The Seventh Cavalry

This past weekend I decided to move along preparing my 7th Cavalry regiment for the plains wars.

I have all the figures cleaned and prepped and all but two companies based prior to priming.  With a little luck, the last two companies get based tomorrow and this weekend the whole lot gets primed.

The regiment consists of all twelve companies plus a command group.  Each company is 12 figures mounted with 12 matching dismounts.  Then for each company there is a standing horse to mark a point of dismount.  Also have three dead horses and two dead men for each of those companies.  The command group consists of 6 figures mounted with 6 matching dismounts.  Again, there is standing horse but only two dead horses and two dead men - but a higher ratio than a company to allow the high command to 'survive' longer.

That adds up to 150 mounted men, 150 dismounted men, 26 dead men, 150 ridden horses, 13 standing horses, and 38 dead horses for a grand total of 527 pieces to complete the regiment.

Not prepped but awaiting their turn are the three groups of a dozen native scouts and four army supply wagons and a pack train of six mounted packers and twelve pack animals.  I also have two gatling guns on carriages pulled by two limbers.

All of that gives me what is needed, on the army side at least, to do Little Big Horn in grand style - with the option of using the gatling guns.

One thought I had was that my casualty figures won't work except for immediate post battle use - I 'd need bloated, mutilated, naked figures to recreate the historical situation when the companies that got wiped out were found later.  I think I can live without that.

For those wondering, I don't plan to use horse holders; with only twelve figures in a company that would only leave eight figures to 'fight'.  I'm sticking with the standing horse as a stylized representation and letting companies fight full strength.

Since those 150 troopers may face 384 (maybe more) mounted warriors and perhaps 288 warriors on foot, I think the above is a reasonable approach.

I do need to get back going on the trains - and finish the last six buffalo so I can start texturing the bases for my herd of 120 beasts.  Also need to work on my herd of pronghorn antelope and bunch of other wild animals for North America.  And the domestic beasts need my attention.

So much to paint, so little time.

Eighteen of Twenty-One

Not finished but worked on.

That would be the twenty-one Peter Pig Old West train cars I'm converting.  The only cars not worked on in any way yet (unless you count laying in supplies) are the three flat cars that will turn into gondolas.  And, so far, all I've done on the three flat cars into tank cars is cut the doweling for the main tanks - a while back.

The five coaches have had more work.  The parlor car has had a larger window 'installed' on either side and a little bit of repair work done post surgery courtesy of Squadron Putty (first and last time I use that stuff, has that terribly dangerous chemical toluene in it!).  The all baggage car has had eight of its ten windows filled in so that there will only be a door with a window on each long side.  And the three combination cars have had four windows filled in.  Small progress, but any progress is good.

The horse car has had its join filled in so that should be invisible when it comes time to paint it.  And, of course, the six box cars and their progress were detailed in the last post.

So, nine cars worked on today.  Progress might be a little slow but its been reasonably steady the last few weeks, if somewhat dis-focused.  Oh, well, variety keeps the interest up and the progress happening.

Reworking the rework

So, when I got to work on reworking my stock car cores by trying to shorten them on the table saw it just didn't work out right, ended up getting angled bottoms - pieces just too small to control and a bit unsafe to run through the saw.  That meant I just rebuilt the whole thing but shorter and then ran the finished master piece through on the table saw to get my seven cores - six stock, one horse car, and a shorter left over piece.

Good thing there was that left over piece because one of the stock car pieces jammed a bit and a big chunk got knocked out.  Serendipity!  I cut that piece to lose the chunk and then cut a short piece from the left over and combined the two so that the horse car will be a tad longer than the stock cars.  Means there will be more room for the two sets of doors on each side of the horse car.  A Bob Ross "happy accident."

With the shorter cores they blend better and the already cut detail pieces should work better with closer spacing.  Still much work to do but a step closer.

Those windmill possible pieces I mentioned in the prior post could also stand in for oil well frames (though metal rather than wood so perhaps out of period).

I did make some progress last evening on the old west figures - I cleaned and primed the last six buffalo and primed two more bases and popped off four already painted buffalo from four bases.  Once the new six are painted and all ten unglued to bases figures are glued (or re-glued) to bases, I'll have a herd of 120 figures.  Then just a matter of texturing the bases and seal coating.

Spring Blossom Report

No, not a report about blossoms but a report about some more work that got done during the time of the spring blossom.  Or, correctly, some rework.

Yesterday I went to a mini-event for writing and afterwards I stopped at a craft store that is closing which had an 80% off sale.  Bought lots of model related products, wood for crafting various models and lots of stuff for scenery and a few other odd items that I hope to be useful - especially some frames to create windmills.

Earlier in the day I pulled out the train project to work on.  When I got back home and took a look at the cores I'd created earlier, I decided to make a run to a local doll house store to see if I could find something with the right angling to it to use for the roofs on the stock cars.  And I did find something and, again, when I got home I took a look at how I'd use it.

And I realized it would be easier to rebuild the cores rather than trim the angled pieces I'd found, the pieces were sort of in the shape of a 'comma' but with sharp angles.

By gluing two of these pieces together I got the full double slanted angle that I wanted - but that meant a 1/4" wide dropping 'square' in the middle.

