The Moment You're All Not Waiting For

[shodan 5]

Big fan of banksy! How big is that rat in terms of scale?

[Ember 71]

It's not quite up to some of his billboard sized ones, but.... it's a pretty big rat. Will check it to be sure, but I'd think it probably tops out the 3m mark.

[shodan 5]

haha, no sorry I meant how big is the one on your track

[Ember 71]

That would then be a scale 3m. Well acutally, I think it's a bit over a scale 2m. Around 75mm high.

 

For some strange reason I have the urge to put him on a t-shirt.

[Ember 71]

I think it's now safe to give a proper update of what's been happening at Tyers Targa. The final building phase has commenced. Note, I said building phase. There will still be painting to do. And there'll always be more detailing to add. It's taken so long because I could never decide how to go about it. The place in question is, of course, the fly over.

 

There is a void visible on the left here beneath the track. This void has now been filled ready to go on with the rest of it when I work out how to go about it.

 

The area is/will be of a more modern construction than other areas of the track, dated a little bit after the other concrete overhang. So, think in terms of modern freeway type construction. Pre-fab concrete walls for the area beneath the flyover.

 

The backing for the wall is mount board cut to shape. A second layer of mount board is glued on top for some strength. This is the same method I used for the other concrete wall on the track, I've just added a bit of a pattern to it for a more modern look.

 

Close up while the glue dries in the sun. I only alternated the two colours of card because there was a little difference in the surface texture. Wasn't sure if this would show up in the final product. Turns out it didn't, but the pattern kept me amused while gluing it all together.

 

A couple of coats of the ever present joint compound, tinted to a blue grey. I should've got sponsorship from PlastaMasta to build this track. Hmmm... Might have to talk to the owner of the local PlastaMasta before I build another track.

 

Paint. Colour is built up, as ever, with coats of translucent glaze. Then a wash of raw umber in the cracks and brushed out over a few spots to highlight the texture. Very sparse dry brushing of warm white around the edges and some raw umber dry brushing along the lower third for exhaust build up.

 

Test fitting the wall. Relief that it still fits. It's only held in place by slipping between the track edge and the supports for the overhead track, and the downward pressure from the overhead track. It needed to fit well.

 

Closer detail before it comes out for some 'decoration'.

 

I had the urge for some advertising on the track. But I wanted it to 'blend in' with the style of the rest of it. So, it's a faded, hand painted, graffiti style. I should probably explain that this was done for an article in Slot Car MAG. The issue was intended to feature an interview with Jules. This was created as a bit of a tie-in. The interview didn't eventuate as Jules had to dash off to kick some butts in China. But, I do think the Pioneer logo suits the spot and I'm happy I did it.

 

Posters and the Banksy tribute rat that you've already seen. The posters, you will note, are largely "Bullitt" movie posters.

 

The finished wall in place, ready for the next step.

 

Thanks for looking in.

Embs

[dejavu 0]

Nice piece of work there Ember

[Eno the Wonderdog 7]

That looks terrific Embs..

[Ember 71]

Thanks boys.

[Tormentor 0]

'ecky thump, that is one impressive project, 2 and a half years in the making and somewhere at the beginning you stated you get bored easily... lets hope you never get stuck doing one thing.

 

I didn't understand the new avatar, wondered wher it came from 'til I read this.

 

have considered a permanent set up but there's no way I'd have the patience to do this.

 

Great work well done

[Ember 71]

Thanks Tormentor. Part of the reason it's taken so long is all the other things that keep distracting me. Building and painting cars, writing, preparing proxy entries, school fete fundraiser tracks. I thought when I started that I'd have had the darned thing finished long before now. Silly me!

[K1W1 3]

Hi Embs - you spelt Pioneer wrong!! (joking) Did you actually hand paint the Pioneer logo on there?? As usual, great work. Looks awesome.

Makes some of us (ie: me) scared to post pictures of our own efforts! or should that be 'f it's'

[Ember 71]

The Pioneer is hand painted, but I traced the outline onto the wall first.

 

There is a line there, but it's not easy to see.

 

Then set the line with a bit of underpainting. This photo was taken on my phone while I was working on it and sent to His Lordship (who was working elsewhere in the state) to get opinion on leaving it like this or adding the colour.

