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08-12-2014, 02:56 PM | #11 |
All That Remains
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Southern CT
Posts: 2,089
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Wow. What an amazing series of pics and clever commentary to boot. Fantastic as always.
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08-13-2014, 06:32 PM | #12 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
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Thank you, sgcaper!
Now then... brace yourselves for another long post... One could argue that what follows should be the start of a new thread, but I reckon it's better to limit all my Ninja Turtle nonsense to a single thread, since this is, after all, a G.I. Joe forum. But whatever the case, I know you've all been thinking, "Gee, I wish Monte would post one of his longwinded, self-indulgent rants, just with crappier photos," and today's your day! Honestly, this isn't something one can accurately deem a work-in-progress. Not yet, at least. It's more... what's the phrase I used before? "Thinking aloud"? Eventually, though, and however long it takes, I aim to put together a gargantuan sewer lair for my Turtles. It's something I've thought about off and on for many years. If I was a millionaire or a genius I would make (or pay someone to make) something like the heartbreakingly cool display Playmates used at this year's Toy Fair: This one is pretty damn brilliant, too: And I may as well provide context by sharing the actual sewer playsets that have been available at retail during the line's thirty-year run. First, there's the '80s version, simply called "Sewer Playset": I never cared for this set. It doesn't open up to invite play; it's cramped and ugly and a bit bland. Plus, as was too often the case with the vintage Ninja Turtles toys, it used stickers for details that would have looked better sculpted and painted. Far and away the best of the lot is the "Sewer Lair", from 2003: It's big, and most everything is sculpted, and it looks fine as-is but it's also easy to improve with a paint wash, and it looks like a sewer and a home, plus it has play features but they're mostly easy to ignore... and look at that (partial) subway car! So awesome! Best of all, unlike the vintage sewer, the 2003 Sewer Lair is so open and inviting... and yet you can close it up like a suitcase! Such a great toy, and it ranks just below Mezco Kong as The Toy I Most Regret Getting Rid Of. Finally, an overpriced, uninspired, awkward set... that's still strangely compelling. Behold, the Nickelodeon "Secret Sewer Lair Playset": One's first impression is awe. Then one wonders why we're told that today's market can't support large items like this. (There's a Barbie house at Toys R Us that's something like three feet tall and $175). And then one looks closer and realizes that this is like the Batcave playset from the underrated cartoon, The Batman; the Batcave likewise looked not just neat and fun, but indeed imposing... until one recognizes that much of the toy is comprised of friggin' cardboard. I. Hate. Cardboard. More so even than stickers, it's the cheapest, lamest material a toy company could possibly use. Still, this sewer's plastic bits are nicely detailed. (I've said before: it must be tough to be a toy sculptor; you produce amazing, detailed work... and then your employer ignores it when the time comes for paint applications). If I found this set at a yard sale I'd grab it, 'cause one could weather the plastic bits and add them to an existing display and it'd probably look nice. Moving on, here are some reference images I found online: The latter two appear to be video game settings. As for the top image, I know nothing about the gentlemen in the photo, but it's fun to speculate about their reaction if we could travel backward through time to tell them that, in a distant future, a stunted goof in his late '30s will use a magical device called a "laptop" to find their photo... and use it for reference for a toy sewer he wants to build... for himself... because he is obsessed with anthropomorphic turtles. And now at last we come to my meager plans... First off, for the bare-bones structure of my sewer lair I intend to get some lightweight plywood "walls" and attach them to a thicker "floor" piece to create a simple room with three walls and no ceiling, much like the 2003 Sewer Lair, only considerably larger. If I can figure out how to perform some basic weathering tricks I will dirty up these wooden bits as thoroughly as I can, but first I'll hit them with some of that spray paint that's textured. I'm hoping it'll look convincingly concrete-like. I also hope to add some long, narrow pieces of PVC pipe to the walls. I'll probably paint the pipes to make 'em look rusty... this is, again, assuming I somehow learn to do any of this stuff with anything resembling competence. Meanwhile, I'm already gathering secondary structure pieces. First up, I bought the Rise of Cobra Pit/Mobile Command Center thing a few years ago as a poor substitute for all the bigass, badass playsets I missed out on when I was a lad... and the thing has just been gathering dust, so I'm taking it apart and using its pieces as random electrical sheds and panels and whatnot. These, too, will benefit immensely from some weathering, but one can already get a sense of the potential, I think: Again, there's a surprising amount of cool texture and detail that should convincingly suggest maintenance sheds or whatever. Meanwhile, yesterday at the local thrift shop I spotted a big plastic bag filled with Tech Deck skating ramps. I always wanted some of these, but never enough to pay for them... and