David L. Farquhar, computer security professional, train hobbyist, and landlord
Styrene is a chemical derived from petroleum. We most commonly encounter it as a type of plastic. It’s an inexpensive and versatile type of plastic, so it’s been very popular for many decades.
Styrene’s cost effectiveness and relative strength make it a common material in construction and also in the manufacture of consumer goods. With the right prep work and materials, it is easy to glue and paint and repair as well.
Testors Dullcote is a very useful clearcoat for a variety of hobbies, including building plastic models and model railroading. However, Dullcote is in short supply in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic. So here’s my favorite Testors Dullcote alternative. It’s reasonably cost effective and DIY.
You can make a Testors Dullcote alternative from Pledge Floor Gloss and Tamiya Flat Base. Best of all, you can mix it to exactly the sheen you want.
Scale can be a confusing concept to explain or to understand. So it’s very common to hear questions like which is bigger, 1:64 scale or 1:87 scale. I’ll try to explain it simply.
Scale is a ratio between the size of a model or toy and the real thing it represents. A 1:64 scale model is 1/64 the size of the real thing. A 1:87 model is 1/87 the size of the real thing. In scale, higher numbers are smaller.
Dollar Tree stores sell a Christmas village they call Windham Heights by Cobblestone Corners. This village is very inexpensive and its low cost made it popular. If you’re a Cobblestone Corners fan and wonder about scale so you can accessorize it, here’s what you need to know about dollar store Christmas village scale.
The Dollar Tree Christmas village is a nice alternative for people who find the big name brands too expensive or too large for their available space. You can also use it in conjunction with those other competitors. Here’s what you need to know.
Setting up a Christmas village can be a fun way to decorate for the holidays. Some people set up rather elaborate and impressive displays. Here are some Christmas village set up tips from a model railroader.
Some people build villages with hundreds of buildings. Not everyone has that the space or budget for something like that. Even with a modest collection, you can set up a memorable village. Here’s how.
I get the question all the time how to take apart Hot Wheels without a drill. This trick doesn’t work on older cars with metal bases. But you can indeed take apart newer cars with plastic bases without drilling the rivet. The trick is to use a soldering iron to heat up the rivet and the plastic base enough to let you take it apart. So here’s how to open a Hot Wheels car with a soldering iron.
1:64 scale is a popular size for diecast cars. At one time it was popular for slot cars and electric trains too. But how big is 1:64 scale, really?
I’ll explain it mathematically and by giving sizes of some common objects.
Testors is a brand that’s been around for decades. It’s by far the most common brand of model paint for hobbyists. Here are my Testors model paint tips to reduce frustration, give you better results, and save you money. After all, a hobby should be enjoyable, not frustrating.
If your old bottles of Testors model paint dried out, you’ll have trouble getting the jars open and there’s no guarantee what you’ll find inside. But it’s definitely worth a try.
Here’s how to get the lid off, what to do with the separated paint, and what you can do to keep it from happening again.