Super secret project

[Carcharoth]

Any more pics to share?

I'm not sure many people tend to have the problem of regularly transporting large terrain boards! I've always had to resort to breaking boards down beyond a certain size - the circular demo board I have was scaled so that it'll fit in the back of a reasonably sized car in one piece... How's the boxing solution coming along? Sounds like you've got a good plan there, and i think a neat frame to a board can make it look much better than just having plain edges.

[Brandlin]

no more pics yet... hopefully some tomorrow

I've had a nightmare getting more of the loft insulation boards I have been using for this terrain - seems a little bit of cold in the UK and everyone wants to lag their lofts!!! grrr

Anyway finally solved that problem today.

I also spent this afternoon building the base and frame for the board - it doesn't look like much - a hardboard base with 18mm softwood frame under it. The 12mm MDF surround will come next. I'm trying to do this as a single board to avoid the 'gaps' you get in modular layouts. But I'm also trying hard to keep the weight down.  

Size of the board isn't a problem as I can access a large van for transport - it's getting it in and out of the van and into exhibition spaces and storage in my garage that is worrying me. I want enough rigidity to stop the board from twisting or bending and therefore cracking.

[Brandlin]

nothing to see here...

[Carcharoth]

That's coming along very nicely.

[Brandlin]

work is progressing very slowly as i am away all week and only have weekends to do stuff in and the glue takes ages to thoroughly dry.

The name of the game next weekend will be plaster 'icing' and assembling the frame which will finally make it rigid!

[Ben Brownlie]

Are the hills at the bottom end going to be smoothed out?

[Brandlin]

Yes. Fortress end will be craggy and rocky, the other end will be mostly smooth rolling hills  with occasional crags.

[Brandlin]

This is the look I am going for. More pics on my blog.

[Carcharoth]

That's just the sort of thing I was imagining!
But without the people 

[Brandlin]

This weekend's progress



More info and pictures on my blog (address in signature)

[Carcharoth]

Great to see the progress! It's at a not very glamourous stage at the moment, but it certainly is taking shape.

[Ben Brownlie]

It is getting there

I have faith in Alan's lunacy that it will look good on the day

[Brandlin]

Relaunching Delays and Salute 2011 Issues

   

[Brandlin]

At last some paint!

Firstly the surrounding MDF frame was given an undercoat and a couple of coats of flat black to act as a frame.  Then I masked out the edges and covered them in news paper to protect them. I also marked out where all the buildings are going and masked those areas out as well, so that when I peel the masking tape off there will be black location points for each of the buildings.





Then I applied all the scree, and collapsed rubble at the bottom of the cliff edges and such like, and gave all the exposed rock a couple of spray coats of dark gray base.




Then a couple of layers of progressively lighter grey paint dry brushed onto the exposed rock faces and scree.




Finally a close up of the rock formation on which the fortifications sit.




Lots more WIP shots and discussion on my blog

[Brandlin]

It is getting there

I have faith in Alan's lunacy that it will look good on the day

that makes you more of a lune than me then!