Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Mancha on February 22, 2009, 11:00:05 PM
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Man, I've been loving watching these various aeronefs come together. So when I found myself at the local hobby shop the other day, I couldn't resist throwing down $29 for various blocks of balsa wood and sheets of plastic. Here's the beginning of my first ever build thread on the LAF. I'm hoping that starting it publically will force me to finish the project.
The supplies:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3301866566_7f917e4aa8_o.jpg)
Using an elaborate system of rewards and punishments, I promised myself the first beer after completeing the under-hull. Boy, was I to regret this decision. Here's the beginning of that structure, with a pleasant shape penciled in:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3351/3301866868_99891bf7f7_o.jpg)
Sanding balsa wood sure is easy, and in just twenty minutes I had the basic shape:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3517/3301867136_0dace82e72_o.jpg)
Whew, I was looking forward to that first beer, so I jumped into sheathing the shape in plastic, assuming I'd have a buzz pretty soon. Alas, the sheating process took forever:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3582/3301867426_1a7d5f6fbc_o.jpg)
Although I've started working on the upper hull's shape, I worry that my first-beer buzz will have worn off by the time I reach a new resting point. Wish me luck for a fast process.
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So far so good! Go drink some more and come up with the next step!
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Looking good!
Where is the chap in the fez from?
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Where is the chap in the fez from?
Brigade Miniatures. He's part of a set of five pulp archeologists and helpers, including diggers. Great set!
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Welcome to the insanity. Next thing you know, you too will have a fleet, and a wish to travel over great distances just to get a game in with some of these Aeronefs.
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Welcome to the insanity. Next thing you know, you too will have a fleet, and a wish to travel over great distances just to get a game in with some of these Aeronefs.
I don't know about that: I tend to make/paint one of something and then move on to something else. In fact, I'm concerned about keeping momentum on this project through to the end. So here's more...
Here's the upper hull roughed out. Time for that second beer, I mean..."reward":
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3354/3301592149_9d46d26ce5_o.jpg)
Already two-thirds of the way through my rewards, I decided I'd better make a trip for supplies, including more...um...rewards, some LEGO for parts (which ended up not working--my son did good in the LEGO department this week), and more super glue:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3547/3302439036_556700dabc_o.jpg)
I'm gonna try to do something interesting with an aft engine room. In anticipation, here's a huge gaping hole:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3301592651_12071758f6_o.jpg)
And this is what the two large parts look like together:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3358/3302424850_38cce3153f_o.jpg)
Uh oh, just got a call from the gilrfriend and she's on her way over. This is good for me ( ;)), but bad for anyone looking for quick updates to the build ( :().
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Great job so far, but I'm thinking, one more beer and your performance would have been hampered!! Either way if you know what I mean!! ;)
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Great job so far, but I'm thinking, one more beer and your performance would have been hampered!!
You're probably right. Be on the lookout for the "Xacto wound--build delayed" posting.
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Im not sure how the beer is going to be used on the project, other than for lubrication of spirit!
I find I cant drink and model make, my skills go down the drain after he first 500ml....
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Beer is good for the soul. :D
The model is coming together nicely :)
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Probably due to too many rewards yesterday, I made a discouraging error on the under hull:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3590/3305369185_feabd15b6e_o.jpg)
So I abandoned that part of the project for the time being, drank a beer, and moved on to other things. None of what I got done today over hours of effort really resulted in any kind of finished product, so here's some along-the-way shots.
Got the rest of the model roughed out:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3306198694_f05ccc0684_o.jpg)
Here's a closeup of the command bridge, underway (I've been wanting to use these deodorant tops for the longest time!):
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3409/3305369069_44f2227ae8_o.jpg)
And the under-hull is partially rivetted:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/3305369321_d7b0f70afb_o.jpg)
I'm also working on some doors, fixing the upper hull, and continuing to rivet things; man, rivetting takes for ever!
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Ah... the trials and tribulations of scratch building... o_o
I think she is coming out looking very cool. Looking forward to seeing her progress!
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Definitely! So far so good!
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Well, after my beer/sanding misshap of a couple days ago, it was definately time to stop avoiding the problem and rectify my error. I rummaged around among my ancient modelling supplies until I found my literally decades-old tube of Squadron green putty. Not completely stonelike yet, I nevertheless had to slice open the tube with my x-acto knife to extract any. This didn't go far, so a trip to the hobby shop was in order, where I purchased a new tube of putty, some spray primer, and a new bottle of plastic cement, as I've been practically licking the bottom of my old bottle to get any. Total cost of the project so far: Almost $45.
