A Set of Retro Spaceships

I recently took these screenshots while watching three of the four movies on a newly acquired DVD. With thier less than steller acting and almost comical special effects these videos are definately in the B-rated category. However, I with thier depiction of future space craft I am willing to award them a "E" for effort even though some of their depications are similar to space craft I have seen featured in retro science fiction texts.

Some of the ships, like this one, look like depictions of what we all hope to see sometime in the near future.

Now this space craft definately has retro feel.

As does this one. I have seen this purported design or similar on fronts of clasic books and magazine covers.

Making Miniature Papercraft Architecture!

I am glad I had a "Micro" label for this post. Otherwise I would have had to create one. These miniature structures look like they will be fun to build, even though they are so very small. You will find links to the card stock models and the tools mentioned under the video on YouTude.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. See you all in a few days.

The Bat Mobile

The Bat mobile in the bat cave.

Bat mobile on the street in pursuite.

Screenshots from The Dark Knight.

'Star Wars' exhibit offers rare peek at original artifacts (pictures)

A closup view of dozens of star wars artifacts.

The Wares of three Makers

Three makers three unique projects and a lot of inspiration.

Woodworking - Making a Wooden Pipe

I recently posted a blog post featuring "makers" perfecting the art of pipemaking. Having reclaimed a walnut board at about the right size for a pipe or two I have been looking for ideas for my own pipe project. The author, not only turns out a nice pipe but also a box to store it in.

Saw Making

Although most of the process is a bit out of my skill set the process was simply amazing to watch.

Woodworking - A Treasure Chest of Secret Drawers made from Pallets and Scrap

I have another one of this authors builds that I will eventually post. This author is skilled in multiple disiplines, that is the author made the chest of reclaimed wood and fabricated hinges, a lock and key out of recycled metal sheet. He also used copper straps made from what looked like reclaimed copper sheet. Watching the author pull this project together blew me away.

Symbols are Placeholders

"There is a gateway to the imagination you must enter before you are conscious and the keys to the gate are symbols. You carry ideas through the gate from one time-place to another time-place, but you must carry the ideas in symbols."

Destination: Void, Frank Herbert

And Flattery found himself caught by the wonder of the revelation:

"All men are parts of the total stream he thought. We are tributaries-and our minds are tributaries, and even our most private thoughts. Every pattern in the universe contributes to the whole-some gushing like a freshet and some more like a single touch of dew. All structure is an expression of the same law"

Destination: Void, Frank Herbert

Megatron Mech Unit

I found this mech-unit along with its compatriots at the Dollar Tree. Megatron, appley named, stands approximately 60mm tall and is made from PVC plastic.

The package claims that they, the mechs, are more than meets the eye, but these are static figures and cannot be converted back into their puported original objects.

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Updated at 6:58 PM on 12/11/22

More Japanese Prototypes- Akinori's Toy-Box

Akinori has surely put together a rather collection of his reviews items that interest him. This page is a review of a narrow gauge box cab, and passenger car kits. The kits are cast, from what looks like polystyrene, and are finely detailed.

Akinori has added some details of his own and an oval of track to run his small train.

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Gandalf's Pipe!

Using the techniques mentioned here, Adam produced a very fine copy of Gandalf's Pipe, that is of the Hobbit fame. However, please keep in mind that the materials and techiques used here are not the best for a pipe you want to actully want to smoke.

1. Using pine, with its high resin content I don't feel it is a good choice for smoking any substance.
2. Adam used a mirrowed copy which he glued together. Having used glue for the stem shouldn't be a problem, but using glue for the pipes bulb kind of concerns me.

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Other Resources for Pipe Making

There are many videos dealing with pipe-making. The following makes suggestions on the types of woods that should and shoudn't be used for pipe making. The authors goes on to describe his chosen techniques and practices for pipe making.

Space Sleep

Cover art of the first edition of Destination: Void

"Aboard the Earthling, they were a hand-picked lot, the 3006 survivors of the toughest weeding-out process the Project directors could devise for their Doppelganger charges. The final six had been the choicest of the choice-the unbilicus crew to monitor the ship untill it left the solar system, then tie off the few manual controls and turn the 200-year crossing to Tau Ceti over to that one lonely consciousness, and Organic Mental Core.

And while the 3006 lay dormant behind the hyb tanks water shields in the heart of the ship, their lives were to remain subject to the servor and sensors surgically linked to the Organic Mental Core."

Destination: Void, Frank Herbert

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Destination: Void-Illusions

"There is nothing concerning ourselves about which we can be truly objective except our phyiscal responeses-the reflections of behavior. We exsist in a forest of illusiosn where their very conception of consciousness merges with illusion...

To be conscious, you must surmount illusion."

...

"Consciousness can project illusions-unsubstantial stimulus objects-onto the screen of your awareness."

