Another workbench project.

[edgeer]

Here’s an old workbench, I built around 3 years ago. It’s not a true work bench build, since I didn’t do a real good job in documenting the entire build. But, I’ll do my best to fill in the details.

 

Background History;

 

Idea

After retiring in 1996, I decided to get back into modeling. My goal is to build vehicles, figurines, etc to depict vehicles I served on, units I served in, etc. This one was to depict a portion of what I consider the highlight of my 21 years in the army. That would be the 10 years I served with the 7th Inf. Div. Light at Ft. Ord, CA.

 

Concept

 

Once I figured out what I wanted to do, I put my thoughts done on paper. By having a sketch to go off of, I’ve found over time makes building a diorama a lot easier. I’ll either find the original sketches or make some replacements.

 

Materials used:

 

Figure: found in my box of left over items. I’m not sure of whether it came from Tamiya or Academy kit. But it came from a 1/35 scale jeep kit. Accessories such as helmet, M16A2, binos, and MRE cases also came out of my box of left overs. The canteen cup and ragtop on the helmet (a 7th Inf Div Light trademark) are kit bashed. The VS-17 panel, magazine, and newspaper are photographs or the actual item and reduced to scale.

 

Base: Simple pine plaque found in any craft store. I stained with Minwax Mahogany Stain. The foundation for the foxhole consists of 4 layers of 1/2 inch pink rigid construction insulation foam. I then carved out the position to 1/35 scale dimensions.

 

Paints used: Figure and military equipment: Testors Model Master Enamel

Base: Red brown Acrylic paint

 

Uniform: Forest Green FS34127, Military Brown FS30117, Sand FS33531, and Flat Black FS37038.

M16A2 : Steel and Flat Black FS37038

Bingo : Steel, Aluminum, and Flat Black FS37038

 

 

Step 1. Preping the base.

 

I sanded the entire pine plaque using 400 grit sandpaper until it was smooth to the touch. Once completed, I wiped the entire plaque with a damp NOT WET lint-free clean cloth. I allowed the plaque to dry for about 2 days.

 

Step 2. Completion of the Base.

 

a. Staining:

 

1. I began by applying 1 heavy coat of Miniwax Mahogany Stain. I let it sit for about 5 minutes and then wiped all excess stain off.

2. I then placed it in a large closeable box to ensure no dust would fall on it while the stain dried. I let it dry for about 3 days, before I continued.

3. I again sanded the plaque lightly with 400 grit sandpaper. This is to ensure that any raised fibers of the wood were removed. I then wiped clean.

 

b. Sealing the base:

 

a. I selected Miniwax satin finish polyurethane as my sealer. I used a 1 inch foam paintbrush to apply the polyurethane. My initial coat was a light application of the polyurethane. I then carefully placed the wet plaque back into the closeable box and allowed 48 hours to dry. I then removed the dried plaque.

 

Step 3. Building the key part of the dio

 

I decided to use 1/2 inch pink rigid construction insulation foam as the base to construct the foxhole. I first measured the plaque and made a drawing of it. With that, I cut and carved the foam to fit the dimensions required. I would glue each layer onto the next. One I obtained the shape I wanted, I let it sit for about 4 days to allow the glue to cure. I would also carve a depression in the front to accept the rock I would add later.

[mpguy80/08]

I've lost track of how many times I've had to dig the full sized thing... ugh... Looks like a great start! I cant wait to see the finished product!!!

 

Wayne

[edgeer]

I've lost track of how many times I've had to dig the full sized thing... ugh... Looks like a great start! I cant wait to see the finished product!!!

 

Wayne

 

same here. done it so many times, the size has been burnt into my mind. 2 M16 wides, 1 M16 front to rear, armpit deep.

[edgeer]

Here's the next installment of it. Finishing up the base.

 

Step 4 Finishing the base:

 

My next step was to carve a depression in the front to accept the rock I had selected to use. The carving was done slowly with many test fittings with the rock. Once, I achieved the desired placement of the rock I glued it in place. I then took a small wooden dowel that I had stained with a maple stain and began to cut it up to create the log lining of the berms. As I cut each piece to size, I would glue it to the base. I then put it aside for about a day or two to allow the glue to cure. The reason, I put the rock and logs on the base now and not later, I wanted to ensure a more natural look and not where it looked like a hole was dug and the rock placed in it. Nor where the foxhole was built and the logs were an afterthought.

