Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Moderators: Scott Sebring, Ben Bentley
Forum rules
Costume making, prop building and other '66 Bat-related arts and crafts. Great place for info and helpful tips. Proudly display your latest creation. Please keep it '66 Batman related otherwise it will be moved to OFF-TOPIC.
(NO SOLICITATION). If you're looking to BUY or SELL something, go to the MERCHANDISE SECTION. Even if you're trying to assemble a costume by buying or acquiring different crafted items rather than constructing or customizing them yourself, then it belongs in the MERCHANDISE SECTION. Don't even ask somebody if they're planning on selling something within this section.
Be sure to read the Board Rules as well before posting for the first time.
Thank you!
Costume making, prop building and other '66 Bat-related arts and crafts. Great place for info and helpful tips. Proudly display your latest creation. Please keep it '66 Batman related otherwise it will be moved to OFF-TOPIC.
(NO SOLICITATION). If you're looking to BUY or SELL something, go to the MERCHANDISE SECTION. Even if you're trying to assemble a costume by buying or acquiring different crafted items rather than constructing or customizing them yourself, then it belongs in the MERCHANDISE SECTION. Don't even ask somebody if they're planning on selling something within this section.
Be sure to read the Board Rules as well before posting for the first time.
Thank you!
- Ben Bentley
- Moderator
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- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 2:31 pm
Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
As soon as I saw the McFarlane cave images I knew there was a few basic tweaks I would love to make to take this really fun playset to another level.
Can you spot them?
Thanks to RSaffle for the unknowing assist!
Can you spot them?
Thanks to RSaffle for the unknowing assist!
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Forgive me but what's the before and after photo?
I'm a fan of Batman 1966 and other Batman movies too
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Signs and railing color on the pile… amazing how much difference the paint color makes on the rails! Great work.
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
hello all. This is still a work in progress. These pictures include pieces of the Mezco 5 points set in the diorama. I like Ben's idea of painting the guard rails. I will need to go back to the blurays to get a better look of the details of the batcave.
- Ben Bentley
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Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Ding! Ding! Ding!
It makes ALL the difference, IMHO. I was stoked with the turquoise paint I found for the railings, it really sets off that whole "comic book" color palette that the show's production designer nailed for the TV Cave.
For the signage, I printed my repros onto gloss photo paper after some trial and error with sizing (there's no real scale here to work to here, so I just went with what felt right for this playset) and then mounted the new signs with double sided tape. Thanks again to, Randy!
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8124&p=77096#p77096
I love where you're going with your McF/Mezco mash-up cave! Looking forward to seeing your progress.
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Awesome work to you both. Very inspiring too. Love seeing people get all crafty. Glad to be a small part if it too.
I started work on the lucite map and if it looks good at this scale maybe I can add it to both of your caves.
I started work on the lucite map and if it looks good at this scale maybe I can add it to both of your caves.
*See more 3D printed props @ https://www.instagram.com/saffledesigns/
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
I'm very interested in learning how you made the cave walls look so great!
*See more 3D printed props @ https://www.instagram.com/saffledesigns/
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Thank you Ben and Randy for the positive feedback. I am striving towards making the batcave as accurate to the tv show as possible (within reason...lol). Randy, I used a 3 sided poster board that you find at the dollar store for school projects for the frame. The cave walls come from paper I found at Hobby Lobby: The Paper Studio brand # 1935626 Brown Rock. I cut and glued the sheets onto the poster board for effect.
- Ben Bentley
- Moderator
- Posts: 1282
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 2:31 pm
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Love it! Thanks for the lead on the brown rock paper. I'm toying with the idea of making a studio-floor inspired base for it to sit on. Currently trying to decide between floor tiles or vinyl sheet flooring, either of which would be painted.zarm106 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:34 am Thank you Ben and Randy for the positive feedback. I am striving towards making the batcave as accurate to the tv show as possible (within reason...lol). Randy, I used a 3 sided poster board that you find at the dollar store for school projects for the frame. The cave walls come from paper I found at Hobby Lobby: The Paper Studio brand # 1935626 Brown Rock. I cut and glued the sheets onto the poster board for effect.
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Hey, Ben. I would lean towards the vinyl sheet flooring since it will be easier to remove and replace. I am always building and rebuilding my dioramas when I see an opportunity to improve. I am on a budget so I work a lot of my magic (lol) with cardboard, foam board, and packing Styrofoam.
