus he throws in a few bodies in the mix. Yeah who would have thought Nebraska was a large ho scale custom painting hub. lol We got corn too.
> 
> If I remeber right it was a pain to paint it also because, it was a resin that had been striped several times and for some dang reason just didn't like to be painted.
> 
> There are many things that could have caused this but, in the end all came out well. I just let the dang thing soak in "WATER" for a few days and then let it dry out in my HOT (only in the summer) garage before spraying.
> 
> Bob...Wes do you remember?...zilla


OH YEAH!! i got it from mead brothers. its a beautiful body but i gave up trying to paint it. its in my display. i would love to order more but problem is in resin body that dont allow paint to stick. sighh

Wes


----------



## WesJY

plymouth71 said:


> where did you get this body? I've been looking forever...


ahh PM me and i ll have to find mead brother website. i lost all my stuff from old computer that crashed recently. i just got a new computer. 

Wes


----------



## 440s-4ever

Poster putty is a neat trick! 

Here's one a real car painter took time to teach me at 12. Painting out a run. 

When it happens, pile some more paint on. Force that run to be complete by giving enough loose paint that it can fully wash down to the bottom edge. Leaving a nicely painted panel with a huge drip at the bottom. 

Now start a 2 part process. Dab the drip with something absorbent, but pointy. Torn strips of cardboard or paper are good. Touch toward the inside where it's less visible, because as the drip is removed, there's risk of leaving a touch mark. If you've got the right material, the drip should almost jump into the absorber. 

Tip #2. In the event of paint armageddon..... something terrible happens and you know right then it's got to be stripped. Wipe it off before drying. You'll save soak time and thereby minimize the risk that's always associated with stripping & repainting plastic.


----------



## slotnewbie69

good tips,thanks 440!


----------



## 440s-4ever

Thanks. I forgot part 2 of the supposed 2 step process! "Jiggle" the body as you dab to encourage all loose paint to flow down. And you gotta do this fast, 2 minutes is one minute too late. Once the paint flashes off & thickens you're done. Have dab materials right there wherever you spray. Especially if you're dealing with old cans that have low pressure or partially clogged tips.

Old painter's wisdom......50% of _experience _is knowing how to fix your screwups. Once it's presented to the outside world, they'll assume you laid a magical coat and just let it dry. They'll even say things like wow that's great, when I paint it runs all over. 

The other 50% of experience is knowing to just smile and nod.


----------



## slotnewbie69

well said!i just had to pinesol my third attempt at painting a custum i am kitbashing.sigh...


----------



## WaltB

Here's a tip- don't read the threads on car modeling or track building or collecting! Next thing you know your blissful couchpotato life becomes trips to the hobby store, safaries to the toy section of K-mart, a route of pawnshops to check, 35 pages of Ebay, bulk purchases of styrene, glues and paint supplies, a long list of unfinished projects not to mention mdf,plaster and "goop" . when you are in possession of these substances you are beyond the point of no return and there is no hope of a normal life again, If you'll excuse me I need to run and get a couple sheets of mdf while my plaster drys,swing by the pawn shop,mix up some more goop and sort motor brushes.


Walt

P.S. Took a short paint roller handle about 18" long(wooden dowel would work fine) fastened a junk chassis to the end, made a base to set it in. Works great to spray paint or detail a body:roll:


----------



## kiwidave

I haven't got a tip for ya!!! I need a tip! I want to build a car using the body below. What I would like to do is keep the headlights the way they are and not have to redo them or paint over them. Don't think I will be able to make a good enough job using masking tape and don't want to damage the headlight decals that are already there! Any ideas would be great.


----------



## slotcarman12078

What you need there is masking frisket AKA liquid mask. Parma sells "Fasmask", and I'm sure there's others that do too. Check your local HS that deal with RCs. The stuff is designed for masking lexan, but it would be perfect for protecting them headlights. Either brush it on very carefully, or slap it on and after it dried trim it carefully with a #2 Exacto, peeling off the excess. Paint your car, and when the paint dries, lightly skuff the mask with the back edge of that exacto blade and the mask should peel up a little. Then just gently pull it off. It's pretty cool. It paints on like watered down white glue, but peels off like rubber cement, without harming what it's protecting.


----------



## hartracerman

I have covered decals tampos bumpers you name it with parafilm, soaked it in pine-sol to remove paint, painted over it and removed it with no damage to what I have covered. Amazing stuff!


----------



## tjd241

*Can you use it in a sentence?...*

F - R - I - S - K - E - T.... [ 'friskit ]..... "What you need there is a masking frisket".

A frisket is any material that protects areas of a work from unintended change... Can also be used to desrcibe a free biscuit. 

That's gotta be worth a first time use on-board "triple word score" Joe. I saw it and thought...

"A frisket?... what the hell is a frisket?"


----------



## slotcarman12078

:lol: That's what someone else here called it... I'm just repeating what I read.. Of course, there could have been alcohol involved when I was reading it...


----------



## tjd241

slotcarman12078 said:


> :lol: That's what someone else here called it.


You are correct. Kraz was the first. So... only a double word score. That entitles you to 1 frisket. Would you like Homestyle Buttermilk, Poppy Seed, or Garlic?


----------



## slotcarman12078

ooooooh!!! Buttermilk friskets!!! Yummy!! :tongue:


----------



## wheelszk

kiwidave said:


> I haven't got a tip for ya!!! I need a tip! I want to build a car using the body below. What I would like to do is keep the headlights the way they are and not have to redo them or paint over them. Don't think I will be able to make a good enough job using masking tape and don't want to damage the headlight decals that are already there! Any ideas would be great.



