Post by GoblinHorde on Dec 13, 2007 17:15:04 GMT
This is currently in the TLA article system, and I thought I'd posted here as well. If I shouldn't do that, go ahead and delete it...
Introduction
This item took me a lot longer than it should have because I didn't have enough time to devote to it. However, if you have at least an hour a day for one - two weeks, it should be finished nicely and quickly. Also, it was very cheap.
Materials Needed
1/8 inch Bamboo skewers (at least 11)
1' x 1' of at least 1/2 thick Polysterene
Cardboard of the same size - 1' x 1'
Tons of popsicle sticks
Very fine ballast
1/2" diameter cylindrical object at least 1" long - I used a hot glue gun glue stick.
2 three quarter inch washers
Thread, a lot of it
modelling wire
Tools Needed
Needlenose pliers
Wire Cutter
Modelling knife
Sand paper
Paintbrushes of various sizes, including large ones
Superglue
PVA glue
Duct tape
Green Stuff
Paints Needed
Chaos Black
Bestial Brown
Snakebite Leather
Chainmail
Skull White
To reduce cost, you should use normal acrylic paints instead of GW paints.
Step One
Preparing the base.
Glue the polystyrene to the cardboard base. Using ductape, tape the edges so that the sides of the polystyrene are covered. Using your modelling knife, cut two holes in the base that are approximately the saize of a cavalry base. Using the poystyrene that comes out, line the edges with chunks of styrofoam.
Mix a 1:1 mixture of PVA glue and water. Paint this evenly across the entire surface of the polystyrene, not including the lining of the holes. Use this glue to attach your ballast, spread evenly across the board.
Step Two
Begin building the structures.
1 1/2" from the holes, mark out a 3" x 3" square, with the the sides paralell to the hole.
On each of the corners of the swaures, insert a bamboo skewer, making sure that it is exactly vertical. Glue them in place. Cut the two closest to the hole to 1 1/2" in height, and the other two to (fill in height). Cut four popsicle sticks so that they are just long enough to go from one bamboo skewer to the other another.
Begin planking with popsicle sticks cut to the length of the squares only after the first four have dried. The planks should be parallel to the hole. On the ones on the edges, you will have to tear away some of the plank so that the bamboo skewer can fit through in the back. The best way to do this is to rip with a pair of pliers.
Leave a section AT LEAST 3/4 " open in the middle so that you can construct the crane.
Finish the platforms
In the 3/4" spot you left open, you will now construct the crane. Take a bamboo skewer and hold it up over the place you will put it in. It should be in contact with the edge closest to the hole, and between a 45 and 30 degree angle. (do both at the same angle). Cut it off so that the end of the skewer is just farther than the exact middle of the hole. On the other side, it should extend about an inch inside of the edge of the platform. Now, take a wad of green stuff and use that to literally cement the skewer in place. Use a paper clip or two to hold the thing in place while the GS dries. Wait for it to dry before continuing.
Now, finish up your planking as before. If there is a gap too small for a whole popsicle stick, break one up using the same method you used to fit it around the poles.
Detail bits
Take a pin vice and drill two holes 1mm apart just above the middle of the hole on the crane and facing these two holes at the top of the two poles. Through these push a loop of wire. To make the wire the right size loop, bend it around a small pin like a thumbtack or a model's sword.
Take your cord (I used the string my mom uses to crosstitch) and tie it to one of the loops on the pole, cutting off the excess. Take the string and string it through the loop on the crane, then take the string back to tie it off on the other pole, again cutting off the excess.
Now for the crane's mechanism. Take your hot glue gun stick and slice off a 3/4" piece off of it. Don't use a saw, because I used a saw and it got a bunch of gunk on my saw blade. Now, take your washers and glue them on the ends. Take two ends of popsicle sticks and glue them so that the rounded edge just covers the hole of the popsicle stick. Extend the ends so that they just reach the edge of the washer.
Finally, wrap more string around it, so that the whole glue stick is covered. Now, taking your super glue (PVA doesn't dry quick enough), glue it to the edge of the platform just underneath the crane, with the end of the string facing up.
To make the pulley, glue two Rohirrim shields together by the boss, then attach it (string running through!) to the ends of the wire in the crane (which should be directly above the center of the hole).
Finally, take the string and pull it tight through a hole in the bottom of the cardboard base, glueing it to the bottom.
