Gimpdiggity
Master Member
Hello all!!!
I posted a thread the other day with a specific question about a prop display that I've been working on, and I got a couple of comments mentioning that they'd like to see how it ends up looking...so, I decided to abandon that specific question thread and introduce a "build" thread of sorts.
I watched "Stranger Things" in just a few days, which with my schedule is about as "binge" as watching can get. I loved pretty much every moment of it...not the least of which the awesome props and pieces that reminded me of things when I was growing up. I was browsing the Junk Yard here on RPF, and found a user...SSDesigner...was selling a lot of the Dungeons and Dragons figures that were used in the show, along with the compass that Lucas used in the show. SSDesigner accepted the offer that I sent him, and in short order I had the props in my possession. While they were on the way, I started thinking about how I'd want to display them...and I came up with a loose idea that I'll be using, and maybe changing slightly as I go along.
First up...here are the figures...
The Hydra has been assembled with CA glue, and the Demogoron will be opened. My original thread was specifically asking about opening the Demogorgon...I wasn't sure whether that was a good idea or not...I'm not usually one to hold onto things like this with an intention of getting a return on my investment, but I also wasn't 100% sure that it was a good idea to open the piece. Well, a user contacted me via PM...I'm not sure if he wanted his information to be public because he didn't post in my public thread, so I'll keep his username private unless he posts in this thread...and mentioned that the figure that I have is basically a "newer" version of the original, because the original never came in a package like the one I have. That isn't to say that there is anything WRONG with the piece...it's from the original mold and made by the original manufacturer...it's just to say that there's no real reason to leave it in the package. So, that settled that...the Demogorgon will be coming out of his package!!!!
This works because it went along with the other couple of members who chimed in, and actually fit with my ideal vision of the display.
As of this time, I will be leaving the D&D figures unpainted...this is because...frankly...I've never painted miniatures, and I'm afraid I'll do a TERRIBLE job...and then they'll look WORSE than they did if they weren't painted at all.
To be honest, when I was looking at the pieces in the ad in the Junk Yard, I couldn't remember off the top of my head if they were actually painted in the show or not...it wasn't until finding ANOTHER thread here on RPF that I realized that the pieces were in fact painted.
I have a couple of ideas for how to handle this:
1. I have a 3D printer, so I will be printing some "game figures" and painting them up with the acrylic paints I have laying around. I figure if I do a bunch of them, maybe I can get some techniques down to feel comfortable enough to do a very basic paintjob on the figures to get them a bit more screen accurate.
2. I have reached out to a couple of members here who do paint figures, to see if they offer their services. One member has responded already and mentioned that he is thinking about doing a run of painted figures from the show, but he needs to paint his own first to see how long it takes and if it would be worth it to do them as a run. I told him that if he ends up doing it, be sure to let me know. In the meantime, I'm also keeping my eyes and ears open locally to see if I can find anyone that paints these things. I have a friend at work that does tabletop gaming with a group, and I've asked him to ask around to see if anyone is any good at it. We'll see.
3. Finally, I have the option of just leaving them unpainted...we all know that everything in our world existed in the Upside Down, and everything in the Upside Down was in poor repair...I'd guess that means that the Dungeons and Dragons figures there wouldn't have paint on them at all.
To go along with this display, I've also sourced a Realistic brand TRC-214 radio. It's the same radio that Mike used in the show. It's in good condition, and squelches...but the seller didn't have a second radio to fully test it, and I don't have a second radio to test it, either. I'm guessing, though, that since it turns on and squelches, there's a good chance that it works. I may eventually get a TRC-206, which was the radio that Lucas used...and in that event I'll be able to test them together.
Here is the radio here...
I've found some paper props to go with the display as well...to be more specific, I've found the "Missing" flier for Will Byers that was shown in the show. This is a prop made by another member here on RPF, and posted in the Paper Props section. It's screen accurate, 8x11 sized, and made to be printed on a standard printer. It will work out perfectly.
