Bibury Arlington Row by masa - Aedes ars - Ho scale

[modeller_masa]

 

The article inspired me a lot. I've never seen that kind of stone models before, so it expanded my perception.

 

I researched and purchased the most recent stone model from aedes ars. Unfortunately, it doesn't look good to use for port diorama because of Ho scale blocks. I may need 3d printers for 1:90 accurate diorama instead of this 1:20 stone block.

 

I'll finish this beautiful kit, but won't purchase any of them. The wooden model ship is already taking too much time from me.

 

The paper base and skeleton is no joke. I want harder base for decades of durability. I'm making a new base and skeleton of each building with 3mm MDF using my CNC machine.

Edited February 29, 2020 by modeller_masa

[Ekis]

Actually, you don't really need to redo the cardboard bases with MDF. What is needed is simply to reinforce the rigidity of the walls of the houses with pieces of interior chopsticks in order to have flat walls for the laying of the stones.
Once the stones are laid and glued, these small models will be as hard... as the ceramic of the stones and tiles!
I wish you good luck for the assembly, I will of course follow your progress with pleasure.  😉

[modeller_masa]

Thanks for the advice, Ekis! The tip'll reduce my work.

 

I'll follow your fantastic middle age castle I dreamed. 😁

[modeller_masa]

Some base parts are bigger than my CNC coverage, so I copied the line with carbon paper and gimlet.

The base parts are easily done.

The next is inner bones of each houses. It is a House 1. I had to consider a thickness of the 3mm MDF. I'll draw block guide lines on it with carbon paper.

 

However, not everything ran smooth.

The real problem is due to an inaccurate original cardboard itself. The plan's cutting lines are not fairly accurate, the scales of each of printings are slightly different, and each of rectangles' corner is not perfect right angle. There are always 0.2~0.3mm of margins or errors. I can't bunden the fatal errors. I'll fix all of the plan and make them all very sharpened right angle.

 

Oh, you may not need to consider these errors if you use the flexible cardboard instead of thick MDF.  

 

--------

 

OOPS.

 

I just found that the MDF's thickness is not 3mm, but 2.80mm which can cause the serious differences. I may not need to fix all of the plans. I should have check all of materials precisely...

Edited March 1, 2020 by modeller_masa

[Ekis]

Masa, if I may be so bold as to give another piece of advice. Sure, you can do whatever you want with the basic plans from Aedes Ars, but cardboard bases are really not meant to be perfectly accurate.
You'll see, for example, that the printed tracings of the stones are only there to show you where you have to stick them, not to respect the tracings.

 

You will be able to correct almost everything with a file and sandpaper (from the biggest to the finest) when your walls are done. Also, it seems that the stones provided in recent kits like yours are much more precise and regular than mine, which are twenty years old. But you'll have to adjust a lot to make it realistic.

 

But if you prefer to spend a considerable amount of time on the plans before building, I hope you won't get too discouraged. ☺️

[modeller_masa]

4 hours ago, Ekis said:

the printed tracings of the stones are only there to show you where you have to stick them, not to respect the tracings.

OMG... Is it true? I planned to follow the tracing lines of the stones precisely... To fit the lines, I was making some flatten jig with MDFs, and will cement the gap with modeling paste and white acrylic paints. Yes. The realism is one of my goal. Some youtubers used CA glue with huge gap between blocks, and it looks really... not nice.

 

This is the only part I'll use CNC machine. It's not that difficult job to make me discouraged.  I can't make supports like you because it seems difficult to me. Although I'm a picky guy obsesses over a right angle, my handcraft skill is not good to make a right angle. Therefore, I use the computer machine that cut the MDF precisely for me. Please consider it as a beginner's overaction. I really appreciate your advices, and my track will line your route soon.

[popeye the sailor]

what is the cost of one of these kits?   I just visited the site and there is some really nice models there!    really liked the lighthouses.  look forward in seeing how you progress with yours.

[modeller_masa]

27 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

what is the cost of one of these kits?

https://www.amazon.com/s?i=aps&k=aedes ars&ref=nb_sb_noss&url=search-alias%3Daps

Here is the link. The price is usually from $25 to $99. Please check the full catalog from the manufacturer's site. Only a few of them looks good in my opinion.

