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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Nov 24, 2015 8:57:46 GMT -9
I'm working on the Lord Zsezse Works KV-1 paper tank, and everything about it looks gorgeous, except the gun barrels. Anyone have advice on making these things? The issue may be that I'm printing this on really sturdy matte photo paper, and it's just not going to be possible to roll the barrels well enough on such thick stock. I tried wrapping it around the end of a chopstick. Even that's too thick. I think the glue flap shouldn't be scored, either, despite the scoreline on the model. By scoring it, it makes it difficult to make it bend with the side it's supposed to glue to. Blech. So frustrating!
I will try a separate printing of just the gun barrels onto plain copy paper. The colors probably won't match the model too well, but it should roll a lot easier.
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Nov 24, 2015 9:12:40 GMT -9
Using copy paper was even more frustrating. Even if I could "roll" the paper that tight, once glue touches it, it all goes to hell. It sticks to my fingers, or it warps in ways that makes it impossible to make a 3" long tube look terrible.  My options may be to either make a triangular tube, or to stomp on the model over and over and over and over until I am no longer frustrated at this once piece... I will give it some time before deciding... |
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Post by Vermin King on Nov 24, 2015 10:21:52 GMT -9
I keep a variety of dowels, skewers, old pens and things to help with this type of thing.
You are correct. To maintain roundness, do not score.
Do it in small steps. If you have an old mouse pad around, it is very helpful.
Place the barrel face down on the mouse pad, and roll over it a few times to start the 'roll' to start taking place.
Repeat using a smaller diameter cylinder. Then repeat with a smaller cylinder. By this time, enough fibers in the paper have loosened and re-grabbed, so that the barrel has a pretty good curl.
The goal is to get it as close to the proper shape as possible before gluing.
Olli Bizer likes to glue spaghetti noodles to the tabs to keep the long tab from buckling and to assist in curling the tube. I've not done that, but I have used skewers and toothpicks. Keeping the tab straight and getting the curl of the paper close before gluing is the key. If your skewer or noodle is about the right diameter, you can just glue the piece to the solid piece. If not, you can use that mousepad again, and with the support in there, you can work on the curl until the piece almost is shaped so that the edge lines up with where it should glue.
Patience, sir, and good luck
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Nov 24, 2015 11:24:17 GMT -9
So, the fact is, the Patriots' game didn't end until like midnight last night, which is awful late for me to stay up and still get up with the kids for school while I'm fighting a cold... It leaves little energy for thinking clearly.  I used the chopstick to start the curving process. Then I found a 3" nail that got the curve tighter. I found a skewer in the kitchen that got in tighter still, but not tight enough. Finally, I found that the long tube on a can-o-air I had tucked in the back of my office to be just the right size. Guess who is going to tape that nozzle to the side of his desk so it doesn't get lost? Thanks for the advice!!! This is quite possibly the fiddliest thing I've assembled - certainly in the last year it is. I'm not a fan of some of the layout of pieces. I'd rather have had the turrets in two pieces, rather than one. Maybe if I make more, I'll simply cut them apart and make my own tabs to hold them together... I'll have to post a pic tonight so I feel like it's really built. |
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Nov 24, 2015 12:08:57 GMT -9
Here it is, with the optional 2nd turret. Turns out, the two little thingies that you attach the gun barrel to... they're different sizes... and I managed to swap them... Doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Just another demonstration of how if there is a WAY for me to screw it up, I will find it and I will do it.  |
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Post by Vermin King on Nov 24, 2015 12:12:36 GMT -9
Glad that helped. The pre-shaping of parts was something I had to learn when I was doing the aircraft builds. If you don't do it, you get a little error, which makes the next piece fit worse giving you another slightly bigger error, and so on.
Olli's trick is one he uses on barrels and ship masts.
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Post by Vermin King on Nov 24, 2015 12:14:50 GMT -9
crud, I can't view it. When I get into properties and try an end-around, I get a message that the image is blocked by my internet carrier...
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Nov 24, 2015 12:26:23 GMT -9
crud, I can't view it. When I get into properties and try an end-around, I get a message that the image is blocked by my internet carrier... The pic I posted? It was attached through the forums. I updated it to be a link to an external picture - maybe that'll work better. |
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Post by Vermin King on Nov 24, 2015 14:59:25 GMT -9
That looks really good, even if you swapped out the barrel mounts. If you hadn't said anything, I wouldn't have known.
Your description of the tools reminds me of Red Green: 'Any tool can be the right tool'
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