Coredump

Originally uploaded by iandexter.

(Yet another “New Year’s resolutions” post.)

1. Life. I will strive to be the best tatay to my two sons and wife. Being away most of the time (and going home only on weekends) is taking its toll in my relationship with them, but I will make up for that. My wife and I will learn cooking together. Even the little one can join in if he wants, but he will be busy with his little brother. I will also continue to be a great kuya to my brother and two sisters, and a good son to Mommy and Daddy. Last year had been a year full of changes, and I had been remiss in my family duties. This year will be different. I will also go back to school.
2. Work. I will brush up on my coding skills (I really ought to review on Perl, and learn Ruby). I also resolve to blog more often, with meatier and substantive posts, not only here but for PTB. I may not be able to take on many side projects, but for those I do get, I will — as always — give the best I have, providing quality and innovation, and going beyond expectations.
3. Play. I have to write some more, and go out more often, and read more books. We will probably travel at the end of the year (when the baby is big enough for that) — nothing grand, just a regular family trip. I will see to it that my collection grows. I have been quite lazy with this the past year, but this year, I intend to double my hoard.

Just got me a 24-car acrylic display case from Mopar at the DCPH.org forum.

Mopar, aka Jun Sanchez (contact details here) is a cool guy; very skilled, too, and it shows in his products. Photos over here. He emailed me a guide on taking care of the display case, which follows:

Cleaning

1. Dust should first be removed with a soft-bristled brush.
2. Use a clean damp cloth to wipe off dirt; never use tissue or toilet paper — they will produce hairline scratches on the acrylic’s surface. Don’t air-dry or water marks will be left on the surface. Wipe dry with another soft dry cloth.
3. A soft cloth saturated in kerosene can be safely used to remove adhesive residue (from Scotch or masking tapes).
4. To avoid leaving fingerprints on the doors (when opening and closing), use a suction cup instead of your bare finger/s. You don’t have to totally suck the suction cup onto the door, just use a part of it to move the doors sideways.

Displaying

1. Never place the case where it will be exposed to intense direct sunlight. This will produce hairline cracks on the acrylic in the long-term.
2. The rubber tires of ALL Tomica Limited (TL)™ cars “poison” the acrylic and will produce unsightly white marks on the acrylic two to three months after they have been continously placed in the case. To avoid this, place strips of Scotch (clear) tape onto the spot where the wheels will be positioned. Wheels of some Hongwell/Cararama® cars also produce the same ugly marks. (Mopar) has not encountered this problem with the rubber tires all other cars, e.g. 100% Hot Wheels®.

Maintenance

Mopar writes: “Accidents do happen. In case a part of the case detaches, NEVER attempt to repair or reglue it with Mighty Bond® or any other similar-type glue; I think they’re called ‘cryanoacrylate’ glue. They also poison, even melt, the acrylic. Just inform me and I’ll repair your case free of charge.

“Lastly, and this is important, the case you got from me is a DISPLAY CASE NOT A CARRYING CASE. It is intended to be placed, more or less permanently, in a certain location within your home or workplace. My case can only take so much, and filling it with cars and carrying it around, say, during swap meets, is not one of them.”

Enjoy your case and happy hunting!

For more information, contact Mopar / Jun Sanchez at +63 (916) 292 0869 or email him <junsanchez2003@yahoo.com>.

Alternating rows to accommodate longer 1:64 diecast cars.

Holds 36 1:64 diecast cars.

Holds six cars in a mirrored setup so the front, rear and both sides of the cars can be viewed.

The tri-mirrored case in action.

Holds 36 carded Hotwheels® cars.