Evil Mastermind's Lair

[6milPhil]

In the process of building an Evil Mastermind's Lair :

The Machine Room has an elevated floor so the machines here can be easily monitored.

Surely this is a pool room for the sharks with frigging laser beams?

[fastolfrus]

1) I'm not wanting to clutter the display with scenery because it's a board designed to play games on not win modelling awards ... however, who makes simple toilets/basins for my WC?

2) I'm looking for some plasti-card sheet for small floor tiles, but I'm drawing a blank on finding something the right size ... any ideas?

1 - how about white plastic beads? Not ideal, but cheap and may look ok at a passing glance.

2 - papercraft shops (even Poundland sometimes) have odd textured cards etc
used by greeting card/scrapbook makers.

[fastolfrus]

p.s. Did you get any further with the rock face?

[Ssendam]

p.s. Did you get any further with the rock face?

Things have moved a lot further on but I've not had time to post any photos as I was rushing to get it in a fit state for a wargames club open day last weekend. I still have a few bits to tidy up but it's pretty much as I want it for a functional bit of wargames scenery.

In answer to the question however ...  Yup I did finish the rock face. Eventually I took the individual "columns" I had cut out of High Density Polystyrene (EPS - Expanded Polystyrene) and tried to cover them with filler; this did not go well. The filler doesn't really grip to the surface of the EPS.  I then reverted to the 'rock impression' method of construction that I read about on this board and ... wow, it really came together, (that's where you take a small rock and press it into the EPS to give it texture).

The biggest issue I had was filling it with terrain; I didn't realise how much I would need (and didn't have).  Fortunately the club came to my assistance.

I'll try and get some pictures up this weekend for comments.

[maxxon]

Kinda late to the game...

I made these modular building boards and stuff last spring.



I went with the mottled paint schemes because I thought it looked better for less effort than solid colors.

Real interiors often go for the mottled schemes because they are easier to keep looking clean.

[Cosmotiger]

@Ssendam: How are you cutting your foamcore board? Are you just using the steel ruler and straightedge approach, or do you have one of those cutters?  I tend to shy away from foamcore because I'm not very good at cutting it, and all your cuts seem perfect!

[zizi666]

@Ssendam: How are you cutting your foamcore board? Are you just using the steel ruler and straightedge approach, or do you have one of those cutters?  I tend to shy away from foamcore because I'm not very good at cutting it, and all your cuts seem perfect!

Did you use a new blade when you cut your foamcore? Because it has a tendency to eat your blades.
And a rabbet cutter is no luxury when working with this material. I noticed some paper sticking out at the corners, so I guess Ssendam used one of those, too.

[Ssendam]

@Ssendam: How are you cutting your foamcore board? Are you just using the steel ruler and straightedge approach, or do you have one of those cutters?  I tend to shy away from foamcore because I'm not very good at cutting it, and all your cuts seem perfect!

I have a handheld wire cutter which I think is a Woodland Scenics one. I've had a few and this is the best handheld one I've used; mains power and an on/off trigger being very useful features.

However  ... that's for the hand shaping stuff. The perfect cuts are obtained using a Proxxon Thermocut 230/E which was about £65 ... not cheap, but it does a great job and certainly on this project was worth every penny in accuracy and time saved.

[ADDED]

Oops ... I think I miss interpreted the question ... the above is about the EPS board.

Foamcore : I have the Foam Werks rabbit (Sp?) cutter which is essential (IMHO). I have other Foam Werks cutters but the very best tool is a steel ruler with a non-slip backing and an X-acto blade. I splashed out on one that was made for purpose and was a metre long BUT you can get the same effect gluing some thin cork to the back of a steel ruler (I've not tried that personally but I have used a ruler that was made that way). The bespoke ruler has some advantages, length (lots of cuts are over the 30cm length of a standard ruler) and a straight edge on one side to keep your cut to 90 Degrees. The disadvantage ... COST!

I found that I only replaced the cutter blade once (actually it's 2 blades, and they are double sided so I reversed them). As for the X-acto, it was not that bad, maybe 2 blades, but you keep snapping them off and it stays ok. Important to keep it sharp though!

[Cosmotiger]

Did you use a new blade when you cut your foamcore? Because it has a tendency to eat your blades.
And a rabbet cutter is no luxury when working with this material. I noticed some paper sticking out at the corners, so I guess Ssendam used one of those, too.

I do use new blades, I'm just kind of bad at keeping my blade vertical.  I don't really have the eye for it.   But I don't have that much practice, so maybe I just need to do a bunch of bad cuts until I get the hang of doing it right.  I do have a rabbet cutter, also (which I suppose would help with some of my dodgy right angles, now that I think about it).

[Cosmotiger]

The bespoke ruler has some advantages, length (lots of cuts are over the 30cm length of a standard ruler) and a straight edge on one side to keep your cut to 90 Degrees. The disadvantage ... COST!

That might be worth it to me, my biggest problem is keeping the blade at a vertical 90 degree angle.

[zizi666]

That might be worth it to me, my biggest problem is keeping the blade at a vertical 90 degree angle.

I use a 60cm aluminium ruler for the longer cuts.
As for the angle : I mostly cut the foamcore on the floor (on a piece of cardboard, mind you.) I find I have more control over the angle than while sitting at a desk.

[Ssendam]

Sorry for the delay, real life and all that ...

I got the base board to a state I could use it in an club open day, but had to borrow some scenery to go in it.



This gives a good view of how the cliffs/rockface turned out.  They probably look a bit better in the flesh and could do with a bit of tidying up; but still.



In addition to the terrain I made unit cards for the game to help new players; see what you think:

FRONT:


BACK:


I should add, there are a few more pictures on the blog ... link to the left; click on the world icon.

[Melnibonean]

Nice stuff. Love your work.
An Evil Mastermind Lair is something I've wanted to make for a while. Maybe it's a good project for next year.
I'd like to make it on the coast so I could do a occasional frogman infiltration mission.

[Constable Bertrand]

I like the mined rockface! Looks good.

Cheers
Matt

[Admiral Benbow]

Great project!