Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Hammers on December 30, 2010, 04:51:50 PM
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I have been debating with myself whether I should make this project public. One becomes a tad self aware of one's short comings when so many esteemed LAFers have let us follow the progress of their work. One can't but watch, stunned, at the apparent ease with which they make huge constructs with amazing detail. Aye, 'tis a fertile land in which to cultivate ones complexes, Workbench is. But on the other hand I have always maintained that it is nothing more than a hobby, this Great Thing of ours. We do it for fun, right? Right? Please say yes...
So without much further ado and well knowing that while I may have the skills but seriously lacking in time, I will show you how one of my current projects is developing.
I have long felt that my Duke of Nutherland Kennel Club of Monimasket deserves a club house; something grand, venerable and representative. While I am not a stranger to one off projects I am at core a practical man so I would not build such a beast with out seeing its uses for a variety of scenarios. For that reason it will be modular and parts of shall be customizable to a make the building suitable for an array off different settings. A Public Shool, the Institution for Esoteric Literature of Miscatonic University, Baskerville Hall, The Grenadier Guard barracks and, at a pinch, Balmoral castle. This is just to name a few.
For various reasons I have zoned in on a Victorian Gothic Revival architectural style called (Scotish) baronial. My main inspiration is St. Leonard's Hall at Edinburgh University:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/St-leonards-pollock-edinburgh.jpg/401px-St-leonards-pollock-edinburgh.jpg)
The reason I picked this is partly because it is size wise roughly what I have in mind. It also sprouts enough towers, crenellations, hoardings, machicolations, and loopholes to make it interesting. I will try to stay close to this style; I dislike the overloaded Neo Gothic styles which is so often seen in wargaming contexts (read GW).
I will use various techniques to build the various halls, towers, galleries, and courtyards which will go together to make the building. I have a collection cardboard tubes, plenty of foam board, cork sheet and structured styrene. I also have purchased several different sets of Zvezda modular castle styrene sprues. These are great for this kind of project. They are intended for 1/72 scale but if one cuts new openings for windows and doors I know from previous builds that they work a treat. I have two large boxes of Tichy Train windows H and HO scale styrene doors and windows for this purpose.
More later...
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Yes please!
Pull this one off and I shall prostrate myself before you in humble awe.
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Oooo, looks very promising Hammers :D
Don't let us down though ;D ;)
cheers
James
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Yay! I love the idea and look forward to following it. 8)
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Nice idea.
Will follow with interest.
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Thank you for your encouraging replies, I am sure I shall need them.
There are two buildings of the complex already completed but I shall for now focus what I during the project face will call Colonel Stone Hall, which will be one of the larger pieces. The reason is because it is being almost entirely constructed out of Zvezda pieces.
I think Zvezda is mostly known as the Russian hard plastic model manufacturer of 1/35 vehicles, planes and military figures. They do however have a range of 1/72 soft historical and fantasy plastic miniatures with some hard plastic buildings to go with them.
The fortresses are made modular; the various pieces are engineered to make constructs very flexible. There are a variety sprues:
round and square towers, turrets, barbicans, crenelated wall sections, arches, walkways, gate houses with merlos etc... The various pieces makes it possible to do all kinds of stuff as dimensions are made so that various build pieces fit each other. Quite snuggly I might add. What oen has to work with is that it all may come out looking too geometrical, as if the whole think is drawn with a ruler. On the other hand the modular concept would not work if the pieces weren't symmetrical. Plus we need to use our weathering skills for something, eh?
A basic building kit of a square tower look like this:
(http://www.modelhobbies.co.uk/shop/product_thumb.php?img=images/soldiers72/ZVE8505.jpg&w=203&h=300)
(http://www.megahobby.com/productimages/ZVE/ZVE8534.jpg)
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Looking forward to this, but no usage of cork? ;D
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Crackin' idea. Love the inspiration building. look forward to future developments. :)
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Looking forward to this, but no usage of cork? ;D
Of *course* there will be cork, my dear! Reams and reams of the stuff. I am currently bulking out a few walls in a gallery piece where the thinness of the styrene walls will otherwise too apparent.
