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Well, here goes. I decided to make a work in progress thread for the G1 ARK diorama I've started. I figured I would post it in a way that keeps a tally of how much it will cost to make this, as well as show the steps I'll take to create it as I go. I posted this mock-up in another thread, but this picture shows the BASIC layout of how I envision this diorama to be. It's going to be huge, roughly 8 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet tall to accommodate the CHUG size figures for display.



The first section on the left will be the interior of the Ark, with a Teletraan-1, a med-bay and LED lights throughout the tunnel to the outside on the right. The middle section will be the mountain and the Ark itself, and the section on the right will be the road leading to the Ark with room for larger figure display.

The first thing I did was try to find a flat, sturdy board that would act as a base to build upon. Since I plan on building this in 3 sections that seamlessly come together, I wanted something lightweight, inexpensive, but absolutely rigid and hard enough that there would be no bowing or bending whatsoever. After looking online I found the perfect thing:




At the local Home Depot they have 4'X8' 1/2" thick MDF board. They are even nice enough to cut it into 3rd's in the store for no charge.


Next, I got 3 rubber totes of various sizes. I happened to have extra at home, but they are pretty cheap, around $3.00 to 4.00 apiece at various stores. Earthrise Grapple is my construction assistant.



Next, I got some foam board for a few bucks at Target to build the Ark with. I will probably end up getting more, but started with two 22"x28" pieces.



Next, I watched a ton of videos on what kind of different material to use for the bulk of the mountain. I decided on using Spray Foam for the bulk of the rock face. These will be used and glued to the base frame that the rubbermaid totes will provide. I also searched for the right kind of glue for the foam. If you're not careful, certain kinds will actually disintegrate the foam. Don't want that.


Next, I have a limited supply of cardstock I was able to print out years ago of the Ark files that Mandingo Rex made available. These will line the inside of the Ark base, walls, floors, etc.

Back when I had Photoshop, I made a few custom ones with windows showing the rock on the other side:


And that's where I am now. My next step is to look at spray paints that will work on the foam, plastic, etc. and then start anchoring the totes to the base.

So far, the total cost is:
4'x8' MDF Board: $21.25
2 packs of silicone adhesive: $9.14
2 packs of spray foam: $7.56
2 sheets of foam board: $5.98
Sales tax: $3.01


Total cost so far: $46.94

Made a few adjustments to the overall size of the Ark itself. I decided to make it larger, but more hidden in the mountain. The tunnel leading into and out of the Ark will be roughly 8" H x 8" W x 17" L. I want it large enough for Voyager class figures to walk in. I will probably have to scratch build it, so that I can drill holes for LED lights to illuminate it.



I found some spray paints to work on the Ark and the mountain for future use.



My next step will be to get some 1/4" screws and use those and glue to set the tubs firmly on place.

Man does this project look ambitious! I'm excited to see further updates as it develops. Do you still have the files customized from Mandingo Rex? It sounds like you'll have a hard time making more panels for the larger ship design if you don't.

Made a little more progress today. Cut the cave/Dinobot/LED access entrance of the tote.


After that was done, I glued the two Rubbermaid totes to the base, and then screwed them securely into place using 1/4" gutter screws, since the threading was better and it had a flat head.

Once those were in place, I started measuring out the foam board panels into three 8.5"x15" sections to build the Ark's entrance tunnel.


I used heavy-duty Gorilla Tape to build the tunnel itself and then put it in place along with a floor panel for position. (Gorilla Tape worked great, but be very careful, once it touched the foam board it was permanent. If you try to take it off to readjust, it will rip the foam board apart. Measuring is your friend.)

My next step will be to secure the tunnel in place and start lining the walls with the Ark paper, along with some details and lighting.

Latebrus-K wrote:Man does this project look ambitious! I'm excited to see further updates as it develops. Do you still have the files customized from Mandingo Rex? It sounds like you'll have a hard time making more panels for the larger ship design if you don't.

