Trench Sections in Progress.

[Andy Belsey]

I got the LED in safely today by Dremmeling where I wanted the hole down and then joining it from below.
Andy

[Andy Belsey]

Here's the LED on the platform next to the MG. I just mocked up where the figures and a few things will sit.
I'll make a lamp to sit on top of it.




I've added some mossy bits to the concrete. I stippled it on and then stabbed it with a pin after I'd looked at photos. The ironwork is still awaiting soe rust.


I'm going to add rust to the angle irons and the ground will end up very soggy.


The sandbags aren't painted yet.


It all coming together gradually.
Andy

[Steve Jones]

Slowly but surely Andy. Stunning work. Nice to see the figures fit in. Excuse my ignorance but what is the square fried egg by the box please?

[scottie3158]

Andy,
The great work continues, your attention to detail is stunning. Steve I think what you are referring to are the tiny LED's used for the lighting.

[Andy Belsey]

Yes, Scottie is correct - it's an LED. It will have a lamp sitting on top of it. If you look back through this thread a little, you'll see I'm using strips of 3 LEDs, but hiding the first 2, with the end poking through. I'm using this method to keep the voltage the same as those that light up the boxes (and I have them spare at work). Simplest method for me. So the fried egg will disappear!
Andy

[Andy Belsey]

I plucked up the courage to rip one of my tunnels apart to redo it. I'd guestimated that they were about 4ft high from the scetches I found. Then I tried to add a kneeling figure and realised that you need 5ft for a kneeling figure - DOH!! So, I scraped off all the timbers and Dremmeled the top and bottom off. I then replaced the floor and ceiling so that I could make the height 5ft and still have a small space for labels above and below.
I still have to repeat this on the clay kicking tunnel but wanted to clad this one with Balsa before I went too far backwards! This one is almost back to how it was, but I have to raise the height of the sandbags to block the explosion and put some Polyfilla between the timbers for soil.

The clay kicking tunnel is still to be ripped apart to enlarge but the mine version has been Dremmeled above and below to raise the roof, so a kneeling figure will fit in.
Here I was cutting strips of Balsa for the timber supports.


This shows how a kneeling figure will not fit in a 4ft tunnel!


I've marked where the timbers will go back in and prepared some roof timbers and side walls.


Ceiling and walls are now reclad.


Floor timbers are also in place. Now I need to raise the height of the sandbag 'tamping'.




I've not been very active recently due to work pressure, which has now quietened. My PC is also failing, so I may be absent or only on here occasionally.
Andy

[Neil Merryweather]

Nice to see you back, Andy. If it's not right and you know it,it will eat away at you. Better to do it now. Personally I would never have questioned it coming from such a diligent researcher as yourself. I bet there were tunnels of all sizes. sometimes they must have made mistakes, but I guess that doesn't fit with your educational approach!
Always a pleasure to see what are up to, keep em coming :thumb2:
Neil

[scottie3158]

Andy,
It's good to see this back on the go. Your skills are always an inspiration

[Andy Belsey]

I cracked apart the second half of my tunnels for enlargement.


I Dremmeled the front edges about 5mm larger top and bottom.


I filled the gap with styrene and reconstructed the sides.


I then replaced the timbers and made a new 'crucifix' chair.


My figure has a bit more space now. I've now put 'soil' between the timbers and patched the front wall top and bottom.


My PC is on the blink and I started to post this yesterday. The PC turned itself off and I thought I'd lost all the work, but it was still here waiting for me today hooray!
I'll take some photos of what it looks like now.

[Andy Belsey]

For those who haven't read the Euro thread. I was displaying my sections at Euro on Saturday. As I carried them down the front steps, I missed the bottom step and fell. I was carrying hundreds of hours of work!!!! Somehow the models survived virtually intact but I sprained my right ankle. That was extreemly painful all day and I couldn't move around much. I then had to get home. Nigel Rayner helped me carry models back to my car but I had a 80 min journey using the accelarater with the bad foot. By the time I got home my foot looked like this.


My wife took me to A&E and eventually got Xrays. I have a suspected fracture, definate sprain and have to wear a support boot for at least 2 weeks until it is reassesed. I can't work and I can't drive. So I'm getting on with my book when I can.
Andy



This was it yesterday. Less swollen but more colourful!

[scottie3158]

Andy, Glad to hear the builds survived and even more importantly that you did yourself no serious damage. A great excuse to take it easy and get some bench/book time.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[Neil Merryweather]

Hi Andy,glad to hear the models survived intact- you can always grow another foot, eh? ......and it means you get to do more here- Win win I'd say :thumb2:

[Steve Jones]

Hope the ankle is getting better. Modelling is awesome as always

[Andy Belsey]

Hope the ankle is getting better. Modelling is awesome as always

Thanks Steve. My PC is on the way out & I’m waiting for a new one, which is why I’m absent from here.
My ankle has been pretty awful but is easier now. Everything is an effort - Like, do I really want to go to the loo (upstairs)?
But my book is coming on leaps and bounds. I’m forced to sit with my feet up and it’s something constructive that I can do.
As I’m writing my new laptop has arrived so I may be on here more soon?

[Andy Belsey]

My usual apologies for not being very active here. Life is busy. I've been working on a project for Mike butler which I can't show you but I have made him some spades. I made a few for myself while I was at it and got around to making the grafting spade for my clay kicker. So a tiny bit of progress for my sections. I have some work for Tommy's War which I won't be able to show either but I'll be back on the sections when I can.
Andy

I split the microstip in half to create the handles and then bent it gently before gluing the handles on. I blended the handles into the heads with Magicsculpt.