The Cider Press - a Special Anniversary Post

Dampf's Modelling Page is seven years old today and to mark the occasion I have uploaded part one of this scratch-built Cider Press. The model was built some time ago and was initially intended as a tutorial in the planned Dampfpanzerwagon Guide No 3 - Models for Wargamers. Regular readers and followers will know that I have decided to postpone this third book, but with the seventh anniversary of the Blog, I thought it was appropriate to include it (part one anyway) here.

I hope you enjoy it.

Image Two - The Cider Press was inspired by this simple sketch found in a book on French Regional Architecture.

Image Three - I scratch built the individual 1/56th scale parts in Plastic card, Wood and Foam following my own layout drawing.

Image Four - The model was built on a rough oval of 3mm plastic card, the sort used as advertising signs. The edges were chamfered and then sanded smooth prior to the cider press frame being glued in place. Please note that the uprights and supports have been pinned and glued.

Image Five - Construction continued with the bottom support. This was a piece of packing case wood, trimmed to size and then sanded with rough sandpaper (to add scale wood grain). The screw support to the left was a couple of pieces of knitting needle and a cocktail stick.

Image Six - The upper supports are modelled from more plastic card while the main tray was made from thicker and more solid plastic card with a lip of plastic card and the spout extended with Green Stuff.

I had to modify one of the base supports to avoid the spout.

Image Seven - I constructed the main press pieces from a number of different Foam and Plastic card pieces.

From bottom to top they are; A square of soft foam, 30thou. Plastic card, Modelling Foam and finally 3mm Plastic Card. I used superglue to glue the pieces together.

Image Eight - The main wheel was modelled from some foam, I found it easier to carve this intricate shape from foam rather than plastic card. The upright handles are plastic rod and the main screw is modelling foam and a piece of scrap sprue.

Images Nine - Shows the start of the DAS groundwork being built up and some of the smaller details or clutter added to the base.

Image Ten - The press arm was modelled from Balsawood.

Images Eleven and Twelve - Show the construction finished and the groundwork textured with sieved stones and fine sand. This was added over uPVA glue and then Wet Water (water with a drop of washing up liquid) was dripped on to the surface. This Wet Water helps to break the surface tension of the glue and ensures that the fine groundcover is well and truly secured in place.

Please click on the images to see more.

Should you be interested in purchasing either Dampfpanzerwagon Guide No 1 Building Wargame Terrain or Guide No. 2 More Wargame Terrain, please go to the links on the top right of the main Blog page.

I will try to get part two - The Painting uploaded very soon, but I already know that my Blogging Month of March is pretty full already!

Look out for more posts very soon.

Tony

Working with Foam - an inspirational thread

I recently came across this thread and thought it was well worth re-posting as the techniques used are quite amazing. This is the work of a truly great model diorama master.

Image used without permission to illustrate the post

Seriously, if you have time check out these forced perspective dioramas at this link you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy.

Tony

Build Something 2015 - the painting

"Finley's Forge" - I have started painting The Horseshoe Forge but due to the contest rules these images must be restricted to show early work and not completed painting.

In these two images you can see how the dark brown undercoat has had a first drybrushing which highlights the wealth of sculpted detail.

The single daub panel to the rear was a test to see if this would work.

I expect this to be the last update prior to images of the fully finished Forge being uploaded to LAF Build Something 2015.

For full details of the Build Something contest go to this link.

Tony

Our first Grandchild

Susan and I are very please to announce the arrival of our first Grand Child.

Finley Adam Harwood was born at 3.15pm yesterday afternoon. I can report that mother and baby are doing well.

Congratulations to Gareth and Beckie.

Tony
(Bampi Tony)

Build Something 2015 - part nineteen

The Horseshoe Barn is now nearing completion and according to the rules of the Build Something Contest of LAF - I will soon have to stop the daily updates. It is a Build Something contest, not a Paint Something contest.

Today's update shows how I have added sieved stones and fine sand to the base. This was added over uPVA glue, I then add some 'wet water' (water with either a flow improver or a drop of washing up liquid added) to the base.

The forge bellows are still not permanently attached as I think having them removable will make the model easier to paint.

I think this maybe the last update for some time. Then again, I might just add one image of the undercoated model. Wait until tomorrow to see what I decide.

I hope that you have enjoyed the thread and I have passed on some useful hints and tips. This link will take you to the competition rules and show you the other contestants entries.

Tony

Build Something 2015 - more detailing

The Horseshoe Forge is now nearing completion, well the construction anyway. In today's post you can see how I have added the chimney, filled any gaps and made sure that the groundwork is finished.

During the tiling of the roof, I produced more tiles than I needed, so I have added a stack of new roof tiles to the back of the forge. These have been glued in place with uPVA glue.

The chimney pot is a section of coloured plastic straw, cut to size and superglued in place while the mortaring was done with more DAS modelling clay.

I have used a metal casting of a wagon wheel - cutting off a small portion of the base and then building up the groundwork with more DAS. The wheels were bought from Alternative Armies who offer a Battlefield Wheels Pack for just £5.00. See this link for full details.

Tony

Build Something 2015 - part seventeen

I wanted to add a layer of larger stones to the foundation of The Horseshoe Forge and did this by applying a strip of DAS modelling clay.

The DAS is added over a layer of dilute uPVA glue as I find this helps to secure the DAS and avoid shrinkage.

As is usual with my terrain models, I have based the forge onto a rough oval of 3mm thick plastic card. The edges have been chamfered and sanded.

