FriedClams

Looking really good OC - every bit of it. Gary

Just catching up on your diorama OC. and it's looking terrific! This is a very interesting building as I have not seen an MDF laser cut kit before. It has some nice detailing to it and I very much like your enhancements so far. I find one of the biggest challenges in modeling is to make one material look like something it's not. So your modifications to the "brick" (extra carving, mortar and painting techniques) really transformed the MDF into what convincingly looks like a real baked clay product. Excellent. I agree with your decision to glaze the windows - catching a glint of light off of them can really add to the illusion. Interior walls and detailing is ambitious and sounds very cool. Looking forward to watching your future work on the structures and the diorama in general. Gary

Mark, Egilman. Keith, Ken and Popeye - thank you so much for your comments of information and support. I really do appreciate it. And thanks to all for looking in and for the "likes". Pit Frame The pit frame begins with a CAD drawing. This drawing describes the three “steel” frame pieces and the lengths needed for each. The drawing is used as a cutting template for the styrene. The image below shows an extra “I” beam member which I decided not to use as it really crowded the pit. The four concrete footings are made from basswood painted with acrylic. The top view drawing is used as a positioning template. A couple of strips of double sided cellophane tape are placed on the template to keep the four long beams positioned properly as everything is cemented together. Styrene sheet that scales to around .75” is used for the steel plate which covers the parallel beams. After cleaning everything with isopropyl, the “steel” was brush painted with flat-black enamel and selected areas were lightly textured with a cosmetic sponge. Once the enamel dried, I applied a light mahogany colored acrylic wash and allowed it to dry. Then a heavier gray wash on top of that, which I mostly wiped off with my finger leaving the color predominantly in the recesses. Then just a touch of rusty pigment powder and finally some edge highlighting with graphite. Then glued in place. The frame is made entirely of basswood and the drawing is used as a construction template. The wood was stained with an India ink/alcohol solution beforehand. The tiny dots pretending to be bolt heads are just pin holes made with a pin dipped in ink. The barrels are white metal pieces that needed some filing and cleaning up. The catch tray is folded paper from the sticky end of a Post-It note. Once it was formed, a drop of very thin CA was applied which saturated and hardened the thing. Black oil paint was applied in and out. The barrels are base painted with enamels followed by pigments. Thanks for taking a look. Gary

