Building Bavaria '45: Part Six


Welcome back to the next installment, collected from a number of sessions!   If you're thinking of having a go at making some buildings on the cheap like this, iIcan heartily recommend having a go.  It may be time consuming, but it's very rewarding.
We left my second building sorely in need of a roof.  To make this, I measure the model to see what looks right.  Once I know the size, I draw out and cu two rectangles of card.  Now, when I did my first building, I made the mistake of sticking these two rectangles onto the roof before adding the slates.  I was half way through slating the roof when I realized my folly.  It was a small roof though and it didn't cause too much of a problem.  But for this building, with a much larger roof space, I wanted to make the roof before attaching it.

Six and half, you might say.  However, when you affix the slates before the roof goes onto the building, it becomes much, much easier to trim the edges.  It also makes a much more robust structure.  Because otherwise you run the risk of the roof sagging.  That may look okay for some idyllic fairytale cottage.  But its no use for the kind of building I'm making here.

My slates are marked out with a ball point pen on my card.  They are 1cm deep, marked at 0.5cm intervals.  You need to push in with your pen when you make these.  You want to be able to run the back of your fingernail along them and hear a noise every time you cross a line.
 I mark 1cm up from the bottom of the roof, and then every 5mm up to the top on each side.  You don't need to join them together with a line unless you really want to.  I find the dots are enough. Then its simply a case of gluing them in place, making sure that you stagger them.

Once that's done, I turn them over and trim off the excess.  Don't be tempted to do this free hand.  Your steel ruler is your friend.  What you definitely don't want to do is to ruin all the hard work you've been doing.

Once done, it's time to stick the roof sections in place and hold them there for a few minutes to make sure you give them a good bond.  After that you need to cut the flashing for the ridge.  I measured out a 12mm strip and marked along it at 15mm intervals.  I scored it on the underside.  NOT THE TOP.  Then the difficult bit takes place.  You need to bend it along the score on the underside without letting the tension cause a tear in the upper.  You need it to bend more than it will on the finished model, otherwise the tension won't allow it to stick properly.  This is another reason why I use UHU glue for my projects.  It forms a bond a lot quicker than PVA ever will.

Your flashing needs to be held in place until you are certain it has stuck.  Then leave it for a few more minutes just to be safe.  You'll then need to trim off the edges to make them flush.  Then you nned to turn your attention to the gable rake.

I make this from a strip of 5mm wide card, mitred at the top.  I glue them in place and when dry use a pair f clippers to cut them parallel to the ground.
 Then I get to sit back, admire my handiwork and make sure there are no UHU webs stringing their way across my model.
 And this is what you are left with.


 flushes with the success of the job, I turned my attention to the third building.  This is the one with the tunnel and stairs.I checked I had everything, realised I had misplaced the top step, and went and cut another one.
 Then I began measuring out the facings on the cereal packet card and cutting them out.  I made a couple of simple mistakes in doing this, which was really frustrating.  However, I was able to catch them before I had begun cutting.  And since I draw these very lightly with my biro, it won't have an impact on the look of my finished model.

The following photo shows how the main walls look with their facings glued on when viewed from the inside and outside of the building.
I then turned my attention to the small flight of steps that lead to the door.  In it's simplest form, its' made of four pieces of foam core, each one 5mm shorter (or longer depending on your point of view) then the next. These are simply glued together before they are faced with card.  First on are the top and side.  I made the side 1mm taller than necessary to account for the depth of the card that would lie on top. I also made the piece of card on top 1mm longer than necessary.  this creates a 1mm lip over the top step which will make perfect sense in a moment.

It was then time to begin work on the steps. This work is always best done working down from the top. I cut myself a strip of card 5mm wide and stuck it to the facing of the step.  It's worth putting the top edge in first under the lip created from the top piece.  You can then use the back of your knife to push it in flush with the step.  It's also worth making sure that you don't press too hard.  An exposed edge of foam core will easily give in under pressure.  if you don't check, you could end up with some seriously wonky stairs!
I then take another piece of the 5mm strip and glue it to the top of the net stair.  The width of the last piece of card you have inserted guarantees that you will always have a lip for the next stair.  Simple, but incredibly effective.
And once you've gone all of the way down the steps, its time to work on the sides.  As this flight of stairs will be attached side on to the building, I only need to cover one side.  Now you could measure it all out and cut it and then affix it.  But I wouldn't recommend you do this.  If you do, you'll be assuming that you got every right angle completely correct.  And with the best will in the world, you probably haven't.  So I take a stip of card cut to the correct height (measure it again to make sure) and way too long, and stick it in place.  Then leave it to dry for a few minutes.  It'll look like this:
Then you can lie the stairs on its side and ise the steps as a guide for cutting the card flush.  When you do this, you'll end up with somethig that loks like this:

And here's my progress so far.
And although I'd like to crack on and put the building together, I need to work on a whole lot of other edging.  namely around the doors and windows.  But as time ran out after I completed the first one, that'll have to wait until the next time.
As always, thanks so much for stopping by and I hope my ramblings have been helpful.

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