I slathered the hull in green putty, including where I'd sanded through to wood, where my imperfect joints had left gaps, and where my course-paper sanding had scratched the plastic.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3308740130_86b8c1369a_o.jpg)
Then I went to work--by which I mean the place where I'm employed and earn money to buy this useless stuff. When I returned home hours later I got to work (by which I mean with the sanding block) on the hull. Et-voila! I love Squadron green putty! Seeing all those little streaks and puddles of green after the sanding process makes me feel like my time was well spent!
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3415/3307909203_18e90a3401_o.jpg)
My other achievements of the day included more rivets on the under-hull, a smoke stack, and some detail work on the command bridge:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3308740440_0db9c0922e_o.jpg)
Here's a detail shot of the smoke stack and doors so far:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3307909277_f2406888c9_o.jpg)
I intend to add portholes to the doors, and placed an order to Reverisco (from whom I've never ordered before) for portholes, ladders, those wicked cool ventilation stacks (what's an aeronef without ventilation stacks?!), and a small gun (intending to build a large forward mounted gun myself). Total cost of project so far: $75!!! Thank God I'm now divorced or I'd be getting divorced.
Regarding the smoke stack: I love the shape of the top, achieved by sanding out the base of a super glue container. Unfortunately, the super glue base is constructed of soft platic, which burrs up when sanded, and similarly resist efforts to cut. If I can't get rid of the burrs, I may have to chuck the top. Any ideas for treating soft plastic? I've tried dunking it in plastic cement, hoping the burrs would "melt" off, but no luck. Why doesn't anyone make smoke stack finials???
That's all for tonight. In the next couple days I intend to work on the prow, make doors for the under-hull, finish up the command bridge, rivet the upper hull, make an engine room roof right behind the smoke stack, make the forward gun and mount, and make a tail-section, made up of WWI-like wings, which idea I blatantly copied from one of the other aeronef threads. Wow, and I thought I was getting close to done! Ciao.
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Looking great so far.
For cleaning up the soft plastic I have used a brand new blade on my craft knife and very carefully cut off the rough bits. Not a great solution but the only way I could get to work.
Are you going to explain what the square hole in the deck is for.
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For cleaning up the soft plastic I have used a brand new blade on my craft knife and very carefully cut off the rough bits.
I guess that's what I'm going to have to resort to. I was hoping there was some magical method I was unaware of. :(
Are you going to explain what the square hole in the deck is for.
Nothing special; just the companionway to the engine room. I've started working on that and will post pictures in the next couple days.
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Excellent progress! I think that calls for a beer! ;)
I really like the shape of the 'nef. Do you intend to have the bottom detachable from the upper structure?
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Excellent progress! I think that calls for a beer! ;)
(Looks around blearily, having already followed this advice.) Huh?
Do you intend to have the bottom detachable from the upper structure?
Nah. Sooner or later I'll glue it on. Would there be any particular gain to allow the bottom to detach from the top?
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Do you intend to have the bottom detachable from the upper structure?
Nah. Sooner or later I'll glue it on. Would there be any particular gain to allow the bottom to detach from the top?
Well, depending on construction, you might be able to use it as a normal gunboat or such for other adventures.
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Brilliant work, so far. Really like what you've done.
Question for all of you building these beauties, as I'm a landship builder, but haven't gone on to the "aerial" types. How do you support them on the table top? It's the flying base that has me stymied. What about you, Mancha? Any thoughts on how you'll set this thing up as a flyer, or do you plan to have her sit on her keel? (Valid solution, actually, given the shape.)
-Doc
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Question for all of you building these beauties, as I'm a landship builder, but haven't gone on to the "aerial" types. How do you support them on the table top? It's the flying base that has me stymied. What about you, Mancha? Any thoughts on how you'll set this thing up as a flyer, or do you plan to have her sit on her keel? (Valid solution, actually, given the shape.)
Thanks for the positive feedback.
Regarding your question above: I am not the man to ask. I am basically a painter and modeller, and don't wargame at all. So I may very well just leave her resting on her keel on a shelf. On the other hand, I may choose to display her, in which case I would probably have to come up with some way of suspending her off the ground. Hm, how would I do that? I can see myself using a couple of those largest Games Workshop clear plastic bases with their matching plastic uprights. With two or three holes drilled into her under-keel, I suspect two or three plastic bases would hold her up. I doubt that would work on the gaming table though.
