Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi,

Dunno if this is the correct board for this by hey-ho.

I have no carving skills - however I did get a rotary tool (dremel brand) for Xmas. For the unfamiliar it is essentially a drill with a series of grinding attachments. A good one costs £40 or so, though you may be able to find one for less.

The construction materials are:

1) wooden frame (scots pine - sometimes marketed as Scandinavian redwood) - these I had delivered for £35 from a timber merchant, I cut to size (very badly) using a cheap £7 argos bought jigsaw.

2) MDF board £20

3) Kingspan (also sold as Xtratherm) insulation board. Its not quite as good as pink/blue foam but it is ALOT cheaper and very similar £15 for an 8 by 4 ft sheet.

4) Sundry screws, glue n nails flock n what not.

5) Hinges n brackets (which I bought on ebay for very little money).

First i made the wooden frame as below. The corners I affixed with brackets. The straights were fastened with hinges so that it folds down roughly 1.5ft x 4ft high and 9 inches deep or so CONCERTINA style. The middle hinge is below the frame in a mortis (also dug out with the dremmel and a handt ebay attachment to make it straight)

The boards went in the middle - retrospectively I should have got larger ones but hey-ho-hum. I attached marine grade eye bolt screws to the frame and used webbing (nylon) to create a handy shoulder strap. Despite the boards heft it can be carried about quite easily like this.

The wood carcings reflect celtic theme on one side (celtic knots, runes, celtic design boar) and medieval on the other (gothic arches and gothic font latin inscriptions)

I have not finished carvings yet and am deciding where to go with it. Using templates from the internet it is actually quite relaxing to sit back and carve away at the shape. I will finsih eventually with a slightly darker wood stain.

The innards are yet to be completed - I painted the insulation board and flocked it with a grass mix - adding small heather buses etc to taste. The farms and road were slightly carved in again with the dremel. The beach area will be completed with quick try resin as im finding still water effects takes about forever.

Note in the picture there is still some drying pva and fixative spray creating some white here and there - I scrub my flock with a sponge after to remove this and any excess flock not adhered. It dries hard.

I will return with updates as I work.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh i forgot to mention - the board is of course 6x4.

Looking good!

cheers.

Very cool. Looks like a simple enough construction for a very effective finish. Kudos!

Hi Guys - thank you for words of encouragement - So I finished off this project adding epoxy resin to the beach water and adding wood stain to the wood.

The epoxy was cheap and easy to use (1st time) mixing together a hardener and the resin in a plastic cup before pouring it onto the board. I added a tiny bit of blue paint to taste.

It dried in 15 mins but felt sticky an hour later - this might well have dried to an unsticky final state - but I decided just to pour still water effects over the top in a thin layer as I know this dries to a pleasingly unsticky final state.

The wood dye I sponged on. With the glue for the flock set the board is done. It is by no means perfect but I think good enough for its purpose - combining being flat (good for fantasy/9th age), folding into an easy to carry quadrant (you can see the straps in some of the pictures), resilient and hopefully evocative. Looking back doing straighter cuts and touch ups and full length mdf underboard would have always been nice, but then again, I think everyone feels the same whether finishing a board or a model especially when like me you do not have infinite time or patience. I had alot of fun on this project though and I think anyone attempting this style of design will also, especially as a vehicle for learning a little bit about rotary tool carving.

Final Post - Couple of pics of the board in folded state and then one of it done my club in central London (9th Age rules daemons (me) V Orks btw - fun game, but lost in a meaty grind with the other green skins).

Quick final shout out to say 'play 9th age' and if you dont already, maybe consider joining your local club (espc if you live near a city).

that is amazing. great job.