For anyone thinking about making their own terrain and scenery for the first time, this chapter provides an overview of the basic tools you need to get started, as well as a few specialist tools to make your modelmaking life easier (although they’re not essential). As a general rule, always buy the best tools you can afford.
If you are already a keen modelmaker, your first impulse will probably be to skip over this chapter, but I’d urge you to stick with it, because I mention some very useful tools and materials that you might not have seen before.
But before reading any further, let’s run through the mandatory health and safety warnings:
• Sharp things can cut you.
• Hot things can burn you.
• Anything that gives off a vapour may make you ill, nauseous or worse.
• Wear a facemask when using fine materials such as static grass.
• Whenever possible, use aerosol paints outside … but check which way the wind is blowing first! And as an aside, be aware that aerosol paints don’t produce good results when used in low temperatures.
• Finally, always read and follow manufacturers’ instructions.
Even if you are an experienced and careful modelmaker, accidents can and do happen. I managed to sever an artery in my leg with a 10A scalpel blade! I won’t bore you with the details, other than to recommend that you keep a first aid box close to your workbench, or at least know where the plasters are kept. Admittedly plasters didn’t prove effective when fighting an arterial bleed: I had to wrap my leg tightly with a tea towel and then drive 10 miles to the nearest hospital, but on the positive side I managed to convince the nurse to let me have the suturing tweezers used to sew me up. Would you believe these precision instruments were being thrown away after a single use? And as well as doing a good job stitching me back together, they are perfect for rigging model sailing ships (Figure 6).
Throughout this book I’ve used metric measurements wherever possible to keep things simple and streamlined; if you wish to measure in feet and inches, the following approximate conversions will come in handy:
• 2.5cm = 1 inch
• 30cm = 12 inches
Your Main Armoury
The tools suggested in this section are useful, but you don’t need to buy them all at once; you’ll probably already have quite a few useful tools, such as scissors or tweezers etc. And as you make more terrain and scenery your collection of tools and equipment will grow.
To make it as easy as possible to look at the tools you might need, I’ve grouped them according to their primary function.
MEASURING AND MARKING OUT
Steel rules are essential both for measuring and as a cutting guide. It’s useful to have both 15cm and 30cm rulers. The 15cm rule comes in very useful when working in a confined space or cutting out small components.
Probably the most useful metal ruler I have found is the Maun Safety Ruler (Figure 7). The unique shallow ‘M’ cross section helps protect your valuable digits from being accidently sliced and joining the scrap pile.
When making buildings you’ll invariably need to create accurate right angles for which I use a basic engineers’ square. For more options, a combination square allows you to create precise 45° angles.
CUTTING
One of the most commonly used (and sharpest) cutting tools is the scalpel blade. I use Swann Morton surgical blades because they have a wide range of blade shapes, although over time I seem to have standardised on their 10A blade. Swann Morton also produces compatible blade handles. Obviously there are other scalpel blade and handle manufacturers, but always buy your blades and handles from the same manufacturer, and never buy handles that have a round cross section (Figure 8), because if your work surface isn’t perfectly flat they can roll – usually towards you – and drop off the surface and probably into your foot!
Depending upon the blade handle design, fitting and removing the blade can be tricky. My method is to hold the blade in a pair of pliers and carefully slide it into position (Figure 9); removal is the reverse procedure. Whichever method you use, be careful. There’s a very good reason why they’re called surgical blades: they are very, very sharp!
Another cutting option is the single sided razor blade, which I use mainly for cutting stripwood or matchsticks. There are also various types of craft knives, from the heavy duty Stanley knife to snap-off blade knives. I tend to use the latter with the blade fully extended when cutting through high density foam … it causes less problems at home than using our best carving knife!
Figure 9: The safe way to fit a scalpel blade.
Whichever type of knife you use, to ensure the cleanest cut and protect your work surface, you’ll need a self-healing cutting mat.
I also use various types of cutters (Figure 10) to remove components from their plastic sprue prior to cleaning up the components with a fine file or an emery stick. And if you anticipate building palisades, log cabins or similar structures for which you’ll be using barbeque skewers or bamboo, you’ll need a pair of garden secateurs; my secateurs had extensive use when I created a palisade and buildings for an Arthurian demonstration game (Figure 11).
