paper warehouses, kit comparrison

   Things are progressing reasonably well, I haven't lost my temper once this week!...thus far!
Lots of honey-do's have been accomplished, I've made it to almost all Church and school functions-except the times I was at work-, and I've also made respectful progress on my painting.
I even have found the time to set up the tree, string the lights, and set up my nutcracker collection; although, I suppose those are requirements for the season! It seems that my paint table has a foot race between the 44th Regt of foot and the  Prison Outbreak zombies. One will be featured next week, If I survive the next five, twelve-hour work days and the non-winter drivers seeking home or shopping as I go to and from work!
I have slowly been taking advantage of technology with this hobby. First using the internet for research instead of the library, then forums with like minded hobby enthusiasts, paper models to replace the expensive kits and time consuming scratch builds, and of course blogger!

There is nothing wrong with scratch builds nor kits. They do take time from the minions and can take money from recruiting more minions. I have several really nice kits and scratch built terrain pieces, I consider it mandatory to have objective markers or army specific terrain bits to anchor a force in what is mostly a modular, generic battlefield. Papermodels are really great as they are cheap and often nice free ones can be found. Some can be reskined or include optional components which can lead a hobbyist to fill a table with structures from just one PDF file. Dave Graffam is one such designer who includes several skins and options in his builds including instructions to scale the structure into any size you need. His builds have been the easiest ones to build. Chris Roe makes splendid Scifi vehicles and structures which fit well into BladeRunner/5th Element/Battlestar Galactica/ Serenty type settings his builds are a bit more intermediate to expert but are exquisite in the function( removable roofs/walls, working ramps, etc). I have several different kits from many makers. I had thought to make my own to sell, but I'm still a ground pounder and free time is for my minions!

I have two warehouse models to show. One is the multistory warehouse from Finger and Toe models, the other is a derelict warehouse from Stoezels Structures. Both are really easy to build and could fit well in most any era from WW1 to future war.

I made the Finger and Toe model a four story structure. It could have several more levels or even one. Several optional doors and windows are included to further personalize it. I am very unhappy with the roof and have made several previous structures as static pieces because of the warping roofs. The Stoezel structure is laminated paper over foam core and it has a solid build that is rapidly endearing me to his kits. I may try laminating the finger and toe models which should remove the dreaded warp issue.

there is some warping here, but I found this a novel way of building a layer cake construction and keep the levels from shifting during use. Glen included the interior parts to help stabilize the floors

Glen also used the concrete decorations to hide the seams of each level making this a very functional model...except for that roof!

The Stoezel structure has two floors, because it is so solid I store my paper crates and barrels in it.

It is truly a warehouse for my minions! It came with a staircase and the support posts which hold each upper level in place. each post is precolored even on the end pieces. ..in case you should want to lay a few down for tripping hazards or further adding to the disrepair of the derelict.

Finger and toe has spots in the corner for the support posts, but they are only colored on a few sides and the top.

The blue line is marking the area for a floor in the stoezel structure. you can cut a rabbit in the foamcore and build this as a threesided, layer cake, or a removable floor as I have done. make sure you test fit first as Carl gives you enough print acreage on all the pieces to accommodate your building preference.

My Free French Scifi Marines have graciously wandered into the top floor of the Finger and Toe warehouse. They are trapped! Although Glen included stairs, they are taller than the floors and you will have to cut out openings for each level. While this makes a nice sandbox approach, I have discovered that some windows and sections would be covered by the stairs, so I left them out.

They are more ramps than stairs as well. They do have a good slope for mini bases and did go together quickly. Another big deterrent is only the side and rear of the stair are skinned, it has to be against a wall. I am going to save them for a future build.

Both kits are really nice. The finger and toe model cost me less than $5 and the Stoezel structure was free. With cost, ease of build, skin quality, game potential...the better kit is the stoezel structure, but I truly like the sand box Finger and toe. I'm going to rebuild it with foamcore and go for a couple of large up to 10 storey towers for snipers! You could even run a skirmish for ascending or descending the tower. But the derelict is free and really easy to build.

If you haven't built one yet, I recommend a wrinkle free scrapbook glue, 170# cardstock, and spray photo adheseive for sticking the card to the foamcore. I'd use black foamcore as it looks better than white when thin slivers show thru slightly off cuts. Follow the instructions and allow time for the glue to set. I have a slew of cheap markers to edge the cardstock with the similar color to the skins, this also removes the white slices peeking thru. Last of all, it is paper and it is easy if you take your time; however, both of these models took a weekend to build together. I spent perhaps 6 hours for each build not including dry time. I played with my kids, painted models and performed honey-do's.

