olsbooks

A couple more just about done. Clothing and all on fuel island is scratchbuilt. Shoes were a royal pain. Made of copper sheeting. Yeah, yeah, the boy has big feet. Batteries for lights are under fuel pump.

Thank you for the kind words..

A few creations nearing completion.

Well done! Stick with it. Taking a different twist and going back to our writing and books, this resulted as potential cover art for book 4 in my series which centers around a truck driver. All items in the pix are from the "great gatsby scene"

Thank you. The whole great gatsby scene has nothing to do with my writings and is only a test. The building and holt tractor do however. My writings are a mixture of ayn rand and mark twain with a little cs lewis thrown in. The idea of creating a combination novel/coloring book for adults has been bouncing around lately with audiobook. Videos were tried but run into too much legal hoopla and drama. I'll look into create space and your works. Give the tiny stuff a try. Until this, anything less than 1/16 didn't seem doable anymore for me. I rarely use a magnifying glass, shake like a leaf, and don't measure worth a BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH. Peace

Testing the waters. Stained glass has potential with this method though thick. Also, this is my first attempt at building furniture. 1/87 is rough on the eyes and hands, that's for sure. Not perfect by any means. Amateurish and crude but both seem to be headed in the right direction and wanted to share my elation. As stated in the classic movie, bride of frankenstein, "it is alive!". As a writer, the goal of creating illustrations for my books holds promise. So, hop behind the wheel of your peterbilt and pay a visit to fixx motors in mospan, south dakota. Behind the desk sits warner fixx. Now 80, he has a lifetime of stories to tell selling the first crawler tractors in 1912, then home light plants, then specializing in massive highway snow plow construction and repair. It is the late 1960's. Welcome to the world of Mac Fixx. Btw, the picture of the gentleman is a cut and paste into a shot taken through the office door. Being so clos e up like that, 001 off or a gap on anything sticks out like a soar thumb. This bit of photo magic converting it to a sketch evaded that issue pretty well as I want people looking at him...not so much the gaps in the trim, crooked windows, or crappy paint job. Peace.

Thanks. Stay tuned. Peace.

Question for you (and landman). How do you create your signs and paintings? Do you use a laser printer and photo stock paper, make decals, or ???? Perhaps your technique might work for the for stained glass on the Robt. E. Lee if I slop over it with clear coat. Peace.

Brains over bucks! I admire the re purposing and resourcefulness greatly. You remind me of Mcguiver but actually make stuff that I can believe. No temptation to eye roll or call bs...just wows and applause. Peace

That looks great. The b&w photos are stellar...but admit bias. Peace.

Great job. Very resourceful, clever, and original. Keep it up. Peace

Progress update on the boat. The lower 3 decks are basically complete less cargo and what not. The upper most deck is receiving considerable attention as it will be scrutinized most. There are no railings in the kit and the steps supplied, well, stink. Fabrication has begun and you will see my cheap method for spacing the the uprights. Window screen. Things are just set in place at this point to figure out where to go next. Question. I want replicate simple stained glass in the little windows currently painted green. Suggestions on how? The search for a model to go between the peterbilt and the building has been found. It will be built as a civilian version and undergo some modifications. A car or biplane may yet appear but this model looked very interesting and has other uses down the line. Peace

That chrome/run issue is horrible. At least it is in capable hands to fix. I've considered building a Marmon using the ih 4300 or paystar cab since it seems closer to the real thing . Fyi There was a Marmon owners association at one time. Aths.org may have a lead or link but I haven't checked. Rare birds anymore with a cult like following it seems. Neat little operation with a very interesting history.

Great job. Check out boulder creek railroad for some excellent scenery tutorials that aren't all hype or ads. Most of it isn't railroading. Peace

Outstanding!

Never considered yacht varnish. Hmmm. I tried using gloss paint (I use mostly acrylics) and Molotowe didn't want to play nice with it. This will be revisited with lacquer or enamel in the future. Well, we gotta go for perfection on a Rolls....that's for sure. I always dreamed of working there or at Bentley but is one of those things they and I are probably better off having never happened. The chrome tape is actually "DUCK" brand. While not knowing what is available on your side of the pond, maybe this will help. Autoparts stores also have similar products though what I have found so far is a bit thick. https://www.duckbrand.com/products/craft-decor Peace.

