The Modeler's Forum

The Mainline => Scratchbuilding => Topic started by: madharry on January 25, 2017, 05:29:27 AM

Title: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 25, 2017, 05:29:27 AM
For my little British village module I decided I needed a "little castle". Castles tend to be quite large and take up a lot of real estate. So I decided a castle keep would be a good idea. The last remanent of a ruined abandoned castle.

I used 3mm foamboard which I glued together using PVA. It is approx. 8 cms square by 18 cms high. I cut the windows out tracing around some Tichy round top window frames.

I then used DAS air dry clay to the surface to my walls. First I painted the wall with PVA and then spread about 2 mm of clay on the wall before scribing the stonework using a small blade.

The photos show the plain walls and two that I have surfaced with the clay.

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: postalkarl on January 25, 2017, 07:50:42 AM
Hi Mike:

Looks good. I'll be watching.

Karl
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: Mkrailway on January 25, 2017, 08:51:55 AM
Mike, keep on going.
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: GPdemayo on January 25, 2017, 08:52:44 AM
Me too..... :)


When Pegi and I were over in your neck of the woods, we rented a plane at Wellesbourne and did some sightseeing from up above.....beautiful countryside.

We did a big loop and I believe it was to the west or northwest of the airport we saw what the instructor called England's smallest castle. It looks just like your model. I guess there is a prototype for everything we model.  ;)
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: Janbouli on January 25, 2017, 11:25:04 AM
I know we have to have a lot of patience as modelers, but scratchbuilding stone castle walls   :o
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 25, 2017, 12:04:10 PM
Thank you Karl, Marty, Greg and Jan......

Here is another wall finished..........

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 25, 2017, 12:46:13 PM
Quote from: GPdemayo on January 25, 2017, 08:52:44 AM
Me too..... :)


When Pegi and I were over in your neck of the woods, we rented a plane at Wellesbourne and did some sightseeing from up above.....beautiful countryside.

We did a big loop and I believe it was to the west or northwest of the airport we saw what the instructor called England's smallest castle. It looks just like your model. I guess there is a prototype for everything we model.  ;)

Yes it is very nice country around there. There are several castles within a short flying distance of that airfield - Broughton, Kenilworth or Warwick.

Mike  :)
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 27, 2017, 05:05:20 AM
Continuing...........

I finished the fourth wall in DAS clay. I wanted to add a staircase next.

I cut a slope to fit the wall out of Cellotex insulation foam. This is yellow and can be cut fairly accurately with a kitchen knife.

Unfortunately I could not get the clay to attach to the foam. So I marked where it would be on the wall and covered the foam with a fine skim of wall plaster.
I then plastered the area on the castle wall before attaching the staircase. The set of plastic stairs came from my "do not throw anything away box".

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: postalkarl on January 27, 2017, 07:39:10 AM
Hi Mike:

Very nice. I assume this will be going on your new RR???

Karl
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 27, 2017, 10:44:16 AM
Thanks Karl, yes it will be a feature of the new layout "Midsomer".
Mike  ;)
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 27, 2017, 11:40:57 AM
Do not try this at home!

The skimmimg of the insulation foam staircase with plaster does not work! After it had dried I tried to scribe in the stonework only to find that when I put any pressure on my scriber that it made a unrealistic hole in the plaster covered foam.

So I covered the plaster with air dry clay and then started again. This time I was successful. Here is the structure ready for the next stage in the build.

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 27, 2017, 12:11:56 PM
Continuing.......

I cleaned up the window frames and then carved in the arrow slits towards the top of the walls. The grey card is to illustrate the slits as they hard to see unless you know what you are looking for..........

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: Rail and Tie on January 27, 2017, 01:41:47 PM
Been away for a bit. Mike, this is looking great!  I have recently become a fan of DAS clay for certain things. very easy to work with. As for making it stick to foam, I add a little white glue to my kneaded pieces also poke a bunch of holes at angles into foam to make sure things lock on.

The Keep is looking wonderful!  Don't know if Preiser makes a hunchback or not, but they do have a gargoyle!
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 27, 2017, 02:32:17 PM
Thanks Darryl, gargoyle it is then!

Yes I coated the foam in PVA but I did not add the holes. You live and learn!

Mike  :)
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 27, 2017, 02:43:45 PM
Continuing..............

Next I added windows and a door to the castle keep.

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 27, 2017, 03:02:18 PM
Continuing.........

A little bit of railing is added to the stairs - another little gem found in my "dntaa" box.

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 27, 2017, 04:07:51 PM
Continuing...............

I have stained the walls by sponging on a little biege colour. I will add other colours as the mood strikes me.

I used gravel on the roof and added lead chutes to the upper walls to aid drainage of water from the flat roof.

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: S&S RR on January 27, 2017, 07:28:10 PM
Mike


Interesting build - looks good.  I'm enjoying the thread.
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 28, 2017, 03:39:07 AM
Thanks John I appreciate it.

Mike  :)
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 28, 2017, 11:05:43 AM
Continuing..........

Here are the final pictures of this structure.

I have added colour to the walls by sponging and dry brushing.

The final touch was a little Victorian wall gas lamp LED to illuminate the stairs.

Mike
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: Zephyrus52246 on January 28, 2017, 11:07:51 AM
Wow.  Very imaginative, Mike.  Looks great.

Jeff
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: Janbouli on January 28, 2017, 04:24:58 PM
Now that's something different , great job Mike.
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 28, 2017, 04:57:56 PM
Thanks Jeff and Jan I really enjoyed this build. My first with DAS clay. The model weighs less than 6 ozs so it is perfect for an exhibition layout when weight is important.

I was inspired by an article in a British mag - "Model Rail" by a real veteran modeller and railway expert Chris Leigh.

Mike  ;D
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: Twopoint2 on January 29, 2017, 10:13:15 AM
Awesome job on the castle Mike.
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: GPdemayo on January 29, 2017, 10:17:29 AM
Well done Mike..... 8)
Title: Re: Castle Keep
Post by: madharry on January 29, 2017, 10:50:09 AM
Thanks Jim and Greg. The little lamp tripled the cost of the castle which was running at $2 before the upgrade. But as you know Greg land costs much more than the structure on it.

Mike  ;)