Miniature Builder's Yard: ECW Houses Part 4

 

It seems I had left this building part built since September last year. It is intended to be the first of my ECW public houses. I had intended to finish the build at the same time as the other buildings but I had taken on too many of them at once and ran out of steam. Since then, my ECW figures arrived and with some other projects now complete, I determined to get cracking with this new ECW project - so it was back to the tavern.

I only thought to take photos of the model after I was some way along - so apologies for that. The two first shots show the basic structure together with most of the planking done, window frames in and doors installed. All are cut by hand from thin balsa. I'm very happy with how the brickwork turned out for the bottom story.

The brickwork is my usual and preferred DAS air-drying clay mixed with PVA glue, applied to the foamboard walls after smearing extra PVA. Once smoothing it out over the desired areas, I rolled one of my brick pattern Green-Stuff rollers firmly over the surface. You can see the indentations are not completely regular but I don't mind that at all.

To affect a lead-lined glass window effect, I cut and glued pieces of plastic fly-screen mesh to the inside - I've had a mind to do this for many years but never had the need until now.

There's been quite a bit of sanding and cleaning between stages in this build - particularly after applying the clay.

I've designed the structure as an 'L' shape with the original basic tavern running the length with a thatched roof and an extension attached, perpendicular across the end with a tiled roof. This accommodation section has an additional, central chimney and one of those classic, over-hanging Tudor upper floors.

Once all the planking was done, I textured the upper surfaces with pre-mixed putty, applying with a cut down, stiff bristle brush: a small one to get into the tighter spaces.

Once I built the roof structures (thin balsa for the tiled roof and 5mm foam board for the thatch) I cut and glued all the thin card tiles on with PVA and then applied the clay for the thatched roof.

I had run out of DAS air-drying clay but picked up this much cheaper Boyle 'Crafty Clay' - bargain. Well it might have been except this stuff is bloody awful - BE WARNED ... AVOID! It has a shorter working time, it's messy and extremely tacky no matter how much water or PVA you might add to it and it lacks the plasticity of DAS. Accept no substitutes. But wait ... it gets worse.

As you can see, it cracks after drying - and that's with twice as much PVA in it than I used for the DAS. As you can also see, it just gets everywhere - I mean look as that smearing over the chimney. I have since gone to my art store supplier and stumped up for a kilo of DAS and binned the two packets of 'Crafty Clay' toot-sweet. You can see from the ridge cap that I reverted back to DAS to finish off the thatching.

Well, the building part is done now at any rate. I will seal it all using brown stained Mod Podge later in the week once the clay is absolutely cured. I'm hoping the sealant and painting will largely overcome the cracking.

This is not modelled on any known dwelling - I designed it myself. I'll finish it off with a sign hanging over the front door and some benches and barrels out back in the open yard when I get to painting it. I don't know when I'll get back ECW architecture but when I do, it will be a water-mill and some small stone houses and yards. For now, it's back to painting ECW cavalry.