Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => "Build Something" Archive => Topic started by: Dewbakuk on November 09, 2009, 11:34:55 AM
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As I'm now feeling better and even managed to leave the house yesterday, I figured I should try and do a build.
First up on the aggenda is an armoured narrowboat. The idea behind it is aimed at one of the current VSF campaigns where the dastardly Prussians have invaded Blighty. I want to do some irregular troops and as Svenn has just built Thunderchicken some canal pieces for the board, it made sense for an irregular force based on the waterways. While not providing great manueverability, the canals do provide access to all the major cities, and often remaining out of sight. Besides, the locals can be fiesty :D
By the by, this idea would probably work well in the 1937 British civil war game too.
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Edit - pictures fixed
So, first up was to draw the plans and work out sizes. I actually did this a week or so ago but then fell ill :(
The design is essentially a 1/56 scale 45' narrowboat, although the actual working areas have been fudged to allow a figure on a base at either end and the overall width has been budged out a few mm for the same reasons.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2482/4088722545_e3473faf04.jpg)
The original idea was to make the base etc in wood but this is also a prototype for a larger build concept later so I decided to try using pink foam for the lower hull. I had spare lying around and if I made it in wood I'd be tempted to spend longer on it and time is a little short.
So I transfered the plans onto the foam by the simple method of sticking pins through the paper at relevant positions :) and hacked the foam roughly to shape.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/4089482886_68a2cfc72f.jpg)
I then cut it down further to get the hull height etc.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2764/4088722763_b6a3b542b1.jpg)
It worked but I've decided it's not good enough. I intend to clad the exterior with plasticard and although the variation in hieght etc across the surface is only 1-2mm, it'll make it difficult to get everything right. Besides, I have the lower hull at 13mm high and I've just discovered I have some 14mm balsa upstairs. I think I'm just going to use that :D
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Funnily enough I have a couple of wooden ones (ornaments) for just such an activity, I have some Lewis guns and Brens etc to add. Certainly a great idea Dewback :D
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=12108.0
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Very interesting project - don't think I've ever seen an armoured canal boat before. I look forward to more!
I suspect it'll end up looking a lot like a normal canal boat but with more rivets :D Plus the gun on the front of course!
Funnily enough I have a couple of wooden ones (ornaments) for just such an activity, I have some Lewis guns and Brens etc to add. Certainly a great idea Dewback :D
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=12108.0
Thanks, and that's a fine looking canal boat in that pic. Needs waterlining of course :P
Would work well for another purpose though. Don't suppose you got it from an online dealer did you?
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I did indeed get it from an online retailer, will dig out the link when back at home, they have a couple of variations too. Only problem is tha tthey are solid wood so not as good as yours which would allow troops to be loaded into the hold
I did toy with water lining it but decided against it as I am not the best with wood working tools ;D
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Found the link :)
http://canalcargo.co.uk/acatalog/Models.html
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Excellent cheers. Is yours the 8" or 15" version?
I'm thinking for this boat to do it enclosed. The roof area has enough space for figures to stand on it safely and one can be stood at the front and one at the back, although the back is likely to be covered too. The front will have a machine gun mounting, so won't take a figure there either due to one already being there. The dimensions have been done to allow it in another version though.
I'd have allowed figs to be placed inside but it just can't be done and keep everything in scale with it waterlined. In a canalboat your legs are underwater when you're walking around inside. What I may do however is do an open topped version with armour plating along the sides and space to place figures inside.
The follow up step for the narrow boat will be to give it 'outfloaters' in the form of one man puntgunners.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAc61kW10MM/Rcgrwl8qNsI/AAAAAAAAAIo/XfgeKzmo_Sw/s400/Punt+Gun.jpg)
For anyone who doesn't know, the punt gun is essentially an enormous shotgun. It was used to shoot entire flocks of birds! The idea was you float out onto the lake and keeping very low, paddle out amongst the reeds and sneak up on a flock or two then open fire. Awards were based on the different variety of birds bagged in one shot.
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I like the idea of the canal boat.
But the "outfloaters" can't be real you are having a laugh :o
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Great idea, I can see us having some fun "messing about on the river" :)
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Or, you know, build this....
(http://www.motifake.com/demotivational-poster/0807/meroka-punt-gun-demotivational-poster-1216299245.jpg)
Way of a motivational poster for the office, mate!