In the last few days I've seen some pretty ingenious flyer stands around the LAF. There's the excellent two-man balloon in a recent game thread, the beautiful shed holding up a dirigible, and the ACW observation balloon attached to a base with a cart.
Any other good ideas, folks?
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Blunderbuss will be equipped with 3 wooden dowel rods to take to the air and a triangular wooden base of some sort.
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I haven’t worked out how I am going to mount mine yet. But even though I am a gamer and modeller I don’t play VSF and I don’t know anybody in the area who does. So mine is very unlikely to be used in a game. I am just building it for the fun.
I have some thin dowel that I will probably mount on a stand of some description. I suppose before I go much further with my build I should give it some thought. I have got a couple of the large GW flying bases for my elder grav tank. I could maybe borrow them but I think they are a bit low.
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There is a new plastic flying base coming out from GW for their flyers, not skimmers. So it's bigger and stronger. Here's a pic (I'd embed it but it's big)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4nzgPbHlNo4/SZhfmwVPTSI/AAAAAAAAEGk/w27Hf3xW4jo/s1600-h/valk-base.jpg
And here's a shot of them in use
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4nzgPbHlNo4/SZhfXOsozsI/AAAAAAAAEF8/Ojnvhzl5pJg/s1600-h/valk-squadron.jpg
Being GW, if it gets sold seperately it'll probably cost far too much, but shouldn't be long before someone like Litko do a cheaper version.
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Spent hours on this build over the last couple days, but have little to show for it. You can see the new front gangplank in the picture:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3312807161_7245ec4cc4_o.jpg)
Much of the time went into constructing the engine room, its entrance and skylight, seen here:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3339/3312807245_4a2aff2f71_o.jpg)
I dig the skylight. Nothing reminds one of the Victorian Era like a skylight; well, that and rivets. On that topic, I have only ten of the precious brown rivets remaining! :(
Can't wait for my Reverisco order to arrive so I can plant some funnels here and there and throw a ladder down to the engine room door.
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Love the engine room. I really like the skylight. :o :-*
I was thinking about adding these as well to mine (Honest).
What are the small grey bits you are using for rivets/bolts?
What flag is this glorious ship going to fly?
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Love the engine room. I really like the skylight. :o :-*
Me too! Maybe I'll add some more to the top of the fighting bridge.
I was thinking about adding these as well to mine (Honest).
Yeah, sure you were. :)
What are the small grey bits you are using for rivets/bolts?
Those are plastic bolts from a model train shop. They're probably Grandt Line. Every time I find myself in a model train shop (and there aren't any in the city I live in), I buy up a bunch of these in various sizes.
What flag is this glorious ship going to fly?
Hadn't gotten that far. Any suggestions?
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Norwegian! We'll take over the world together!
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It's absolutely lovely! My expectations keep getting higher and higher. Well done!
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That’s it I am going to have to start my own thread about building my Aeronef.
Sorry if anybody is sick of seeing these being built but I have to prove my honesty to you doubters.
Got to be British flagged. We seem to be getting out numbered here.
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That’s it I am going to have to start my own thread about building my Aeronef.
Sorry if anybody is sick of seeing these being built but I have to prove my honesty to you doubters.
I never get tired of build threads. It doesn't even matter what it is being built, I love to see the process.
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Not much progress this weekend. Anyway, I'm finding that now that I'm down to the details, there's little to show for hours of work.
Based on responses to the thread, I decided I'd better have a gaming stand for the ship, although it will probably serve considerably more service as a display stand. Note the forward gun, which would probably be considered something along the lines of an "electrocannon", or, er, something like that:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/3322098593_4cbdae9a19_o.jpg)
Here are some better shots of the gun:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3322930524_19b582a78d_o.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3322930356_65011e9e81_o.jpg)
Once my Pulp Figures Germans get here, I need to start painting for the LPL, so I hope to get a lot done of the ship over the next couple days.
