stevej60 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 The word "Epic" has cropped up in this thread Steve,I have to agree too,great work all round on all the various component's,we've had a vignette GB time for a full blown diorama GB! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 46 minutes ago, Kallisti said: By the way don't forget you need to put in the remnants of the original bridge that must have been blown up by the retreating forces that is being replaced by the pontoon bridge That will also give you things to fill up the left side as there might be a roadway directly in front of the church that ends in the broken bridge with a spur coming off that leads instead to the pontoon bridge... Um have I just made this even more complicated for you? Complicated - not at all. The Armoured Car Regiment - Inns of Court - have been tearing up and down the roads that run parallel to the canal in their Humbers and have reported back that all the areas where bridges have been blown are too well defended to throw a bridge across. So the 10th Bridging troop identified this quiet stretch of canal as ideal for purpose and before you could say 'Carry on Bully' they had a bridge built 12 minutes ago, stevej60 said: The word "Epic" has cropped up in this thread Steve,I have to agree too,great work all round on all the various component's,we've had a vignette GB time for a full blown diorama GB! I don't know about 'Epic' - more like 'the work of a madman' - fun though. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 Disaster has struck... We've got a leak. Not from the canal - but from our Worcester Bosch. It will come as no surprise that seeing as I have just had a shower it is obviously all 'my fault'. I have just spent the last 30 minutes on the phone - trying to find a plumber - without much joy at this point. I am just waiting on a call back, but I've had to turn the water off as the boiler has a definite leak - drip - drip - drip... That has scuppered my plans for spraying this morning as I have to 'look concerned' and generally 'twiddle my thumbs' until someone rings back. The first 2 plumbers I rang both said they could pop over in a couple of weeks and neither was willing to recommend another plumber - gits - I won't be trying them again. Oh well at least I can spend more time catching up on everyone else's thread progress. More news as it happens.... ☔ 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 (edited) 12 hours ago, BIG X said: This took my mind back to the canal retaining walls. I have temporarily filled the canal with a piece of 3mm white foamboard and a black 4mm piece - followed by a piece of clear styrene. The styrene still has it's protective film on - so it doesn't look as glossy as it will. It's now the right height to give the bridge a convincing slope to the ramps. But it doesn't leave much of the retaining walls showing... ...I guess it's a pretty full canal... ...just noticed - that is showing the reflection in the 'water' too. Steve, I think the solution for the canal water is going to come off a treat - reflections will add the animation although did you plan to paint the top of the black layer under the clear styrene with lighter colours to maybe create contrasts? (all very pie-in-the-sky from me). Looking fabulous. BTW, who needs a plumber - get stuck into that leak yourself and impress Mrs X. Us modellers can do anything! Edited July 31, 2018 by Ventora3300 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 29 minutes ago, Ventora3300 said: Steve, I think the solution for the canal water is going to come off a treat - reflections will add the animation although did you plan to paint the top of the black layer under the clear styrene with lighter colours to maybe create contracts? (all very pie-in-the-sky from me). Looking fabulous. BTW, who needs a plumber - get stuck into that leak yourself and impress Mrs X. Us modellers can do anything! As the first piece cracked I took the precaution of getting 3 more pieces of clear styrene - so I've got plenty to play with. I am undecided as to whether to paint the black board - or the rear of the styrene. As for the boiler - NOT A CHANCE - I am still waiting on that return call though... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 57 minutes ago, BIG X said: paint the black board Great idea, I spent a fair time experimenting with painting the reverse of tracing paper . You can add things like faint off colour / darker that they should be.....twigs/and green weeds first then a mixture of darker colours working backwards . Its the opposite of normal painting . Takes a bit of forethought or it all goes wrong but the effect is brilliant and adds some depth . 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 The plumber is here 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 ...and he's gone... I'm fifty quid lighter and he can't actually fix it until Saturday. Still the water is back on - but no 'hot'. Now - will SWMBO mind if I nip round to the garage for an hour or so... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 1 hour ago, BIG X said: ...and he's gone... I'm fifty quid lighter and he can't actually fix it until Saturday. Still the water is back on - but no 'hot'. Now - will SWMBO mind if I nip round to the garage for an hour or so... well in your defense you DID get the leak fixed - so I say you've earned it! 😁 this is turning into an epic!!!! 👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Wow - that's looking rather good indeed. The attention to detail is excellent and it's very well thought through and looks "believable". A lot of dioramas I've seen just don't work due to variety of reasons but this one does. If you have space near to the bridge why not add an anti-aircraft gun to protect it from those pesky focke wulfs? Zvezda do a British Bofors which would work (although the crew are wearing the chest mounted gas masks which had long gone by 1944). Hope you get the leak sorted - I've some experience of those as I've got builders in next week to replace my kitchen floor due to the aftereffects of a leak we had 2 1/2 years ago. All the best Ben 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 2 hours ago, badger said: Wow - that's looking rather good indeed. The attention to detail is excellent and it's very well thought through and looks "believable". A lot of dioramas I've seen just don't work due to variety of reasons but this one does. If you have space near to the bridge why not add an anti-aircraft gun to protect it from those pesky focke wulfs? Zvezda do a British Bofors which would work (although the crew are wearing the chest mounted gas masks which had long gone by 1944). Hope you get the leak sorted - I've some experience of those as I've got builders in next week to replace my kitchen floor due to the aftereffects of a leak we had 2 1/2 years ago. All the best Ben HI Ben - it would be nice to do something for the 58th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment - but you know what I'd really like at some point - a searchlight... Now that could be spectacular. Thanks for the encouragement - it could still all go spectacularly 'tips up' though - I'm getting that sickly feeling that you get towards the end of a build - when you are scared witless at the thought of messing up all your work. We shall overcome as they say 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antb Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 7 hours ago, BIG X said: ...and he's gone... I'm fifty quid lighter and he can't actually fix it until Saturday. Still the water is back on - but no 'hot'. Now - will SWMBO mind if I nip round to the garage for an hour or so... Only 50 quid? You've done well there mate. Granted no hot water until Saturday but still... Seriously though, glad it's sort of sorted. Now, did you make it to the garage in one piece? 