My Vauban Fortress (8th update 28.04.12 - page 11 FINISHED!!!)

[Admiral Benbow]

Last work done: the 45°-firing Mendoza-battery. Difficult to construct, but good looking ... 





(Btw, the names of my gun-batteries are just fictitious ...)
 

[Captain Blood]

Ah Michael, you spoil us with your genius and art. Can't wait to see this come together. I am watching with love and envy! 

[Furt]

Love the angled emplacements - worth the effort.     

Selitron comes in sheets of 3, 5, 6 mm, so it's more flexible than the blue foam. I wouldn't say it's easier to emboss, but it holds the lines better.

This stuff brings up a blank in Australia - any alternative names guys?

[Thunderchicken]

Stunning work Admiral, looking forward to seeing this finished. 

I visited El Morro at San Juan a few weeks ago and the connected fortress Castillo de San Cristobal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_San_Crist%C3%B3bal_(Puerto_Rico)

It is a very impressive (and huge) fortress. It certainly inspired me! You can see why it never fell to attacks. Almost 100% of it is open to the public and you can even explore the tunnels that link the seperate sections. I took quite a few photographs of the interior, if you're interested PM me and I'll e-mail them to you. 

[Admiral Benbow]

This stuff brings up a blank in Australia - any alternative names guys?

Also known as Depron. It's a kind of isolation material to be used underneath wallpapers; perhaps try your local DIY shop.

[Malkav]

Michael, that is really something to keep an eye on!

Nice, will surely come around and have a look at this when it is done.

[DeafNala]

This stuff brings up a blank in Australia - any alternative names guys?

It's actual name is Extruded Polstyrene; Try Googling "Styrofoam" or Underfloor Insulation".
A couple possibly available brand names: Styrofoam LBX, DOW Styrofoam IB, or Foamular. I hope that is some use.

The Fortress is coming along WONDERFULLY...splendid use of the insulation foam.

[thebinmann]

Wonderful stuuf! If you are every in Paris this is worth a look, or in Lille they have the Falnders models. Though most a smaller scale becuase they encompase the surrounding area, great for about 2mm (1/600, though some are bigger: Mont Saint Michel for example) but I'm not sure they'd let us loose on them...

http://plans-reliefs.monuments-nationaux.fr/

http://www.museedesplansreliefs.culture.fr/

If you search through the second there are videos and pics!

Lille

http://www.framemuseums.org/jsp/fiche_collectionoa.jsp?STNAV=&RUBNAV=&CODE=C1143117851171184&LANGUE=0&RH=

[Admiral Benbow]

Two weeks since the first pics, but I had some spare hours in between, so here's the first update of the project.

To be able to get the embrasures in place, it was time to create a quality mould. So off to a supplier of high quality silicone buying one kilo of that stuff, which went completely into the first mould:



Then, casting time. I first used my very old box of Stewalin white ceramic plaster, and altough more than 10 years on the shelf, it worked like a new box from the shop. This material is a plastic enhanced plaster with a working time of around 10 minutes, curing in about half an hour and going rock hard when fully dried. It needs about two days to be fully dry and "tings" when you knock against it, quite like ceramics. It's fully sandable, you can easily saw it and it's glued with pva-glue. Five kilos go for 17,- Euro, so it's a bit more pricey than dental plaster, but I like it's qualities and easy handling.





When the castings were ready and fully dried, they were used to build up the embrasures on Mendoza- and Sancho Pansa-batteries. The second 45°-battery was again scratchbuilt and not casted. Minor gaps will be filled later with some putty.





With the first two main bastions ready, next came the start of the main garrison building which connects the two corner parts. What you see is only the supporting construction, all the main walls will be added later when details have been constructed separately. But now one of the main dimensions of the complex is visible, width with about 60 cm.





The center wall will later get one of the two main entrances, and the brown looking stuff is Stewalin Terracotta. I switched over to this material as any chipping later on the painted walls will not be as visible as the white stuff would be.

Thanks again for all your nice comments and patience to follow this project. Next update will hopefully see the development into the second height level of the fort ... (if I'll manage to overcome all the intricacies ...)
 

[Malamute]

Stunning 

[gamer Mac]

Great stuff
You make this all look so easy. The casting especialy is one of the things I have been trying recently but just can't get right.
Keep up the good work.

[white knight]

Then, casting time. I first used my very old box of Stewalin white ceramic plaster, and altough more than 10 years on the shelf, it worked like a new box from the shop. This material is a plastic enhanced plaster with a working time of around 10 minutes, curing in about half an hour and going rock hard when fully dried. It needs about two days to be fully dry and "tings" when you knock against it, quite like ceramics. It's fully sandable, you can easily saw it and it's glued with pva-glue. Five kilos go for 17,- Euro, so it's a bit more pricey than dental plaster, but I like it's qualities and easy handling.

Sounds interesting, but how strong/prone to chipping is it?

This project is coming along nicely.

[Admiral Benbow]

Sounds interesting, but how strong/prone to chipping is it?

It's VERY strong! You can't break it by hand, you'd need a hammer. It's like ceramic or porcelain.

[OSHIROmodels]

This going to be a cracker when it's done 

The ceramic casting sounds interesting. How does it paint up, I'm assuming the finish is not like proper ceramics 

cheers

James

[Wirelizard]

Love watching this come together!

The thought occurs that with a bit more greenery draped over it, and a few damaged sections swapped in, you could use it for any later period as an abandoned ruin... a natural place for a treasure hunt, or perhaps the hidden lair of some pulpish faction.