I do have the Mandingo Rex files, but it will cost me a pretty penny to print them out on the #130 Cardstock I used to. I am going to make this a mix of the printed files as the walls and for the outside of the Ark I will use paint.

Made a trip to the local hobby store and picked up more supplies today. Started cutting and measuring the Ark panels for the tunnel. Once those were ready, I laid some glue down and secured them to the tunnel.


Next, I started drilling holes for the mini LED lights I picked up on sale. Then it was a matter of taping two of them together and using the gorilla tape to secure them in place.


I couldn't find any battery powered LED lights I liked, so I went with some I found on sale that plug in. I'm going to set up this tunnel in such a way that if I change my mind down the road, I can switch them out. I have a plan to hide the plug as well. Now that the tunnel is more or less done, I can switch my focus to securing the larger rubbermaid tote on top of the other two and prepping the mountain.

Last update for a few days. I drilled holes in the top rubber tote and secured it to the bottom two using a mix of adhesive epoxy and threaded screws with a fastening nut.

When I was at the hobby store the other day I picked up corrugated plastic board. Relatively cheap and lightweight, it's also paintable and more durable than cardboard. More importantly, it's bendable. This is what I will be using for the curved rear section of the exposed Ark.

My next step was to trace the outline of the Ark where the plastic would go. Then it was the painstaking process of cutting the slot for the plastic Ark frame into the rubber totes. I decided to do this using a box cutter blade. I didn't want to use a saw, for fear the vibration might loosen the adhesive.


Then it was time to do a rough fitting for placement. I will have to add a small section of plastic in the upper and lower right sides. Now that the basic frame is in place, my next step in the next week will be to measure and frame out the rest of the rear of the ship and assemble it. Then I will have to work on gluing and fastening it securely to the totes. My progress so far:


I also had to pick up a bunch more supplies the last week. Those were:
2 packages of LED lights: $23.98
2 more pieces of 20"×30" foam board: $5.98
1 piece of 1/2" thick 20"x30" foam board: $6.99
3 pieces of corrugated plastic board: $13.47
Assorted sharpie markers and small model paints: $10.00
Rustoleum spray paints: $8.19
Gorilla tape: $12.36
Snap knife: $1.97
Screws and nuts: $6.00

Grand total project cost so far: $135.88

My original goal was to keep this project cost around $150ish. I have a few ideas for parts to the Ark (Thrusters, details, etc.) using common household items that won't cost me a penny. Some things I already had around the house, others I had to just go out and buy. But I think the bulk of the spending is mostly done. Now it will be time to get creative.

I built support struts for the Ark that run between the top and bottom. Once I taped those into place, I laid the frame down and traced out the back of the ship.

Next, I cut it out and attached it to the frame with the Gorilla tape. Then I traced out exactly where the Ark goes into the rubber totes. That way I have a estimate for where I have to paint to, as well as when I do the final assembly in place.


Once I finished that, I did a final placement test and rough sketched out the thruster size and placement. My next step will be to start cutting and gluing all the raised details, as well as the thrusters. This will take some time. Once that is finished, it will be time to paint the Ark itself.

Picked up these lightweight plastic flower planters at the dollar store for $1.00 each. Cut the holes to attach them to the back of the ship to use as the thrusters and framed out the rear right corner of the ship.

I had originally thought of using cardboard tubes of some sort for the thrusters, however my plans changed once I saw the plastic flower planters. As I was going thru my supplies I was trying to think of something I could use on the inside of the thruster so it wouldn't be so hollow. Inspiration comes from the unlikeliest of sources, I happened to be staring at my spray paint when it hit me:

Yup, the cap to my spray paint cans.

I also cut out 1" board strips for detail on the edges of the ship and glued them into place:


Still have a ways to go. Hopefully tomorrow I can get more work done on the thrusters.