I then use more DAS (again over uPVA glue) to build up the groundwork.

The support for the bellows has been glued in place and the DAS built up around the base.

The foundation stones were first carved with a scalpel before they had fully cured, then further refined with a scalpel, a large sewing needle and a wire brush.

More to follow. Full details of the LAF contest can be found here. Pop by and see the other entries.

Tony

Build Something 2015 - the glowing forge

With the first bit of paint applied to interior of The Horseshoe Forge, I am getting close to the time when work-in-progress updates will stop. See contest rules at The Lead Adventure Forum - Build Something page here.

Image Two - The tea light flame has been wrapped in masking tape while the forge and hood have been painted with a variety of different acrylic paints.

Image Three - The interior of the forge was painted and drybrushed. In truth, there is very little seen once the forge is in place.

Image Four - In this image I have turned the model up-side-down so that the tea light base and switch can be seen.

Image Five - I picked up these coloured beads for £1.00 at the local RANGE store.

Image Six - And used the black, red and orange beads to build up the glowing coals in the forge. The beads were glued in place with superglue.

Although there is still lots to do, I suspect the daily updates will soon be finishing.

Tony

Build Something 2015 - the bellows

In this daily update, I have given details of the set of bellows I have modelled for The Horseshoe Forge.

The main structure was modelled from 5mm thick plastic card (advertising material card) which was cut into 5mm x 5mm lengths and glued together with superglue. The bellows were constructed from plastic card and DAS modelling clay.

The detailing of the joints and nail heads was added from scrap plastic card and follows an image I found on the Internet.

Wood grain texturing was added to the wooden pieces with the teeth of a razorsaw and some rough sandpaper.

The bellows have been further details with sticky-back plastic and small slivers of plastic card. The spout on the front was a section of grey plastic sprue carved and sanded to shape while the handle (to the rear) is a strip of plastic card.

The binding around the front of the bellows is some coloured thread, wrapped around the spout and held in place with superglue.

My plan is to add the set of bellows to the left hand side of the forge with the spout against the wall. At this moment, the bellows are not attached to the frame as I think this will make painting easier.

As with the earlier posts and updates, details of the Build Something contest can be found here.

Tony

Build something 2015 - the detail

Today's daily update concentrates on one of my favourite parts of terrain building, the detailing or the adding of all those little details that make the model unique. In this post you can see how The Horseshoe Forge has had surface detail added.

The wooden pegs (that hold the timbers together) are a recognised feature of traditional timber framed buildings, they are usually called nails! I find that modelling these pegs over scale gives the model some additional character. If they were modelled to scale they would become lost when painted.

I model my nails from trimmed-down cocktail sticks which are then glued into holes made with a large sewing needle. In addition I purposely leave some holes unfilled.

I have also added some scrap Green Foam wooden panels and even the odd plastic card bracket to the surface. This detail will 'pop' out when painted and particularly when drybrushed. Plastic card strips have been added under the eaves and the individual stone or bricks have been carved into the DAS modelling clay. I think the images show this detailing better than words.

I still need to do some more work on the roof, but for now, I am pleased with the progress. For further details of the Build Something Contest, go to this link.

If you have any questions you know where I am.

Tony

Build Something 2015 - part thirteen

Continuing The Horseshoe Forge build, I have finished off the ridge tiles and filled in the joins at the Hipped end of the roof. I will detail these in the next modelling session.

Once again I have tried to show the hills and valleys that are such a prominent feature of this roof.

Tony

Build Something 2015 - the start of the roofing

In this post I will show how I build roofs, in particular, how I built the tiled roof for The Horseshoe Forge.

Image One - I have already posted details of how I use scrap paper strips to build up the 'hills and valleys' of a traditionally built wooden framed roof, see earlier posts for details.

Image Two - I have started the roofing by adding a small extension to the gabled end, this was done buy first glueing in place some paper strips which overhang the roof edges. Underneath this I have added a layer of thin Green Foam which has been textured to look like wooden strips. Then below this I have glued in place a number of longitudinal wooden ends that also protrude.

Image Three - I use scrap advertising board for my tiles. The board is about 0.75mm thick and was given to me free of charge.

Image Four - I have sanded the surface with some rough sandpaper. This reduces the shiny surface and also adds some texture to the tiles.

I have marked out the tile grid. The bulk of the tiles are standard 5mm x 10mm but there are some one and a half tiles 7.5mm x 10mm for use on the edges.

Image Five - The tiles have been cut with a snap-off bladed knife. I recommend that you only cut through the card about 80%, which leaves the tiles attached and easier to cut. In addition you can see that I have not cut through the card to the very edges, but have kept a frame around them. This makes cutting regular tiles much easier and when you need them it is a simple matter to cut through the remaining 20% of card. I hope that this image shows this technique better than my long explanation.

Image Six - The first and in my opinion most important stage of realistic tiling is the thin red card strip you see to the bottom edge of the roof. This is a tile spaces and if you have read More Wargame Terrain by Tony Harwood you will know just how important this simple addition is to accurate tiling!

You can also see how the one and a half tiles have been used as the first tile in the firsts and third layers of card tiles. Again this gives a more realistic look to miniature roof tiling.

Image Seven - The tiling continues. I am right-handed so find that working from left to right is the easiest way for me to proceed.

Image Eight - And continues. I have taken this image against the light - which shows the hills and valleys that are modelled into the roof.

There is still work to do, but the forge is now looking much more like the initial plan and image.

As with earlier posts, this will be repeated over on the LAF Build Something Thread, Use this link.

Tony