Simpatico, A Miniature Mansion for my daughter

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 8, 2010

jenny croft wrote:

Ah well I was toying with the idea of lighting my Amtank interior , now I know that it would have melted . This has all stops pulled out and you are motoring through it !

Jenny :kiss:

Hey Boss, don't give up on that yet. Grain of wheat and sub miniature grain of wheat bulbs have different voltages.

I want to "Really light up the mansion I am building", but.. if you want to do a tank interior, that is possible. Take a 12 volt grain of wheat bulb and use a 6 or even a 3 volt transformer on it. That way the heat will not overwhelm the styrene plastic. I have done that many times. It won't be bright, but bright enough to create enough light so it can both be seen and photographed!

Drop me an email if you have any questions!

Bob

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 8, 2010

Rudi Richardson wrote:

Hi Bob,

A quick couple of questions, and I apologise if you mentioned this in the above text but despite my searching the answer I've not found it.

1. What wood are you using for the gables? It looks like balsa to me.
2. And did you need to seal the wood prior to applying the Testors paints?

I'm just loving this SBS, I've gained so many tips from it already (Now if only I can find some benchtime to try them out :laugh: )

Rudi

Hey Rudi!,

I use both balsa and bass wood. You can seal the balsa, or let the paint seal it. It tends to fray whereas the basswood doesn't as badly. I use both, normally the open timber is somewhat rough, so, if use balsa, I give it a coat, then sand it when dry, but the truth is, I have always had to do the same with basswood. As long as balsa has a coat of something, it then only needs a light sanding and the fraying problem will cease to be a problem!

Does that make sense??

Bob

 

[Rudi Richardson]

Re:Something really different Update July 8, 2010

bob letterman wrote:

Does that make sense?

110%

I'm (slowly) working on project involving wood, and elected to use balsa. I tried scribing heavier grains (on one of the pieces) using a brass wire brush and noted the fraying you mentioned. I'll try sealing it with watered down white glue before trying another piece. I recall now that 'old school' RC plane modellers used to seal their balsa and tissue models with this mixture (I think it was called 'dope'?).

Thanks again Bob!

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 8, 2010

Rudi Richardson wrote:

bob letterman wrote:

Does that make sense?

110%

I'm (slowly) working on project involving wood, and elected to use balsa. I tried scribing heavier grains (on one of the pieces) using a brass wire brush and noted the fraying you mentioned. I'll try sealing it with watered down white glue before trying another piece. I recall now that 'old school' RC plane modellers used to seal their balsa and tissue models with this mixture (I think it was called 'dope'?).

Thanks again Bob!

Hey Rudi,

I have to admit I was doing this stuff before plastic kits were invented. Back then, everything was made of balsa. If you built an airplane it was balsa. A tank, they came in kits with a crude balsa body and a turret. The wheels were imprinted on the balsa sheets with blue ink and you had to cut them out, sand like hell and the rough shape of the body and turret also needed additional shaping and an unbelievable amount of sanding.

It always cracks me up when I hear modelers today complaining about something not being available! Yes, Dope is the proper term. It stinks to high heaven and was some really nasty stuff. I would think you can still buy it. My grandmother hated it as it would drift throughout the entire house! I remember clearly the first time I saw plastic kits. Looking back, they were crude, but to us, they were amazing! To the purists, they got the same reaction as resin figures did for the metal figure guys in the 80s. They thought it was a cheap passing fancy and any modeler worth his salt, wouldn't be caught dead with one. The first time I saw one was a couple of years after WW II. There was a hobby shop less than a block away from home and I tried my best to live there. I was about six or seven and no way can I remember the brand. The balsa tank kits were so expensive I couldn't afford one, but got to look at older kids after they bought them. Those preceded the old 1/48th Aurora kits. As soon as they arrived on the scene, the balsa companies disappeared!

My first plastic kit was a Mig-15. The scale had to be 1/48th, remembering the size. I had built dozens of balsa and paper planes, including a favorite which was a Spad. I had painted the camo and it had the colorful decals. I remember how proud I was of that thing. It was probably horrible! Somewhere I have a color, (wow!) photo of me in my Boy scout uniform sitting on the back steps of my grandmothers house with the stairs filled with those balsa planes.

Enjoy all the myriad products that are out there today! It's wonderful!

Bob

 

[Rudi Richardson]

Re:Something really different Update July 8, 2010

Hi Bob,

Firstly, apologies for taking your thread off-topic. :laugh:

I was fortunate to work in a LHS through high school and 'varsity which specialised in RC cars and aircraft (hence my vague memories of dope). Being the 90's in South Africa, it was probably the early days of the so called 'ready to fly' (RTF) kits, and the decline of the traditional balsa kit. I was shocked to walk into a store operated by a friend a few years after my exit from the industry and not see a single Carl Goldberg or similar kit: the store was filled to the brim with the RTF shake-'n-bake kits. Actually, my buddy found my horror hilarious. But coming back to dope and balsa models - you may be surprised, but I have built balsa and tissue (rubber powered) planes in my dark past hmy: :laugh:

Like you I think the complaints of modellers these days are a laugh. The ones that crack me up the most are the figure complaints (I suppose because it's the genre that interests me the most) - modellers not liking a OOTB pose (can nobody modify a figure these days?) or the fact that a kit is marketed as XYZ battle whereas they wanted ABC battle, but the figures are in fact quite generic and would suit a multitude of situations OOTB (and even more some with a bit of thought and a hobby knife) :laugh: :laugh: Apologies for the run-on sentence

Anywho, back to your gorgeous model for your ever gorgeous daughter, eh?