How did this turn out?


----------



## ebi

Hi Dave,

you can try to cut a mask from Parafilm-M
or other clear masking film. The shape may
look better than a painted edge .

Maybe it's easier to search Pattos Place for
similar headlight decals... 

Nice car to work on, i like the early F&F series.
Espacially the Yenko!!! :wave:



Ebi


----------



## bobhch

wheelszk,

Hey Dude just take a small piece of blue or yellow Poster Putty and a move it into place to cover the headlight with a toothpick. Then just remove right after painting.

I use Elmers brand but, any type of poster putty will do. It can be found in larger Department stores or Hardware stores.

Bob...this will work...zilla


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Would it be possible to scan the headlights to make a decal or even take a macro picture, use that to make a decal. You'd have to get at the right angle to take the pic, to prevent distortion. Just thinking out loud here...
Also on another note, for you guys that use automotive bondo, I tried some leftover "All-Purpose Putty" from Lowe's. It's the same as bondo, just seems to sand easier. It's for outside purposes, seems to clog the paper less, sets up quick, depending on how much hardener you mix in...RM


----------



## slotcarman12078

The macro picture idea should work well. Just watch for unwanted glare in the picture, and when trimming out the lens image, zoom the view up to 800%. I've been using this trick with some decent results in "Windows Paint". If the lenses have a bend in them, you can always expand them (stretch them) in Paint too. Always print on paper first to make sure the size is what you want, and to avoid losing clarity, shrink the printout on print set up, not on paint!!!! Things get really pixelated when you shrink them in paint to resize them!!!


----------



## kiwidave

Thanks for the tips guys! I can't find the masking film here so I used the putty idea on a couple of places and it looks very promising! I will try it on the Supra!


----------



## bobhch

*any color...any body....just DO IT!*

Tip: Just paint some bodies up in fun colors and walk away from them for a while. Don't make plans for them and when you come back to them let your mind go free....the ideas will come.

I always get ideas from looking at real cars on the way home from work. Not so much on the way to work as it is a little to dark and am still waking up too. 

Bob...just walk away...zilla


----------



## stabgnid

I have a Question- painting clear bodys do you paint the underside like they do rc car bodys ? they do this to keep the paint from chipping in a wreck.


----------



## plymouth71

thats how I do it, masking is a pain tho! LOL :freak:


----------



## stabgnid

thats what liquid mask is for !!!


----------



## roadrner

bobhch said:


> Tip: Just paint some bodies up in fun colors and walk away from them for a while. Don't make plans for them and when you come back to them let your mind go free....the ideas will come.
> 
> I always get ideas from looking at real cars on the way home from work. Not so much on the way to work as it is a little to dark and am still waking up too.
> 
> Bob...just walk away...zilla



Good advice to all you wanna be Zillas! I practice it as well. Plus I steal ideas from quite a few other custom experts on the board. As they say, imitation is the greatest .....  rr


----------



## NTxSlotCars

*.... and yet another tip....*

Some of you may already use Pinesol to strip paint.
Down side I hear are "it takes too long" and "it stinks".
Both are definitely true, unless you do these things.
Use a pickle jar or salsa jar to fstirp paint in. The lid keeps all that fresh aroma inside.
Taking too long? Why not add some heat. If its summer, put it in the sun.
If its winter, use one of those electric hot plate/cup warmers.
I picked one up at a garage sale for a buck. 
Heat takes your strip time down to around a half hour.


----------



## clydeomite

Howdy: 
I have a tip I use on lexan bodies. if it has an ugly paint job I just paint the outside with future and then you are free to paint with enamel the color of your choice. You can also use this tip on the inside of a clear bod too if you want to use enamel.
Clyde-0-Mite


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

*extended front axle*

Here's one way of extending the front axle for your customs. Make you small plate that will fit inside the chassis and JB Weld an axle tube to the front. Be sure and notch out for your shoes. You can either shave the screw post down a little or drill out a hole for the screw post, add a little glue to the chassis and plate, or use use a separate screw to hold the plate to the chassis...RM


----------



## bobhch

*Thanks for Sharon this...*



Hilltop Raceway said:


> Here's one way of extending the front axle for your customs. Make you small plate that will fit inside the chassis and JB Weld an axle tube to the front. Be sure and notch out for your shoes. You can either shave the screw post down a little or drill out a hole for the screw post, add a little glue to the chassis and plate, or use use a separate screw to hold the plate to the chassis...RM




Hilltop,

This is the Coooool-est idea in the WORLD!!!

Bob...this may change my life forever as I know it...zilla


----------



## TBI

My computer and router are in a cabinet on my bench, to help a paint job cure I set the body/part on top of the router and close the cabinet door -nice and warm in there!


- this also works for softening up old starbursts before you eat them


----------



## TBI

The rear tire/wheel combo on the 4 gears looks kind of goofy (especially on the funny cars)

For a quick fix I painted the very outside edge of the rim black - gives the illusion of more tire less wheel 


sorry for the crappy pic :freak:


----------



## roadrner

Not a bad trick! :thumbsup: rr


----------



## alpink

I like it, the appearance is appealing.


----------



## bobhch

TBI...great idea for adding more of a meaty tire look!

Bob...just don't glue cotton balls on as tire smoke :freak:...zilla


----------



## TBI

bobhch said:


> TBI...great idea for adding more of a meaty tire look!
> 
> Bob...just don't glue cotton balls on as tire smoke :freak:...zilla


Does that affect the balance?


