Mike Whatshisname

I agree...59 Caddy but it has got to be a beater!

Hey Outlaw, That's pretty cool. I like the "stuff" on the walls of the interior and the reference to Giants memorabilia (even though i am a Jets fan). Keep the pics coming when the post office is added.

Looking forward to them Barbo

Here's the latest. The background wall is complete. I added a few more doo-dads and some dust. I made a concrete floor (drywall) with some crack were moss is rowing up from the dirt. The truck is almost done. Needs a few more small details: PS- Thanks for fixing my "insert image" button Mr. Moderator.

It is 1/25th.

Earlier this year, the car builders portion of the IPMS club I am a member of (Delaware Valley Scale Modelers) had a challenge to see who could build the best Hot Rod. We opened it up to the whole club but only the car builders had models on display. We had 20 or so entries of NEW builds. The Military guys felt a little left out so they decided to have one of their own...a Half-Track Challenge. There are about 6 "car guys" including myself that plan on having something for the November challenge. One guy is doing a half-track dragster that looks very interesting so far. I started this "T" back in May beginning with the Budweiser Van AMT kit. I am also building a background fitting the half track "T". The tank is scratchbuilt from a plastic squeeze bottle. The skis and axle extensions are all scratchbuilt. I had the skis so that they were posable but they are very fragile and kept breaking at the axle. So I glued them in place. I still have a little weathering to do and have to add some interior stuff like a battery on the floor with some tools and clutter. Speaking of clutter, here is the background so far: If someone can tell me why my image button doesn't work so I could post the pics, please tell me. This is the first time I've tried oposting pics since the switch from the old server. Fixed. You used the wrong coding, you need the "img" tags to show the pics in the post. - Moderator

Here goes: Bricks-The most important thing is as you already mentioned, all bricks are not the same. I'll take different hues of magic markers and color each brick with different hues. Black, blue, orange red etc. You don't have to do "each" brick, just enough to vary the colors of the bricks. Once you have your "wall" colored with magic marker, now add your texture by spraying a light coat of white paint over the colored brick, sprinkle on some baking powder, shake the baking powder around on the wet paint and then turn the plastic over and remove the excess baking soda. Then spray your top coat of color (white paint for white brick, grey for grey and red oxide for red etc.). Spray just enough to cover the baking soda and enough so that you can still see different hues of each brick. tis method works great. Don't forget that your mortar is usually a medium grey and a few cracks in the mortar gives your wall "personality". Some light dustings of pastels will also help. It is tough to see the different hues of cinder blocks in this pic but hopefully you will get an idea. Wood: Get a product called "Weather-It" at your local hobby shop for aging wood. It is the best I've seen at aging wood. Just paint it on and it turns grey overnight. Add some pastel chalks of brown, black, grey etc and you have some realistic aged wood. You can get similar effects from thinning out some india ink and painting onto the wood (balsa or bass) but not as grey as the Weather-It. This wall was done with a combination of India Ink, weather-it and some pastels: Stucco: Your on your own here "M". I have never tried doing stucco work but I would probably start with some plaster of paris painted onto a piece of plywood and then doing the same effects as real stucco is made....Good luck with that one. Let us know how you make out. Here is some more ideas: The brick wall here is carved "drywall". The wood is similarly done as the above...Have fun with it.

Reading? Shucks, what are we here for? Let us know what your interested in doing and I'm sure you'll get the know-how right here...

What "molded-in" styrene did you buy? Brick, cinder block, wood slats... Tell us what you have and maybe we can help.

Very nice job! I like some of the subtle nuances found in 1972. I remeber those lines for the gas pumps very well and the signs for not opening until 10:30 or "odd and even" days... Congrats to all the builders for a very good job.

Tom, I suggest you order from Norm as I do not believe he is going to Toledo this year. Something about the tax laws in Ohio (have to buy a vending license for a whole year instead of 1 day) have him laying off Ohio...

Afew years back, Revell put out a frew kits with cardboard dioramas in the kit. I believe one as a burger stand, a motel and a diner. They are still available at some hobby shops or Ebay. These would make a great backdrop wityh a parking lot in front

It's down the plywood aisle at your local Home Depot. Comes in difefrent thicknesses in 4 x 2 pieces for about $4.00 or less. They can even cut it for you if you know the dimensions.

Hey Ricky, Homosote can be found at your local Home Depot in 8 foot sheets at $25-30 a sheet. I like to use the brown composite board rather than plywood as it weighs much less and is very sturdy. In the picture, I have used 1/4" composite with decorative molding around the edges to hold all the ground cover and grass etc. within the 24" by 20" diorama. An old picture frame works too. Hope this helps.

Neal, I remember that column in SA about building your own dio. You did a really fine job with it. Loks great!

Steven, Plastruct (www.plastruct.com) makes some nice brick wall in styrene but can be a bit pricey. Another way is to cover your wood with plaster and carve the brick into it. It is a very good look (lots of tidious work) and very realistic when done right. I suggest you purchase Ken Hamiltons book "How to build Better Dioramas". It is out of print buit can be found on the net. Good Luck.

Nice job, here are the pixs for those that don't want to wait....

Wow Hermit! That looks HUGE! :shock: Can't wait to see more progress pics!

Steve, You sure achieved what you were trying to do...Great Job! Mike

Nice job Mike. I'd be afraid to touch it as it would probably fall apart! :mrgreen:

Yes soonerolds, this would be a very ambitous build. So when should we expect it to be complete...end of the summer? Great! Can't wait to see it! :twisted: :twisted:

scubadiver411, First question is: Is this a diorama or a display for your model? Personally I feel the walls are way to cluttered and take away from the model if this is a display. Just a couple of posters that pertain to the style that you like to build (if you build/display muscle cars, then put up muscle car posters). If a diorama, I would suggest you cut back on the posters and add some other type of things you would find on the walls of a garage. Even if you show how the posters are posted by putting small pieces of tape on the corners and maybe a corner that is missing tape and curling up will add a little personality. Here are a couple of pics of a garage that I built with many of these ideas. By all means, I don't expect anyone to go as "overboard" as i did to demonstrate clutter in a well used Hobby Garage. Maybe it will give you some ideas though. Keep up the great work. Please ask if you have any questions on how I may have did something.

Darin, There are some affordable kits of figures still available. here are a few for example. The top 2 from Fujimi can still be found rather cheaply in well stocked hobby shops or your local auction site. the Campus Friends kit has been out of production for many years but can still be found on the Bay. The figures can easily be cut and filled to any posityion you are trying to do. It is not very hard. Ken Hamiltons book "Building better Dioramas" is a good source for illustrating how this can be done.

I found myself diddling around while watching TV the other night and ended up with this... I'll end up weathering it and putting it in a pile of junk in the back of a truck or in a barn dio etc....

Surf's Up Dude! Great job!