Another unusual but very useful cutting tool is a circle cutter. Mine is made by Ohnar and has given long service; the only downside is that it can be difficult to obtain the blades, so whichever brand of circle cutter you choose, make sure you buy plenty of spare blades. As well as cutting accurate circles, I also use it to mark out roads. Simply extend the circle cutter to the appropriate width and then carefully trace out the shape of road. The blade and the needle will leave two feint parallel lines that are good enough to provide a cutting guide.
When making terrain, you’ll almost certainly be working with high density foam which is sold in many different forms and under various trade names including Styrofoam®, Polyfoam®, Craftfoam® and Reticel®. It’s available in different sheet sizes, thicknesses and densities; generally the densest is best, but it’s also the most expensive. In my experience, it’s a good idea to adapt the size of your intended terrain panels to match available sheet sizes because it can be difficult to cut the material accurately yourself. However for cutting or shaping pieces for specific terrain features like hills or cliffs, a useful tool is a compass saw (which is basically a hacksaw blade in a handle).
Figure 11: Age of Arthur demonstration game. (The Crawley Wargames Club)
For the sake of household harmony, remember that cutting high density foam makes a mess that some vacuum cleaners stubbornly refuse to suck up. You should also wear a facemask when cutting this material because you really don’t want to inhale the dust (and the same applies when cutting mdf).
Remaining with the subject of high density foam, one of the most useful tools I’ve ever bought is the Peter Child Artist’s Pyrography machine. This is basically a mains transformer that controls the heat passing through a thin piece of wire shaped to create a nib-like tool for engraving into a suitable surface or bent to create cutting profiles. You can see the tool in use later in the book in the Wings of Glory project in Chapter Six. This tool is easily the most expensive that I have bought, but it still works perfectly after more than 15 years, proving that if you buy the best you get your monies worth.
DRILLING
A mains-powered modelmaking drill can be useful, and good ones are produced by Dremel® and Minicraft®. Whichever brand you purchase, make sure that it has a slow speed setting for precise work. Another useful tool for drilling is a hand-operated pin vice. They’re cheap and easily controllable. As well as general modelmaking, I also use mine for drilling out the hands of figures to replace lances or pikes.
You’ll need a selection of fine needle files for finishing off surfaces. To remove the waste material that can clog up the file you’ll also need a brass suede brush: buy brass because it’s a soft metal and is less likely to damage the file.
GRIPPING
Inevitably you’ll have assemblies that need to be held tightly in position whilst glue is setting. You don’t need anything sophisticated and I’ve collected a random mix of pegs, bulldog clips, cheap clamps and elastic bands that work just fine.
Occasionally when making buildings, and certainly when painting miniatures, you get those moments when you wish you had another hand or two. Fortunately, help is available in the form of the aptly named Helping Hands tool consisting of a beam with a crocodile clip clamp at each end, securely supported on a heavyweight base (Figure 12). Some versions include an integral magnifying glass.
Although I use mine in modelmaking, I find it particularly useful when painting figures. My rationale is simple: if the hand holding the paintbrush is shaking and the hand holding the figure or base is also shaking then you’re making your life twice as difficult as you need to.
Figure 12: You never know when an extra pair of hands will be useful!
HOT MELT GLUE GUN
For those times when conventional glues just don’t seem to work, hot wax will often do the job but you’ll need a suitable glue gun. Remember that hot wax is … hot, so take care.
LEGO® BRICKS
Not strictly tools, but I have used them for many years as an aid to creating right angles for buildings. Mine cost me next to nothing.
STATIC GRASS APPLICATOR
I use static grass in terrain and scenery making, and also on the bases of my figures and movement trays (Figure 13). It can be applied in several ways, primarily depending on the area that needs to be covered. For small areas I use a simple (and cheap) puffer bottle. You simply apply PVA glue in the appropriate areas, shake the puffer to create some static charge and then puff the grass onto the glue.
When grassing figure bases, it can help to make the grass stand up if you invert the base and lightly tap the underside. I’ve also heard of modelmakers who hold the base close to a CRT TV; the static electricity from the screen attracts the static grass fibres pulling them upright and away from the base.
Figure 13: Static grass applied to bases.
Another technique that works reasonably well is to apply PVA glue and then pinch up a clump of static grass and push it into the PVA (Figure 14). The pinching tends to squeeze the fibres upright. Once the glue has dried thoroughly, turn the base upside down and tap the base so that any static grass that hasn’t been glued can be collected up and used later. When using this technique, keep your fingers moist otherwise the static grass will stick to your fingers instead of the base. I used this technique for the ramparts of the hill fort project in Chapter Seventeen.
