Re-furnishing the Study

This is where my Pain(t) Station desk used to be

I have not been doing much on the hobby front lately; first of all because we went on our annual family camping vacation the last two weeks of July, and then because it is so hot here in Denmark that it takes a lot  of guts to do anything but cower in the shadows.

Last weekend though, we spent packing and moving stuff from my late Mother-in-Law's estate outside Haderslev, and I have been busy emptying my trusty old desk in order to replace it with the somewhat larger and nicer desk formerly belonging to my, also late, Father-in-Law.

I also took the opportunity to organize some of the mess along the radiator under the windows (I have placed the bookcase 15-20 cm from the radiator, and as it has legs, I expect some kind of convection to happen when the radiator is on). Some of the figure cases are all but empty, and as soon as I have removed the last minis from them, I shall sell them off to free some space.

I have built another filament spool tower for the Prepping Station. I now have LotR minis on the right one, all kinds of mixed stuff on the other.

Yesterday I finally got the new desk put in place. I can store most of my paints in and on the desk, now, and as the Miniaturicum paint rack fits behind the elevated desktop, I am going to put something underneath it to be able to reach it while working - and I am going to print some racks to sit beside it, as there is plenty of room left.

So, next up is to find some suitable STL models for the extra racks, and boxes or the equivalent to elevate the racks.

In two and a half week we have Lea's postponed confirmation, and I shall be busy making preparations for it (moving stuff out of the living room so we can set up tables for the celebration, tidying up the garden and coutyard, etc., etc....), but after that, I expect to find time to work on the Smials for Frodo's Quest (and other projects).

Ultrasonic Cleaner, Part 2

The final result of my paint-stripping venture can be seen here:

I left the minis in the soap, and re-started the ultrasonic cleaner a lot of times whenever I noticed it had stopped, then left the whole thing over night, and the last paint came off easily.

I don't think the rest of the week will see much progress (I had planned to get some work done on my Pulp project, but stuff got in the way), as Lea turns 9 this Saturday, and I have to tidy up the living room for having some family and close friends over on the day, and the girls from Lea's school class on Sunday (unfortunately, the garage attic is still too cold for having events in)-

Ultrasonic Cleaner

I got this for DKK 239,- in 'Harald Nyborg' in Odense, and had to try it out for paint-stripping right away!

The two ancient skeletons I started painting with Humbrol Enamels more than 20 years ago (the scythe-wielding ones) were submitted to this first attempt.

I first tried using white spirit as cleansing liquid, but it didn't really hav much effect on the enamel paint.

Then, I tried using liquid 'brown soap' (a kind of soap apparently unbeknownst to non-Danes), and after 3 'treatments' of 480 seconds, each followed by a scrubbing with my brass brush, the middle figurine looked like you can see below.

The helmeted skeleton as shown below was treated 4 times, and as you can see it also still had some paint residue in some creases.

My next step in this process is to leave the minis in the soap for a couple of days, before using the ultrasonic feature again (to allow the soap softening up the remaining paint a bit more)






This is much more effective than leaving minis in a jar with brown soap for months and months, and I shall be using the ultrasonic cleaner for all paint-stripping operations from now on.


Next time I shall try leaving the subject in the soap 24 hours before appying the ultrasonics, as I think the ultrasonics might have an easier time loosening the paint if it has been softened up a bit in advance.

Who knows, maybe I'll even get some of all those old Space Marines I have had in soap for ages (I am not going to play any later version of Warhammer 40.000, but I might use them for other Sci-Fi and/or Post Apocalyptic settings)

If you find yourself stripping minis often, I would recommend getting one of these. I haven't tried stripping acrylic paints, but I assume that the process is much faster, as 'brown soap' dissolves acrylics easier than enamels.






Some primers may require the minis to be left in your paint-stripping solution a bit longer (like the enamels), but I think the combination of ultrasonics and a dissolving (not corrosive, mind you, at it will damage the container) solution of some kind should prove effective.



Holder for WIP Minis.

Some days ago I got fed up with not really knowing what to do with a mini attached to a cork handle for painting, when not actually working on it.

Something had to be done about it!!

The solution: A paddle drill bit, and a piece of a wooden batten.

As you can see, the cork fits into the hole - and I drilled two holes to accomodate more than one 'premium' paintjob at a time (I do not put rank-and-file models on handles, only those deserving extra attention), and the space between the holes is sufficient for a cavalry model to be placed at.

This leaves more workspace on the paint(t) station, and saves me the trouble of finding space for a mini on a handle to lie on its side.

Kaizen!

The piece in the front of the pic is a paint pot holder - when a pot is placed in the hole before opening, it will never tip over and spill its contents all over your workspace, and possibly near-finished minis!