Well, I hit the $150 mark. Got a crazy idea and got 2 packages of 3/8" × 1.25" window seal tape along with some zip ties.

I cut the tape into 4" long strips. A LOT of them.

The end result:


I cut the zip ties to the lengths I wanted and glued them in place for detail. I also applied some compound to the joints and seams for a more smooth uniform look.

I'm currently taking advantage of some nice early spring weather here in the midwest to start some painting outside. The adhesive on the back of the window seal tape isn't as strong as I'd like, so I had to glue some of the pieces on the thrusters in place. Hence the rope ties to hold them in place while everything dries.

Made a little more progress this weekend. Screwed a few things up and learned a few lessons as well. I started off the weekend by painting the inside of the thrusters. The temperature was above 50 degrees, low humidity and no different than numerous other times I've painted using Krylon with no problems. I started having major cracking in certain spots after I came outside to check on how it dried. Then it dawned on me: I never cleaned the plastic. It's possible there was some kind of coating or residue that the Krylon did NOT like:


I really didn't want to start all over again, so I decided to push forward and give it a second coat, bringing it inside to dry. If this was on a transforming toy, I would have had no choice but to scrap it and start all over. But since this is a diorama representing a 4 million old buried spaceship, I felt that I could artistically use imperfections to my advantage and have the cracking in the paint look like weathering and wear in the thrusters. Lesson learned: Clean the plastic.

I decided to use a small strip of gorilla tape around the diameter of the thrusters as a back-up, just in case anymore of the foam strips wanted to come loose. I also spray painted and glued the paint caps inside the thrusters. I added some exhaust details and will add a few touch up details once they are assembled. Now I'll spend this week trying to finish up gluing the rest of the smaller details on the ship so I can paint that next weekend. Once the body of the ship is painted, I'll glue the thrusters in place and attach the ship permanently to the rubber totes.

Ooh, this is shaping up nicely!

Spent a lot of time working on time consuming tedious details. I used an odd collection of junk from around the house that cost nothing to add texture and details to the back of the ship. Pieces of plastic hangers, an old DVD player that was going to get thrown out, marker caps, zip ties, a battery cover, water bottle caps, old audio/video cord connectors, etc. It will all make sense once it's dried and painted. I also lucked out and got rings from an old light fixture in the garage that doesn't work. It fit perfectly around the thrusters.

Finished all the little details on the outside. Added a small rotating turret underneath by the entrance to the tunnel. Marked out where the road leading to the tunnel will be. Between tomorrow and sunday the painting on the Ark will commence!

First coat done

Last post for the weekend. Got two, full, solid coats of paint with a few touch ups finished today with no hiccups. I started out framing the basic rock on the left side of the mountain with crunched up paper bags. All three thrusters are glued in place as well. Now it's time to go to work until Sunday and let this all dry and set.




Next week I have multiple parts to work on.
1. I want to secure the thrusters again from the inside of the ship as a back up.
2. Start applying the spray foam to the box on the right of the diorama as a test to see how it dries and sticks.
3. Start applying a bronze/copper paint to the floor of the tunnel and inside floor of the Ark to distinguish it from the printed walls.
4. Start REALLY touching up and giving the exterior of the Ark it's final paint job, with weathering and details.
5. Once that's finished, glue the Ark into the mountain.

Nothing major, just a small update. Spent another $8 on metallic rust spray paint and spray glue and painted the floor of the tunnel using the same corrugated plastic board I used for the exterior of the Ark. I'm pretty happy with the way the color is turning out, and I'm going to make this the color of all the floors in the ship as well when I get to it.

I also checked the thrusters which glued perfectly solid to the Ark and placed it in position again. Tomorrow I will try to spend a little time painting the weathering on the Ark exterior. Grand total cost so far: $168.00.

