Ventora3300 Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 You've plenty time - time to 'cast' a bell....with working donger (or whatever it's called)..... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Donger, Clapper you're on a loser whatever you call it! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 27 minutes ago, Ventora3300 said: I was just going to suggest Mrs X's 'spare' hairdryer - don't get on the wrong side now or you and your 'stinky toy' may end up on the street! Seriously though, I think patience is the answer, worth putting aside for a while. Maybe a search on BM or elsewhere may throw up someone else's similar experience. Good luck and fingers crossed. 26 minutes ago, badger said: Ewwww - good job we don't have smellovision on BM! Maybe a nice warm airing cupboard? If it does crack then you could fill them in with polyfilla. All the best Ben 17 minutes ago, fatfingers said: Aye up Steve. Smashing job. Mrs fatfingers has used the same clay in the past on her own crafty projects. She made a 'green man' face. T'was about half inch thick and it took quite a while to dry. She left it in conservatory and it dried fine over a few days. Might be best left alone for a bit if you can to avoid it cracking Regards Steve 6 minutes ago, Ventora3300 said: You've plenty time - time to 'cast' a bell....with working donger (or whatever it's called)..... Thanks guys - patience is not my strong point - I'm a man after all I am going to take your cumulative advice though and leave it alone. I have placed it on a small stack of kitchen towels and placed another pile 'loosely' on top. Hopefully this will 'gently' absorb some of the moisture that is 'sweating' out of it at present. It feels very 'cold' and 'clammy' - hence me thinking that warming it up might be a good idea. I kept flipping it over between 2 pieces of Perspex whilst I blasted it with th hairdryer. It is amazing how hot it got. I think it was absorbing the heat at first - until it hit a certain temperature and then it must have hit a critical point and it suddenly felt very hot. It did cool down again very quickly though. If it does crack I plan to use Mr Surfacer and 'pool' it into any gaps. I will report back in the morning... ⏲️ Thanks for the advice - Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 20 minutes ago, Ventora3300 said: You've plenty time - time to 'cast' a bell....with working donger (or whatever it's called)..... 3 minutes ago, MarkSH said: Donger, Clapper you're on a loser whatever you call it! I have the bell that came with the kit - it's not too bad either - there is just no way to get it in there now I have welded the top of the tower on I guess that's what you get when you hurry up too much - where is the emoji for a muppet My best excuse is 'it was removed by the local 'build a spitfire' fund people'. 1 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 6 minutes ago, BIG X said: My best excuse is 'it was removed by the local 'build a spitfire' fund people'. Eeerm? Bronze Spitfire? I don't think that idea will take off. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 Just now, Gorby said: Eeerm? Bronze Spitfire? yeh - it might be a tad on the 'heavy side'... maybe it was for nuts and bolts and er other things and stuff and the like 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 In other news - he says moving along swiftly... Aled Jones and his 'side kicks' have been on the phone... ...they say they are always looking for new venues for the show... Now I may need some cash for all the extensive work that has gone on here - so we are discussing 'fees'... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 6 minutes ago, BIG X said: yeh - it might be a tad on the 'heavy side'... maybe it was for nuts and bolts and er other things and stuff and the like Or for making medals for the ones who came third in the dogfight. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 Just now, Gorby said: Or for making medals for the ones who came third in the dogfight. yeh - that was it - that was what they said guvnor - medals... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Regarding the alignment of churches and graves: The chancel faces east. Christian burials have the head to the east and the headstone is inscribed facing the body. Headstones that have been removed from graves have no particular alignment. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Morning Folks. I've just been having a look at how some of the other builds are progressing. There is some lovely work going on and a lot of nice finished masterpieces in the gallery thread. I hope everyone is having as much fun as I was - until I met the now dreaded DAS air drying plaster. I stuck my head around the office door at home - before setting off for work. It still smells like a rainy day at Crufts in there... The plaster now 'feels' dryer - but it looks like it might be beginning to 'curl' up at the edges - like a stale sandwich. I have replaced the paper towels and added some heavy books on top to try and keep it flat. I am going to chop the edges off anyway - so as long as the main body of the plaster is flat it will be OK. I'll have another look at about 6pm - when I get home. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 3 hours ago, BIG X said: Morning Folks. I've just been having a look at how some of the other builds are progressing. There is some lovely work going on and a lot of nice finished masterpieces in the gallery thread. I hope everyone is having as much fun as I was - until I met the now dreaded DAS air drying plaster. I stuck my head around the office door at home - before setting off for work. It still smells like a rainy day at Crufts in there... The plaster now 'feels' dryer - but it looks like it might be beginning to 'curl' up at the edges - like a stale sandwich. I have replaced the paper towels and added some heavy books on top to try and keep it flat. I am going to chop the edges off anyway - so as long as the main body of the plaster is flat it will be OK. I'll have another look at about 6pm - when I get home. Whaaaaaat!!! 6pm - surely not a full working day???!!!!! 😁 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 1 minute ago, Lawzer said: Whaaaaaat!!! 6pm - surely not a full working day???!!!!! 😁 If I'm honest I had considered nipping home at lunchtime - to take a peek... ...but I think I may only depress myself - better to wait and depress myself with a glass of wine in my hand tonight This diorama malarkey is trickier than I thought 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Yes you guessed it – temptation has got the better of me… I needed to ‘nip out’ & I couldn’t resist a quick detour via home. How does that old saying go… “That’s 24 hours of my life that I’ll never get back”… Basically the plaster is still a bit damp. However - a quick test fit and the plaster has SHRUNK!!! The church no longer fits in its ‘impression’ and neither does the pathway. I estimate the shrinkage at about a ¼” over the 8” length of the church – this simply isn’t going to work. I’m not blaming the plaster for one second – it is almost certainly my own fault for trying to ‘force dry’ it. However – I am going to have to start again. I will ponder it – but if anyone has any bright ideas – please shout out. What I need is something relatively flat - about 2mm thick that the church / pathway / wall / gravestones can sit ‘in’. I considered styrene – but it would be too hard to cut through neatly at that thickness. I have also considered card – which is softer – but might warp or delaminate when I apply paint and glue. There must be something that is easy to cut, but won’t be ruined by paint and glue. HELP!!!