 

Following this I taped the base, in order to allow me to apply a coat of spackle to represent the ground. The speckle I used was the pre-mixed stained pink you can buy in any hardware store. It changes from pink to white as it dries. I was careful to when I was applying the spackle around the rock and logs. In the foxhole itself I tried to replicate the groves that the e-tool would have left on walls.

 

After achieving the desire I wanted, I allowed the base to dry for about a week. My next step would be to apply the acrylic paint. I selected a dark red brown for my base color. Once again I allowed 2 days to dry. Next I began to apply lighter shades of brown to highlight the base. This was achieved by the dry brush method.

[edgeer]

Couldn't find the sketches i used to create this dio. So, I redrew them. Here they are.

[edgeer]

Step 4 Adding detail to the base

 

After the acrylic paint dried I began to add the grass and the tree. Like on most real rocks, especially the ones under an evergreen, I added lichen to it. I achieved this by collecting some lichen growing in the nearby woods. Once it was dried, about 2 days, I applied some Woodland Scenics “Scenic cement” and sprinkled some of the ground up lichen. (see Photo below).

 

The next step was to add the grass to the top of the dio. I would use Woodland Scenics: “Fine Turf Green and Burnt Grass I mixed the 2 colors with the approx. ratio of 7 green to 3 burnt parts. Using a ½ inch flat brush I applied a coat of Woodland Scenics “Scenic cement”. Immediately following this I sprinkling of the fine turf mix. I then set the base aside and allowed it to dry for about 3 days.

 

Next step was to gently shake off all lose fine turf. I was still not completely satisfied with the look so, I applied some more cement and add some burnt grass to selected areas. I also applied some of the crushed lichen around the rock.

 

The tree is an actual red Cedar sapling that I had picked just before I started this dio. Just prior to adding it to the dio, I sprayed it with semi-gloss clear spray. I did this in the hope it would retain its natural color. I tested fitted the base of the tree in the hole I made for it. Once, I got it to fit right, I applied some white glue around the base and inserted it into the hole. I the applied some of the woodland scenics cement around the base of the tree to build up the grass around it, in order to blend it all together.

Since the entire diorama would be nothing but shades of greens and browns, I decided it needed some added color to make it pop. What I did was to add a VS-17 panel to mark the foxhole. I got the idea from my memories of the many combined arms/ joint forces Live Fires exercises. What help creating the VS-17 panel, is the fact I still have a few. So I took a digital photo of it, imported into Photoshop 5.5 to allow me to reduce it to scale. I did this using a freeware program called scalecalc.exe. This program will allow conversion from 1:1 scale to any standard scale used in modeling to include railroading and from scale to real. It will work in either metric or English measuring system. (see photo).

[edgeer]

Here's some more photos from this step. The next part will be the figure and the small items added.

[mpguy80/08]

that is awesome! Looking good so far!!!

 

Wayne

[edgeer]

PART 4

 

FIGURE

 

picking the figure

I decided to use a figure out of my parts cache. My parts cache is a 24 plastic draw cabinet found in any hardware store, the typed used for misc screws, nuts, bolts, etc. I found a sitting modern figure (1980s with BDU & Kevlar). The unused figure was the driver from the Academy’s M966 TOW Hummer.

 

assemble

Next, I had to figure how I was going to get the figure into a sitting position. At first I thought of having it sit on a wooden ammo box. However, I decided against this for two reasons. First, I figured it would hard to create the crate and secondly, I felt it would not be realistic. I then decided to place him on some MRE cartoons (see photo). Found some print outs in my parts cache. After cutting them up and gluing them, I determined that I would need to allow the figure to sit in a natural position. Also, since this dio was to represent some down time I decided to have the figure drinking a cup of coffee, looking at a map laying on his knee. To allow the figure to hold the cup in a natural position I had to gentle cut his arm on the inside edge. I cut a small wedge out to allow the arm to bend bent without causing damage or a bulge. Once I did this I applied a base coat of forest green to the entire body, less the boots. (see photo). Note, I left off the Kevlar helmet until after I painted the face.