Rudi

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 8, 2010

Rudi, You know that I have only rarely used an out of the box figure, even in my very first dio. I paint figures on an assembly line process, but the most time involves posing and converting. Some of my dios have had 2-300 figures. IMO, every figure must "fit" the scene. The faces are always the most important part of a diorama and that includes the expressions on the faces. I have always believed that the composition, the relationship of the figures to each other and the story are far and away THE most important part of any diorama! I am very lucky because of VLS, I have literally thousands of figure parts, most of them returned products from customers, and that gives me a wide variety of conversion parts plus I have a large supply of Milliput!

Bob

 

[Rudi Richardson]

Re:Something really different Update July 8, 2010

bob letterman wrote:

Rudi, You know that I have only rarely used an out of the box figure, even in my very first dio. I paint figures on an assembly line process, but the most time involves posing and converting. Some of my dios have had 2-300 figures. IMO, every figure must "fit" the scene. The faces are always the most important part of a diorama and that includes the expressions on the faces. I have always believed that the composition, the relationship of the figures to each other and the story are far and away THE most important part of any diorama! I am very lucky because of VLS, I have literally thousands of figure parts, most of them returned products from customers, and that gives me a wide variety of conversion parts plus I have a large supply of Milliput!

Bob

And that's exactly why you're such an inspiration to me personally, Bob.

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

Thanks Rudi!

Well, I am ready to post some updates.I have made the basic gable cuts for the main, (center), gable. I have been installing window frames and timbered gables, and, in the process, creating the three major components.

The cuts on the roof will be covered when the matt board and roofing sheets are laminated.

I need to trim the lower part of the roof gable about a quarter inch! I am nearing the point of spending a few days adding Milliput stones on all the surfaces. Boring and tedious, but necessary!

After that, the matt board and the roofing material. Then all the gutters and downspouts.

Just recieved notification that the porch lights will be delivered Wednesday!

Till next time!

Bob

 

[Ken Abrams]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010



Really nice work, make sure you use ice and water shield on your valleys and along the eves...

wait, this isn't 1:1 scale!

Looking great, can't wait to see some lights!

 

[modelguru]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

I will be tracking this one like a fat kid on a cupcake.

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

Ken Abrams wrote:

Really nice work, make sure you use ice and water shield on your valleys and along the eves...

wait, this isn't 1:1 scale!

Looking great, can't wait to see some lights!

Hmmmmm, "ice and water shield on your valleys and along the eves..." Why do we have to have a construction guy on the website?

And........ Tomorrow, I was going to post an update to the big dio, an M-16 halftrack! I can't wait for that critique! :idonno :idonno :idonno

Oh well, it keeps us on our toes I suppose!

Thanks ken,

Bob

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

modelguru wrote:

I will be tracking this one like a fat kid on a cupcake.

Fat kid on a cupcake??????? :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Whatever modelguru,

I'll take all the following I can get!

Thanks,

Bob

 

[Ken Abrams]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

bob letterman wrote:

Why do we have to have a construction guy on the website?

Ha! :laugh:

No worries, I don't think we are going to have to worry about ice and water on your build Bob.



bob letterman wrote:

And........ Tomorrow, I was going to post an update to the big dio, an M-16 halftrack!

I have to wait until tomorrow? How do you expect me to get any sleep tonight?

:p

 

[Kreighshoer]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

it's slowly taking shape and looks way cool! you're the doyen of this hobby's masters!

 

[modelguru]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

Its a figure of speach..... politically incorrect.
When you are excited about something....... it is said "Im on it like a fat kid on a cupcake " meaning youre all over it.
I have been in heavy construction and long haul trucking all my life ...... so I have picked up some interesting sayings , most of which cant be repeated in polite company.

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

Ken Abrams wrote:

bob letterman wrote:

Why do we have to have a construction guy on the website?

Ha! :laugh:

No worries, I don't think we are going to have to worry about ice and water on your build Bob.



bob letterman wrote:

And........ Tomorrow, I was going to post an update to the big dio, an M-16 halftrack!

I have to wait until tomorrow? How do you expect me to get any sleep tonight?

:p

Ken,

If they were subject to ice and water, I'd have to find some new building materials! And... now that I know you are laying in ambush, I'll wait a couple of days! :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Bob

Kreighshoer wrote:

it's slowly taking shape and looks way cool! you're the doyen of this hobby's masters!

Damn Laura,

I had to google doyen! I've never heard that word in my entire life! Where did you find that?

Thanks, Bob :laugh: :laugh:

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

modelguru wrote:

Its a figure of speach..... politically incorrect.
When you are excited about something....... it is said "Im on it like a fat kid on a cupcake " meaning youre all over it.
I have been in heavy construction and long haul trucking all my life ...... so I have picked up some interesting sayings , most of which cant be repeated in polite company.

I was kidding! I knew what it meant. Just never heard that expression before! Construction huh? Well, I was in the army so I could probably tell you a few that you haven't heard myself! :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Anyway, I appreciated your blog. Thanks!

Bob

 

[modelguru]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

I might have too try you on that sometime ........I was a little worried that i had offended you , most of the time I have all the tact of a howitzer.....and usually the mind set of an abrams ..... well thats what my wife tells me .
She calls it aircraft carrier diplomacy ........ because I dont hesitate to put a carrier off of someones coast .....so to speak.

 

[bob letterman]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

No offense at all Modelguru,

As with you, I sometimes post something that comes off differently than I intended. It's probably that damned Alzheimers acting up again! :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

My only shock was that I had never heard that phrase!! Good one!

Maybe we will have that contest sometime, I'll bring the beer! :S

Bob

 

[modelguru]

Re:Something really different Update July 13, 2010

Ok then you bring the beer , but it to be either fosters or hobgoblin on second thought make it john courage dark and i will bring the yard glasses.