This has probably been dissected by Micronaut fans everywhere already, but in case some of you DONT KNOW...
Bill Mantlo was a writer for Marvel back in the 70's. In the 90's he was permanently disabled by a hit and run driver and his life changed negatively on every level.
Now...25 years later a resurgence of a past character now made popular by the Guardians of the Galaxy movies...Rocket Racoon means Bill can now live somewhat of a more comfortable life outside the hands of a government system which had him penniless and in government care which meant any gifts, memorabilia or assets of any kind had to be sold for his care.
Please click the link below for the compete story.
Im not ashamed to say I cried my eyes out over this. Bill's lost 25 years of his life. He will never get that back or his health. But now he can at least live in his own house and keep the things which mean something to him instead of being pushed around by the system.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/guardians-galaxy-how-rocket-raccoon-rescued-my-brother-bill-mantlo-999096
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Saturday, April 15, 2017
In Memory of Joe (Joseph) Sikic
This post is in memory of a man none of you know. But to me, he was a great man. Joe Sikic.
He was my mentor. He took a confused high school drop out aimlessly bouncing from job to job and gave him a chance to determine his future. His direction in life.
A European, Croatian to be specific and a hard man. More than once he threw a part out of the shop during my learning process. I wasn't allowed to read the newspaper or a book or anything during coffee breaks. We didn't have cell phones then. "I'm paying for your coffee break. So you'll concentrate on work." He'd say. And I'd spend my coffee break writing down fractions in a 1/64th format up to one inch, calculate in my head the three decimal equivalent and then write it down and memorize it. During the day he'd shout out fractions and I had to know the decimal equivalent.
My parents weren't his biggest fans and more than once I had to tell my dad to stay out of it. It was a small jobber shop that earned me invaluable experience in the mid 80's when everyone else was out of work and only the most seasoned and experienced machinists were still working. Nobody wanted an apprentice. They all wanted machinists with 15-20 years experience. Not a former prep cook.
$6.00/hr Don't laugh. Its 1987. Considering my previous job as a cook was $5.50/hr...I was in heaven with the raise. I worked hard and laugh now at how he would teach me lessons. Things I still apply today. I always have the cleanest most organized work bench. For a reason. Things he taught me. Things they don't teach today. Tricks of the trade. Tricks I have since adapted and applied to the action figures I make.
I wanted to have lunch with him. To thank him. For all he did for me. Its been a few years since last we talked. I was in the corner store when I saw him. No...it wasn't him. It was him alright, but younger. It was his son. Upon talking to him I learned that Joe had passed away from cancer.
I feel bad that I never fully told him how much I appreciate everything he did for me. The opportunity he provided me and the skills he willing shared and taught me. He was a hard man with a soft center. A good man. I feel very fortunate to have known him and to have apprenticed under a man as skilled as he was.
I wish I could have told you in person.
Thank you Joe.
He was my mentor. He took a confused high school drop out aimlessly bouncing from job to job and gave him a chance to determine his future. His direction in life.
A European, Croatian to be specific and a hard man. More than once he threw a part out of the shop during my learning process. I wasn't allowed to read the newspaper or a book or anything during coffee breaks. We didn't have cell phones then. "I'm paying for your coffee break. So you'll concentrate on work." He'd say. And I'd spend my coffee break writing down fractions in a 1/64th format up to one inch, calculate in my head the three decimal equivalent and then write it down and memorize it. During the day he'd shout out fractions and I had to know the decimal equivalent.
My parents weren't his biggest fans and more than once I had to tell my dad to stay out of it. It was a small jobber shop that earned me invaluable experience in the mid 80's when everyone else was out of work and only the most seasoned and experienced machinists were still working. Nobody wanted an apprentice. They all wanted machinists with 15-20 years experience. Not a former prep cook.
$6.00/hr Don't laugh. Its 1987. Considering my previous job as a cook was $5.50/hr...I was in heaven with the raise. I worked hard and laugh now at how he would teach me lessons. Things I still apply today. I always have the cleanest most organized work bench. For a reason. Things he taught me. Things they don't teach today. Tricks of the trade. Tricks I have since adapted and applied to the action figures I make.
