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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: floating white bear on 14 May 2013, 10:34:39 PM

Title: Fortress Guns
Post by: floating white bear on 14 May 2013, 10:34:39 PM
Started some work on some large fortress guns. These would be 11 inch or so Rodman guns on "metal" carriages.

Also finished off the construction of the 30 pound Parrott.

Regards, Rob.

http://floatingwhitebear.blogspot.ca/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/floating_white_bear/
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: carlos marighela on 15 May 2013, 08:07:52 AM
 :o :-* :o Fantastic stuff.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: pocoloco on 15 May 2013, 08:36:53 AM
:o :-* :o Fantastic stuff.

x2

Really nice craftmanship.  :-*
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: Michi on 15 May 2013, 09:15:56 AM
Most impressive scratch building!
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: OSHIROmodels on 18 May 2013, 08:57:03 AM
Nice and clean, big guns, what's not to like  8)

cheers

James
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: floating white bear on 21 May 2013, 05:51:43 PM
Some new pics.  A bit of showcard board is used for a jig to set the wheels at the corrrect height for the gun position.   Regards, Rob.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: OSHIROmodels on 21 May 2013, 06:06:57 PM
Keep it coming  8)

cheers

James
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: Constable Bertrand on 22 May 2013, 12:42:52 AM
Very tidy setup!  :o

It looks very detailed and comes with very clean lines. Nice work!
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: S_P on 26 May 2013, 09:19:05 PM
Great bit of work there- impressive.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: floating white bear on 27 May 2013, 12:04:34 AM
Basic structure is just about done here. The lower "X" support is not historical but adds a lot of strength to the models. Also shown the gun barrel is being moulded.  It was supported by frame of thin plastic and latex painted on in layers. Cheescloth and string are soaked in the latex and added to stiffen the mould.  I hope to be able to squash out a couple of barrels, either in Alumilite or epoxee.  Regards, Rob.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: OSHIROmodels on 27 May 2013, 08:32:06 AM
Interesting way of making a mould. Can I ask why you've done it this way?

cheers

James
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: floating white bear on 27 May 2013, 01:32:43 PM
I only need two more barrels, so this is a cheap and easy way to go. The triangular 'webbing' at the breach will allow the upper (when pouring) part of the mould to expand and flex to let the larger portion of the barrel break free of the mould. The muzzel will be free of any mould lines.  The cheescloth and string add strength and stiffness to the mould without affecting the flexibility. The cured latex is very flexible but does not stretch and will tear easily if not reinforced. I also happened to have a tub of liquid latex on the workbench so I thought I'd give it a go.  I have made two sided moulds in latex but they are finicky and hard to get alligned when casting. Stay tuned, this just may work! Regards, Rob.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: OSHIROmodels on 27 May 2013, 01:34:03 PM
Very interesting and certainly makes sense from a limited run point of view. Hope it works for you  :)

cheers

James
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: former user on 27 May 2013, 01:42:24 PM
interesting technique

I wonder why You don't make a simple and cheap two sided plaster mould. Should be enough for a simple columbiad barrel....
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: Sterling Moose on 28 May 2013, 10:39:55 AM
Ingenious!
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: dijit on 28 May 2013, 07:33:56 PM
You good sir are a scratch building genius!
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: 6milPhil on 29 May 2013, 05:49:56 PM
Spotless work, looking forward to seeing more.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: floating white bear on 20 October 2013, 07:22:12 PM
Slow progress here, but the guns are just about done. and I have started into some works to mount them.

Regards, Rob.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/floating_white_bear

http://floatingwhitebear.blogspot.ca/
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: OSHIROmodels on 20 October 2013, 07:54:21 PM
Glad to see you carry on with this  8)

chess

James
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: Elbows on 20 October 2013, 11:17:22 PM
Beautiful gunworks!  :-*
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: floating white bear on 26 October 2013, 05:41:32 PM
Roughed in the foam for the hills.  The edge profiles were fairly carefully cut to allow the sections to be mix-and-match. The rest of the hills were bulked in with foam and hot glue, in a semi-random build. I used a utility knife to hack out the foam bits. after a trim with the knife, the next step will be a first contour with the hot-wire cutter, then some card profiles for the edges to make sure they line up.  Then more hot-wire, the surform tool (a rough rasp like plane-tool thingy for shaping foam) and probably the Dremel to get into the tight corners. Then some drywall mud and terraining and detailing...and paint...

The foam was a nice bright pink when I first bought it. The newer stuff is a dull purple/pink. Seem fairly similar.  The purple appears to be a finer grain. Cuts Ok with the hot-wire but I plan to do the shaping in the garage with lots of ventilation and a face mask for fumes and dust. The purple may have a lower melting point as my hot-glue tended to eat into the purple foam more than the pink.

Regards, Rob.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: Hammers on 26 October 2013, 07:12:42 PM
Basic structure is just about done here. The lower "X" support is not historical ...

Are you sure? My cast white metal HLBS fortress Parrot has an X at the bottom.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: von Lucky on 26 October 2013, 11:30:43 PM
Looking good.
Title: Re: Fortress Guns
Post by: floating white bear on 26 October 2013, 11:36:41 PM
I don't know if there was a 'standard' carriage. I think there was enough historical variations, and I built the carriages to fit what I wanted to build, but the "X" reinforcement  was not in the drawings I used for the basic layout. Inspired by history is a better categorization rather than 'scale models'. Thanks, Rob.