For covering larger areas of terrain I use a tool much favoured by the railway modelling fraternity: an electro-static applicator such as The Flockit produced by Green Scene, which although relatively expensive at around £75, has a lifetime no-quibble guarantee and it works extremely well. Simply fill the container with static grass and then apply PVA glue to the area to be covered. Next clip one end of the earth wire to the glued area. Turn it on and shake the device over the glued area and the static grass will stand proud.
CREATING YOUR OWN TUFTS
There are several companies selling ready-made tufts but if you have your own electro-static grass machine, you can make your own (Figure 15). You can choose from different colours and lengths of fibre to create exactly the tufts you need. I must be honest, mine are not as neat as those you can buy, but it doesn’t really matter. I just squirt several blobs of PVA onto a piece of clear acetate, spread it around a bit using a cocktail stick, and then use my electro-static grass machine as previously described. Leave it overnight, and then turn the acetate upside down and give it a gentle tap to dislodge the static grass that hasn’t been glued.
Figure 15: Homemade tufts.
I bring into service all sorts of scrap acetate from packaging to the clear lids used on yoghurt cartons. Remember, the first rule of terrain and scenery making: throw nothing away!
Before leaving the subject of static grass I recommend that when you are using it, you wear a mask of some sort, because the fibres are extremely fine and light, and tend to float around in the air and be easily inhaled (which can cause an allergic reaction).
AIRBRUSH
This is one of those pieces of equipment that you never feel you need until you get one, and then you can’t believe how you managed to get along without it. Why bother with an airbrush when there are so many different colours available in aerosol spray cans? A fair question, and for me, there are many reasons:
• Spray cans are expensive, and if you use them a lot an airbrush will save you money in the long run (even allowing for the initial cost of the airbrush and a small compressor).
• An airbrush is much easier to control than an aerosol can.
• Aerosol spray cans can only spray at a set width, so if you’re spraying a small area you waste a lot of paint in overspray; a good quality airbrush can spray a line as narrow as 0.16mm, so there’s minimal overspray and wastage.
• Sometimes aerosol sprays attack foam, which can be a serious problem if you use foam in the construction of your terrain or buildings; I’ve never had that problem when using an airbrush.
• An airbrush is far more environmentally friendly and safer than spray cans because it uses compressed air as a propellant rather than flammable gaseous propellants.
• Although there are a lot of different coloured aerosol sprays available, with an airbrush there is no limit to the colour choices available to you.
In short an airbrush saves me money and increases the instances when I can benefit from using a spray.
There are a lot of decisions to be made when selecting the airbrush that is right for your particular needs. I would recommend studying the websites of companies such as Badger, Iwata, Paasche and Aztek for the most up-to-date information. As a starting point, always look for a modellers’ airbrush, not one aimed at artists or illustrators because they are designed to use very thin paints and inks that won’t be any use for modelling applications.
For me, the most important decision was whether to buy a single action or a dual action airbrush. A single action airbrush means that you adjust the width of the spray using one control and then spray using the trigger. A dual action airbrush has a trigger that allows you to simultaneously spray and, by sliding it forward or back, vary the thickness of the spray. In the end, I chose a single action Badger 200NH model because I couldn’t envisage any situations in which I would need to vary the thickness of my sprayed line during the spraying process … and a single action model was cheaper than a dual action model. This particular airbrush has an adjustable spray from 0.16mm to 50mm, which is more than adequate for my terrain and scenery making needs as well as being suitable for spraying my figures too.
Although this section is about the merits of using an airbrush over aerosol cans, I feel that I should share an additional problem I’ve encountered when using spray cans, and that is the difference between primer spray and colour spray. The purpose of a primer is to create a surface onto which the topcoat can adhere. To achieve this, the primer dries with a slightly roughened surface to which the top coat can better grip. All very sensible but if, for example, you decide to use a grey primer as the coat for say, a small scale naval vessel, you will have a problem because of the primer’s rough finish (Figure 16). Sadly the result was a ruined model, and at £10 that was no joke, so learn from my mistake.
OPTIVISOR
For detail work I find that a magnifying glass is too awkward. Instead I bought an Optivisor several years ago. The unit fits around your head and has a choice of lenses that slot inside the visor, each with different degrees of magnification. There is also a version with an integral light, but in my experience it’s better to have the light source separate because it allows more flexibility when you position it.