Mesh Door for the Attic Staircase

Have been busy making this - almost done - mesh door to keep the cats from using the new staircase for sleeping (leaving sand/dirt on the steps), and sharpening thoer claws on it (it's wood, you know...).

I still have to attach the other half of the mesh, and find some suitable hinges for it, but I'm quite content with the result so far.

Later today, or tomorrow at the latest, I shall upload some pictures from Horisont!

Struggling with the Basics.

My very bad cold (or flu, or whatever) is keeping me from doing a whole lot, except for lying on the couch, watching Sharpe, and Witches of East End, but a lot of paracetamol gives me some moments without headaches where I can fiddle a bit around.

Over the last 2 days I have managed to work a bit on the Camp and Baggage bases for GoB28, which I need to finish for Horisont VI.

I started by glueing sand on in patches (to omit warping)

The keen observer will have noticed that there's only 3 bases; the Gondorian camp will be made up from a ruined mausoleum that the Dwarves have to sack to win the scenario, so it is not strictly nescessary for me to get the second Camp base done (although I shall try to do so when I have finished these 3).

This is how they looked like with the excess sand poured off.

I then glued sand to the bare areas, let dry, and painted the entire surface with thinned down PVA glue (consistency like milk), with a little washing up liquid added. This should seal the surface into a very hard crust.

When this is dry, I'm going to paint the bases with the same browns I used for the PSZ boards, then add some patches of flock, and I'll be set to go!

I hope to be able to paint a few crates and barrels to place on the baggage bases, and maybe a tent or two for the Dwarven camp - but we'll see about that - the actual bases, the Miracle Cards, and Boromir take precedence!

Proxxon Thermocutter!

Got me a little helper today. I think it will prove invaluable for making styrofoam terrain pieces.

LotR: Mines of Moria, Part 4.

Drybrushed the boards today:

The dark spots are areas where I got overly zealous, and a few where some white paint plattered tiny dots on the surface when I stupidly opened a W&N bottle that had been sitting in over 30 degrees Celsius in the conservatory all day without any precautions.

A quick repaint with the 'German Grey' mix, and I'll go over it with the 'Codex Grey' mix tomorrow.

I also dug out my Moria Goblins, and the painted Cave Troll from the MoM set. Sorry for the crappy photo, it was taken with flash, without tripod, in an almost dark conservatory:

Some of the bases are a bit too bright, and I'll probably go over them with the proper colour combo.

As soon as I have the reinforcements from Gibby at the LAF, I'll have plenty painted of each type gobbo.

LotR: Mines of Moria, Part 3.

Basecoated the 2 small boards today. Mixed a colour very close to Vallejo Model Colour German Grey.

After painting, I mixed some paint to resemble Old Citadel Codex Grey - which I'll use for picking out the texture with a drybrush.

A Short Brush-up

Stumbled on these in th ehardware/builders store earlier today:

I think they are carbon, brass, and steel, but it doesn't show on the package. I'm looking forward to trying out the brass brush for cleaning up restic minis!

I also got me a new razor saw; my old one lost some teeth when I stupidly used it on a too hard material.

Sumthin's Cookin'...

I am preparing the second half of my second brew, while I'm enyoying a small glass of the first. Mead is a drink for gods!

10 liters of water, each with a bit less than 3 kg honey, and an extra pot with water to fill up the fermentation tank, should the honeywater not be quite enough.

A fourtnight ago, I made a yeast culture the evening before I boiled the first half of the brew, and it has been bubbling away ever since.

Almost boiling...

Waiting for the rest.

Producing mead is a very easy process, you just have to have the patience (which can be hard, when you've first tasted the results).

Some day, I'll get my recipe translated and put up here, somewhere, for any interested parties to try out as they wish.

2014-02-02, Non-Gaming Weekend: Sunday.

Been busy in the workshop, today.

First, I did a lot of tidying up, moving a lot of little bags and boxes containing screws, plugs, bolts, nuts, etc. to the kitchen where I am sorting that kind of stuff into littel drawers and attaching lables to them.

I then fastened my new vice to the workshop table:

Then, I put some nails in the wallboard, to make my torc screwdrivers a new home:


It's not perfect, but WAY better than having them laying around on the table!

My final effort was to assemble the press drill I got for Christmas.

It took quite some time, but I really wonder, what it would add to the price of power tools, if they were assembled at the factory by skilled people who know exactly where everything goes.

Well, as of today, I am the happy owner of an operating press drill, and a workshop where it's actually possible to get some work done!

Attic Attack - Preludes... almost...

I did it!

On the last day of 2013 I finished Phase 1 of my Attic Attack project!!

I have hammered so many plywood boards into submission that there is room for no further without REALLY moving stuff around, and the gaming/storage area has been secured for use.

