Melted Mack

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Ugh... Sometimes the stuff I see on eBay just irks me. If you have no skill, don't sell your wares. There seems to be a huge increase in crap resin knockoffs over the last two-three years. They all seem to have something in common:
They are vehicles.
The resin appears to be cast off other resin kits.
The paint is slathered on, like the old Testors paint.
No attention is paid to paint within the lines.
Lettering is painted free-hand.
Prices are on par or more expensive than quality resin models.

Take a look at this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/230699290440

What the hell. Please, PLEASE, just stop.

[Brewmaster]

It looks like bubble gum.

[delamaize]

I have been in the hunt for N scale modern millitary equipment lately, and have noticed that their is basicly 2 people that are selling them, and like you said, they look like resing copies of resing copies, and the painting is horrid.
examples:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300298229034?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2000s-Military-Comand-Humvee-N-Scale-1-160-28-/260878351315?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3cbd8fbbd3
I need at least 6-10 of each of those Humvees, those seem to be my only options right now. and I will still need 11 HEMTTs (2 fuelers, 4 flatbeds with cranes, 2 five axel tractors, 2 standard, 1 TFFT, for shits and giggles) 10 Bradleys, and about 10 LMTVs. I'm putting together a US Military train, on German rolling stock, as seen when my wife deployed.

Another one that falls in to the "what the hell are  you thinking" Category:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-Scale-MILITARY-Flatbed-Semi-/190598770954?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2c6092710a

My casting SUCK bad, they are so bad, that I have yet to keep any of them or the molds. I need to figure out what I am doing wrong, so I can cast the GHQ M1A2 Abrams I have about 10 times, and cast 8 more of the flat cars that I can't seem to find anywhere.

[Alwyn Cutmore]

daniel_leavitt2000
I once picked up a set of castings off eBay to see what the standard of castings was like. When I emailed the guy back and told him what I thought of the pirated copies of Magnuson Models he apologized and offered to take them back. The post back to the US was worth more than the models.

The problem with casting is these new types of urethane. It is so cheap you do not even have to buy a vacuum pump or have a vacuum chamber. It makes so of these guys think they are masters but the art of casting takes years to learn and if you are going to cast anything at least use good quality urethane and learn what you are trying to do.

The other thing is that these guys only survive because the public keeps buying their rubbish. Unfortunately Magnuson Models is no longer available I believe and there are a number of guys out there who believe they own it.

The patterns for those Hummers look like they were made from gluing cubes of styrene to-gether. There must be a site out there where a more than reasonable plan of a Hummer can be had.

Regards

Al Cutmore
Slobbering Pennsy Shark Nose Freak
Australia

[John]

this type of stuff seems to be perfect for the shapeways stuff ..

[lock4244]

Craptastic 

Is it just me, or is the gravel load painted metallic?

[haybros]

The problem with casting is these new types of urethane. It is so cheap you do not even have to buy a vacuum pump or have a vacuum chamber. It makes so of these guys think they are masters but the art of casting takes years to learn and if you are going to cast anything at least use good quality urethane and learn what you are trying to do.

So true.......

Bill Hay
Hay Brothers
www.nscaleloads.com

[Catt]

May I offer a suggestion?

 Contact James Will and see if he would be interested in doing some military stuff.Daniel as well as myself can testify to the quality of his work.I think there are several others on here that can too.If you want a sample here is a link to his ebay store. http://stores.ebay.com/willmodels

[Rasputen]

Mike, what problems are you having with your molds and castings??  I wouldn't label myself as an expert but perhaps I can help some. 

Number one, forget about making resin castings in high humidity conditions.

Looking at that GHQ Abrams, that definitely is not something for a first casting project.  Trying to replicate
spun-cast metal with RTV and resin will require some compromises, in terms of the undercuts and thickness
of the smaller parts.  Do you have any pictures of the individual GHQ Abrams parts?

Post some images of your troubles!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

After seeing that "millitary truck" I almost lost it. I sent the guy an email:

Is this a real listing? The "truck" looks like a moldy lazyboy on a pair of broken roller-skates. Its hard enough to find what I am looking for without having to wade through page after page of this crap.

I understand you want to try and make a business. Can't you contract out to someone who can make models that look like what they are supposed to be?

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Quote
Is this a real listing? The "truck" looks like a moldy lazyboy on a pair of broken roller-skates. Its hard enough to find what I am looking for without having to wade through page after page of this crap.

I understand you want to try and make a business. Can't you contract out to someone who can make models that look like what they are supposed to be?

Daniel,

Now that is how I feel sometimes but you email does crack me up. What was the guy thinking.

Regards

Al Cutmore
Slobbering Pennsy Shark Nose Freak
Australia

[delamaize]

Mike, what problems are you having with your molds and castings??  I wouldn't label myself as an expert but perhaps I can help some. 

Number one, forget about making resin castings in high humidity conditions.

Looking at that GHQ Abrams, that definitely is not something for a first casting project.  Trying to replicate
spun-cast metal with RTV and resin will require some compromises, in terms of the undercuts and thickness
of the smaller parts.  Do you have any pictures of the individual GHQ Abrams parts?

Post some images of your troubles!

Well the biggest issue this time was not using enough mold release between the 2 parts of the mold, and ending up with a GHQ M1A2 Abrams incased in Silicone! I used up the last of my can on that failed mold, so I gotta wait before I try again. I am not in a Humid enviorment right now, South western Germany. The biggest problem I was having with this on was how shallow all the parts are. I am trying a diffrent approach this time. I assembled the Tank with MINIMAL CA, little enough that I can take it back apart if this don't work, But I plan on casting it in 2 parts instead of 8, Basicly Hull and Turret. I'm not looking for perfect, but they have to be reasonable enough to be loads on flat cars. I only need 9 more, 10 if I decide not to use the orginal. After this I plan to cast 8 more of the flat cars I need, I'm having issues finding more of them, it's funny, I go to a show, and all the tables are crawling with them, I skipped on them because I thought they were wrong, then I look at the refrence pictures and realize they are the right cars, now I can't seem to find them!

This isn't my first attempt at making molds, I mad a mold of a Full leighth baggage I bashed out of 2 bachmann 65' combines. The mold worked great, the problem was I had bought the wrong resin, and it was just way too brittle, removing one of the cars from the mold caused me to tear it, and that was the end of it.

[Scottl]

I don't think we need to make more out of this than it obviously is.  If the products don't meet our standards, simply don't buy them and ignore them.  Sending a nasty email to the vendor is rather unpleasant, I would say.

[SkipGear]

Off the original topic but....

Mike,
 Have you considered the Dragon Models CanDo M1's? They are 1/144 but they still fit pretty good and don't really look that out of scale unless you set them on the same flat with a scale jeep or truck. You may be able to cast and shrink one to the right scale.

http://www.dragonmodelsusa.com/dmlusa/prodd.asp?pid=CAN20041

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Tony, I never understood why they made them in 1/144. I understand its a stanard size for some plane and ship kits, but why not make it 1/160 and capture the N scale market? Maybe someday I can do something about it.