icanbuildthat
Jr Member
Hey Scott,
That's an interesting concept. I would worry however, that adding that weight might make it a bit heavy and I want to try to keep it as light as possible. I don't mind the lighting issue too much - I've found a reasonably priced fiber optic source and with a couple thousand feet of foc with a few strategically placed light sources (LEDs) it should not be too big a thing to light individual windows/areas and such. I think one of the hardest things might be lighting the torches that are here, there and everywhere on this model PLUS making those in the first place to a scale that's proper with the size I have to make them....if I even can. Talk about small!! Even the railing around the Great Hall building - those small balusters that are the basis of the railing - will end up being like maybe 1/4" at the most - and there are probably about 170 something or more of those - maybe even closer to 200. So that's going to be fun to reproduce that many of those. And those under-supports under the Great Hall - there are over 100 of those or close enough. So bits and pieces are going to be the key to detail here. And lighting will be figured in all the way in this but I think an acrylic base to anything will just add too much weight. Not that I think it's not a good idea - I think I get what you mean and actually thought about an understructure first.
I'm actually not all that sure what to use to build it with anyway. Thought at first that the densest Balsa Foam would work - that's the number III verison - but it's pretty danged expensive and nobody has that - I would have to order direct from the manufacturer. And their BASE price is high because they expect you to buy a LOT of product in order to get it directly from them. Don't know why that stuff is so expensive - I mean it's urethane foam is all. And the less dense versions while still expensive, are a bit too full of pin holes and such - which could add to the texturing - but I'd hate to start that way and compromise because that's all I had to do it with.
I also considered Balsa Wood or Basswood but I fear the grain of wood in those items. I thought also of sculpting all the stuff and running silicone molds and resin castings which would be controllable as to thickness thus controlling weight. OR some heavy cardstock coated with glue to resist any moisture and then faced with a thin resin casting of the detail. Just don't know. NOT quite there yet but still working it out. There is another product but I cannot remember the name that is like Balsa Foam but "supposedly" more dense and less pin-holed. So I need to see about a sample of that too because like Balsa Foam it's carvable to a degree and I like the idea of carving the detail as you can with Balsa Foam. Tough decisions when so much is limited and I want to try to keep the weight sensible for moving and whatever.
Anyway thanks for the great idea. I'll have to consider that into the scope of this whole project and see if perhaps that does have merit with what I hope to be able to do. Onward I plunder - can't wait to start building this but must move sensibly and logically if possible
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icanbuildthat