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 That's sad news!! As a thought would artists foamboard work (a thin layer of foam between two pieces of card)? I use this a lot to build up groundwork for my tank bases. It's quite strong and easy to cut with a sharp knife. I often remove one side of the card so I can skim it with some polyfilla to add texture and seal it ready for paint. Haven't had a problem yet with it warping or lifting and some of it's been down over 10 years!! I'll post a few photos tonight of a base I'm currently working on using it and one I made 10 odd years ago. All the best Ben 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 1 hour ago, BIG X said: What I need is something relatively flat - about 2mm thick that the church / pathway / wall / gravestones can sit ‘in’. Not used it since I was a kid, but would paper mache work? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 25 minutes ago, badger said: That's sad news!! As a thought would artists foamboard work (a thin layer of foam between two pieces of card)? I use this a lot to build up groundwork for my tank bases. It's quite strong and easy to cut with a sharp knife. I often remove one side of the card so I can skim it with some polyfilla to add texture and seal it ready for paint. Haven't had a problem yet with it warping or lifting and some of it's been down over 10 years!! I'll post a few photos tonight of a base I'm currently working on using it and one I made 10 odd years ago. All the best Ben Do you mean this... I've just been downstairs here at work and took this picture. We sell 3mm / 5mm / 10mm / white / black / self adhesive / kraft backed / extra tough / acid free etc - mountains of it... You know what it's like when something is staring you in the face - I'll pull a sample piece of 3mm to bits and have a quick play with here... Thanks, Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 18 minutes ago, Gorby said: Not used it since I was a kid, but would paper mache work? Thanks for the idea mate - I am trying to avoid anything 'wet' sticking to my little church, I could wrap it in cling film again - but I'd be into all the drying and possible shrinkage again. My trouble is I want 'instant gratification'. We will solve it - we have to - we are Britmodellers 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 3 minutes ago, BIG X said: I want 'instant gratification' I certainly can't help you with that. 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 I've just had a quick play... The paper is pretty much welded on - it's good stuff we sell here - no rubbish. It does cut nicely though - but I knew it would - just a tad too thick I think - but it has given me another idea... ...2mm balsa wood - I bet that will do the trick - I know it sheds paint and most glues and it cuts very easily - EUREKA - I hope... Catch yer later and thanks lads - we are hopefully back in business... I'm off to Hobbycraft... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Phew... pant... pant... out of breath - I'm home AND I have balsa wood - loads of it Give me half an hour... ⏲️ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 1 hour ago, BIG X said: I've just had a quick play... The paper is pretty much welded on - it's good stuff we sell here - no rubbish. It does cut nicely though - but I knew it would - just a tad too thick I think - but it has given me another idea... ...2mm balsa wood - I bet that will do the trick - I know it sheds paint and most glues and it cuts very easily - EUREKA - I hope... Catch yer later and thanks lads - we are hopefully back in business... I'm off to Hobbycraft... Worth a try but the balsa wood idea should also work and that certainly won't shrink!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Madame X is busy doing her usual 'goddess in the kitchen routine' - which has given me a quick 40 minutes to measure and 'very gently' 'slice' the Balsa - result... So far - so good - but I'm not going to make the mistake I made previously - saying 'what could possibly go wrong' - this time I am going to be very careful and 'respectful' of my materials. The next job is to transpose all these separate pieces onto a 1.5mm piece of black styrene that I found in the stash - it's about 10 x 12 inches - so bigger than I need and I'll trim it back later. I'm going to use CA as my adhesive for this. I have found the more CA you use the longer it 'moves around' for - before 'sticking' - so as costly as it is - I'm going to put a good coat on the Balsa and spread it out with one of my million junk credit cards. TOP TIP - keep any plastic cards you find - they are great for spreading glue around and also as good as evergreen for cutting and punching strips when scratch building stuff. I'll be back after tea / washing up / fixing this down etc - keep the faith - Steve 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Touch wood - even if it is Balsa - I think this is going to work this time. I got the Balsa in place and glued down. Then a quick check to make sure the Church / path / walls were all slipping into place as they should. Then 10 minutes covering all the 'blank areas' in masking tape and a quick shot of Halfords primer. Another 10 minutes to dry and then Humbrol dark earth to act as a base colour... Everything fits - but I don't want to push the path in yet - just make sure it fits - and reposition where all the graves are going to go... Now it's time to start 'pushing' them in place and cutting out the Balsa where they are going to fit... I'm motoring now... But I need to get this painted soon - so it looks like 'stone'... I must crack on - I've already lost a full day. Daylight's burning - back soon and thanks again for the support and ideas... Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 OK - I've 'dug out' all the graves... I've sprayed on a bit of Humbrol dark green from another old rattle can - I might as well use these old cans up. I think I need to put another layer of masking on around these raised areas now, as it's time to add to add the 'grass'. It sounds daft - but I want these areas to look natural - but 'neat'. I can always add a bit more 'grass' at the edges if I get it wrong. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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