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Looking forward to this progressing - I've always liked that style of building, and the ornamental bits make them daunting to contemplate in model form!
Those Zvezda buildings look like a good base, though.
More pictures! The mob demands more visuals! :)
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Magnificent undertaking!
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Magnificent undertaking!
Indeed. I can't wait to see the work in progress!
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Looking forward to this progressing - I've always liked that style of building, and the ornamental bits make them daunting to contemplate in model form!
It is not too bad if you look at various examples of the style. Check out Balmoral for example. Ornamentation is mostly in bow windows and balconies. The style is based on the baronial castles of Scotland, which means a rather austere look but with lots and lots off windows. Other Gothic Revival styles of Victorian times went rright mad with gargoyles, statues, pillars and rosette windows.
Those Zvezda buildings look like a good base, though.
Well, it is a start. I hope it will work, I think it will.
More pictures! The mob demands more visuals! :)
And the magic word i-i-is...?
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And the magic word i-i-is...?
Sizzling sausages?
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Here are some of the sprues I am working with. As I've said before they come in various forms but fit with each other in many different ways. And if they don't fit they are quite easy to customize just by cutting of filling in with scrap bits.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/Zvezda sprues.JPG)
The plastic is not very thick, around 3mm, but quite hard. Cutting out windows with just a carpet knife is quite tricky. Instead I am using one of these for my Dremel:
(http://images.marketplaceadvisor.channeladvisor.com/hi/79/78863/group2_ss40bm_ss40sm.jpg)
The cuts won't be perfectly straight but it matters little in this case.
As the windows provided on the sprues are all conform, arched and 1/72 scale I have gotten others. These are O scale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_scale) window frames (Tichy Train brand) available from Antenociti (http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/materials-tools/doors-windows/code-4028-36-x64-window-doulbe-hung-12.html) or Tichy Train Group. (http://www.tichytraingroup.com/)
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/TichyTrainWindowSprues.JPG)
Here's how I used a few sprues. This is the east wall of the Colonel Stone Hall. It is put together with three square tower sides and three 2height enhancer" pieces. The bottom row, which will be the basement gets to keep the out-of-the-box windows and grating
but the ground floor and first floor's got new window frames. They really should be somewhat recessed for for this architectural style but for the sake of expedience I ignored that for this particular building. I will try to achieve that for some other wings. As you can see I already have managed to bust the bottom left panes. Also I have to go back and reposition some of the top row windows which have slid all wonky like... :-[
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/ColStoneHallEastSide.JPG)
The north wall of the hall, two wall sections wide and two crow-stepped gables. Normally I would fit two windows wide per section but I have left space for a passage building between this and another hall.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/ColStoneHallNorthGable.JPG)
On the back side you of this wall you can see how the customized window openings work out. As you can see there are pre-moulded slots you can cut out for windows but I have cut out new openings which makes for taller floors and larger windows which is more fitting the Baronial style.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/BackColStoneHallNorthGable.JPG)
Next I shall fit the four sides, and the S:t Mattias tower on it. I am not a great believer in sub tectum wargaming but I will be fitting internal floors, one flagstone and two planked between the floors. The top one will be for practical reasons as it will be visible through studio windows.
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I like the North wall, very evocative :)
Are you going to keep the limestone/granite colour the same as the original?
cheers
James
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I like the North wall, very evocative :)
Are you going to keep the limestone/granite colour the same as the original?
cheers
James
Definitely sandstone/lime stone. It is quite easy to make sand stone believable as it is in the real world very susceptible to weather and pollution.
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Have a floor plan laid out you can post? To tantalize us with as you progress?
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Have a floor plan laid out you can post? To tantalize us with as you progress?
No I don't as I expect this beast to grow organically. But I can probably put something together of what I think of as initial composition..
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I love watching these build threads and this one looks like it should be a good one!
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Dammit Hammers, thanks for setting the bar so high :) Excellent work so far!
