Build your own display ramp

STEVEJ · 11-07-2006, 09:04 PM

OK, there has been a lot of negative this week, lets try getting back to the hobby.I thought some of you might like to see how I built a small display ramp, this one for my soon to arrive GJ VC-10s.........

1. Material used was 24"x24" piece of partical board that has a white laminate on both sides ,cut from a 4'X8' that was purchased at Home Depot for $24.99. Used four cans of spray primer, white, light grey, dark grey, and flat black.

STEVEJ · 11-07-2006, 09:05 PM

Spray paint entire surface with light grey primer. Put it in direct sunlight and it dries in 15 min, you can tape over in 30 min or less.

STEVEJ · 11-07-2006, 09:14 PM

Decide what time period and research photos and get a good feel for how ramps were constructed and marked, I decided to take a few ideas from different ramps incorporate on one ramp. Time period will be late 1960s-1970s. Outline in pencil where the differnet color spray paint will be used. Light grey is close to concrete, dark grey asphalt, black, new asphalt. White, new concrete or stronger concrete, just a general guide, this is your ramp, mark what suites you best. Then mask off the parts of the ramp that will remain light grey. I marked out three parking spots, sized for aircraft no larger than VC-10 or B707, sprayed white, marked off taxiway and some patches and painted dark grey, added some black on sides of taxiway and drainage trough.

STEVEJ · 11-07-2006, 09:23 PM

This is the tedious part but makes the whole ramp. The light grey portion of the ramp will be concrete slabs, decide what size you like, I normally use 1/2"X1" or 1/2"X1/2". This time I decided to use 1/4"X1/4" that resembles LHR. Used 1/2X1/2" squares on parking area. Marked 1/4" down one side and along bottom. Use a steel ruler with a cork bottom and with a dull Xacto knife scribe lines across light grey area, white laminate underneath will now be exposed as a seam around each slab. Don't worry if the line is rough and paint chips a little, adds to the realism of concrete, be sure when you run the line, hold knife solid against steel ruler or it will wander. Try to keep cursing to a minimum.
When all done scribing it will look as nasty as all get-out, just wipe over entire surface with a rag until nice and smooth, don't worry if it gets dirty, thats where you want to go. Remember dark grey is asphalt, no lines, try real hard to remember that, once the line is scribed there is no going back.

STEVEJ · 11-07-2006, 09:24 PM

Add some yellow lines..................Testors flat yellow

STEVEJ · 11-07-2006, 09:25 PM

Add some white lines......add some red lines....Testors flat red...auto pinstripe white.

STEVEJ · 11-07-2006, 09:31 PM

Dirty the thing up, I used some black chalk dabbed on a paper towel and GENTLY rub where aircraft taxi and turn, then run around parking area and anyplace else a ramp gets dirty, check photos, you'll get the idea. I have some tweeking to do and will show finished ramp when models arrive. Try it, inexpensive and looks a lot better that anything you could buy. Enjoy.

Just some notes....concrete slabs LHR 1960's, white parking spots, AMS 1960's, markings from various 1970 photos.
Add some nice models, a little GSE, a building or two and crop a close in shot and it comes to life.....total time spent approx 4 to 5 hours, cost, not more than $35.00 and with the 4X8 cut up, you can make quite a few different projects.

NOMO55 · 11-07-2006, 09:41 PM

Thank You!! Thats what this forum needs. A little more positive for the hobby. They are just toys after all!!

Bong · 11-07-2006, 09:51 PM

Fantastic. I'm going to have a go myself.
What do you use for the yellow,white and red lines ?
Also, I'm going to need some refreshments along the way. What do you suggest ?

gospodin · 11-07-2006, 10:17 PM

That's a great little to-do diorama...could add your GSE and maybe a few other odds and ends. Only drawback: you can only display a few models at a time. But hey, just rotate your choices! Nice job!

D-AIHC · 11-07-2006, 11:39 PM

Thanks, Steve! Excellent job!!!

Mtrain005 · 11-08-2006, 12:36 AM

Excellent!!
Another great contribution to the forum and this hobby by Stevo.
This should be a sticky BTW.

Santos · 11-08-2006, 05:50 AM

Thanks Steve for showing us how to do a display ramp step by step.

British Airways · 11-08-2006, 08:36 AM

Thanks for this very useful info, Steve. Keep up your awesome diorama work.

Michael

FLYDELTA · 11-08-2006, 12:24 PM

This is great....thank you for sharing. Am actually getting ready to start a prioject like this and it will help.

cathay747 · 11-08-2006, 12:46 PM

YES, make this a "sticky" so people can refer back to this! GREAT JOB, and thanks for something POSITIVE instead of another flame war.

MatthewPHX · 11-08-2006, 01:47 PM

Very cool, really nice work! Thanks for sharing.

Santos · 11-08-2006, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathay747

YES, make this a "sticky" so people can refer back to this! GREAT JOB, and thanks for something POSITIVE instead of another flame war.

