ScottsGT Posted March 5, 2023 Author Posted March 5, 2023 Finally back to the build. Started laying out the clay for the sea bed on the base. I made the underwater cliff and high bed out of styrofoam insulation. You have to brush on a coat of white glue to the foam to get the clay to adhere. Just water on the plywood base. Shaping the clay is a pretty good arthritis workout for the hands! 8
Peterpools Posted March 7, 2023 Posted March 7, 2023 Scott Nice start on the base. Looking forward to each step of the process. 1
ScottsGT Posted March 7, 2023 Author Posted March 7, 2023 The clay is kicking my butt. I’ve soaked the wood below pretty good, but I’m still getting some serious cracking and flakes lifting on the edges. I’m experimenting with mod podge and white glue to see if I can save it or if I need to get it all off and start over with a different technique. What really sucks is I have to try an area and let it dry a couple days to see the end result. This is going to take forever. 1 3
Peterpools Posted March 7, 2023 Posted March 7, 2023 Scott Fingers crossed after letting the base dry for a few days, it will dry just fine with no lifting and you will be ready to keep moving forward. 🤞 1
ScottsGT Posted March 8, 2023 Author Posted March 8, 2023 Went down to look at things last night. Found a few large flakes that had dried and lifted. Coated the wood under the flake with Mod Podge and stuck that sucker back down! I also coated everywhere it was dry with it as well. I plan on mixing up a thin slurry of clay and brushing it on later to help smooth things over. Large cracks I’m packing with new clay. 3
KevinM Posted March 8, 2023 Posted March 8, 2023 Scott see how leaving the occasional crack works?could always fill it later. they look natural. 2
ScottsGT Posted March 8, 2023 Author Posted March 8, 2023 22 minutes ago, KevinM said: Scott see how leaving the occasional crack works?could always fill it later. they look natural. Sorry, I don’t do crack. 5
ScottsGT Posted March 8, 2023 Author Posted March 8, 2023 I kill myself sometimes. FWIW, just wrapped up all the clay coverage. Let the cracking begin! 2
ScottsGT Posted March 8, 2023 Author Posted March 8, 2023 4 hours ago, Peterpools said: Scott Glad you have everything under control. Aww hell naw, nothing is under control here. Just happy mistakes! 3
ScottsGT Posted March 9, 2023 Author Posted March 9, 2023 14 hours ago, belugawhaleman said: Looking great Scott! ......and Huge! Thanks! I’m not use to hearing those words. 🥰 2 2
Peterpools Posted March 9, 2023 Posted March 9, 2023 Scott Looking mighty good .. keep those happy mistakes coming.😉 2
BlrwestSiR Posted March 9, 2023 Posted March 9, 2023 23 hours ago, ScottsGT said: Looks like when Richard Dreyfuss was making Devil's Tower in his dining room. 4
PanzerWomble Posted March 9, 2023 Posted March 9, 2023 2 hours ago, ScottsGT said: Thanks! I’m not use to hearing those words. 🥰 You will after you mount the 8 foot submarine on it's plinth 🤣 I'm not familiar with the show - will it be black rubber coated like modern submarines? Make a real conversation piece with the neighbours. 2
ScottsGT Posted March 10, 2023 Author Posted March 10, 2023 19 hours ago, PanzerWomble said: You will after you mount the 8 foot submarine on it's plinth 🤣 I'm not familiar with the show - will it be black rubber coated like modern submarines? Make a real conversation piece with the neighbours. Colors are actually FS 36375 on the top and FS 36622 on the bottom. According to all the syfi forums this is about the closest match by eye according to the experts. Of course throughout the different seasons of filming there were some changes made with some shading and mild color changes. And to add to the confusion, there were two different filming models. One was an 8’ used for all the underwater scenes and a 12’ model for surface shots. And each one had little differences. I built mine as the underwater model. Now the pilot movie had a completely different designed sub with 8 windows on the front and no hanger bay for the flying sub. I’ve got one neighbor already going nuts over this build. He was telling me I should have made it RC so HE could play with it in the lake. Told him to fund it, and I’d do it! 3
ScottsGT Posted March 10, 2023 Author Posted March 10, 2023 Hey! I found the magic trick to smoothing and filling the clay and cracks. quick setting drywall compound. The kind you buy as a powder in bags. I mixed up a couple of spoonfuls this morning and brushed it on while forcing it into the cracks. Lots of sanding will be required to get out the brush strokes, but here’s a shot of “mashed potato mountain” after a quick sand job. 7
Peterpools Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 Scott Sounds like the perfect ticket and the answer to your issues. 2
GusMac Posted March 10, 2023 Posted March 10, 2023 5 hours ago, ScottsGT said: 'after a quick sand job.' Careful you spell that correctly!! 😁 5
CANicoll Posted March 11, 2023 Posted March 11, 2023 Nice work! So much goes into this it is fun to watch. 3
ScottsGT Posted March 13, 2023 Author Posted March 13, 2023 Okay! Progress at last. I got all the joint compound brush streaks sanded out, edges cleaned and taped up and a heavy coat of Mod Podge flat applied to seal the clay and compound. Entire base coated Next step will be a base coat of dark gray and black and painting potato mountain. 3
ScottsGT Posted March 14, 2023 Author Posted March 14, 2023 Alrighty! More progress today. I painted the dark gray base, dry brushed the rock formation and started gluing down rocks around the base. Some are actual rocks from my yard, some are just kitty litter! After it,sets up, I’ll brush on a coat of the Mod Podge and then paint the rocks to match the rest. 4
ScottsGT Posted March 15, 2023 Author Posted March 15, 2023 How about a little paint on all that kitty litter? 4
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