Pernstein Castle / Betaxa / 1:300 [FERTIG]

    A courtyard surrounds the buildings at the base of their walls. The moment of truth came when it was time to close the circle. The courtyard had to be pulled together 1/4" to close. Of course, this introduced stress that telegraphed as ripples along the couryards. Relieving this stress will not be a problem, but this exercise shows the need for gluing card beneath large flat planes to keep evenything under control. Note the tilt of the barrack buildings on the left.

    This model looks very complicated! The construction method, top to bottom, seems close to Schreiber's Eltz Castle. Are you finding this one harder to build?
    I am often wary of adding a lot of card at early stages of construction. It can make the model too stiff too soon and create a big problem if something has to be twisted to get into its proper place.
    Needless to say, I continue to watch this thread closely ;)

    Thanks Jan.
    Richeite, I think this is one of the most complex models I have built. It presents callenges at every turn. Just up your alley! It took me almost a week to figure out one wall/roof section. I would pick up the pieces, study them closely,look at the skimpy drawings and then set everything aside until things clicked. I referred to this part - the tower/wall.
    Yet, all things being considered, the parts fit well. Only a few control cuts here and there ease internal stresses.
    You are right about being frugel with card. There is a time to use it and a time to stay away from it during construction. I guess exerience is the best teacher here. Sometimes you can almost feel that a part is just going to fall into place. The danger is to become too dependent on reinforcing everything. This, in my view, can lead to poor building.
    John

    I have stopped using triangular tabbed circle formers to reinforce circular towers. I find them flimsy. I use thick card cut with a circle cutter. It takes a few trial circles cut from light paper before the right diameter is reached, but the extra time to get the right size really pays off. With the cylinder glued up, the thick card disks apply gentle pressure against the inner walls of the cylinder. They really firm up the cylinder. Sliding the bottom disk down to the bottom of the cylinder is not a problem, but a hole has to be cut in the top disk so that a pair of pliers can get into position. (to keep the disk from sliding down on an angle)

    Hi John,


    Just one wish.


    Can you upload bigger pictures?


    You work is worth to see it more detailed. =) =) =)


    Your jpc-file-size is sometime less then 20KB.


    Thanks in advance, Herbert

    Hi John,


    Thanks for this fast answer. As a matter of facts its close to perfect!!!


    Now my old weak eyes can see you work much better. ;) ;) ;)


    If it is easy for you to upload the pictures in this way, please continue.


    Nice greetings from Vienna, Herbert

    Hello John,


    since your work is now nearly finished, I have to say that this is a great model you have built. I have followed all your steps and this has definitely wettened my appetite to build the castle as well. It is large, with a very interesting architecture and structure, not an ordinary castle. Thank you for sharing all your problems, puzzles and inventions during the creation of this building, and also for giving us larger pictures :],


    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

    Hello Jens,
    Thank you for your kind words. If you build Pernstein, you will be challenged and ultimately rewarded with a model of much architectural interest.


    Pernstein Castle, like Hohenzollern Castle (see construction reports) does not have a baseplate that determines the footprint of the outer skirting - in this case, the grass hill. Also, the skirting can not be put on without first supporting the castle core. J.F. Schreiber cleverly solved this problem in the design of Rheinstein Castle, by employing a central column that was dedicated to the exact height of the finished castle. It was glued in place under the center of the castle. There was no guesswork as to vertical height. This photo shows the column in the Rheinstein Castle build.


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    Edited once, last by John ().

    But with this model, the vertical height has to be determined by the sloping hills, which can not be put in place first. The weight of the castle would spread the hill walls outward and break their joints. So a support system is required. I will choose to make the support high. This will allow the hill to be contructed with no load bearing on it. Then the plan will be to progressively cut struts of card down in height until their height allows the bottom of the hill to gently rest on an oversized baseplate. And finally, the edges of the baseplate will be cut to the profile of the hill's bottom edge.


    At least, that's the plan.

    John, after reading several of your castle build reports, and the lengths to which you go to build a stable foundation, one wonders how other builders manage at all.


    It is a pure pleasure to read about the care you take to do it right, or not at all.


    Leif


    PS. On your recommendation, I am adding to my collection of high-quality (no others to be had, unfortunately - quite costly) gouache paint tubes. They are a pleasure. At the moment I am trying them on little plastic figures (1:87, HO, for the Venture project). They work just fine, although I understand that the paint will be prone to peel if subjected to any scratches. One solution is to use a layer of Gouache Varnish (Matt). It seems to work just fine.


    I have also taken to using this varnish on some paper parts before and after cutting them out. Works the same way as acrylic varnish, but since it is not water-based, it does not deform the paper. This is crucial, I have learned, when working on the TINY details (as compared to what I've grown used to) in that scale (which is what you and others do on a daily basis; I tip my hat!).