It was a rainy Michigan summer weekend which may have influenced the warp factor of the finger and toe model too!

Thus concludes another week, It'll be redcoats or berserker zombies next week!

 

some terrain and a teaser

I survived the weekend. I had a very cold march and recon mission traipsing through snow covered Michigan woods in the very, Very wee hours of the morning. It was just above zero, and the wind was not cooperating. I also enjoyed another stroll through the woods performing land navigation. This is done with a map and compass(GPS is for cheating kids!). A true scout can orient themselves to a map, recognize terrain, and use the compass to steer a path. Being an old boot, I know my pace count at a walk and a jog. If I walk 60 paces, I've gone 100 meters. Thankfully, I do not need GPS as it will surely fail when I need it most!
I had to find several points in the land nav course. Because I was cold, hungry, and still sick...I did not waste anytime and finished quickly to await the rest of the platoon in a warm building. Said warm building had plenty of coffee! No doubt due to budget cuts, we stayed at an old decrepit barracks that had seen service as long as I. It seemed only a little younger than Civil War vintage, and the water had two temperatures available...C for cold and H for HELLA COLD!
Sunday evening I at last made it home to good food and a nice recuperating back rub from Household-6. My wife also had a nice pot of coffee and warm supper waiting! I do not complain about creature comforts to my 1st Sgt, as he is not as commiserating as my wife...he also will not rub your aching feet like my lovely wife will!

So, speaking of my wife....I am still deep in this years mission of painting six armies and straighten up my hobby area. With all the boxes my kids helped me remove from the shed, some damages were noted. Principle among the damages were the cardstock terrain that was once carefully stored in the shed.
Dave Graffham designed much of the cardstock in my collection. I began using it to speed up the process of my sewer and trench board. I wanted a fully modeled city that could be placed over the monstrosity. It would cost A Lot to do this in resin, MDF, or plastic kits. I would also still be crafting scratch builds even now to cover it. The board is 8'x4', and the city had to be able to host Mordenheim and other generic fantasy, Napoleonic, Civil War, WW2, Sci-Fi, and Steampunk. After viewing several designers, I felt Mr Graffham fit the bill perfectly. Most of his buildings cost less than $5 each, with layered PDF format each one can be drastic in difference from one another.
The following buildings are over a year old. Various glues were used from Elmer's white glue all, to glue sticks, and even scrapbooking glues. Some stored in cardboard boxes have curled from either climate or from the knack of corrugated cardboard absorption of moisture from anything in proximity. The Gluesticks did not hold up well to non-climate control in the shed either.

On the brightside, I edge my models now. The ones I put together with glue sticks are already scored, so all I have to do is edge them with markers and re-glue them with the proven glues that withstand temperature extremes. Some of the newer models have interiors, and some of the newer models are great in extra details like his  inventor house and the Mermaid Tavern. I will have fully covered my table by the end of this year. Since I am still tidying up, and unburying it, it will be a bit before I can show it off properly.

just an eclectic mix of Graffham structures taken from storage, I will be making a wharf section for my town as well as a shopping district. the structure in the lower right is a freebie one for those wanting to try it out. It is a coaching inn and I've built three with only the outer shape being the same.

a brick gatehouse, perfect for assassinations, snipers, crowd control....

a closeup of some of the structure details. You can even add exterior pipes which can lend to steampunk or modern convenience!

some details of a fisherman's shack and a tudor shop. I bought all of his tudor buildings in a bundle as I am very partial to their look.

the asylum...I can easily picture the tricksy French trying to waylay Sharpe and Mr Harper from the balconies...cuz you know you have to cheat against Mr Sharpe!

another gatehouse and the wonderful ruined chapel.

Another shot of the tudor shop...because I like it so!

some watch towers, these suffered some fading as they were in a clear plastic container located too close to a window in the shed....no excuse for lack of situational awareness for this old soldier!

two ruined houses warped from the cardboard box...but notice how each has a different look. these are the same kit with different layers applied

some minis to show scale and a teaser for tomorrow's post.
I really enjoy skirmish type wargaming, and the sewer board is going to be my opus for that type of gaming. PDF buildings have really sped up my progress for the board. the card buildings  are pretty durable too. I built some test pieces of elevated fortress walls and roads which handily hold the weight of my Cygnar war machines which are very stout lead pieces!