Cold War Entropy - The Fall of the Iron Curtain

[Bill1974]

5 hours ago, R T Fishall said:

You know, I've got absolutely no idea what the composition is; Pollyfilla is the trademarked version, I just buy the cheapest knockoff from the local hardware shop and it does me!

 

I was pondering of getting some to make the concrete and add a sprinkle of very fine sand on top, I'll take a look at my local diy for some cheap plaster of Paris stuff, quick drying and easily sanded / chipped or etched, thanks for the idea!

[Bill1974]

I've had another go at the HAS and have added the earth covering to the rear with a load of pva and cardboard with a few layers of pop bandages and it's looking good.

 

I've done a little sanding of the front and will add more clay when things have dried as I've covered the clay with pva, I think that it holds the clay in place and stops cracking.

 

The bases I've made on my other entropy builds I used the tub of watered down pva to smooth the clay down and I think that's why it didn't crack up as it must mix into the top mm or so and add a flexible part to it.

 

I need to actually build the mig and mil mi yet but I'm having to much fun with the diorama bits!

 

Photos to follow 🤓

[Bill1974]

Right then I've been promising photos of the HAS for days now so here they are.

 

It is taken longer for things to dry as we're in the middle of a cold-wave mid summer 😆

 

This is pre more layers to straighten things up.

 

 

The rear earth base. Being covered with what I know now to be the best way to apply the clay, mixed with pva to make it elastic and stop cracking.

 

 

I've straightened up the edge on the far right hand side and it needs to dry before I can see where I am as it looks completely different when it's dry or at least not wet like it is now.

 

 

 

Getting there, hopefully better weather and it will dry and I can finally try to make the doors.

 

I don't want to start that until the shape of where they will fit is fixed!

[Bill1974]

My more recent attempts at making slabs has been a success.

 

 

I laid a thick wadge of clay down and squished it flat and them used a metal ruler to form a flat plane on a baking tray.

 

I've cut square slabs as I've seen those in as many photos as oblongs.

 

I used my concrete texture tool to make a surface finish that isn't just super flat and I will add the ak concrete texture stuff on these after some more drying.

 

The two baking trays I have been using for modelling are full of drying clay.

 

More to follow! 

Edited August 8, 2023 by Bill1974

[Marklo]

Nice work. I’ve been using DAS but as happens the terracotta and I haven’t had any cracking issues. Could be the different clay, the weather, luck, but might be worth a try.

[Bill1974]

11 hours ago, Marklo said:

Nice work. I’ve been using DAS but as happens the terracotta

 

My first clay was the das and it didn't crack at all.

 

But it's expensive and goes quickly.

 

1kg is £5 and some change where as the stuff that I've been using is £19 for 12.5kg.

 

I've been adding pva into the clay and it seems to have solved the cracking, also if it's on it's own, ie not on cardboard paper mache or something it seems to be ok, the square slabs have just dried and warped slightly but can be bent back and I think it has only warped a little because it's drying from one side more than the other because it's on an old baking tray.

[Bill1974]

I have added a complete layer of pva clay and straightened things up nicely, I'm quiet pleased with how that's gone and hopefully now we have slightly better weather it will dry quickly.

 

I've found that by mixing the pva in with the clay it makes it more workable and easier to form straight edges and if using a large flat brush you can almost paint it on which has proved very effective.

 

Photos to follow after it's dry. 🤓

Edited August 10, 2023 by Bill1974

[JeroenS]

Nice concrete work Bill, on both HAS and slabs.

[Bill1974]

I have made a new ladder and a table.

 

[Bill1974]

I have made two more fir trees today and glued together the shelter hatch concrete stuff.

 

I have covered the concrete for the bunker and one of the first slabs that passed QA with the new ak concrete stuff, it looks really good and went on well and was easily thinned with water and the brush came out clean after a quick rinse.

 

Photos of the concrete to follow tomorrow after drying and better light.