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looks great
only thing that looks wrong to me is that your windows need lintels.
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Splendid work so far! A really a good idea to use the zvezda castle as a starting point...waiting eagerly for the next steps...
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looks great
only thing that looks wrong to me is that your windows need lintels.
There is a small lintel molded to the window. Perhaps it is not quite visible in the piccy.
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I've seen the Zvezda stuff about but because it was 1/72 never really gave it a second thought. With what I've seen so far this looks like it is going to be excellent!
Looking forward to seeing how this goes.
Regards
pM
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There is a small lintel molded to the window. Perhaps it is not quite visible in the piccy.
in that case i think your windows may be upside down?
The overall work is great - that little detail is drawing my eye though
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Interesting project and a flying start. Looking forward to this one too.
I've seen the Zvezda castles but never the component bits, they look very promising. Zvezda btw make what are probably the best soft plastic 1/72 minis available.
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I really like what you have started so far - and the building being used for inspiration is just smashing. I look forward to seeing this build progress.
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Good choice of building - I was a student at the University of Edinburgh for five years, and St Leonard's was by far the nicest student hall of residence (you can just see in the original photo the ugly monstrosities that made up the rest of the Pollock Halls site).
Oh, and I've just added Zvezda to my bookmarks after seeing the great start to your project. Well done, sir!
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in that case i think your windows may be upside down?
I am quite sure they are not. The inner frame slides down on these windows and they are loose pieces.
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See what happens when don't check in for a few days? Hammers goes and starts a gargantuan project! Such ambition Peder. I am agog. Go on my son, as we say in olde London town. :)
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I thought those of you asking for floor-plans might like this Google Map aerial photo of the hall:
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/210/leonardg.th.png) (http://img88.imageshack.us/i/leonardg.png/)
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I thought those of you asking for floor-plans might like this Google Map aerial photo of the hall:
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/210/leonardg.th.png) (http://img88.imageshack.us/i/leonardg.png/)
That's great Seņor Rabo! I will make use of this. I don't intend to build it this big to start with but they very style of the architecture invites one to add wings at a later point.
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Ok i have some Warhammer Fortness parts that made need some modernising ;)-great start, great ideas.
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So Hammers, are you just using the parts from a Zvezda tower model, or from a bigger Zvezda kit, or what?
And if you're just using a tower box (or three!), would you mind posting a pic of what you get in the box please? I'm dithering about buying some, but pictures on boxes rarely seem to reflect what actually comes in a set!
Anyway, I'm certainly impressed with what you've done so far, and will definitely be keeping an eye on the thread! ;)
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Interesting approach to building construction, Hammers. Looks good already!
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So Hammers, are you just using the parts from a Zvezda tower model, or from a bigger Zvezda kit, or what?
And if you're just using a tower box (or three!), would you mind posting a pic of what you get in the box please? I'm dithering about buying some, but pictures on boxes rarely seem to reflect what actually comes in a set!
Anyway, I'm certainly impressed with what you've done so far, and will definitely be keeping an eye on the thread! ;)
Pardon folks, I've been away so I have not been able to update this thread for a few days. Hopefully, tonight, to show you the parts of Col. Stone Hall loosely fit together.
No, I am not going to use just Zvezda parts. As I have said before, Zvezda has a bit of 'drawn by rulers and straight angles' look to it (roof sharp corners, 45 degree slant to roof etc..) so I don't think the building I have in mind will look good built by just Zvezda parts.
The square tower part consists of four solid walls and a battlement top. Out of the walls one gate opening and/or four windows can be cut.
(http://www.prestoimages.com/store/rd3221/3221_pd1936550_1.jpg)
The same kit comes in variants with a arched gate with doors
(http://www.prestoimages.com/store/rd3221/3221_pd1936552_1.jpg)
or with a drawbridge and lattice (this one is rather nice)
(http://www.prestoimages.com/store/rd3221/3221_pd1936547_1.jpg)'
If I have time tonight I will take a piccy of the contents.
