How I Build Dioramas(step-by-step)

JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Saturday, September 2, 2006 11:44 AM

Engine test stand.

The above pic is what I would like to do with the OX5 engine.Just outside the engine shop I will build a test stand something like you see here.This I think will be a very educational little mini-diorama that will not in any way compete with the main subject matter because of its positioning behind the hangar.It will give the viewer a nice way of viewing the OX5 engine close up and make it a little more interesting at the same time.

__________________
It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Saturday, September 2, 2006 11:29 AM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Saturday, September 2, 2006 11:07 AM

More engine parts!

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Friday, September 1, 2006 4:15 PM

These are some of the actual engine parts as they came out of the box.Those of you who have built this manufacturers previous kits will be surprised to see just how clean they are ,with no (or very little) flash.The metal material used (pewter?) is a much better quality and not so easily subject to bending and twisting.
All metal parts require cleaning with a little soap and water to remove any lingering trace of mold release agent.
I paint or dunk all metal parts into a mix of 2/3 laquer and 1/3 laquer thinner to seal them and make them ready for the gesso undercoat and the acrylic paint

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Friday, September 1, 2006 3:53 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Friday, September 1, 2006 3:26 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Friday, September 1, 2006 10:37 AM

Ox5

For this build I will assume ,as I did with the Jenny airplane ,that you already have a copy of the Model Airways instruction manual.I will only supplement the instructions given in the manual where my methods differ or help to clarify areas that I found needed more instruction.
Research Material:
There are many great sites on the internet dealing with every aspect of the life and times of Glenn Curtiss.The OX5 was just one of his wonderful contributions to aviation as we know it today.The Ox5 engine is very well documented on many of those sites.I will put up those links as we go along.
Briefly,the Ox5 is a in-line V8,water-cooled engine of 90Hp,first manufactured in 1910 and used in many aircraft including the Jenny. to be cont.........

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Thursday, August 31, 2006 6:30 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Thursday, August 31, 2006 6:21 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Thursday, August 31, 2006 4:25 PM

OX5 Engine

I really enjoyed the Mercedes build so while I am still in that frame of mind I think that I will continue and start to build the Curtiss OX5 engine that came with the 2nd Model Airways Jenny kit.This time ,now that I know how to use my scanner for pics ,I will be able to do a more step by step build of this engine.I even got permission from them to use some sketches from their instruction manual.Having already built this engine once before I can tell you up front that it is a very good quality piece and in my opinion well worth the expense.That is something that I could not say before about some of their other engines.
For those who may be wondering ,my relationship with this company is the same as always , all of their kits that I have built have been courtesy
of my own pocketbook, and will continue to be in the future.That way I can remain totally objective and give you guys my honest opinion.
Now on to the build...............
Cheers! John.

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Thursday, August 31, 2006 10:39 AM

Breaking News.......

Model Expos next offering in 1/16th will be the Sopwith Camel kit due out in a few months.I sure hope it is as good as their Jenny kit!

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 9:46 AM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 8:18 AM

The 1st sketch above is the Academy kit and the 2nd the Lindberg version.I used the academy kit for the Neiuport diorama which was a fairley easy mod as I just had to add the wooden box in the back.The lindberg kit will be a bit more of a challenge as the body is of earlier design.For one thing the running board is a lot shorter and the body is curved fore and aft.
The cab will be made from wood like in the pic.I am not planning to build it any time soon ,only after I finish the main hangar and yet to be built engine shop is finished, will I finally decide on what goes where in the parking lot.
When I am not actively building something as I am now(doing honey do's)I like to keep the old brain busy planning future builds.
There is another really nice kit out there of a 1913 Model T Van by Entex that is very different from what I have seen so far. Hmmm.......
I wish that I could find something other than Fords, especially family type cars.The way it is now you would swear that the Reid Brothers owned a Ford dealership.

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Monday, August 28, 2006 8:43 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Monday, August 28, 2006 6:39 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Monday, August 28, 2006 6:03 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Monday, August 28, 2006 5:14 PM

Just after completing my post this morning my doorbell rang and there was the postman with my new model T kit.There has to be a good omen in there somewhere!
I posted the above pics of what I now realize was a modification of an Academy kit.In this case the mods were quite easy to do.This time I plan something a little more complicated.
Right now the only thing that I am painting is the garage doors of my house.Ugh....