    I am yet dubious to what the correct solvent for this varnish should be. Doesn't say on the bottle. The artists shop believed spirits (alcohol), but I am not so sure - doesn't smell quite like alcohol, rather like some acetate or something. Would you have any clue? - It would be nice to be able to dilute it quite a bit for easier applying to paper, and to use alcohol (less obnoxious fumes than many other solvents).


    Best, Leif

    Dankbar für die Gelegenheit auf Englisch schreiben zu dürfen, kann aber Antworten problemlos auf Deutsch lesen.

    Leif,
    Observing a post from you is like touching base with an old friend. I appreciate your comments and sincerity.
    I really enjoy the opportunity to share my building experiences on this forum as the models are created. I guess it's the teacher in me. I hope I make it clear in all my ramblings that the techniques I outline are simply what 'works for me' rather than 'the way it should be done.' I just enjoy sharing a problem and a possible solution.


    Glad to hear that you find the gouache paints of value. Can't help you with the solvent issue. I'm sure someone on the forum here will help.


    I'm following your diversion from winged aircraft into vessels on the high seas these days! (I guess you are 'monkeying around' with ships.)


    Cheers and all the best from Canada,
    John

    Hello John,


    yes, castles like Rheinstein, with supporting columns or interior walls, are notable exceptions. I have built Chateau Haut-Koenigsbourg (L'instant Durable, Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg, Moduni-Nr. 1415017, 1:400) and only some few buildings were reaching the ground, leading some other parts of the castle to subside, which has been no hassle-free challenge to correct that.
    But if the inner core of Pernstein is levelled, it should be easy to find out the right height for the inforcement. I know you will find the right solution.
    My idea: try to find an approximate height for a sustaining framework underneath a little bit less than required. Apply all curtain-like grass pieces onto the castle without glueing them together yet (so you can still flap them up). You'll see whether they will join well together or not. This will give you the chance to raise the framework step by step by feeding in some cardboard strips under the ribs. If you do this you will get to the right height, although with some trial and error-like method.
    BTW: with some good reasons the first cardboard models in England were named "Pictorial Puzzles"... ;)


    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

    Edited 2 times, last by Jens ().

    Hello Jens,
    Your idea of just attaching the grass-like pieces without gluing them together would work if they didn't fold within their length. But a crease in or out prevents the flap from being lifted up. ( I found out later that a phone book under the flat base was just about the right height - more on that later.)


    Here are four shots of the castle with its grass berm or hill in place around the curtain walls. The pieces went together very well. I worked on a desk with the model held high on a slender support. With the model almost up at eye level, both hands could get behind each grass section and hold it in position with the thumbs applying pressure from the front.


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    Quote

    I found out later that a phone book under the flat base was just about the right height


    Depends on what city you're living in... =)


    You are right, keeping the castle up with something under and glueing the grass parts together will give you the right height after applying all pieces, when they are fitting together. Just measure some distances from the grass to the ground at several points, average the values and you will get the height for a bottom framework.


    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,
    Now that's funny! Good thing I don't live in Toronto! Peterborough and surrounding regions amount to a page height of about 40mm.


    Folllowing this phone book idea, the first trial substrucutre height was pegged at 40mm. Too high. Next, 35mm - closer. Then everything settled down nicely at 33mm - the optimum height for most of the castle. The substructure will be built at 33mm, but care will have to be taken where the ramp of the approach section mates with the stone bridge at the gatehouse of the castle.


    I have decided to keep the model in two distinct parts. The open ends of each will be sealed. When placed together, the eye will make the leap across the gap. (This is a long model and storage could be a problem if the parts were joined.)

    Edited once, last by John ().

    Hi John,


    Sorry maybe I understand something wrong. ?( ?( ?(


    Please confirm:


    You have to build this substructur because you live in a city with that provide you a telephonbook wrong sized? ;) ;) ;)


    Is that right? :D :D :D


    greetings from Vienna, Herbert

    Herbert,
    Well, I could say that I might need that phone book some day and have to rip the model apart to get it!


    Onward.


    The design of the model makes no provision for attaching the lower edges of the embankments to a base. (and for that matter, no provision for keeping the model from collapsing under its own weight) Light angle strips were cut and folded to keep the embankment edges from rippling and provide a glue edge.

    And so ends the saga of the Pernstein Castle model build. Rather an international event - finishing a model from the Czech Republic on Victoria Day, a Canadian holiday.


    This was a challenging model to build. Its construction is not to be taken lightly - it will demand much attention to detail and well thought out methods of reinforcement. The architectural constructions are true to the complex nature of the fortress. Well worth the effort.


    I must take some photos of the castle assembled.

    Edited 2 times, last by John ().