This simply a fantastic project. The ideas and inspiration you are providing are fantastic. Thank you. Unrelated, but as I push forward on the Great Gatsby project, how would you suggest posting pix as I am already bumping against space limits. Peace

Let me try this post again as the website or something crashed earlier. Update 5 The Peterbilt and “Mary Elizabeth” The truck is a box build Revell “snap” 1/25 scale kit available for many years. This kit (along with their Kenworth W900) are personal favorites for the price, quality, and potential. The major “add ons/changes” are the air cleaners, exterior visor (made from scrap plastic) and white walls made of thin plastic. A great deal of time went into the headlamps and headlamp buckets. They are one piece solid chrome affairs molded as part of the grille with a single “snap” in headlamp lens for each bucket in the kit. I stripped and cut apart everything then reassembled in attempt to improve realism. Time wise, there is as much in these as anything on the kit. Much to my disgust, the pix reveal that despite my best efforts, the drivers side lamp has a bit of a list. The front bumper was stripped and redone with chrome duct tape with BMF on the sides. I'm pleased with the results and will continue this practice where possible in the future. Anyone tempted to try this chrome tape, it only works on a perfectly flat surface. Also, you get only “one shot” per piece of tape. If not perfect the first time, peel it off, clean the surface and start over. Cutting out the tow hook slots and fog lamps was no pleasure even with a brand new exacto blade and resulted in a few more “re-do's” before getting it right. Other than the grille, front wheels, and roof top items, all other chrome was redone/added using a Molotowe chrome pen. The quality in the kit supplied chrome parts left much to be desired on most pieces. Having no success with Alclad or BMF on large or complex surfaces despite dozens of attempts over the years, Molotowe chrome works well for fools like myself. It takes a little practice to get the hang of, but by the second or third try, its tendencies and flow become predictable with good results without the fuss and frustration. The surface should be bare plastic, perfectly clean, and allowed 24 hours to dry before handling. Be aware this stuff is a dust magnet during the application process and in early stages of drying. Should dust make its way in, brake fluid removes it easily for a “re-do”. A few details were added under the hood made of wire, though minimal. The dual Vortox air cleaners (made from wind chime pipe and fuel strainer screen) were surprisingly easy to conjure up. For those considering making large air cleaners like these for this or the Kenworth kits, be mindful of the hood tilting. Honestly, I got lucky. If the air cleaners were located 0.001 more forward or lower on the cab, the hood wouldn't clear. Ductwork to them and associated underhood piping is made from flexible drinking straws. The cab/sleeper is designed for easy removal for cleaning and potential addition of interior lighting. The air cleaners and stacks are glued to the cab with connector pipes “straws” slid into place. The tanks and battery boxes are so called “chrome” spray paint. Tank straps (along with air cleaner straps) are made of the same chrome tape used on the bumper. Primary paint is enamel: Testors spray can lime green and Krylon forest green. Stripes are Microscale HO scale 1” gold stripes. There is no clear coat. My attempts at clears usually do more harm than good. Once the paint dried for many days, cheap liquid car polish and polishing out with a microfiber cloth and Q tips followed. Minor orange peel remains but I can stomach that easier than blowing a finished paint job with a botched clear coat attempt. Trying to achieve “showroom” paint jobs like this has never been a priority as weathering or lower gloss are my norm. The instrument cluster is detailed using the same techniques as the wood decking on the Robert E Lee on the dash board. Actually this was the training grounds for that process. Ditto the “mahogany” steering wheel. Gauge rims, switches, and levers were touched with Molotowe chrome. Gauge faces are black and scraped with an exacto blade to call out the numbers and needles in white. Overall, the interior is painted in Krylon semi gloss black which has a respectable vinyl/leather like finish. While unable to get a decent picture of it, the sleeper is detailed (somewhat) using a chunk of a paper towel soaked in mixture of water and white glue then placed over the “mattress” to represent a blanket. The colors and pattern in the paper towel remain detectable. With the naked eye, one can almost catch a glimpse of it. As stated, lighting on the inside would help and might happen at some point. Other details that help (in my opinion) includes adding of the additional mirror brackets (made from the molded in CB antenna's that come on the mirrors) and painting inside the horn bells black then swishing around a clean Q tip to remove the excess. Glazing is made from a food container lid...a Wendy's salad container. The kit comes with a horribly thick windshield with incorrect placement of the wipers molded in. Amber lights are painted with a blend of Valejo yellow with a touch of red then gloss varnish. The lady in the picture, let's call her Mary Elizabeth in keeping with the setting, is from the Peterbilt ad somewhat being replicated. The picture was cropped using Microsoft Paint in several “slices” then pasted into the model truck picture using Open Office's drawing program. Once done, the picture was saved as a PDF then converted to a B&W JPG. This is all open source/free software and quite simple to use The idea behind using the slicing method was to minimize “digital painting/touchup” of the truck model. Being a first attempt, there is much room for improvement but for an experiment, it passes. By the time the rest of the models are complete and entire scene set up, a bit of precision and proficiency will hopefully develop and fewer pixels needing “repair”. If you look close, you will see an abundance of “touch ups” to the truck though B&W minimizes and this picture is not meant to be examined with a microscope. The search for scale model people continued to come up short leading to this approach. To me, the characters I'm searching for and realism aren't available without a big budget and painting skills of a master artist. Lacking both, “photo-shopped/cut and paste” people via this technique will likely be the practice going forward. Ultimately, the goal of creating illustrations for my books and cover art now seams possible without shelling out big bucks, compromising, or dealing with anyone else's BS other than my own...for which there is a sufficient amount already. Work on the boat and buildings continues with some interesting discoveries. More on these in the next post. Peace

