Longhouse build

[Pendrake]

This is looking very good. I think the second door is a good call.

I did some quick internet research and found that second and third entrances were the usual configuration. One entrance was often for animals. Apparently, one end of the structure was often used as a stable, barn, and sheepfold.  I guess they didn’t want the animals to freeze or get taken by wolves overnight.

Have you seen the animated longhouse floorplan from YouTube?

[Verderer]

Yes, in practice I guess livestock would be kept in the same building, both for protection and warmth?

Anyways, I thought I'd make this a more official house where the head-honcho would hold court, so to speak? He coudl afford several buildings, ones for livestock etc. That's my excuse anyways.

A bit more progress, next I need to figure out the doors. I think double doors at the front, and single one on the side (where the two posts are now?

[Pendrake]

Is the roof going to be removable?

Doors: nice solid wood doors. Crisscrossed planking. That sort of thing. If it was me I would be inclined to hiding/incorporating magnets somehow which would function as hinges. But they would also allow removing the doors entirely. In case a tabletop wizard fireballed or vanished them.

[Irregular Wars Nic]

I'm a bit late to this party, but WOW, that is really impressive!

[Verderer]

Thanks folks, yes the roof will be removable. And I got some special plastic strip to use for hinges which I think I got from Antenociti's. It makes sort of an L bend which swivels freely from the 'corner'. Feels pretty durable.

[Michi]

That is becoming more and more fascinating. I will have an eye on it!

[OSHIROmodels]

Coming along nicely 

[Braz]

Very nice. The carved posts are a great detail.

[Lost Egg]

Looks great, I particularly like the pillars.

[Dr. Zombie]

This is looking great!
I am taking notes and stealing ideas.

[Verderer]

Things have slowed down a bit due to work, but mostly due to getting down to the fiddly bits and hitting a snag.


I started on the main entrance doors, gluing the frames using thin strips of bamboo, so in effect laminating these. It allowed me to make joins too. So far so good.


Then I glued the frame, measured the door sizes, and and then glued them together. Vertical panes on the front, and horizontal on the back. Then I started with hinges, cut some strips and bent them in shape with the help of heat gun (and the jig I made, in the pic). Here's the snag: after gluing them to the doors with super glue, I discovered that they just won't stay stuck, the come right off with a little pull. That's no good at all. I could of course pin them on the doors with needles etc, but I suspect that if this plastic material won't take super-glue, then it won't take paint either? Which is another worry along the way.

So I think I have the make the hinges some other way. Probably the old-fashied, ie. sheet metal and some pins. Oh well. it'll look better anyways.

[Dr. Zombie]

In the past I have had trouble glueing plastic to wood with superglue as the wood simply "drinks" the superglue. I would try with pva in stead. And as for the plastic not taking paint. You could try and paint them and see what happens before sticking them on.

[OSHIROmodels]

The door looks promising but how about trying the hinges in thin card?

[Tarnegol]

Not sure that it helps, but I make hinges from narrow (usually 4mm) gold ribbon...

[Verderer]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. There was a good residue of dried up glue under the plastic bits, which I had to sand away to make it clean again, so it didn't just get sucked in the wood. I could try PVA and maybe roughening the surface of the plastic. But it's the kind of annoying 'bucket' plastic, which just frays and doesn't sand well. Trying the paint should be the first thing, since if it doens't take paint, it's not worth even trying.

I have some 0.5mm steel sheet which should work ok. It's a bit harder to work than softer metals (I got copper as well), but if you can manage it, it's more durable in the bargain.