Haut-Koenigsbourg

  • The construction of Haut-Koenigsbourg has been well documented by Jens in the Construction section and superbly photographed by him in the Gallery. At first, I thought it presumptuous of me to begin a duplicate build. Indeed, Jens' model can not be surpassed.


    However, after viewing the black and white construction photos in the book, I feel that a different approach could be taken with some of the construction processes. Hopefully, we will arrive at the same point - a model well worth the effort. Hopefully, like Jens, I will have a smile at the end of the build similar to the one shown in his avator.


    John

    Der Bau der Haut--Koenigsbourg ist bereits von Jens sehr gut in seinem Baubericht dokumentiert worden und in der Galerie hat er sehr schöne Photos gezeigt. Zuerst dachte ich, es wäre anmaßend von mir diesen Bau nochmal zu machen. Tatsächlich kann man das Modell von jens nicht besser machen.


    Nachdem ich jedoch die schwarz-weißen Bau-Photos im Buch gesehen habe, hatte ich das Gefühl man könnte für den Bau nochmal eine andere Vorgehensweise wählen. Hoffentlich komme ich am Ende an derselben Stelle an wie Jens - ein Modell, welches den Aufwand Wert ist. Hoffentlich kann ich am Ende genau so lachen wie Jens auf seinem Avatar.


    John

  • Hello John,
    thanks for your compliments. I would mind building a model that was built a few months before, too, but give it a go. Maybe you can discover other ways to get closer to a satisfying model without the hassles I had. Also you have made more shots and comments of every building step than I did, so it's worth following your report. I am going to read it with interest like every report you wrote.


    Danke für die Komplimente. Ich würde auch nicht ein Modell bauen wollen, das schon vor Monaten gebaut wurde, aber mach es ruhig. Vielleicht kannst Du andere Wege entdecken, um eher ein befriedigendes Modell zu bekommen ohne all die Schwierigkeiten, die ich hatte. Außerdem machst Du immer mehr Bilder und Kommentare zu jedem Bau-Schritt als ich, also ist Dein Bericht verfolgenswert. Ich werde ihn mit Interesse lesen wie jeden anderen Bericht, den Du geschrieben hast.


    Best regards from
    [Blocked Image: http://www.pielawa.de/bilder/jenssign.gif]

    Um ein tadelloses Mitglied einer Schafherde sein zu können, muss man vor allem ein Schaf sein. — Albert Einstein

  • Thanks Oliver.
    Hi Jens. I am pleased you are okay with me tackling this model on the heels of your work. What struck me was the similarity this French model has to the Betexa model of Pernstein Castle. In Pernstein, many of the parts were suspended in the air awaiting support from other parts. In this model, there are supports that run down to the base, but other parts span the supports like bridge structures. I am going to attempt building it from the ground up. More of that when I get some parts ready to group together.


    The first major structure in this model is a substantial fortified tower. It is tapered. I could have turned it upside down and dropped a template disk in from the bottom to ensure roundness, but I wanted to try Leif's idea of drawing a circular disk into place in a fuselage part by means of two holes and a hooked tool. (Outlined in the Pierrefonds build.)


    This first shot shows the tapered tower with the bottom disk in place.


    Danke Oliver,
    Hallo Jens. Es freut mich, daß Du kein Problem damit hast, wenn ich mich in deinen Fußstapfen an dieses Modell wage. Was mir auffiel war die Ähnlichkeit dieses französischen Modells mit dem Modell des Pernstein Castles von Betexa. Bei Pernstein hingen viele Teile in der Luft während sie auf Stützung durch andere Teile warteten. Bei diesem Modell gibt es viele Stützen die zum Boden reichen, aber andere Teile verbinden die Stützen wie Brücken. Ich werde versuchen es vom Boden aus zu bauen. Mehr dazu, wenn ich ein paar Teile zum zusammenstellen habe.


    Das erste größere Teil bei diesem Modell ist ein beachtlicher befestigter Turm. Er ist kegelförmig. Ich hätte ihn umdrehen können und eine Schablonenscheibe von unten reinfallen lassen können, aber ich wollte mal Leif's Idee versuchen, eine Scheibe mittels zwei Löchern und einem Hakenwerkzeug an Ort und Stelle zu ziehen (Beschrieben im Pierrefonds Bau).


    Dieses erste Bild zeigt den kegelförmigen Turm mit der Bodenplatte.

  • And here is the shot of the top disk with two holes punched in it. The hook tool is a modified rug hooking tool. Because the tower is tapered inward as it rises, it was easy to draw the disk up with the tool engaged in the holes. The system works well.


    Und hier das Bild der oberen Scheibe mit zwei ausgestanzten Löchern. Das Hakenwerkzeug ist ein modifiziertes Häkelwerkzeug. Weil der Turm sich nach oben verjüngt, ist es einfach die Scheibe mit dem in die Löcher eingeklemmten Werkzeug nach oben zu ziehen. Das funktioniert sehr gut.