Outstanding my friend. Nice touch with the little story line to which a personal tidbit is shared. As a fiction writer, this is where i'm headed wanting to recreate scenes from my books. Videos and what not created lacked that special "something". The technology, lack of hard 3 dimension (versus computer generated), and so forth squelched the heart, mind, and intent. It all came down to theatrics, volume, and flash. Just my opinion of course and not intended to annoy or take a cheap shot at those who create and enjoy that kind of stuff. With a creation like you have, I find it very easy to immerse myself into the scene watching it unfold and/or being an active participant. Essentially, your creation kicks in and requires a form of thinking and imagination seldom called upon . All the senses are engaged without sensationalism. It's a throwback to what they attempted on the introduction of the tv show, mr. Rogers neighborhood. You have pulled it off to the level adults can "go there" if they so choose. Alternate reality or safe escape it can be. Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work. You have set a high bar but proven it possible. Peace

Just found this thread and am jumping up and down with joy. Re purposing provides such a rewarding sense compared to pulling out the wallet. Brains over bucks I say. A really good one recently discovered is for mica samples from Lowes or home depot. In building a diorama, I wanted nice looking wood floors in a 1/87 building. Also, flexible drinking straws make great air intake ducting going to air cleaner housings. I use it extensively on 1/25 semi trucks. Peace

Thank you. I'm hooked on valejo paints. windshield washer fluid is an excellent and cheap thinner. The boat is now undergoing trimming out with 0.020 rod and half round plastic at major seams that still have gaps. It was part of the reason for the satin white finish. It matches raw evergreen plastic. It helps considerably in my opinion yet doesn't detract. Back on the valejo paints, I use enamels for the primary color then valejo for trim and details. If I screw up, it comes off with a gentle scrape or q tip soaked in washer fluid without damaging the enamel. It also airbrushes well with no mess. I will post some tricks and more pix on the peterbilt in coming days. Peace