Well said !

tdh8192 · 11-08-2006, 03:51 PM

I wanna know where he got that GJ Delta 757 widget that didn't have its cockpit printed on the rooftop.

Doosta · 11-09-2006, 03:14 AM

Fantastic Tutorial!! Perfect among the negatives this past week. Anyway, I'm over it, flame wars arent for and let's get back to the important things in this hobby, the planes themselves.

Don Clipper Spirit · 11-09-2006, 07:59 AM

Steve, you're the man!

Flughafen · 11-09-2006, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Clipper Spirit

Steve, you're the man!

...and are my teacher.

I guess your NCA tug car must have worked so hard. It appears frequently in your pics.

Sir, please go on! :-)

jjorgemiami · 11-09-2006, 01:04 PM

Great job, and veru good and detailed explanation. Thanks! Show us when you get the VC-10 please.

KenLan · 11-09-2006, 01:32 PM

great stuff!
too bad i dont have space

psalover · 11-09-2006, 02:20 PM

Steve, That is a awsome set up, and nice of you to share your secrets. It looks top notch as always.

pilotbonsai · 11-10-2006, 02:46 AM

I'm going to try this when we (my wife and I) move into our first house next month.

11-07-2006, 09:04 PM	#1
STEVEJ Insane Collector Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Stony Brook, N.Y. Age: 100 Posts: 1,664	Build your own display ramp OK, there has been a lot of negative this week, lets try getting back to the hobby.I thought some of you might like to see how I built a small display ramp, this one for my soon to arrive GJ VC-10s......... 1. Material used was 24"x24" piece of partical board that has a white laminate on both sides ,cut from a 4'X8' that was purchased at Home Depot for $24.99. Used four cans of spray primer, white, light grey, dark grey, and flat black. Last edited by STEVEJ; 01-05-2007 at 10:59 PM.

11-07-2006, 09:05 PM	#2
STEVEJ Insane Collector Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Stony Brook, N.Y. Age: 100 Posts: 1,664	Step1 Spray paint entire surface with light grey primer. Put it in direct sunlight and it dries in 15 min, you can tape over in 30 min or less. Last edited by STEVEJ; 01-05-2007 at 10:59 PM.

11-07-2006, 09:14 PM	#3
STEVEJ Insane Collector Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Stony Brook, N.Y. Age: 100 Posts: 1,664	Step 2 Decide what time period and research photos and get a good feel for how ramps were constructed and marked, I decided to take a few ideas from different ramps incorporate on one ramp. Time period will be late 1960s-1970s. Outline in pencil where the differnet color spray paint will be used. Light grey is close to concrete, dark grey asphalt, black, new asphalt. White, new concrete or stronger concrete, just a general guide, this is your ramp, mark what suites you best. Then mask off the parts of the ramp that will remain light grey. I marked out three parking spots, sized for aircraft no larger than VC-10 or B707, sprayed white, marked off taxiway and some patches and painted dark grey, added some black on sides of taxiway and drainage trough. Last edited by STEVEJ; 01-05-2007 at 10:59 PM.

11-07-2006, 09:23 PM	#4
STEVEJ Insane Collector Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Stony Brook, N.Y. Age: 100 Posts: 1,664	Step3 This is the tedious part but makes the whole ramp. The light grey portion of the ramp will be concrete slabs, decide what size you like, I normally use 1/2"X1" or 1/2"X1/2". This time I decided to use 1/4"X1/4" that resembles LHR. Used 1/2X1/2" squares on parking area. Marked 1/4" down one side and along bottom. Use a steel ruler with a cork bottom and with a dull Xacto knife scribe lines across light grey area, white laminate underneath will now be exposed as a seam around each slab. Don't worry if the line is rough and paint chips a little, adds to the realism of concrete, be sure when you run the line, hold knife solid against steel ruler or it will wander. Try to keep cursing to a minimum. When all done scribing it will look as nasty as all get-out, just wipe over entire surface with a rag until nice and smooth, don't worry if it gets dirty, thats where you want to go. Remember dark grey is asphalt, no lines, try real hard to remember that, once the line is scribed there is no going back. Last edited by STEVEJ; 01-05-2007 at 10:59 PM.

11-07-2006, 09:24 PM	#5
STEVEJ Insane Collector Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Stony Brook, N.Y. Age: 100 Posts: 1,664	Step 4 Add some yellow lines..................Testors flat yellow Last edited by STEVEJ; 01-05-2007 at 10:59 PM.

11-07-2006, 09:25 PM	#6
STEVEJ Insane Collector Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Stony Brook, N.Y. Age: 100 Posts: 1,664	Step 5 Add some white lines......add some red lines....Testors flat red...auto pinstripe white. Last edited by STEVEJ; 01-05-2007 at 10:59 PM.