I wanted to have lunch with him. To thank him. For all he did for me. Its been a few years since last we talked. I was in the corner store when I saw him. No...it wasn't him. It was him alright, but younger. It was his son. Upon talking to him I learned that Joe had passed away from cancer.
I feel bad that I never fully told him how much I appreciate everything he did for me. The opportunity he provided me and the skills he willing shared and taught me. He was a hard man with a soft center. A good man. I feel very fortunate to have known him and to have apprenticed under a man as skilled as he was.
I wish I could have told you in person.
Thank you Joe.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Cast Repair
There are a couple of ways you can repair a cast if you choose not to throw it out. And probably a couple more I know nothing about.
The first...Sometimes when pouring a sprue mold, you may accidentally over pour flooding the spout. This can produce an air bubble which may fool you into thinking the mold is full. Then when you open the mold, you find half a cast. These are fun for customizing. Now if you are lucky enough to be able to achieve a full seal by reinserting the cast back into the mold, then first simply cut out the part of the cast that failed put it back into the mold making sure it is 100% seated, and fill the rest of the mold. You can have fun by changing the color...or not. I've had success blending the same color together seamlessly in 2 or 3 pours.
If its a Smush mold, you can do the same as the above. Cut out the bad, reinsert cast into the mold, and add more resin. Sometimes that's not an option either. Sometimes where the cast fail happens, particularly in sprue molds, prevents simply cutting out the cast fail and adding more resin.
If its a high detail area, depending on the amount of resin used for the complete cast, I might suggest simply scrapping the piece and checking the mold for what could be causing the problem and try again. Sometimes its not worth it to save and fix. How much time are you willing to invest to save the failed cast? Is it worth it? Its not always.
If its in an area that can be worked back into form with a little sanding and ingenuity, then I would suggest taking some clay and building a little bowl around the hole which you would then fill with resin. The clay bowl keeps the resin from running all over the cast and ensures the failed area is fully filled. The bowl doesn't need to be very high. Simply tight to the cast and slightly higher than the cast surface. You can easily remove the clay after the resin has cured. What doesn't easily sands off. You then sand/rework the detail back. This method works well for flat, geometrical surfaces or areas where detail is easy to rework manually.
Those are the methods I use when I repair casts. Of course, you don't need to have a cast fail to have fun with the cast. You could intentionally under pour or pour discriminately to achieve results of a more specific nature.
The first...Sometimes when pouring a sprue mold, you may accidentally over pour flooding the spout. This can produce an air bubble which may fool you into thinking the mold is full. Then when you open the mold, you find half a cast. These are fun for customizing. Now if you are lucky enough to be able to achieve a full seal by reinserting the cast back into the mold, then first simply cut out the part of the cast that failed put it back into the mold making sure it is 100% seated, and fill the rest of the mold. You can have fun by changing the color...or not. I've had success blending the same color together seamlessly in 2 or 3 pours.
If its a Smush mold, you can do the same as the above. Cut out the bad, reinsert cast into the mold, and add more resin. Sometimes that's not an option either. Sometimes where the cast fail happens, particularly in sprue molds, prevents simply cutting out the cast fail and adding more resin.
If its a high detail area, depending on the amount of resin used for the complete cast, I might suggest simply scrapping the piece and checking the mold for what could be causing the problem and try again. Sometimes its not worth it to save and fix. How much time are you willing to invest to save the failed cast? Is it worth it? Its not always.
If its in an area that can be worked back into form with a little sanding and ingenuity, then I would suggest taking some clay and building a little bowl around the hole which you would then fill with resin. The clay bowl keeps the resin from running all over the cast and ensures the failed area is fully filled. The bowl doesn't need to be very high. Simply tight to the cast and slightly higher than the cast surface. You can easily remove the clay after the resin has cured. What doesn't easily sands off. You then sand/rework the detail back. This method works well for flat, geometrical surfaces or areas where detail is easy to rework manually.
