Thursday 5 June 2014

Hello,
and people said we'd never get here, #2 post. As I mentioned previously, I'm working on some 1/48 Victorian Town Houses. The first is based on 712 Steiner St in San Francisco and will be followed by an Italianate and the rest of the 710 - 720 block, this is probably the most photographed set of Painted Lady's any where in the world.



712 Steiner St is the blue house second from the right in the top photo, I then will be doing the Italianate version from the second Photo, and then the other 5 from the set. One of the first things I thought would be useful and interesting would be to design a base board that would allow the houses to sit next to each other and also to create a sloped street. My thinking was that this would allow people to create individual houses, but then to be able to as a group put them together at a show. This would require a little planning as a group because at the moment I have created 6 sloped blocks that are all slightly higher than each other and a decision is needed of which step you would need to fit in with others. I will probably make a flat version as well that could fit at any level. I fact there would be know limit to how many houses could go in a row.


These are 5 of the 6 bases with rough working prototypes of 712 sitting on top to see how it was working out. I am pretty pleased with the effect achieved. In front of the steps is the footpath with the curbing at the front edge. To the right of the steps is a driveway into the garage. I am in the process of assembling and painting a prototype for use in the instruction manual at the moment so no finished shots yet. The house has an option to fit a garage or have a basement window. This also allows individuality and the option of a driveway or front garden depending on period modeled. As I continue designing, any of my row houses will fit on any base. Some of the other things that are happening with this house are that the entire interior slides out the rear like a large drawer. This allows the interior to be built, decorated and dressed out of the building, I don't know about you but my fingers aren't getting any smaller as I get older. 


 

It also means that the exterior can be finished and the interior done when ready to, it also that the interior can be taken out and seen if you have a row of houses side by side. I will also be offering a version with removable panels on the sides for people who would prefer that though.

None of the above photos show the current detailing that is now part of the design, These are all just earlier test mockups, or concept models as we would call them in the film industry. They allow me to check build-ability and form and to see how I can make both better.

I hadn't planned on this blog or putting these ideas out there quite so largely but I was listening to Jordan Belfort who is the real "Wolf of Wall Street" and one comment he made stood out. If you tell enough people that you intend to do something, you end up having to do it. So here goes, I would like this kit ready to send out by the end of June 2014. I will probably be selling through E-Bay initially. The kit will be  $100 and the base $20 or $15 if purchased at the same time as the kit.

Is that public enough.

Till next time when I will have finished photos to show.

Warren or as most call me Wazza

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