Fragile door ramps - one solution - Questions and Modeling Tips - All - Hirst Arts - Message Board

RSS
Email

0 Kudo

Fragile door ramps - one solution

Author	Comment
willypold	Fragile door ramps - one solution	Lead	[-]
Posts: 366 (11/04/09 12:19:48) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None I've used the new Large Grate Accessory Mold #279 for my Space Hulk board and the door ramp has to be the most important piece on that mold. It's a quite unassuming little utility piece, but ultra helpful. There's just one little problem - the corners are really fragile. I tried to be careful when transporting set this past weekend, but several corners broke off anyway. How about this for a solution? For experimental purposes I've glued a Games Workshop 40 mm square base underneath one of the doors. The door is raised a couple of millimeters, but the look isn't too disruptive, I think.
nuada		#1	[-]
Posts: 12 (11/04/09 13:17:25) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Have you considered plasticard as a basing material? I would be interested to learn if anyone has used plasticard to prevent corner damage or paint-on-paint scratching with Hirst blocks. If so, what thickness seems best for a purely protective base (as for the bottom of a wall, to keep it from scratching up a painted floor of tiles)?
willypold		#2	[-]
Posts: 367 (11/04/09 13:44:02) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Plasticard could probably be useful and also less sightly... I happened to have the GW bases on hand, and they were the right size. The main point I think is that the corners will need some kind of support, as the doors are going to be handled a lot!
darkitect		#3	[-]
Posts: 207 (11/05/09 00:27:26) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	You could cast the pieces in resin. It's more expensive though, and you need to use mold release to ensure that you don't damage the mold etc. I think the thin plasticard would be a better option. Something around 0.5mm thick.
VitruvianZeke		#4	[-]
Posts: 47 (11/05/09 05:15:30) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	If it's exactly 40mm (or near-enough to it) there are a number of companies that make 40mm x 40mm square metal bases (usually for historical games such as DBA, DBM, HOTT, etc.) They have English sizes too, though I have fewer of them on hand to test. I'll see how well they work when I get some more castings done. I've had the best luck with Wargames Accessories, but I know Litko Aerosystems and Renaissance Ink also sell them (and in fact also sell pre-cut wood and styrene plastic as well.) Could be an option. Also makes a good sturdy base on which to glue the pieces.
willypold		#5	[-]
Posts: 368 (11/05/09 05:25:24) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The interesting thing about the GW bases is that they are 40 mm at the bottom, but practically the same size as the door ramp at the top, as the ramp is 38 mm across (or 1.5 inches for you non-metric types...). Another important factor for my part is the fact that the doors get to sit a little higher, which is an advantage considering my choice of door construction! There's a chunkiness to the door-on-base that is growing on me... I'm still a little undecided about this.
willypold		#6	[-]
Posts: 369 (11/05/09 06:59:56) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Yay! Warning stripes along the edge of the base will make it look like it actually should be there - now I only need to learn how to paint the stripes in a neat and orderly fashion!
itar		#7	[-]
Posts: 1335 (11/05/09 18:41:16) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I did a painting tutoral ages ago on my space hulk set that included doing the hazard lines. Maybe it'll help. Space Hulk Painting tutorial Itar
darkitect		#8	[-]
Posts: 208 (11/06/09 03:06:31) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Low tack masking tape should help to keep the stripes at an equal distance, and should keep your lines quite straight also. Don't forget to show us a pic when you your done, might try to adopt a similar strategy for my doors, if I like it
VitruvianZeke		#9	[-]
Posts: 48 (11/06/09 06:04:20) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	As darkitect mentions, masking tape is the key to good striping. It was a lifesaver when I was doing WWI aircraft. Best masking tape I've ever used is from Tamiya, and it's available in several sizes. Essentially, if you want to do alternating stripes, put your first color down, then get tape the width of the stripe you want to make. Tape strips of the tape, starting at one end, and place them evenly all the way across so that they completely cover the area. Then simply take off alternating pieces of tape, and you should have nice, even, parallel stripes of uniform size. Just don't thin the paint too much (or use cheap tape) as it'll run underneath the edge and make a mess.
willypold		#10	[-]
Posts: 370 (11/06/09 10:30:09) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I remembered I already have a Flickr account - let's see if this works: 1. Alternate door with the bits from the Accessory mold - base edge painted yellow. 2. First trial with painting stripes - I'm on the lookout for a better masking tape! 3. Door without the base for comparison.
VitruvianZeke		#11	[-]
Posts: 49 (11/06/09 12:08:22) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Absolutely love the zig-zag doors. Definitely going to have to make a few as inserts for my airlock/bulkhead.
darkitect		#12	[-]
Posts: 210 (11/06/09 18:05:50) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Looks pretty cool, just a little annoyed now though because I can't find a single 40mm square base amongst all my spare bases.

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Yuku free message boards

Fragile door ramps - one solution

Fragile door ramps - one solution

Quick Reply