Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Digits on May 15, 2022, 07:47:21 PM
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For those who’ve done it….typically what length nap on the fur do you go for for 28mm scale buildings when doing thatch please?
Do you have any tips for effective use please?
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I used 1cm for the building below. I think the length is good but I could have done a better job "grooming" it.
(https://i.imgur.com/SzXj3qp.jpg)
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Wow! Your thatch is very realistic! Excellent!
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I want to represent layering though….is 1cm long enough to do that? It does look great though I grant.
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Not sure if you only want fur thatch or would consider towel, but here's some images of a tembe with a strips of towel as thatching.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iaXX7AM-JYY/XZxYIEF3eyI/AAAAAAAAET8/XnySlshOvcM4ZRNj7jfikrUKfal3D-DaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/55892517_344296122872658_7572537640797339648_n.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9eo0wl6XBs/XZxGhUCMdhI/AAAAAAAAES4/zdwAaSRNZH8PohyCFcajef5ZSsrGmMWVACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/69347839_360613111504092_2746451145625960448_n.jpg)
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Very effective….not considered towel.
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From experience I much prefer towelling. It’s an easier material to work with and IMO looks better as well maintained thatch. If you run out, you can usually find an old donor towel around the house or by making a quick trip to the supermarket. I keep the teddy bear fur for wilder, unkempt roofing.
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From experience I much prefer towelling. It’s an easier material to work with and IMO looks better as well maintained thatch.
When I next build a thatch roof this is my plan.
Edit: and much easier to get the layered effect Digits is after.
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I may have to try both then it seems! Thanks.
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I prefer towel for European thatch as it looks more realistic for well crafted thatch roofs (or rooves).
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Scratch built house I built for Elder Scrolls using faux fur for the thatch roof. About 1cm.
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I may have to try both then it seems! Thanks.
I've done both at various times. I greatly prefer the towel method. It's faster, easier to get the layers, and easier to get it aligned and setup right.
I think the fur is more visually appealing, but the towel looks much more realistic.
As with all our things, it comes down to what you like better for your own look. (and sometimes, just whatever you happen to have on hand.)
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Mine is done using failed battle mat project. I didn’t like the mat so I began to cut it for other purposes like the thatched roofs. I can’t tell you the length but it’s roughly 1cm. The length is not as important as modelling the fur with the comb. I tried to do compartments using PVA glue and a comb. The top part is done using a twine. The model is obviously unfinished
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10mm fur. Lots of glue, patience and combing. not keen on towelling myself.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/52/2619-280821092123-525911962.jpeg)
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These all look great! I think for thatching proper, some of these towelling suggestions are probably the way to go. Thanks all….some stunning results here!
Because I really wanted to suggest more haphazard grass roofing on my huts, I went with a fleece blanket (with about 15mm pile) in the end and I’m reasonably happy with the result. Not too bad for my first attempt anyway…lots learnt in doing so.
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/b76/DigitsDavid/3C3ACC1F-0733-4461-872F-123C6B3AE9B4.jpeg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)
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Wow, a lot of great ideas!
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Those came out a treat Digits.
I was not entirely happy with towel - do think black towel could work well or better - anyway here was my attempt.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-thp8OJj0dXk/XzxomRviUdI/AAAAAAAARW4/iNbBYZfON0kdCVx38t54Z1huDQ9XlVdLwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2543/BMC%2BMinis%2BTerrain%2B%2BHuts%2B%252825%2529.jpg)
More pictures here:https://frictionbmcminiatures.blogspot.com/2020/08/golgothas-terrain-huts.html
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These all look great! I think for thatching proper, some of these towelling suggestions are probably the way to go. Thanks all….some stunning results here!
Because I really wanted to suggest more haphazard grass roofing on my huts, I went with a fleece blanket (with about 15mm pile) in the end and I’m reasonably happy with the result. Not too bad for my first attempt anyway…lots learnt in doing so.
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/b76/DigitsDavid/3C3ACC1F-0733-4461-872F-123C6B3AE9B4.jpeg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)
Lol, good work
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Digits,
One option with fake fur is to get hair cutting electric clipper with various heads and you can trim the length - or cut a path through if doing a field. Might allow some of those fake fur roofs to look better and not so 'fluffy'.
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Teddy bear fur as thatch.
1. Desired effect.
2. Best case scenario.
3. Not atypical result.
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From experience I much prefer towelling. It’s an easier material to work with and IMO looks better as well maintained thatch. If you run out, you can usually find an old donor towel around the house or by making a quick trip to the supermarket. I keep the teddy bear fur for wilder, unkempt roofing.
Pretty much my approach as well.
Though for towelling I generally recycle one of the dog’s old ones (washed of course!) as it’s been chewed, stretched etc, which will have introduced some irregularity to it.
