Thursday, March 22, 2018

Folding table idea


We're finally winding down the various little repairs and fixes around our new home - and there were plenty of them. The gardening season is yet to start, so since there's nothing pressing to do in and around the house, I can now turn my thoughts to getting my gaming table set up.

My first thought was for a permanent table base with storage racks beneath, similar to those used by model railway enthusiasts. After fixing shelves and such I found I have at least adequate storage space for figures and models, but what I don't have is much floor space. This will change a bit when the better weather arrives. I can clear the last of the junk from our garage and transfer some stuff from gaming room to there. Even so, the lack of floor space remains a problem.

So, after a hunt around internet sites like Pinterest I found a solution to the problem in the table design shown in the photo.


It should be fairly cheap and easy to fit retractable legs to my existing table boards. Four sturdy bolts and an eight feet length of two-by-four will do for making the four legs, and a couple of lengths of four inch wide plank will work for the cross beams. The casters I found during our move turned out to have bent shanks, but I scored four nice solid brass casters at the local Habitat store for $1 each - bargain! They'll allow me to move the table around when it's set up. When not in use it'll fold up and stand against the wall.

I have a two-feet extension piece that turns the table into an eight feet long version. It bolts to the rest of the board through wooden battens and should be strong enough, but I'd prefer it to have some kind of support underneath for those absent-minded moments when I lean on the table. I've yet to work out how to do this. For now I'll be content with a six-by-four table for a while.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

New Girls of the SWA


Real life got in the way at times these last two weeks, although it's always a pleasure to cook in my own kitchen after waiting so long for our place to become available. (Dutch-style brown bread is baking even as I write). I even like to do various fixes around our new home - obstinate bathroom cabinets notwithstanding. This weekend just gone we did get to attend Cleveland Concoction, a nice SF/Fantasy convention at a new venue in Aurora, Ohio, finding the place without trouble even though a sudden blizzard descended on the area. The 'Lake Effect' snow stuck around all weekend, but by the time we left it was in bright sunshine.

I did manage to finish the VBCW 10mm figures for the Socialist Women's Alliance (SWA) platoon today. Although I'm not the world's greatest figure sculptor and my painting skills seem to have atrophied over the last few months, I think they look okay.


From left to right, back row - Medic with patient: 2" mortar crew: Two Lewis gun teams. Front row, left to right - Four riflewomen: Boyes AT rifle.

The figures are crafted from Sculpey and the teams are mounted on fender washers. I covered these with liquid nails and pressed dry tealeaves into the soft glue, letting it harden overnight before giving it a blast of 'Holly green' aerosol paint and finishing with wet-brushing on lighter green craft paints.

This addition makes up the numbers to two full sections, ready to take on all comers.

Then there's this...


My sainted brother-in-law left a toolbox behind after one of his visits. He does that kind of thing. He's a nice guy, but he'll vanish over the horizon following a family visit and afterwards we'll find a few boxes, bags and other bits-and-bobs that he 'forgot' tucked away in obscure places. I suspect it's his way of craftily de-cluttering his house at the expense of our living space.

But I digress. During the move I noticed a toolbox stuck in a corner of our spare bedroom. When I picked it up it sounded like it had a few things rattling around inside, but I didn't have time to investigate, just sticking it away in a space on the van and leaving it in storage with the rest of our stuff. Yesterday I came across the toolbox in our garage where the moving men had left it. I opened it and - found another whetstone.

*Head Desk*

Thursday, March 1, 2018

UK wargamers - public service announcement

Hammerhead

Due to local adverse weather the police have closed access to Newark Showground. Therefore Hammerhead has been re-scheduled for 28th April 2018. Please share.

 

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