Jonny Retro

Anyone else get multiple emails from Shapeways this morning? Can't say I'm holding out much hope if the "Trusted Management and Founding Visionaries" think that sending four identical messages without any meaningful content is going to help

I loved seeing all the Supermans in the cinema as a kid, but I jumped off the Superhero bandwagon with Superman Returns - I have so many problems with that movie, not least all the Superman as Jeebus allegories and Louis Lane as a weak-willed poltroon - “Ooh, a pen!”, please. Being British made it a lot easier to avoid the genre, I moved on from the Beano (via Action and Eagle) to Star Lord, 2000AD and Viz - Judge Dredd, Slaine, Johnny Alpha and so on – our comic book heroes were deeply flawed, at best. Even so, it was difficult to avoid it all. What’s that movie where two superheroes fight and completely destroy a city without consequences or caring if anyone’s PTSD got triggered? Oh yeah, that was most of them. Star Wars, after seeing the first one in the cinema aged 5 & it being an all consuming party of my childhood, right up to the final bars of the closing credits at the end of ROTJ (it felt like the end of an era, and maybe it should have been), I really wanted to love all, the new stuff … I put up with so much, but Solo was the straw that broke the dromedary. It felt so much like a cynical tickbox exercise to separate us from yet more money – explain away his superior piloting skill, have him leave Corellia, have him leave Imperial service, meet Chewbacca, who then pulls someone’s arms off, throw in some unnecessary woo-woo about the apocalyptically powerful fuel source that lets ships leave gravity wells & then go up to 150 light years per hour (I did the maths once, it’s not just about crossing interstellar space in narrative friendly way), oh and better throw in some other guff so it looks there’s a plot… My problem is that street punk to cannon fodder, he gave up _nothing_ to become a smuggler. I’d have liked to see it as a trilogy: Act 1: we find out Solo’s real name, that he’s from an incredibly wealthy, privileged background and absolutely believes in the inferiority of all non-human species, and that the Empire is a force for good, bringing peace and order to an otherwise chaotic galaxy. After graduating sort of imperial flight academy (during which there are some shenanigans to lighten the mood a little, like flying a freighter upside down over the parade ground & blowing off the Commandant’s toupee), he enters service. After doing something incredibly heroic and foolhardy, he earns the bloodstripe on his trousers, and is hauled off to be court martialled … Act 2: Solo gets demoted & moved to some backwater where Wookies are used as slave labour. After turning a blind eye to the abuses and/or trying to do the right thing, he comes across an underground Wookie baiting/fighting ring, he sets the Wookies free, killing several imperials. Fade to black as Solo, bloodied, breathing heavily in a mussed imperial uniform is surrounded by angry Wookies and armless human bodies … Act 3: Chewbacca and Solo go on some wacky adventures, some for profit & some for the greater good (in the manner of Brian Daley’s “Han Solo and the …” novels: like saving the day by shooting first, spacing slavers, smuggling weapons to backwater rebellions, etc), culminating in finding the Millenium Falcon in Lando Calrissian’s yard … In many ways, I’m still 11 too To get my rant back on a RC track, I think we’re so much better off now than in the past. Sure, there’s probably too much choice and a lot of ways to make the wrong choice, but in general, modern radio gear is far less likely to cause a crash, ESC are cheap and so much less likely to cause a fire, you can easily get the correct paint, buying proper bearings is now a minor extra rather than being a luxury I just couldn’t afford – and more than that, I can afford to have more than one RC car. BITD it was a case of getting your parents to combine birthday and past + forthcoming Christmas presents, plus ploughing in every penny you could scrimp, save or earn to get the cheapest “deal” price (low-capacity battery & wall wart slow charger) on the car that was at least one step lower than the one you really wanted – and that was it, barring the occasional upgrade for the next three years or so …

Search for Graupner G2 connectors, e.g. http://www.componentshop.co.uk/leads-and-connectors/connectors/graupner-g2

You've got the black servo horn like bit with the hex fitting that goes on the end of the steering shaft (part K5)? I'd guess so, as it being permanently attached makes it hard for former owners to lose ... The steering servo (once it's taped on to the speed control servo, which is in turn fixed to the "switch stay" (aluminium bracket), which is screwed to the chassis tub) should be the correct height & position so the output shaft of the servo lines up with the middle of the steering shaft. The servo just needs a regular horn, cut down to a single arm. The "pin" you describe is an M2 internally threaded, 3mm O/D, 3mm long collar, fixed on with an M2 screw through (usually) the 3rd hole down in the arm. Finding a spare original is downright impossible & I don't know of any alternatives; I made some by turning down M2 brass acorn (dome) nuts (e.g. http://www.prime-miniatures.co.uk/content/m20-acorn-hex-nuts-brass-10). A tiny "standoff" might be an alternative startign point.