11-07-2006, 09:31 PM	#7
STEVEJ Insane Collector Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Stony Brook, N.Y. Age: 100 Posts: 1,664	Step 6 Dirty the thing up, I used some black chalk dabbed on a paper towel and GENTLY rub where aircraft taxi and turn, then run around parking area and anyplace else a ramp gets dirty, check photos, you'll get the idea. I have some tweeking to do and will show finished ramp when models arrive. Try it, inexpensive and looks a lot better that anything you could buy. Enjoy. Just some notes....concrete slabs LHR 1960's, white parking spots, AMS 1960's, markings from various 1970 photos. Add some nice models, a little GSE, a building or two and crop a close in shot and it comes to life.....total time spent approx 4 to 5 hours, cost, not more than $35.00 and with the 4X8 cut up, you can make quite a few different projects. Last edited by STEVEJ; 01-05-2007 at 10:59 PM.

11-07-2006, 09:41 PM	#8
NOMO55 Junior Collector Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 30	Thank You!! Thats what this forum needs. A little more positive for the hobby. They are just toys after all!!

11-07-2006, 09:51 PM	#9
Bong Has any one seen a mouse Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Shropshire Age: 48 Posts: 85	Fantastic. I'm going to have a go myself. What do you use for the yellow,white and red lines ? Also, I'm going to need some refreshments along the way. What do you suggest ? __________________ Collecting can seriously damage your wealth.

11-07-2006, 10:17 PM	#10
gospodin Diecast Blasphemer Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ceti Alpha V Age: 52 Posts: 3,456	That's a great little to-do diorama...could add your GSE and maybe a few other odds and ends. Only drawback: you can only display a few models at a time. But hey, just rotate your choices! Nice job! __________________ Steve When you wish upon a star, your dreams could come true. Except if it's a comet heading for Earth, then you and everybody else are pretty much hosed. Unless your wish was death by comet.

11-07-2006, 11:39 PM	#11
D-AIHC Essen Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 6,192	Thanks, Steve! Excellent job!!! __________________ Lufthansa - Star Alliance member since 1997

11-08-2006, 12:36 AM	#12
Mtrain005 Senior Collector Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NYC, NY Age: 30 Posts: 376	Excellent!! Another great contribution to the forum and this hobby by Stevo. This should be a sticky BTW. __________________

11-08-2006, 05:50 AM	#13
Santos South American collector Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Brazil Age: 36 Posts: 2,838	Thanks Steve for showing us how to do a display ramp step by step. __________________ Wish list in 1:400 scale: 1) BETA DC-8-70F (dedicated to Celso please) 2) PANAIR DO BRASIL DC-8 reg.# PP-PDS 3) VARIGLOG MD-11F & B727-100 / 200F 4) VARIG Caravelle 5) TRANSBRASIL 727-100 6) RIO-SUL 737-500 old colors Thank you Aeroclassics for the VARIG Coronados!

11-08-2006, 08:36 AM	#14
British Airways DAC Team Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Hamburg Posts: 2,916	Thanks for this very useful info, Steve. Keep up your awesome diorama work. Michael __________________ DiecastAircraftPhotos Models For Sale Michael Hoeltmann

11-08-2006, 12:24 PM	#15
FLYDELTA Collector Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Powell, Oh Posts: 141	This is great....thank you for sharing. Am actually getting ready to start a prioject like this and it will help.

11-09-2006, 07:59 AM	#21
Don Clipper Spirit Insane Collector Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: At the airport of Amsterdam Posts: 1,132	Steve, you're the man! __________________ Pan American World Airways - the world's most experienced airline

11-08-2006, 12:46 PM	#16
cathay747 Try a Little VC-10derness Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 299	YES, make this a "sticky" so people can refer back to this! GREAT JOB, and thanks for something POSITIVE instead of another flame war.

11-08-2006, 03:51 PM	#19
tdh8192 Mmmm... pep'roni pizza Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,241	I wanna know where he got that GJ Delta 757 widget that didn't have its cockpit printed on the rooftop. __________________ - Tom

11-09-2006, 03:14 AM	#20
Doosta Down Under Collector Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Croydon Hills, Australia Age: 19 Posts: 35	Fantastic Tutorial!! Perfect among the negatives this past week. Anyway, I'm over it, flame wars arent for and let's get back to the important things in this hobby, the planes themselves.

11-09-2006, 01:04 PM	#23
jjorgemiami Complete Wacko! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: MIAMI Age: 47 Posts: 5,738	Great job, and veru good and detailed explanation. Thanks! Show us when you get the VC-10 please. __________________ Fly United Airlines we are R I S I N G !

11-09-2006, 01:32 PM	#24
KenLan Master Collector Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 499	great stuff! too bad i dont have space

11-09-2006, 02:20 PM	#25
psalover Retro Junkie Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: IN HELL!!!! Gotta Get Out!!! Age: 37 Posts: 2,886	Steve, That is a awsome set up, and nice of you to share your secrets. It looks top notch as always.

11-10-2006, 02:46 AM	#26
pilotbonsai yea, I collect airplanes Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 31 Posts: 364	I'm going to try this when we (my wife and I) move into our first house next month. __________________