 

I'm almost done to make the MDF bones. I may upload the next progress today.  

[modeller_masa]

This is the first parts using CNC machine. After several trials and errors, I decided to make the spaces of windows and doors. When I tried to trace the windows, I realized that I need OHP film and I don't have it. The thickness of the cardboard is about 0.50mm, so I applied the depth to CAD file.

The first part is done. Not everything is perfect, but acceptable level of error. 

If I made rails at the edges of bottom plate, assembly would have been a lot easier than I did.

I made birch plywood blocks to support them. I didn't know I'm out of balsa wood. I ordered new balsa for the next ship.

Mass production! From House 4 to 10.

It is normal that the door trims poked up due to a thickness of MDF.

While I was testing the roof parts, I found that I need to cut more than the plan designated. The bottom side of R3a is designed to cut, but I cut more than it like the bottom of the R4a.

Works perfectly.

All done. it is a front side or street side.

Back side or garden side.

 

I decided to use original cardboard roofs. It is much more difficult to convert them to MDF because of the thickness of MDF.

 

The base plate is a film coated MDF. I won't use it because it is a spare part for the next process.

 

The next process is a making display cabinet. I bought 5mm dark tinted transparent acryl plate and 18mm black high glossy film coated MDF to make the bottom of display cabinet. I'll do plaster work on it directly. The stone work won't start in the next post.  

Edited March 5, 2020 by modeller_masa

[modeller_masa]

MDF is the best for making jigs.

When I tried to make a rectangle hole, I realized that it is almost impossible by hand. Therefore, I had to cut it by CNC again. Nice and sharp cut.

I decided to use CA for permanent fixation. There are some reasons that I used acrylic panel and high glossy film coated MDF. I gave up some of features because...... um... because of lots of reasons. One of my plan was LED light. I had to determine which one is my main hobby. My choice is wooden model ship rather than construction model.  Therefore, I decided to skip many ideas I intended at first.

I decided to run fast, so I skipped some details that may hurt level of completion.

 

I don't like diorama. I decided to delete surroundings, and replaced the hill terrain to the transparent floor.

Ok. Finally the stone work.

 

I need to make some standards to make the block wall looks nice. Unfortunately, all of the blocks are inconsistent on size and color. If I sort 5,500 pieces of blocks properly, then I will be able to get the best result. However, there is more important thing I really want to do now.

I received the half-hull planking kit from the NRG! I really want to go to the kit, so I'll finish this stone kit ASAP regardless of quality!

Edited March 10, 2020 by modeller_masa

[mtaylor]

Rock on.  Having two projects (or more) isn't uncommon.  When you run out of steam on one, just jump on the other one.

[modeller_masa]

Thank you for advice, Mark. This is the second project I'm digging in. The first project was a La Recouvrance from last year. The first project is locked down due to technical barrier. I packed the hull and won't open it until I solve issues regarding metal cored mast. The next project will be the half-hull planking kit, and I wont't start it before I finish this kit and get a rest.

Edited March 11, 2020 by modeller_masa

[modeller_masa]

I expected the kit has kind of tar glue which has volume, but the bond was just a regular PVA glue. Of course, the titebond is much better than this. I have to use modeling paste to fill gaps between blocks later.

I didn't want to sort blocks, but sorted some blocks to make a kit nice. The center is regular whity blocks, and the right is more pinky blocks.

I laid the pinky blocks on the bottom of wall. The upper blocks will be whity one.

From here, everything is pretty much repeatitive work. Sanding, gluing, laying, and sanding again.

I added some detailed on windows and doors because manual's example is too boring. I made two kind of walnut strips.  (1.0 x 2.4mm, 1.5 x 4.8mm)

The day 1 finished. I hope I finish the walls within a week. I can't finish all in a week.

 

It is pretty much boring job more than I expected. However, if you are interested in carving work, you will find plenty of attractive spots for additional details such as window sill.

Edited March 11, 2020 by modeller_masa

[BobG]

This is a very unusual and interesting model. I'm enjoying watching you build it.

