Shelby's Marine Service

[sdrees]

Hey Bob and Bob,

Thanks for the nice comments.

[MAP]

Really coming along nicely Steve.  Keep the progress photos coming.

[sdrees]

Thanks Mark and here are more photo's

Here is a series of photo's that show the construction of the wharves.  In the first picture I laid out the framing for the main wharf.  The second picture where I am placing the planking and the 3rd and 4th pictures with the completed main wharf and the bait and tackle shop wharf.

[sdrees]

I am starting the construction of the diorama base.  I made a template so that I could cut out the 4 different layers of 1/2" Styrofoam to form the terrain.  The base is a 15' x 20" of 1/2" Gator Board.



I used a piece of carbon paper and a pin wheel to transfer the patterns to the Styrofoam sheets.



I then cut out the Styrofoam sheets.



I then used a latex caulk to glue the layers together.



Here are several photo's of a trial fit for the wharves.

[rpdylan]

looking good! did you stain the decking with homemade AI or use something else?

[Janbouli]

Do the instructions tell you the height of the topography Steve? Or is there a certain way to know how high the wharf should be to the water?

The decks of the wharf look great, following with much interest.

[sdrees]

When this kit came out in 1998 Brett was using a mixture of different polyscale paints and water.  You then soaked the strip wood in the solution for 24 hrs more or less depending how dark you wanted it or how much variation you wanted in the color of the strip wood.  So I did it this way because of all the strip wood in the kit. 

Today, he would probably have you use Rembrandt Pastels and Alcohol.  Where you would scrape the pastel stick with a sharp knife to form a powder and then use the alcohol to dissolve it and stain the wood.  if you are interested go to his website and check out his craftsman university.
www.sierrawestscalemodels.com.

After the initial staining, and the wharves were built, I did use an Alcohol India ink solution. 

[sdrees]

Hi Jan,

The instructions do tell you how high to make the wharves.  They also give you some vague idea of what the topography should look like. 

Glad you are following along.

[sdrees]

OK more progress on the diorama base for Shelby's Marina.  I used Sculptamode to shape the front slope of the base. I had to redo the riprap on the bait and tackle side of the marina.  I used rocks from my backyard and it turned out that they were to large so I had to take a jack hammer to them to make them smaller and I think it looks good now.  I used a fine Woodland Scenics ballast for the barnacles.

Attached also are some prototype pictures that I used as guidelines for the coloring of the piling and the rock wall and riprap at the waterline.

[sdrees]

One more picture of the pile wall.

[postalkarl]

Hi Steve:

This diorama is starting to look really great. The two buildings are coming along very nicely. I'm enjoying your build.

Karl

[jerryrbeach]

Steve,
Great job on that pile wall, I really like the changes in color where the water has weathered the pilings.

[sdrees]

Thanks Karl and Jerry for the nice comments.  There is a lot more to do in this area.

[sdrees]

Attached are progress photo's of my project. I have placed the basic ground cover for the foreground of the diorama. I painted the sculptamode then applied real dirt which I had sifted through a nylon stocking. I then applied a courser material for some texture. Then I applied some debris. Once the rest of the diorama is completed, there is a lot more details to add.

I glued the support piles in place and then glued the wharves to the piles. On the boat works, I applied the decorative piles.

[MAP]

Nice work Steve.  The whole scene is really coming together.