Bakster, the lighting is fabulous. Even if the camera is messing with the colors and intensity, the results are stunning. 

It's great to see pieces starting to come together.  We're getting a glimpse into the vision you've held in your head for the LIS Chariot.  All I can say is, worth waiting for.

You're on a roll man.  Keep it going!

Sometimes things just have a way of turning out and it looks like it did just that for you Steve. 

 Haven't been on here in a while to comment on the good work I'm seein' but it sure looks like you've got this one under control buddy.

mustang1989

Sometimes things just have a way of turning out and it looks like it did just that for you Steve. 

 Haven't been on here in a while to comment on the good work I'm seein' but it sure looks like you've got this one under control buddy.

 

Hay-a Joe, thanks for chiming in. Yeah, making progress. 

PhoenixG

Bakster, the lighting is fabulous. Even if the camera is messing with the colors and intensity, the results are stunning. 

It's great to see pieces starting to come together.  We're getting a glimpse into the vision you've held in your head for the LIS Chariot.  All I can say is, worth waiting for.

You're on a roll man.  Keep it going!

 

Hey PG... it is good to see you back on the forum. Thanks for the nice comments and encouragement. It is much appreciated. I will keep at until I can't. With favor, this will get done!

I am currently researching what to buy for the base. I need to sort that out before I go too far with the tracks. More to come.

Great to see you around!

Yeah man. The project lives.

Thanks, Gam!

Here is what I purchased for the base/enclosure.

The undercarriage is taped on for these photos and not quite straight.

I did a fair amount of online searches, also stopped at two stores. This is the closest size I could find that trips my trigger, and is functional. I particularly like the small footprint. 

More to come.

That's going to work out perfect Steve!! 

mustang1989

That's going to work out perfect Steve!! 

 

Hey Joe, thanks!  I agree!

Bakster

Here is what I purchased for the base/enclosure.

I did a fair amount of online searches, also stopped at two stores. This is the closest size I could find that trips my trigger, and is functional. I particularly like the small footprint.

More to come.

There's a "terrarium in a terrarium" sort of vibe there,  which will be cool.

Now, if only hoby shops still had the magenta & fushia-dyed lichen for that distinctly unworldly look.

The tight fit is distinctive, and a cool effect.  But, it does not leave a lot of room for canting the base a bit, as they often seemed to park on a slope in the series (but would also be a way to encourage people to see all the "inside" detailing through that enormous greenhouse.

Finding off-the-shelf answers will have its limitations, of course.

"The tight fit is distinctive, and a cool effect.  But, it does not leave a lot of room for canting the base a bit, as they often seemed to park on a slope in the series (but would also be a way to encourage people to see all the "inside" detailing through that enormous greenhouse"

Thanks, Capn. I agree. The smaller size will limit options for the diorama. When I weighed the pros and cons, I expect I can still hold to my original vision for the project. I try to avoid large dioramas because they are hard to display, and I have no room for that. This should fit in a glass case that I hope to purchase one day. If I make it to the finsh with this thing, I surely will want to display it.

Todays work: I notched a hole in the base for a power connector. Power will be routed via an umbilcal to a battery box. It is like what I did with the Icarus.

Cool options are available for power where one can 3D print rocks or such that can house a 9 volt battery. Nice idea, but limited space and my lack of motivation has me going this route. It's a whole to do. I'd have to buy a file then probably pay someone to print it.

Below: I made a frame using Evergreen. Inside of the frame will be the terrain pad. I purchased Sculpey Air Dry Clay for this. I have not used this before, so, it is a potential boondoggle. Though, it should be a reversable boondoggle. I had watched a video where a person used it on a diorama and to good success. Worth a go.

And that is all for this weekend.

Clean work on this so far Steve. The 3D printed rock idea sounds like a viable option but hear what you're saying on "extra steps". Will be watching for more on this one.......

mustang1989

Clean work on this so far Steve. The 3D printed rock idea sounds like a viable option but hear what you're saying on "extra steps". Will be watching for more on this one.......

 

Thanks, Joe!

