communications station, set-piece for upcoming dio
 

Snake Eyes peers out the door, weapon drawn, ready for action...as the "man of action" just looks out the window.


An overview, to give you an idea of the size here.


Removable roof, a shot of the inside, thus far...


Duke and Snake Eyes "discussing" where this project is heading... Duke now knows that discussing this with a mute is not the easiest way of going out this, and thinks it should be thrown out to JoeDios for some input.


Duke is checking JoeDios every so often, seeing if anybody has any suggestions on where this Communications Station should be located (arctic, foresty, jungle, etc), what kind of building materials (brick, metal siding, etc.), awesome additions that will really knock this set out of the park, etc...


A look at the desk set-up from the inside...I'm thinking it will be a wooden desk. It has 3 flat-screen monitors that will have cool computer screens on it soon.


So that's where I'm at thus far. I'd like to personally thank fifthconspiracy for the inspiration and "how-to" here...he really got me rolling on this. The roof is removable, and the back wall will be also. I'm going to build an antennae set-up for the roof, complete with radar/satellite dishes and arrays. There is going to be a perimeter fence set up surrounding the outside. Please, suggestions are extremely welcome!!

Wow!
 

This is a fantabulous start to your diorama!

Mods - consider moving this to the How-To section of the forum, this dude's modest. Too modest.

Back to the diorama showcase! ~ Very nice setup, you're going bawls-deep here, it's large! Which will be cool for photo-taking once you're done. If you're going wood for the exterior, I would not use popsicle sticks... your building is too large for popsicle sticks and you'll have problems making them "appear" straight. I would go and get manufactured wood slats for the exterior; I've seen some at Michaels here in my hometown.

Make sure you frame around all the shapes ~ windows, doors etc... as you apply your exterior think about how you will slap on window frames, door frames etc... so you have enough room. For those awesome window holes, I'd go with a 4-section glass-look, splitting the window into 4 places. And maybe window-shutters? Who knows!

For the roof, I like that flat roof, fits the building, especially a communications building. I would make sure there's at least a 1"-2" ledge around the top, such that joes don't fall off ;-) - and it would look more realistic I think. Then you can apply tar-paper as the roofing material which would look sick.

Love the desk idea - that's cool. I laughed when I saw that - looks like my setup at work! Duke should've went widescreen tho ;-)

Wicked start, I'm glad you're showing as you go. My son and I are looking to learn from what you're doing here!

Bed Bath and Beyond my Friend, I don't know if we'll have time!....

Cheers! ~ Paul.

Oh sure, S13. Don't put this in the HOW-TO or anything. :p

Ha, well, G, I just didn't think it really belonged with fifth's, yours, Frank's, etc. But, if you guys think so...it can be moved, that's fine. I'll try and take more pics as I'm going.

Fifth, first of all, I think you and I are more on the same level than I originally thought, because if you're quoting "Old School" to me, than you my boy, Blue! Secondly, thank you for your advice and tips. I will definitely be hitting up Michaels this week (hopefully tomorrow) to see about the manufactured wood slats (and some stain). Also, I intend on making a ledge, so thank you for the reminder and the tar paper would definitely give it that real-world appearance that I'm like to strive for, so great idea! I'm trying to figure out the size/shape/etc. of the antennae/satellite arrays that I will be putting on there. Also, I'm going to make another roof, this one just a plain sheet of cardboard, with several holes cut in it where the light will come through (utilizing tissue to dissolve it somewhat) for taking photos inside the station. As for door/window frames, I am going to be doing those for sure. I like the 4-plane glass idea (and I already have LOTS of clear plastic to use for the "glass", thanks to the mutliple Legions packs I bought). I'm going to focus on finishing up the outside this week, and then moving on to the inside next week. This is a pretty big project now that I'm really thinking about things, but I'm already planning my next set and designing it, so this is going to be fun!

This is magnificent. Please put it in the how-to's. When my boys get older, I would like to find this again and try some things out.

This is something that could actually be saved, used, and played with.

Well done!

(And bonus points for using a Hasbro Toy Shop box... ;))

ok then!
 

Well, then,... how about you shut your mouth and get back to building this wicked diorama? ;-) Less talk more action! Personally, I'm at work and you are distracting me with your thoughts of diorama grandeur! Geez!

