1/25 truck shop & diorama

[Southgate]

I know it says 1/16, but bear with me, I think I have something to share just the same. The techniques would work as well in larger scales.

Here's an overall view of the diorama.


It's built on a hollow core door. The back drop is masonite, and I hand painted the rather simple trees. The building is also masonite, with balsa doll house siding on the exterior.

I took it to a show in Portland OR a few years ago. Lotsa fun!


It is never set up permanently one way or another, but is always kind of in change, as I rotate various WIPs through it for kicks. Here's a Paystar getting set up.


A trailer recieving some repairs. The welder really flashes.


A look around the side yard


Working wall fan.


More pictures if anyone's interested. Dan

[Juganought]

Really 1:14 would even be better

[9W Monighan]

I like it. Need to add some dirt to the walls and shelves. Put some grease stains on the floor. I like the little details through out the shop. What's the crank out of? Yes more photos please!

[Dreamweaver]

Nice looking scene. Great details...:

~Mike~

[SonoranWraith]

Nice work. I like the working details.

[Southgate]

Thanks for the replies. The floor does have more stains than do show up in these pictures. The walls could use some too, but there are a few.

I like working features, and being able to access the interior easily. The roof is removable.


Here's how the wall fan really works: I made a little fan from styrene...


Mounted it on a motor from an old personal casette player like a walkman...


Built a scale looking motor and mounting frame


put some screen in behind the fan to hide the motor


Mount it in the wall, with the real motor sticking out the back. I don't have a picture of it from behind.


It's a 4.5 volt motor. I run it on 1.5 volts to give it a realistic speed. In the picture it looks like a blur, but you can see which way it's rotating when looking at it in person.

[9W Monighan]

I was going to ask about the fan. I noticed that it did look like it's running.

[holland trucker erik]

Hello,
The workshop looks great.
Did you build everything self.
That working fan is a super idee.

Erik

[Snowman]

I swear I did a double take at the inside shots, I thought that was the inside of a real workshop! The little details really make it, nice work.

I am inspired to make my shop for my trucks, I will need a lllllottttt of room though.

[Southgate]

A lot of the stuff is scratchbuilt, including the air compressor, drill press against the wall by the fan, some of the shelves, jack stands, oil dispenser, hoist, work table. Other stuff was used from kits like the hand tools, tool chests drill press by the side door. and of course, lots of parts are from kits too, some modified to look a little more real. Dan

[hash]

really nice work..

[grumpygrady]

a lot of great ideas
you should think about making some of the tools and other things in 1/14 scale or as close as 7/8" to 1 foot is 1/13.7 i think lol
or even in 1/16 scale which is 3/4" to a foot i think somebody can correct me
how about showing how you did the welder

[egronvold]

Excellent work! All the details make it look very realistic.

[TheMachinist]

I love the detail. The guy welding is great and the lighting really does the scene justice! By the look of the Arc he's using 7018 rod

[Southgate]

[QUOTE=grumpygrady;...how about showing how you did the welder[/QUOTE]

OOPS! Untill all this time later, I didn't reqalize there were more posts and a question.

The welder is neanderthal technology, but it is extremely reliable and consistent. A battery powered hankscraft motor rotated a wood disk with a copper contact plate attached to it, The plate has notches cut out of it at random widths and spacing.




The pogo pin (little spring loaded plunger) brings `12 volt power from a transformer on to the plate. The 2 wipers pick it up. One wiper goes to one light bulb. the other goes to 2. That way the intensity of the flash varies, anywhere from none, one, 2 or 3 bulbs flashing at rapid random appearing intervals.


This is always hidden behind the subject being welded on for obvious reasons.


An AM radio tuned to no station is placed next to this mechanism and picks up static from it, resulting in a nice zapping welding sound. All this stuff is in the diorama's control box, and is connected to the dio by wires about 2-3 feet long. The speaker is removed from the radio and placed in the bathroom of the dio, with the door sligfhtly open, so the noise comes from in the shop.



Control box. Contains the welder unit, light circuits, fan circuit, and an FM radio that is also piped into the "bathroom" so the sound is in the shop. I don't have a picture of it open showing everything inside at once.


Radios


Attaches to the bottom of the shop floor thru a DIP connector (custom made computer plug, parts avail at radio shack)


Sorry I was so late in replying to this question. I recon there are better hi tech ways to accomplish this effect, but this was easy for me to build 13 years ago, and it has been reliable. It sure goes over well at shows! Dan

[dabears]

Hmmm looks like you should build one for these trucks to bring to shows lol... Loss great love the simple ways you did it. They now sell a "Welding" set for train layouts. Basically a mini strobe light.

[speedy8305]

I think thats cool keep up the good work

[RCP57]

That is amazing! Can you come over and detail my real shop?