Topic: JDeck's dioramas and displays.

[JDeck]

Man this looks real! I mean awesome. I keep expecting to see the red lazers!

I could you doing another dio of who is doing the blasting. Just a fantastic job here.

Off to share on the front pages.

Thank you! I have an app for lightsabers, but it works alright for blasters. I've been looking for sparklers that are designed for indoor use, with low temp and no smoke, but I'll have to just use regular sparklers.

[Starchaser]

I like how the river bed looks. That's well done, and I love that you used real stone. BTW-I "PM'd" you regarding Redwood elements.

Awesome thanks! I had a bunch of these "natural" river rocks, which are the store bought probably polished ones and figured I'd use them up. I try to use natural stuff, it looks natural. I had someone ask if anything ever molds. Only if I store it wet. I had a jar of "dirt" I made with coffee, tea and all sorts of stuff, but I sealed it up while it was still damp and it molded big time. Otherwise no problem.

Yeah - if you keep things dry, they will actually store for a long time if its sealed well.

[JDeck]

I like how the river bed looks. That's well done, and I love that you used real stone. BTW-I "PM'd" you regarding Redwood elements.

Awesome thanks! I had a bunch of these "natural" river rocks, which are the store bought probably polished ones and figured I'd use them up. I try to use natural stuff, it looks natural. I had someone ask if anything ever molds. Only if I store it wet. I had a jar of "dirt" I made with coffee, tea and all sorts of stuff, but I sealed it up while it was still damp and it molded big time. Otherwise no problem.

Yeah - if you keep things dry, they will actually store for a long time if its sealed well.

That's the problem I have with the coconut substrate that im using. It came in this little brick, that you have to soak in watter to dissolve. It took two weeks to completely dry, because it so absorbant. It works great but I have to make sure its completely dry before storing.

I did get my camo net today. I think it works alright. I just need to perfect the lighting and hopefully a white backdrop will suffice. I have it in an akward spot and it's such a large set . I kept knocking over trees and my white poster board fell between the table and the wall, so I got fed up and quit for the night.  But I'm happy with the netting effect. I saw ILM used it in a behind the scenes photo of ROTJ (pictured).

[Starchaser]

It will be interesting to see how that works. I'm intrigued!

[Tamer]

Well I never knew they used camo netting in ROTJ. Makes sense though.

Man, I remember putting that stuff up all the time when I was in the service. It got stuck on everything. It wasn't worth a dang in the desert either. You could never get good enough stakes to keep it anchored in the sand!

I bet you get some interesting shade effects with it. I am looking forward to seeing what you do with this.

[JDeck]

It will be interesting to see how that works. I'm intrigued!

It makes a difference just not a huge difference, that's why I didn't post a picture. Im almost done. I just need to pull the table out, get a trifold poster board, rearrange some trees, pour the water effects and adjust the lighting and I'll be ready.

Well I never knew they used camo netting in ROTJ. Makes sense though.

Man, I remember putting that stuff up all the time when I was in the service. It got stuck on everything. It wasn't worth a dang in the desert either. You could never get good enough stakes to keep it anchored in the sand!

I bet you get some interesting shade effects with it. I am looking forward to seeing what you do with this.

Lol yeah kind of reminds me of when I was trying to pitch a tent on the beach, you have to anchor it down with rocks or sandbags.
I'll try to get some work done tonight. I have to go back to the three stooges that changed my oil, because they left the skid plate dangling by a thread. Odds are they threw the screws away after I left.

[Tamer]

Good luck with that. I know how trying some service centers are. Don't get me started.

[JDeck]

Good luck with that. I know how trying some service centers are. Don't get me started.

Take a wild guess what the guy said. It was already like that. Lol. I'm just going to the dealership for everything now. Peace of mind.

I got some fireworks for explosion effects for future outdoor set ups. Basically I got flashers, sparklers, smokers and crackling balls. I tested some stuff out, and they'll work for what I need.   

[Starchaser]

Sorry to hear that. Too bad the chain places don't care more about quality. A good mechanic is a precious

 I'll be fascinated to see how your fireworks experiments go for pictures. I'm really curious.

[JDeck]

Sorry to hear that. Too bad the chain places don't care more about quality. A good mechanic is a precious

 I'll be fascinated to see how your fireworks experiments go for pictures. I'm really curious.

Yeah it's just the way it is. I have basically an exotic. It's just a Mazda, but everything has become so complicated you need someone who knows that make and works on it all day everyday and is certified to do so.

 The fireworks were more fire than spark. I was hoping for more sparking action. The crackling balls have great sparking, but they're illegal to sell now. I got them by a loophole, because they were attached to a fountain, so I just pulled them out, and I have crackling balls, but I bought all he had, so I have to make them last, until I can get to south Carolina.

[JDeck]

  Finally some final pictures. It was a successful experiment. The camo netting worked as well as it can, not a miracle worker. The aloe gel made some cool water effects with no bubbles surprisingly. I wish I could have done some more action, but I didn’t think that far ahead. It's a learning experience.  The modular forest is a success.

[Starchaser]

Looks awesome! You used aloe hair gel for the water, did you mix it with anything?

[JDeck]

Looks awesome! You used aloe hair gel for the water, did you mix it with anything?

Thank you! No it's just clear Aloe gel, for sunburns/skin moisturizer. I was going to use hairgel the cheap stuff you get in those big jars, but this I think is better, it's just aloe, with no other chemicals that might react with the acrylic paints.  It's only temporary, i wouldn't use it in a permanent diorama, just for photography.

[Tamer]

Man that water looks real! I wonder if you could cover it with a clear varnish or something to get it to stay set? Man, hate to think of you having to remove that as it looks so realistic. Bet is smells awesome too.

Off to share on the front page. I would definitely call that dio a success!

[JDeck]

Man that water looks real! I wonder if you could cover it with a clear varnish or something to get it to stay set? Man, hate to think of you having to remove that as it looks so realistic. Bet is smells awesome too.

Off to share on the front page. I would definitely call that dio a success!

Thank you! Somebody makes a clear gel that hardens, for something permanent, but I know what you mean. I started breaking it down and it's bittersweet but on to the next scene. I might go back to my night setup and add in the Kessler wolf I got the other day. Or I might do an outdoor AT-ST scene with the fireworks. Not sure. But I have a lot of cleaning up to do.