Dr. Cranky

I love threads like this one. Thank you.

Phil, I use a Cannon Powershot IS X 10--it's a little bit pricier, but it's the one camera that I've loved to use all these recent years. I also have a Nikkon D80, but I never use it for my table top photography. Gregg is right. You want a camera that's going to give you at least F2.8 and has manual mode, etc . . .

Let me see if I find a couple of pictures of a dirt track diorama Ken Hamilton built a few years ago, and which was also something I had never seen before. For a lot of builders it feels natural to always want to push the boundaries of what is possible. Dave T and Clay K have most certainly done that with Nascar subjects, and they've pushed the envelope on how high detailing can be taken . . .

Richard, here's what Hollywood Jim (who build the model) used:

Marty, if you are new to Alabama and you are interested in all things model cars, you need to get a hold of Tommy May or Tim Kustom and check out their club.. They put on a great show every year.

Welcome to the community, Keith. I hope one of the first things you do sooner rather than later is show us you workbench and you hobby room. Eye candy is the currency of this forum economy, or so I hear! Have fun and enjoy your styrene addiction. We'll help keep you hooked! Cheers.

Phil, that looks like a heck of a great camera. You can't go wrong with a Nikon. I'm sure it's got all the right stuff for Macro too.

Roger, that's why I think this thread is a good idea . . . just share neat stuff like this, and if you don't think it, someone else might . . . and who knows what idea will trigger more eye candy, which is really what EYEGORE and I are addicted to. LOL. Case in point, if you look at this vid, it's a great example of someone who's lightbulb went off and created something out of a normal, every day item or shape. http://www.youtube.com/user/ArtofModeling#p/u/6/P8i0HLN9K98

Interesting, Chuck. A lot of model railroad builders have many tricks like mirrors to convey a sense of depth, etc . . . There's a world of possibilities too with models, including this:

I'm thinking about it, Mike. I should know by this weekend. I really want to go and check it out, and besides it's not too far from my mother's place, so I can visit her too.

Nice tribute build!

Here's an example of another one of Hollywood Jim's build (a master of T.O.B.): Jim is always thinking Tiki, and he and Ricky Couch are a few of the builders I know of who are crazy about Tiki, so, Jim pulled this one together: His work is always fresh and new because often time you get the feeling you haven't seen anything like this done in scale.

Now you are talking, Charlie, this is a good example of what I had in mind . . . pushing the imagination. Yes, visualize! The proverbial box, think outside of it.

Hey, I am a member of the sausage finger club too, so I know how it is. LOL!

The idea for this thread comes from the fact that every time (a very human reaction, I guess) I think I've seen it all in terms of models (or dioramas) that push the boundaries of what is possible, along comes something that surprises me. Here I am think of the work of people like Ricky Couch, Roger Yu, Tommy May, and countless others, all builders who tend to break the mold by coming up with a model or a subject that nobody has seen before. So this is an attempt to survey what you think you haven't seen yet, or what you would like to see (not necessarily in new kits or aftermarket parts) but in--and here you have to think outside the box--in models or in the real world. If you think of examples, please feel free to post them . . . I am hoping once again this will be an inspirational thread for lots of folks, myself included. Thank you.

You can probably pin the part in by drilling the posts and using a small piece of wire, then use filler, and then re BMF. Nice build, it's definitely worth to save it.

Nice colors, it looks like a very nice model.

Nice model, congrats. Your collection is growing with some wonderful subjects.

Dave, can't wait to see the model done. Keep it going.

Doctor Cranky's formula for a successful forum thread: Keep out money, politics, and religion . . . and the focus will remain on the hobby, building models, and constructive criticism. Just two neck bolts worth of an opinion.

Great build, wonderful subject.

I like it, nice job.

You are doing justice to this sweet kit. Keep it going. It's coming together very well.

I like it, Chuck, I think it's a very good move!