----------



## videojimmy

neat idea..thanks!


----------



## bobhch

TBI said:


> Does that affect the balance?


Bob...Yes :tongue: ...zilla


----------



## Bill Hall

*Oh boyoboyoboyo!*

I soooo been wanting to section one of those new chili burgers and scrunch it onto a t-jet chassis. 

I'm all exciti-pated now Bob! Keep us filled in on all the twists and turns Zilla.


----------



## bobhch

*One chili burger coming up...*



Bill Hall said:


> I soooo been wanting to section one of those new chili burgers and scrunch it onto a t-jet chassis.
> 
> I'm all exciti-pated now Bob! Keep us filled in on all the twists and turns Zilla.


Billiam,

After cutting the bun I carefully sanded down the beans just a bit using 6mm Tamiya masking tape as a guide.










There is still room on the sides & could go more but, am liking the way it looks from the top and all around just as it sits now.

Bob...more on this at the Rat Rod thread...zilla


----------



## TGM2054

I'm sure this has been covered before,but where did you get or how did you make the Moon disc's for the wheels Bob? Being relatively new here I'm sure it's some where, I just haven't been able to find it.


----------



## bobhch

TGM2054 said:


> I'm sure this has been covered before,but where did you get or how did you make the Moon disc's for the wheels Bob? Being relatively new here I'm sure it's some where, I just haven't been able to find it.


TGM2054,

Somebody reproduces them. I can't remember who as it was a long time ago that I picked these up. They also make the reproduction t-jet dune buggy rims also in chrome. I did have to take a drill bit that is just a hair bigger than this hole for the axle on these rims to ream it out. Not much but, otherwise the axle hole shaft will split.

I think Bill Hall knows who makes these? If my memory serves me correct. Also if not Bill Hall someone else with a better memory than mine will chime in soon.

Yeah these rims are neat. I don't use them alot but, fun now and then. Not sure I am even going to use them on this CBP when it is finished?

Hey we were all new here at one time...welcome! :hat: HT is a blast but, you already know that. 

Later, Bob


----------



## TGM2054

Thanks Bob. I'll find
them sooner or later.


----------



## Bill Hall

Company name was "HO Reproductions"

Steve Boyd, I believe.

Website is dust in the wind, which is really a bummer. His parts and plating were second to none!

Hopefully he will re-surface.


----------



## CJ53

TGM,,, 
Check your closest Craft shop, (hobby lobby,Michael's) or even the craft section at Wal Mart.. Item is called "Nailheads" they are glue on decorations for clothing, or scrapbook covers etc. They come in various sizes.. Baby moons for the Chrome pull back AFX type chassis are a 3MM Nailhead.. Full disc covers are probably the 5mm size.. 
I was stumbling through Wal Mart and found em.. Cadillac Pat on the (former member) on the HT diecast board had a source for them and sold em. You might search for him in the members section and drop him an email. 
CJ


----------



## TGM2054

COOL! Thats what i was looking for. THANKS CJ!


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Our local Hobby Lobby only had one size...Here's what your looking for:
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/store/item.aspx?ItemId=181717

Not sure where Cadillac Pat went, he had all sizes...Hope this helps...RM


----------



## slotto

*Instant Funnel*

Have you ever been casting resin and a thought funnel sure would be helpful right about now?








Well, here's how I did it...








The next time you are at your local hobby shop or craft store, pick up a pack of paint pipettes. The funnel area near the top of the suction bulb will do the trick. Just slice the bulb and the narrow part of pipette off and there you go.
slotto


----------



## TBI

I posted this with my Ferrari build, but thought I'd put it here too


Here is a site where you can build custom license plates for your projects, it has many different tags/years for each state. Just build whatever you want, save them on your computer and use to make decals 


http://acme.com/licensemaker/licensemaker.cgi


----------



## Joe65SkylarkGS

Please Hilltop show everyone here how to do the amazingly detailed trailer lights you did on that sweet Parts Plus Hauler.

Great tip bro, thanks once again for enlightening us.


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Nothing really difficult about it J65. I just take a round toothpick, cut off about 1/8th for a bigger barrel, lightly sand the end to get a smooth surface, then lightly dip into some paint, then dot the lights where you want em. After you do it a couple of times, you can judge how much paint you'll need on the toothpick. A small ruler is very helpful in getting the distance/space correct. After the paint dries, come back with a smaller point, then dip and dot with your lens color. Do some practice on a junker. I like using waterbase paint for the black because when I screw up, I can just wipe it off, then try it again. Hope this helps...RM


----------



## vaBcHRog

These are the funnels I use

http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10025850&N=&Ntt=funnels

Roger CXorrie


----------



## partspig

You guys are kidding right! You buy funnels to use for resin casting? I use an old trick I learned in chemistry class many years ago. I make my own funnels out of glossy magazine pages or the glossy pages from all those stoopid buy me catalogs that come in as "junk mail". The funnels are nearly free. The only investment is your time and some scotch tape. I cut a 8.5 by 11 page into four pieces, but you could use any size of paper, I like to do it this way, cause it is easy. One magazine page gets you four disposable funnels. As you can see, I do not use a pair of scissors, just fold the pages and let her rip!! Just roll the paper around your finger, twist it to make the funnel and tape it. Once you get the hang of it, it will be as easy as slicing your finger open with a #11 blade! LOL You can even cut the small end to adjust the opening size. When I am done it goes in the round file. NO, they do not leak! Once the paper gets "wet" it tends to stick to itself. GO ahead, try it, pour some water into one. LOL! Best thing about these is that when pouring the resin, you just drip the resin down the side of the funnel. It nearly eliminates the introduction of air bubbles into the mold cavity! As seen in the photo's below ............ Have a good day! JMOFHO (Just My Old Farts Honest Opinion) pig


