Hired Some Employees

When I was a kid I hated painting the pilots that came with Airplane Kits. I should re-state that with some honesty; I didn't hate it, I didn't know how to yet and I hated my finished (usually not finished) figure. Through the years I learned technique, I learned what colors to have on hand to do figures properly and I got better. When I was building lots of RC aircraft I really had the chance to practice my skills on pilot busts.

My garage Diorama needs figures so I browsed the G Scale offerings, others I could find from Fujimi, a couple from Tamiya and the random figure from various kits. I found this Testors/Fujimi kit dated 1988 and picked it up as a start.


Detail is good and I have some options for positions although none of the positions stands straight up to work under a car lift. Need to go stock up on my skin tone colors now. I have my eye on a few other kits with 1/24 1/25 scale figures I can use. I plan to re-visit a thrift store that I saw the Tamiya "Campus Friends"  had a few figures and couple Vespa Scooters if it is still there it is coming home with me.

I started on another piece for my garage, an engine hoist. Looking at a tool catalog and using my scale calculator I think I have a good start.

That's it for now.

-Hobby Dude]]

The Garage

If I am building items for a diorama and I have all these great ideas for it why not just get on it?

Some of my big ideas include covering a 4'x2' shelf with garage, parking lot, paint booth, maybe a drag start with a light tree. This endeavor proved to a bigger project to start with as I started sketching it out.
I decided to make a garage for a smaller shelf that could later be a module in a bigger project.  I like this idea of using modules especially for what I originally had in mind making it a lot easier to relocate at a later time.
I grabbed some foam board and craft sticks at the dollar store and broke out the razor knife and straightedge and got busy. It will have the footprint of about 1'x2' White glue worked great for assembly.
I rustled up some scrap clear plastic from packaging (a good reason to buy a pie) made a few windows which later I plan to add a photo of some scenery on the outside.

My ending result so far is 3 walls. I have not secured the walls down to floor yet this pic is me just laying out to see how it looks. 

I had some trash left from a broken window fan and with some bits of plastic and imagination, I was able to make a car lift.

I still have to make my garage front, decide whether to make the space where the orange 32 Ford is sitting an office or a car display and I did start on a staircase for the office option. The area under the awning is where my GMC Tow truck will park. I also plan to make a flat frame only for the roof and then wire up with lights. More to come!

• Hobby Dude