Those are the methods I use when I repair casts. Of course, you don't need to have a cast fail to have fun with the cast. You could intentionally under pour or pour discriminately to achieve results of a more specific nature.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
ISO BEING SAVED!
Nothing like fan support to change peoples minds.
Mr Waugh, underestimated the value of his site to both collectors and the general public. Upon hearing how much people were upset, efforts have been taken to salvage and reactivate ISO. There may or may not be a domain name change, but ISO is in the process of being reactivated.
YEAH!!! GO TEAM MICRO!!!
Mr Waugh, underestimated the value of his site to both collectors and the general public. Upon hearing how much people were upset, efforts have been taken to salvage and reactivate ISO. There may or may not be a domain name change, but ISO is in the process of being reactivated.
YEAH!!! GO TEAM MICRO!!!
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
DEATH OF A MICRONAUT
It is with GREAT sadness that I announce...THE DEATH OF A MICRONAUT.
I recently hit up my old Micronautapedia only to find it...offline. Then I received an email I had been expecting. The email I was expecting could have come from anyone. I certainly never expected the information devastation I was about to get.
ISO- Inner Space Online...is OFFLINE. Rumor mill has it Dave's interests no longer include maintaining ISO. Im gonna see if I can wiggle in and maybe help in some way to keep it up.
While we are ALL getting older and interests may be changing, we cant downplay our contributions to our hobby. WE have put in countless hours in support of it with thousands of hours of information. We probably didn't see it at the time. But now looking back...
Our efforts. Our time. To see it fade and all that information and history...lost...is a shame.
I recently hit up my old Micronautapedia only to find it...offline. Then I received an email I had been expecting. The email I was expecting could have come from anyone. I certainly never expected the information devastation I was about to get.
ISO- Inner Space Online...is OFFLINE. Rumor mill has it Dave's interests no longer include maintaining ISO. Im gonna see if I can wiggle in and maybe help in some way to keep it up.
While we are ALL getting older and interests may be changing, we cant downplay our contributions to our hobby. WE have put in countless hours in support of it with thousands of hours of information. We probably didn't see it at the time. But now looking back...
Our efforts. Our time. To see it fade and all that information and history...lost...is a shame.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Avengers Johansen Vs Olsen: Who's Hotter?
Due to the nature of this blog and the fact we're dealing with Marvel Characters, I feel this question is blog relevant. ;-)
This might come as a surprise to some...But I would pick Elizabeth Olsen over Scarlet Johansen.
Scarlet seems to be losing her appeal. Not to say she isn't good looking. She's totally hot... but every movie she looks a little more weary. And by that I mean comparing her from the previous film to the next in the Marvel series of movies. Now with her short hair...she doesn't have that same level of sex appeal. IMO. Short hair is a look that's really hard for most women to pull off. She still looks fantastic in spandex. She's still a hot woman...but I would pick Elizabeth Olsen over her. When she pulls that pose to keep the tower from blocking Captain America's way at the airport in Civil War...oh man. She's just all out hot and she has awesome legs. The bustier doesn't hurt either.
I could be in the minority...but this is a battle I could debate all day.
Scarlet seems to be losing her appeal. Not to say she isn't good looking. She's totally hot... but every movie she looks a little more weary. And by that I mean comparing her from the previous film to the next in the Marvel series of movies. Now with her short hair...she doesn't have that same level of sex appeal. IMO. Short hair is a look that's really hard for most women to pull off. She still looks fantastic in spandex. She's still a hot woman...but I would pick Elizabeth Olsen over her. When she pulls that pose to keep the tower from blocking Captain America's way at the airport in Civil War...oh man. She's just all out hot and she has awesome legs. The bustier doesn't hurt either.
I could be in the minority...but this is a battle I could debate all day.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
My Best Tools
My best tools...are my files. I don't use sandpaper of any kind nor do I use Acetone. No chemicals of any kind are used in the finishing process except for whats in the clear coat.