----------



## racer8nut

LeeRoy98 said:


> In a similar vein, I make my own decals but don't have an ALPS printer for white. So I make an extra copy of decals and apply. Those that need white to shine through or are on a dark background are carefully painted over with white. I then apply a second decal over the top and have the decal appearance I was wanting.
> 
> Gary
> AKA LeeRoy98
> www.marioncountyraceway.com


Great tip! I tried it yesterday and it worked out awesome. I hope to post a pic of the finished project in the future


----------



## Black Oxxpurple

*Helping hands*

Hope that I did not miss this in all the aforementioned tips but here is my .02 cents worth of an Idea.

Next time you and TM are at Wal-Mart check in the grilling section for a 100 package of Bamboo Skewer’s (or maybe TM already has some and will give you a couple). Get four alligator clips at your favorite Hardware shop and one 2x4 xxx inches long (being whatever fits Da Bench space). 










Remove an alligator clip, and one bamboo skewer. 










Genteelly twist the alligator clip to the non-pointed end, or if need the pointed end so you don’t stab yourself.










Then carefully pick out a drill bit slightly larger than the bamboo and drill holes in the center of the 2x4 that are at 90 degree angle to the 2x4 and on the sides have the holes slope out slightly. Drill holes as needed.










Then attach car body or bodies to the alligator clip and enjoy your third hand, drying rack, display stand for pictures.


----------



## plymouth71

Cool!


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Clipped stuff on a stick, I like it!!! RM


----------



## Bill Hall

Hey!

Now why didnt I think of that...?

We got a bunch-o-dem in the Kitchen drawer. I like the drilled 2X4 base so that you can handle the skewers individually. Some times I have several colors going all at once.


----------



## bobhch

*If it's not glued down paint it....paint, paint, paint!!!!*

Black Oxxpurple,

Now this is a Great idea!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Bob...paint on baby...zilla


----------



## WesJY

Yeah I have to agree with everyone.. it's a awesome idea!!

Wes


----------



## TBI

A new use for all those roach clips left over from the 80's


----------



## kiwidave

I've had a few questions about body mounts so here's one option that you might like to try? A old Tyco truck works best because the mounts are flat both sides. Inside's of the project body is dremeled out using the flat inside face of a cutting disc. Then finished by hand with a hobby file to remove the last of the material from inside the body. You'll see in the last pic one mount is thicker than the other. The reason for that is I only have to work on one side to get the correct amount of tension for the final fitting. Very carefully sand the mount and test fit constantly. It is very easy to take to much off the mounts and then you will have a lose fitting body. Constant checking of your fitting is the key. I'll take pics when I do a 4 gear car next. Hope this helps.


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Thanks KD!!! Never thought of using the truck!!! Doh!!! If you do sand em to thin or they need to be wider, use the expired "gift cards" or any thin plastic to make some spacers. Just glue them in, then glue in your mount, then comeback with a little JB Weld to seal the deal if needed. Be sure and scuff both sides of the spacers, gives the glue something to bite into...RM


----------



## bobhch

Straight from New Zealand.....BOOM CHUCKA, BOOM CHUCKA, BOOM!! 

Great Truck cut up idea for body post!! 

Bob...going to use this one ( I have an old truck or two )...zilla


----------



## NTxSlotCars

That poor Tyco rig....


----------



## foxkilo

*Replacement pipes*

On many Aurora trucks you got the exhaust pipe ends are broken of and missing. An ideal replacement IMHO are hypodermic syringe needles. They are not to expensive, specially the used ones (if you could get your hands on them). You need fairly big ones but they look even more realistic than the original as they are hollow. Just cutthem to length, drill a small hole in the big pipe and fix it. No need for paint as they are metallic anyway.

One tip for sceneries, in case you need sandy areas like parking lots or sportfields try sandpaper. Espcially the sandy brown ones for dry use gives an excellent look. And you can select them by the typ of grain needed. 

Mario


----------



## plymouth71

not sure I'd feel comfortable using recycled hypo needles, however I get your point! ouch bad joke alert

I use alumininum tubing myself.


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Good idea, but I think I'd buy new ones too...Check your local farm supply stores, here we have Tractor Supply. They have the big needles as used on farm animals...I also use the syringes and bigger needles for gluing in tight places...RM
P.S. Very cool looking BP truck I might add...


----------



## plymouth71

Thank you, it was my first Tanker. I built this one for someone else


----------



## slotto

great trucks there Ply


----------



## Bill Hall

*Show us how*

How about a detailed 'tute on the tanker builds? :thumbsup:


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

*Tycoized*

Along with KD's cool idea, someone else mentioned doing this...Take an old Tyco Indy narrow chassis type body and glue it inside of your custom body to make your mounts..On this Blazer I used an old resin body, cut it down to use as a mount. I glued a tube up front to hold the axle, to change the chassis wheelsbase...



