Working Lift Bridge Diorama

[Derek A]

It's looking awsome, but we haven't had a general overview of the whole thing for a while Getunderit!  Can we have a look at the whole next time you've got the camera out pleaes!

 

[Getunderit]

10 hours ago, Derek A said:

It's looking awsome, but we haven't had a general overview of the whole thing for a while Getunderit!  Can we have a look at the whole next time you've got the camera out pleaes!

 

 Let me clear the display table first.

Will post tomorrow when daylight available.

[Getunderit]

It's a Whopper.

 

 

 

Tried to provide an overall photograph of the diorama. After many attempts, it just would not come out right. So I added some partial shots as well.

 

 

[Derek A]

Blimey!  It's huge!  I'd forgotten how big it was!  Thanks for the pictures, it's awsome, keep up the good work.

 

The man mowing his lawn is just brilliant, that's one hell of a mower!

[Pete in Lincs]

I just did a huge catch up look in and continue

to be very impressed with your work.

I too love the lawnmower. Doesn't he need a Barbie near the house?

The woodchip. perhaps a couple of blokes in high viz vests and a wheelbarrow spreading it?

The boats/crane/squid buoy are impressive too. 

[Getunderit]

52 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

I too love the lawnmower. Doesn't he need a Barbie near the house?

The woodchip. perhaps a couple of blokes in high viz vests and a wheelbarrow spreading it?

Thank you @Pete in Lincs.

Great suggestions. 

[Getunderit]

Thank you @Derek A, @Pete in Lincs, @stevehnz, @Corsairfoxfouruncle, @Jb65rams, @John_W, and @Gorby for your reactions and on going support.

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Nearly every night, for the past week, I have been making 8 reed grass plants. I need at least 45. They go between the posts along Bridge Drive. More of these plants will be required elsewhere.

 

Last year, one of my undercoat brushes started to fall apart. I kept it, because I thought I could use it later on _ just for this occasion. Have another old brush on standby, to make more plants.

 

By the way, I have already bought several model trees and plants. However, I plan to make the remaining trees required.

 

Below (top left) is from some plant, found washed up on the local beach. Plan to use it, on that small patch of landfill, next to the steps and bridge.

 

 

Painting the bristles are in two stages (dark-light). The first row is stage one. Other rows are completed. 

 

[Aeronut]

First it was giant Squids now it's broom sticks for a Quidich match. I'm loving this thread, you never know what's coming next.

[Getunderit]

Thank you @Aeronut for humorous comment. and @Pete in Lincs, @Corsairfoxfouruncle, and @Gorby for your 

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Did some more work on the Buoy Tender.

 

 

[James B]

A few days away from the computer and I come back to check this thread and so much has happened. At first I thought the wood chips and drift wood was too much/large/out of scale, but as soon as you see the size of the project as a whole, it blends in perfectly. Looks spot on and I continue to be genuinely impressed with the speed and level of detail your scratch built parts. The lawnmower is fantastic, but the mown lawn is the icing on the cake. Finally, to catch up, your bouy tender has come alive with that coat of paint. Nice work, and again, thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

[Derek A]

You are so inventive Getunderit!  I can't wait to see what's comming next!

[Getunderit]

Thank you @James B, and @Derek A for your kind comments and encouragement.

Thank you @Gorby, @Corsairfoxfouruncle, @Pete in Lincs, and @James B for your reactions.

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Derek, I too can't wait to see what's coming next.

 

A few crew members, of the Buoy Tender, need to go ashore to secure the buoy to the crane.

Decided to have a go at making a rubber dinghy, with outboard motor.

 

 

Added some plastic type of filler on the figurine heads. Then filed them to look like they are wearing hard hats.

All the deckhands will be wearing the same uniform.

The rubber dinghy got painted and had its test run to the shore.

 

 

"I wonder what to secure the dinghy to?"

Edited April 3, 2018 by Getunderit

[Derek A]

Fantastic as allways! 

[Getunderit]

Thank you @Derek A, @Corsairfoxfouruncle, @Pete in Lincs, @Gorby, @James B, @Kallisti, and @Aeronut for your reactions.

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This part of the diorama is finished. It is now glued into place as a permanent fixture.

 

Well @Gorby, it looks like your giant squid got revived after all.