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 6 minutes ago, Antb said: Now, did you make it to the garage in one piece? Good question - is it too late for an update - 11pm - maybe not - give me about 15 minutes... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 12 hours ago, BIG X said: More news as it happens.... ☔ Sorry to here this Steve,we had the bedroom ceiling come down while we were on holiday a few year's back I had todrive back and sort it and plumber's like a few other tradesmen have you at their mercy these day's! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 OK - I know it's late - sorry about that - it's been a hell of a day. Whilst the water was off this morning I had another play with the clear styrene - taking the film off one piece - to judge the reflective properties - here are the results... ...well it looks like still canal water to me 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 I finally got past my 'writer's block' and 'populated' the left hand side with some 'groundworks'... We have a roadway on the left - the balsa is a 'field' - the towpath is on the right - there is a path running from the road to the towpath and the balsa frame at the top will be a 'grass verge' - to hold the church in place... ...everything is stuck in place with my legendary 'double sided tape' and if you are wondering how big it is... ...pretty massive - oh and very sticky too 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 So @Antb - if your still awake - I'm a bit late - but - welcome to my garage... Your not going to get a car in here - I have another one for that - but the 16ft bench down the left side comes in very handy. Oh - yes - I have a penchant for 'really useful boxes' - they're 'really useful' BTW - the clock needs a new battery - this was around 3pm... I decided to be 'neat' and removed the cutting mats and replaced them with some 3ft x 4ft tissue paper - I have a mountain of it - but that's another story. ..anyway - I placed the base on a really useful box - in case I wanted to move it around - see I told you they were really useful - and did some basic priming... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antb Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Wide awake. SWMBO has been away 2 days with work and I get to stay up and party. Well, work on projects after the kids are in bed 🤣 Agreed on the really useful boxes. Top bit of marketing with the old name. Anyway top work as usual mate. That perspex. Wowzers. The reflection is almost life like. 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 After the basic priming I had a play with some rattle cans - dark earth / olive drab... You can see here some of the joins in the balsa are showing up - but I'm going to a 'gritty layer'... the joins are pretty obvious... some - like the one at the bottom will actually need some extra filler. The joins in the canal wall have worked out well though - can you spot them.... The towpath looks OK too... The last job tonight was adding a 'grit' layer - I may have overdone it a 'tad'... I think this is my biggest failing on base work - I ALWAYS put too much of everything on - glue / scatter - anyway I'm going to let it dry overnight and brush off what I can in the morning. It looks like the 'tyre tracks' were a waste of time - I will have to try and reinstate them. Don't worry - too much - this grit will be getting a spray of dark earth. Enough of the excuses - hopefully we will do better tomorrow - thanks for stopping by - Steve 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 >> I ALWAYS put too much of everything on - glue / scatter I just read that as GLITTER for some reason and I thought what ARE you up to now.....🤣 I must say - a bit jealous of that garage........ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted August 1, 2018 Author Share Posted August 1, 2018 In the cold light of day I think it is safe to say I DEFINITELY over did the grit However- not to be defeated it was bac out to the garage for some really messy work. I got some really heavy duty sand paper out to try and get some of this off... Here is a 'before'... ...and 'after'... After some sieving I think I have enough in the dustpan for a new bag load... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 3 hours ago, Lawzer said: I just read that as GLITTER for some reason and I thought what ARE you up to now.....🤣 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antb Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Good save mate. I always start with a light dusting if a course grit and then "medium" stuff and finally finer. Putting it in patches gives a good texture and it's always good to leave some of the board showing through in places to allow for different levels etc. I'm running out of ways to say good job or top work! @Lawzer glitter? Is that to represent the stuff falling from the circus roof during a performance?? Touch of the greatest showman here me thinks. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted August 1, 2018 Author Share Posted August 1, 2018 With the sanding and brushing done I gave it all another coat of dark earth - to see if it wold look less of a mess... I'm not exactly convinced... This has been drying in the garage for about 4 hours - now - whilst we nipped out to Chiquito's for a spot of lunch - over 30 quid for a burger and some fajitas -I don't know about sombreros - they should be wearing masks like Dick Turpin - daylight flipping robbery I have found some very fine earth coloured 'dust' in my scenic stash. For whatever reason it weighs a ton. I think I will try and scatter some into the voids - SPARINGLY 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 For 30 quid you could have bought more additions for the diorama!! Granted it may have cost you a bottle of afternoon beverage...... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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