school project: build something wild west - help needed

[ichwillauch]

Hi,

I have started a volunteery school project for students between 14 and 16 years old. They have choosen the topic wild west. Scale should be 28mm. The idea is to build with plywood and paper because it must be as cheap as possible. Looking through the internet I have found the free templates of Lucky Luke town, a western fort and other western buildings. What I haven't found jet are templates or plans for tipis, canous, gold mining and maybe a small Mississippi steamer. Also tutorials are welcomed.

Other problems are: cheapest method/source to build/ buy wheels for chuckwagons and locomotives.

   

[Euthanasor]

French tutorial for tipis.
Your students may improve their French too.

http://euthanasor-wargamesetmodelisme.blogspot.fr/2011/02/tipis-typiques.html

[Digits]

Foam board and balsa and card - that's what I scratch build everything with.

[FifteensAway]

Some simple projects - water trough, outhouse.  A bit more ambitious - water tank (like for a railroad) or a windmill to raise the water to the water tank.  No idea on templates but I'd think creating a reasonable plan should be part of the process within the classroom.  No need for perfection, just problem solving, creativity, and - hopefully - team work.

Good luck on the project.

[Oldben1]

I made a lot of Adobe houses out of cardboard square boxes I got at hobby stores.  You just have to cut out the windows and texturize.  Check out my Flickr account.

photo (4) by oldben1, on Flickr

[ced1106]

No need for perfection, just problem solving, creativity, and - hopefully - team work.

Just like how they made 'em in the old days! 

As one model builder said, most of the stores were a box with a front on it!

I say let the kids do the research and tell you what they find. Have them post on this thread what they find so they can share with their classmates.

I searched on "papercraft teepee", "papercraft canoe", etc. and got some hits.

Are the kids interested in old west miniatures or miniatures games? That should be fun, too!

[Black Burt]

4Ground do a set of 24 wagon wheels for £6.00

http://www.4ground.co.uk/building-materials-and-add-ons/add-ons-19th-20th-century-wheels

[Gary Peach]

Teepee = a compass and scissors...  Simple geometry - height - base rad - 2pieR - etc.  Lots of practical learning too

[Digits]

Lol!  How to suck the fun out of a project! 

[SotF]

If you want pallisade fort walls, they're relatively easy to put together for rather little.

Get some of the smaller craft dowels that you can get in a package at the craft isle of walmart type stores, the small craft sticks, and the wider tongue depressor type ones. Use the wide ones as a base, cut the dowels in thirds and line them up using the craft sticks to reinforce them a bit. Add a bit of basing to the bottom, and they work rather well.