Thank you Henry. I shot you a reply on the air cleaners but if you didn't get it, they are made from wind chime pipe and fuel strainer screen. Been on a roll for the past few days. Get while the getting is good so the saying goes. It's a long one and may be it for a while once the crash comes. Update 4 Lighting Not saying my way is “right” or “the best” so keep that in mind. Cheap, use the brain instead of the keyboard and simple (to me) are first priorities. Maybe some of you might find this silly or ??? while others might pick up some ideas. To the later, I will attempt to do better explaining how I come up with and assemble things. Lighting is one of those things that can hit a wallet hard so as mentioned in an earlier post, wait until after Christmas and load up on battery powered LED and incandescent of lights from the dollar store. Boat: For the Robert E Lee, you will see the LED string wrapping the lamps in masking tape and installing several light barriers and a few above deck yet to be wrapped. The results seem to be working out well. The battery compartment was installed in the hull so the batteries can be easily changed. The on off switch is use of a microswitch. On and off is accomplished by moving the “bar” made out of strip of metal. It acts as a lever to depress the switch finger. With this arrangement, another lever can be applied to extend outside” the diorama instead of having to reach in and under the boat. The boat will still be removable once installed, however other than for an occasional battery change or a good cleaning, wont be often. For glazing on the boat (none in kit), I slopped in cheap Elmers clear school glue. (not the more common white variety) It does a great job for small windows for only $1 for a bottle. I now use it to hold all windshields and glass though it has minimal holding abilities on styrene. For those interested in trying one of these Lindberg Robt E Lee kits, (advertised as 1/160 scale though I say its larger) I find it a nice kit with this my second. The first one built was done step by step by the instructions. Results were fair. This time, as Frank Sinatra sang, I did it my way. The railings and large pieces around the stern and paddlewheels will lead to alcoholism, blasphemy, or fits of rage if you want to really get things snugged up and square. It is being built as “modules” starting from the stern and working forward. There is zero forgiveness once you get into rear third of this kit or with the railings. This alternative assembly method still leaves gaps and flaws but is coming out much better. For the price ($25 at Ollies), I wont complain. Other than the white, all is brush painted. “Upper decks” in the kit lack planking so I scribed them in using a the backside of an exacto blade and steel ruler. The wood color is achieved with Valego desert tan, German black/brown, and red leather. Dipping the brush in all three colors, I them “mix” the colors as I paint. The “royal staircase” has less desert yellow and is slopped over with Valejo clear varnish to represent a varnished mahogany. If I can figure out a way to place a red carpet on these steps that will lay down flat, square, and look right, that's on the list. Building: Building lighting is an experiment based on a combination of DC lighting systems and railroad telegraph systems utilized a hundred plus years ago along with the old machine shop line shaft. These incandescent bulbs are from another battery powered string of lights I hacked into years ago and had some bulbs remaining. Carefully cutting off wire and “boot”, I soldered on copper wire fingers. Brass “beams” are powered and the bulbs will rest on top/hang from them. I planned on having cross beams/rafters in the building anyway for strength and this idea hit. The exact placement of the beams is yet to be determined but the ability to move the lights around, add, or remove them will be easy. Like the boat, 3V is the power source. (the bulbs are rated for 6). The lamp reflectors are a good example of my cheap nature. Flat washers, a drinking straw, and white glue. Once dry, a little sanding, clean up, and paint should produce something decent. The bottom of the reflectors will be painted with a Molotowe chrome pen to maximize reflection from the bulb and with the weight of the washers, should suffice to ensure good electrical contact. The building itself is a 1/87 Walthers model RR kit. It is an excellent kit with no interior. I constructed a “inside” wall system so the kit drops over it during the early stages of construction. The interior is all Evergreen styrene with the exception of the flooring in the front. That wood floor is Formica samples obtained from Lowes or Home Depot years ago. Interior doors are under construction built from styrene and all the odds and ends to finish the interior will be fabricated from styrene, balsa, or paper in coming months. Weathering the shop floor remains a challenge. It is easier said than done for me and want to figure a good, simple way of doing so that is realistic. My attempts over the years are “so so” at best and find most of those that attempt it are seldom pleased with the results unless a master artist with excellent airbrushing skills and scores of colors of paints at the ready. That, I am not but want to find an alternate route up this mountain. The fuel container came in this kit with the hose a piece of wire and the “nozzle” made from an unused gun the 1/43 army truck kit. Decals are from those supplied with the Peterbilt normally seen in the pix. Sorry the pix are out of order. I'm sure space will be an issue soon enough if posts this size continue and need to identify a solution. Peace

Maybe duct tape.. Those things you have would work as welders. Hmmmm. Now that could make an interesting activity inside a shop. Just have a blue led flickering. Well, perhaps someone else can chase that one. Fyi A great source of tiny lamps and led's has been found at the dollar stores after Christmas. Battery holder, switch and a dozen or so lights for a buck. I'm toying with my last string acquired last year with a pantograph/track/bus type arrangement. If it works, I should be able to simply drop on and move the lamps as desired for effect. Essentially the roof cross beams in the building will be energized with 3vdc. Pix in a few days. Peace

Thank you for the kind comments. 2 quick things.. 1) to soften and warm the blue/laser like LED's, I wrapped them about a half dozen times with regular masking tape..and then a few times more. It did the trick. I'm too much of a tightwad/make use of what is laying around kind of guy. That's part of the discovery process in this thing. 2) Hopefully I can pick up a big chunk of 2" thick foam board (like used in house construction) soon. Ol' Robt. E. Lee can then get out of drydock. The foam will become the base. Being the cheap psychopath I am, the idea of buying one of those "hot wires" to cut and shape is absolutely out of the question. I'll do the best I can with a butcher knife and razor blades then have a good time with spray carburetor cleaner. It doesn't take much and presto...instant "rough terrain" with crevices, rocks, and all that in seconds. No mess, molds, and cheap. Another inspiration for this project comes from a quote by my hero, Dr. Seuss. Something to the effect of "sometimes it does people good to look through the wrong end of a telescope" and of course the famous line by the Wizard of Oz. "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain". Peace.

A little tinkering around and update. There are no intentions to use the army truck however it is 1/43 scale and was laying around so it has been dropped in to help in spacing. Model wise, the Peterbilt is done. The building is undergoing a full detail job inside and will be lit. The Robert E Lee is progressing with heavy rework as well. The LED lighting wasn't satisfactory among other things. More on a long list of refinements to it soon. All detailing will be scratchbuilt from from Evergreen plastic, balsa, or paper...no 3D printing or pre-made items other than the basic kit. This is to be pure "old school" as I use this as a method to tap the brain instead of the keyboard. There is no intent to slam those who embrace the newer technology. It's great stuff. I'm just killing time choosing to live like a neanderthal while doing so. A "cheat" view is also attached to see the truth behind the scenes. The tabletop is 42"x42" with about 36"x36" utilized. Peace