My goal for the display is to take one of the shelves on one of my shelving units and "black it out." I'd like to have the back wall, the sides, the top, and the bottom of this specific shelf all black. I've got a couple of ideas for how to do this...first is to get some black vinyl and cut it to shape, effectively covering all of the wood finishing with the vinyl. Second, is to build an actual box out of thin wood, then paint the inside and the front edges of the box black...then fit that box onto the shelf so that it takes up the entire open area. Finally, I could cut felt or velvet and mount it to the sides, top, back, and bottom with some form of adhesive. I'd like to have it be something that can be removed if I ever want to move this display so that I can continue using that shelf in the unit without it being black...so I'm not sure which method I'll use yet. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!!!
Finally, for the first build of the display, I have had a seller on Etsy cut me an edge-lit acrylic sign. This sign will have a wooden piece that mounts to the top and houses an LED strip that changes colors. It's remote controlled. My shelving unit is right in front of a plug, so a small hole drilled in the back will allow the sign to be plugged in, and the sign will be hung at the back of the shelving unit from the upper shelf. The show's title screen is what is cut into the sign, so I'm hoping that when lit up it will give the appearance that the title is "hanging" just in thin air behind the props. I'm also hoping that the lights are bright enough that even with a little bit of light in the room you'll be able to see it.
This is the sign here, without the LED apparatus attached...
For now, this is the basis of my display. I'm thinking of some other things to add as well...such as the Pentax MX 35mm camera that Jonathan Byers used in the show, and I'm hoping that there will be enough room to potentially add some small props from season two when it comes out.
I'm REALLY hoping that in season two there is an example of a vintage 80s RC car. RC cars are my other main hobby, and it would be great to get a chance to build something like an RC10 or an old Nikko vehicle to display along with these other props, and actually have it be screen accurate.
That's it for now...let me know what you guys think!!! I'll be posting more photos and such as things come in and I get the shelf set up.
Thanks for checking out my thread!!!
I posted a thread the other day with a specific question about a prop display that I've been working on, and I got a couple of comments mentioning that they'd like to see how it ends up looking...so, I decided to abandon that specific question thread and introduce a "build" thread of sorts.
I watched "Stranger Things" in just a few days, which with my schedule is about as "binge" as watching can get. I loved pretty much every moment of it...not the least of which the awesome props and pieces that reminded me of things when I was growing up. I was browsing the Junk Yard here on RPF, and found a user...SSDesigner...was selling a lot of the Dungeons and Dragons figures that were used in the show, along with the compass that Lucas used in the show. SSDesigner accepted the offer that I sent him, and in short order I had the props in my possession. While they were on the way, I started thinking about how I'd want to display them...and I came up with a loose idea that I'll be using, and maybe changing slightly as I go along.
First up...here are the figures...
The Hydra has been assembled with CA glue, and the Demogoron will be opened. My original thread was specifically asking about opening the Demogorgon...I wasn't sure whether that was a good idea or not...I'm not usually one to hold onto things like this with an intention of getting a return on my investment, but I also wasn't 100% sure that it was a good idea to open the piece. Well, a user contacted me via PM...I'm not sure if he wanted his information to be public because he didn't post in my public thread, so I'll keep his username private unless he posts in this thread...and mentioned that the figure that I have is basically a "newer" version of the original, because the original never came in a package like the one I have. That isn't to say that there is anything WRONG with the piece...it's from the original mold and made by the original manufacturer...it's just to say that there's no real reason to leave it in the package. So, that settled that...the Demogorgon will be coming out of his package!!!!
This works because it went along with the other couple of members who chimed in, and actually fit with my ideal vision of the display.
As of this time, I will be leaving the D&D figures unpainted...this is because...frankly...I've never painted miniatures, and I'm afraid I'll do a TERRIBLE job...and then they'll look WORSE than they did if they weren't painted at all.