Thanks to all for stopping by and for the "likes". Seems a bit scary to me also Mark. Check this photo out. This seems like a false sense of security to me. The rear wheel doesn't even appear to be chocked to keep it from rolling backwards (or forwards.) I wouldn't want to be under that thing if the chainfall let go and the weight shifted. I wonder if this little house of cards arrangement has ever been tested? It works pretty well. The most difficult part is keeping the drill straight and true when going through the rails. Thanks for the comment O.C. I believe you're right Keith. That's a great understanding of the times and one that I never stopped to consider. All the years I worked in manufacturing the company always supplied uniforms and laundry service. So yes, what would you do with oil soaked clothes on a modest salary? Leave them hung over the fence at night? Yes those jacks would add some nice atmosphere and I particularly like the high lift bumper jack. I don't know of anyone who casts or molds anything like them at this scale, so I'm going to try and scratch some. Emphasis on try as the high lift would be right at 1/2" tall. Thanks for the suggestion and photos Egilman. Everyone would run for cover when OSHA would step out onto our manufacturing floor. But when you see the dangerous work places of the "good old days", OSHA starts looking pretty good. Thanks for the comment and nice words Ken. Hello Allen, thanks for looking in. I agree, especially the oil can as it would be easily identifiable - but crazy small. I may just give it a try. Some Pit Work Everyday life choirs and activities has kept me from the workbench and little has gotten done. So this update will be a short one. I added back some electrical piping along the back wall that was pulled off to accommodate the pit installation. Instead of running the conduit to the right as it was originally, it now runs to the left and up the corner and covers a nasty little gap where the two walls meet. I then replaced some of the “angle iron” around the perimeter of the pit because it was out of square. Looking at the photo below I can see the angle needs some attention as it doesn't look like iron (too silvery.) Steps are added leading down into the pit. They are 2' wide with a 8” rise and 10” run (like you really wanted to know that) and are made of stacked basswood pieces. The hand rail is .022” brass which scales to just under 2” diameter. The pit and steps were dirtied up with some blackish pigment powders and a wash of India ink mixed with water. The wash brought forward the texture of the pit walls (which I now realize I failed to mention in the last post.) The texture is straight white PVA dabbed on with a cosmetic sponge. At first the glue keeps leveling itself out, but as it dries it starts to hold peaks. I also added some oil stains to the lower center pit and a step down to it. Arbor Press A break from working on the pit. In the last post I showed a photo of four men in greasy coveralls. Below is a crop of that photo and just behind the gentleman in the center is a mechanical arbor press. It appears to be a 20 ton Weaver Hi-Speed Press or one very similar. The Weaver 28 and 60 ton models have an extra leverage arm high up that the press shown above does not. These presses had three levels of power vs speed. The hand wheel could be turned for gentle precise work with little power. The upper lever was a rack/pinion sort of affair that offered more speed and considerable power. If that wasn't enough you could choose the nuclear option by using the lever on the left which provides the greatest force. The photo below is a 20 ton press so it doesn't have the upper lever, but it's a good look at its simplicity and how it works. Note that the arm (with the Weaver branding) has a choice of pivot points at its left end – three of them, where you can select how much leverage is required. There are three holes in the pivot plate and the arm is currently occupying the center hole so the the other two holes are not visible. I made one of these Weaver presses for the dio, but much of the mechanical detail is not there - just too small. Anyway, I began with a drawing based on photo scaling. I gathered up some stuff. The wheel is an injection molded HO scale boxcar brake wheel. I pulled the styrene rod and tubing over heat to get the right diameters needed. The brown sprue is nut/bolt heads. Cut, glue and drill. Enamel paint and powders. The left side power mechanism is just two pieces of bent wire inserted into a styrene bit. The angle iron that bolts to the floor is out of scale for sure but. . . Now back to the pit. Thanks for looking. Gary

Splendid work Druxey - so delicate and well crafted. I am curious - early on in the build you expressed regrets about selecting castello for the project instead of holly. Since you found a way to work with the castello, would you choose it again or opt for a different species? Looking forward to the final glamour shots. Gary

This is some very nice sub-atomic modeling you're doing here CDW. I had no idea injection molded aftermarket details were available at such a small scale. And they look quite crisp too. I've pulled up a chair to follow your progress. Gary

A very nice start on your model Popeye. I'll be following along. Gary

Hello Tim. Thank you for thinking of my Stonington boat model in regards to showing it at the Northeast Conference this coming October. I registered on-line several weeks ago and I will be bringing this Stonington dragger model with me. I'm looking forward to the event and seeing all the great models displayed by our fellow modelers. Should be fun and educational. And I thank you for the high appraisal of the model - I only hope it doesn't disappoint in person. See you there. Gary

Very nice carvings Mark. If I had carved those, I'd be pumped. Gary

Just found this build G.L. and I have read it from the beginning. Like your previous logs, it is packed with simple and innovative techniques. The bow sander makes so much sense and I'm surprised I haven't seen that idea used before, but I will be trying it. I also like your frame lamination method - nifty. And thanks for showing us the details of Mr. Orsel's strake cutting sled which is a perfect tool for hulls of this shape. Excellent work G.L. and I will be watching for future updates. Gary

Nice progress Brian - looks great! Gary

Spectacular figure painting yet again, O.C. You can almost hear that flag snapping and popping in the wind. Gary

Very nice progress on the Skipjack. Sorry to hear of your problems with CTS Michael. I wish you a successful outcome from the surgery and a rapid recovery. Gary