Bakster

Power will be routed via an umbilcal to a battery box. It is like what I did with the Icarus.

Keep an eye out or USB "C" connectors.  The power options are good, and the cables are ubiquitous, and you can run the diorama from a phone charger, or a portable "power pack" (which could be handy on a competition table).

Yeah the shadow box looks like a great idea to display the Chariot without having to deal with space dust. 

And a 3D rock will be much lighter saving wear and tear on your delicate back, the pain, THE PAIN! 

CapnMac82

 

 

Bakster

Power will be routed via an umbilcal to a battery box. It is like what I did with the Icarus.

 

 

Keep an eye out or USB "C" connectors.  The power options are good, and the cables are ubiquitous, and you can run the diorama from a phone charger, or a portable "power pack" (which could be handy on a competition table).

 

Good input, Capn.

Gamera

Yeah the shadow box looks like a great idea to display the Chariot without having to deal with space dust. 

And a 3D rock will be much lighter saving wear and tear on your delicate back, the pain, THE PAIN! 

 

Thought I'd lay the terrain today, fate had different plans. The frame popped off. I am not entirely surprised since all that was holding it is Tamiya glue and a plastic base with dissimilar properties. So, the glue was not effective. It seemed to hold, initially. Anyway, out came my JB Weld 24 hour epoxy. I went with long cure epoxy for maximum hold.

Lastly, I marred the base so that Sculpey has something to bite into. I have my doubts going with sculpey because it can shrink. But, it seems, shrinkage is common to all the air dry clays. I am going to try it... part of the learning process. Worst case, I pop it up and use Apoxie Sculpt.

Later.

Bakster

I am going to try it... part of the learning process. Worst case, I pop it up and use Apoxie Sculpt.

I might have drilled some holes, so the clay could push through and "key" to the holes, to help adhere.  Basically taking advantage of the hollow base a bit.

Was gabbing with a bro on the nature of how a person might model exo-planets, and the point was brought up that being other-worldly leaves many options.  So, who is to say that raw closed-cell foam is not realistic?  Or various forms of sponge materal?  (Either would likely want 'unusual' coloring, as well, to help reinforce the "not terrestrial" effect.)

Just beacause we have an innate knowledge of swamps and mountains and the like does not require that to be "universal."

A point was made about how, what if a given planet had only non-newtonian fluids on its surface.  Now, that sould be tricky modeling, as it would mean "puddles" would be a sort of "quicksand."

This would be complicated modeling, as the ground would not look "right."  And that would be the point of it.  But it would be curst hard to achieve.

Crossing my fingers! If the epoxy doesn't hold I don't know what else to use- it's the strongest thing I have. 

Let us know how the Sculpty goes. I always use Durham's Water Putty for my bases. 

Gamera

Crossing my fingers! If the epoxy doesn't hold I don't know what else to use- it's the strongest thing I have. 

Let us know how the Sculpty goes. I always use Durham's Water Putty for my bases. 

 

Say Gam, I like Durhams as well. I like the texture it produces. It gives a sort of grain to it that mimics sand or soil. The only reason I am going with a clay is to try and create track marks. So, for that, I need something that will hold a track impression. 

Fingers crossed indeed.

PS: I am pretty darn sure JB Weld will hold. That stuff gives a good bond.

CapnMac82

I might have drilled some holes, so the clay could push through and "key" to the holes, to help adhere.  Basically taking advantage of the hollow base a bit.

Great minds think alike. I originally planned to do that. What changed is my OCD said, if you don't need to drill through, it would be nice to keep it clean when looking from below.

So, I am starting with a less intrusive look. Does it really matter? Probably not. Who will see it. Will it hold? Dunno. We shall find out.

To your points about the terrain, I totally agree. Creativity is wide open to potentially mind altering realities that are yet unseen.

That said... I probably won't go wild with it. For one, the small footprint will not allow for much and I may just play it safe by modeling it like Mars or something. All I really want is some semblance of reality that does not detract from the model. My goal for now is to make a basic form of the base. Primarily, to create tracks and such. I wanted to do that now before I start paint work on the tracks.  Painting the base will probably get done last.