Materials
It’s impossible to list every material that you may find yourself using in the course of your terrain and scenery making, but each project in this book includes a list of the materials needed, and the following selection highlights the materials I use most often in my terrain building.
HIGH DENSITY FOAM
This is the generic term for extruded polystyrene (XPS), which is marketed under a variety of trade names such as Polyfoam®, Recticel®, Styrofoam® and Craftfoam®. It is not the same as the expanded polystyrene that is used in packaging. The latter can be used for creating small hills so long as they’re coated with PVA glue to toughen up the surface, but even so, I would recommend that you steer clear of expanded polystyrene because it is too fragile for the regular handling associated with wargaming use.
One cautionary note regarding Polyfoam and Recticel: these materials are generally sold in sizes to fit between roof joists, namely about 120cm x 50cm x 6cm. Most wargaming terrain tile systems are based on multiples of 60cm square tiles or 120cm x 60cm, which means that the tiles can be rotated through 360° to create different configurations. If you use materials that are either not square or with the length not exactly double the width, you will find that they are not as versatile as other high density foam materials. I use various brands of high density foam for my terrain, such as those named above, but for simplicity I will just describe them as ‘high density foam’.
My first stop for sourcing this material is from a builders’ merchant, where you can check the material before buying. Having said that, if you discover a particular online supplier who has the right product at the right price, then use them. For example, I now buy virtually all my high density foam from Panel Systems who manufacture the materials to different sizes and density, and although I have to buy relatively large quantities, it works out cheaper per individual sheet than buying from model shops. Generally the denser the material the stronger it is, but also the more expensive; always try to buy the best materials you can afford when building terrain because you want it to give many years’ service.
As well as being available in thick blocks, which are ideal for terrain, you can also buy thinner sheets around 0.3cm or 0.5cm thick that can be useful when constructing buildings and other man-made structures. You can lightly engrave stonework or brick courses into the surface of the high density foam using an old ballpoint pen (Figure 17).
Figure 17: Engraving stonework into high density foam.
This material was originally used for mounting photographs or prints, but its lightness, strength and dimensional stability soon brought it to the attention of modelmakers. It comprises a thin layer of foam, usually 0.3cm or 0.5cm, sandwiched between white or black paper. The surface of this material is very smooth so any texture required will have to be created. Such texture is usually added either by applying a coating of PVA and fine sand, or by adding a thin coating of filler. Another popular technique is to spread a thin layer of air-drying clay onto the surface and then engraving stone or brickwork (Figure 18).
Figure 18: Stonework engraved into a layer of air-drying clay on a foamboard wall.
CORK TILES
Cork tiles are often used as an alternative to high density foamboard when making buildings, because cork has an interesting surface texture which can make areas of otherwise blank wall look more interesting without needing to apply a texture coating.
WOOD
I believe that if you want to represent wood in modelmaking, you should use wood. So I always have stocks of different thickness balsa sheet and stripwood, as well as veneer, barbeque skewers, broken bamboo roller blinds, cocktail sticks and toothpicks. I use both cocktail sticks and toothpicks because I find that the latter are less regular and rougher looking than cocktail sticks, making them more suitable for rustic fencing.
FAKE FUR
This is probably the most frequently used material for representing thatch. The thatch creating technique is relatively messy, as projects featured later in this book will show, but I think it’s worth the effort (Figure 19).
Figure 19: A fake fur thatched roof.
OTHER MATERIALS
There are many more materials that I use, and which you’ll discover for yourself as you make more models. You’ll also develop an eye for spotting the modelmaking possibilities in totally unconnected products. For example, whilst scouting around a local hardware store, I spotted a couple of sink drainers. Now everyone else just saw sink drainers, but I saw the outlets for a rocket engine! What makes this worse is that I seriously doubt whether I’ll ever need to build a rocket engine or anything vaguely similar, but if I do…
As a cautionary note, as you start to accumulate all manner of bits and pieces for future use, try to store them somewhere that they can be found at a later date.
The following table sums up the materials I use most frequently, as well as some others that I’ve found useful. This list really is just the start, and you will probably discover other or alternative materials; if you do, remember to share your finds and ideas with other wargamers, and hopefully they will do the same.