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Monday, August 28, 2006 4:41 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Monday, August 28, 2006 10:33 AM

Royal Mail Model T Van

One of the many roles of the Jenny here in Canada was flying the mail.I would like to include this aspect of its history into my diorama.Therefore, I have purchased a 1/16th 1910 plastic kit which I plan to modify much like I did for the Neiuport 28 diorama.
I have been able to locate a few pics of US airmail vans of the day but so far no Canadian versions.In fact there may not have been that much activity in Canada at the time to warrant a need for special vans.I will assume for the purposes of my diorama that there must have been a Model T somewhere with Royal Mail written on its side.
I cant remember whether I used the Lindberg 1910 version or the Academy 1912 version before but this time I will be working with the Lindberg kit.It doesn't really matter as I will only be using the basic frame anyway and that changed only very little over the years.From the windscreen back the body will be re-built using wood as the basic material.
Re-modeling these old Model T's ,to suit your own purposes is really a lot of fun .I understand that in those days Ford did not produce a truck or van ,so if you wanted one your bought the basic frame and engine ,and built or had built a body
of your own design.This ,of course is great news for the dioramist like myself who is not adverse to using a little artistic licence in his work.

This

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Sunday, August 27, 2006 11:06 AM

The above pic is of the parts yet to be finished.Of these parts the carb and the round rear plate are the ones actually going on the engine.The carb is to be painted a brass color.
The intake manifold has yet to be hollowed out as well as the exhaust collector.The small gaskets will be be installed at each collector.The lower water pipe still needs fitting.
My modeling will taper off for a week or two as I have a lot of "honey dos" to get caught up with.I thought that I would have made more progress with the hangar lighting but I found that it was hard to drop this little engine once I got started.It is very hard to make estimate of how long things will take now that I spend so much time documenting everything on the computer for the various websites.

The next engine build will be another OX5 for the engine shop and I even have another Mercedes from Model Expo that will probably be destined for the future junkyard.This will make a wonderful weathering project.All of this I hope to do step-by-step builds of in the future.Stay tuned!
Cheers! John.

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:35 AM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:06 AM

You know it was only when I saw the first pic of the rear view of the engine did I realize that something was out of whack.Granted the pic is crooked but so is the engine! I never saw this before posting the pic.I was going to delete it but I thought that this could serve as a very good example of how the eye can be fooled.Sometimes when you are looking at something for a long time obvious mistakes somehow can escape you.Being a diorama I can always say ,of course what do you expect after an engine has been in an accident .It is being re-built isn't it?
I think that if I was going to build for perfect accuracy I would be tempted to take pics during the build just to catch mistakes like this before they go too far.In my case once the engine is on its stand and in the diorama this will not be noticable and can easily be hidden.Man,this is one thing I love about my kind of diorama,you always have a fall back position even for mistakes.Sure takes the pressure off!!!
Cheers! John.

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Sunday, August 27, 2006 9:38 AM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Sunday, August 27, 2006 9:17 AM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Saturday, August 26, 2006 7:05 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Saturday, August 26, 2006 6:50 PM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Saturday, August 26, 2006 11:11 AM

The above pic is of a great little diorama from WW1 by my modeling friend Stephen Lawson.It really works well as a one frame action scene.Sort of a photo of a photo being taken ,where no actual movement would be expected ,especially in a pic being taken using the early equipement of those days.

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Saturday, August 26, 2006 10:51 AM

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Saturday, August 26, 2006 10:35 AM

Ideas for dioramas

For some inspiration and a great source of ideas check out Dirks work at
http://www.xsdreams.de/
Cheers! John.

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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JohnReid

Member since
February 2004
From: Montreal/Canada

Posted by JohnReid on Friday, August 25, 2006 5:40 PM

Now that the valve train and the magneto assembly are installed I can move on to the waterpump and its plumbing.I will not be installing the wiring for the mags or the exhaust manifold at this time.

Guide my hand in your work today.JWRR. My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am. My Photoshop: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

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