Micronauts or a 1900cc Roadliner?

Back in 2006, I sold some of my collection off.  It was a mistake...or rather some of the items I chose to sell was a mistake.  But I did anyway.  I had collectors burnout.  I had most everything I wanted in the way of Micronauts.  Everything from the Fabled Micronaut Jewelry to MOC Aliens.  Outside of a few really obscur items, I had dam near everything.  Including a Micronaut Sleeping Bag.  The only one known to exist.  It was the first really expensive Item I ever bought...I was inches from selling it...FOR WHAT???  What else does every 40 yr old man want for his midlife crisis...

A 1900cc V-twin with 9.5:1 compression Roadliner.  One of the most perfectly balanced bikes on the road with 49.6 % of the weight on the front tire and 50.4% of the weight on the back tire.

Its such a large bike, you dont notice how fast you are going.  All you know is you never get out of second gear in the city.  You really have to be careful you dont get lost in the bike...because without stunting, its easily done.  You dont realize whats going on and then the next thing you know, you are lost in a red and blue haze and some guy with an attitude towards bikes is giving you a $350 speeding ticket because you forgot you arent on the hiway.  But I do love my bike.  Yes my Micronauts look great on my shelf.  But I look better on my bike. 

My last motorbike I went 155 feet without it.  I broke my wrist/my elbow had 2 steel pins in it after it was reconstructed.  I broke my ankle, had skin grafting on my knee, broke my collar bone and bruised my heart, my lungs and kidneys and was on 13% oxygen.  I spent 3 days in ICU.  Demoral...2 hours later morphine...2 hours later demoral...2 hours later repeat.  It was the 3rd motorcycle I had totalled on city streets.  ALL 3 accidents,,,someone made a left hand turn in front of me.  4 years later...I still have this bike.  Its my pride and joy.  I sold some irreplaceable items to get this bike...I think about that alot when I am shining the shit out of her.  I figure I spend about 8 hours a week polishing all the chrome.  Im hoping to take it Mt Ruchmore next year.  She's been to Jasper...now for a real trip.   her name...Muffit...named after my dear departed 180 lbs Great Pyreneese...Dusty...nickname...Muffit.  I miss her alot.  She was taken from me at the age of 6 by bone cancer. 

Dave Dorman

Dave Dorman is an incredible artist.  He is a well known artist with many sci fi credits and others to his name.  Among these credits are the Palisades Micronauts.  Dave Dorman did the artwork for the cards for the 2002 Palisades Micronauts. 

Among these was the Emperor.  I consider the Emperor painting to be his best of the entire Palisades Collection.  Unfortunately for me, and ultimately fantastic for someone else, Dave Dorman gave the painitng away.  But he did do an artwork piece, uncolored.  My best guess is,  it was the draft of the painting.

I was floored to see this piece selled for $58.00.    Originally years ago, it sold for $600.

I was just so shocked to see this piece fly under the radar.  As someone who owns the Palisades Purple Emperor Prototype, this particular piece was important to me.  I wasnt complaining in the least.  I was just having a hard time comprehending the final price.  $58.00  My heart was pounding waiting for someone else to bid on this in the final few seconds of the auction.

This artwork is now part of a set with the Purple Emperor Prototype.  It will have its own section where the 2 will be displayed in tandem on the wall.  Oddly enough I dont feel as enamoured with the Dave Dorman Baron Karza or Force Commander paintings.  Fantastic in their own right.  I am not an art collector by any means.  Well, I guess thats not entirely true.  I have 2 paintings by artist Robert "Droid" and now I have the Emperor uncolored artwork by Dave Doorman.  I have a "There Goes The Neighborhood" print by Dave Waugh, an iglicee by Bwana Spoons through Super-7, and 2 Ken Kelly prints as well as his book "Escape" and various other media of well known Marvel artists.   I just buy what I like...

And man...I really...really...REALLY like this...

The Dave Doorman Galactic Defender painting. 

I have purchased this painting.  Something about it just hits me the right way.   I had to have it.  And I could afford it...amazingly this is the equivalent of what I would have smoked in 5 months.  I havent had a cigarette now in 13 months and has my collection ever profited from it.

Which is Better: Sprue or Sprueless Molds?

Please consider that I am a novice caster.  While I am a perfectionist and pay close attention to detail, I am only offering my opinion based on what I am doing and in no way am I saying anything needs to be done as I do it.  Anyone who attempts casting and finds its something they will do again and again,  will make their own inferences and conclusions just as I have done and make adjustments accordingly as they see fit.


So which is better...Sprue or Sprueless molds? 

