Sunday, April 18, 2010

Milling Around

My latest building project - the old stone mill. Could make for a good defensive position on the river. Made from mdf board and other bits of wood. The river sections are also made from mdf board, with the river and banks painted on. I like the way my painted road sections look so I decided to try the same with river sections. Unfortunately this just about exhausts my supply of 1/8 thick mdf board and no one seems to sell it around where I live any more. They tell me they don't sell enough of it so they don't carry it any more. They won't seem to order a couple of pieces either.
The mill lifts off leaving a stone foundation that can represent a small stone jetty.

p.s. While killing time at the bookstore today (a dangerous thing for me to do! ha ha) I picked up the Dover reprint of Winston Churchill's "The Story of the Malakand Field Force", thinking it might be good inspiration for some Colonial games some day.

13 comments:

justMike said...

Nice looking mill Fitz. Don't know what the availability is in your area, but I know that Home Depot here has carried MDF in the past. Hope you can find more 'cause this looks great! - Mike

David Morfitt said...

Looks good - though the windows might look better if more defined, possibly as a stuck on shape, making them seem more 3D? The river sections are also impressive - a nice bit of paint work there. :-)

Many of Churchill's books can be found as free downloads on the 'Net (Malakand Field Force here: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9404) so if you're happy to print them out or read them on your computer, then there's lots of inspiration to be had there for nothing or very little. :-)

Cheers,

David
http://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/

Fitz-Badger said...

Mike - I've tried a couple of Home Depots and a couple of Lowe's stores. They don't carry it and they said none of their other stores in the area carry it. I found a source on-line, but much more expensive. I have a possibility for a local supplier, but they're not open weekends.

David - Thanks. I'm going for a more old school look like I've seen on sites like Stollen and in Grant's old book. Mine looks more cartoony rather than sketch-like. That's okay by me - they're toys, not dioramas. :)
As for books - Call me weird, but I prefer "real" books, printed and bound. :) (I can spend hours in bookstores and like having my own library of books at home).
And I spend quite enough time on the computer between work and home as it is! And printouts aren't quite the same. But thanks for the info!

Bluebear Jeff said...

Fitz,

Even up here in the "wilds of a small Canadian town" our Home Depot carries the MDF . . . but in 2'x2' sheets. So look for the place where they sell sheets of this size . . . you might find it there.


-- Jeff

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Hey, I really like the look of your mill! I might just have to try something similar here in Stollen.

Best Regards,

Stokes

Fitz-Badger said...

Jeff - nope, not even in their section of smaller sheets. They have 1/4" thick mdf, plywoods and other stuff, but no 1/8" thick mdf.
:(

Thanks, Stokes! Your blog is a constant inspiration! David does have a point. I don't think I want to go that route, but maybe I need to use a straightedge or template to keep the lines straighter... (or I could try the "flatpack" idea...)

tradgardmastare said...

Mill looks great !
Alan

Rafael Pardo said...

Very original!
It seems good for a strong point...

David Morfitt said...

I agree in general about books - have over 8,000 at the last count some years ago and we're still acquiring more. However, I'm also a Yorkshireman and, as they still say in many parts of the county, it's good to get "summat fer nowt". ;-)

Quite understand about the Old School Look for the buildings too.

Cheers,

David
http://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/

Fitz-Badger said...

The quest for the mythical substance known as 1/8 inch thick mdf board - Tried calling a couple more local independent suppliers today. No luck. I might as well be looking for unicorns (except probably more people know what unicorns are!). If anyone in the San Bernardino/Riverside are knows of an actual source I'd be obliged.
In the meantime I've ordered some online and I'll keep an eye out for the stuff next time I'm in San Diego or elsewhere with my truck.

Regarding the windows - David's comments have gotten me thinking and I think I'm going to experiment with some ideas for better drawn/painted windows (maybe a homemade stencil, or straightedge, maybe in combination with the "flat pack" idea from the Wargamer's Annual). I'll post pics.

Anonymous said...

Super model and river sections. Very impressed.
Don't seem to have much problem getting hold of thin MDF where I live (Lancashire UK) most of the local DIY stores stock great big sheets of the stuff.

- Steve.

Conrad Kinch said...

Fitz,

Is there an email I could contact you on? I have a favour to ask.

Conrad Kinch said...

Cheers. Will do.