 

The HAS is coming along nicely drying wise and I hope to be able to start making the doors now the size of the concrete superstructure is now fixed and set.

 

Photos of that to follow with better light.

 

I set down more of the pva clay on my modelling baking tray to make more of the slabs earlier today and due to the better weather it has pretty much dried ready for cutting with a scalpel tomorrow.

 

I have been wondering how to make the curved steel recessed track for the doors.

 

 

A solution has yet to materialise in my grey cells, more thought needed, naturally suggestions welcome! 🤓

Edited August 11, 2023 by Bill1974

[Bill1974]

This is the bunker concrete and one of the slabs.

 

They will need some different colours added and maybe some pigments but over I am pleased with the finish.

 

[Bill1974]

I have cut up the remaining slabs and left them near the window the other way up to dry them from the opposite side.

 

 

Older slabs on the left, new ones to the right.

 

 

Sanding of older slabs into a regular size and flat edge.

 

The three on the left are the first three I made on my smaller baking tray as proof of concept and the upper slab is the template that is exactly 62mm square and exactly parallel and flat.  All the others were gauged against this and sanded flat by rubbing on the sandpaper on the flat tray and then by eye to remove slight curves either horizontally or vertically.

 

I'm gonna pva all these to seal them. And then a coat of the ak concrete.

 

 

Comments and suggestions welcome 🤓

Edited August 11, 2023 by Bill1974

[Bill1974]

Some progress as of today -

 

I have painted the two new trees wood brown and formed the branches (many more than the others as I found them to be not vibrant and full enough) into a nice even pattern following the photos I have.

 

I have added the ak concrete to the slabs that passed the QA and have added a slightly different finish that the first slab recieved, a stippled finish that is a little less brush like and more of a random effect.  They're better and I'm pleased with this ak concrete stuff.

 

I have sanded myself into exhaustion on the HAS.  

 

Medium grade sandpaper has worked wonders on the squaring up and has given me a fresh perspective of where it still needs some work.  

 

Some parts failed the recent QA and I had to issue myself with an improvement order and dressed myself down over the quality of the internals…. 😆🤣  

 

I have hacked and cut back and will go again, it's only the very ends of the front where it was to thick and the inside underside where the prefab concrete panels were just not even enough and we're a little wonky and just not right.

 

Other aspects of the stepping to the front is really very pleasing and although needs a little extra love (a little extra clay to small areas due to very minor chipping and a new coat of pva to seal it) it's progressing really well.

 

Photos to follow with better light.

 

This bloody QA guy is getting on my nerves, just when I think I'm making progress he swans along and gets all quality over quantity, more haste less speed talk, yawn….. Honestly! 🤓

 

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by Bill1974

[Bill1974]

Sometimes I'm my own worst enemy (or is that enema?) and harshest critic.

 

 

This a photo courtesy of @Mark Cassidy links and kind help and advice regarding HAS.

 

If anyone needs info on this stuff he is a font of knowledge and info, top marks @Mark Cassidy

 

The photo for me is a starter for 10, it's brilliant and has obviously taken a good amount of time and effort, but to my eyes is just too regular and doesn't look like the photos, even when taking the view that when these shelters were still ‘in service’ they would have been tidier and such.

 

I don't want to seem harsh or critical as someone has obviously taken a great deal of time and there is a great deal to like, however more to do and I'll explain why….

 

I don't think that my modelling, in terms of the finish I want or how I will approach them will be recognisable after all this entropy business GB is over.

 

It has focussed my mind on grot and dirt and rust and just a real lived in and used methodology, with a focus on scratch building more and not following the ‘rules’ of the kit and going my own way.

 

I would have been happy before entropy to build something like the photo and would have sat back glowing with producing something like that, NOT ANYMORE!

 

Being too nice and perfect with stuff isn't for me and I just have to make my hobby more real and dirty and used.

 

@Mark Cassidy ‘s backyard mig had been an inspiration and has been a game changer for me.  