  • One of the buildings that sits atop this tower features face gable ends. In this picture you can see one of the gables and the strip of paper that will wrap up, over, around and back down the other side. I do not feel I have the skill to edge glue this strip properly. I don't put much faith in the little tabs. So I will attempt to make a template or armature that will form the gable to the proper thickness. Then I can wrap the paper strip over solid material.( I'm writing this as I think this one through... )



    [Blocked Image: http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/1791/gableft8.jpg]

  • Hello John,


    this gable is indeed one of the more tricky parts of the castle, and just right at the beginning. I think making templates of the roundings and applying the strip onto them will get a better result, so give it a try. All the other parts down to the rocks will fit easily from then on.


    Best regards from
    [Blocked Image: http://www.pielawa.de/bilder/jenssign.gif]

    Um ein tadelloses Mitglied einer Schafherde sein zu können, muss man vor allem ein Schaf sein. — Albert Einstein

  • Hi Jens.
    Yes, a template should work. Here is the first one shaped out of 1/8 in. hardboard.


    I would want to first score the bends where the strip of paper breaks around the solid template. However, in this case, you don't know where the bends will fall. I will assume that the wet glue will soften the paper strip enough that it can be tooled over the template gently as one proceeds. I'll start from the centre and work both ways.


    We'll see...


    [Blocked Image: http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/1368/corejt3.jpg]

  • Jens, you are right. This is a tricky model from the outset. In this picture, you can see the completed roof with the gable ends in place.


    I have found that needle nosed pliers are quite helpful with these tight fits. Here, an access hole has been cut in the cone of the subroof so that the pliers can reach in and grab that little roof that closes the end of the terrace.


    I have a question for you Jens. What is the significance of an exclamation mark on a fold line? I've never seen them before.


    [Blocked Image: http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9844/gainingaccessxt1.jpg]

    Edited once, last by John ().

  • Quote

    What is the significance of an exclamation mark on a fold line?


    Hello John, quite a nice gable. If you mean the exclamation mark on B16 (a wall) I think it just has to say "Don't forget to score this, too". The marks on B1 (the garden floor) are just there to give hints to the tiny edges you just have to pay attention for, nothing else. I haven't found any other exclamation marks on the rests of my second sheet, so I think the ones you mean seem to be just a little pretentious...
    I see you don't want to enhance the roofs with the cut out skylights, like I did. This is interesting, I thought you'd do this, too...


    Best regards from
    [Blocked Image: http://www.pielawa.de/bilder/jenssign.gif]

    Um ein tadelloses Mitglied einer Schafherde sein zu können, muss man vor allem ein Schaf sein. — Albert Einstein

  • I mentioned earlier that some parts on this model are either suspended in air or bridge other parts. Here is the first attempt to extend supporting card down to the base. This wall bridges two towers. The 1mm card not only fills the gap, it runs up inside the wall to the machicolations above. Going up inside the walls may not be always possible, but at least lower sections will be plumb and firm.


    Whether this reinforcement will make any difference to the fit of other outer parts such as ramparts remains to be seen.



    [Blocked Image: http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/5721/supportmg0.jpg]

    Edited once, last by John ().

  • Hi Martin,
    Thanks for sharing this thought with me. Being able to pass by on a bicycle would be a dream for me. The mountains sound beautiful.
    Someday perhaps...
    John

  • In studying the little half timbered buildings that sit on the top of the garden walls, I have come to the conclusion that the way they are designed could lead to frustrations. However, one must realize that the card model designer can only work with the materials he has been given. Often his publisher does not give him the luxury of incorporating extra card of various thicknesses 'kit style' to enhance parts. Everything depends on paper and folds. (Schreiber does provide 1mm card for the reinforcement of critical platform parts on some models.)


    At 1:400 folds on some tiny architectural parts can mean inaccuracies in sizing and parts that tend to be under tension. They can 'spring'. The classic case here with these little buildings is where one wall, the outer wall, folds down from the roof, then back under and then back up again! All within the space of 5 mm.


    In my humble opinion, tabs sometimes can just get in the way of good clean work. I have decided to cut off the joining and return tabs on these buildings and build them up with card or other material. This will keep both inner and outer walls parallel and will lock the roof angles.


    At least that's the plan...

    Edited 2 times, last by John ().

  • Great Work, John!


    It is an absolute pity that you're not posting these pictures to the Kartonbau.de server. Imageshack will delete them if they aren't viewed in a while, so this excellent thread will be lost to posterity. If you have trouble uploading I'll be happy to work with you to get this resolved!



    Cheers,



    Oliver

  • Hi Oliver,
    I've been through this with Jan and Michael. I can not post to the server anything greater than 60kb. They gave me an exemption and allowed me to post to ImageShack on the Pierrefonds build. Then Jan took the images and placed them on the forum's server. That's a lot of work to ask Jan to repeat. I have not approached him about the images on this build.