If you look close on the inside of this body I was able to cut the four gear mount to make a resting tab for the body. The front post can also be shaved and notched (for the axle) to use as a front resting tab...Sometimes ya get lucky...You could always add running boards or paint the mounting area flat black for more realism...RM


----------



## Joe65SkylarkGS

Hilltop Raceway said:


> Along with KD's cool idea, someone else mentioned doing this...Take an old Tyco Indy narrow chassis type body and glue it inside of your custom body to make your mounts..On this Blazer I used an old resin body, cut it down to use as a mount. I glued a tube up front to hold the axle, to change the chassis wheelsbase...
> 
> 
> 
> If you look close on the inside of this body I was able to cut the four gear mount to make a resting tab for the body. The front post can also be shaved and notched (for the axle) to use as a front resting tab...Sometimes ya get lucky...You could always add running boards or paint the mounting area flat black for more realism...RM


Damn thats some quik easy formula you got there. Simple straight forward and anyone can try it. Thanks for sharing :thumbsup: 

The tube up front is a great idea and opens a whole new line of chassis to use for different wheel combinations!! Just think now you can have screamers!!!! Most those narrow 440's really get up and dance right out of the box. :freak:


----------



## plymouth71

Bill Hall said:


> How about a detailed 'tute on the tanker builds? :thumbsup:


.

Ya know... I'd love too. I just need to track down another Semi Chassis. Let me see if I can find one... I'd be happy to


----------



## XracerHO

Great mounting ideas from both KD & RM!! Agree: Simple straight forward and anyone can try it. Thanks for sharing, Guys :thumbsup: BTW, both setups really suit the Camaro & the Blazer. ..RL


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

If you'll check the Nail Polish area in your WalMart or drug stores, you'll find a good selection of 3/4 sanding sticks in assorted grits, great for sanding, scuffing, or buffing... Hobby Lobby has these Professional sticks  which are actually the leftovers from the punched out sticks, but they are great for sanding those window area's once the flashing has been cut away...Just passing it along, be your own judge...RM


----------



## TBI

Hilltop Raceway said:


> If you'll check the Nail Polish area in your WalMart or drug stores, you'll find a good selection of 3/4 sanding sticks in assorted grits, great for sanding, scuffing, or buffing... Hobby Lobby has these Professional sticks  which are actually the leftovers from the punched out sticks, but they are great for sanding those window area's once the flashing has been cut away...Just passing it along, be your own judge...RM


I use those, they're pretty handy for getting in nooks and crannies :thumbsup:


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

TBI said:


> I use those, they're pretty handy for getting in nooks and crannies :thumbsup:


If your carefull, you can split em, make em thinner, just watch your fingers!!!


----------



## roadrner

It's amazing how much stuff I have found in the "Nail Polish" section or websites that you can use for customizing bodies. However, I always take my wife when I go shopping in those sections at the stores. :freak: rr


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

roadrner said:


> It's amazing how much stuff I have found in the "Nail Polish" section or websites that you can use for customizing bodies. However, I always take my wife when I go shopping in those sections at the stores. :freak: rr


Just pick up 2 or 3 Hot Wheels first and hold in your hand. Then hold a bottle of polish up to em, makes it a little easier...


----------



## old blue

There are tiny fingernail decals that can be used for slot cars.


----------



## old blue

I use the silver sharpie marker for details on my cars. Last night I realized I could use my exacto knife to trim the point into a sharper point that works way better for the tiny details.

Old Blue


----------



## slotcarman12078

There are some pretty cool fingernail decals out there, and one of the sellers of them will take in custom work. You supply the artwork and she'll print it for you. There is a down side though, as they usually are printed with a laser printer on clear decal paper and have to be applied on a white or very light color to show properly.

I've tried silver sharpies more than a few times. The only downsides to them is the tip gets mushy on them (especially when one of the kids "borrows" them) and I found at least on painted surfaces they wear off when handling.


----------



## drumz

What is the easiest way to prep a original AFX body for painting ? I'll be using spray can, and I'm painting a Porsche 917, and Ferrari 512.

thanks


----------



## Bill Hall

drumz said:


> What is the easiest way to prep a original AFX body for painting ? I'll be using spray can, and I'm painting a Porsche 917, and Ferrari 512.
> 
> thanks


Remove the glass. Scrub the body with degreaser and a tooth brush. Wet sand the factory decos and moldlines away with 1200 or so. Scrub again using comet/cleanser. Dry thoroughly. Go for it!


----------



## NTxSlotCars

drumz said:


> What is the easiest way to prep a original AFX body for painting ? I'll be using spray can, and I'm painting a Porsche 917, and Ferrari 512.
> 
> thanks


First, you have to watch the movie "LeMans". 

I'm workin on a few of these too. Fun stuff!


----------



## drumz

Thanks guys for your help ! Also, I've got get a copy of LeMans, and some C&R Racing decals.

:thumbsup::dude:


----------



## vaBcHRog

Here is a tip for clear glass. Check for acrlic toe nails on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180816077361

Trim them up and you many different windsreens for modeling From as small as Mev racer series to an 50's Indy Roadster and the price is right too


----------



## slotcarman12078

Here's a "glass" tip I thought of today. If your model comes with vacuformed windows, you know getting the glass installed can be a royal pain in the butt. 

After trimming your glass for as close a fit as possible, scratch up the inside area of the body around the windows for good adhesion, and then use a piece or two of masking tape on the outside to hold the glass in place. Once they're positioned correctly, mix up a batch of clear epoxy and apply it around the edges of the windows, getting some under the edges of the window material, and also over. This will make sure the glass stays in place once the epoxy cures. If the glass isn't a perfect fit, once the epoxy starts to harden you can use a small screw driver to press the glass closer to the window frame to snug it up. Hold it until the epoxy holds it for ya. 

