Steady, wait 'til he's right on the bridge!" A 1/72 diorama

[spanner570]

B****y excellent work Ron can I be your apprentice : ) maybe you and Colin could build me an extension of course it would have to be in BIGGER scale lol.Robert

It's a done deal Robert.....You can help Colin and I build your extension! I'll make the walls and roof and Colin can do all the interior, 'cos he's ace at it, as we can see from his dios.

Ron

[spanner570]

Looking good so far, i think the levels for the lock should look about right when it's got "water" in it.You say this is in seventy toofs scale, are you having figures or just vehicles??

As for the trip up here if the paints crap ..... kettles on and i might even make some sarnies if i can still walk (just thinking the worst on where you're going to shove it)

Thanks Colin, yes, I hope the lock height is summat like, if not I can always lift the sides a wee bit, or dig out the poly to lower. I'll get a better idea when I tackle the canal stonework, gawd help me!

The plan is to have both 1/72 armour and figures for the Allies approaching the bridge. The thread title is being spoken by a German, so something, somewhere is going to be well hidden!

Don't worry, I'll supply the vaseline.............!

Cheers,

Ron

[yak face]

Looking brilliant ron, i just love these hand built jobbies of yours , in my opinion far better than anything you can buy (plus its FREE too !!!) cheers matey tony

[Guest]

this is looking quality as always Ron old bean.

[spanner570]

Thanks for the enthusiastic comments boys, I appreciate them.....

Here is a bit more progress. I've left the buildings and locks for a while 'cos I couldn't resist a go at the bridge. Be gentle, it's my first go at one!..

I had a look on doodle images and have incorporated various stonework into my bridge.

I started with a bit of scrap card and gradually cut it to shape and then drew some rough guide lines for the stonework. When I was happy with it, I transferred the outline to a piece of styrene, this I cut out with my knife. I then added the stone work proper by again using the knife to scribe the masonary joints in a sort of random stone effect, but symmetrical where required.......With the bridge side closest to us I decided a nice curved bend on one end to follow the road would look nice. The other is slightly higher at either end as I want it to form a wall along the upper level.

Finally I used the inside of a toilet roll to get the round on the underside of the bridge....Nothing fixed yet, just a dry run.

I hope you like it so far......

Cheers,

Ron

Here are the pictures of the bridge:-

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[Guest]

Fantastic work Ron!!

Will be one of the most nicely dio I have seen, I'm sure!!

Piety for us, the human modellers lol!!

Cheers

[Guest]

Ron, I missed this one but realy enjoyed catching up. Brilliant work as usual. well done mate.

Andy

[spanner570]

Thanks Polux and Andy for your very kind comments...

O.K., I've done some more work on the bridge and it's nearly ready for final fitting. After some invisible strengthening with scrap styrene, I formed the bridge arch with a toilet roll middle. But it was too flimsy and smooth, so I used card instead. Here occurred a 'Happy accident'!.....As I was bending it to the arch shape it started to crease...The more I bent it the deeper became the creases. Bingo! As I am simulating a render finish underneath the bridge, I wanted some 'cracks' and there they were!...Don't you luuurve it when this kind of thing happens?

Once the strengthening had hardened, I fitted the road over the bridge, this is just fairly thick card glued down with UHU all purps..I'm well chuffed with my first bridge and glad it's behind me too! As you can see, I've allowed plenty of room to build up the road levels approaching the bridge. (I actually thought of this in advance.lol)

With the bridge in position (you can see better now how I've tried to blend the bridge side into the higher ground) I got a better overall picture so I sat back and thought "What next?"

These came to mind:- A slope by the bend and leading up to the house / A set of steps going up to the lock and a small overflow sluice just below the lock.

The steps were roughly carved from the styrene using a junior hacksaw blade. The 'real' steps will be glued to this base work.

Nothing is fixed yet, 'cos I know I shouldn't, but I'm sure to have a fiddle and change things around as fresh ideas surface.....

That's it for now, next up the locks, should be good for some hair pulling and a can or two!!!!

Here's the pictures of this stage, thanks for taking the time to have a look at the progress.

Cheers all,

Ron

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[yak face]

Excellent stuff matey, its going to be a cracker, the bridge looks spot on by the way , cant wait to see the lock gates etc. are they by any chance going to be constructed from daves stirring sticks!? cheers tony

[Ian M]

Very nice Ron.

I can actually say that that is the best bridge you have ever built. To dato. lol' I like the way you turn these uninspiring bits of white styrofoam into some of the coolest building seen.

Ian M

[Guest]

looking brill as usual ron,you are an inspiration

[saguy]

just wonderful work Ron . i think what makes your builds so much more interesting is the tutorial side of the build as u go along. There is always techniques that u show that us mere mortals would never ever dream of trying or even think of for that matter. This build has certainly given much food for thought for my next diorama .... i.e.the Berlin street scene.

kind regards

lindsey

[spanner570]

Thank you Andrew and Lindsey for your very kind comments.....

Ideas and inspiration are what this great forum is all about. No matter what skill level we are at we can all learn from one and other and this place is ram full of people willing to share their knowledge......

It doesn't matter if it is a single figure or as here, a diorama, if folks can glean just a bit of inspiration, technique (and yes, courage to 'ave ago!) then that is surely a great bonus to the builder, it certainly is for me!

Thanks again chaps,

Ron

[Guest]

You're being very profound these days Ron .... maybe that summer of "walk abouts" did you the world of good

Anyway now for the important bit .....

The dio's looking the business mate, love the bridge ... Elaine thought had a look and thought it was great, then i told her you were working in seventy toofs and she had that "impressed" look. (wish i got that)

An idea that popped in me noggin last night .... the lock gates ..... how about matches split in two or three length wise, would give the right scale size for the planks me thinks.??

[mossiepilot]

Great Ron, just great. Can't wait to see more of your building skill.

Tony.