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Nice job Mancha,
I'm surprised... well no, by the amount of people here who "build" but do not play! For me too the fun and joy is in the building, the playing is just a justifacation and then into mt competitive spirit. Also the "ohh's and ahhh"s" when you unvale it in a game are a great reward. I like you base mancha, I have made many many flying base over the years for 1/285th, 1/72, 28mm and more. I have always been most paticular about them as I feel the must not detract the viewers eye from the model.. I like the to sorta "melt" into the backround. A display piece would of course be different. You may have done this but if not my advice would be to weight your base. Yours is wood and you could do it by hollowing out the base a bit either with a dremel of large drill bit and filling that area with lead shot, steel washers or I bought a small "lead" pot that I melt lead in and laddle it into holes. Do not fill completly leave just a bit of space. Fill space with some 2 part epoxy to seal/fix weight in place. Presto a base even a hamfisted gamer has trouble knocking over!
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Thanks for the positive feedback.
Filling my base is a good idea; thanks. However, my ship, being made mostly of balsa wood and plastic, is surprisingly light. I'm sure a determined gamer could knock it over, but it's probably not the kind of thing that could happen with just a normal level of ineptitude and clumsiness. On the other hand, a beer on top of a normal level of ineptitude and clumsiness would probably do it. :)
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Yes mine too are very light but the unexpected hip bump into the table by the happy gamer who just rolled 3, 6's in a row! is what I plan for...lol and when you spend the amount of time you do on one of these airships the little extra may save a lot of tears... :'( I also have shafts built to raise mine much higher than yours now.... one of my bases is a hefty 5-10 pounds! :o
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Lots of hours of work, little recognizable to show for it. My Reverisco parts showed up. The portholes and gun are beautiful, the ladder required some chopping though, and the ventilators are ridiculously huge and more than a little crude. I made new ones out of grey putty and plastic tubing. There's a new ammo rack forward of the command bridge, although it's hard to see, and various bolts, rivets, fenders, portholes, identification markings and other sundry details have been liberally sprinkled all over. I'm also pretty close to done with the command bridge, and for the first time ever I connected the gun using magnets instead of glue. Cool.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3338/3329662407_4941c10940_o.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3329662525_3a3e61bb58_o.jpg)
Still to do:
1) Detailing of the under-hull, including installation of portholes.
2) Construction of the tail section (see picture below).
3) Skylights for the command bridge?
4) Detailing of the funnel.
5) Railings.
Well, that should keep me busy for a while. I really need to get started painting some LPL teams though. :(
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/3329662605_c4abf6c9d1_o.jpg)
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Coming around really well.
These projects are indeed a lot of work.
I really need to get started painting some LPL teams though. :(
Feel your pain. But we still have quite a lot of time and I am determined to finish my 'nef as soon as possible. In the meantime, I am also cleaning and basing LPL figures. I've given myself an "end of March" deadline to have my 'nef and all my LPL teams based and ready for painting. I think that will be easily doable.
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Feel your pain. But we still have quite a lot of time and I am determined to finish my 'nef as soon as possible. In the meantime, I am also cleaning and basing LPL figures. I've given myself an "end of March" deadline to have my 'nef and all my LPL teams based and ready for painting. I think that will be easily doable.
I'm a ridiculously slow painter. I've literally not painted a single mini since the last LPL (although a single five-man team is almost done). I don't anticipate entering too many teams this time around, and if I don't get started painting soon, I may enter only one or two.
I wonder, how much time do you think you dedicate to the hobby every day? Lately I've been putting in about two hours or so. This may be the best I can hope for, though. And because I'm blowing off other things to do it, I'm not sure I can maintain that schedule. I'm genuinely interested in this topic, so maybe I'll start a new thread on it.
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Looking real nice I like the seperation of the deck up in the front. I started using magnetic mounts for for bombloads on models 20 years ago and for holding commanders in coppolas to show "buttoned" or "unbuttoned" tanks. Started doing it on mt VSF stuff and it seems to be catching on. Its a great way to have a small stock or large variety of guns work on several ships. Again your ship looks great! What the nationality going to be?
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What the nationality going to be?
Tzarist Russian, I think.
Thanks for the feedback.
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I also forgot to mention that your using a "tire valve" for the gun is a stroke of genius! Thats the fun of VSF!
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I also forgot to mention that your using a "tire valve" for the gun is a stroke of genius! Thats the fun of VSF!