Don't forget to make some relief cuts on the edges of the glass (the excess, not the part that's visible from outside the body) so it sits as snug to the body as possible.


----------



## kiwidave

4-gear chassis mounts for the 39 Chevy pull back body. For a big body it actually handles quite well! Fun car!


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Sltman had mentioned this for the sticky thread, so here's goes a few ideas.
For the most part, home printes will not make decals that pop, on dark colors. The ink is just too transparent. That's why I tried the box idea. 
A single and cheap program I sometimes use is one of the Testors Decal making kit...Hobby Lobby carries them. You get a few supplies with it plus a downloable program disc, a few sheets of paper and some sealer. You can print of stripes, designs, add word text, objects, etc. You can copy an image, then paste and mess with to your liking. This is were I made the Snap-On logo. I copied the imaged to the program, then sized a oblong image to surround it. You can change the size, the line size, etc. I did print the complete logo on white paper, then went back and copied the black outline only on clear. Applied the white snap on, let dry, then came back with the clear outline. 
The black stripes were made by spraying some clear decal paper with black lacquer. After drying, take a good straight edge, and a sharp blade. I picked up small cutting board form HL, that works great. Takes a little practice on cutting and applying, but layes a lot flatter than using tape. 
After everthing is in place on your body, come back with some clear...
I know a lot of you guys like using enamel and waiting a week or two to touch it or detail, I just prefer lacquer. It dries faster, if you screw up, you can water sand it down, spray it again sameday. You can recoat any time. Just easier and less headaches for me anyways, it's what ya get use to. Hope this helps...RM


----------



## slotto

*Grille Mods*

I like to mod the grille. To do this, I go to the plumbing section of Dome Hepot or Mall Mart and grab a faucet aerator. Once taken apart you will find 2 circular screens inside. If you're lucky, you can get 4 or more uses out of this...

















Stay Tuned...


----------



## Bill Hall

Been grillen' the Willy that way for years....

never EVEN thought about the 'Stang.....duh.

That touch alone adds a huge amount of needed depth to the model!


----------



## Super Coupe

Hey slotto they look great!!! Now air can get through and keep them running as cool as they look. :thumbsup:
>Tom<


----------



## slotcarman12078

*Repurposing stuff...*

A ways back Alpink suggested using bottle caps for mixing palates when using epoxies 'n stuff. I've tinkered around with different sources and found the best so far is the screw on caps for one gallon milk jugs. The gatorade caps have a rubber seal which tends to get chewed up rather quickly. The milk caps have no seal, and if you let the epoxy cure, it'll peel right out and be ready for it's next use. When it gets bad, toss and use the next one in line...

The concept of reuse got me looking for other stuff that was destined for the garbage and I stumbled on this one...









What better excuse to have the TM bake a few cakes?? :lol: These frosting containers are what I use to hold freshly painted bodies in the spray booth to dry. Once the paint has started drying I take the body and the holder out so I can jump on my next painting project. A blob of poster putty on a pencil holds the body in place, and another blob in the bottom of the container keeps the pencil vertical. 

There's another advantage of these containers too!! I don't apply very many decals, but this body is loaded with them. 



















By cutting a small X in the side, you can tilt the car and hold it in place on an angle for applying decals. It's easy to flip the car over (rotate the pencil) to apply to the other side. I think this might make detail painting easier too, but for that I would put a blob of poster putty under the icing container too just to help keep it steady..


----------



## alpink

another good source of fine mesh screen is tobacco shops. they sell screens for pipes and the cost might be less than an aerator? just an idea. it seems to be idea week on HT. keep em coming.
I like the deal slotcarman just showed. probably many tubs can be used in similar ways. always willing to learn from those who have fine tuned this stuff. thanx, al


----------



## Jisp

A source for fine grill mesh may be old (or new) dishwasher filter screens. "Dry" dabbing them with some paint on a sponge for colour. Compressed air could be used for clearing any filled holes. Never tried it.......... just a thought. :thumbsup:


----------



## 1976Cordoba

Here's one I haven't seen mentioned - if I missed it I apologize.

Occasionally the need arises to strip paint or chrome from small parts such as rims or bumpers. If you are like me, you probably have a jar of stripper with a layer of gunk at the bottom about 1/4" thick, or at least thick enough you don't want to try to fish anything out of it that you are trying to strip. Here's a simple fix.

Go to your favorite department store and head to the kitchen gadgets section and pick up a Tea Infuser (I got mine at Wallyworld for $2.25). It is used to hold whole tea leaves in a cup of tea, but it is handy for holding small parts off the bottom of the gunk in the stripper jar. This is what it looks like with some rims in it:









It comes with a chain and a hook and you can set the length so the mesh ball hangs nicely in the middle of the jar:









Easy-peasy dude - no more hunting for that last piece down in the murk. :thumbsup:


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Cool idea there Mr. D...If ya need to clean that jar of gunk, shake it up good anf pour it through a coffee or automotive paint filter...Or get another jar and pour off the good stuff into a clean jar... RM


----------



## Bill Hall

Great idea!

No longer confused...I'm infused!


----------



## kiwidave

Dettol strips paint!! Thought this was worth a mentioning.


----------



## slotto

Is this like Simple Green?


----------



## tazman052186

Any tips on do rust? Wanting to do this on my pusher truck.


