Topic: Clonehead's dioramas

[Clonehead]

Thank you much, as it grows, so does the excitement.
Itching to return to the track, I didn’t find the time to go down there tonight. I did wire up another car though.
And I did pick another just plug light controller from hobby lobby on Saturday. I figured it could help with the remaining infield and pit row lights.

[Darth More]

No kidding, I think you're doing this on the highest possible level, Clint. You've created such an epic racetrack for your slot cars!

[Clonehead]

No kidding, I think you're doing this on the highest possible level, Clint. You've created such an epic racetrack for your slot cars!

that makes me blush, Mr More, so much that I went down early this morning and added 3 more streetlights and another neon sign to the other side, exiting the high banked corner. I may add another sign or two on that side end but will probably quit with the tall street lights for now.
  That long pit row is the next phase of refinement and lighting. I plan to have 6 window signs and 10-11 of the shorter street lights in that area.
  It should be glowing by the time I’m done.

[Tamer]

Looks real to me. Off to the front pages.

[Darth More]

Absolutely real! This is a dream come true here. Can't stop looking at all your slot cars and the lights that constantly become more like stars up in the sky. You got me hyped, mate! I'm quite a fan of your masterpiece project here!

- Philipp

[Clonehead]

Philipp, thanks buddy, I think there will be a sky of stars, eventually.
    If I thought I could pull off convincing clouds, I could put lightening in them, complete with dual subwoofer thunder. Just having fun getting more convincing with each step

[hemble]

Damn that is looking brilliant mate.

Ron

[Clonehead]

Ron, I thank you. I am looking for a diorama scenery piece from your and I’s past to possibly be placed under the flag in our proposed water feature area. It’s an italeri item. Can you guess what it is?
     I should have one, I’ll have to go and look

[Clonehead]

So I haven’t continued lighting for the last few days as I knew that as I approached the middle areas, there was some track shoulder refinement I needed to attend to.
New pieces were cut and shaped with that new dremel tool I have been harping on.
   I’m not quite done with this first area and I need to cut another piece for the second but it’s looking pretty straightened up now.
The before shot says it all. Scraps and plaster.
Since I was working in this end I also changed a couple Of things.
The single lane change section before the first turn got upgraded to a double lane change section and the 60 degree lane change curve in that end got traded out for just stock straight
And curve pieces. Components of that lane change curve would cause a wipeout slightly more easily than if they weren’t there so I gave it the axe and, so far, it has worked and that curve is a smoother experience than it used to be. And the area I’m patching, even with the hole that’s still left in the road, drifting wide over that area is smoother also.
  Better finish up so I can get back to the other stuff

[Darth More]

Had to take a closer look at your pictures, but then I saw what you did. Solid work on the tracks! The new Dremel definitely paid off already!

[Clonehead]

Had to take a closer look at your pictures, but then I saw what you did. Solid work on the tracks! The new Dremel definitely paid off already!

Oh yeah, I am digging the new dremel, DM. It seems like overkill to Doctor all of these shoulder areas until you see how the cars drive on the track. It’s just as important to provide a continuous smooth area for the cars to slide on as it it is for them to drive on.  The tops of these pieces need to be even with each other where they meet so while in a slide, the tires won’t slide into and be affected by the ridge of a shoulder piece 1/16th above it’s connected track piece. In some areas, I may fix these transitions with a dot of superglue in between track sections to reinforce their tips being even.
  It’s like when the street in front of your house gets re paved. It drives differently now.
  Tedious but rewarding, got some more of that to do this morning.

[Tamer]

Looks like everything is going together nicely.

[Clonehead]

Took it a little further last night. Got the center piece cut and placed and Went as far as making little filler pieces out of scrap shoulder to fill in at two barrel locations and where the pit fence starts. I can patch and paint what’s left and I think I’ll add a warm white light at each spot, illuminating the hazard from down on those patch pieces. I’ll fab up a can shade for them out of shrink tube or something. I did go and spot weld some of the seams where pieces meet with superglue, to keep all surfaces in the same plane where they meet.

I’m so happy with this area that I think I’ll fill in the other large area as well

[Tamer]

Looks great to me Clint. Off to the front pages.

[Clonehead]

More of the same, Shawn.
I tackled most of the next area over the weekend and finished up tonight.
I need to clean up this mess so I can try the new shoulders out and see what they drive like.
   Then, back to what we were working on.
Wet spots are superglue accelerator that hasn’t evaporated yet.