Jump to content

Nigel Builds Two Bases


Recommended Posts

Hi Folks, I was not sure where to post this. Three of my recent builds have required batteries for their lighting, necessitating a base where the battery could be concealed. All three were made for me by Bryan at the Rugged Company, an excellent company to do business with BTW. The one for my Terminator Hunter Killer only needed the battery holder adding and was quite trivial to finish but the other two, for my Dalek and Flying Banana diorama require a little more input from myself. As my Flying Banana WIP has been locked I thought the best place for this was here in the Sci Fi WIP. Both bases require similar treatment, at least at first, so it made sense to me to combine their construction into one build thread.

For my Dalek, Attitude Adjuster, I decided that an elliptical base was the best way to go. Its dimensions were mainly dictated by the space available in my display cabinet. Here is the design template that I sent to Bryan:

P1060942_zpse8975845.jpg

This is the design for the Flying Banana, just slightly smaller than a sheet of A4, again largely dictated by the display cabinet dimensions:

P1060941_zpsfadf68fc.jpg

The bases arrived two days ago, here in the one for AA:

P1070345_zps87a641da.jpg

and the one for the Flying Banana:

P1070346_zps3d77e791.jpg

I asked for the bases to be left unfinished to save cost and it was job I wanted to do myself. First the edges of the MDF needed to be sealed, I did a test on a hidden area using some Mr Surfacer 500:

P1070349_zpsb67fb141.jpg

That seemed to work quite well so I proceeded to trowel it on both of the bases edges:

P1070347_zps4ce83b20.jpg

When hardened and sanded the finish was still quite rough:

P1070358_zps3090cc9a.jpg

I elected to use this filler which I purchased soon after getting back into modelling thinking it would be OK for models - it was not, but this seemed like a good chance to get some use out of it:

P1070359_zpsd0f58110.jpg

After two rounds of filling and sanding (mainly by hand) with it I got this result which I was pretty happy with:

P1070360_zps2d493d96.jpg

Before applying any primer I needed to drill the holes for AA's electrical contact pads so I marked out their position and drilled them like so:

P1070361_zps9134d587.jpg

P1070362_zps1bb0a7a1.jpg

Next job was to apply the grey primer:

P1070363_zps0ad265bb.jpg

This is how the edges looked after that - they feel like polished alabaster so I am very happy with that:

P1070364_zps81db362b.jpg

Next I polished up the brass contact pads for AA using 2400 grit Micromesh:

P1070365_zpsd93c8471.jpg

I need to solder some wires to the centre of these and the brass soaks up a lot of heat so I put a heavy duty bit on my iron:

P1070366_zpsc7efbb77.jpg

Job done:

P1070367_zps75241ee2.jpg

Then I added masking tape to the pads for subsequent gluing and painting operations:

P1070368_zps9ee9acd4.jpg

I mixed up some five minute epoxy and glued on the pads:

P1070369_zps0f61321e.jpg

as well as the battery box with three cut down screws for extra reinforcement:

P1070370_zps3453d122.jpg

Next I need to do some more soldering and then possibly spray the edges of the bases with some satin black, This is a lot of fun!! (For me anyway).

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

P1070359_zpsd0f58110.jpg

I am very impressed. I didn't know things were so violent in your civilized land that there is a demand for putty specially made to fill knife wounds. AHHH, it brings back the bitter sweet memories of a misspent youth.

I know this base work is probably not the exciting part of the build, but is so necessary. Just, as been said above, be careful with some of the stuff you are playing with. It can bite back. I really am looking forward to this as my bases consist of different shapes of mirrors. (I know my creativity knows no bounds!)

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed that this is probably not the most exciting bit of building witnessed on BM but I am enjoying it and maybe there is some stuff here others will find useful. I hope so anyway.

I have not got much done today as I was out for most of it getting a new car and then having a lovely curry with Duncan B. We will be both going along to the Dundee Model show later today and I wanted to get the oval base for AA into a vaguely presentable form for the club display table. After finishing soldering up the electrics I applied a coat of satin black:

P1070371_zps4aefaf68.jpg

A test with AA in place confirmed that it was all working and good to go:

P1070374_zps63bfae81.jpg

I intend to create a proper little scenic diorama on this base but for the time being this will have to do. Time for bed.

Bye from Nigel

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice work on the bases. I wish I could work out some way to find base building more fun, I never really get into it despite knowing that a good base will improve almost every model.

I would have left the Dalek base plain as it is, I think it complements the model very well.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unlike the modelling desk!

You're not wrong there, a tidy up is definitely on the cards. I have left things slip in having the Komet + engine on the go as well as trying to get everything ready for the show. As to getting a little lady in I'm still working on that.

I am coming round to leaving the base plain. I did a poll of the chaps at the model show and they all said it looked fine left in black.

In the show competition I got a third place in the 1/72nd and smaller scale aircraft class for my Flying Banana so was very pleased with that as it is such a tough class. A fellow club member's model came first and was ultimately voted best in show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did have a reasonable tidy up tonight. Much better I think. There were areas around the edges of the Dalek base that needed further tidying up as I was assuming this top face was going to be covered with diorama materials like different coloured sands. Here it is all ready for another coat of satin black tomorrow:

P1070385_zps609c23bb.jpg

Last night I was spraying this into the wee small hours but as the pressure is off now I will wait until tomorrow before doing the work.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Moggy, what a lovely compliment. He should be available for viewing at Telford if you can make it over. It would be good for you to see him and for me to meet you.

Best Regards,

Nigel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With a final coat of satin black and the unmasking of the contact pads the first simple base can be declared as finished:

P1070386_zpsae06d420.jpg

Attitude Adjuster is very happy taking up residence on "THE SUPREME PODIUM!!" as he has taken to calling it:

P1070400_zpsee698858.jpg

For the other base I cut out a facia from some 20 thou plasticard:

P1070387_zps64093f7d.jpg

I mocked up a helipad design and checked the fit with my Flying Banana:

P1070388_zps6764da05.jpg

I scribed on scale 5m square pads using my Olfa-P cutter:

P1070389_zps5ca438c1.jpg

After masking the edges I glued the plasticard onto the base using Photo Mount:

P1070390_zps7c49a073.jpg

Then I started to cut out the concrete pads using 240 grit wet and dry to simulate the surface texture:

P1070391_zps45a99086.jpg

Again using Photo Mount I started to glue on the whole square pads:

P1070392_zpsf9ce7e2f.jpg

Soon the whole set of pads was almost done, these two small remaining pieces were glued on with superglue:

P1070393_zpsd7659923.jpg

I then sprayed it with grey aerosol primer followed by an airbrushing with Phoenix Precision "concrete" enamel paint:

P1070394_zps33077f7c.jpg

I tried to leave some of the grey primer showing through for a bit of tonal variation here and there.

Here is the concrete paint and the green texture paint which I will be using on the grassy edging to the landing pad:

P1070395_zps34b178b5.jpg

If I get that on now it can be left to dry over night.

Bye for now,

Nigel

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Be interested to see how this texture paint stuff works out.....I inadvertently discovered I can make my own, by not shaking a can of 'Army Painter' black primer quite enough, before spraying it on a trio of shermans I'd spent six months building! :wall:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is what the texture paint looked like when freshly applied:

P1070401_zps5e4a384f.jpg

And then after drying overnight:

P1070404_zpsba991519.jpg

I then applied some "burnt grass" modelling stuff from Woodland Scenics and did a bit of touching up with the concrete paint:

P1070407_zpsa124a080.jpg

I think I now have to introduce a little more tonal variation into the concrete pads - not entirely sure how though so would be open to ideas.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...