Destination: Void, Frank Herbert

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Updated at 12:00pm on 12/12/22

Destination: Void

"Four Scientists and a Human Cargo of Thousands

They were headed toward a planet circling the far distant Tau Ceti-a ripe Eden world waiting to be plucked for the future of the human race. But three fourths of the way through the Solor Stystem, their ship failed: its propelling engines and three all-powerful human brains had suddently, quite inexplicably gone mad.

They were trapped in space, at the mercy of the ship, and there was only one possible solution for survival-to create a "conscious" mechanical brain able to guide them to their destination.

But would there be enough time before they plunged into oblivion-for they were working with limited resources, under unbearable pressure...and against impossible odds."

Destination: Void, Frank Herbert, Berkly Publishing Company, 1966

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Review of and cover art of other editions of Frank Herbert's Destination: Void

5 Essential Frank Herbert Novels That Aren't About Dune

Miniatures, Dioramas, and Structures

• 102 Detailed And Fun Miniature Dioramas
• 25 Cool Examples Of Toy Photography
• Collectors gather 1,200 tiny buildings

Arkham Asylum Batmobile

Bat Man:Arkham Asylum Batmobile: HCW50

From the back of the 2011 card:

Born: 2009
Birthplace: GOTHAM CITY, USA
Designer: BRUCE WAYNE
Specialty: Dark and stealthy with a bubble canopy and long fins, this amazing vehicle is ready to help BATMAN defeat THE JOKER and regain control of GOTHAM CITY.

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Batmobile (Arkhamverse)

Updated at 3:14 PM on 11/30/22

Nun the less-they are Miniatures

Nun the less-they are miniatures of a sort.

Bat Man & the Justice League

Batman (old school)

Batman

Armored Batman

I found these three miniatures at the Dollartree and as you can see from above there are a few additional Justice League miniature available for purchase.They stand on an average of 2.75" from the sampling I have and are made of some hard plastic, perhaps PVC?

Another Vehicle for the Gas Lands

As you can see I really do not like having to repaint a vehicle if there is no need to do so. Besides, I do like the way they look right out of their packaging.

In addition to the machine gun up front the nippers will grab at anything it comes in contact with. It will really do some hurt, especially on a human torso.

Although I do have a few more conversions on the workbench, this is number four in my fleet off Gas Lands ready vehicles. Not that I am in any hurry. The design of the gameboard hasn't even got past the brain-storming stage.

It was like falling into the eye of God

“The sky was darkening as they approached the iris.

The eye was at least a hundred miles long from corner to corner and some thing like forty miles tall. Its outline seemed to blur as they approached. Layers and streamers became visible. The true shape of the eye began to show, a tunnel of churning winds that were reasonable uniform. Whose cross section was a picture of a human eye.

It was like falling into the eye of God. The visual effect was horrifying, terrifying, and almost comically overdone.”

Ringworld, Larry Niven

Model Train Sites-Karakuri Karat Creek Lab

Karakuri Lab Karat Creek Lab

Although the author has some recent posts this page is from back in 2019. YHe authors talks of narrow guage trains, mostly On30 guage?

There is a nioce collection of model trains here which are reviewed in as far how they handle and hold on to the track. I find these specimens quite lovely and enjoyed reading through the authors remarks.

Reading & Northern Railroad Steam Engine and Passenger Car

It was another fine day for rail watching, I don't know how many more we will see of these mild sunny days. I caught this and the passenger car chugging by, The Reading & Northern Railroad has several steam engines and their arrival is closely watched by many.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Director’s Return to Stop-Motion Animation!

Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, Coraline) visits Adam Savage's studio to discuss the art of stop-motion animation and the making of Henry's new film Wendell & Wild!, a Netflicks exclusive.

Time Seemed Different on Ringworld

"Time was different when the sun was always streight over head. Morning and Afternoon were indentical. Decisions seemed less than perminate. Reality seemed less than real. It was, Louis thought, like the instant of time spent traveling between tranfer booths."

Ringworld, Larry Niven

The Advantages for a Ringworld

"There are other advantages for Ringworld. We can spin it for gravity. A rotation on its axis of seven hundred seventy miles per second would give the Ringworld one gravity outward. We wouldn't even have to have a roof over it. Put walls a thousand miles high at each rim, aim it at the sun, and very little air will leak over the edges."

RingWorld, Larry Niven

Two New Hot Wheels Vehicles for 2022

Hot Wheels Screen Time Armadillo: HCT14

Hot Wheels Screen Time vehicles are inspired by movies, TV shows, and video games in our popular culture.

"The Armadillo is a type of transport spacecraft shown in the movie Lightyear. It is used to transport Buzz Lightyear and his exploration crew in the movie."

"Set off on an epic space adventure and fight Zurg in this Armadillo spaceship! With huge jet engines, wheels and a drop-down deck, help Buzz and friends escape perilous space battles and save the day."

As found on card

Hot Wheels Fast Foodie Carbonator: HCV52

"Specialty: Shaped like a soda bottle with a huge rear wing and a turbine engine, this hot rod was made to "pop" your top."