    Thanks for offering to help. It's just an unanswered question why my images will not upload to the forum's server. (over 60kb) We've tried everything.


    John

  • Hello John,


    the comparison with the Wartburg hoardings and the ones of Haut-Koenigsbourg is interesting: I have made this comparison, too, but due to the fact of different construction. Siegmund's Wartburg has hoardings constructed with four different parts: a base plate, the two walls and an extra roof, which made them easy to assemble and stable, too. The hoardings of Haut-Koenigsbourg roll themselves in like a "Q". The walls roll over to the roofs, the inner wall and a bottom strip. This is what could make these buildings a little unsteady. Fixing them in their interior might be indeed a help, but this would have meant a little of too much work for me, then. I was troubled enough with my self-enhanced roof dormers, I guess.
    Fixing the outer walls right to the ground might help, too, but we don't know yet, how the other buildings will contribute to the whole castles contortion, especially the rocks and basement walls. Let's hope they will not be impedimental at a later stage.
    You will see that the rocks will cause you enough trouble, especially the rock piece E8, which won't fit at all onto the wall, except with cutting it into two halfs (like some other pieces).
    But so far it is a well done first step. The major building will surprise you with best fitting, although complicated uncoiling parts.


    Best regards from
    [Blocked Image: http://www.pielawa.de/bilder/jenssign.gif]

    Um ein tadelloses Mitglied einer Schafherde sein zu können, muss man vor allem ein Schaf sein. — Albert Einstein

  • John, BTW:


    don't you mark the lines on the back of some parts, like the floor ground on hoardiong B14? I haven't seen a line, which should be done across the marks outside, having the signs "o-- --o". They contribute to level accompanying floors and pieces. And L'Instant Durable has economized their printings by omitting the back printing of such guide lines, obviously...


    Best regards from
    [Blocked Image: http://www.pielawa.de/bilder/jenssign.gif]

    Um ein tadelloses Mitglied einer Schafherde sein zu können, muss man vor allem ein Schaf sein. — Albert Einstein

  • Hi Jens,
    Thanks for the heads up on what pitfalls await me. I hope I will not be dashed upon the rocks!


    Yes, I mark the back sides for reference with a pencil. That's how I levelled the reinforced garden floor. Early on in card modelling, before I saw the light, I used my light box for parts but now it's just so much easier to do what was intended - slip the point of the knife into the center of the 'o' 's and joint the prick marks on the back. I know instruction illustrations show this technique, but I guess I just wanted to see the line. It doesn't increase accuracy at all. Realized that I could keep the work moving along without having to go downstairs to the darkroom. I was a bit slow on that one. Dumb! I don't mark back sides of wall tops that fold over on themselves. Never understood why that is necessary. Parts usually snuggle up under the 'shelf' created by the foldover.


    Also, little prick marks on each side of the yellow tabs ensures an accurate scoring on the back.
    John


    Edit: Jen, now I understand what you meant! You were talking about lack of a reference line running along the wall where part B17 has been glued down. The reason no line appears here is that I was using the back edge of the blue foldup tab to align with the break line of the roof at the eave at the back. In retrospect, it might have been a good idea to draw the line anyway. But I was sure that the solid material would keep everything parallel and perpendicular. Very observant Jens.

    Edited 2 times, last by John ().

  • Following up on the discussion with Jens above about marking the back side of parts with a reference line, here's a tip that really helps keep anything you want to land on that line on that line.


    Here is a wall section that will have a courtyard glued perpendicular to its back side half way up. Note that the top of this wall has been folded. This will be helpful when we have a look at the back side.

  • Here's the back side. Card is used to create a shelf that will allow the courtyard to snuggle up under it. Since we are working from the top down, the card can rest against the top of the wall at the fold and extend down to the pencil line. The edges will be parallel.

  • After it's glued in place, other pieces of card lock its tabs and reinforce the lower portion of the wall.


    One caveat. Reinforcing walls is great fun, but just make sure that the wall you reinforce doesn't have something hanging off of it! You've got a problem if you discover too late that there is another part waiting to be glued to the back side of your reinforced wall. Of course, if you are resourceful, there are ways around that... but it's better to look before you spray.
    John

  • There are a lot of lovely details tucked into the inner spaces of this model. Here are some in a courtyard area.


    I will probably be taking only a few of these detail shots. You will find excellent photos taken by Jens in the Architectural Construction Reports and Gallery. I would like to focus now on photographing the major areas and what effect building the walls down to the base will have on the accuracy of attaching the rocks, ramparts and paper base. The parts look rather daunting with their copious number of folds.
    John

  • I tremendously enjoy this build, John - not only because of the great photography, but also because this is a great-looking castle. I'm so sorry I didn't visit it, nay I didn't even know about it! when I lived in Germany. Only a few hours away, to boot....
    Looks like I'm going to have to buy the kit =)


    Cheers,



    Oliver