Creating My Lifesize Star Tours Diorama/Display Room: Update 06/11/03

[BigDumbWookiee]

As Ive talked about for so long, I am planning on renovating my Star Wars collection rooms into rooms with a specific Star Wars theme. I changed my mind from the Hoth areas (maybe Ill use this later though), and for room number one I've decided to apply a Star Tours theme.

Today I've been designing one of the shelving units that will go into the room. This unit will serve as a loose figure display area. If Im happy with how this first shelving unit turns out, I will apply the same design and theme to the rest of the room.

My father and I will be building this together, and because he can never understand my drawings, I've built a scale model to show how I want this first unit to appear. I've also taken some photos to show all of you!

Here is the photo of the entire scale model, please dont pay attention to the alternating colors on the shelves themselves, that is just from boredom. However, on the bottom "platform" I did use seperate colors to show different heights of wood. Hard to explain, maybe the picture will explain better:

 

The second photo shows a comparison picture with a scene from Star Tours (I borrowed the photo from startours.bejedi.com, I hope you dont mind Kris)

 

As you can now see, I will be using a grating for the central area of the platform, and then will apply the decor and themes as I've noted in the picture.

If you have any questions, please ask! If you have any feedback, please sound off! If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them!

Thanks!
Adam

[dustrho]

Sounds like a great idea!  How long do you expect it to take to complete this task?

[BigDumbWookiee]

lol Who knows I want to get out and buy all of my material and start asap, but it depends on how much free time my dad has, since he will be helping me build this. Unfortunately, Im not as mechanically inclined as he is

[Boba Binks]

I can't wait to see the finished product of your hard work.
Keep us updated.

Good Luck!

[BigDumbWookiee]

This is a seperate display project Im working on while I wait to get the wood for the above project (I dont have a truck).

This is a 4x4 foot base which I bought with a large glass shelving unit from a department store which was closing. I most likely wont change the glass shelving though. The base is going to be somewhat similar to the base for my figure display (as seen above), but with a few differences.

 
 

First, Im going to add a new border (where you see white paint, and an unpainted reddish brown area), which will go up just higher than the grating material, with a lip that hangs over it slightly to hold it in place and cover the edges. Instead of making the border like the one above (hey, cant make everything the same, that would be boring! ) Im going to do something a bit different. I havent decided which sides, or how many, but Im going to do some of the following:

1 or more sides will have a big caution strip along it (the entire side). Maybe with "Droid Lift Sector 2" on it, like in this picture:

 The picture is a bit too big to post here

On the other sides, Im going to paint them a basic dark blue (that classic imperial blue, also seen a lot all over the Star Tours queing area), with various pipes and conduit boxes coming out of the sides. Im going to drill some holes and place lights inside the conduit panels.

This base shouldnt take much longer really. I just need to get the wood cut for the new borders (maybe do this tomorrow, since I have enough wood to do that), and some lettering for the pipes (serial numbers, etc) and hopefully I can find some lettering to match the Droid Lift.

As always, I'd love comments and suggestions!

[krisvds]

Y*A*Y

That is FREAKING COOL !!!!!!!!!


You are great !!

[Angry Ewok]

Very nice work you've got so far, definately a lot of work ahead, but it seems you know what you're doing and you've got the time to do it. Should be very cool once it's in its later stages of creation, keep us up to date on this with pictures and all.  

[BigDumbWookiee]

Today I bring you a fairly large update!

Once again, I am still working on Base #2 (havent had a chance to go pick up wood). I have finished cutting and painting the new base trim/and borders. I did encounter a couple of problems resulting in some minor mistakes, but I will cover this up pretty easily as I detail the base.

Here is a picture of the base, with the top trim and two pieces of side border in place (not glued, just clamped):

 

As you can see by the image, the top trip has some gaps. I accidentally set the miter saw to cut at 47 degrees instead of 45. This will cover up easily. Im going to put some sort of conduit boxes on the sides, with pipes coming out the top. I'll simply run a small piece of pipe over the offending gaps. I had planned on something like this anyway, gap or no gap  

Here is the other portion of the base, the other two side borders. I will have blue side borders on opposite sides of one another, and will have these two "Droid Lift" borders on the other two sides opposite one another. I made the stencil too large, and couldnt fit "Droid Lift Sector - 2" on a single board, so I simply split the two and painted on part on one, and ther second part on the other. Apologies for the poor photoshoping:

 

Tomorrow I will begin gluing on all the pieces with 3000 pound epoxy adhesive. I didnt want to use nails or screws to attach everything. Ill also go hunting for something to put on the corners of the base

[JediMAC]

Looking GREAT Adam!  You're zipping along with that project quicker than I thought you would!  Now hurry up and get yourself a truck and get your butt over to Home Depot for that wood!

Keep the updates coming!  I'm really diggin' it...  

[BigDumbWookiee]

Home Depot?! Meh! lol Im going to Lowe's!

[dustrho]

It's looking great so far Adam!  I love the what you have done so far, and I can't wait to see it finished.

[BigDumbWookiee]

Got a lot more done on my second base today, and I'm nearly finished!

As you can see by the pictures, I've attached the new sides, as well as the top trim to hold the grating on. I've added some pipes on the back corners, and have added lights around the perimeter of the entire base.

All I need to do now is screw down the two pipe clamps on the back corners (couldnt find any screws the right size), finish the wiring for the lights, carry this badboy to my Star Wars room, put on the shelves and voila! I will be done, with the first of very many pieces to go into my new Star Tours themed room.

Here are the pictures!

 
 
 
 
 

[Snively Bandar]

Damn, that looks sweet BDW!  Where did you find the little light fixtures that you're attaching to the sides there?  Looking forward to more great pictures!

Also, how did you decide to go with the Star Tours theme?

[BigDumbWookiee]

The lights - I bought them at Lowe's. They are made by a company called "Malibu". You can find them in the outdoor lighting area (near Lights and Electrical). This particular set had ten lights (8 of which I ended up using, but Im keeping the other 2 for other room displays), all of the wiring, bulbs, and even a nice timer switch, all for $54.00. A pretty good price for everything included, and definately beats buying everything seperately.

I had originally planned on a Hoth room, but thought everything would just be way to bright (all white), and there wasn't a lot of reference material available for other environments, and moreso, there wasnt a lot of inexpensive stuff to simulate said environments. I have tons of pictures from Star Tours, and was able to get a lot more at startours.bejedi.com (Thanks Kris!) and a lot of the environmental stuff is moderately easy to copy, or at least use to inspire the design. My stand isn't exactly copied from anything in particular at Star Tours, but I feel it does have a Star Tours feel to it, enough that the average fan who has been to Star Tours could probably see that it was inspired by the ride. Plus Im a big fan of Star Tours!

[Angry Ewok]

Very awesome. I'm pretty much speachless.