One of the more artistic and challenging parts of the shanty construction was the roofs. Because I wanted them to be removable but stable, I had to find a way to make them stable but still look ramshackle. This took some trial and error but I eventually found a few ways that worked and refined the process. Both methods revolve around a central piece of bass wood cut to the general shape of the shanty itself.
The roof shown above shws the method I went with for most of the shanties. It begins with the central piece of bass wood, in this case cut smaller to conserv on materials but there is no reason it could be cut to the dimensions of the outside wall (actually slightly smaller) for a better fit. From the center, I glued several precut pieces of corrugated paper and thin card at right angle from the central foundation piece. Effort was made to overlap at the seams as much as possible.
One end was given pieces that protruded farther out so they would provide a bi of an overhang in front of the building, but this was mre of a stylization for this larger shanty. Most of the shanties only had a single piece sticking out directly over the door.
To finish off the lok of the roof, I added a couple of pieces diagnoly at the back corners to fill the gaps in the rofe left by the right angled pieces. Several other pieces of corrugated material where placed to break up the even seams and to cover gaps between the planks, making the roof more "weather resistent". I found that placing some of them at odd angles and including smaller panels made it look more "lived in". Some thin off-cuts of bass wood were layed over the top to represent plants nailed ver the roof to keep them from blowing away. Balsa or plastic sprue could also be usd as long as it looks like boards.
I may add some piecs of cloth or even plastic bag from the little mini bags that my miniatures are shipped in to create an even mre ramshackle, patch job look. I'm sure we've all seen old blue pastic tarp, landshaping or weatherproofing sheet nailed onto rofs to patch leaks.
So, that is roofs.
Take care,
-Eli
Posts
Really nice shacks! Thanks for showing the underside. Looking forward to seeing them painted!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure "proper" modelers will cringe at my techniques, but the ay I do mine I can crank them out in volume and with whatever I have on hand save for the corrugated paper which I am almost out of.
ReplyDelete-Eli
Very nice-original-and most importantly-IN-Expe$ive!
ReplyDeleteMany a time I do 'peruse' the aisles of a micheal's or Hobby Lobby to get the odd pkg or bag o bit's for the OhSoMany build's awaiting!
And with Card stock you can copy what youve cut out b4 assy,to print more cheap'background'clone kit's.
And then there's the huge # of site's w variety of freebie DnLoad's of card stock kit's.
I alway's tried to spend $ on the figures and not on bldg's/scenery I could craft m'self.
For quick table top game's at work,or even for a new game/differnt era try out-check out the site at 'Paper soldiers for Junior Generals'-started by a history teacher to print&play-teach his classes a quick n easy [and cost effective] game[s] of Battle's they were discussing in class.
The site now has a 'pretty comprehensive' collection by quite a few designers of Simple,but detailed,2d-Profile's or some Top Down's-paper soldiers[15mm mainly-but scaleable in a printer] and a good selection of vehicles,A/C and also Naval,a basic selection of easy 2.5/3D Bldg's and terrain,plus link's to site's w a lot of free rule's,counter's ect.
And the price is what you put into your printer for paper n ink.
Really handy for intro kids's to the hobby w out risking loss/damage to a collection of metal mini's.
Thank you for your kind words. One of my favorite hobby activities is finding cheap but effective ways to do things. They may not be as pretty as some but I go for the best bang for the "buck" that I can. Of course the "buck" for me also includes time spent on prep and assembly as well as actual cash.
ReplyDeleteWell-thanks-a cool blog,w/'OhSoMANY good Link's to other sites[so-many...link's-so...little..time..Haha]Truthfully-haven't gamed in year's-was busy doin some for real-a time avail thing.But-Always patrolling net for link's and freebie card kit site's.
ReplyDeleteStill-hoping to get a schedule settled to slot time to get up to a HobbyTownUSA that has a game's area.I saw some guy's playing a small skimish scenario of some napolionic's[...'Nappie's?-Arrghh-Run!Lol]-I guess theyre an aquired 'taste'?-like those storys you hear about A.H.'s SL/ASL...
[Uhmm-Luv Tha ASL Map boards tho-]
Have agood friend out in SeaTac area of WA State that Moderates a Modern Cross fire site on yahoo groups-he's kept me interested in gamming while i was o'sea.
Was once-and plan to again-get into GHQ/C&C 1/285-1/300 Micro Ar stuff-WW2,Modn,and A/C[all period's],plus 'Good'[hard] SciFi.
Errp-Uh-Oh,my apologies-guess im a bit of a Historical type.
But-not to proper i hope.
Obviously-'Proper'modeller's can bust the big buck's on terrain if they please-but I alway's thuoght that 75% of FUN of gamming was-1]The Chance to talk History ect of scenarios/equip ,tactic's ect-and to compare note's on the hobby aspect's itself-I.E.:the Fun of building-well,buildings,terrain,kit's[and kit bashing]ect.
"Is there such a thing as a 'Bad' game?-but it's Alway's fun to build more terrain"