----------



## slotcarman12078

I've done a few rust buckets, and how I do it depends on the level of rustiness you want to achieve. First off, do you want rust holes? I use a .015 milling bit for rust holes (the smaller the better with HO scale) and try to keep the holes in places your subject will really rust through. Less is more, so do it sparingly.

The next stage is applicable for either. I start with a coat of grey primer, and then using lacquer paints, lay on a good coat of silver, and then a coat of your choice car color. You can tape off a fender or door and paint it in a different color for a work in process type project, or a defunct work in process. Finally, I shoot the car with a coat of ruddy brown primer. Using an airbrush for the primer coat is best so it doesn't go on excessively thick. It is very important to make sure your paint is dry before the next step, so let it dry overnight!! Waiting a little extra time between coats helps too, so don't rush it!

Now the fun begins! Get a small bowl and fill it with water with a few drops of dish washing liquid. I cut small rectangles of 800- 1000 grit wet/dry sand paper and start sanding. Sanding off a little gets you to your color coat. a bit more will get you silver. Be careful not to go beyond the silver. Worst case a little grey primer shows through (not a biggie)!.

If you go too far in too many spots you can reshoot the ruddy brown and sand again. If you're satisfied with the look, there is one more step you can take to really make it rusty. Spray a shot or two (quick little bursts) of your brown primer in a disposable cup, with one little shot of black lacquer. For this purpose (and most all of my airbrush paint collection I use iced tea scoops). Mix some of the black into the primer with a short haired paint brush, and daub the paint onto the body. You want just a little paint on the brush tips and go sparingly. Take your time and think where heavier rust is on your car body. Too much? wet sand and try again!!!

Once you're happy with your rust job, it's a good idea to seal it in. Walthers dull coat shot through an airbrush is a great way to finish off your project. Any matte finish clear will work too. You don't want it shiny!

Here's one of my rust jobs to give you some ideas!

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showpost.php?p=3934356&postcount=842


----------



## tazman052186

Thanks slotcarman. As soon as I get the time Im goin to try your tip. Thanks again. Also like the rust on the car.


----------



## slotcarman12078

Ooops! One thing I forgot. That brush daubing can be done on two levels. Thinned down with a little thinner, or straight up. The thinned version will spread, and because it's "hot" you want to daub and move on or it will stir up the other layers of paint. The thicker version will give it some texture, so use it sparingly. Again, if you go too far, wet sanding or re-shooting the primer coat will fix boo boos. 

One other thing I forgot to mention... Decals can really make a job like this pop! If you're going to want decals on any part of this project, put them on over the nice shiny paint. Then shoot the whole car with a few coats of clear. Then shoot your primer coat. This will help protect the decals when you wet sand. Be careful around any raised detail on the body, and the edges of the decals when wet sanding. They'll get stripped much faster than anything surrounding it!


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## old blue

I tried the rust simulation too. I was inspired by all of the posts on HT but did not have the airbrush or all of the paints. I started with an AW Chevelle that I had two identical versions. My rust project was not to be a barn find or a field car, but more of a daily driver that rusted out due to salt on the roads. I first dipped the body in Goo Gone to dull the finish and ruin the chrome. I then took sandpaper to it to simulate wear and tear. I then sat with a straight pin and a candle and alternated heating up the pin and poking tiny holes in the body. My kids had a paint set from some craft project that I noticed had a rusty brown color, so i dipped the pin in the brown paint and poked the rusty areas as well. I even went online to look to see specifically where Chevelles were rusted through the most because not all cars rust in the same places. I did the rear wheel wells, along the bottoms of the doors, around the rear window seals and around the trunk lid. It took a while to stab the car that many times but I think it turned out okay. Of course this application is permanent so be sure of the car you want to sacrifice. I also went around the car with a file and made dents and dings to simulate the real thing. My camera work stinks but I think you will get the idea.


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## alpink

sure does look like a daily beater. how many miles? LOL


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## Boosted-Z71

I think that looks great, Still shaking my head over making rust, Just does not seem right in my mind

Again great job.

Boosted


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## sethndaddy

that looks great, I tried rusting a car out but didn't like my results.


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## plymouth71

I use a cheap paint brush dipped in varying colors of brown, then poke a piece of paper to get the excess off, then poke the body. do this until you get the texture and coverage you want and then do a flat black wash of very thin flat black paint. I want to spray this with testors flat clear to finish it off.



















I use a dremel with a small cutting bit from behind to grind and melt the plastic.


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## sethndaddy

Plymouth, I want that for sale sign BAD, where can I get a few?


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## plymouth71

here ya go


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## 60chevyjim

the rust work on the camaro look real good !!
the rust looks like some of the cars in my back yard


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## sethndaddy

60chevyjim said:


> the rust work on the camaro look real good !!
> the rust looks like some of the cars in my back yard


wish my back yard looked like that :thumbsup:


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## 60chevyjim

i made mine to fit a tjet chassis


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## 60chevyjim

thanks !! that was the 56 chevys first week in the yard


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## 60chevyjim

here is a recent yard picture with my wifes truck


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## Bill Hall

Dude! If those are all yours then....

....you need ...

an intervention! Hahahahahaha!

Very cool Jim. Show us more.


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## plymouth71

Nice collection. I see a 55 peeking out behind that truck, My dad had one when he was a teenager. It was his favorite. Gotta love the old steel.


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## Gerome

60chevyjim said:


> here is a recent yard picture with my wifes truck


Man, that takes me back. I had a '53 GMC many years ago. I wish I still had that truck.