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Dunno whether it's of any use to you but they also make a castle with rounded towers and turrets, variety and all that.
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Dunno whether it's of any use to you but they also make a castle with rounded towers and turrets, variety and all that.
Yes, I 've got some of those to, which I hope to put to good use. And some turrets.
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Time for a little update. Last week I constructed the floors for the Col. Stone Hall and the tower there of (which I during this project will refer to as S:t Mattias Tower).
Short note of the floors: as I have mentioned before I am no great believer of wargaming within buildings. I do however like the thought of indoor detailing and will allow myself to adorn these building at a later point. To prepare for this I've decided to make a little effort to make the floors look good.
The bottom floor is straight out of the box Zvezda floor pieces; three of them as you can see. Flagstones which I think will be suitable.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/bottomfloor.JPG)
I planked the first floor with some spare teak model ships planking. Lumber glued together like this tend to look a little to smooth so I put a little black lining on the edges of each plank, like so...
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/1stflooredging.JPG)
... making it go together thusly:
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/1stfloor.JPG)
As you can see I did not bother with beams and such things in this case but glued the strips to a piece of black foam board. I imagine that if I ever bother with ceiling details it should look plastered and smooth from below.
The attic floor on the other hand I beamed and planked to look a bit more scruffy. I cut out a special jig so that the beams would lay still while I did the planking, which is in this case made from cheap coffee stirrers. I fitted the the planks rather badly on purpose, trying to make it look rather unpolished and worn. I think there will be a lot of bat shit up there...
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/atticfloorjig.JPG)
A quick side note. Do you own a tool like this, a Chopper? No? Well, it makes this kind of jobs really easy...
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/chopper.jpg)
Tonight I did a trial fitting of walls, floors, tower and gables. It is all held together by rubber bands and pins, thus the awkward look of it. It is necessary to do it this way since I need to experiment with how it all shall fit and which parts that should be removable. This is what I call the south east corner with S:t Mattias tower in the forefront. There are several detailing bits waiting to be done, like decorative friezes, hiding seams, an external turret like staircase up the side of the tower (see below)...
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/AssemblySEcornerColStoneHall.JPG)
Here's a view from the NW corner. I will make a broad flight of stairs and up to the doors here. You can also see the studio windows I have fitted into the roof. I imagine, in this buildings guise as a public school, that art classes will be held up there.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/AssemblyNWcornerColStoneHall.jpg)
Here's how S:t Mattias tower. This piece is pretty much out of the box, except for the larger windows.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/stmattiastower.jpg)
Zvezda has a set of turret pieces which you can hang on the caste walls . I will use these for an external stair case, a feature quite common in this architectural style. Unfortunately I had too few to make this work so I am awaiting an order for extras.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/stmattiasstower2.JPG)
A view into the loft/attic. As you can see I have planked and beamed the interior here to. I doubt the construction would pass an inspection...
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/attic.JPG)
A view of the bottom of the attic floor/1st floor ceiling.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/atticfloorconstruction.jpg)
A view of the interior of the 1st floor. The floor looks good but the walls will currently not win me any prices.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/1stfloorview.JPG)
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I planked the first floor with some spare teak model ships planking. Lumber glued together like this tend to look a little to smooth so I put a little black lining on the edges of each plank, like so...
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/1stflooredging.JPG)
... making it go together thusly:
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/1stfloor.JPG)
Ah, now that's a good trick, will have to remember that for my next round of buildings! (although with my only wooden-floored building so far, I cheated and used a colour printout of a wood floor...)
And a Chopper is very, very high on my list of "toys I want"!
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That's looking great Hammers :-* I like the teak planking aswell :)
I keep borrowing works chopper ;) but I'll get my own one day lol
cheers
James
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Looking great so far. :-* :-* :-*
Some very usefull tips included as well, thanks.
How are you going to do the interior walls?
The Zvezda stuff looks really great for this kind of build. I will need to look into geting some.
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How are you going to do the interior walls?
At this point I won't. I want to get the complex ready exterior wise asap. But I will try to make interior walls accessible if it should strike my fancy to decorate them later. I imagine I will dress them in cork board to bulk them out.