 

The canteen cup I constructed out of scrap pieces of metal, left over from a photo-etch set. It was thin enough for a scale look and stiff enough to hold its shape once bent. The base of it was cut from a piece of cardboard and glued to the bottom. I used a drop of clear 2 part epoxy placed inside the cup to replicate coffee.

 

painting

 

The brushes I use to paint my figures are usually good artist paintbrushes such as red sable. Sizes range from a #1 down to #0000. The reason I use regular artist brushes is that I like the way they hold up to paint and keep their shape for a long time. They are expensive, but I personally feel its worth the extra money.

 

As I stated earlier, I first applied a coat of model master’s forest green. My next layer was the brown portion of the BDU pattern. I selected model master’s red brown for this. It’s pretty close to the brown in found on the BDU. The last coat was the black, I used model master’s flat black for this. While I used an actual set of BDUs as the basis, I did not follow it. For the SSI, I applied a small circle of OD for the base and a black Hourglass in order to represent the 7th Infantry division. I would camouflage both the hands and face as SOP for the 7th infantry division (light).NOTE; I painted the eyes before I apply the camouflage to the face. Once the face was done, I glued the helmet to the head.

 

Next I glued the 2x ammo pouches, the M17 protective mask carrier, 2 x 1 QT. canteens, and first aid pouch to the figure. I used a mix of OD and forest green to get the effect of used pieces. The boots were painted black and dusted with a dry-brushed coat of tan.

 

background history of the Kevlar represented here

 

Shortly, after the 7th Infantry Division, ft. Ord, CA, began its transition to the first Light Infantry Division, it was decided that all soldiers would use strips of BDUs attached to the Kevlar. This was accomplished in a few ways. Such as: weaving the strips through the cut slots of the Kevlar cover. 2nd attaching a small piece of camouflage net (from the repair kit) and attaching the strips to it. 3rd was to sow the strips directly onto the cover. This would later become available from a local vendor that sold them premade .

 

To create the 7th Infantry division (Light) trademark The Rag Top I took a piece of white paper (~2x3 inch) and painted both sides with a BDU style pattern. Once the paint was dry I would this sheet of paper into many thin strips. I would individually cut each individual strip to fit and then glue (super glue) it to the helmet. This step alone took me about 3 hours to achieve the effect I wanted.

 

finshing the model

 

To represent the map and the magazine , I tool actual images of them and reduced them down to scale. The map I can’t recall what 1:50000 topo map used. I believe it might be off Ft. Hunter-Liggett, CA. The magazine is the cover from a Fine Scale Molder. (see photos)

 

The M16A2 was painted flat black on the muzzle guards, the butt and trigger. The metal parts were painted steel. The ammo can was painted in OD. While the binos was painted forest green with silver for the lens.

 

final changes

 

After I took these photos I removed the tree, because I felt it drew the attention of the viewer away from the main interest of the dio. That was the figure.

[edgeer]

another view. this will be the last.

[OD MAN]

That is amazing! You guys really make me want to start doing this!

[edgeer]

That is amazing! You guys really make me want to start doing this!

 

Why not? after about a 20 year break, I started back up when I was round 48. Never to old to have fun. BEsides, it's a lot cheaper to by these toys then the real thing.

[The Meatcan]

looks great! excellent work

[Mark M]

edgeer

 

Great job! Thanks for taking the time to do this as a work bench project.

 

Mark

[Bob Hudson]

Excellent thanks for sharing: it looks great and does not look easy and in reading your farily detailed instructions, does not sound easy. How many hours for something like this?

[edgeer]

edgeer

 

Great job! Thanks for taking the time to do this as a work bench project.

 

Mark

 

Thanks, though I enjoy building models, i also enjoy sharing my work and knowledge with others. If, my work gives another modeler new or old to it an idea or a new technique to use in a later project.

 

Ed

[edgeer]

Excellent thanks for sharing: it looks great and does not look easy and in reading your farily detailed instructions, does not sound easy. How many hours for something like this?

 

Thanks for the compliment on my work. Personally, it wasn't to hard to do. Especially when you consider that I've been building models and dealing with various aspects of art, on and off for about 40 years. However, I could see how it may be either look or be hard.

 

The main reason, I made the instructions so detail is that i built a few years back and that I didn't have a true start to finish one. I figured the more detail I provided the better others could both follow along and understand how I did it.

 

Ed