Dr. Cranky

LOL! I can't imagine working in that scale. I draw the line at 1/20th. Anything bigger than that and you might as well stick with the real thing!

I've gotta look around for some Preiser birds I got last year, which included a couple of pigeons. You betcha. Heck, when I find the right dog, I'll throw one in too! Somebody needs to do a warehouse scene like this in 1/8th scale to show off some of those choppers!

All right folks, this one is getting close to where I can already start using it. I'm still working on a whole bunch of details, but the work on the big things is over. A base like this is just endless fun . . . THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL SUPPORT AND HELP!!! Enjoy, maties! Cheers, Doctor Cranky

LOL, Al, it's a Michelin man that comes with this Italeri truck parts kit I've had for years . . . I'll try to take a close up of it . . . In the meantime . . . Here's some signage up on Cranky's wall of flames! I just got them up, so I still have to dust them up a little bit, make them blend in a bit better . . . thanks to all of you who helped out with signage. These are the kinds of signs that have kept me out of one particular magazine because my propaganda really corrupts the thousands upon thousands of children building model cars all over the USA. Bless them all! Also, I have to be politically correct here and say that most of these images I'm using are not mine, so I honor the copyright holders . . . and I use them in my work soley as a way to pay homage to all the things Dr. Cranky is crazy about! I guess the birds must be nesting because they sure are making a mess out of my sign!

Oh man, this one is marvelous. Please keep it going. I can't wait to see it finished!

Glad you like 'em! Sparrows have a way of getting in and making a home for themselves. Now, let's see if I find my little rat . . .

Here are a few more for a Hump Day Lunch Candy Hour . . . LOL!

I also worked on the floors and dirt . . . I think it's getting there . . .

Those pesky birds finally snuck in and started building nests everywhere! Making a little bit more progress with signage details too . . .

Thanks for the offer, Jim, but I have a whole bunch of the right scale chain it's just that I am in the process of blackening/weathering it . . . Stay tuned in for progress pics.

Thanks, Tony . . . I am working on this for a couple of more days and then I'm off traveling for the Holidays, so when I return I can start building new models and showcase them here!

I am still adding lots of little details, plus in the process I've been practicing the angles etc . . . I figure if I leave this one around for along time, I will really get to know all the right and perfect angles for all the shots . . . see what I mean? High angle uncropped: Same picture but cropped:

The boiler body comes from a pipes & tank set from a gaming company, and then the rest is scratchbuilt stuff. The base is the cap to some container I had in the spares box. Some tubing, a couple of washers, a water bottle cap . . . that's it. In my old age (I guess I am getting more frugal) I don't like to run out and buy stuff if I can make it!).

Thanks, everyone. Mat, thank you for the graffiti comment. The reason it looks small is that it's a graffiti sheet used for HO scale trains. I gotta work a bit around it with the airbrush and make it a bit truer to scale. This is good indication that you have a good eye for the right scale. Thanks for keeping me honest. There's still lots more to do on this base, so stay tuned in for more . . . more. . . more . . .

I like where it is headed. Nice body too!

Thanks, chaps . . . yes there will be more weathering . . .I got to bring in more dirt in particular around the bottom edges of the walls and cinder blocks . . . I love the idea of the bird nests . . . yes, there's got to be a few of those . . . Here's some more progress. As I said from post one, the idea behind this is to have different elements just to change things up a little here and there whenever I take pics of a new build . . . and also to just plain have fun . . . I made this boiler type thing just to break up the space . . . and also to have yet another element . . .

Thanks, Terry . . .yes, but I'm also trying to stay open to all the great ideas everyone has been sending my way . . . Here are a few more shots . . . All the signage is freshly glued on so I still have to weather them as well . . .

My advice is to seal it all in with a couple of coats of primer . . . trust me it's good insurance.

It's been a very slow process, and have tried really hard to keep it this side of all-out-gunk. I like where this is headed. I've also started to apply a few details here and there . . . I applied a few washes to the cinder blocks and then lots of chipping on the walls . . . and then used the airbrush to fog it all together . . .

OH THE WEATHERING IS DRIVING ME CRAZY! OH THE WEATHERING IS DRIVING ME CRAZY! OH THE WEATHERING IS DRIVING ME CRAZY! --Doctor Cranky a la Jack Nicholson!

It sure is pure eye candy. Wow. I keep coming back to these pics . . .

Wow, Michael, those are some great reference pictures . . . I like the look of all those chains hanging from above. Very cool. Thanks for sharing them with us!

Very cool. I've always liked Vegas and Pintos.

Well, it's about 41 or lower in the garage, but it's time to go in there and make more progress. Stay tuned in!

Yes, this thread started out just fine, and at least the first 8 pages are an indication of the interest for the kit. I will buy several regardless and put them on the slab! What else is there to be said?