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Author Topic: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip) quick update 27/11.  (Read 12564 times)

Offline tin shed gamer

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Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip) quick update 27/11.
« on: October 15, 2018, 12:03:10 AM »
I've been trying to find the time to scratch build a church for an age. But paid work keeps robbing me of time.
So my youngest I spent a wet afternoon looking at 'funny wood' churches. This is the one he picked and this is a far as his interest took him (the dry fit.)before declaring that he thought I'd be able to handle it on my own from here.

Needs a little more of a prologue to get to the point I was abandoned.
Let him pick a kit , Short of it never turning up . how much of a pain could it be?I thought.
A lot is the answer.
He picked this one on EBay for £13 . fair enough not going to break the bank.
Look at the pictures showed the church side as one complete panel . Read the description it said the designer had a cunning plan.He'd cut the alter end off to make it modular. As the boy had set his heart on it. I sent an email asking if it was possible to get a copy of the one advertised not the converted version of the description As the one piece version was better for gaming.
Got a reply telling me I wasn't familiar with English Church designs and the cut was so he could make an additional module to make a cruciform church at a later stage. (Paraphrasing slightly)  Smile I thought your seven year olds sat next to you. Some people can be a bit precious about their product.  So I politely replied that That converting to a module ment that theres now three joint lines in the middle of the longest flat surface of the sides. If I did buy the thing I'd have to camouflage the joint with. Buttresses. The replied that he'd a set of buttresses hed been working on for a graveyard set. He'd send if I bought a church. So with an excited Seven year old bouncing around at shoulder height I gave in.
The bloody thing arrived only to find the net for the side of the church had cut the detailing at full thickness. Shouldn't have been a major issue Easy enough to glue the bits back into a panel. Only... They weren't in the bag. So Another email later to be told there's nothing wrong with the net . But a cog must have slipped.
Plus side a replacement panel was sent first class and arrived on Saturday. Only... It's buggered.
Popped another email off. To their credit they replied quickly and offered to replace the replacement.
I said no thank you. I'd rather just glue the thing and get on with it. They did reply they were worried I might not get it to fit.Still smiling I replied I'd be fine with piece to repair.

Its not all negative the kit did squeaky dry fit as promised. Infact nothings glued (other than the broken side panel repair) in the pictures.
The roof is quite a loose fit compared to the rest of the building.
Weird bits .
The two sections are intended to be joined with two mdf staples fitted into holes in the interior floor. So the take up floor space . Also the floot net is the same as the base panel of the roof .Which means the floor has even more holes in it than the ones for the staples. As ever slot required for the roof has been duplicated in the floor.

In short its a naive kit in which its clear the designers ideas have run a head of production and corrections have been forgotten in the excitement of building.There's more bugbears but I'm not going to list them
Is it a bad kit ? No, it would be unfair to judge so. Is it perfect? definitely not. But it is usable solid starting point.
Is it value for money? Im not convinced at the moment (definitely feeling a little jaded by the false start.). I'll only be able to answer honestly when Ive finished and seen just how much tweaking it takes. Even so you do get quite a bit for your money.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2018, 12:48:08 AM by tin shed gamer »

Offline tin shed gamer

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2018, 08:16:24 AM »
For those who already know. There's absolutely no way That I was going to build this as intended.
For one I've the original sheet with a mis-cut side with two perfect Windows and a side with a huge blank spot.
So here's the start of the chop around.
You can also clearly see the holes in the floors in the original kit.

Online Daeothar

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2018, 01:45:50 PM »
Well, as long as you see MDF products as the basis for a nice tabletop building, instead of a build and play option, this should not be too much of an issue.

The price is really low for the amount of MDF you get, so now it's up to you to tart it up.

Even thin card will help; you could cut out tiles for the floor and attach them with PVA. And there's some interestingly textured wallpaper out there for use on the walls.

Have you looked at 1/48 doll houses btw? I have, and there are some very interesting and inexpensive buildings available. But those too are just the bare framework on which you base your actual end result.