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At this point I won't. I want to get the complex ready exterior wise asap. But I will try to make interior walls accessible if it should strike my fancy to decorate them later. I imagine I will dress them in cork board to bulk them out.
How about some oak panelling and marquetry ;)
cheers
James
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Looking incredible as usual. I will borrow that idea for the planking for my Frothers Cthluedo dining room floor. What is the official name for a 'chopper' so I can look for one!
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What is the official name for a 'chopper' so I can look for one!
Chopper.
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Looking good. Some nice hints and tips as well. I like the idea of black-lining the flooring planks while your technique for locking the sides together while gluing borders on genius!
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Oooooh! This is looking good Hammers, some nice tips there. :)
I do like the look of your chopper, I could do with one of those.
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Hammers, which set of the Zvezda castle series has a set of the round turret pieces which you can hang on the caste walls? And where do you order your Zvezda stuff from?
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Looking incredible as usual. I will borrow that idea for the planking for my Frothers Cthluedo dining room floor. What is the official name for a 'chopper' so I can look for one!
The Northwest Shortline Chopper (http://www.nwsl.com/tools/cutting-tools-the-choppers-i-ii-iii), to expand slightly on Hammers' post.
Looks like Hammers has treated himself to the skookum Chopper III. Very nice. (Even the III is surprisingly reasonable at $45 USD - which is about 5 Euro right now, isn't it?)
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Great looking project Hammers!!and some great tips I'm already rethinking my aproach to wood floors,and resisting the temptation to start a Scottish project at least until I've finished some of my other projects first!
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Hammers, which set of the Zvezda castle series has a set of the round turret pieces which you can hang on the caste walls?
They are sold as separate sets. I am sure they are part of some of the larger sets to.
And where do you order your Zvezda stuff from?
Some is bought in stores, some ordered from Model Hobbies.co.uk.
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Today, while filling in gaps and holes with Miliput, I also made an effort to sculpt the stone work for the Colonel Stone Hall entrance. I tried to make them look reasonably in style with the building. Obviously some extra sanding and scraping is called for but I feel it may just do, even though it looks a bit flat.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/ColStoneHallEntrance.jpg)
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This looks great! Very cool looking building and interesting walk through.
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I don't think I have told you which kit I've used for Col Stone Hall:
Here it is:
http://www.model-making.eu/zvezda-8517-living-quarters-for-castle-8517--p-1-279921.html (http://www.model-making.eu/zvezda-8517-living-quarters-for-castle-8517--p-1-279921.html)
This site also have very good content images for several of the Zvezda kits.
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wow... just stumbled on this, looks great...
am suddenly intrigued by the zvezda stuff now the windows are completely optional...
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Today, while filling in gaps and holes with Miliput, I also made an effort to sculpt the stone work for the Colonel Stone Hall entrance. I tried to make them look reasonably in style with the building. Obviously some extra sanding and scraping is called for but I feel it may just do, even though it looks a bit flat.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/ColStoneHallEntrance.jpg)
With a view to constructive criticism I think .I may have spotted a tiny error. It's usual for floorboards to run at a 90 degree angle to the walls rather than parrallel to them. Of course this may be different in Sweden. :)
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Hammer: It looks great!!
Are you going to do a scenario about the devilish rabbis (rabbit) on the rabbisfield??? :)
Yes Carlos Marighela you are right. In Sweden you should turn it 90 degree to the big windows otherwise you would see every crack in the floorboards. But at the same time you have carpenters who say's that you should follow the leanth of the building ;D . But the most important is that the boards on the roof is in the same direction as the floor..
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Ah, flooring and which way it should run!
I work on the principle that the floor boards run opposite to the joists, which I conceptualise from the roof downwards.
Thus, assuming a two storey square building of brick built construction:
(If) Roof slopes front to back
Roof joists run front to back
Mid-level joists run left to right
Ground-level joists run front to back.