these were only $2 for the lot. Whoo-hoo! I'm considering using them simply as elevated surfaces, rather than skate ramps. Also for $2: a comically incomplete "Shellraiser" Turtle van, from the Nickelodeon cartoon. I had no interest whatsoever in this strange vehicle, but for $2, you bet I'll grab it! The thing I dislike most is the wheels... and it occurred to me that, without the wheels, the vehicle might serve instead as yet another maintenance room or what-have-you. Again, it'll look much, much better weathered, but I like to think you can smell what I'm cooking: Here it is on its side atop a skate ramp, behind another skate ramp, and with the computer console from the Rise of Cobra Pit bringing it all together as a workstation for Donatello: I also paid a dollar for some random hunk of crap that had no business taking up space on the shelf (it's just a piece from some forgotten toy, and it can't possibly have any value or purpose to anyone but a dork like me): It too has cool details that should pop nicely with the proper weathering. I'll probably use it as part of a wall rather than the floor, although it has some tools sculpted onto its surface (I really can't imagine what the hell this thing was originally), which might look goofy stuck to a "wall". And now a hasty look at some of the props I'll use to make the place feel lived-in. First up, a Millennium Falcon ornament I got for fifty cents: I'm gonna make a toy collector of Michelangelo, you see. And some of the other props: That's it for now, and it's likely there will be no further progress for a few months, 'cause I can't even afford to buy the spray paint and boards at the moment, and my highest priority right now is shipping more stuff to long-suffering heymilt so's he can paint it for me. But eventually I'll build the primary structure, and along the way I'll keep an eye out for hunks of metal and such that can serve as sewer detail and debris, and someday, hopefully, I'll have a kickass lair for my Turtles! Last edited by Monte Williams; 08-13-2014 at 06:40 PM.. |
08-13-2014, 07:00 PM | #13 |
XXXtreme Keyboarder
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: satan's skillet
Posts: 4,070
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Damn Monte, you are... dare I say... TURTLE CRAZY!?!
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08-13-2014, 07:03 PM | #14 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
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TMNT was the last property I got into on a fully earnest level before (all too briefly) "outgrowing" toys. It was also the first TV show I ever saw that took a meta approach to its stories, which blew my mind.
So yeah, I'm definitely a big fan. |
08-13-2014, 09:47 PM | #15 |
Xeno-Mech-Bio-Tech Labs
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: B.C.
Posts: 1,559
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I like it.
I use foam (pink or blue flooring insulation) for a lotof my builds. I can say the display "they" built used foam as a base and then built it up from there. (if you cover the raw foam in white glue, you can spray-bomb it). i am eager to see this complete, should be awesome! |
08-14-2014, 01:21 AM | #16 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
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Thanks, Dr. Vile! How inviting and idiot-proof is the foam? Sounds cool, but I'm already afraid I'll ruin everything just trying to paint!
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08-14-2014, 09:41 AM | #17 |
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: australia
Posts: 904
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wow...looking at that hanging michaelangelo and the heymilt pimped out turtles i say its x1000 better. i like the turtles (the goofiness and campy feeling of the old tv series is a real treat). and the backstory between shredder and splinter is noteworthy for both its tragedy angle and basic understanding of why both the protagonist and antagonist does this or that. its the sci-fi aspect thats a little bit hard to swallow (specially the neutrinos). i still watch the old tmnt movies (but vanilla ice has got to go)
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08-14-2014, 12:42 PM | #18 |
B.A.T. Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: In my Xbox, because that's where all my friends live
Posts: 2,131
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Wow O wow O wow and I don't even like the turtles all that much! Great read and wonderful pictures, they are so full of life!
I made this TMNT dio outta foam, if you ever need help you know I'm here for ya!
__________________
Last edited by iDzBowl; 08-14-2014 at 12:47 PM.. |
08-14-2014, 02:57 PM | #19 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
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You damn SOB, I forgot about that awesome dio!
If by "help" you mean you'll move to Twin Falls and oversee every step of the process, then yes please. How ya been? I haven't seen you much lately, here or on Facebook. |
08-14-2014, 08:00 PM | #20 |
Xeno-Mech-Bio-Tech Labs
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: B.C.
Posts: 1,559
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i buy the 1/2 inch stuff. use a heat wand (saudering wand) and "carve' in brick and pattern detail. the foam is super easy to work and cut. I use hot glue, because i like to work fast.
i hand paint with acrylic, then mist black, white and gray. never blast the foam like you would a model car, foam likes mist coats. I use a low temp glue gun, works fast, if it's too hot it will melt the foam. |
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