[Gorby]

Brilliant as always.

I love the squid attack mini drama and the reaction of his concerned colleagues. 

[Mancunian airman]

Excellence is becoming the 'norm' on this topic !!

[Pete in Lincs]

A man eating squid is no laughing matter!

Having said that, the figures/boats are looking great.

[James B]

This is brilliant. A little easter egg hidden in plain sight, and so beautifully executed. Love it!

[Derek A]

All I can say having read the previous comments is here here!

[Getunderit]

Thank you @Gorby, @James B, @Pete in Lincs, @Mancunian airman, and @Derek A for your comments.

Thank you @bar side, @James B, @Vince1159, @Pete in Lincs, @Kallisti, @Corsairfoxfouruncle, and @Aeronut for your reactions.

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Preparing the river area for making the water.

Installed the Fender Piers.

 

 

A long while ago, I broke up a few cork sanding blocks for artificial rocks. Discovered that these pieces were still too large.

Spent a few hours with a knife, slicing the cork into smaller sizes.

Glued three samples of a rocky riverbank. These are mainly for painting experiments.

 

 

Mixed three pots of colour for shading of black basalt type rock, and a muddy silt colour.

 

 

 

Will need to spend time, on the real laying of the cork, filling much of the gaps with smaller pieces.

 

[Getunderit]

Spent some time last night on working out what colours to use for painting the river. I don't want to use the pea-lentil soup colour it usually looks like (yuck!). It does nothing for the diorama. I really want some blue in the shading. This will contrast the surrounding green of the landscape, especially after the trees get installed. However, the river bed is basically muddy, so light blues are not realistic for this location (unfortunately).

 

The river will, for educational reasons, will show that the actual bridge was located over the deepest section of the river. The samples show the colours shades, but the actual painting of the water will naturally blend into the next shade.

 

Please feel free to comment.

 

 

 

[Gorby]

The different tonal variations depending on the depth of the water would obviously be the best (certainly not the easiest). To me, '3' or '5' look better, but only you can decide which is the most appropriate for your river.

 

You will probably hate me forever mentioning this:

If the dio is for educational purposes, what about doing a smaller, non working model, showing the bridge without any water in the river. It would show the visitors the true height of the structure, the positioning of the raising section in relationship to the depth, and also would show the construction below the water line.

 

The odds are you'll be feed-up with doing bridge dios when you complete this one – so I'll get back in me box and stop bugging you.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

1 hour ago, Getunderit said:

We have similar bridges over similar shipping channels in Chicago. If I were to hazard my best guess without seeing the actual location. I would vote for #’s 3,6, or 7 as your best color mixes to represent a shipping channel. With maybe a blending of 6 & 7 to get a “right mix” of shades and tones.

 

30 minutes ago, Gorby said:

 

If the dio is for educational purposes, what about doing a smaller, non working model, showing the bridge without any water in the river. It would show the visitors the true height of the structure, the positioning of the raising section in relationship to the depth, and also would show the construction below the water line.

Good idea Gorby ! 👍

[stevehnz]

I've just had a wee catch up, utterly brilliant as ever, the man eating squid is a hoot, I wonder how many people viewing it will get that.

Steve.

[Getunderit]

6 hours ago, Gorby said:

The different tonal variations depending on the depth of the water would obviously be the best (certainly not the easiest). To me, '3' or '5' look better, but only you can decide which is the most appropriate for your river.

 

You will probably hate me forever mentioning this:

If the dio is for educational purposes, what about doing a smaller, non working model, showing the bridge without any water in the river. It would show the visitors the true height of the structure, the positioning of the raising section in relationship to the depth, and also would show the construction below the water line.

 

The odds are you'll be feed-up with doing bridge dios when you complete this one – so I'll get back in me box and stop bugging you.

A good idea. At the very start I had no profile image. That appeared after many months of research.

My original display proposal was a model of the bridge, from tower to tower, spanning across the width of the control panel (no diorama). However, the curator insisted that I use the whole bridge in a 4 x 8 foot space. Now he is bugging me to get it finished, which is his impatience, for there is no appointed deadline. He is always in a hurry, where quantity is more important than quality. That is the difference between us.

 

Gorby, in comparison, it would be impossible for you to bug me.