Industrial Photo-Op Base

[Dr. Cranky]

Holy smokes, I spent the day spraying Plastikote primer: all three colors: gray, ruddy brown, and black. I have a callous on the top of my nozzle finger.

AND the resin on the base is taking its sweet time in drying . . . I guess there will be more progress tomorrow after everything dries and I can get cranking on the painting!

[crazyjim]

I can't believe it!! You are THE MAN!!!

[Dr. Cranky]

LOL! I am just Dr. Cranky @ work in his Lab-Rat-Ory!

[Dr. Cranky]

Ah, here's a glimpse of Cranky's humble beginnings . . . back when the Lab-Rat-Ory was in a rural, undisclosed location!

Edited December 9, 2010 by DamnCranky

[Harry P.]

Are you sure it's a good idea to post a photo of your house???

[Dr. Cranky]

Sure, Harry, and if I opened the garage door this is what you would see:

[Dr. Cranky]

A few of you have probably wondered how a vehicle without a driver can make such burnouts . . .

we'll we went back and corrected the problem . . .

[Dr. Cranky]

All right, maties, everything is in primer now so I too the chance to do one more mock up before the painting starts . . . here are a few pics . . .

[Dr. Cranky]

Here are a few more . . .

[crazyjim]

Dr. Cranky - don't you ever sleep? The dio is looking excellent!

[Danno]

Wow!

[Dr. Cranky]

Sometimes it feels like I don't, Jim . . . but it's okay, coffee helps . . . coffee and Cranky's mad obsessions to keep on having fun . . . like this:

[Harry P.]

Cranky has hit another grand slam!

[Foxer]

One more thing, a rodent scurrying across one of those Joists would take the cake....

That would be someone's lunch.

[Dr. Cranky]

LOL! I love all the great ideas . . . plenty to return to and do once the painting gets done. These kinds of projects go in layers, as you all know . . .

Yes, cheers to the junk, rust, gunk, and funk of it all! TGIF!

[vaughn]

All I know is your ooooz carried over to my barn and turned my creek into a hazardous area. HAZMAT............Looks great.....

[Dr. Cranky]

I am happy to report the painting process has begun but I am far from getting done, so no pics yet! Stay tuned in . . .

[dannyi]

..as always Virgil, it's such a treat and learning experience to watch you work!!

[Tony T]

Very cool. Lookin' forward to seeing it in paint!

[Dr. Cranky]

All right, maties, it's a Sunday of painting and getting this sucker on it's way to getting finished. Stay tuned in for some progress . . .

[Dr. Cranky]

The walls fought me with the painting, but I got them to a much better place then they were yesterday. Working on such a large canvas with the airbrush is not as much fun. I applied several colors to this, including, black, gray, light and medium green, and then finally a mixture of cockpit green and light sand . . . this morning I had a break through in that I sprayed Tamiya light sand from about 24 inches above each wall panel and that did the trick . . . then, of course, what would the back of the warehouse be without a little graffiti.

The windows are also done . . . and I have a few stand alone elements, including a scratch-built boiler, that will make appearances here and there . . .

I like the way the windows turned out, although they took a long time to finish . . .

[Dr. Cranky]

Here are a couple more . . . I still have to finish the doors and a whole bunch of other elements . . .

Stay tuned in for more . . .

[GTMust]

I'm fascinated by all the intricate steel framing you've built. Where does your reference come from to get this to look so real, yet you build so fast. Books.... internet.... personal experience.... does it come to you in dreams? Or do you plan out a diarama years ahead, collect all the materials... then go at it!

I spend more time searching for reference pictures and information than I do building! And even then I sometimes come to a dead stop when the inspiration doesn't translate into plastic, wood and paint.

[charlie8575]

Beyond words amazing, Virgil.

This just screams "Help! I was hit with a shrink-ray!" real! This is some of the best work of any description I've ever seen anywhere.

Definitely something to be proud of.

Charlie Larkin

[Dr. Cranky]

Thanks, Charlie--and Tony, builds like this come to me in dreams, really. I might use some reference pictures here and there but I just lose myself in the build, that's all.

You gotta have fun, and I've always found being too much of a stickler for accuracy often gets in the way. I'm not disrespecting those folks who really measure and plan, I'm just saying that this is the way I work best. Eye balling and letting my imagination run wild.

Stay tuned in for more progress. I am painting the doors so that's the next round of detail coming up.