The Makers Thread

[Leeman4Gilmour]

PuppetGuy, I have little to no knowledge of warships and when I saw the first few pics of your model, I thought "cool". Then, when I saw the real life picture you emulated, that thought went from "cool" to "amazing". Really well done.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

First model I've built in over a year, and I had to go big. HMS Hood is ready to put to sea!

This is a 1/700 scale kit (about 14 inches long), and the base is the usual styrofoam/foil combo. The cannon smoke is painted cotton, but I figured it needed something special, so I cannibalized some tea lights and wired 'em up (haven't tried actual wiring since my Hindenburg project years back) to get some muzzle flash. and did it ever work!

Couldn't find any photos of Hood firing her guns, so I used the pic of USS Iowa firing a broadside as inspiration. It came in handy not just for the guns, but the shockwave on the water.

REALLY happy with this. and I want to do another naval battle, only with pirate ships or with other wooden war vessels!

The kit came with a bonus of an E-class destroyer in the same scale (in the last photo). It's going to get its own display soon - I'm thinking with sea monsters!

Edit: my gifs weren't working, so I've added short videos of the cannons firing:

Spoiler!

I picked up some ship models with the intent on doing the same type of diorama, but haven't started lol. I could only hope to be even half as good as you, this is amazing.
Curious what technique you used for the waves, if you don't mind giving up your secret(s).

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I picked up some ship models with the intent on doing the same type of diorama, but haven't started lol. I could only hope to be even half as good as you, this is amazing.
Curious what technique you used for the waves, if you don't mind giving up your secret(s).

Thanks for the compliment! I hope this model gives you the urge to start you diorama.

The waves are really simple - it's just aluminum foil that's been crunched up and re-flattened, then glued to a sheet of styrofoam and painted, then covered in gloss gel medium. I've used celluclay (paper mache) to make really rough seas before, but the foil is much less messy and looks just as good.

[jayswin]

Excellent piece, puppet guy. That's seriously amazing. Like Sliver, I really love the blast effects.

[Puppet Guy]

Ahoy, mateys. Sit down and I shall spin ye a tale of the nightmares of the sea...

When we last visited the Puppet's workbench, I promised another ocean-faring project with sea monsters. I present this slice of horror, where the seafood eats YOU!

It's foil, styrofoam and caulking for the splashing water, along with a toy sea creature. Looking back I probably should've used a lighter shade of blue for the ocean in order to bring the ship out a bit more, but the ocean's a dark and terrible place. and now I want some calamari:


Here there be monsters!

Spoiler!

[Puppet Guy]

At it again over the weekend...

For some reason this was calling to me from the stash - a kit of a flintlock pistol that I bought dirt cheap years ago. The kit's plastic, so the challenge was to make it look realistic, and thus it was treated with a wash of oil paint to complement the wood and gun metal paint. I think it worked for the most part. Different from the usual sea-themed and sci-fi stuff, but it fits:

Spoiler!

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

At it again over the weekend...

For some reason this was calling to me from the stash - a kit of a flintlock pistol that I bought dirt cheap years ago. The kit's plastic, so the challenge was to make it look realistic, and thus it was treated with a wash of oil paint to complement the wood and gun metal paint. I think it worked for the most part. Different from the usual sea-themed and sci-fi stuff, but it fits:

Spoiler!

Looks really good man!

The paint on the “metal” areas looks very real. Be proud

[Puppet Guy]

This latest project is brought to you today by the letters "P" and "L": "P" as in "Push your Limits", and "L" as in "Learn from your Mistakes".

What you see before you is a 1/1200 scale model of Bismarck encased in resin. Inspired by that HMS Hood build and having wanted to try resin for years, I bought the goods and got to work, beating the ship up and building the forms with acrylic sheet and started pouring.

I learned pretty fast that resin likes warm temperatures, and with my basement being cold to begin with and a classic cold snap setting in, the resin set with a whole lotta bubbles in it. That combined with some bigger bubbles escaping from the hull, Bismarck would be obscured by bubbles and an uneven addition of coloured dye. Trouble ahead.

...BUT the obscurity could be made to work by adding a stormy surface to an apparent stormy sea! Silicone caulking to the rescue! It's not a great final product, but it looks okay.

Lessons learned for next time, and the next shipwreck will be spectacular. Enjoy this in the meantime.

Spoiler!

[surferguy]

Mysterious and murky!