Nice progress on the carrier Paul - looking really good. Sweet 1:1 boat too! Gary

Sweet work Eric! I really like the cargo chests. They have a nice authentic feel and will be a nice visual addition to the display. One of the most difficult things about having to make so many of one item (besides the boredom) is getting them to all look the same - your oars look great! Gary

We are a patient bunch Keith. Better to be happy with your work on the first attempt, because backtracking, re-dos and that "if I had to do over" feeling can be so deflating. The "aha moment" will come. Nice score on the display case. Gary

Just catching up Ondras. Your model is looking fantastic - nice work on the lion also! Gary

Beautiful work Druxey! This build log is a real tour de force of small open boat modeling. In regards to the oar length, I found this formula when building a small wherry a few years ago. It comes from a oar and paddle manufacturer's web site and it is similar to others I've seen. [(D/2 +2) divided by 7] x 25 = length. D = distance between oar locks . It states that the inboard to outboard length ratio should be 7:18. The length of the inboard portion of the oar is dictated by the width between oarlocks. To maximize leverage, the oar handles should overlap by 4" when held level (parallel to the waterline.) So for each oar, the inboard length is 1/2 the distance between oarlocks plus 2". So for instance the beam on your boat is 7' or 84”. 84" divided by 2 + 2" = 44”' To achieve the recommended 7:18 ratio, the inboard portion must be 7/25ths of the total length. In this case that means (44 / 7) X 25 = 157” And 157” is just a hair over 13' total. This formula is probably not applicable to your model, but I though I would throw it out there anyway. Love this model Druxey - thanks for sharing your build techniques. Gary

Congratulations on completing the Dragone Jim - she looks fabulous! I always liked the contrasting woods tones on her and I think the natural finish is just the ticket. Great job! Like the cradle stand too. Gary

Catching up Mark and I think your carving is quite good. I also believe it will look better still when viewed in context on the stern of the ship. Placing it on the penny is great for comprehending it's small size but does nothing to foster appreciation of the piece as a delicate carving of wings. I like the progress on the planking as well. Nice work. Gary

Nice update Keith and I'll be watching for further progress. Good to hear you've been reconnecting with family and friends after the year long dumpster fire of 2020. I hope we can all get back to something that feels like normal this year. Gary

Looking forward to seeing you move ahead with this model Michael. But I enjoy all your projects, from steam liner restorations to locos. I learn something new from every one. Gary

Congratulations on a completing your canoe Chris. She looks great and I wish you many hours of peaceful paddling. Gary

That's a really good way to think about detail elements, which can sometimes be overdone. Very nice progress Roger. I like your plating method. Gary

