Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)

[Charlie_]

Ok, this is what I'm working on today. I applied the filler this morning - I should have snapped a quick pic beforehand, damnit!



The construction is 9mm MDF board, with a 20mm layer on top - a wooden frame around the outside, with 'blue foam' in the middle. The wooden frame is for durability, so the edges don't wear away over time. Perhaps it's not necessary. And of course the ditch is cut from the foam interior. I've just applied the first layer of filler, to smooth over gaps and add the rough shape inside the ditch (a dry ditch, rather than a water feature). Once that's dry there will be a second layer of filler to get the texture just right for drybrushing. Then it's just painting and flocking.

Perhaps you can make out the wood and foam construction from this close up pic?




Now here's the thing - to get the seams between tiles as smooth as possible, the wooden outer frame has to be very carefully positioned before you glue and screw it on. After that I do a lot of careful planing and sanding to try and get them perfect, but I think it's impossible to get them 100%, and there will always be a little visible gap between tiles. The more I can lessen it the better though.

Now if the tiles have no sunken features such as ditches and rivers, it's much easier. The MDF board becomes the 'top'. Then the wooden frame is just there to add the 20mm height, and can be set in from the edges. I hadn't realised this with the first few tiles I did... See here, two plain tiles. One has the wooden under-frame up against the edges, the other set 10mm in. If you do the latter, it means there should be next to no gap between tiles, as it's just the MDF butting up against eachother, cut perfectly square for me at my local B&Q. In addition, 'plain' tiles like this are much lighter and easier to handle (not that the 'feature tiles' are heavy at all though).





This means if I set up a 'featureless' table, i.e. no rivers etc, there are likely to be next to no visible gaps. If I set up a table with lots of 'features', ditches, rivers, etc, there are more likely to be visible gaps between tiles, especially with a 'feature-to-feature' join.

I currently have several plain tiles, some tiles with roads and narrow paths, and a few with sunken features which were a bit of an experiment I did a year or so ago when I first started this. Over christmas I plan to get the two I'm working on now done, which have narrow paths and ditches, and a ploughed field, designed to be set up in various useful configurations. I've recently come to the conclusion that the table needs to be somewhat 'cluttered' with features to look good, though not necessarily ones that effect gameplay. And if they can be built into the tiles rather than placed on top, even better. So narrow paths, shallow ditches and ploughed fields are top of my priorities right now, which when combined will break up the playing surface nicely.

[cram]

I've been searching myself for info on how to make terrain tiles without success. To reduce the weight of the boards could 3 mm MDF be used or is this prone to warping?

Also how does one store these boards, if stored vertical will they warp?

[Charlie_]

Also how does one store these boards, if stored vertical will they warp?

If you just have 2x2 tiles, you just need a 2 foot square bit of floor somewhere.



I've found the square ones don't warp if they are strengthened with the wooden frame.

However I also made some larger 2x4 ones, and have had trouble with them warping. I store them under the bed.

[cram]

Cool, there will be room in a corner to stack them up like that.

Where I plan to have several boards with raised features, around two thirds of the boards I plan to have flat. These flat ones I hoped to make two sided, as in on side Towelling (grassed) and the other desert for my Mahdist War games.

Had hoped that 3 mm MDF could be used without the need to reinforce them against warping.

[Charlie_]

I think 3mm would definitely warp.

Having them two-sided is a nice idea, but I personally wouldn't want to do them without the reinforcing frame, which would limit how you could do the two-sided idea.

[Atheling]

I've used LACK tables from Ikea - they are 540mm x 540mm and are available for reasonable prices.



The crashed rocketship terrain board was built on one LACK table and features in the 441 issue of Miniature Wargames magazine.

See Blog for more images.
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/2019/12/crashed-rocketship-miniature-wargames.html

Similar tables are available from B&M and Homebase.

Good luck.

Tony

Thanks for the link. funnily enough I've watched some Terrain Tutor vids on YouTube of late 

What a brilliant idea to use the LACK tables!! I've got one next to me with my Matcha tea resting on and the idea never even crossed my mind.

Were there any warping issues?

Did you scuff up the surface to any modelling medium being applied?

If I was to use a base of high density foam, say 25mm thick, could you foresee any problems in regard to warping? 

This my be a bit of a rhetorical question but I'm going to ask it anyway (just in case!); it would be an easy task to just make up a large table with several of these?

Apologies fro all the questions. I just want to get it right the first time around as time is of the essence. (possibly the subject for a vid?)

[Atheling]

I've been searching myself for info on how to make terrain tiles without success. To reduce the weight of the boards could 3 mm MDF be used or is this prone to warping?

Also how does one store these boards, if stored vertical will they warp?

The general consensus seems to be at least 6mm, preferably 9mm for 2' x 2' boards.

I'm thinking of going with either the Ikea idea below or using 6mm with a frame. Nothing is written on stone yet though as I need to learn more. i've got to get it right in one go as there are time constraints

[dampfpanzerwagon]

I'll try to offer an answer to each of the querries.....

1 - Were there any warping issues?
A - No none and I've also used a 500mm x 1000mm table from B&M and so far no issues with warping on this larger table.