I petition for this thread to be moved into the HOW-TO section where it so rightfully belongs. If Seph can pull off what he's described, this will be a dio for the ages my friends.... for the ages. I can't wait to see this come to fruition. I'm already addicted to it... you had me at "Snake Eyes..."

Seriously tho- your pics and ideas sound wicked and doable. So let's keep it coming. I'd love to hear your ideas/conception for the radio tower...

I just sent my wife on a shopping spree at a local hobby store for some ground flocking... so that tonight after dinner my son and I can get busssaaay...

Rock on! Let's see if we can get some more folks on this board to comment, make suggestions as we go. There's some talented people on here.

In the words of Peter Griffin, "let's unscrew the legs, take the cushions off... it's easier than we're making it!"...

Cheers! ~ Paul.

Here's where we were at when last we saw the Communications Station:


Duke decided we're making ledges/walls for the roof so his troops don't fall off. As you can see, he's cut up some 1.5" high pieces, using an X-acto, a 24" straight-edge, and a "cutting board" courtesy of Red Baron pizza (yummers).


After taping over all of the edges of the ledges (rhymey), we've temporarily secured them to the roof.


Hmm...judging from the noise on the roof, either Cobra is dropping in unexpectedly, or Flint decided to get fresh with Lady Jaye...unsuccessfully. As you can see, there are some gaps and off measurements on my part.


Flint and Duke discuss the finer points of romance while Snake Eyes wonders just who this "Red" is that Duke keeps using as his example... Anyway, I've gone ahead and lined up the roof with the building and temporarily secured them together to get a better idea of what the final product is going to look like. Keep in mind that both the roof and a cut-out section of the backwall is going to be removable to better enable pics from the inside.


I get a "WTF" from Flint because of the front ledge sticking out from the building. I think it works to my advantage, though and looks pretty good. Whatever, Flint!


YorkTown, thanks so much for your kind words. I'll try and make this as "How-To"-y as possible. I am having a blast doing it, so I think you and your boys will too. My goal is to make something that is a lot of fun to play with, but also looks cool in a dio as well (unlike most toy playsets).

I've decided to go with a foresty setting, as I'll be able to use this playset more often in the future and in different ways (maybe a 'Nok hideout, or a Cobra base, etc). Maybe more later...it's nap time now (I work third shift for a teleradiology company in Cleveland, OH). Keep the comments, suggestions, etc. coming, please. I can only get better, thanks to you guys, and that's the idea here!

Blue Harvest, nice. The couch bit was my favorite part of that, haha.

Oh, I've got an idea or two about the radio tower...I think that's actually what I'm going to work on tomorrow, as I've already got most of the pieces for it. Now that I think about it, it's going to be pretty cool. It, also, will be removable from the roof. I want to be as modular as possible here.

Also, expect to receive a drawing of what I have in mind for my next project in the next couple of days (I'm a fan of reciprocity, and you sent me a kick-ass drawing already, so...). I think you'll REALLY like it.

Sephron, please go in and re-submit the photos.....

When threads with pictures embedded are tranfered to another forum, you have to re-insert them......


And don't NOT put something this good in the 'How-To' section again!!!

That's an order!!! ;) :cool: :D

Ok, I couldn't sleep today. Great! I have too many ideas running through my head. I decided to start the tower/antenna array. I even painted!!

Here, Duke has cut some balsa wood and popsickle sticks for us to use. I decided to go 16" high, 2"SQ.


Snake Eyes pitches in and we paint the pieces up. I found some old (really old) Apple Barrel Crimson paint and used that. It's just a tad chunky in spots, but seeing as how this is a metal tower that's constantly exposed to the elements, the paint would look weird in spots, bubbling in the heat, fading here and there, etc. That's my excuse anyway.



I super-glued it together, and voila, the frame for my tower is up! Here's a far-away view.


And here's a closer look, as Duke wonders when the hell Skot is going to sleep.


Flint, man, give it a rest!!


I'm feeling pretty darn tired now, so perhaps now I can lay down for a few hours. I don't know, though...these ideas just keep racing through my head! Tomorrow, I shall finish up the tower, and start on the various dishes and whatnot that shall adorn it. I am quite pleased with the results so far.