Work in progress: Gotham city street lamp post

[darklord1967]

As a little boy, watching the closing credits of the 1966 BATMAN TV Series, the silhouetted image of a vintage-styled GOTHAM STREET LAMP POST always left quite an impression on me.

There was just something about that shape that INSTANTLY reminded me of The Batman and Gotham City EVERYTIME I saw it.

[darklord1967]

Decades later, as a toy customizer, I developed a strong desire to build one of these street lamp posts as a working prop for inclusion in my custom 1:9 scale world of Gotham City Dioramas!


At first, my notion to build one of these Lamp Posts was sparked after DC Direct created one as a pack-in accessory with their 7” scale Carrie Kelly Robin figure (released in 2004 as part of their Dark Knight Returns line)…




Initially, I planned to purchase two or three of the DC Direct figure in order to combine the pack-in Lamp post parts into one single custom TALL model, scaled for my 8 inch custom figures.


However, the production toy’s lack of detail, and its lack of working electronics forced me to scrap that plan. The inappropriate UNDER-scale of the street lamp was just too glaringly obvious, even when displayed with 7” scale figures… (much less the larger 8 inch scaled figures that my 9ART customs are patterned after). Merely kit-bashing a taller version of an under-scale Street Lamp was simply not going to work,

[darklord1967]

It became clear to me that I would have to design and build my own working prop… featuring all of the necessary accurate scale size and sculpt detail that I have come to expect for the models featured in my LEGENDS OF GOTHAM CITY display.

In December of 2023… after several years of false starts… I finally got down to the business of designing and building my own GOTHAM CITY STREET LAMP POST to be featured among my 1:9 scale custom Gotham City dioramas!

As of this date, only final paint and weathering are all that remain to complete this fully-assembled model.

[darklord1967]

THE DESIGN AND BUILD

I spent one weekend 3D rendering the Lamp Post’s two main components (Lamp Post Base and Lamp Post Top Fixture) and 3D sculpting all of the fine ornate surface details on both.







I spent a second weekend engineering the model’s interlocking lamp shade part and calculating the selection / implementation of the electronic LED light source.

[darklord1967]

I ordered 3D prints of my rendered digital files, and was reasonably pleased with the quality of the finished parts when they arrived.

[darklord1967]

I assembled the Street Lamp Post components onto a 3/4” diameter fluted brass tube, measuring 29” in length.

[darklord1967]

When the LED puck lights arrived, I immediately fitted one to the Lamp Post Top Fixture and tested it.












The 3D printed, translucent Main Fixture Lamp Shade looked really good when it arrived.





It was nice to see that my rendering calculations for simple “insert / twist / lock” fitting worked out perfectly.

[darklord1967]

The final assembled street lamp that I built stands an impressive 38” in height.

[sprytel]

Wow, that thing is giant! I love the attention to detail in this (and honestly, in all your projects).

[blastphemey]

Insanely impressive attention to detail