Sunday 2 February 2014

Telegraph Poles - 28mm

Nice and simple project here which could be completed within a couple of hours spread over a couple of days if you have all the tools and bits.

As I started it began to rain (again !) and a wonderful rainbow appeared




Starting off with a 6mm doweling rod I cut out nine poles each 10cm high. Then using an off cut of hardboard I cut out some base squares. These were then 'holed' with a 6mm drill.




As you can see the dowel sits nice and snug





Next up is to drill two 1.5mm holes in the upper part of the pole. Once done push through cocktail sticks and cut to size.








With the pole complete add pva glue and ballast to the base. This has the added advantage of fixing the pole to the base



Once these were dry - I accelerated the process by popping then on a radiator - I gave them a good coat of brown paint. The bases were then given a lighter brown dry bush.




The posts were then drybrushed greys and light browns for the weathered effect. Static grass and grass tufts were added. Hey bingo were finished




Here you can see the telegraph poles in action - when I actually set up to game I'll suspend black thread along the poles






If interested in how the roads were made head here

Tarmac Roads

If interested in how the hedges were made head here

Hedges Tutorial

a full set of photos from the VBCW village will be posted later this week.



Before I sign off let return to Grass Tufts I thought I'd bring to your attention a product I found on the internet some time ago. I buried this in my terrain box and only came across it yesterday.

The tufts themselves come from a company called Warpainter.Net and as you can see they come in a rather nifty DVD style box.





I bought these on ebay a bout a year ago. I don't seem to be able to find them again but there are loads of different versions if you search for grass tufts.

Will definitely start using these forward going.




5 comments:

  1. Another incredibly simple idea made to perfection.
    I am looking forward to hopefully seeing a few Bat reps of this VBCW once you get going, as it is something I have heard a lot of good things about, but never actually seen in action.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for your kind words John.

      The Battles might be a few weeks away , if not months, I have to start from scratch when it comes to the lead. I have busy in prepping over 150 figures in the past few days - they are now all based and primed -

      the terrain projects just keep me sane

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  2. I have the grasstufts from Warpainter, they seem to have gone from EBay, but as you said there are loads of similar ones around. They have revolutionised my basing and I am glad to have bought some. The telegraph poles are excellent and I may make some for WW2! Thanks!!

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  3. Neat simple and effective telegraph poles - great work.

    You can get a plastic kit - Dapol C024 Telegraph Poles, these may be a bit filmsy and at least need a good solid base. Your home made ones look more durable.

    -- Allan

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  4. Well done Eric! You can also add little gems from the hobby shop to the "rails" - they look like the little nubs and add that extra layer of detail :-) A buddy of mine also has a good line on some S scale railroad ones that are rather inexpensive (he has them for a WW2 east front table).

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