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  • Gern
    SMF Supporters
    • May 2009
    • 9213

    #1

    Making scenic columns

    Hi guys. I've been playing around with some simple dio stuff to get some practise. Part of that was to try and make a column which I could use in some sort of temple/city/ruin. This is what I came up with.


    Materials:


    [ATTACH]115238.IPB[/ATTACH]



    Some 3mm foamboard (basically it's foam with a layer of card on each side). I changed my mind and decided not to use this - but then I changed it back again now I've finished. I'm going to cut out a couple of squares to put on the top and bottom of my finished column. You could use just about any sheet material for this.


    A length of plastic tubing - no idea where I got it from but it was just the right size to go with:-


    Two bottle tops from "Fruit Shoot". You need to remove the top and the white inner parts carefully with a pair of snips and leave just the blue bit (I left the clear retaining collar but that's up to you).


    DON'T THROW THE OTHER BITS AWAY! PUT THEM IN YOUR SPARES BOX.


    Some offcuts of 10mm insulating foamboard.


    Some thin strips of plasticard.


    Cut out a base and walls from the foamboard. Shape them as you like and distress the surface by bashing it with whatever hard object comes to hand. Fix them together with PVA or hot glue. add a few bits to create rubble as required.


    [ATTACH]115234.IPB[/ATTACH]



    [ATTACH]115240.IPB[/ATTACH]



    I used a couple of toothpicks to hold them together while the glue set.


    To make the column itself, cut the tubing to a suitable length. You could use any sort of tube/bottle top combination as long as the tube is a good fit inside the bottlecap.


    I wanted to add some features to the tube by fixing the thin strips of plasticard along the length. To make sure the strips were straight, I marked a series of lines along the length as shown:


    [ATTACH]115236.IPB[/ATTACH]



    [ATTACH]115237.IPB[/ATTACH]



    I only used these lines to help me keep the strips parallel, but if you wanted to be precise, you could work out the angles and mark out exactly where the strips should go. I did mine using the standard Mk I eyeball and I think they'll be OK when painted.


    I used an elastic band around the tube to hold the strips in place while I lined them up. I cut eight strips originally thinking that would help out with the alignment, but they were too far apart so I ended up with nine. A touch with my liquid cement fixed them with no problems.


    I had to chamfer the ends of the strips just a little to get the column to slide into the bottle caps, and I filled the gaps they created with superglue.


    Done!


    [ATTACH]115239.IPB[/ATTACH]



    I'm going to add a square on the top and bottom as I don't think this is quite right yet. I'll post up the finished pictures when I've thrown some paint on it.

    [ATTACH]115235.IPB[/ATTACH]













    Attached Files
  • bazers
    • Oct 2013
    • 2611

    #2
    Looks good Dave i used a similar idea with a plastic tube in my desert dio but poured plaster into a plastic tube that had a slit in it when dry it is easy to carve and knock bits off if you want a old style of column.

    [ATTACH]115249.IPB[/ATTACH]

    Attached Files

    Comment

    • monica
      • Oct 2013
      • 15169

      #3
      that's a very nice and useful spot of info Dave,


      well done,and very good use of odds and ends,

      Comment

      • Gern
        SMF Supporters
        • May 2009
        • 9213

        #4
        Originally posted by \
        Looks good Dave i used a similar idea with a plastic tube in my desert dio but poured plaster into a plastic tube that had a slit in it when dry it is easy to carve and knock bits off if you want a old style of column.
        Must remember that one. You have reminded me I should maybe look at putting some horizontal grooves in mine - it's more likely to have been carved from several pieces rather than a single piece of stone.

        Comment

        • Guest

          #5
          Great idea for me to pinch, sorry did I say that out loud.

          Comment

          • monica
            • Oct 2013
            • 15169

            #6
            that's a good point to add in ,as they were never done in one whole column ,

            Comment

            • Alan 45
              • Nov 2012
              • 9833

              #7
              That's great Dave nice use of materials

              Comment

              • Gern
                SMF Supporters
                • May 2009
                • 9213

                #8
                OK. All done.


                I cut some grooves as mentioned and I suspect I went a bit deep 'cos the b****y thing fell in half! No worries though, a bit of filler in the open ends and all is well. I basecoated in black as most sites I've looked at recommend it.


                [ATTACH]115332.IPB[/ATTACH]



                [ATTACH]115333.IPB[/ATTACH]



                [ATTACH]115334.IPB[/ATTACH]



                Couple of bits about the painting. I'm still using the glass top from a copier (although not for cutting PE - I think Ron is right about the risk there) and it makes life much easier. A bit of bluetack under your paint pot stops it tipping over and sliding about when you're brushing the excess off your brush on the lip. Any spills are left to dry and removed with a razor - easy peasy lemon squeezy!


                [ATTACH]115337.IPB[/ATTACH]



                [ATTACH]115336.IPB[/ATTACH]



                [ATTACH]115335.IPB[/ATTACH]



                Anyway. Here's the finished thing with a few oddments of sand and flock etc. It won't win any prizes, but I am encouraged. Gimme another twenty years or so, and I'll be as good as you guys!


                [ATTACH]115338.IPB[/ATTACH]



                [ATTACH]115339.IPB[/ATTACH]



                [ATTACH]115340.IPB[/ATTACH]



                [ATTACH]115341.IPB[/ATTACH]




















                Attached Files

                Comment

                • monica
                  • Oct 2013
                  • 15169

                  #9
                  real good Dave,I do like it,and what a nice turn out well done,

                  Comment

                  • Guest

                    #10
                    great idea , ill try to do this

                    Comment

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