Bat cave Atomic Pile

Costume making, prop building and other '66 Bat-related arts and crafts.

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STP Swallowthispill
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Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

Hi:

For those of you that remember me I'm Baaaaack! :D
I had a thread for my project the Atomic pile and I had to quit because of my back problems.
I have re-started work on the atomic pile.

Admins: should I start fresh or can my old topic be dusted off from the archive section so I can continue?

My user name is a little different this time it was STP (Swallow this Pill) I had to shorten it due to length restrictions.

Charles
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Scott Sebring
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by Scott Sebring »

STP Swallowthispill wrote:Admins: should I start fresh or can my old topic be dusted off from the archive section so I can continue?
We have no way of doing so. Glad to have you back.
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STP Swallowthispill
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

Well guys it has been awhile since my last post I am having to re learn how to do it.
Here is a photo of where I left off.

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Charles
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Lou Szabo
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by Lou Szabo »

Yippie, welcome back. Hope the health issues are in the past (IIRC).
Some days you just can't get rid of a ... SHARK!
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BatDavidEvanSmith
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by BatDavidEvanSmith »

This looks great! What is the scale? Is it to scale with the 6 inch figures we've been getting?

This is the one thing I think we'd all need to really make if we wanted to replicate the Batcave. I'm sure otherwise we'd be able to buy cave-like walls, and we'll get the batcomputer this year and we have the figures and the Batmobile. Everything seems fairly simple to buy and construct, except for this project you've taken on! Is this part of your bigger project to recreate the Batcave?

Admiring your craftsmanship!
"When we get to the royal oil boiling room, be sure to prepare some real boiling royal boiling oil to boil the boy wonder in... royally."
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STP Swallowthispill
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

Guys:

Thanks for all the nice comments and I am not sure of the scale but we tried to scale it to the bat mobile model seen in the picture.

This main part was tough to get correct and I am still not sure if it is correct but now on to the bottom half. You will be pleased to know I have been working on this part for a couple of weeks prior to re-joining the forum, I wanted to be sure I could do it and now I am far enough along to share lots of progress photos. So hang on and enjoy the ride.

I went with styrene and PVC for the main part but decided it was too hard to work with so the bottom half will be made out of 1/8" birch plywood

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I cut 9 strips of the 1/8" birch plywood and laminated them together with double side tape.
I then drew the flat side of the upright "I" beam provided by my son in photoshop onto this block of laminated pieces.
My thinking here was all I have to do is cut out the shape and the 8 pieces I need plus one to combat splintering when I drill the holes just have to be separated no saw blade marks on them worked like a charm!

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Here you see the block after the shape has been cut out and the holes drilled. Anyone trying this should note there are seven holes large at the top then a little smaller one then five smaller ones that are the same size the rest of the way down.
Once the holes were drilled I separated the individual pieces which at that time had residual glue from the double sided tape on them. I first tried soaking a test piece in vinegar worked some but not good enough. I then went with rubbing alcohol and after a two stage soaking (Clean them after the first soaking then soak them and clean them again) it worked like a charm!

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Next came sanding as my band saw cuts were not level enough I had to do a lot of sanding to get the edges flat enough to receive the outside part made from popsicle sticks thus making them look like "I" beams.

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Here you see the popsicle sticks being glued into position, they were not long enough so I joined them by mitering the ends. I glued these on with Locktite crazy glue the type that allows you to get the position correct before it dries, works good but I hate getting it on my hands and up my nose. :(

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And another view.
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Here is one of them with the popsicle sticks cut to size I only want the front side done at this stage.
I have to leave the back undone until I determine where the middle octagon will be I have it mocked up just not made out of wood yet still tweaking the size. There is also a bottom octagon that helps hold everything together.

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Here is a very early mockup before the popsicle sticks the middle octagon in this mockup
was too big. I will eventually post my sons photoshop drawings perhaps files so anyone can use
them if they want to.

That's all for now a lot more to come!
I welcome all feedback, ideas, pointers etc.

Thanks
Charles
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STP Swallowthispill
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

Here you see the mockup from a few different angles the size of the middle octagon is still too big and this is a very early mockup. It's just trial and error until the proportions look right.

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Here we set it under the main part to see if the results look correct that's when we can see it is too big!

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Here is a close up look at the "I" Beams before the front part was added you can really see that it is too big in this shot.

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And another view of the same area.

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I thought I would take a shot from Molly's POV when the sizing is correct it will look better.

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Here you see the front part popsicle sticks have been cut to size and are only needing sanding.

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Here is another angle of the upright "I" Beams with the front part attached.

That's all for now a lot more to come!
I welcome all feedback, ideas, pointers etc.

Charles
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STP Swallowthispill
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

Have not had much time to work on the project because of work.
Hope to get some more done this weekend.

Charles
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Mark Racop
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by Mark Racop »

Welcome back! Nice to see the progress on your Atomic Pile--it's looking great! (For the curious, the scale you are using is for the "1/18th" scale Hot Wheels Batmobile, but it's really more like 1/19th or 1/20th scale when you mic it out.)
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STP Swallowthispill
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

Here we have another rough mockup still trying to get the size right.

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More to come.

I wish everyone a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.

Charles
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STP Swallowthispill
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

Here is another mockup we think we have the size right now.
I have added the flat panels that will have the gauges and knife switches (Not sure how I am going to make those)
I would kit bash but I don't know of any models that may have these items and even if I did the cost would be a factor.

I also have added the acrylic rods in the front section just to see if it will look right.'
What do you guys think?

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More to come I have been working on the main part railings I will post pics when I am far enough along on that part.

Does anyone know where I can get a ladder that looks correct?
The only ones I can find have square rungs and side posts the AP ladders rungs are round and the posts are to. I may have to make one but I really don't want to if I can buy one.

That's all for now please feel free to comment as I need all the input I can get on this.

Charles
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dodgr31
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by dodgr31 »

Charles the work looks great. I am anxious to see the finished product!
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STP Swallowthispill
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

dodgr31 wrote:Charles the work looks great. I am anxious to see the finished product!

Thanks
I am trying to get the AP looking as close to the original as I can.

Charles
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Lou Szabo
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by Lou Szabo »

Very nice. I think this will look dynamite when it's done
Some days you just can't get rid of a ... SHARK!
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STP Swallowthispill
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Re: Bat cave Atomic Pile

Post by STP Swallowthispill »

Szabol wrote:Very nice. I think this will look dynamite when it's done

Thanks man
I am not going to quit this time I want to finish it but I am going to take my time and do it right.

Charles
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