The naked floor planks hre at the front are deceiving; there's actually only a very narrow area without any kind of  top coverage, and they are stable enough for safe use.

I now need to put up some more lamps and get everything organized in an efficient way *shudder*, and then start planning what games to offer.

I already know that I'll provide Star Wars: X-Wing, and Star Trek: Attack Wing, and probably also Pulp Alley.



The bar is being made ready!
I need to decorate those naked surfaces with something...

Some of my gaming friends from elsewhere in the country will probably bring Gods of Battle in 15 mm, so I have to plan space for that, and I think it would be nice to have a big 'bring and show' table for everyone who wants to present their favourite game...

I should be able to make some LotR warbands for SAGA, and maybe I can get enough Mantic zeds ready for Pike & Shot and Zombies - but only maybe.

My regular gaming pal Ulrik will be put in charge of a game or two (Song of Blades, Strange Aeons, and Fear and Faith, maybe) - and all in all I think we'll be able by combined efforts to fill the weekend out for everyone attending.

Attic Attack on the Horizon

It's been a while since my last update, but as usual it does not mean that I haven't done anything.

I have been working on the floor of the garage attic for the past 3 days. Progress is a wee bit slow, because I have to move stuff around to free the floor space that I'm covering in 15 mm plywood boards to make the room safe for use.

 

Yesterday evening, the result looked like this; most of the right side had been covered almost 2 years ago, but the left side, and the narrow row in the middle, I have been cutting and fitting (the roof construction comes up through the floor near the sides) during the first day and a half.

 

 

 



What you cannot see in this picture, is the brown table
still placed nearer the chimney - the middle row of boards has been
added to, it's just the angle of the photo that suggests otherwise.

Today I struggled a bit to get the next stage finished, and I realized that I didn't have enough 28 mm(!) planks to support the boards in the places where I removed a lot of old floor planks due to rot, so off to the DIY to get some of those (the dark brown planks in the two last pics), plus some hooks for the lamps I'm going to put up - and the trip wouldn't be complete without bringing home some chipboard for an extra space table, among other things...

As you may have noticed, I have started arranging stuff on a small scale, placing some shelf-cases, and a drawer where I want them for future use. I shall have to cover everything in tarpaulins when not in use, because a lot of dust gets in along the roof ridge (and also the occational rainstorm blows in some water), but I think that these about 80 sq.m. will do nicely for various gaming purposes.

I am also planning to get a new top on (and an iso-core into) the old chimney in the back, so I can install a firewood-stove for some comfort and cosyness.

The project is coming along nicely, albeit a bit slower than I expected when starting out. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish the floor before my vacation ends (I'll be back at work on January 6th), and maybe also get some more lamps put up.

I also hope to get everything organized in a usable manner, but now we have a couple of days with New Year's preparations, celebration, and the usual hangover to cope with, so I probably won't get much done until January 2nd, when wife and kids are back in the saddle, leaving me to my unspeakable deeds...

I started painting a Pulp Figure before Christmas, and I have some WIP pics to share, but they'll have to wait until tomorrow!

 

To Magnet or Not to Magnet...

When I  began storing my painted minis in A4 printer paper boxes some years ago, it soon became apparent that the minis - especially those of a metallic disposition - needed sometning to hold them in place when moved around.

At the time, I almost exclusively based my minis on slottas (silly me!), and the logical solution seemed to be magnets.

Neodynium magnets, AKA rare earth magnets, AKA super magnets, come in all sizes and shapes, and I found that 2 mm thick discs fit nicely in a standard 25mm slotta.

In the beginning, I then started switching to metal cookie bins for storage, as the minis with magnets in the base would cling nicely to the bottom (or side, or lid, for all that matters). Soon I realized that this was impractical, due to the shape of the bins (round), and the fact that they are very smooth on the outside, and easily slip - causing stacks to topple over.... NOT good.

Instead, I switched back to the paper boxes, now buying A4 magnetic sheets to put in them. This works a treat, and the boxes stack neatly and safely.

Since then, I have begun basing all minis with integral bases on steel washers, and they adhere nicely  to the magnetic sheets, too, and I happily kept buying expensive magnets to glue into the slotta-based minis.

Until it struck me: I do not need morto magnetize the minis, as long as the base is either steel/iron, or contains sufficiently of it for the magnetic sheet to attract!

I then remembered, that when making chainmail hauberks for LARP, I used iron thread (for fences) 2,04 mm thick. Cut into pieces, it can be glued into the slottas, on top of thin cereal package material (to make it touch the surface of the magnetic sheet.

To the left you can see an example of a slotta with a magnet, and one with pieces of iron thread.