My guess is it depends on which one you like the least.    In Theory...Sprue molds will always be the best.  (My Opinion) Resin goes in one hole, pushes all the air out the back hole.  Awesome.  But you also have more waste.  More intricate molds may prove challenging and might require more 'tweaking'.  Sprueless molds allow for more delicate parts to be made and are generally easier molds to make, but the challenge is waiting till the precise moment to put the 2 halves of the mold together.  There isnt much of a window for mistakes.  But looks fantastic if your timing is bang on and everything goes right.  Sometimes you may find you might need to fill a sprue mold a little bit first just to make sure everything is getting into all the right corners.

So there really is no better mold.  Each have thier advantages/disadvantages and sometimes you need to combine the uses of both to get what you need.

 My suggestion???    Make the mold sprueless first.  Its silicone.  You can always cut in vents after.  Silicone is very forgiving.  Make something small and see how you feel about sprueless.  Then cut in the vents after and see which you prefer.

Riley

I said there would be a few posts of my buddy and this is one of them.  Recently some type of "bull" dog came near the fence and man...you would have thought he was getting a beating the way he howled at the other dog to get away from his fence.  I never heard him sound like that before.  He is an incredibly intelligent dog and very territorial and protective.  He knows his yard is his.  I spoil him I know...and sometimes way too much...but so what.   He is a well behaved well mannered dog.  He's "My Little One".

There's Always Something

Its funny.  Every now and then you will hear a collector say...Thats it.  I found it.  Im done. 

Thats cute.   And then 4 days later they find a different line or a variant they hadnt seen before and its on all over again.  However,  It is really sad when you see a collector go ebay.  Good solid collections are few and far between and getting harder and harder to put together.  So watching a mostly complete collection get parted out is heart wrenching.

I will never say, "Thats it...Im done.  No More."  Im not quite that niave.

Homeworlds Slogan is..."There's Always Something"


Sure there have been times when I wanted to sell it all and walk away.  But I cant, thats not me.  I'll sell it all and then I'll buy hockey crap.  Or Hot Wheels or more Lego or whatever...but the point is...Noone ever stops collecting.  And those of us who feel a need to collect can say what we want, but its in our blood.  We wont ever stop.   Sets within the collection may get completed, but individual collections are never completed.  WHY?

Because...There's Always Something.   Some shiny trinket here, some souvenier from that place, grandma's heirloom, christmas present whatever...There is Always Something.  The only time our collection is complete...is sadly the day we die.  And then it becomes someones elses and is no longer complete again.


BUT UNTIL THEN.......

There's Always Something.

My Little One

I have always had a pet since I moved out of my parents.  First a cat.  They could be more independant.  Telling a girl you cant spend the night because of your dog hasnt been out in 7 hours  isnt going to get a guy many return dates.  At 25 I got MY first dog.  Mom and dad always had a little poodle, but Damian was my first dog.  Black Lab.  I have always been attracted to large dogs.  Vegas was next...a Powerful rotty/sheperd that could clear a 6 ft fence with room to spare.  A very protective and smart dog.  Nevada.  Some bastard in Lac La Biche through 6 Border Collie cross puppies in a bag out the window of his truck.  I took one in.  Very  very sad.  It couldnt be trusted around men.  You couldnt leave a male baby with it.  Poor dog.  Draven.  A Powerful rotteweiler.  Dusty...A 180 lb Great Pyreneese I rescued from the dog pound.  I took my trade tools into the pawn shop to get the money to get her out.  She was to keep my other dog a purebred rotty Phoenix company.  I saved her from the pound, but couldnt save her from cancer.  She lived 7 years.  Phoenix was born on Christmas Day.  He lived 12 full years and was the epitomy of a well behaved responsible smart rotteweiler.  I miss them both.

I got Riley in 07 IIRC.  I played coy in getting him.  My wife was going to get him as a present for me.  I would sneak over and visit him when he was a puppy with out her knowledge putting on the show that there was no way in hell we were getting another dog.  Especially a small one..  I was used to large dogs.  He was so tiny.  Maybe I over compensate because I dont have children, but he is always at my hip.  We are inseparable.  And yes I do things for my dog that some people shake their heads at...but he is my..."Little One"

He is my first small dog. I wanted to have some flexibility travel wise, so I have put off getting another large breed dog for now. But I have become so very attached to him. I donot promote aggression in my animals. I believe if you give them nothing but love and attention, they will kill for you. I believe I have spoiled my 'little one' too much as even tho I try and dissuade him from becoming too overly protective of me, he is. He has no problem getting in between if he feels Im threatened. Its annoyingly cute. He also has this little overbite...lol...its hilarious.

He's my home security system and my little buddy,   :~)