- STEP 161 > For this step MAKE SURE YOUR COLUMN IS ANGLED so the glue slides into the crack and not just along the flat foamcore surfaces. You want the glue to go into the corners as much as possible. When you are ready, keeping pressure on your "A" and "B" wall corners to prevent your end piece from sliding around and bonding in the wrong place and NOT remain FLUSH, stick your hot glue gun as far as you can inside and pressing the nozzle in the corner, just squeeze out a lot of hot glue as you bring the hot glue gun out of the column hole.
- STEP 162 > You can see here what the hot glue blob looks like and where it is supposed to be. SUPER DANGEROUS !!! The hot glue when you have this much is BOILING HOT AND STEAMING - DO NOT TOUCH !!! you can burn your skin really bad and get blisters. LET THE HOT GLUE COOL DOWN FOR 2-3 MINUTES !!! All while keeping pressure on your "A" and "B" walls to keep those perfect 90 degree FLUSH corners.
- STEP 163 > After about 5 minutes you can repeat on the other side. MAKE SURE YOU RE-ANGLED YOUR COLUMN WHERE THE 2nd CONNECTION IS NOW AT THE BOTTOM !!!.
- STEP 164 > This is what your hot glue looks like as it boils up and bubbles melting the 2 foamcore pieces together. AGAIN - DO NOT TOUCH - SUPER BOILING HOT FOR 2-3 MINUTES.
- STEP 165 > Let your column hot glue cool down extra few minutes so that you avoid any excess drips coming out from the holes.
- STEP 166 > Your Hallway Archway assembly is now complete. We can move onto applying the decal skins.
- STEP 167 > If you want a PERFECT INVISIBLE CONNECTION in between your decals you want to take a BLACK LARGE TIP SHARPIE to hide the white thickness of your paper. You DON'T want to draw on the edges by pressing the tip of your sharpie directly down onto the paper sides. You can do this but it is a lot harder to prevent a slip up and ruining your decal.
- STEP 168 > The trick is to lean your sharpie tip 90 degrees to the paper so that you connect the edges with only the sharpie tip sides allowing you a lot more control.
- STEP 169 > Here you can see the difference of what your decal looks like with the original white edge and how the sharpie black edge blends with the bleed colour of the decal.
- STEP 170 > VERY IMPORTANT !!! For the TOP CEILING "H" DECALS - ONLY use the sharpie along the 3 bleed colour sides DO NOT SHARPIE THE CONNECTING SIDE !!!
- STEP 171 > Same thing goes for the smaller top ceiling decal DO NOT SHARPIE THIS SIDE - ONLY THE 3 BLEED EDGES.
- STEP 172 > It's always a good idea to do a dry run with your decals first, so that you are sure they fit perfectly and don't need any extra trimmings.
- STEP 173 > Rub your gluestick - NEVER EVER USE HOT GLUE FOR DECALS - you will get bumps and folds and the decal will look like total CACA 🙂
- STEP 174 > If you are using full size label sheets like I am, then peel off the backing, If you printed on regular paper, you obviously would be skipping the peeling steps 🙂
- STEP 175 > You want to apply your decal in the correct position - not upside down.
- STEP 176 > To tell if you are positioned correctly, the dark lines of the emboss effect should be at the bottom.
- STEP 177 > carefully align your decal with one of the archway edges.
- STEP 178 > When you are happy of the positioning you can start applying more pressure to make sure the connection of the paper gets properly bonded with the gluestick glue.
- STEP 179 > To avoid bubbles and folds in your decal, always start the pressure with your fingers at the centre of your decal and move your way out until you reach the edges. Centre out, centre out, centre out.
- STEP 180 > A cool trick to finish the aplication, is to use your nail ( hader surface than your finger tips ) and press along the edges of your decals while keeping slight angle towards the foamcore spines.

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Did you already build this Diorama ? At home or at our Star Wars Celebration Diorama Builders workshop ? Would you like to show it in the site’s GALLERY VISITORS DIORAMAS section, YES ? That is Awesome !!! You can find out all the details on how to email me your photos on the VISITORS SUBMISSIONS INFO page … When I get your photos, I will create your very own page just like this one. You may not realize it but work does inspire others to join in the fun of making Action Figure Dioramas.
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NOT FOR RESALE ALL Decals, tutorials and artwork are ©FrankDiorio (dioramaworkshop.com) and offered FOR FREE to the fans – that would be you 🙂 so you can build and display my diorama designs in your very own home. I realize I cannot control what one does with my graphics once I place them on the web, I can only ask you as one fan to another, please respect the artist and do not be that jerk who uses my designs and tutorials to build a copy of my work only to sell it on EBAY or trade/sale groups and forums. Thank You. Frank.
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Catch up with fellow visitors and exchange stories, read cool interviews with the crew, exchange photos, fun surprises and grab some FAN ONLY merchandise next year at actual future conventions 🙂
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