Uses |
|
Aluminium mesh |
The diamond shaped mesh is good for creating leaded windows. |
Balsa |
The best way to represent wood. Available in sheets or strips. |
Barbeque skewers |
Useful for palisades or log building. Usually easier to cut than bamboo and garden canes. |
Broom heads |
The bristles make good reeds. |
Cocktail sticks and toothpicks |
Ideal as the basis for different types of fences, also for holding high density foam assemblies. Toothpicks have a rougher, more natural look. |
Coconut fibre doormat |
Used to represent fields with growing crops. Sometimes it’s cut into pieces the same width as figure bases so that sections can be removed as the troops make their way through the field, which looks much better than figures standing on top of the crops. |
Coir basket liner |
Thin sheets of coconut fibre that can be used to simulate thatch. |
Cork bark |
A good way to represent rugged cliff faces. Quite difficult to obtain: try florists or pet shops. |
Cork tiles |
An alternative to using foam for walls and has an interesting texture. |
Corrugated card |
Good for simulating pantile roofs. I use cat food cartons and strip away the outer surface by lightly soaking it with water and leaving the card to dry. |
Dried herbs |
Good for ground cover. |
Fake fur |
The best material for creating thatch. Larger pieces can make excellent terrain cloths. |
High density foam |
Sold under various brand names, probably the most widely used material for terrain building. |
Foamboard/foamcore |
Used for building construction. Be careful if using it for small scale buildings as the exposed width of the material around windows and doors may look over-scale. |
Green pan scourers |
Can be used to make small scale hedges, or natural roofs for small buildings. |
Rubberised horsehair |
Originally intended for stuffing upholstery, this material is commonly used as the basis for the foliage of deciduous trees and large hedges. |
Textured and blown wallpaper |
Can be used to represent random stonework or cobbled streets depending on the pattern. |
Wet-and-dry paper |
When glued to a rigid base, wet-and-dry makes a passable tarmac road. Don’t be tempted to use ordinary sand or glasspaper. When they get wet the gritty surface disintegrates. Wet-and-dry is formulated to withstand a certain amount of water (or paint). |
Unsurprisingly, the more materials you use, the more types of adhesive you’ll need to be familiar with. My general rule is to ask advice, whether from where you obtain your materials or from other wargamers. Always read the manufacturers’ instructions, but if in any doubt, test every material and adhesive combination before working on the actual project. A bit of caution at this stage will save a lot of heartache later.
The following table provides a guide to the most commonly used materials and adhesives that I have used successfully.
Material |
Adhesive |
Comments |
Balsa wood |
Balsa cement. You can also use superglue if you’re in a hurry |
There is a temptation when using wood, to use stains and varnishes. If you do, be sparing in how you apply glue because it can leave a skin over the wood that will affect the coverage of any stain. |
Card and paper |
PVA (white glue) |
Always buy undiluted PVA, and dilute it as required. Allow plenty of drying time. |
Expanded polystyrene packaging |
Tile adhesive or instant grab adhesive such as No More Nails® |
I’ve specified ‘packaging’ because this type of expanded polystyrene is manufactured to different standards and qualities. Whichever glue you use, run a test first. |
Plasticard |
Slater’s Mekpak® |
I had many some frustrating experiences making Plasticard models until I used Mekpak. |
Plastic kits |
Polystyrene cement |
Buy the ones with a fine needle nozzle for maximum control. |
Polyfoam, Reticel or Styrofoam |
PVA (white glue) or instant grab adhesive |
Styrofoam or high density foam is the material most often used for making terrain. I have had good results with both glue options, but, just to be sure, I always pin pieces together using cocktail sticks for extra strength. |
Resin |
Superglue |
I use the gel version because it has some gap filling properties that can be useful. |
Stones |
Superglue or hot melt glue |
For small stones such as those that you might use to aid detail to a base, I use superglue but for larger areas I use hot melt glue. |
Wood |
PVA (white) glue |
Always allow plenty of drying time when using PVA glue and if possible, clamp components together for the entire drying time. |
I couldn’t end this basic list of adhesives without mentioning Milliput®. Originally formulated for DIY and plumbing repairs, this epoxy putty was eagerly grasped by the modelmaking community. It can be used for modelling and sculpting and also adheres to almost any surface making it a combination of modelling clay and glue. Once dry it can be cut, sanded, shaped and painted, and it’s available in several different grades. It takes a bit of practice to use, but once you are familiar with it, this is probably one of the most versatile modelling materials you will find.
Do remember that when using adhesives, many of them give off unpleasant vapours, so always work in well ventilated areas and ideally wear a mask.