Hi there folks

The wife and I were out xmas shopping and I was trying to think what I could buy for my sister's partner. I could not for the life of me think. He loves aircraft models but does not get the time to build right now. Then I had a brain wave. I jotted a wee sketch of a picture I had in my mind onto the back of a till receipt.

He is a welder to trade and has worked on ships, oil rigs and the like. In summer he made my wife and I a fine set of gates for our driveway. I decided I would try to make for him a small diorama of him at work making my gates.

This is for you Alex, hope you like.

I started off by raking through the odds and sods box for something similar in size and shape to the welding gear transformer. Found the radiator from a simple push and go tractor.

Cut it down and added plasticard to bottom

I found one of my figures from the mechanics set

For Pete's sake Nige, you're getting as bad as Steve (BARV)! Do you ever stop?

Welding mask formed from clear tube shaped by heat and fingers

and white tube ring for head band


Simple construction for the gate

Pencil sharpener again used to keep rods square

Gates well under construction

For simplicity base is showing gravel driveway for the moment



Alex is doing a fine job on those gates


The welding gear transformer. Still got to produce other tools such as a grinder, hammers, spare welding rods, etc

Hope you like it Alex


Still got some work to do to this before I can hand it over to Alex, including a car, possibly one that Alex has owned before. Will ask him for ideas. Land Rover in picture is a die cast for the moment. I may make a copy of part of my work shed as a basic back drop.

Merry Xmas Alex and Rhona

Also to all on hers.

Nige,

I think that's a really kool idea! One I'm sure he'll appreciate. You should consider taking a picture of your gates as they are now and try to incorporate the real-deal with your dio of him working on them.

Keep us updated....this should be fun to watch as it progresses.

Mike

I know this is probably already on your mind to do, but you are going to darken the welding hood on the figure right.

Nige, duh.....I've got a "drop down" face shield in the garage....would a few pictures of it help??? LMK.

Mike

Hi there

Yep, I was able to give Alex a helping hand building the gates doing a lot of the cutting and grinding. I even tried my hand at the scroll rolling and welding.

Unfortunately my skills at the welding were crap, my scroll rolling limited to single rolls only and I bowed to the vast experience and tallent of Alex to get the intricate work done a heck of a lot quicker and with much less wastage. At least I can say I had a go and there is a big contribution to the work load in what turned out to be a fantastic set of gates.

I have a bit of painting to do including the green visor with the rectangular drop down hinged anti glare filter piece that had a clear viser behind it. And yes, one of the cables was indeed black, but this was the only cables I had at hand to set the dio up. I am sure Alex will point this out too as with his gate construction, he is a true perfectionist.

His transformer was brown in colour (I think) and I have still got a knob for the Amp setting to be fitted in the middle.

I have a good idea of the other tools that we used in the gate build and I also need to fashion a couple streight edge timbers and square blocks we used to fix the metal into place on the board like a template and to keep the work square.

I can't figure out what I will fashion the earth cable frog clamp onto the gates. I will try a bit of plastic carving.

All the very best

Nige

Hi Nige
Alex here, many thanks for my Christmas Present , very appropriate, I love it.
By the way the colour of the welding plant is blue and the welders helmet is black and gloves were green. As you said I am a perfectionist on all I do so look forward to seeing how you do the scrolls on the gate and the rest of the work. So will be logging in regularly to watch your progress and the tips from everyone. Someday we will do a project together, look forward to seeing the finished project.
Merry Christmas to you.
Alex

Hi Nige you did make a good apprentice looking forward to our next project.

Alex

Hi Nige
sis has a picture of your workplace for you and shes laughing cause we are now discussing the colour of the working gear I was wearing like blue denims, red checkered shirt and Karens black body warmer, you've got your work cut out for you now boy. Blame your sister. What about the model of the apprentice................and remember I cant work at that height???????the trailer etc.....best of luck to you knowing your attention to detail on the rest of your projects I am sure this one will be completed with flying colours. Thats enough for you to get on with for now.......
lektra

Hi Alex

Got some build time in tonight so thought I would make a start on corrections to my earlier diorama build using your memories and mine together to get as near to perfection as I can and want to!!!!!!

Firstly a change in gate build materials with special thanks to my brother Gary for the idea! You astounded me with that simple thought (he doesn't have many ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, but this was a cracker tee hee) You know I love ya BRO!!!!
Soldering wire for the metal rods and hammered flat to make the bars. Rods rolled straight using the metal straight edge technique on other blogs here.



I looked around my boxes for an alternative figure and thought about getting the work area raised up higher so that I don't make your old back any worse than it is Alex
Floor and wheel arches of a plastic trailer, real timber venere for the plywood floor and sides, some plasticard angle and a couple of wheels off a plastic toy, hey presto the makings of my very own trailer. Timber coffee stirrers and balsa wood posts make up the real timber fence panels we used to form the table on top of the trailer.

Stii a good bit to go yet with bits dry fitted for ideas on detailing and painting etc, but here are the first correction pics as to where I am at tonight







This is a wee bit closer to it Alex ain't it?

Lots still to do!

Nige

Hi Nigel
yep it definately is getting better. Great show and my back is a lot better just seeing the trailor.
see you tonight
thanks Alex

Hi there

Having helped Alex build the gates, doing the haud it and dod it bits, I know only too well about the spark burns. Figure to get sleaves. This is still very much a work in progress, with the figure choices having been what I had available for a quick fix xmas present. He was told that he wasn't getting it till it was finished though! He liked the present as it was more the thought that counted, me building a diorama of him at work.

The face screen is to be painted green and black head band (Not totally black Alex) yet and to have the small rectangular, drop down polorized visor that covers the small clear visor. Alex is also a bit folically challenged and has a distinctive monks spot where he claims is the solar panel for the sex machine ,,,,,,,,, tee hee! I will have to wear down the scalp a little on this figure. He also wore a full sleaved lumber style shirt with a checked pattern which will be fun to replicate. as it was autumn we did have padded bodywarmer on so it will be the sleaves that will only be showing. I might try to clad myself in my old army jacket. An excuse to paint some camo colours,,,,,,,tee hee.



There is work to be done on the trailer too with towing hitch, rope tie down hooks, rear hinged panel with number plate and lght bar with electrical connection to the front. Have got a range of tools to fabricate including scrole former, hammers, slag chissel, angle grinder, set square, spirit level and the like. Also got to do a lot more of the gates. The intension is to have one half completed with scroles and all and to be working on the second half.

I changed to solder wire for the gates as it should be easier to fasion the scroles. The plastic version in the first pics is the main pattern I am will be following. The driveway was also just a quick fix to get me started. All though we did not hang the gates till they were finished, I might include a section of timber fencing, then get the front portion of my hobby shed into the diorama at a slight angle to give the dio a backdrop. I also have a rowan tree next to the shed that would be nice to include in some fashion as it overhangs the shed. I was thinking as a quarter portion of the tree on the corner of the base. Because of the poor weather we hung a plastic tarp from the tree and the shed to work under.

I will see how it goes with the various bits and pieces to see where I go with this and I will be looking at other dio makers to find hints on scale grass and garden features just to add some context.


Happy new year to all!!!!!!!!!!!

Nige

photos looking better than on the camera
Alex

photos looking better than on the camera
Alex