 

Even if it wasn't abandoned the building would still be a bit gritty and grotty and there would still be dirt and water stains and other stuff that isn't a showroom jag or Porsche perfect, I hope I'm making some sense?

 

I don't intend to make every model or diorama I make a filth-atron just more than a super clean showroom style, which until recently I was absolutely obsessed with!

 

At some point when Airfix or others pull their respective fingers out of certain ‘dark places’ where they have been inserted and been idle and produce a 1/48 electric lighting that doesn't need a mortgage I'll be producing a much loved and tidy aircraft model that has clearly been looked after but still has a little more oomph of heat damage to metal and a little dirt and such with details and a base that doesn't look like the photo above but is ‘more’.

 

@Marklo Scratchbiilding stuff in the main entropy chat is also absolutely amazingly fabulous.  

 

I ‘dof my flat cap and nod my head sirs (and slap the back of the head of the teen next to me (figuratively) who is holding my whippet to attention who has his finger up his nose) and show due deference to those that show the way!

 

You guys rock!

 

Yip yip!  🤓

Edited August 12, 2023 by Bill1974

[Bill1974]

Better light and some photos…

 

 

[Trevor L]

That's looking good. And big, too!

[Bill1974]

Right then, internal ribs 2.0.

 

[Bill1974]

Height adjustment still to do on the slabs but they are organised and trimmed in plan.

 

 

I've laid more pva clay down for the internal slab that has a different finish than these external slabs, more of a float finish hopefully, it's still drying. 🤓

[Bill1974]

Two good layers of the AK concrete on…..

 

 

[Bill1974]

I'm gonna have a go at making some more trees tomorrow using the florist foam that I've bought, 😆😆 I've bought 12 of them and they're massive.

 

I had in mind that I would add them to the branches instead of using quiet so much leaf litter as I did on my tree for imperialistic entropy that would then have the leaf litter glued to it.

 

I may try and different type of tree and form a trunk from wire and then cut into a foam tree shaped form and then glue to leaf litter to that, well see how that goes?

 

 

[Bill1974]

Just finished listening to the Liverpool v chelski game and a little disappointed not to win after some shocking refereeing, anywho…

 

 

Tree progress - 

 

 

I made this larger version after my fist attempt was a little too short, I scraped the clay off after remembering to take a photo.

 

 

Second version of the tree shaped florist foam.

 

 

 

Smaller and first attempt at a tree trunk.

 

 

The second trunk with clay on and I fabricated a new bark tool that's two bits of wire bent in half and twisted together to form something to drah over the clay to make the bark texture.

 

I've dipped everything in watered pva to seal and heating it all in the oven now, I've checked and it hasn't melted and is drying nicely.  It's only at 80* a little hot to touch but not too hot to melt.

[Bill1974]

The fir trees have had another layer of grass applied to the branches and the two new trees are together and drying (trunk into tree), they will need more grass over the top again as the florist foam is rather difficult to use unless it's completely sealed.  

 

Being a wet florist foam it is open-celled and therefore the pva is sucked up into the body of the foam.

 

I had attempted to seal it with pva and curing in the oven, it needs another layer of pva at that stage and left longer to dry completely and not only set but harden rock solid.

 

Next time I may use some of the pop bandages over the top forming a barrier and then seal that as that was effective on the HAS to seal things.

 

In any event it's drying and will be fine after curing and quick little bit of more pva and more grass.

 

Next time I will do better, I'm not convinced of the look yet, they were more proof of concept rather than a fixed winner, we'll see tomorrow when they fully dry and I've had a good look at them with fresh eyes.

 

The ancilliaries have been primed and will wait for colour when I get the mig and mil mi done.

 

The floor to the HAS needed repairing as there was a slight dip on one part of the slab.