I finished the floor to the entrance tunnel. Once I spray painted it with the Metallic rust paint, I used a black sharpie marker to draw the random floor designs and then I spray painted a clear coat on top. I thought the clear coat was dry enough, so I used Loc-Tite spray glue to glue the entrance floor to the MDF diorama base. In my haste, I placed a few heavy gallon and half gallon size containers on the entrance floor to make sure there was no bowing upwards when the glue set...big mistake. The glue set and the entrance floor is now in place solid. The problem is the clear coat hadn't 100% dried and cured and what I put on it left impression "rings" that are clearly visible. I also kind of regret using the corrugated plastic board, since you can really see every ridge in the board. I'll chalk it up to the Autobots having to use scrap, inferior deckboard for their entrance floor. On the bright side, I know exactly what I'm going to use and how I'm going to do it when I get to the floors for the interior of the Ark. You live and learn.



On a more positive note, I was able to give the Ark some rusty, weathered detail. Once I am done with the painted details (still going to add some silver and black into the mix) I will finally attach the Ark permanently to the mountain. Then the spray foam fun begins.
Earthrise Optimus Prime shown for scale:

Well, there's no turning back now. I finished attaching the tunnel entrance walls to the floor and interior frame and secured the Ark itself into the totes permanently. A couple of fasteners and a ton of Gorilla Tape have this thing on there so tight it ain't coming off. I did have a couple paint scratches and flakes come off in the process, but it's nothing I can't touch up and fix.

My next step was the one I was waiting for the whole project. It was seeing a video on this stuff that actually got the wheels turning in my head thinking I could make this the way I always wanted to with a minimum of mess. Cue the Great Stuff spray foam:





I used 2 cans, was able to put it exactly where I wanted and there was ZERO mess applying it. I used latex gloves, 2 shop towels and there were no fumes. I will have to apply a bunch more on the left side of the mountain and will have to get more cans for the full project, but at $3 a can that's not a problem. Now I just have to spray a little water mist on it to help it expand and cure where I want. I can't wait to start carving it into the shapes of rock. The only mess there will be is to sweep up the carvings. And now I wait until this weekend.

That is looking splendiferous! Keep it up!

Update: 1000% glad I decided to use Great Stuff spray foam for the mountain. This stuff is awesome. I gave it a little space in the gaps and it expanded right to about where I thought it would. I will definitely have to get a few more cans to spray this weekend and build up the mountain on the sides more, but I should be able to start carving next week.

I wish this website had a "like" button for posts...

Over the weekend I let the foam around the mountain dry. I cut some cardboard and attached it to the right side of the diorama base and spray foamed those to be used as rock.


Disaster struck when I tipped the Ark diorama so that I could apply the foam to the left side of the mountain. Tipping it worked just fine, however in my haste I applied TOO MUCH spray foam. It looked fine after I set it and I walked away for 20 minutes. When I came back, gravity took some of the foam and it sloughed off and dropped onto parts of the Ark. Fortunately I was able to get the big parts off before they dried, but the damage was done. It took some of the paint off and had almost fully engulfed the first thruster. I'll be able to touch up the paint and work around it in the end. But another lesson learned, don't try to do too much too fast.


So, after that clean up and once it all dried, I set to work the task of carving the obvious pieces of foam off and trying to give it more of a rock-like formation and texture.


I also took the chunks I cut off the mountain and carved those to be used on the ground as smaller pieces.

What started out as this:

Now looks like this:

Next step will be to apply compound filler to some of the gaps in the mountain and diorama rock. I also have to get a little more spray foam for the right side of the mountain. This will take some time to apply and let dry.

Building this thing was actually the easy part. I am now in the tedious part of applying foam in sections and having to wait 24-48 hours for it to dry each time. I did start applying some compound to some of the deeper crevices to even things out a little.



In the meantime I started building up the road leading into the Ark. I traced out some foam board, cut it out and glued it to the base. I applied some compound along the sides and am waiting for this to dry. This weekend will be more foam spraying, drying and carving. I don't anticipate starting to paint it until at least a week from now.