The iron thread comes in rolls of about 200 meters, and such a roll will last me for years, even as I'm going to put iron in the bases of all my painted LotR minis before using them for SAGA in tyhe near future.

The head? I don't know, found it in the wreckage after the storm, lately... ;o)

I have started using Locktite Power Glue gel to glue minis to bases (and stuff under the base), btw... This method results in a much stronger join (and a tighter fit) than using thin super glue.

Short Round Finished... Sort Of...

Well I have taken this mini as far as I can atm. I did try painting the New York Giants logo onto the cap, but it ended up looking more like an Yves Saint Laurent glyph, so I gave it up and painted it over.

Also, the pin stripes on the cap are not quite rigt; there should be more, and they should not emerge symetrically from the center.

But, Shorty is a Yankees fan, I hear you yell.... Well, yes, but his cap sports the Giants logo. If you don't believe me, scroll further down, and the evidence will be presented ;o)








To me, he looks ready to punch someone...
















And, if a hard-boiled, two-fisted stance is not enough, theres always the slingshot.....

 I have learned one thing from painting theis min: Never EVER paint the base before anything else! The grease on my fingers seem to make the brown paint rub off and get on the painted parts, and you can see that i had to repaint the sleeves - and re verse layering never results in guite the same shades as originally.

Well, it'll have to do for now. Maybe if he suffers some battle damage, I'll go over the entire shirt, but ONLY maybe...


























As promised, som caps to look at:





Roger Breshanan's 19?? cap



Short Round's cap



Yankees 1921 Replica

Didn't Paint Much Today...

...I was busy siphoning my first homebrewed keg of mead into another keg after fermenting had stopped.

The taste is fine, but as you can see, it needs to settle/clear before being bottled for storage.

I did fill 3 bottles for tasting, though - some of my friends will surely appreciate a glass or two... :D

After about a month in a dark, cool place (our conservatory, covered with a dark cloth), the mead should be ready for bottling (and a few Christmas drinks), and then I should leave it on storage for 1-2 years to give it a rich flavour. Well, we'll see if it survives that long...

Short Round WIP - Part 3

I managed to get around to doing his trousers today:

Layer 2: Codex Grey
Layer 3: Codex Grey with white added
Layer 4: Codex Grey with even more  white added.

I think the contrast between Codex Grey (the deep shadows) and layer 3 is a bit too much; I think I'll mix a shade in between next time I 'm doing grey.

Shoes are basecoated Ushabti Bone, which seem awfully yellowish, but I hope I can work it up to a non-greyish white to look a bit like the sneakers he's wearing in Temple of Doom.

I overdid the painting on of folds a bit; I have a tendency to make the darker areas too narrow, leaving too little space for the lighter shades. It's a matter of practice, I guess...

Spray Priming Miniatures During Winter?

I think I've laid a golden egg... well, maybe, if this contraption works as intended.

Constructed out of 16 mm chipboard, angle brackets, screws, wooden lists, and some wood glue to support an old kitchen ventilator (I don't know the exact English term for it, but it's the kind sitting above the stove, sucking out the steam from cooking) I had kept for just this purpose, when we got a new one a couple of years ago.

It took me ages to clean the grease from the ventilator, but now it's ready for use. You see it here on top of my elevated gaming table, btw - another home-build construction for my hobby.

 I just need to get one of those flexible tubes to attach here at the top, so I can lead the fumes out of a window while spray priming. I really hope this works as planned, as it will allow me to start new paintjobs unhindred by cold weather.






Here you can spot the lists supporting the ventilator.

I glued them in place, then fastened them with a lot of brass screws.

You can also spot that I'm not very accurate with a power jigsaw; I couldn't see the lines I drew without my glasses, and they clouded with moisture because of the dust mask I was wearing.

It sucks getting older and losing one's full eyesight, I tell ya'!

Well, it won't matter when spraying, I guess...

Short Round WIP - Part 2

Ever so slowly, but coming along nicely....

I got my chainsaw to run today, so I haven't spent much time at the painting table, but I managed some progress, anyway.

On top of the Warzone Trench Brown on the shirt I added a layer of Vallejo Khaki Grey, then painted folds with old GW Kommando Khaki, highlighted with a mix of Kommando Khaki and White.

I had to fiddle around to even out the contrast between Khaki Grey and Kommando Khaki, so I have made a mix of those to use as an intermediate layer for the next time I need this series of colours.

I just watched a few minutes of Temple of Doom, and it seems that the trousers should be a mid/light grey, so I've given them a base coat of old GW Codex Grey with a little black mixed in. Next layer will be Codex Grey, then Codex Grey with some white added for top layer and highlights.

I need to sit down and watch that film, so I can figure out what colours to paint the belt and the shoes.