We tested the anti-gravity modules today. A bit touchy, but working.
Green Army Men Equipment and buildings and stuff…
- Thread starter OldMiner
- Start date
I’ve been playing, but too lazy to post. I have some neat little tips for workbench stuff, I will post later. My supply of casting materials… silicone and resin arrived today. That should be fun.
But, this is what I actually did today… I started the first 12” x 12” tile for my game board. I got the grandson’s and son’s approval for building a board game based on 54mm creatures, set in some unknown era, yet to be determined.
I had ordered a set of 20 cheap self stick vinyl floor tiles to be the ‘base‘ of each tile. I did decide to underlay each of those with 1” rigid foam, since the tiles themselves are not stiff at all. Of course the box of tiles came damaged, something ate the corner of the box and damaged quite a few. It won’t hurt for this application. And, I have plenty of 1” insulation board available. On this one, I did peel the foil facing off. I won’t do that again. Each tile will get a layer of brown paper tape as a ‘wrap around’ before applying the vinyl floor tile.
Since the building is an observation post, it needed to be on a hill. So, since I have 3 large sheets of packing foam (that I believe is polyethylene foam), I decided to use that. It is very easy to cut and form, this time I used a knife, but the hot wire cutter works well too.
Next will be glue and probably spackling compound to make the hill a hill.
That guy above volunteered to hold the ramp in the up position, since the winch do do that job isn’t there yet.
While this can be manned by humans, it still hasn’t been decided if it will normally be manned by the autonomous robots as seen manning the mini gun in a couple of pictures. That would reduce the amount of supplies and amenities required at the site. The next tile may be the power generator and radar unit.
But, this is what I actually did today… I started the first 12” x 12” tile for my game board. I got the grandson’s and son’s approval for building a board game based on 54mm creatures, set in some unknown era, yet to be determined.
I had ordered a set of 20 cheap self stick vinyl floor tiles to be the ‘base‘ of each tile. I did decide to underlay each of those with 1” rigid foam, since the tiles themselves are not stiff at all. Of course the box of tiles came damaged, something ate the corner of the box and damaged quite a few. It won’t hurt for this application. And, I have plenty of 1” insulation board available. On this one, I did peel the foil facing off. I won’t do that again. Each tile will get a layer of brown paper tape as a ‘wrap around’ before applying the vinyl floor tile.
Since the building is an observation post, it needed to be on a hill. So, since I have 3 large sheets of packing foam (that I believe is polyethylene foam), I decided to use that. It is very easy to cut and form, this time I used a knife, but the hot wire cutter works well too.
Next will be glue and probably spackling compound to make the hill a hill.
That guy above volunteered to hold the ramp in the up position, since the winch do do that job isn’t there yet.
While this can be manned by humans, it still hasn’t been decided if it will normally be manned by the autonomous robots as seen manning the mini gun in a couple of pictures. That would reduce the amount of supplies and amenities required at the site. The next tile may be the power generator and radar unit.
I got the layers trimmed and glued down today. The outpost floor (cardboard) warped pretty badly when I painted and glued the top. I should have sealed it first. It is rounded on the bottom, like a rocker. So, I hollowed out the top layer of foam, leaving a perimeter for the outpost base to sit on. Then it was all glued together with rubber cement. WHY did I do that? Hot glue would have been better. Oh well. After that, a layer of spackling compound went on. I’m hoping to start texturing and painting the rock layers tomorrow. I want the rock to look like cross bedded sandstone.
I can drill through the base and hollow out a space in the 1” foam tile at the bottom for a battery box to hide. I do want LED lights in the outpost eventually.
And this is the look I hope to achieve.
I can drill through the base and hollow out a space in the 1” foam tile at the bottom for a battery box to hide. I do want LED lights in the outpost eventually.
And this is the look I hope to achieve.
I got a base coat of paint on the outpost and fiddled with color around the door. I also painted the hill about 3 times and my wife decided to take over that part. Makes me grin to see her working on the model.
Since I now have plenty of wheels for trailers and such, I decided to double check the Hawk Missiles for scale and workability with my little army men. This WILL work. Grin…
Reference photos of the real thing first:
I cut a foam block for the ‘box’ that the missiles sit on, leaned a hot glue wheel next to it and posed a rifleman next to it. This will be fine for play. (Other possible parts for the radar unit are there too)
The plan is to cover the foam block with cardstock and greeblies, on both the launcher and the radar unit.
Reference photos of the real thing first:
I cut a foam block for the ‘box’ that the missiles sit on, leaned a hot glue wheel next to it and posed a rifleman next to it. This will be fine for play. (Other possible parts for the radar unit are there too)
The plan is to cover the foam block with cardstock and greeblies, on both the launcher and the radar unit.
Previous hobby of gunsmithing left me with a complete machine shop and lots of neat tools. One son has the machines, I need to get them set up for him and start teaching him the basics.Nice 1,2,3,Block you have there. A very useful block to have.
Yes, the 1-2-3 blocks are handy for lots of things. In this case they were weights, other uses are to keep corners exactly 90 degrees and of course lots of other things. Very much worth buying a set.
Here is why I have so much time to kill inside the house. (We finally have that NevadaBlue sky)
And a bit of progress on the Hawk launcher system. I made a foam block for the base of the launcher and covered top and sides with card stock. I dug a trough through the block for the axle location and pressed air dry clay into the trough. Then I pushed the axles into the soft clay, then pulled them out to let the clay dry. That will give me a way to install and remove the wheels easily and should be quite strong. The bottom of the box will be covered with card as soon as the clay dries.
The radar antennae (odd word that) are kind of big, but this is a model for playing, not for museum use.
I have to make a little dome shape for the middle of the right antenna and a ‘probe’ for the middle of the other one. (Soda can and the plunger out of a can of pressurized cheese spread for parts) (no I normally don’t eat the cheese stuff, but someone gave us a couple of cans… yellow salt paste it is)
And a bit of progress on the Hawk launcher system. I made a foam block for the base of the launcher and covered top and sides with card stock. I dug a trough through the block for the axle location and pressed air dry clay into the trough. Then I pushed the axles into the soft clay, then pulled them out to let the clay dry. That will give me a way to install and remove the wheels easily and should be quite strong. The bottom of the box will be covered with card as soon as the clay dries.
The radar antennae (odd word that) are kind of big, but this is a model for playing, not for museum use.
I have to make a little dome shape for the middle of the right antenna and a ‘probe’ for the middle of the other one. (Soda can and the plunger out of a can of pressurized cheese spread for parts) (no I normally don’t eat the cheese stuff, but someone gave us a couple of cans… yellow salt paste it is)
- Apr 5, 2013
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At least that snow isn't slush,or ice and snow. You can drive on that. It's 30 degrees outside right now. Too cold to do anything, or get anything done. Those blocks are invaluable for set up. I have a small machine shop set up to, but it's in an unheated Barn 299' feet from me, not conducive to working in Winter.
That cold shop is basically what ended my ‘machinist’ career. We moved from there and I gave all my machines to my son for helping us move. Moving a packrat from a place he lived for 16 years, 150 miles… he earned every bit of it. Plus he got my knuckle boom service truck. He’s a good kid, hard worker.At least that snow isn't slush,or ice and snow. You can drive on that. It's 30 degrees outside right now. Too cold to do anything, or get anything done. Those blocks are invaluable for set up. I have a small machine shop set up to, but it's in an unheated Barn 299' feet from me, not conducive to working in Winter.
Now our forecast calls for flooding, I say ‘bring it on!’. We have had snow on the ground since October, not normal or welcome.