It's not 4-Ground, which has all these pre-painted buildings that will work for anyone not willing/able to put in the work to create something half decent from those bare skeletons, but I think the end results are invariably nicer than pre-painted.

So I'm really interested to see what you will do with this church. It's a bit rough around the edges, but I certainly think it has potential! :)
Miniatures you say? Well I too, like to live dangerously...
Find a Way, or make one!

Offline Bullshott

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2018, 11:23:18 PM »
I'm lookin forward to seeing how this project progresses, as I have an unfinished MDF church kit waiting for me to gather the enthusiasm and inspiration to finish it to the high standard I try to maintain for my terrain.
Sir Henry Bullshott, Keeper of Ancient Knowledge

Offline tin shed gamer

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2018, 01:45:28 PM »
Daeothar
I'm planning on using card as I've a bit of experience using it.
I agree there's alot of mdf for £12.95p . So much so that I've enough to build all the additional detailing. Infact to the point I could have built exactly the same church with out using the mis cut wall.
As of now I'm pretty sure theres still enough mdf for a building to go in a grave yard as well.
Bullshot
I've a cunning plan for both the interior and the exterior. That should be easy to duplicate.

Heres the progress so far.

Mark.

Offline dampfpanzerwagon

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2018, 04:44:00 PM »
This is looking great. I particularly like to parapets and supports.

Here is an image of my MDF English Church built from the Timeline kit.



The model was featured in issue 84 of Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy  for full details see this link;
https://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-church-of-st-laurence-or-tarting-up.html

Tony

Offline tin shed gamer

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2018, 10:45:25 PM »
Cheers Tony,
The timeline kit was one I looked at. But since I've got a late Romano British church . It was just too close to make the effort worthwhile.
I like the multi coloured stone work definitely emotes the period feel.

There's a little progress on the church . The corner stones look a little oversized as they'll be chopped around a bit once they're all in place.

Mark.

Offline SABOT

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2018, 10:55:18 PM »
Looking good so far mate. 👍

Offline dampfpanzerwagon

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2018, 07:41:29 AM »
I agree.....

Looking good.

Tony

Offline Belisarius

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2018, 09:29:26 AM »
Very interesting build , I,ll follow your progress on this thread . Churches are always useful and decorative on the wargames table . Your writing style is engaging and the tutorials are easy to follow. This  kit seems to be a bargain at the price , and the seller may benefit from the exposure given here . I enjoy reading  threads like this. 👌🏼

Offline Anselm van Helsing

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2018, 09:33:22 AM »
Excellent! Once you add some details, those MDF kits really start looking good.

Following to see the finished church. :)

Offline tin shed gamer

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2018, 10:39:11 PM »
Cheers Gents,

I'm just about at the first stage of painting. Not sure if the picture's show it too well but I'm aiming for a lead roof rather than tiled. Simply because this has been made sat on the sofa.Pushing my luck as its less than two months old.(quite frankly I'm amazed I'm sit alive .Probably wouldn't be had it been noted I've been using super glue.((sand put on in the garden I'm an idiot not suicidal))
I was toying with the idea of leading the tower roof as well . But then thought better of it. As I could if time or CBA allows use the mdf spire as a removable piece .

Mark.

Offline orm1

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2018, 10:47:34 PM »
I was thinking that before when i saw it on the sofa braver man than me! Looks great

Offline tin shed gamer

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2018, 11:04:20 PM »
I would have sat in my armchair....Unfortunately that has gone off to university with my son.Which was lucky otherwise the new sofas wouldn't have fit..mmm :` I wounder?Nah the Mrs says its just a strange coincidence .Just like when I go to a show and there's more junk in my workshop the next day. ::)

Offline Belisarius

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Re: Tin shed tackles an Mdf English Church(wip)
« Reply #14 on: October 22, 2018, 10:43:48 AM »
A lead roof , whilst perfectly suitable, limits the time frame as would a thatched roof . Tiles would give a far longer stretch of gaming periods. That said, the model is looking great and I,m keen to see what you do with it . 😁 The new porch really works well , btw .
« Last Edit: October 22, 2018, 10:46:11 AM by Belisarius »