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## 60chevyjim

there are 2 55,s and 2 51 trucks


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## kiwidave

Love the jacked up 55 and the always loved the wagons! Some great cars there!


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## slotcarman12078

Here I was thinking the 60 was a model year... Dang, now I see it's quantity!! :freak:

Wish my back yard looked like that!!! :lol: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Ralphthe3rd

*'55 Chevies*



60chevyjim said:


> there are 2 55,s and 2 51 trucks


Ummmm...I just counted THREE 55's !? ie- the 4 door sedan, a ragtop(?) and the 2 door sedan.....


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## 60chevyjim

the ragtop is a rusty 56 i got the guy to give me a 55 front with it
and the pink 55 4door is the doner body with a 327
to use to build the 55 convert 
here is a pic of my 59 was 4door now on the way to being a real convertible.
i only have 10 old chevys 2. 51 pickups 2.55's 1 and a half 56's a coupe 
and 1/2 a convert.. 3.59's convert camino and sedan delivery 2 60's convert and 2door wagon


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## Hilltop Raceway

We've discussed this several times, just thought I'd post a pic. A lot of you have mentioned that Windex works to strip the chrome also, haven't tried it yet. I stripped the body on the left in about an hour or so. Actually the chrome started dissapearing in about 15 minutes. I just dropped in a jar of household bleach and let is sit. When the chrome disapears, rinse it off with water, let dry. Also stripped a chrome AFX Corvette guy, the black piece, for an upcoming project. Be sure and remove the bumpers to keep the chome on them. Just passing it along, your results may vary...RM


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## torredcuda

For a lightly rusted look spray the body with a couple coats of a rust color then spray a primer coat- gray or black, then follow with one or more color coats depending on how many different paint jobs it`s had over the years.When dry lightly sand with 400 untill you break thru to the "rust" in the areas you want.I only didi the rust and black primer for the ratrod but it came out pretty good.


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## Hilltop Raceway

*Dremeling right along here...*

Not sure how you guys cut your wheels down, but here's an old technique from my Pinewood Derby days. Bill Hall may have a video of it in his thread also, if I remember correctly. Anyways, chuck your axle and wheel up in your drill as straight as possible. Spin the drill motor and hold an xacto blade aginst the plastic and she'll start cutting a grove...



Add a little pressure and she'll cut into. After the outside ring pops off, just hold the blade against the wheel stem and cut it too...You'll have to shorten your axle up with a cut off wheel or I like to use .062 piano wire for a new axle. For trimming your tires, same thing, place your tires on a hub, spin the drill motor and hold a sharp blade to the tire to narrow it up...Hope this helps, RM


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## FOSTBITTEN

I had some resin still stuck to my fingers & hands yesterday morning but I had to get moving before I had a chamce to get all the plastic off my hands. So I got a shower, & shaved the resin was still there. Then I used some Aqua Velva aftershave & it just dissolved right off my hands!


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## Bubba 123

FOSTBITTEN said:


> I had some resin still stuck to my fingers & hands yesterday morning but I had to get moving before I had a chamce to get all the plastic off my hands. So I got a shower, & shaved the resin was still there. Then I used some Aqua Velva aftershave & it just dissolved right off my hands!


... that's a VALUABLE "FYI" F/B :thumbsup:
TY :wave:

Bubba 123 :thumbsup:


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## TeamMadMarsupial

*What not to do!!!!!!*

Just found a little problem on the work bench!?!?!?

So, here is my little tip.

If one has been heavily medicating for a nasty head cold and sinus infection, and is still awake long after they should have gone to bed......don't do what I did!

So I say to myself, "I'll just put another coat of base red on these two Troyers and then quick glue up two more to get a head start for tomorrow."

This morning I find both of them super glued to the plexi-glass top on my work bench. Was able to save both, but got a good laugh out of it! They will both need a little extra sanding, so it could be worse!

So there is tip #3,759 or so?


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## slotcarman12078

Ooooops!!! Good save!! :thumbsup:


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## 22tall

Inspiration is everywhere. I was making brownies and while using a spatula to get the batter out of the bowl it came to me. This would make a good tool for 1/4 oz paint bottles. 





I used a chunk from another spatula. Drilled a small hole and added a tube. It is flexible so it does a good job of getting the pigment off the bottom. Hold the tube between your thumb and forefingers and roll back and forth. The same basic motion you would use with a booger.


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## old blue

I was confused on how this worked until I got to the "The same basic motion you would use with a booger" Then it all came crystal clear!!!!!

Thanks for the tip!
Old Blue


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## BigGlittleo

I did something similar to widen the hubs. I put the axle and hub in a drill press, sharpened the corner of a piece of flat steel, clamped it to the base and made a kind of lathe. I turned down the shoulder leaving a narrow shoulder. Now I can use 11/32" wide silicone tires. Also you can true the hubs this way.


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## SuperDave321

Some of you guys might know it already but if you use a Dremel and want a foot operated speed control. Grab the foot pedal from an old sewing machine. Not the wife's though. The type that has an AC block in the middle of the power cord. They're on the older models. Combined with a variable Dremel, They're great. Been using the same 1 for over 20 years now.
Also, Don't forget two part epoxy putty from the hardware store for shaping and molding custom parts. The type that is in a log and has two colors, one on the inside and 1 on the outside. Stuff is great. When I need a small amount, I slice off a disc about the thickness of a Quarter and then slice that like a pizza. Knead it between your fingers and shape it like you want. Kicks in just minutes so hurry


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