Top job - I've been admiring your work for some time

Compared to TS paints (for hard bodies), it's more _different_ than better or worse - Humbrol spray is a bit lighter on pigment but comes out at a bit higher pressure (which personally I like), it's a bit more susceptible to bloom, and even on a good day the colours are a bit more muted than Tamiya PS, and more satin than gloss (that may or not be a good thing depending on what you're painting). Adhesion, possibly not quite as good. Compared to PS paints (on lexan) though, that's a different matter - Humbrol black seemed to bond quite well, white not so much, red & dark blue wasn't too hot, orange was laughable. I know being able to use the paint on both types of body is attractive, as is the availability from LHSs, but Tamiya PS paint is far, far the better in terms of "bite".

If South Cambs (5 mins off the A11/A1307 junction) is an option for you then I'd be happy to take it on - PM me if you want to discuss

There's always going to be some oddities and/or overlap, and nothing is set in stone, but in general, a Mk.III Techniplus TX & AS-2 servos are not a natural match for the Willy M38 - or even for each other, TBH. Two AS-2 servos (as far as I can work out) were usually sold (along with a single AS-3) with the AP-427 TX & ARA-427 RX as a radio set for the Tamiya 3-speeds. For a very early SWB Wild Willy M38, a Mk.1 set (AP-227 TX, ARA-227 RX, ASA-227 or AS-1 servos) might be appropriate, but for most (and all LWB M38s) a Mk.II set (AP-227 Mk.II (aka ATB-227) TX, ARB-227 RX & ASA-227 (or AS-1 or AS-1S) servos is going to be most "correct". Mk.II sets are probably going to be more plentiful (and have a greater chance of still working) than Mk.I sets too. If you want to go with Futaba instead, I think the "Medallion 2" set would probably be most period correct, I can probably find the servo/RX model #s if you really need them.

Pretty sure it was someone on here that recommended Pacer Formula '560' Canopy Glue, set time is 24+ hours but it works very well. You only need a tiny bead so 4 quid + plus post it wasn't great value, but only the best is good enough for my Willy.

Total hooey. A set of three 59ml bottles lasted longer than I expected & still cost about 12 GBP posted, a set of three 237ml bottles are 21 GBP. Autoglym cutting paste (pink label), polish (red label) & a fine wax can also substitute, as carry any number of others. I wouldn't recommend T-cut due to the solvent.

I thought "what's he talking about, it was a Manta Ray". We were both right - http://tamiyabase.com/blog/technical/143-restoring-plastic.html

Blackfoot is 10T 0.8mod, but it's a long one so you're pretty much tied into using the brass Tamiya part (3505014). Stadium Blizter is a 13T 0.8mod. 0.8mod is close enough to 32dp to be interchangeable, the outside diameter of any gear with the same number of teeth will be the same. Camper bus is 18T "AV" - 0.6 mod. 48dp gears will mesh with 0.6 mod, but the ouside diameter of a 48dp gear is much smaller for the same number of teeth, i.e. a 18T 48dp pinion will be no good for that car.

Fair comment There's more info at http://www.tamiyabase.com/Forum/38-Scratch-builds-paint-body-shop/3996-Scratch-building-scale-accessories-weathering.html#3996 if you're interested.

I've done "proper" waterproofing - thick balloons, sealant, zip ties - in the hope it would be permanent, but TBH it's more trouble than it's worth. Inevitably you end up sealing some air in there, and the moisture in it condenses out on the electronics ... now I just go for a "ghetto" job as & when it's needed - pop the RX & ESC in ziplock bags, ziptie them closed & duct tape them to the chassis .... then rip the whole lot off & let the bits breathe again once you're done.

That's some really ambitious & spectacular work I don't think it would be my choice to hang the motor right out the front - not that I'm likely to take on a project like this - but nothing says "LOOk! LOOK! I'm a FRONT WHEEL DRIVE BUGGY!" like having the motor right out the front I did notice the characters on the right rear arm though - sorry !