Author Builds Four Simple Shacks from Styrene in 1/87 Scale

THe author over two short videos builds four company shacks for his lumber mill crew.

The author uses simple techniques for his build and uses easy to use polystyrene sheets and ready availalbe windows and doors.

The author completes the simple fabrication, paints, and places his new structures to his layout.

9 Recycling Ideas for Old Sprues from Warhammer and Model Kits

I am not sure whether I have made a post on this topic before, but the article features a few suggestions on how to use those leftover plastic sprues.

Ringworld versus a Dyson Sphere

Image may be subject to copyrights.

"I myself have dreamed up an intermediate step between Dyson Spheres and planets. Build a ring ninety million miles in radius-one Earth orbit-which would make it six hundred million miles long. If we have the mass of Jupiter to work with and if we make it a million miles wide, we get a thickness of about a thousand meters. The Ringworld would thus be much studier than a Dyson Sphere..."

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Could We Build a Ringworld?

Fingles Laws

“The universe is hostile. The perversity of the universe tends toward a maximum.” Ringworld, Larry Niven, 1970

Ringworld a Host of Characters

A Host of Characters

"Louis Wu: human and old, was out celebrating his 200 birthday and is bored, having lived too fully for far too many years. Seeking a challenge, and all to capable of handling it.

Nessus: a trembling coward, a puppeteer with a built in surrvival pattern of non-violence. Except this puppeteer is insane.

Teela Brown: human; a wide-eyed youngster. with no allegiances, experience, or abilities. However with all the luck in the world.

Speaker to Animals: Kzin, large, orenge-furred, and carnivorous. And one of the most savage life-forms known to the galaxy.

Why did these disparate individuals come together? How could they possibly function together?

And where, in the name of anything sane, were they headed?"

Ringworld, Larry Niven, 1970

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More to follow:

The Ringworld Series

1970: Ringworld
1980: The Ringworld Engineers
1996: The Ringworld Throne
2004: Ringworld's Children
2012: Fate of Worlds (by Niven and Edward M. Lerner)

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Updated at: 2:03 P.M. on 10/29/22; 6:41 P.M. on 10/28/22;

Japanese Model Railroad Prototypes

Here is a page of some gorgeous narrow gauge Japanese prototype model railway models. I remeber being introduced Japanese model railroading while reading Narlow Gauge and Short Line Gazette. If my memory serves me right it was a how to article for an On30 diesel engine.

Photo-etched 009 Kit No 8 Hunslet Bo-Bo

009 Kit No 8 Hunslet Bo-Bo, brass etching

The Hunslet requires a Kato 11-105 chassis, which I have on hand.

I have these items on-hand or have the materials to fabricate them. I am planning on adding the following:

• Grab irons and rails
• Bell
• Horn
• Fillers
• Buffer Beam
• Steps
• Couplers
• Exhuast pipe

"Max Steel" Hot Wheels, Rod Squad for the Gas Lands

New for 2022 "This highboy hot rod is one of a kind. Featuring a low, air cooled flat six engine, the vehicle's body is smooth and riding high. A single-seater speedster, it's truly a unique design."

Max Steel: HCT29

This futuristic one seater is fitted with a manual fired machine gun will make a great addition to my Gas Lands collection.

Ring World

"The gods do not protect fools. Fools are protected by more capable fools."

Ring World, Larry Niven

An International Diesel

This is another image from that trip to Potter County. I found this International Diesel stuck away in another shed away from the main structure.

Potter County Logging Museum

Between the mill and the loco sheds was much to see at the logging museum.

I should have posted some images from the mill, perhaps another time.

A log disconect sits on a side rail. What's awaiting us in those sheds?

I see something sticking its self out there.

It was a shay locomotive. I haven't seen one of these before.

I knew the Shay was used by logging companies, but I didn't know the particulars for this engine. I am glad the plaque was there.

These photos were taken sometime ago and were taken in Potter County, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This a great place to visit. We drove for miles and didn't encounter one car on the highway. Very remote.

The Famous Thunder Mesa Mining Company Railroad gets Updates

The author adds a graveyard and some "spooky" lighting in parts 9 & 10 to his On30 model railroad and, just in time for halloween.

Boot Hill Graveyard - GGRR Part 9

Spooky Lighting Effects for Gruesome Gulch - GGRR Part 10

Chinese Junk

Chinese Junk: The Man with the Golden Gun, James Bond 007

Lost & Found: Raggedy Ann Figure

This gal has seen better days and has made it to my “Lost and found series. Although she was played with heavily, even by the family dog, by the looks of the teeth marks on her torso she did clean-up nicely.

After digging her up, another toy found in my garden, she was given a bath and scrubbed with a tooth brush. Once she was dry she was thoroughly inspected. This woman has got some curves. She stands approximately 65mm tall. I don’t know what type of plastic she is cast, but I am guessing PVC? She feels dense and has some bulk has I grip her in my hand. Don't judge.

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Some other posts in this series:

• The unwilling paratrooper
• The unimaginable friendship
• The unforgettable neon girls