 

I've used some of the remnants of the sanding of the clay (fine powder which I've kept to use as a form of grout to fill gaps) and filled the depression by adding some pva then sprinkling the dust over the top, after it had began to dry I added the raked finish the rest of the slab has and that will be dry tomorrow and I can get the ak concrete on.

 

As I type I think that the foam unless it's on a tree like the before mentioned imperialistic entropy tree is best used for forming hedges and main part of trees rather than one overall tree shape.  It was worth a try. 🤓

 

Photos to follow with better light.

 

[Bill1974]

I've been busy with housework today and went out into oxford to meet some friends so not so much progress today.

 

I've painted the trunks of the trees brown again as inevitably the glue runs a little onto the brown trunk and gets covered in green grass.

 

I have started paintng and weathering the bunker concrete and it's good, I'm pleased with the dirty concrete streaked with green grime and rust from the loud hailer frame and the bunker access hatch. I need to add some rust texture tomorrow after everything has dried and set and I've come at it with fresh eyes.

 

I ripped off the handrails to the hatch as they failed a last minute QA check (that difficult ‘get’ won't let anything out of scope pass by….. I'll stretch and bend a bit of sprue tomorrow and glue them in and give them a lick of grey primer and add some rust and such.

 

I still haven't figured out how to do the running gear and embedded steel runner for the door yet.  

 

I will need to make the door and add a hinge to the concrete top and bottom and then make the running gear wheel fixed to the back of the door (I've found some photos of a motorised wheel assembly that runs in the steel runner recessed into the concrete)  

 

Then I'll need to remove all that and mark out with a compass the line from the hinge after marking where I'll situate the wheel assembly fixed to the back of the door and fix the slabs in place and mark and cut them so that I can add a steel runner (of what?) It's gonna need to be almost completely perfect as it would be fabricated off site in a massive steel bending machine to suit the door radius.

 

Clay isn't gonna cut it, cutting up lengths of plastic sheet and forming a bent laminate is a toughy……..

 

 

 

This is the only picture I can find and although it's of a decent quality I can't see enough of the running wheel gear assembly to make something accurate?

 

Making some thing that can work and open and close is also gonna be a swine.

 

One door is going to be left closed and the other open with the mig in front of the doors or maybe with both open, I'm not fixed that yet.  Still that's not something I'm looking forward to making as it needs to work and not be some shonky fragile piece of junk!

 

Photos to follow and hopefully more of a plan to make the door gear.  

 

Man alive I spent ages last night trying to find more of soviet door gear only to find set of nato door recessed track and photos of a covered wheel mechanism…. On Britmodeller no less!  

 

But nothing at all using a great many search terms of a soviet door gear…. Aaaaah!

Edited August 15, 2023 by Bill1974

[JeroenS]

3 hours ago, Bill1974 said:

This is the only picture I can find and although it's of a decent quality I can't see enough of the running wheel gear assembly to make something accurate?

The upside is that nobody really knows what it should look like so it just has to look convincing, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Mark Cassidy]

On 04/08/2023 at 04:18, Bill1974 said:

This is the HAS with the second light layer of new clay that arrived yesterday. 

 

Many more subtle layers of clay to square things up and get the finish I want.

 

 

I have made three oil drums and started to make the concrete apron, I cut up bit of cardboard and covered it with a layer of pop bandage and then added a thin layer of clay.

 

I baked these to dry them out at about 100* and then added another layer of clay on top and flattened it with a straight edge and then wetted the surface and dances on the concrete texture tool I made and then used a spare section of sprue and tapped this over the surface like where a plank on edge is used to flatten modules of concrete prior to setting and cure.

 

It's drying how and I'll see what that dries like and decide if it's enough or requires more work.

 

I will have another go at the fir tress tomorrow and add more to the branches.

 

And continue with the concrete apron bits as I'm not half way through with the stage I'm up to yet.

 

Photos to follow with better light and it all being dry and had my beady eye look over it.  🤓

This is awesome mate, are u going to make the oil barrels leaky?