Thanks for the input. You give me something to think about.

Done tried and now wait to see what happens as it cures. 

The clay made track impressions very well. I added some tracks for the Robot too.

I tried adding some sand, gravel, and stones. This clay is not very tacky, so little of it stuck even with pressing it down. It might be that the clay started to set up too. A film starts to form as it dries. In any event, I will need to add that stuff later.

Trimmed the excess around the frame.

And now it's wait and see. Have my doubts, time will tell.

That looks really good! I may have to try some of it in the future! 

Gamera

That looks really good! I may have to try some of it in the future! 

 

Don't go buying any until my next update. My concerns are realized. More to come.

Bakster

Done tried and now wait to see what happens as it cures. 

The clay made track impressions very well. I added some tracks for the Robot too.

 

I tried adding some sand, gravel, and stones. This clay is not very tacky, so little of it stuck even with pressing it down. It might be that the clay started to set up too. A film starts to form as it dries. In any event, I will need to add that stuff later.

Looks good.  Thos huge tracks actually have really low ground pressure (great for being on snow) IRL, but the average viewer will expect that the tracks would be weighty and leave marks.

This can confuse folk, my 13.5tonne excavator with the 60cm metal tracks "marked up" things, like lawns, or pavement, far less than my 25k pound excavator on 40cm rubber tracks.  Ground pressure is fickle that way. The smaller excavtor was better at compacting dirt as a result.

CapnMac82

 

 

Bakster

Done tried and now wait to see what happens as it cures. 

The clay made track impressions very well. I added some tracks for the Robot too.

 

I tried adding some sand, gravel, and stones. This clay is not very tacky, so little of it stuck even with pressing it down. It might be that the clay started to set up too. A film starts to form as it dries. In any event, I will need to add that stuff later.

 

 

 

Looks good.  Thos huge tracks actually have really low ground pressure (great for being on snow) IRL, but the average viewer will expect that the tracks would be weighty and leave marks.

This can confuse folk, my 13.5tonne excavator with the 60cm metal tracks "marked up" things, like lawns, or pavement, far less than my 25k pound excavator on 40cm rubber tracks.  Ground pressure is fickle that way. The smaller excavtor was better at compacting dirt as a result.

 

Thanks Capn. 

I had considered limted depth for the reasons you mention. The soil could impact depth as well. But like other things in this hobby, sometimes, scale is exaggerated for the sake of being able to see it. In this case, if I am going through the trouble, I want to see it. I don't know if it's terribly accurate, don't know, but it's intended.

Anyhow, more to come.

I alluded to the Sculpey Clay not working out. It did as I feared, shrinkage... and significant shrinkage. You can see in the photo below how far the slab pulled away from the rails. I suppose a person can backfill that but, who's to say it's done shrinking? It is not. I pulled the slab up two days ago and is still somewhat damp. For my purposes, I give the stuff an F+. So there it is. I tried it, it's not for me. 

Out comes the Apoxie Clay. In some ways it is a little harder to work with, in other ways better. In the end, I have a much higher confidence it will work better. As well, I feel it did a better job making the track impressions. Cure time should be shorter and I'd be surprised to see it shrink like the the Sculpey. Time will tell.

Not sure yet how I will add texture to it. I am pondering maybe by adding a layer of Durham. Or, maybe, apply a white glue wash then sprinkle sand and such. If anyone has some ideas, I am open to them. 

Update:  Apoxie Clay did the job. It dried rock hard and zero shrinkage. I don't see the slab pulling up either. It is there to stay.

Secondly, I experimented on the Sculpey slab using Durhams. Using a round stipple brush I dabbed it on. Overall, it adds nice texture. More testing to come but I think that Durhams is the way forward for texture.

End.

Looks great Bakster! Glad you beat the shrinkage!!! 

Sounds good on the texture. They do make a texture paint now in spray cans. It looks like sand or something in the paint. Just spray it on the surface and you're done- it's like you put down a layer of glue and sprinkled with sand.