I’ve started to put together the scaffolding system that will support the rain system and the suspended camera above the diorama. The main structure is black sprayed 6mm square metal bar, and the pieces are connected with custom pieces made on a Thing-O-Matic 3D printer.
The camera rotates on a 12V stepper motor controlled with a potentiometer through Arduino with the Motor Shield.
For 50 seconds of every 3 minutes it will rain on the Xanadu_1 diorama. The rain comes via a 12V Vauxhall Corsa windscreen washer pump from a reservoir below the base. To make sure that the diorama doesn’t completely flood, and to ensure a return of water to the reservoir, there is a series of discreet drainage holes dotted strategically around the surface. These drain holes empty into the reservoir via a seemingly chaotic series of tubes hidden on the ‘ugly’ side of the piece.
the first paint job…
modifying the contours…
final paint job…
prepared base board and terrain outline:
outline transferred to board:
incomplete expanded polystyrene terrain:
A small random piece of topography made to test that the final version of Xanadu_1 will withstand direct soaking, general humidity and rough handling. The rough shape is made with expanded polystyrene fixed to a base board with araldite. This structure is then covered with ‘Hydrocal’, a form of plaster of paris used for diorama making, then painted, then given 2 or 3 coats of water resistant varnish.
Also visible here are the fog coming from an ultrasonic nebuliser and some sprinkler apparatus which is being tested for its rain mimicking capacities.
hostdev 