So, in the above, the flooring would be:
Upstairs boards run front to back
Downstairs boards run left to right
Unless, I've got myself tied up in knots, this should enable the structure to cope with the weight of the roof bearing down on the walls, as the roof pushes the front and rear walls outwards but they are pulled back in (tied in) at the mid-point, thus discouraging bowing of the brickwork.
I will now take a bow for the chorus of "pedant!" ;)
PS: Not to be used as the basis for building a real house! lol
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Of course this may be different in Sweden. :)
In Sweden, they use the bodies of their enemies as floorboards ;)
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Someone asked about the contents in a Zvezda square gate tower kit. Here is a piccy:
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/Zvezdakitsquaregatetower.JPG)
I recently received this kit to which I ordered to complete an external spiral staircase of Col. Stone Hall. It is not the same as the hanging turrets case I already had but they have the same diameter. Teh rooof of the hanging turret is less romantic/fantastic and thus better.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/ZvezdakitTurret.JPG)
Fitting the turret I am not entirely happy witht he result and would appreciate your opinion. The building suddenly look all unbalanced.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/ColStoneexternalstaircase.JPG)
Compare with a piccy of the building sans turret.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/ColStoneSansExternalStairs.JPG)
I am contemplating moving the turret to the cross diagonal corner of the St Mattias tower, thus making it poke through the roof. More discrete and balanced that way.
Also, a piccy of the main stairs, made from strip styrene, pearls, Miliput, brass wire and foam board. Will look better primed and painted.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/MainStairs.JPG)
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It does look a little unbalanced - try reducing the turret's height to less than that of the tower or simply move it towards the opposite corner of the tower. One of the principles (as much as there was a logic) to this type of structure is an attempt to inspire a mountain like sillouette which is why the tall corner turret looks out of place.
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Wow! This really is an impressive build.
Re turrets and balance I think it looks fine. Maybe if you are worried about balance then add something on the other side. Personally I'd opt for the taller, more elongated turret roof, it seems more in keeping with the style than the squat round one in the last pic.
Fantastic job. Looking forward to the completed item.
BTW thanks for sharing the Zvezda pack codes.
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I was thinking the same as Cory that reducing the turret by one level would improve the balance. Plus, this is a building not a fortification so there is real need to have constant access to the roof. A trap door and ladder should do the trick.
LB
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Keep it as it is mate and add an extra wing on the other side :D
Buildings of this nature are never built for complete practicality and a lot if it is for cosmetic purposes (look at Bodium castle for instance).
Loving what you've done so far :-* :-*
cheers
James
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It also looks out of place because it's a dominant cylinder, when you have no other cylinders at all.
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I am really enjoying following this thread.
Looking forward to seeing the finished product!
Regards
PM
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I like the turret. I don't think that it unbalances it at all. Those old manors tend to not be cohesive at all.
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What I'm really looking forward to is seeing Hammers make god knows how many scale sets of curtains to adorn those all those windows, replete with curtain rings, rods and cords.
:D
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What I'm really looking forward to is seeing Hammers make god knows how many scale sets of curtains to adorn those all those windows, replete with curtain rings, rods and cords.
:D
You know, you are not wide of the mark. I think, now that I put the thing together, heavy curtains is one of the things which will make the thing look Neo-Gothic rather than medieval. If I can make it practical, I will add them.
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Looking really good :-* :-* :-*
As for the tower hight should it not finish about the same height as the square tower. If it is meant to be a stairway up to the tower there is no need for the extra height above the wall level. Is there going to be a door leading from the round tower to the battlement on top of the square tower? If so finish the height of the round tower just above the door height. The door would also be very small to help with defence I believe. On a real castle that is. Not so sure about a castle styled house.
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Looking really good :-* :-* :-*
As for the tower hight should it not finish about the same height as the square tower. If it is meant to be a stairway up to the tower there is no need for the extra height above the wall level. Is there going to be a door leading from the round tower to the battlement on top of the square tower? If so finish the height of the round tower just above the door height. The door would also be very small to help with defence I believe. On a real castle that is. Not so sure about a castle styled house.