Put watered down PVA glue on all of the string, to make it stiff (this way it won't be bent out of shape during gameplay).
Make a stairway by cutting 45 degree angles into the ends of two popsicle sticks, then thrusting the popsicle sticks one inch apart into the styrofoam, where they are to be PVA glued in place. Glue three popsicle sticks one inch long into the space between them to serve as the steps themselves.
Connecting the platforms
To connect the platforms, build a small, connector platform where two lines, if drawn from the holes through the platforms, would meet , using the normal method:
this will inevitably be much closer to one main platform than the other. To connect to the first platform, two popsicle sticks to serve as a plank will suffice. However, to connect to the further away one, I made a rope bridge.
First, drill two holes in the connecting platform 1" apart, and two similar holes exactly across from it on the main platform. Then, insert two wires of equal length through the holes opposite each other. Bend these wires down by pressing gently in the middles. It should be an even curve, not a sharp one only in the middle.
Now, using superglue, glue plankes all the way across, about 1/4" apart.
Congratulations, you've finished building the structures! Now to paint.
Painting
Basecoat all of the stonework Bestial Brown. Drybrush twice with subsequently lighter mixes. Drybrush selective patches with a third, brither mix.
Mix in chaos Black to change the color to a greyish brown, then mix in more white to get it back to the brightness of the final drybrush. Drybrush LIGHTLY several patches with this.
Drybrush the wood with a slightly darkened Snakebite leather, then drybrush more lightly with slightly brightened Snakebite Leather.
Pick out the metal (wire loops, centers of the pulleys, the washers) with a drybrush of Chainmail.
Paint the string (including the string on the crane mechanisms) with Snakebite leather, then drybrush with Bleached Bone.
And it's done!
Conclusion
A couple of notes:
*You could use a thimble instead of washers and a glue stick...
*You could, of course, base this in any way you want and round off the edges of the styrofoam and use this as modular terrain, or make the board much larger and, in conjunction with other things, make it a board on its own. The dimensions of the styrofoam that I gave is simply the minimum of space that you need.
*The easiest way to cut both bamboo skewers and popsicle sticks is with a wire cutter - but you have to make sure little pieces don't go flying off.
An image of the final product:
Thanks for reading, and I wish you happy building!
~Ambrose
Introduction
This item took me a lot longer than it should have because I didn't have enough time to devote to it. However, if you have at least an hour a day for one - two weeks, it should be finished nicely and quickly. Also, it was very cheap.
Materials Needed
1/8 inch Bamboo skewers (at least 11)
1' x 1' of at least 1/2 thick Polysterene
Cardboard of the same size - 1' x 1'
Tons of popsicle sticks
Very fine ballast
1/2" diameter cylindrical object at least 1" long - I used a hot glue gun glue stick.
2 three quarter inch washers
Thread, a lot of it
modelling wire
Tools Needed
Needlenose pliers
Wire Cutter
Modelling knife
Sand paper
Paintbrushes of various sizes, including large ones
Superglue
PVA glue
Duct tape
Green Stuff
Paints Needed
Chaos Black
Bestial Brown
Snakebite Leather
Chainmail
Skull White
To reduce cost, you should use normal acrylic paints instead of GW paints.
Step One
Preparing the base.
Glue the polystyrene to the cardboard base. Using ductape, tape the edges so that the sides of the polystyrene are covered. Using your modelling knife, cut two holes in the base that are approximately the saize of a cavalry base. Using the poystyrene that comes out, line the edges with chunks of styrofoam.
Mix a 1:1 mixture of PVA glue and water. Paint this evenly across the entire surface of the polystyrene, not including the lining of the holes. Use this glue to attach your ballast, spread evenly across the board.
Step Two
Begin building the structures.
1 1/2" from the holes, mark out a 3" x 3" square, with the the sides paralell to the hole.
On each of the corners of the swaures, insert a bamboo skewer, making sure that it is exactly vertical. Glue them in place. Cut the two closest to the hole to 1 1/2" in height, and the other two to (fill in height). Cut four popsicle sticks so that they are just long enough to go from one bamboo skewer to the other another.
Begin planking with popsicle sticks cut to the length of the squares only after the first four have dried. The planks should be parallel to the hole. On the ones on the edges, you will have to tear away some of the plank so that the bamboo skewer can fit through in the back. The best way to do this is to rip with a pair of pliers.
