Alley project WIP (Some pics of the finished box dio)

Thanks Jim Buddho and Indy. When I get praise from respected peers it means a lot. .

I am working on the logistics of getting a mirror in place and deciding which is better, a glass mirror or the "first surface" mirrors that oldhooker uses for his airliner in flight dios. I'm going to just have to try both and see what works. I also have to order some 1/700 scale PE steps to use as louvers for the room heater.

I want to get the two sides and bottom of the box together in the next week (the lid will have to be constructed by a cabinet maker, its beyond me to do neat woodwork). And then a visit to a fabric store for some "carpet" and "curtains". Finally its all falling together.

I'll post more updates as I make progress.

Incredible workmanship Vespa !

OUTSTANDING work. I was just looking at a couple of the pics and my wife (working on her computer next to me) said "Why are you looking at photos of old buildings?" When I told her what it was, she was amazed.

Jim

Great to se you back with an update of this. It's a stunner, by all accounts. I'd say no one does what you do, better than you. It's a  wonder everytime I look in. I have the feeling this is going to really need to be viewed in person when finished.though..I'm sure you'll post plenty of shots "through the looking glass"?

I've now finished the construction of the alley walls. There is still some paint and weathering to do. This update has the drain pipes completed on the RHS and LHS  and cable TV added, and a loose cable on the small side wall. I'll soon be able to screw the box sides together. I am now working on the front wall which is a hotel window which looks over the alley. The main components are in place and I'll have the rest of it done in a short time. As always any comments are welcome. Thanks for looking.

overall view

Detail showing the cable

The drains on the RHS painted and all glued together

Side wall with loose cable added

Hotel room being planned. You'll look through this window to see the alley. A room with a view.

Jim I have not thought of that Led Zeppelin album since high school. You are bang on. Thank you.

vespa boy wrote:

There is only one more tricky part left, which is joining the horizontal pipes on the right to a down-pipe...measure twice...and measure again before cutting, and then file carefully.

Makes me think of that old joke: "I've cut it three times and it's still too short!"

Beautiful work! Now all you need in the windows is pictures of a bare-chested Robert Plant, an astronaut on the moon and an oversized cat's head and you've got a 3D replication of the Physical Graffiti album cover!

Thanks guys. I appreicate your feedback. I still have a way to go on this one, but I'll keep on plodding until I reach the end!

 Manny: Rather than start another thread, anyone who is interested can use this link http://public.fotki.com/nkhandekar  to look at photos of my builds.

The finest work I've seen from you so far, and the very first thing I saw from you in here made my jaw drop...masterful...Speaking of your work, how about a post with a pic or two of all of the work you have posted in here over the past couple of years for those that may be newbies and haven't had a chance to see...???

Wow I think I have seen that view before!  Very very well done and something to feel very proud of!

Like I have said before....fantastic work. Looking at the pictures, I fell like I am back in Brooklyn. Museum quality!!!

Rounds Complete!!

Thanks PWB. Much appreciated.

 I was worried that I had bitten off more than I could chew on this project, but I made it through. Its been a year on this one so far, but I want to get it done by Christmas so that I can get going on some new ideas.

Last night I installed the last little ladder, and started touching up the brass with a brush.

There is only one more tricky part left, which is joining the horizontal pipes on the right to a down-pipe...measure twice...and measure again before cutting, and then file carefully.

Mic: High praise indeed. Showing it to your girlfriend!!

I had a great day at the bench yesterday. After 7 hours (I work very slowly)  I had the ladders and platforms fully installed on the wall and only one plier slipping disaster. I need to touch up some spots, but the biggest hump on this project is over. Some quick snaps

This is simply immaculate modeling, Vespa. I was showing this thread off to my girlfriend last night, and she was speechless, except for the "Oh My God"s and "Holy *&^%"s that escaped after every few images. So, 4 thumbs up.

Steve

Thanks for your comments Subfixer and Agentg.

Sub: Thanks for the tip about the oxidizing zinc. I will try to dull down the brightness with some grey washes.

More soon.

It is almost beyond praise.

One word of advice though: The electrical conduit is made of zinc (galvanized) and after a few days in the weather goes very dull. Yours is a bit too shiny unless it is brand new, and if it is, you might want to scatter some electrican's trade litter about.

I found some time to get back to the bench and get the next stage underway. I feel like I am over the hump and can see the end in sight with this one.

Firstly I found that the individual glass bricks were too tricky to line up into a glass wall, so I milled some perspex/plexiglas and sawed lines into it and cut a hole in the wall to install it. I need to tidy up the plaster (not my finest hour chiselling out the gap)  and add some caulk between the "tiles" but not too bad.

I also made a fan exhaust from some scrap plastic.

I had some fun with S-bends.  When they are painted I think that they will really look the part.

And lastly some small wiring details and painted doors (awaiting some weathering)

  Vespa beautiful work sir! The railings, ladders and ductwork are just amazing.

   The whole thing brings back memories of my early days living on Horatio Street in Greenwich Village.

  Now if we could just get you and WBill to add some figures.....

Simply amazing.....just amazing

Rounds Complete!!

I decided I needed some glass tiles in the alley wall. An opaque WC window. I made some tiles starting with a mini ice-cube tray and polyester resin which gave me these blanks

I then sanded the blocks to the right thinness and used a milling machine to score parallel lines on the back

I then polished the surfaces again using diamond suspension (6 micron followed by 1 micron) to give the final product

Karl: There are lots of great buildings in Buffalo, including some important Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Well worth a road trip. I was there in April and the Richardson asylum is closed and fenced off with chain link, but really amazing nonetheless. There are big holes in the walls and its a great chance to see how debris piles up and buildings degrade. I took a ton of pics.

Manny: Thanks mate. It will be a shadow box. When its finished you'll have to look at the alley through a scale hotel window, a bit like a peep-hole. The project has dragged on longer than I wanted, but you know, real life got in the way. Now I can get back to something I can control!

Redleg: Glad it reminds you of a real place. Thanks for the kind words.

Indy: Thanks too. Does SBS stand for shadow box scene?

I'll have some more updates soon.

It is not even complete but what you have brings back memories of growing up in Brooklyn. Absolutly stunning realism. The rust work is fantastic. I am in awe

Rounds Complete!!