To be honest, when I was looking at the pieces in the ad in the Junk Yard, I couldn't remember off the top of my head if they were actually painted in the show or not...it wasn't until finding ANOTHER thread here on RPF that I realized that the pieces were in fact painted.
I have a couple of ideas for how to handle this:
1. I have a 3D printer, so I will be printing some "game figures" and painting them up with the acrylic paints I have laying around. I figure if I do a bunch of them, maybe I can get some techniques down to feel comfortable enough to do a very basic paintjob on the figures to get them a bit more screen accurate.
2. I have reached out to a couple of members here who do paint figures, to see if they offer their services. One member has responded already and mentioned that he is thinking about doing a run of painted figures from the show, but he needs to paint his own first to see how long it takes and if it would be worth it to do them as a run. I told him that if he ends up doing it, be sure to let me know. In the meantime, I'm also keeping my eyes and ears open locally to see if I can find anyone that paints these things. I have a friend at work that does tabletop gaming with a group, and I've asked him to ask around to see if anyone is any good at it. We'll see.
3. Finally, I have the option of just leaving them unpainted...we all know that everything in our world existed in the Upside Down, and everything in the Upside Down was in poor repair...I'd guess that means that the Dungeons and Dragons figures there wouldn't have paint on them at all.
To go along with this display, I've also sourced a Realistic brand TRC-214 radio. It's the same radio that Mike used in the show. It's in good condition, and squelches...but the seller didn't have a second radio to fully test it, and I don't have a second radio to test it, either. I'm guessing, though, that since it turns on and squelches, there's a good chance that it works. I may eventually get a TRC-206, which was the radio that Lucas used...and in that event I'll be able to test them together.
Here is the radio here...
I've found some paper props to go with the display as well...to be more specific, I've found the "Missing" flier for Will Byers that was shown in the show. This is a prop made by another member here on RPF, and posted in the Paper Props section. It's screen accurate, 8x11 sized, and made to be printed on a standard printer. It will work out perfectly.
My goal for the display is to take one of the shelves on one of my shelving units and "black it out." I'd like to have the back wall, the sides, the top, and the bottom of this specific shelf all black. I've got a couple of ideas for how to do this...first is to get some black vinyl and cut it to shape, effectively covering all of the wood finishing with the vinyl. Second, is to build an actual box out of thin wood, then paint the inside and the front edges of the box black...then fit that box onto the shelf so that it takes up the entire open area. Finally, I could cut felt or velvet and mount it to the sides, top, back, and bottom with some form of adhesive. I'd like to have it be something that can be removed if I ever want to move this display so that I can continue using that shelf in the unit without it being black...so I'm not sure which method I'll use yet. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!!!
Finally, for the first build of the display, I have had a seller on Etsy cut me an edge-lit acrylic sign. This sign will have a wooden piece that mounts to the top and houses an LED strip that changes colors. It's remote controlled. My shelving unit is right in front of a plug, so a small hole drilled in the back will allow the sign to be plugged in, and the sign will be hung at the back of the shelving unit from the upper shelf. The show's title screen is what is cut into the sign, so I'm hoping that when lit up it will give the appearance that the title is "hanging" just in thin air behind the props. I'm also hoping that the lights are bright enough that even with a little bit of light in the room you'll be able to see it.
This is the sign here, without the LED apparatus attached...
For now, this is the basis of my display. I'm thinking of some other things to add as well...such as the Pentax MX 35mm camera that Jonathan Byers used in the show, and I'm hoping that there will be enough room to potentially add some small props from season two when it comes out.
I'm REALLY hoping that in season two there is an example of a vintage 80s RC car. RC cars are my other main hobby, and it would be great to get a chance to build something like an RC10 or an old Nikko vehicle to display along with these other props, and actually have it be screen accurate.
That's it for now...let me know what you guys think!!! I'll be posting more photos and such as things come in and I get the shelf set up.
Thanks for checking out my thread!!!
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