Leave a section AT LEAST 3/4 " open in the middle so that you can construct the crane.
Finish the platforms
In the 3/4" spot you left open, you will now construct the crane. Take a bamboo skewer and hold it up over the place you will put it in. It should be in contact with the edge closest to the hole, and between a 45 and 30 degree angle. (do both at the same angle). Cut it off so that the end of the skewer is just farther than the exact middle of the hole. On the other side, it should extend about an inch inside of the edge of the platform. Now, take a wad of green stuff and use that to literally cement the skewer in place. Use a paper clip or two to hold the thing in place while the GS dries. Wait for it to dry before continuing.
Now, finish up your planking as before. If there is a gap too small for a whole popsicle stick, break one up using the same method you used to fit it around the poles.
Detail bits
Take a pin vice and drill two holes 1mm apart just above the middle of the hole on the crane and facing these two holes at the top of the two poles. Through these push a loop of wire. To make the wire the right size loop, bend it around a small pin like a thumbtack or a model's sword.
Take your cord (I used the string my mom uses to crosstitch) and tie it to one of the loops on the pole, cutting off the excess. Take the string and string it through the loop on the crane, then take the string back to tie it off on the other pole, again cutting off the excess.
Now for the crane's mechanism. Take your hot glue gun stick and slice off a 3/4" piece off of it. Don't use a saw, because I used a saw and it got a bunch of gunk on my saw blade. Now, take your washers and glue them on the ends. Take two ends of popsicle sticks and glue them so that the rounded edge just covers the hole of the popsicle stick. Extend the ends so that they just reach the edge of the washer.
Finally, wrap more string around it, so that the whole glue stick is covered. Now, taking your super glue (PVA doesn't dry quick enough), glue it to the edge of the platform just underneath the crane, with the end of the string facing up.
To make the pulley, glue two Rohirrim shields together by the boss, then attach it (string running through!) to the ends of the wire in the crane (which should be directly above the center of the hole).
Finally, take the string and pull it tight through a hole in the bottom of the cardboard base, glueing it to the bottom.
Put watered down PVA glue on all of the string, to make it stiff (this way it won't be bent out of shape during gameplay).
Make a stairway by cutting 45 degree angles into the ends of two popsicle sticks, then thrusting the popsicle sticks one inch apart into the styrofoam, where they are to be PVA glued in place. Glue three popsicle sticks one inch long into the space between them to serve as the steps themselves.
Connecting the platforms
To connect the platforms, build a small, connector platform where two lines, if drawn from the holes through the platforms, would meet , using the normal method:
this will inevitably be much closer to one main platform than the other. To connect to the first platform, two popsicle sticks to serve as a plank will suffice. However, to connect to the further away one, I made a rope bridge.
First, drill two holes in the connecting platform 1" apart, and two similar holes exactly across from it on the main platform. Then, insert two wires of equal length through the holes opposite each other. Bend these wires down by pressing gently in the middles. It should be an even curve, not a sharp one only in the middle.
Now, using superglue, glue plankes all the way across, about 1/4" apart.
Congratulations, you've finished building the structures! Now to paint.
Painting
Basecoat all of the stonework Bestial Brown. Drybrush twice with subsequently lighter mixes. Drybrush selective patches with a third, brither mix.
Mix in chaos Black to change the color to a greyish brown, then mix in more white to get it back to the brightness of the final drybrush. Drybrush LIGHTLY several patches with this.
Drybrush the wood with a slightly darkened Snakebite leather, then drybrush more lightly with slightly brightened Snakebite Leather.
Pick out the metal (wire loops, centers of the pulleys, the washers) with a drybrush of Chainmail.
Paint the string (including the string on the crane mechanisms) with Snakebite leather, then drybrush with Bleached Bone.
And it's done!
Conclusion
A couple of notes:
*You could use a thimble instead of washers and a glue stick...
*You could, of course, base this in any way you want and round off the edges of the styrofoam and use this as modular terrain, or make the board much larger and, in conjunction with other things, make it a board on its own. The dimensions of the styrofoam that I gave is simply the minimum of space that you need.
*The easiest way to cut both bamboo skewers and popsicle sticks is with a wire cutter - but you have to make sure little pieces don't go flying off.
An image of the final product:
Thanks for reading, and I wish you happy building!
~Ambrose