So, then I used some of the 1/4" bass wood I'd bought and ran it through the table saw to get the right height for two pieces, left and right sides, and then I cut a third piece a bit shorter to fit in between and adjust for the 'drop'.

Now, on top of the angled piece, I glued a very thin piece of obtuse angled wood that will substitute for the roof walk (maybe, might still add the roof walk by using the previously cut pieces with some under support to get it level on top of the now angled roof).

I then glued the three straight pieces into a 'sandwich' and then I glued that sandwich to the roof assembly.

I gave that plenty of time to dry and then I took the whole thing and used the table saw again to cut to length the seven cores I need to create my seven stock cars.

Today I will prime those cores flat black before, maybe not today, starting assembly of the previously cut pieces to represent the stock car slats.

And, maybe, I might trim the cores a little shorter since the above described process did make them a little taller - undecided, though, I might like having different height cars just to add some variety.

I did not take photos of the process yesterday but I may post up photos later of the raw pieces I used to create the core.  And I do hope to takes some process photos when I get to the actual assembly.  Depends on time and mood.

Good to make more progress, even if it was only reworking the cores.  And great to have such a solid supply of wood to use on so many other projects.

Speaking of other projects, I've realized I need to create some building cores for corner buildings which I might do with some more rework, reworking some of my already created building cores - or blanks as I call them.  That will be a challenge though.  Challenges can be fun - if some times accompanied by cerulean metaphors!

Reemergening

So, today, I actually got some time (interrupted by the spouse) to work on my railroad stuff.  At least I got the cores for the tank cars and the stock cars done.  Going to take a break for a while and watch a movie (probably part of it through closed eyes) and then maybe get some more work done.  I do have two excellent photographs to guide my work forward for these two car types.  At least it is still winter - well, okay, the next winter.  And, no, I don't think I'll finish this project before this winter ends.  Would be nice if I did though - but real life is being exceptionally intrusive of late.

--

Well, yes, I did get back out to the garage and made further progress on the stock cars by cutting out many of the components that will be glued onto the core: roof walk, top boards for sides and ends, horizontal rails for the sides (undecided for the ends), and the vertical brace pieces.  Still need to cut the vertical door pieces and the diagonals - and to decide how I'll do the ends.  I figure about 185 pieces towards the finished product including the cores for the three tank cars (six stock cars, one horse car so ten cars worked on today).  Progress.

Rolling Stock - Part One

Of how many "Parts", I don't know.  But this is a good start.  

The eighteen unmodified Peter Pig rolling stock pieces are on display in the photos below: 6 passenger coaches, 8 box cars, 3 flat cars, one drover's caboose as mentioned a few times now.  So, for anyone out there doubting I really had all of what I said, here is photographic proof.

Above is what will be a typical freight train in my Old West games, a locomotive with tender, four box cars, and a caboose.  That is the Peter Pig modified locomotive at the front.  Below are a couple of other views.

Below, for that proof, are all 8 boxcars in one long train and a few additional views.

And below is the Glenco 4-4-0 pulling a typical passenger train of three cars - though the normal will be a combine and two coaches rather than the three coaches seen here.  Again, several views.

And a double header pulling all six coaches with the varied views.

How about a nice little mixed train with the Glenco 2-6-2 up front and the three flat cars and then a coach behind.

And going the other way is the same cut of cars but with the CP Huntington (see below) doing the pulling.

What about a little push-me-pull-you with the hard working little Porters?

And a shot or two with all 18 pieces of rolling stock awaiting more paint than the primer coat they currently are wearing.

And, when it absolutely, positively has to get there - a triple header of the three Peter Pig locomotives - just for Martin Goddard himself if he ever swings by to take another peak.

The next 21 pieces will take longer since they all involve modifications to the basic Peter Pig model.  But in due time.

And now it is time to admit to being embarrassed.  I made a statement in an earlier post about wondering if the CP Huntington is a real locomotive.  Duh!  I live near the actual, real, restored original and I've only stood right next two about a dozen times over the years!  Oh, well, life goes on.  And so does my Old West project - when I can find time to work on it.

Rolling Stock - Part A

No pictures today, just a quick note.

I've made much progress on rolling stock, all of the side frames are drilled for the axle pieces on all items.  Eighteen items await only filing down the metal pieces and then assembly prior to priming, already washed and filed the bodies as well as washed the metal parts.  These are the unmodified items - 8 box cars, 6 passenger cars, 3 flat cars, and the one drover's caboose.  That leaves the 21 items to be modified in various and sundry ways.

And I've made a good decision.  The one flat car I hadn't decided what to modify into will become a special horse car as opposed to all those stock cars for cattle.  For those in the know, it's for the likes of: "Who are those guys?"  And that same movie inspires the look of the car, to a degree, artistic license will apply.

Speaking of artistic endeavors, also realized I have a challenge to resolve - paint schemes!  I have a pretty good idea how I will paint all those steam locomotives.  But I really haven't decided which way to go with most of the rolling stock.  Sure, I will use real railroads as points of inspiration but I still need to finalize how I will apply it to my 15 mm Rail Baron Empire.  I will use a long cherished scheme for the passenger equipment; you'll just have to wait for the photos to know what it will be!

That's all for now.  Happy gaming - and happier building and painting.