2 - Did you scuff up the surface to any modelling medium being applied?
A - Yes but just some rough sandpaper. I also recommend applying layers of torn newspaper (glued in place with PVA glue).

3 - If I was to use a base of high density foam, say 25mm thick, could you foresee any problems in regard to warping?
A - Two answers to this question. Firstly; as the LACK tables are already 40mm thick I would have thought that an extra 25mm would make them far to thick. I used MDF foam and card to build up the Crashed Rocketship board and at certain sections this was over 100mm thick - with no warping.
Secondly; the LACK table can be cut into (see article in MW for more details) so I would have recommended a thinner foam (5mm - 10mm) and cut into the table for anything else - once again no issues with warping.

4 - This my be a bit of a rhetorical question but I'm going to ask it anyway (just in case!); it would be an easy task to just make up a large table with several of these?
A - Possibly but I have found that joining the tables end to end a bit of a problem - the glue area is to small and on an edge with large amounts of force applied. I would say NO, but you could always try it and see.

If, however you meant just placing them next to one another - no problems, this is how I would expect them to be used.

5 - Apologies for all the questions. I just want to get it right the first time around as time is of the essence. (possibly the subject for a vid?)
A - Not really into Video or You Tube so I would have to say NO and you will just have to see the picture tutorials on my Blog or in print.

Finally; the LACK tables can be found in charity shops the last one I purchased was just £1.00. New ones are around £7.00 - £8.00 but also check out the similar tables in B&M and Homebase.

Once again Good Luck.

Tony

[cram]

looks like I'm going to have to frame my boards then 

I've read a number of forum posts on other sites where people recommend using birch plywood over MDF, claiming it is much more warp resistant and lighter?

[Atheling]

I'll try to offer an answer to each of the querries.....

Thanks- appreciated

1 - Were there any warping issues?
A - No none and I've also used a 500mm x 1000mm table from B&M and so far no issues with warping on this larger table.

Always welcome news!

2 - Did you scuff up the surface to any modelling medium being applied?
A - Yes but just some rough sandpaper. I also recommend applying layers of torn newspaper (glued in place with PVA glue).[/quote]

Good job I aksed, I hadn't thought beyond scuffing them up to make a key- newspaper is a great idea.

3 - If I was to use a base of high density foam, say 25mm thick, could you foresee any problems in regard to warping?
A - Two answers to this question. Firstly; as the LACK tables are already 40mm thick I would have thought that an extra 25mm would make them far to thick. I used MDF foam and card to build up the Crashed Rocketship board and at certain sections this was over 100mm thick - with no warping.
Secondly; the LACK table can be cut into (see article in MW for more details) so I would have recommended a thinner foam (5mm - 10mm) and cut into the table for anything else - once again no issues with warping.

Sorry, I wasn't clear; I was actually thinking of making river sections- thus adding the foam tiles.

4 - This my be a bit of a rhetorical question but I'm going to ask it anyway (just in case!); it would be an easy task to just make up a large table with several of these?
A - Possibly but I have found that joining the tables end to end a bit of a problem - the glue area is to small and on an edge with large amounts of force applied. I would say NO, but you could always try it and see.

If, however you meant just placing them next to one another - no problems, this is how I would expect them to be used.

The latter, I mean't placing them together

5 - Apologies for all the questions. I just want to get it right the first time around as time is of the essence. (possibly the subject for a vid?)
A - Not really into Video or You Tube so I would have to say NO and you will just have to see the picture tutorials on my Blog or in print.

I'll try to get c copy of MW.

Finally; the LACK tables can be found in charity shops the last one I purchased was just £1.00. New ones are around £7.00 - £8.00 but also check out the similar tables in B&M and Homebase.

Thanks Tony, all very much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time out to explain 

[Atheling]

looks like I'm going to have to frame my boards then 

I've read a number of forum posts on other sites where people recommend using birch plywood over MDF, claiming it is much more warp resistant and lighter?

Outdoor grade plywood is treated to take the elements so might be a better idea as it is more resilient(?). I really don't know..... which is why I started the thread

[cram]

If its of any use I got this off the Perry Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/perryminiatures/posts/1433771486744953?__tn__=K-R

Assuming you haven't already seen it.

[Atheling]

If its of any use I got this off the Perry Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/perryminiatures/posts/1433771486744953?__tn__=K-R

Assuming you haven't already seen it.

Erm....... no! They posted it up during my four-five year hiatus...... 

Thamks for posting this!! It's actually made my day- such a wealth of ideas to produce top notch terrain tiles!!

[dampfpanzerwagon]

If its of any use I got this off the Perry Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/perryminiatures/posts/1433771486744953?__tn__=K-R

Assuming you haven't already seen it.

That Facebook link has some fantastic hints and tips.

Thank you for posting it.

Tony

[cram]

Glad to be of some help 

As you may or may not be aware, they have Facebook posts of battle reports which include plenty of pics of their terrain boards including a birds eye view of the whole board at the start of the report. I'm using these images as well as pictures from other sources as inspiration for my own future efforts.