The Hollywood Garage

[Dr. Cranky]

It's a beauty, and I like the cut angles. They really help with the viewing area. Sure, have fun with the family and the friends, it's not like it's Xmas eve or anything like that.

[Manic Mechanic]

This is a very inspiring build! Can't wait for future updates!

[Joker]

A few years ago, one of the guys around here built a diorama in an old TV set that looked like a black-and-white gangsters show set in the 1930s. VERY cool.

This will be good, too, and I'll look forward to watching it develop.

Charlie Larkin

Found it..

[Hollywood Jim]

Found it..

Oh yea, I remember seeing that one. Really cool !!

Especially if your old enough to have watched TV in black and white.

.

.

Edited December 25, 2012 by Hollywood Jim

[charlie8575]

Found it..

That looks like one of the pictures I took of it. I never found out who built that (I think it was one of the Classic Plastic guys), but it's really impressive.

Charlie Larkin

[Hollywood Jim]

The next thing to do is decide on what colors to use. I only need two, a light and a dark color. After some experimentation I decised on an antique white and a dark charcoal gray.

The walls came out to about 16 feet high. I thought they were too high and I shortened them to 10 feet. Which is more like the garage I remember from back in my childhood, 1950's.

Building the workbench.

.

.

.

.

[Dr. Cranky]

Man, that's looking good but you are going to need lots of white paint.

[vintagercr]

Jim, that is going to be so cool! Great work!

[charlie8575]

Very nice wood-working.

I would suggest Krylon or a similar antique white or ivory as a way to paint that massive area economically as the base color, with details picked out by gray spray and brush paint.

Charlie Larkin

[Hollywood Jim]

Making some details.

.

.

.

[Hollywood Jim]

Very nice wood-working.

I would suggest Krylon or a similar antique white or ivory as a way to paint that massive area economically as the base color, with details picked out by gray spray and brush paint.

Charlie Larkin

Thanks Charlie, good suggestion. However, I want to be able to blend and shade using alcohol so I'm using brushed on acrylic for everything.

Later I'll show how well alcohol blends in acrylic paint.

.

.

[Hollywood Jim]

I downloaded some pictures of a drill press. And then I built this. A table top drill press.

As it turned out, I felt the drill press looked a little too large for a bench top style. I think I made it a tiny bit too large.

So I decided to convert it to a floor model.

It looks much better as a floor model !!

.

.

.

.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Hollywood Jim

[Jantrix]

So everything will be in a muted color so that the build in the center pops big time eh?

[Hollywood Jim]

So everything will be in a muted color so that the build in the center pops big time eh?

I think I need to add some of my Charcoal color, but I'm not sure how I'm going to proceed. I'm still experimenting.

As you can see I already darkened up the workbench.

.

.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Hollywood Jim

[Hollywood Jim]

Need Your Help.

What material is good to use for 1/25th scale tarps? I know how to make a tarp, but I'm not sure what material to use. What has worked well for you?

And Is there some kind of material that can be used without soaking it in a glue mixture?

A material that will drape over the car in a natural way without the glue?

Thanks.

.

.

.

.

[Dominik]

Wow! THAT is a really cool idea - your "work in wood" is fantastic! Love it!

So, for covers i take a tissue or napkin, cut it into the size i need.

Than i take a mixture of water and wallpaper paste, soaking the tissue or napkin with a brush. At least, i put it careful on the model "in place" and let it dry.

After it is dry, you can pull it off and brush it in each color you want - but don't take waterbased colors. Water it softes again!

[charlie8575]

I would suggest using Dominik's idea, Jim. Those I know who have used tarps have used more-or-less this technique and it seems by far the most popular and workable.

As an alternative, you could also hit a craft or fabric store and get a piece of fabric with a weave that looks like what you want to replicate (blue plastic, canvas, etc.), and paint it to match. The cloth will have a natural drape. I would still recommend using some type of water/glue mixture as a fixative so it will hold its shape, however.

Charlie Larkin

[Harry P.]

You're not going to find any material that has a natural looking in-scale drape because that material would have to be 25 times thinner than a "real" tarp. No such thing. The paper towel/tissue paper/newspaper soaked in a water/white glue mix is the tried and true method of creating realistic in-scale tarps.

[Hollywood Jim]

Thank you guys for your help with the tarp ideas !!

[Hollywood Jim]

Time for some electrical work !

.

.

.

[southpier]

Need Your Help.

What material is good to use for 1/25th scale tarps? ...

Thanks.

Verlinden makes lead foil that might work: http://www.verlindenonline.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1733

it's not too big nor economical if you need a lot, but it's a product which is good to be aware.

Edited December 30, 2012 by southpier

[gasser59]

Your electricians have been busy. Those conduits and panel look great.

[Bartster]

WOW ! I wanted to get some ideas to build my 1st dio to display completed models ! I may not go any further, haha! I must say you're work is rather intimidating ! This will be the 1st dio l follow. Please, carry on, sir.

Bart

[Tony T]

I plan on doing a tarp at some point and was planning on using the tissue/napkin/paper towel method as well. I have read that covering the model with clear plastic wrap protects the model from any ill effects from the water/glue mixture and makes it easier to remove once the fixative has dried. Might save you a possible issue!

[Hollywood Jim]

Thanks for the help with the tarp guys !!

I always develop a story before I begin a diorama. The story here is, it is 1957. The guy who owns the garage is a regular working guy. He loves cars but he is a family man and he can only work on his hot rod on occasion. So he does not have a garage all full of hot rod, car guy stuff.

This diorama will depict what a typical father, husband and car lover would have in his garage. A little bit of car guy stuff and a bunch of typical family garage stuff. I want to replicate the garage I had at home when I was a kid in 1957. Basically my Dad’s garage. He worked on cars all the time but he did not have a hot rod. He always wanted one.

So I need to make some items that will fit into my story.

Does anybody know what this was used for in the 50’s and 60's ?

Christmas decorations.

A bug sprayer.

.

.

.

.

.

Edited December 31, 2012 by Hollywood Jim