[modeller_masa]

1 hour ago, BobG said:

This is a very unusual and interesting model.

That's the exact same reaction when I saw this kind of kit. If you want to build one of the Aedes ars kit, I highly recommend you to equip these devices.

 

(1) Good ventilation system. Tons of sanding works are waiting, pile of stone dust will make your hand pale.

(2) Any kind of belt sander, disc sander or electric sander. The stone blocks are not perfect cubics. You need to adjust each blocks one by one. I use a dremel 3000 with 2 inch sanding disk bit.

[modeller_masa]

Day 2. I made a pre-made pillar because of too narrow space. This way is a lot easier.

Well... I spent 3 hours today, and not a big difference...

 

I calculated total amount of work by surface area. The total surface area of wall is approx. 1,800㎠, and these are my work area per day.

 

Day 1 - 55㎠ (3.1%)

Day 2 - 58㎠ (3.2%), 3 hours spent.

 

Based on my calculation... I need 30 days or 90 hours for completing the wall only. ...... 🤪

 

Edited March 12, 2020 by modeller_masa

[Ekis]

Nice job!
For my part, I absolutely refuse to calculate this kind of thing to finish off my village... or else I'll go crazy! 😂🤪

[modeller_masa]

Day 3, 4, and 5... approx. 20% of wall completed. (6~7 hours)

 

I'm pretty sure that I can finish entire kit at the end of this month if I don't sleep and eat.

Edited March 17, 2020 by modeller_masa

[michael mott]

Lovely! back in 1972 I visited Bibury with my Mum"s sister and we had tea and scones in a little tea shop very close to this historic row, it was a memorable visit.

 

Michael

[popeye the sailor]

progressing in fine order......looks very good  

[Egilman]

This is the thing about stone buildings from a distance, they look pristine, up close, nothing is exact, even or square. (unless it is a church dedicated to god) even then the stones are cut to fit onsite....

 

Beautiful work..... miniature masonry! who woulda thunk!!!! Never seen anything like it before...

 

Amazing!

[modeller_masa]

Thank you for comments. Posting progress is not an entire reason I build, but your interests definitely accelerate my work. I've never been in Europe before. I added the Bibury to my bucket list for tour to Europe sometime. 

 

This 'masonry' work is completely different from wooden model ship work in my opinion. It doesn't need deep and various knowledge about each parts. The most important thing of this kit is patience with the greatest care for each blocks. It feels like a meditation. 🙂 It is very flat work and takes lots of time, but very new experience for me and would have made me ease if I don't have due date. 

 

In addition, this kit's price per time is exceptional! Maybe it is the best kit when you are in a shelter and want to waste time. 😉

[modeller_masa]

Day 6... Approx 40% of wall completed. (4~5 hours)

 

I bought some tools for the next process. Theses are niddle piles.

I also bought mini belt sander to optimize sanding work.

This is really small and tiny belt sander. 120 x 100 x 150mm. It uses 775 RC motor.

The motor speed is variable, but it is controlled by power adapter as most of chinese cheap tool does.

The structure is too simple, so I don't worry about quality of it. It is a durable piece of steel. 

I attached 120 sandpaper belt.

I was scared by huge noise and too fast speed at the lowest setting. It sounds like a band saw.

I finished installation. After some trials, I concluded that this is a must have item for sanding blocks!

 

I used to spent 10 seconds to pick up neat block ready for gluing. However, if I couldn't find neat block and had to sand askewed blocks, I had to spend 60 seconds to sand the block. This machine makes perfect cuboid at 5 seconds! It will really save my time and increase productivity dramatically!

 

The mini belt sander's price is $41.83 including shipping cost. It uses 330mm x 25mm sanding belt.

 

Here are downsides.

- No dust removal system. It scatters stone chips everywhere. It is the reason I use it just under air duct.

- Noisy. However, if you use it just under ventilation duct, the exhaust sound will exceed the noise from the belt sander.  

- Default minimum speed is too fast. You may need PWM speed controller to get lower noise and suitable sanding speed.

- The edge of steel is very sharp. It cut my finger slightly. I highly recommend to sand sharp edges before use.

