Tuesday, January 23, 2018

The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes

"I had no idea that such individuals exist outside of stories."
―Dr Watson speaking about Holmes

Sherlock Holmes, Warner Brothers, 2009

I have read several of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories and more recently have watch two Sherlock movies. One the Warner Brothers, 2009 Sherlock Holmes takes place in Victorian England and the other Sherlock, a BBC TV series, is a more of a contemporary depiction of this classic.

Sherlock Holmes, Warner Brothers, 2009: London Bridge

Sherlock Holmes, Warner Brothers, 2009: traditional Holmes depiction

Sherlock Holmes, BBC TV Series, Season 5: opening scene

Sherlock Holmes, BBC TV Series, Season 5: depiction of Sherlock Holmes (a very intense fellow)

Monday, January 22, 2018

My Winter 2018 Reading List

  • Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, Susanna Clarke (hard copy)
  • Moonchild, Aleister Crowley
  • Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles, Kim Newman (hard copy)
  • Marie, Child of Storm, and Finished, H. Rider Haggard (Zulu Trilogy)
  • The Purple Cloud, M. P. Shiel (dystopian)
  • Lord of the World, Robert Hugh Benson (dystopian)
  • Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil, W.E.B. DuBois.
  • The Ruined Cities of Zululand, Hugh Mulleneux Walmsle

Items listed in red are currently being read.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

DIY Ork Terrain


I recently watch Trent's latest tutorial. Trent made use of mis-matched materials and pieced together some very nice war-gaming terrain pieces.

Friday, January 19, 2018

The Bird of Fortune Windroller

"The Bird of Fortune sported a curving bow and a high foredeck. On this was fastened the many-spoked steering wheel. Two helmsmen always attended it, two men wearing hexagonal goggles and close-fitting leather helmets with high crests of curled wire. Behind them stood the captain and first mate, giving their attention alternately to the helmsmen and to the sailors on deck and aloft. The middeck was sunken, and the poopdeck, though raised, was not as high as the foredeck.

The four masts were tall, but not as tall as those of a marine craft of similar size. High masts would have given the 'roller a tendency to capsize in a very strong wind, despite the weight of the axles and wheels. Therefore, the yardarms, reaching far out beyond the sides of the hull, were comparatively longer than a seaship's. When the Bird carried a full weight of canvas she looked, to a mariner's eyes, squat and ungainly. Moreover, yards had been fixed at right angles to the top of the hull and to the keel itself. Extra canvas was hung between these spars. The sight of all that sail sticking from between the wheels was enough to drive an old sailor to drink.

Three masts were square-rigged. The aft mast was fore-and-aft rigged and was used to help the steering. There was no bowsprit.

Altogether, it was a strange-looking craft. But once one was accustomed to it, one saw it was as beautiful as a ship of the sea.

It was as formidable, too, for the Bird carried five large cannon on the middeck, six cannon on the second deck, a lighter swivel cannon on the steering deck, and two swivels on the poopdeck.

Hung from davits were two long liferollers and a gig, all wheeled and with folding masts. If the Bird was wrecked it could be abandoned and all the crew could scoot off in the little rollers."

The Green Odyssey, Philip José Farmer

Description of a Windroller

Make friends fast.

—Handbook For The Shipwrecked

The wind-roller was the preferred method of travel on the Planet Xurdimur.

"The wind-roller itself was about two hundred feet long. Its beam was about thirty-four feet. The hull was boat-shaped, and the narrow keel rested on fourteen axles. Twenty-eight enormous solid rubber-tired wheels turned at the ends of these axles. Thick ropes of the tough rubber-like substance were tied to the ends of the axles and to the tops of the hull itself. These were to hold the body steady and keep it from going over when the 'roller reeled under too strong a side wind and also to provide some resiliency when the 'roller was making a turn. Being aboard at such times was almost like being on a water-sailing ship. As the front pair of wheels—the steering wheels—turned and the longitudinal axis of the craft slowly changed direction, the body of the vessel, thrust by the shifting impact of the winds, also tilted. Not too far, never as far as a boat in similar case, but enough to give one an uneasy feeling. The cables on the opposing side would stretch to a degree and then would stop the side-wise motion of the keel and there would be a slight and slow roll to the other direction. Then a shorter and slower motion back again. It was enough to make a novice green. 'Roller sickness wasn't uncommon at the beginning of a voyage or during a violent windstorm. Like its aqueous counterpart, it affected the sufferer so that he could only hang over the rail and wish he would die."

The Green Odyssey, Philip José Farmer

Thursday, January 18, 2018

The Lay of the Land

Westward laid the incredibly level stretch of the grassy ground of the Xurdimur. Ten thousand miles straight across, flat as a table top, broken only here and there by clumps of forests, ruins of cities, waterholes, the tents of the nomadic savages, herds of wild animals, packs of grass cats and dire dogs, and the mysterious and undoubtedly imaginary "roaming islands," great clumps of rock and dirt that legend said slid of their own volition over the plains. How like this planet, he thought, that the greatest peril to navigation should be one that existed only in the heads of the inhabitants.

The Green Odyssey, Philip José Farmer

Description of the Planet Xurdimur

“To stretch to the horizon was something on this planet. The plain was the flattest Green had ever seen. He could scarcely believe that it ran unbroken for thousands of miles. But it did, and from his high point of view he could see in a vast circle. It was a beautiful sight. The grass itself was tall and thick-bodied, about two feet high and a sixteenth of an inch through. It was a bright green, brighter than earthly grass, almost shiny. During the rainy season, he was told; it would blossom with many tiny white and red flowers and give a pleasing perfume.”

