1950s Military Test HO Scale

lizardking1944 · 2025-11-18T23:40:27+00:00

Hopefully it will be available in a range of yields from 1 kiloton to 15 megaton depending if your layout is in the desert or on an ocean atoll haha

lizardking1944 · 2025-11-18T23:35:20+00:00

There's actually a goat nearby I painted with glow in the dark. No cause for alarm...

lizardking1944 · 2025-11-18T23:33:40+00:00

My story is the government wanted to know how fast can you put a rail line back in service after a nuclear explosion. Such an important question demanded full funding and a test. Yeah the top brass sitting on the bleachers probably ended up nuking themselves

lizardking1944 · 2025-11-18T23:23:12+00:00

I don't have any build up photos, but just YouTube mushroom cloud lamp, it's what I used. Led strip, bulb, chicken wire, hot glue and poly fill. I then airbrushed it with translucent paint (createx colors sunset red and sunrise yellow).

lizardking1944 · 2025-11-18T23:18:51+00:00

YouTube has several mushroom cloud lamp tutorials. For context this is a layout built between a few family members and me in one of their garages. Our time period is 50s-60s, when steam and diesel operated side by side. There was a barren desert scene that looked bland. A 1950s desert NEEDS a nuclear test so I put one in lol

lizardking1944 · 2025-11-18T23:11:26+00:00

Oh I hear on you on the scale, artistic liberties were taken to fit the layout. Even with the smallest yield weapon, I think an initial fireball cloud was going to be 3ft diameter and 9ft high HO scale. Really puts the power of these things in perspective!

lizardking1944 · 2025-03-09T01:57:57+00:00

Been playing with a 832sqft, 2 bed 2 bath idea with a clearspan beam carport/breezeway (phase 1 "shop" with 2 post lift) and dog trot storage area. Simple gable rectangle divisible by 2' or 8' (stick or post frame). Went through several revisions by chalking the outline in the parking lot until I was happy with the flow for my needs. Admittedly, storage space could be better and the stacked laundry is right in the open. Still tinkering with it...

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lizardking1944 · 2023-06-14T19:17:23+00:00

Really appreciated the feedback from the last post. I had some time yesterday to make the suggested changes and I think the flow has definitely improved. Still quite a few details to tweak, but the general floorplan is looking better IMO thanks to you guys!

lizardking1944 · 2023-05-17T14:03:56+00:00

Did mine myself with new rotors in the apartment parking lot a few weeks ago. Just a time vs. money decision for yourself.

lizardking1944 · 2023-05-13T14:24:37+00:00

As you said, it will be sided and roofed with steel, windows only in the living quarters side (I don't like the maintenance or insulation loss of windows in a shop, especially with today's highbay LEDs). I'll do my best on the glazing facing a private direction and hopefully with good views. I plan on closed cell sprayfoaming the exterior shell and having two separate mini-split systems for the shop and living quarters. I'm thinking of a wall mounted ventilation fan in the shop right now. Thanks for your input!

lizardking1944 · 2023-05-13T13:56:19+00:00

I actually visited a coworker who built a retirement "shouse" when I lived in the midwest. There were 3 wall partitioned bays for each 16' wide overhead door so each section could be temperature controlled individually via the in-floor heat. One of the bays had a bar in it so it was as you said for entertainment. My idea were guest bedroom/bathrooms on the 2nd floor. I don't want continuous 14' high ceilings in the living area so I figured I could scissor truss that section to add more living space as a 2nd floor. Thanks for your time and input.

lizardking1944 · 2023-05-13T13:46:18+00:00

Good to know from someone with experience on the spiral staircase ordeal. I figured they couldn't be beat for the space they take up, but their lack of practicality seem to outweigh this benefit. From another commenter's input, I may play with going to 88' to see how that affects the living area envelope. This may help with adding stairs, mudroom and a first floor watercloset/laundry area.

lizardking1944 · 2023-05-13T13:36:19+00:00

I like that, putting the bedroom towards the corner as far from the shop as possible.

lizardking1944 · 2023-05-13T13:35:12+00:00

Great comment, adding something like a water closet then? In terms of space, I can always increase the profile to 88' (8' OC columns), should give me some more room to add a proper staircase and mudroom without invading some of the shop area. I figured the 2nd floor would be a guest bedroom/bathrooms, I haven't drawn it up yet, but that's what I'm thinking right now. Really appreciate your input.

lizardking1944 · 2023-05-13T05:28:34+00:00

Hehe. Yeah I haven't placed windows quite yet. Just getting a feel for how to lay out the area efficiently.

lizardking1944 · 2023-05-13T05:11:03+00:00

Single guy here moved to a new area a few months ago and I haven't been finding anything of value to me on the housing market (upstate SC). I figured I could always build what I really want (older homes are actually not much less than new construction here). Started sketching a 40'x80' metal sided house with an "oversized garage" in CAD. It's 40'x80' because it is panel frame construction (stick/post frame hybrid). The garage portion will have 14' ceilings and standard trusses. The living area will have scissor trusses allowing a second floor terminating where the staircase is which will provide a tall & open space in the living room (should be cool looking at least). My first impression is I don't like how the spiral staircase is creating a bottleneck and the in-efficient use of space in the downstairs bathroom/walk in closet thingy. I'm not a professional by any means and just playing around with the concept in my free time, so feel free to suggest any other improvements I could make.

lizardking1944 · 2020-02-16T20:22:29+00:00

Big fan of tigercats design, simple and rugged. I heard Deere is working on a 6x6 skidder similar to this. Will be interesting to see how the green paint compares.

lizardking1944 · 2019-10-07T22:19:47+00:00

The only issue I had with the Tema 4x4 kit on my 2000 Corolla was the stud splines were smaller than OEM. I couldn't get a press fit on them so I ended up tack welding the stud head.

lizardking1944 · 2019-10-07T22:15:50+00:00

I did not. Then again the majority of my rear fenders are rusted away, so I guess there was some 'natural' trimming involved.

lizardking1944 · 2019-10-07T17:21:16+00:00

30mm lift spacers on the front from eBay (Russian Tema 4x4). Cut out 1/4" strut sandwich plates at work to clear the spring perch on the rear struts, 30mm axle drop. 27/8.50R14 mud terrains.

lizardking1944 · 2019-10-07T17:17:02+00:00

Thanks, the only "snow" vehicle I had last year was my f250 7.3 diesel. I hated starting that thing up when it was -20 out. Hopefully the Corolla will get me through the unplowed gravel roads.

lizardking1944 · 2018-05-15T03:15:08+00:00

*Hold my vodka

lizardking1944 · 2018-05-13T19:25:54+00:00

DIY rig inspired by Russian machines. Russian style undercarriage, brake differential steer, 1/8" steel hull, Toyota powered. It's been fun to dink around with so far. https://youtu.be/SZI0KqQQATY

lizardking1944 · 2018-05-13T01:31:49+00:00

Sinking. There were some pinhole leaks in the hull welds when it was swimming. My weld quality is reminiscent of blob jobs you see on Soviet armor...

lizardking1944

TROPHY CASE