 

I hope the remaining half side will be done faster than now... 🤪

Edited March 21, 2020 by modeller_masa

[mtaylor]

I like that little sander.  Looks to be perfect for tiny parts.  I like the way the row house is coming together.  It will be impressive when finished.

[modeller_masa]

Hello.
Today is the last day of march. It's been busy days, so I had no chance to touch the stones.

 

My parents came back from the US after a month of journey last week. I planned a schedule to move them from airport to home safely. It was so detailed like a military operation. We used a private car instead of public transportation, and we wore face masks in a car and nobody didn't take off it until we arrived at home. 😷 Now my parents are doing self isolation. It's not regulated by government because they didn't have any explicit symptoms when they passed quarantine office. However, the COVID-19 is really good at hiding.  Therefore, they won't go outside for two weeks voluntarily. For the self isolation, I've already purchased and filled storages with lots of frozen foods and a bundle of toilet paper.  Because of the reason, I'm doing my parent's errands and delivering fresh foods to in front of door. (I don't go indoors.) Fortunately, they said that they have no symptoms such as fever or cough yet.

Anyway, The mini belt sander proved its usability. I was able to sand 360 blocks in an hour. Honestly, it was not a fun job.

I spent 2 hours and accomplished about 15% of all work of wall. I stopped today's work earlier than before because of lack of blocks. The new process is several times faster than previous process, but it also consumes several times more polished blocks at once.

 

If you have will to make this kind of stone kit with your tiny children, you should distribute tasks into two parts. When you sand tons of blocks tediously, your children will ask for more blocks with a joyful scream. 😂

[mtaylor]

I hope your parents get through the self-imposed quarantine without any problems.  Scary times these are.

[modeller_masa]

Thank Mark. If I worn about the virus more explicitly from my experiences a month ago, could it help people in this forum? What I can say now is that you should wear a facemask or scarf when talk with any people out of your house, and stay away from people who don't equip any protective gears. It is a valid method proved by many cases. The only problem is that many countries doesn't have enough masks for people and doctors. It is the biggest reason some governments don't recommend it, and only time with more product lines will solve it. I hope you are well, and hope this pandemic will come to an end very soon. It is not fun that hobbies I can enjoy became only one.

[popeye the sailor]

glad to hear you and your folks are OK.  your kids are helping you???......sounds like a good way to get through these trying times.  looks very nice

[modeller_masa]

Thank popeye worrying about our family.

 

The answer is no. A few days ago, I've read about post that grandfa was looking for good basic wooden model ship kit for working together with his grandchild. The post made me to think about the best kit for family-cooperation work. In my opinion, this easy and simple stone block construction kit is much more friendlier than conventional wooden model ship kit for kindergarten students. Wooden model ship is relatively complex, and use various and dangerous tools for preschoolers. However, this kit requires only PVA glues and sanding sticks when parents or grand parents take charge of making blocks with that mini belt sander machine.

 

Of course, I don't say this is the best kit for both of parents and children. I just compared this kit with wooden model ship kit only . Probably, the best kit for cooperation with preschoolers should be the Lego or plastic kits for juniors. I don't want to expand discussion to that, so I conclude it like this. "When you consider cooperation with your children, this stone model kit is relatively safer than making wooden model ship kit. Also, you won't need time to educate children how to use knives and motor tools properly."

Edited April 1, 2020 by modeller_masa

[modeller_masa]

Sorry about late post. I was been busy with care of child. 

When I finished the first chimney and tried to place the first roof, I realized that the tiles don't maintain level! The biggest reason is that I made the part at side direction. (Couldn't check out the level with my eyes.) Also, I became careless after long time same work.

 

Fixing the trouble was really horrible. It is super sturdy, and not possible removing blocks without breaking it. I used brush with water and art knife. Fortunately, I was able to remove the wrong blocks roughly without structural destruction. I don't want to imagine if I didn't use the MDF inner skeleton instead of original paper cardboard.... If you have same problem, I would recommend to bash the part with hammer, and buy additional blocks. 🙂 Most of removed tiles are not usable...

 

It is a kind of boring job, but needs great attention on leveling each stage for the finest result. Lesson 256.