Besides my pocket knifes, my files are my best friends. Sandpaper will crease where you bend it. the paper will crack and the grit will fall off where it is bent. So the edge of the paper really has zero effect.
As a machinist, I deal with metal. 1st year apprenticeship entailed making a static cannon on a base plate. All bevels were made with a file using a process called draw filing. the base plate had a 45 degree 1/8" wide bevel which was all done by hand. Files have hard edges so I can file right up to a corner and come in various shapes and sizes. Some I have modified for my own purposes.
So the use of files works perfectly for me. Plastic is no different than steel except its softer.
Here's my selection of files. This is everything I use to sand my products. When done, they re washed in a non abrasive mild sap and cold water with a well used steel scrubby. They are then riveted, painted where necessary and clear coated.
These files are round, square and flat for the various jobs required of them.
Besides my pocket knifes, my files are my best friends. Sandpaper will crease where you bend it. the paper will crack and the grit will fall off where it is bent. So the edge of the paper really has zero effect.
As a machinist, I deal with metal. 1st year apprenticeship entailed making a static cannon on a base plate. All bevels were made with a file using a process called draw filing. the base plate had a 45 degree 1/8" wide bevel which was all done by hand. Files have hard edges so I can file right up to a corner and come in various shapes and sizes. Some I have modified for my own purposes.
So the use of files works perfectly for me. Plastic is no different than steel except its softer.
Here's my selection of files. This is everything I use to sand my products. When done, they re washed in a non abrasive mild sap and cold water with a well used steel scrubby. They are then riveted, painted where necessary and clear coated.
These files are round, square and flat for the various jobs required of them.
Friday, February 17, 2017
ANOTHER REASON WHY UPS SUCKS
Another reason why I HATE UPS...
The companies that use them that I deal with are mostly in the US. Im not against customs fees. Im against INFLATED custom fees. $75.00 worth of rivets gets me a $37.00 custom charge. That includes brokerage fees which are not applied to packages delivered by USPS.
Another reason why I HATE UPS...they charge inflated fees but then don't accept cash. My wife has cash but they wont accept it. Who uses checks? And I have the cc's. So they then DONT deliver the package and I now have to re arrange my schedule to theirs to go down and pick up this package which I paid to have delivered to my bloody house.
If I don't pick it up in 3 days they automatically ship it back to its origin whereupon if the original shipper doesn't claim it within 3 days...it gets destroyed.
They don't care. If it gets damaged, their motto is...Its insured. If they believe it to be a hazardous item, they dispose of it. They recently threw out a heirloom painting hundreds of years old because the glass broke and never notified the sender or recipient.
They almost threw out a package worth hundreds on Bry.
The shipper at our company worked for UPS for 8 years and he will NEVER use them and is even less polite when talking about them than I am.
So please...Don't ship me anything via UPS. Their policies border insanity.
The companies that use them that I deal with are mostly in the US. Im not against customs fees. Im against INFLATED custom fees. $75.00 worth of rivets gets me a $37.00 custom charge. That includes brokerage fees which are not applied to packages delivered by USPS.
Another reason why I HATE UPS...they charge inflated fees but then don't accept cash. My wife has cash but they wont accept it. Who uses checks? And I have the cc's. So they then DONT deliver the package and I now have to re arrange my schedule to theirs to go down and pick up this package which I paid to have delivered to my bloody house.
If I don't pick it up in 3 days they automatically ship it back to its origin whereupon if the original shipper doesn't claim it within 3 days...it gets destroyed.
They don't care. If it gets damaged, their motto is...Its insured. If they believe it to be a hazardous item, they dispose of it. They recently threw out a heirloom painting hundreds of years old because the glass broke and never notified the sender or recipient.
They almost threw out a package worth hundreds on Bry.
The shipper at our company worked for UPS for 8 years and he will NEVER use them and is even less polite when talking about them than I am.
So please...Don't ship me anything via UPS. Their policies border insanity.
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