The Green Odyssey, Philip José Farmer

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Three Sites Offering Plans for HO Scale Shack and Sheds



Stone Shed – Shed #9

I appreciate these polystyrene stone building kits. I have two other stone structure kits that need to be completed. It is a shame there aren't more stone structures being offered. Perhaps I should compile a list of all the stone structures being offered for sale.

This stone shack is in disrepair. The door no longer hangs from its hinges and someone has stood the door up against the opening of the building in hopes of keeping trespassers from entering.

Although I believe this kit was manufactured in England I don’t remember its manufacturer.

Monday, January 15, 2018

Miscellaneous Quote From my Reading

I usually make post on a text for its content and usefulness in some war-gaming scenario. This quote is just for its own sake:

“The sunlight was as cold and clear as the note struck by a knife on a fine wine-glass.”

Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, Susanna Clarke

Sunday, January 14, 2018

More Mention about John Uskglass’s Early Years

A Host of Characters

“The Raven King resigned over his domains for over three hundred years, his kingdom being part of Faerie, Northern England, and lands beyond (a land on the far side of Hell). At the age of fourteen he had already created the system of magic that we employ today. Or rather, that we would employ, if it had not been lost. His was a perfect blending of fairy magic and human organization-their powers were webbed to his own terrifying purposefulness.”

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, Susanna Clarke

Thursday, January 11, 2018

The Tar Paper Shack-#8

I scratch built this HO scale Tar Paper Shack by wrapping bits of black construction paper around a rectangle shaped box that I fashioned from cardboard. I don’t remember adding any strip wood for interior support. I just made sure the rectangles sides were square around a fitted cardboard floor. After the glue had dried I added the construction paper in scale strips that were cut to either three or four foot widths and painted these using Floquil grimy black and then added some dry-brushing. The door was constructed out of cardboard.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

A Scratch Built Hose House-#7

I have made several attempts at scratch building. Some I haven’t been all that proud, while others like this structure I have been very surprised by the outcome. This structure, fashioned out of scribed wood sheet was created from a drawing of an authentic hose house. This shack was built to house a hose cart; a piece that I never got around to completing. The hose cart was used to bring the fire hose closer to the location of a fire.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Miniature Outhouse for your Miniature Population, #6

This is number six for my shack collection posts. I don’t know the manufacturer of this out-building, but it was a very easy to build.



To a set of outhouses

HO-Gauge along the Line Board & Batten-Shack No. 5


I believe this plastic kit was produced by the Atlas Model Railroad Company, although I do not see this kit listed in the current catalog. Simple polystyrene construction, board and batten structure with separate door and window castings, four wall sections, and an one piece roof; I added the stove pipe and sign.

Monday, January 8, 2018

Board and Batten Shack

Here is another kit constructed from wood sheet. Unlike the previous post this one probably cost me a few dollars. It included a white metal door and window and roofing material. I added the “office” sign and stove pipe.This one needs a coat of paint on the under-side of the roof.

Free HO Gauge Sample Shack Kit

I don’t remember the source of this kit, but it was a freebie that was thrown in with my order. I must have made a couple of orders from this supplier for I have taken note that I have a duplicate of this kit that still needs to build. Surely, this duplicated will be added to my list of structures for fewer than ten dollars.

It was a very simple kit to construct and was comprised of four wooden panels, a window casting, some very finely detailed door hinges and latch, and materials for the roof. It probably took me no more than twenty minutes from start to finish completing this small kit.

Sunday, January 7, 2018

1/87-Scale Wood Panel Shack

I am not sure who the manufacturer for this piece is, but it could be another Haljan product. Cast from polystyrene in what I am assuming is some sort of wood panel.

Having these builds in storage for as long as they have I have noticed little things that would not pass my standards now. I will have to make the updates, carefully wrap and pack them away until I can finally place on a permanent layout.

Saturday, January 6, 2018

1/87 Scale Haljan Shack

I thought I would start my mini-collection of sheds and shacks with a few that I have already produced. These structures have been built from all types of materials. Most of them are from kits, but there are one or two that were built from scratch and from materials I had on hand.

This model is cast from polystyrene and is or perhaps (it was) produced by Haljan a Danish company. This model was built many years ago and I still wonder the type of material this model was meant to represent. As far as I can remember I took it to represent some type of metal construction. I am still of that opinion. I added a concreate foundation and added some weathering using paints and a wash.

Friday, January 5, 2018

Matchbox Number 13

This tow truck is one of Matchbox’s classic miniature vehicles. Like the rest of their line this model is cast from metal, but unlike their more modern line, this tow truck is in a very basic design.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Plans for the First Quarter of 2018

Now that I have a dedicated workbench for my hobbies, I hope to get more work accomplished. Over the last few months have had some yearning to do some scratch building and to assemble some structures. Shacks and sheds for some reason have become my latest fixation.

Here are some images from my Structures printerest board I have compiled for ideas and for inspiration.

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Built, a New Workbench

I needed more room for my hobbies and have wanted to build a new workbench for some time. The workbench features a two by four-foot workspace exclusively for my hobby work.

Phase two added space for my paints, brushes, and some tools. I would like to create a couple of cubbies for two project trays, and a few small drawers for my tools.

The third phase will add shelf and a cabinet to the lower level. The cabinet will be used to store bulk brush cleaner and plastic cement. The shelves will be used to store my raw materials and my collection of unpainted miniatures and styrene kits.

Monday, January 1, 2018

Principles of Tyranny

Ignorance may be bliss, but you better hold on to what you have otherwise you might lose all of what you think you have. Please read this article.