- Barnabas Collins
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2021 4:43 pm
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
I've thought about buying two Batcaves to create a "two-sided" atomic pile, but not sure if it would work. I love seeing your Batcave customs. Keep us posted, please, both of you.
Barnabas Collins
Barnabas Collins
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Another option is the foam filler. This is usually the color of the cave walls.Ben Bentley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:38 amLove it! Thanks for the lead on the brown rock paper. I'm toying with the idea of making a studio-floor inspired base for it to sit on. Currently trying to decide between floor tiles or vinyl sheet flooring, either of which would be painted.zarm106 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:34 am Thank you Ben and Randy for the positive feedback. I am striving towards making the batcave as accurate to the tv show as possible (within reason...lol). Randy, I used a 3 sided poster board that you find at the dollar store for school projects for the frame. The cave walls come from paper I found at Hobby Lobby: The Paper Studio brand # 1935626 Brown Rock. I cut and glued the sheets onto the poster board for effect.
You may purchase this as a spray can, or like this tool with different foams. Our company used this as packaging material. How do I know it works? i posted pictures a long time ago. 28"x28", carboard backing materials
Some days you just can't get rid of a ... SHARK!
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
For reference, these are parts of the TV Batcave wall sold on ebay in 2009 or so.
Some days you just can't get rid of a ... SHARK!
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
Thanks Lou for sharing the video and the information. I'm not quite that adventurous to try the foam spray just yet. I get too many visions of Tim Allen and what can go wrong....lol. Still dangerous to myself with spray adhesive and exacto blades....Lou Szabo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 5:43 amAnother option is the foam filler. This is usually the color of the cave walls.Ben Bentley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:38 amLove it! Thanks for the lead on the brown rock paper. I'm toying with the idea of making a studio-floor inspired base for it to sit on. Currently trying to decide between floor tiles or vinyl sheet flooring, either of which would be painted.zarm106 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:34 am Thank you Ben and Randy for the positive feedback. I am striving towards making the batcave as accurate to the tv show as possible (within reason...lol). Randy, I used a 3 sided poster board that you find at the dollar store for school projects for the frame. The cave walls come from paper I found at Hobby Lobby: The Paper Studio brand # 1935626 Brown Rock. I cut and glued the sheets onto the poster board for effect.
You may purchase this as a spray can, or like this tool with different foams. Our company used this as packaging material. How do I know it works? i posted pictures a long time ago. 28"x28", carboard backing materials
9bc36444339c3bc2acd8d0bac99c8fc0d66f9ab4.jpg16b264931732baafd76cd98e62eafb9308c0e5b2.jpg38f360e537743b10ab8bd364cecf8b6a729bcebc.jpg828264c31c328aaad3cc788d30c79fd84b46e1ce.jpgb0726a137a3f6acfdd0c6887c83b260094b73ecb.jpg
Re: Customizing the McFarlane Batcave
I know what you mean. I’m down to 7 digits left undamaged, and power tools are forbidden.
However, the pictures show you the color compared to the real cave. Then the lighting gives it different hues, including gray. It was just too big to display at 1/18 scale. The Factory Entertainment piece is small enough to display over a corner fireplace. Plus a normal playing card Joker scales well with it, as does the old oversized Penny and T-Rex. Just kicking myself as I got rid of the larger T-Rex that would scale to 1/18 and 1/12. Also have a giant Penny to go with this scale.
To me, the 4th wall might be the location of the Batman trophies, or behind the reactor. In that case, the older cars and Bat cycle could be the 4th wall. By 4th wall, I mean where you see the inside of the cave.
Anyway, I’m thrilled to see all this creativity and sharing of ideas. I’m waiting for the McCave to be discounted. You can then enlarge it, and make a true stand alone Atomic Pile.
However, the pictures show you the color compared to the real cave. Then the lighting gives it different hues, including gray. It was just too big to display at 1/18 scale. The Factory Entertainment piece is small enough to display over a corner fireplace. Plus a normal playing card Joker scales well with it, as does the old oversized Penny and T-Rex. Just kicking myself as I got rid of the larger T-Rex that would scale to 1/18 and 1/12. Also have a giant Penny to go with this scale.
To me, the 4th wall might be the location of the Batman trophies, or behind the reactor. In that case, the older cars and Bat cycle could be the 4th wall. By 4th wall, I mean where you see the inside of the cave.
Anyway, I’m thrilled to see all this creativity and sharing of ideas. I’m waiting for the McCave to be discounted. You can then enlarge it, and make a true stand alone Atomic Pile.
Some days you just can't get rid of a ... SHARK!