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Protect the bears, kill the towels
(https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=126706.0;attach=132147;image)
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=126706.0
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Protect the bears, kill the towels
(https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=126706.0;attach=132147;image)
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=126706.0
Now that is great work! Best looking towel roofs I've seen
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Those do look great Wellington - I seem to have done the same with my towel but then only took it up to this stage - seeing your post.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=126706.0;attach=132127;image)
So clearly I need to go back and continue the final stages you added to yours... namely paint and perhaps more glue with more combing.
I think when done well teddy bear fur is going to have more of a wow factor but it can also look terrible... Towel therefore is perhaps the safer option
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Teddy bear fur as thatch.
1. Desired effect.
2. Best case scenario.
3. Not atypical result.
Very true!
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Some of my towelling creations:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/46/2031-180520113030-465411776.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/46/2031-180520112849-465271571.jpeg)
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Those look excellent! The towel thatch does a great job. I like how it has some thickness. I’ve never seen thatch roofs in person, but they serm like they are a thick layer.
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Beautiful builds gentlemen. I’m still on the fence….
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I’d love to see a tutorial Mr Wellington…..that is superb!
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I’d love to see a tutorial Mr Wellington…..that is superb!
Thanks
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=126706.0
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Fantastic, thanks for the link.
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Some very nice looking thatch in this thread! Very inspirational!
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Those look excellent! The towel thatch does a great job. I like how it has some thickness. I’ve never seen thatch roofs in person, but they serm like they are a thick layer.
Thatch is usually quite thick - some buildings I've seen are 1 foot or so. One thing I don't like about towel (and I've done a couple of buildings using towel) is the ends - it looks too messy for me, while actual thatch is usually neatly cut
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To get that neatly cut look, I wonder if the edges of towel-thatching could be trimmed off after being stiffened by watered down glue or paint?
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Waaaaaaaaay back when, I tried something which, AFAIK, hasn't been tried elsewhere to try and duplicate the neatness of thatch: Scouring pads.
(https://dustbane.ca/uploads/images/Products/light-duty-scouring-pad-41667.png)
I bought white ones, then immersed them in watered-down paint and did NOT squeeze them dry. Might take two or three such dunks (I did a black one to darken the tone, and then a mid brown one for actual colour), but I went heavy on the paint and only needed the one colour immersion. They will take a full day to properly dry if you don't squeeze them though.
The finished pieces are EXTREMELY easy to work with and can be cut to fit after painting (may need touch ups). I was fairly happy with the results:
(https://i.imgur.com/igPf1hU.jpg)
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That’s really rather effective!
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I dug out more detailed instructions from a post of mine years ago:
Yep! The thatch is in fact brillo-style pads cut to fit.
They're white, I then mix up some black paint in a thin dilution and soak the pad and squeeze it mostly out and leave them to dry, which cuts the glaring whiteness. Then I soak it again in a brownish mix that's less-diluted and leave that to dry again for the final colour. Play with it to see what colours you like and don't overdo the black.
Also, one side will tend to colour more evenly than another. When you do the black side, this will become apparent. Make sure this is the side you lay it on to dry and also the side to glue down (to hide it, obviously).
So I cut it to fit beforehand, duh, bit smarter than I actually recalled doing. lol
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Makes sense, I've used scouring pads as trimmed hedges.
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Just found this on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVskutruDRM
Thatched roof bit starts at around 13:00.
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I also used scouring pads to knock up some roof toppers for my dungeon stackers. As said above very easy to work with.
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By the by, I recently came across a range of embossed papers in Dean's Arts, one of our local art supply chains. These are A4 sheets of bamboo paper. One is perfect for simulating bamboo screening or walls, the other looks ideal for neatly thatched roofs as they have a very 3D texture.
IIRC they cost a couple of dollars (AUD) per sheet, so not much more than buying towelling but they have a very realistic texture and will be much easier to work with (basically cut and glue in place) They also do a range of other useful sheets like marbling, sheets useful as miniature oriental wallpaper and something that for all the world looks like miniature asphalt. Sorry I don't know the brand name but they should be available in art stores elsewhere.
First image is the 'thatch' like paper. Second is that and the bamboo. I'm intending to pop them on another village hut in the near future, probably to dress up an MDF building.
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Link in case anyone is interested in the other papers. I get the impression they are imported from Japan. Some useful stuff to simulate Middle Eastern or Indian tiling.
https://www.deansart.com.au/surfaces/papers/handmade-papers/?pgnum=1
https://www.deansart.com.au/surfaces/papers/handmade-papers/?pgnum=4
Seems my memory failed me on price. Around $4.40 a sheet, which still isn't bad.
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I agree that woven bamboo sheet would be perfect for south pacific hut walls.