It reminds me of the view you’d get from a submarine approaching a wreck. Perhaps you could “save this” one building the submarine pilots view. Think the cabin of the nautilus. The whole piece is then meant to be viewed down low through the sub windows?

[CroFlames]

That looks cool. Bismarck is one of my favorite historical ships.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Mysterious and murky!

It reminds me of the view you’d get from a submarine approaching a wreck. Perhaps you could “save this” one building the submarine pilots view. Think the cabin of the nautilus. The whole piece is then meant to be viewed down low through the sub windows?

I'm not sure it'd work with this one, but that's a really cool idea - especially with the Nautilus! Captain Nemo and Professor Aronnax in the salon admiring the sea, like so?

[surferguy]

You better call in sick for the next month and work on this.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by surferguy

You better call in sick for the next month and work on this.

Research will begin immediately.

[Puppet Guy]

Current project is not quite done, but I'm looking for a tip here so I can complete it: does anyone here have a lead on plexiglass/acrylic sheet cutting in the city? I need a single sheet done and have looked at a few local companies, I'm just looking to see if there's a recommendation?

[surferguy]

What do you mean by cutting? You looking for CNC or just acquiring some cut pieces in square form?

I’ve always used Sabic Polymershapes up by the airport for square form plexiglass. . It’s been a while so call ahead.

How much do you need? If you only need a small amount I may have some extra in my shop. Shoot me a PM if this fits the bill.

[Flames_Gimp]

I've started an r/c lawnmower project but i am stuck and having trouble googl'ing it.

is there someone experienced with 12v DC wiring who could provide some advice by chance?

we are wiring 2 SLA 12v batteries in series and these batteries have f7 terminals (square with a hole in it)

wondering if someone experienced could point me in the right direction of what to buy to make the cable connection? i'm only experienced with the typical post terminals and clamp connection like most car batteries.

my friends are trying to finish this r/c lawnmower and are just about ready to wire and test the system.

I can provide beer or little $ if someone could make a set of cables? hell i could bring the mower over and let someone try it out!


TIA

[Fuzz]

Can you just use a ring terminal electrical connector and a bolt?

[DoubleF]

Ring terminal connector and nut and bolt is the fancy version. Pinching the wire under a nut and bolt is the fast version.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Ring terminal connector and nut and bolt is the fancy version. Pinching the wire under a nut and bolt is the fast version.

it's for a lawnmower that will probably be vibrating like crazy, I'd make a proper connection.

[bc-chris]

my son has reeeeeally been wanting a bunk bed for a while now - so over the last few weekends i've been working on making him one.
about 10 years ago our daughter arrived and my dad and i made baby room furniture (crib, dresser, storage bench/change table). my wife said that the length of the baby mattress is the same as the width of a double bed - so maybe we can reuse the headboard of the crib 'down the road'. so that was the plan - to reuse/repurpose the headboard from the crib my dad an i made as the headboard for the lower part of the bunk.

so this is what i started with....
IMG_7882 by bc-chris, on Flickr

i built a lower cabinet with 3 huge drawers (22" sliders!), made a foot board and then changed up the crib head board a bunch... drilled some big holes, made up some LED lights and voila (yea... if only it was THAT simple!! ha! ha!)

IMG_0225 by bc-chris, on Flickr

IMG_0224 by bc-chris, on Flickr

the reused head board ***note the button on the left side just peaking out above the tan coloured pillow....
IMG_0226 by bc-chris, on Flickr

IMG_0228 by bc-chris, on Flickr

the lights are 4" sewer end caps that i drilled a hole in and then wrapped some leftover white LEDs in. then used some white coroplast (it's like corrugated cardboard but made out of plastic), then a couple translucent flames logos, then a piece of clear plexi). my little guy absolutely LOVES it!!


IMG_0231 by bc-chris, on Flickr

next on the list will be making the top bunk - which should be pretty easy. i've got some crazy ideas for that and i'll share pics once it's installed.

then he wants a bridge going over his book case with a ladder at the end. i also need a ladder at the foot of his bed.

he's been "helping" me a ton - which is fantastic... but it definitely adds to the build time! ha! but it's totally worth it. i have so many memories of building stuff with my dad (both as a kid and an adult) - and that's the stuff you cherish forever - especially after your dad is gone. it's just too bad he wasn't still here to see this becuz dad would have loved it and been right their with us building it too!