[Ember 71]

I ummed and ahhhhed for a long time about painting the track. Even after I bought the paint to do the job I still procrastinated about actually taking the plunge. No turning back now. This puppy's getting a paint job. The reason for painting is purely aesthetic. Right from the beginning I've been disappointed in choosing gloss laminate for the printed vinyl on the borders. Had I not made that simple mistake I might never have taken this step. Any change in grip levels will have to be dealt with as it comes.

 

Paint choices have been made upon advice from OntheFlipside. Primer, Suede Effects and clear finish are planned. Overall I think (hope) the visual impact of the track will be improved.

 

So... I've started filling and levelling to the roadway..

 

And masking...

 

And trimming...

[Ember 71]

Here's a kind of scarey sight, but hopefully on the way to good things.

 

 

 

 

 

Undercoat is done. Weapon of choice Dulux 1 Step as recommended by the resident forum paint 'spurt.

[Ontheflipside 30]

Need to put some studs in the tyres to stop them skidding on the ice

[Ember 71]

It is a little glacial.

[KarKraft 14]

Looking forward to see how it turns out. My track needs this too.

 

Did you wipe it down with a solvent/spirit to remove leftover grease or rubber?

[Ember 71]

The track and corflute borderes all got a rub down with Prepsol. It was even enough to remove the old Scaley corner markers. So, even before the paint was slapped on, Gambon, Chicago and Bentley Bend were gone.

[miveson 18]

Jesus that looks like a massive job Embs. Keep the updates coming.....

[Ember 71]

Oh, this is just too much fun! I get to mess with people's heads. Is there anything better??

 

Not quite so glacial anymore. I'm pretty happy with the colour match I picked. First coat. It will dry a little differently, I'm sure. And will probably look much better with a second application, but I don't think I'll have too much trouble blending this into the scenery. Colour I've chosen for the 'gravel' is Stucco Tan. Road edge has been painted up to the power rails on both sides. The centre will be asphalt.

 

And the other end of the track where I've also started to have a little bit of a play. This is where I've started to enjoy myself a little. Not sure if you can see it too clearly on the photo, but the 'edge' of the road wanders around a little. Around the inner edge of the 'Nut' (I really must do something about that bit) the edge goes right up to one rail. The second rail runs down the centre of the 'road'.

 

Hopefully this gives a slightly better idea of the wandering road. Did someone say evil?

[SlotsNZ 112]

Messing with heads is surely good fun - and sport.

I put one teensy weensey meeander - or two on my routed track, and people are still driving the "roadway" instead of the slots after 10 months. (centre of inside corner as example) - but there are 3 illusions in the shot.

 

[GJH-NZ 0]

_Mark,

 

_{ya really gotta get on with that track and "Braid it". Also fix up the Naf fences. hehe}

[GJH-NZ 0]

Ember,

 

Sorry if It's a dumb question - but is that just the primer/undercoat. If so what is the final colour of roadway going to be?

 

GJH

[Ember 71]

The white is a 3 in 1, primer/sealer/undercoat. The roadway will hopefully be bitumen-ish. Not totally happy with the colour I've chosen on that score. Faux Leather. I was looking for something that was dark grey but dirtied with brown. As the road would be browned and grubbied with red dust.

 

I've only started to paint in the first coat. Actually, the colour looks near perfect in the photos, but it looks just a smidge too brown to me in reality.

 

 

 

I must apologise for the imperfect photos. Low light levels by the time I took these this evening and I didn't have the enthusiasm to get my flash and diffuser.

 

I think the thing with the paint is that the suede gets a white 'peach fuzz blush' to it when finished and dry. If it was the same colour but dried with a dark peach fuzz to it it would be almost perfect. I'll finish painting the road base and give it a second coat before I discount it completely.

 

Embs

[Ember 71]

Ok. Change of roadway colour. Much happier overall. I finished off the first coat with Faux Leather, then top coated with Pompeii Ash.

 

This photo is very close to the true colour.

 

A close up of the finish.

 

Now the fun part of trying to blend it in with the existing scenery a bit.

 

Not sure how well it shows in the photo, but I've left the top straight in the brownish Faux Leather and blended into the Pompeii Ash on the way down the hill.

 

And some blending work done around the water. A combination of washing on, sponging off and sponging on. Still needs a little more work.