The point with Baronial style, and any neo-gothic or neo-anything style is to applying a look of a practical building. This is supposed to be a romanticised version. Large, framed windows is another departure from the true function of a medieval castle.
If you look at the piccy of St Leonards in the first post in this thread you'll see that that an external staircase enclosed in a turret styled construction is emblematic for a building like this.
The turret does stop just above door height (which I actually modelled yesterday, I am currently doing the doors.
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This is how things turned out when I moved the turret/staircase to the back of the tower. More discrete, I think, but still adding a little je ne c'est quoi. Like all parts of the building it is quite messy because of the Milliput I've used to fill all gaps and arrow slots. Milliput is less than ideal since it dries hard and the plastic is slightly flexible. I prefer styrene model putty but my tube had gone off and I have not found a source for it. Anyone of you chaps know of a purveyor of said stuff?
By the by, you can see that I've modeled a four chimney smoke stack onto the gable.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/centralstaircase.jpg)
A birds eye view of the top of S:t Mattias tower. The turret kit comes with a door piece but since it is 1/72 scale I had to model a new from a Tichy Train door frame, some scrap wall pieces and a large patty of Milliput. There is also a roof extension made from plasticard and tin foil. Even not painted I think it looks eerie with that hoodlum waiting to throw someone over the crenelation.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/topofstmattias.jpg)
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This is a brilliant build.
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Looks marvellous! And, indeed, it has that certain je ne sais quoi. ;)
Amusingly, with the contrast of the dark walls and the white putty, it looks discomfortingly close to the actual state of a lot of older buildings here in the North. lol
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It is looking, Peder, rather good :)
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I really like the way that you've moved the staircase roundtower. Looking damn good! 8)
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I really like the way that you've moved the staircase roundtower. Looking damn good! 8)
Agreed. It is looking fabulous. What nefarious deeds are taking place under those roof sky-lights, lit only by the moon or flashes of lightning....?
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Must say, the manor-owner and his staff must be in tip-top condition to travel up and down all those floors!
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Hello folks, it's me again! I just thought I'd show you what I did to simulate carved door fronts....
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/004.jpg)
... and the next part of my Scotish Baronial complex, the Arcticman Gallery.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/005.jpg)
... which is cosnytucted out of three Zvezda gate towers, basically. What you see is the basic construction , I mean to add a superstructure onto it. Below is a piccy what it can look like if one adds the out-of-the-box doors to it.
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/006.jpg)
...which also brings to mind what the St Mattias tower will look like if the OotB ports are used...
(http://www.adventuregaming.tsome.com/Workbench/BaronialHouse/007.jpg)
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Ok, so I'm curious as to what the completed item looks like. Surely you must have finished it by now?
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No, it is not finished, LPL5 got in the way.
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:(
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LPL does that doesn't it. Good progress though... looking forward to seeing more (and in 9 weeks much, much more!). :D
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Managed to miss this thread, I am well and truly impressed!
Great work, I need to investigate the Zvezda mouldings sometime.............
the little wheels in my head have started!!! ;)
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great stuff!
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Very inspirational build.
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;D :o :-* Incredible-Amazing work!!!!! Its terrible my friend, I cannot wait to see finished!!!!
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*Yells up into the rafters where Hammers continues his prodigious construction efforts*
"When will it be Done??"
"When its done!"
Movie reference that came to mind :)
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So long as it doesn't end with him muttering 'Rosebud'. :)
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I demand that this Tower of Power is brought to Galore and played with!
You can't stock up on all goodies on your remote island...
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I have to put in a remark here, so I can follow this when progress is made. ;)
Blimey!
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I have to put in a remark here, so I can follow this when progress is made. ;)
Blimey!
Yep, me too ;)
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Chaps, it will be a while before I resume this. Not that I don't want to, but two other projects have priority.
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Chaps, it will be a while before I resume this.
Doesn't matter - it wont escape me, now, thanks to the powers of php lol
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missed this one first time around
certainly want to see this one finished!