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I bought the 8 inch one and the 17" Vulcan
In Hindsight the 8" is better as it is much more in scale whilst the 17" is good it does stand quite proud of the waterline.
You will need to remove the tiller etc as they are way out of scale and the detail like doors etc are painted on.
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Great stuff indeed. Those punt guns are bloody outrageous! Cant wait to see this finished. :)
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I forsee a fun timed scenario trying to get that thing through a canal lock before the bad guys bring up reinforcements!
All good, but I'm a bit worried about your force's morale. I mean, half the fun of canals is stopping off at all those great pubs along the way. You definitely need rules for drunkenly falling into the water after a few ales..
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Surely that's a boost to morale? ;)
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They have a some punt guns in the Royal Armouries in Leeds, they are odd looking to say the least. :D
Keith :?
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They do indeed, that's the place I first saw them a few years ago. I was determined back then to find a use for them :)
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Okay, made a new base from basswood and bought some new plasticard lengths to allow making the sides easier.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2491/4095811969_aec0d2f99f.jpg)
When the three bits of wood have finished gluing I shall start to put the sides on. I've switched to this method as it will allow me to do an open topped version or an enclosed one, not sure which it will be yet....
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Okay, my daughter went ot her grandparents for the weekend and my wife had stuff to do (a hen night, and staying in bed seemed to be the most part..) so I was free to do some work on my build.
First up is a shot of the sides being built up in two layers, one inside the other. This made it easier to get the bends, although in future I'd do it in three layers to make it more practical. Bulldog clip and clamps are used rather a lot to hold the layers together while gluing.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4108932712_8dedd7122a.jpg)
Second layer is applied to get the right height.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2512/4108167193_b863ae2198.jpg)
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Next shot shows the second (well, two layers of two) layer fully applied. I discovered I couldn't get it to stay together at the point well enough to finish glueing so I wrapped cellotape around it which worked fine. (also shown in this picture is the damage done to the table by the cheap glue.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2539/4108933414_2ac9666118.jpg)
Sides glued and parrotmen of venus (Kroot) added to show size.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2737/4108167917_c181389e22.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/4108168355_cf4f9bccfc.jpg)
Outer skin being applied to make it all nice and smooth.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2607/4108168661_ac912da3e2.jpg)
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Skin applied and trimmed down to the level of the sides, needs a bit of sanding and the prow needs to be built up a little.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2541/4108169013_459954f93a.jpg)
A big photo this time to show the sides. The skin is quite a thin layer and it looks like the glue has melted it in on a few areas. Advice request time - Should I add another thinner skin or use a filler to smooth it? A thinner skin may just do the same thing again but I don't want to make it any wider really. A filler would work but I'm wondering if it would be pulled out of the holes, which are quite small, when sanding it smooth. Anyone had this problem?
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/4108935002_1314b31b7a_b.jpg)
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One solution for filling small holes is to make them bigger and roughing them up with a bit of sand paper. It gives the filler a larger surface area to adhere too.
What kind of filler are you going to use?
Is the surface plastic?
What kind of glue did you use that melted the plastic?
The other option is to fit a riveted plate over the indent to make it look like a repair.
Or
If it is shallow, just leave it and then paint it up like some damage to the hull.
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If you go straight ahead and add another layer it might just show the depressions, again. Were they caused by pressure from the clamps? Try wrapping around and binding with masking tape rather than sellotape, as it shouldn't react to the glue you're using on the plasticard. I think I would take GM's advice to enlarge a little and then fill. If that doesn't enable a really tidy finish then you could always reskin.
Lovley job by the way - nice proportions! :D
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Is the surface plastic?
Yep, other than the wooden base, it's all plastic.
It's the Revel plastic glue, essentialy polycement. I'm wanting it to be properly smooth at the moment because I'm considering casting the base piece once sorted. Then I can do multiple versions.
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Were they caused by pressure from the clamps?
No, they're elsewhere. I think it's where there were joins in the strips of plasticard used to build the side. I expect the polycement pulled the sheet in when it made it's bonds. For anyone who doesn't know, poly cement makes bonds by essentially melting the surface of the two plastic parts and fusing them together.
Lovley job by the way - nice proportions!
Thanks :D