Thank you O.C. and Popeye for the nice comments - I appreciate it. And thanks to all for looking in and for the likes. That's nothing Keith, look at their coveralls. A little honest dirt never hurt anyone. Thank you Mark and Egilman. More eyes and constructive criticism is always appreciated and welcomed as it invariably results in a better model. Yes you right, it is too light and clean looking and needs additional attention. I'll wait until I get the lighting in to see how much darker it needs to go. Hello Lou, thanks for the comment. I agree that service pits were commonplace and even iconic in repair shops of yesteryear, but as you say they have been mostly replaced with lifts. Which is good because today, many jurisdictions have banned pits altogether citing fume accumulation (one of several concerns) as a danger to workers health and the potential for ignition. In fact, the National Electrical Code considers them a hazardous location requiring an explosionproof wiring system (to prevent ignition) for light and ventilation. Something I've found curious looking through old photos is the scarcity of pits and instead this method of working the underside. Based on the abundance of images like this, it must have been a very common way to work on these old rather light vehicles. But it is timely that you mentioned service pits - please read on. . . Backtracking - Adding a Service Pit One of the things I like best about modeling these small dioramas is that there is no specific prototype - only what's in my head. So there is no set design that I must adhere to or elements that I must include. Starting out, I always think I know how it will end, but rarely do my initial plans go unchanged. I had intended to have several vehicles all pointing forward, side by side with one vehicle displayed in profile in front of the work bench. Shop equipment would be placed around the wall perimeter. It occurred to me that this arrangement is rather dull, visually uninteresting and there is something about it I just don't like. I believe dioramas need to have a central focus, something prominent that your eye is drawn to - something my model doesn't have. Looking through my collection of old photos, I found this one of a wheel alignment/service pit and decided this element could be a great main focus for my dio. The image is from one of the collections at the Library of Congress, but I don't remember which one. There are a number of things that drew me to it. One is that the pit itself is irregular in shape and there is working room around the vehicle, not just a narrow pit down the center. The pit has two depth levels; the outer shallower level and a deeper drivetrain pit, so it will add dimension to the model. Also, the iron structure of the platform is an eye draw and I think it will nicely display the vehicle standing on it in profile – or so I hope. And I have just enough room in the shadow box case to drop it down through the floor. So I drew up a pit that will fit the space I have. The general dimensions and depths were taken from modern truck wheel alignment pits. One of the wheel rails is movable in or out to accommodate vehicles of different widths. As you can see below, the pit eats up a lot of real estate, but I think the scene will feel less crowded because of it. It is made from sheet styrene; .040” for the floor and .020” for the walls. 1-2-3 blocks were used to keeps things square and true in its assembly. Modifications to the existing model were necessary to accommodate the pit. First, the electrical piping was removed and then the mezzanine was shortened because the new side door is quite wide and would run into it. Also, the ladder for the mezzanine will be pushed back to the rear wall whereas originally it was going to be free standing up front. Three feet were cut from from the structure and the free hanging end was braced. The mezzanine will also have support from hanging ceiling tie rods when the time comes. The side window was removed and the opening enlarged to a height of 12 feet by 10 feet wide for the doorway. The floor was cut out and the pit was test fit. The double door is wood and opens outward, so the hinges and locking hardware would be on the outside. A drew up a door and used it as a construction template. The basswood strips were colored beforehand with India ink/alcohol and topped with a green acrylic mixture, some of which was pulled off with cellophane tape. The boards are glued directly to the template with PVA and the frame work is glued on top of that – then trimmed with a straight edge and scalpel. Using the drawing tick marks as a guide, holes for the exterior strap hinge bolts are drilled clear through the material and injection molded washer/bolts are inserted. The bolt shanks are trimmed flush on the back side of the template. A touch of thin CA is applied to the ends of the trimmed shanks where capillary action draws it into the hole leaving the front side clean of glue. A security bar is added. The brackets are made from aluminum beverage can sidewall. I drilled small shallow divots into the brackets to mimic attachment screw heads, but they're barely visible. Also, I ran a black permanent marker down the back side of the template where the two door sections meet so that the white paper doesn't show through. The door header is a styrene “I” beam with one side sanded off and it scales to about 9” wide by 12.5' long. Flat black enamel was applied with a cosmetic sponge to add a little texture followed by pigment powder to add a hint of rust. Styrene bolt heads were placed and pencil graphite was rubbed on to highlight beam edges. Basswood door jambs and side casings were glued into the opening. The header was glued on and the wall opening was backed with a piece of sheet wood as a place to land the door itself. The ladder for the mezzanine is basswood with brass rungs. The brass is .014” dia. and the rails are scale 2” x 4”. The two rails are taped together and the rung holes are drilled through both at the same time. Short pieces (about 1”) of the pre-blackened brass are inserted through the holes and the rails are then pulled apart until the desired width of ladder is reached. This leaves all the brass rungs jaggedly sticking out both rails which are now trimmed flush and end glued with thin CA. The rails are stained and styrene stand-off brackets attached. The styrene pit was primed with an air brush followed by a couple of shades of gray acrylic on top. This is not the final coloring, just a base. The pit was glued into place and styrene angle fitted around the perimeter. Enough with backtracking - it's time to move forward again. Thanks for taking a look. Gary