I'm actually a little disappointed that you were able to identify it. :'(
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Got a critical part done today, the tail section. It started with a double-thick wafer of card, to which I glued some ribs. I green-puttied up the ribs, and sanded them down, producing what I hope will look like the usual WW1 airplane wing:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3582/3331927049_6d0c29b93c_o.jpg)
With a couple of wings I could be proud of in hand, I then set about building their struts. After some careful measuring and drilling, my holes were all over the place (and not due to beer this time, I swear!). By some miracle, the finished product ended up being more or less squared and stable :o:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3331926923_9e790dcbe3_o.jpg)
She finally looks like an aeronef to me:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3363/3332763464_d9b3e8dfe6_o.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3648/3332763202_639696ab1b_o.jpg)
I ordered her crew today; the Redoubt unarmed Victorian sailors (thanks Ray Rivers). Can't wait for them to arrive.
Tasks left to do:
1) Railings
2) Detailing of command bridge
3) Minor detailing of underhull
4) Work on the funnel
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Looking spectacular, Mancha.
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Amazing :o
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Amazing :o
THE Paul Hicks? Thanks. :)
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Looking spectacular, Mancha.
Hope you're not too disappointed it's gonna fly Russian colors. :)
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Tail section looks great.
I was going to try and build the tail a different way but seeing yours has made me re-think. So that's another one of your ideas I am going to borrow.
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I was going to try and build the tail a different way but seeing yours has made me re-think. So that's another one of your ideas I am going to borrow.
Thanks for the positive feedback. Giving credit where it's due, I based my tail section almost entirely on Bullshot's Piaf:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=8833.30
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Looking spectacular, Mancha.
Hope you're not too disappointed it's gonna fly Russian colors. :)
Well, a bit...but that just means I will have to salute as you sink in the sky from the fire of our guns, instead of as you cruise by at altitude.
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That's really coming together. Great project!
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Well, I’d been blowing off a lot of responsibilities last week, working on this model. These responsibilities finally caught up with me this weekend, and I’ve been unable to get any modelling done. Yesterday, however, I sat down again and contemplated my progress. After all the discussion of the Houston’s Weapons line being discontinued, it occurred to me that I might have some of those highly esteemed weapons. Searching through my thoroughly categorized ( ;)) lead wall (my version of the lead mountain), sure enough, I had just one of their guns. But when I opened up the package—lead rot! :o
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/3344382768_e9692222cf_o.jpg)
I’d heard about it, but never seen it in the flesh. Pretty repulsive, no? Well, there went my dreams of advanced armament. But when I took a closer look at the weapon it dawned on me that it was a pretty simple design; one I might be able to build myself. So I sat down with a box of plastic tubing and a box of doodads, and threw one together—which phrase makes it sound like it took only 15 minutes, when in reality, it took more like two days.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3578/3343548701_8444f8dc96_o.jpg)
Still, I’m pretty pleased with it. It will be mounted at the back of the aeronef, on a small platform. Here’s a test fitting:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3364/3343548879_ba96c03889_o.jpg)
Now all I have to do is make another one. No problem.
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Very nice.
We will see the other one in two days then? :D
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We will see the other one in two days then? :D
Probably more like four days. :(
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Excelent work. At some point I'm going to have to bite the bullet and try and make a Hotchkiss rotary cannon for my British. Not looking forward to it.
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Nice "doodad"!
Came out better than the original... me thinks!
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Well, it's been a while and this project has taken over my house (see below); my kids are forced to make space at the kitchen counter among various tools, plastic, miniatures, bits, etc., just to eat, and most of it they're not even allowed to touch!
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3374554558_8c999ba87a_o.jpg)
Here are some rather crummy shots of the aeronef. The build is done, and it now needs to be painted. I'm sure that will take another two months or so.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3468/3374555028_c100810d28_o.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3614/3373739327_b1163d20ea_o.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3551/3374555234_5fb03947c8_o.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3608/3374555660_8f3f155d4f_o.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3602/3374555380_64eb91a4d4_o.jpg)
Now to clean up my kitchen and maybe start painting an LPL entry.
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:-*
Very nice indeed.
Looking forward to seeing it painted!
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...Looking forward to seeing it painted!...
Me too!!! :-*
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Wonderfull stuff. Some very nice details. Pigeons?
Looking forward to see the painted artical.
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Wonderful!
Can't wait to see the painted one!
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Wonderful!!! great!!
you don't need really to paint it if you ask me :D
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Mancha, I followed your project with much interest and must say that you've built one of the most detailed and impressive looking ships of this kind! Very nice, and I think you've really earned another chest of beers ...
:D
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Thanks for all the positive feedback, everyone. Admiral, while I really enjoy adding detail, as someone else pointed ou earlier, maybe there's such a thing as going overboard (no pun intended) on it?