Unlike the foregoing projects the Inn is something of a major production. While the farmhouse and parts of the town house could be turned out rather quickly, the Inn cannot and it might be a good idea to take a short break from your painting schedule to set aside a day ar two to do it. As the building is a bit larger, it will be more imposing and noticeable on your table top. As such you will want to put a little more effort into it. I like to take on one of these building projects now and then simply because it forces me away from painting, gives me a rest, and allows me to "recharge my batteries" for other things. You should not be concerned about undertaking this task as the difficulties are only in detail, and not in major construction. The Inn is built in three sections, ground section, upper story and roof. The ground section has exactly the same construction as the farmhouse described in Vol. I I, No. 4. The upper storey is also much in the same line, the only tricky part being that it is assembled around two 4"x4" "frames". Once again, be sure to recess the top frame one quarter inch from the top of the second story to accomodate the roof key. Also, the "roof" key for the ground section (3"x4") is glued to the bottom of the lower frame of the upper storey so it "locks in" to the ground section. If you don't want everything detatchable, you can really simplify the job by making the ground section and upper storey section one piece (see plan One). In this case you would not have to make the assortment of roof keys and can economize on balsa wood. This method has the advantage that you can do a little more finishing and you are not troubled with seams along the sides. Finally comes the roof assembly which again is similar to the method of construction from the first, differing only in complexity. CONSTRUCTION To make the Inn as shown you will need the following lengths of balsa wood: 8 1/4" x 1/4" x 4" 6 1/8" x 1/4" x 3.5" 2 1/2" x 1/4 x 2.5" 2 1/4 x 1/2" x 1.75" 4 small lengths for locks (any size less than 1" 4 small lengths of 1/4" dowel. These are only for the basic frame members. Other sizes of balsa will be given as required. To begin, use 1/4" stock to assemble 3 frames 4" by 4" and two frames 3" by 4". Once dry, glue one of the 3" by 4" frames to one of the 4" by 4" frames so that there is a 1 " overhang on one side (see figure below). In making the ground floor cut out two pieces of the size BOTTOM FRONT, and two of BOTTOM SIDE, from figure 1. Note that this figure is a template made to the actual size for 30mm/25mm figures so dimensions are exactly transferable. The dotted lines on the bottom side section show the position of windows or shutters if a double window is required. The solid lines shows what to cut out for two single windows on the bottom. Assemble these cardboard pieces around one of the 3 x 4 frames, being careful that there is a 1/4" recess in the top of the BOTTOM Assembly. This will accept the 3" x 4" key that was glued onto the 4 x 4" frame previously. Hide the edges by glueing scrap lumber to the upper corners BELOW the frame to hold the edges together. Next assemble the upper story in much the same way, using the assembly of the 3" x 4" frame and 4" x 4" frame as the bottom for the second floor. Assemble the second floor around this frame using the 4" x 4" square as its base, the 3" x 4" frame protruding below the bottom edge of the side panels (see fig. 1). Here again the actual composition of the side is up to your own tastes. It could have all windows (as my model has on two sides) or some windows and a door leading onto a balcony on the back (or front, or side). If you wish to represent a stairwell, do so by the small descending windows shown by dotted lines in figure 1 on the TOP SIDES section. To do this cut out only the dotted line sections and do not cut out the two solid line windows shown. The second 4" by 4" frame is used as a top frame, keeping it 1/4" below the upper edge of the second story side. The roof is simply made by cutting out two front and two side pieces as shown. Assemble them, with scotch tape holding the OUTSIDES together along the edges. Turn the assembly upside down, liberally pour glue along the inside edges and allow to dry thoroughly. Once this is dry, drop the remaining 4" by 4" frame into the recess of the second story. Place the roof over it and line it up so that it sits straight on top of the second story. Drive pins through the roof into the key laying in the recess. Remove the roof with the key still pinned to it. Swab the edge where the key touches the roof with glue, cover the four pieces of dowel with glue and stick them up into the angle formed by the frame and roof. This will serve to positively bind the roof to the roof key. (fig. 1) DETAILING While I constructed the Inn in a "tudor" style it can be made in almost any style. It could be stone, brick, clapboard, or simple stucco. These finishes deal not so much with construction but rather with correct use of paint. It is important to avail yourself of a wide range of paints and inks. Most of the hobby paints like Pactra, Flo- Quil and others are o.k. it is difficult to get the coverage and color brilliance needed. Versatility is the key. Most of the painting done on the Inn was with ordinary poster paint water colors, shaded and tinted as desired. The "beams" for the tudor effect were done with brown drafting ink (Rapidograph or Koh-i-Nor) darkened with a little black. The lines were drawn with a Rapidograph pen and straight edge. Purists might like to stain thin 1/16" thick balsa. Under each window on the ground floor glue a stained 1/8" square section of balsa cut to length to serve as a sill. The shutters on the narrow side were made from ordinary balsa painted with Pactra in peasant designs of tulips. The door on the other side was made by first glueing a frame of 1/8" strips around the cutout to give the effect of wall thickness. Then a simple strip of card was glued over the opening and painted yellow. When dry this was gone over with a thin brown wash made by diluting the brown ink with water. This gave it a worn, "rough hewn" look. The supports were painted on in undiluted ink. The "front" door assembly was made from balsa. First a "frame of 1/8" square members was glued around the area then sheet balsa was cut to fit the opening (see fig.2). Small squares of "trim" 1/16" square stock were glued onto this. The whole thing was stained brown. The sign above the window is cut from cardboard. Stained glass is a difficult thing to model. I use small strips of styrene. Over this draw the design in regular oil or Flo-Quil paints. When dry, draw the lead lines with a drafting pen or fine tip marker, not a ball point! The Balcony shown is a general plan and can be altered as you see fit or eliminated altogether. I made the railing slats with "boards" of 1/4" by 1/16" balsa, but small strips or dowels could be used. The boards were painted in bright colors and decorated with various designs. To cover the numerous window holes in the construction making the house look live-in rather than gutted, draw squares on index card the same size as the openings. Then draw little scenes, curtains, or people in the squares. Once dry draw a grid over the scene representing the frames for small panes used in this era. Let dry and glue inside the window openings. I have rushed through much of the construction so that I had more room for the difficult part, the roof. Roofs are some of the most curious things in modeling. Even inModel railroading I know those who will lavish hours of effort in detailing windows, doors, sides, and foundations but when it comes to the roof they just slap on two slabs of cardboard. This is unfortunate because the roof is what most gamers see the most. Take two pieces of 1/2" by 1/4" stock and cut off one long edge at an angle equal to the pitch of the side of the roof. Then glue them, one on each side with their pointed bases on the dashed line shown in figure 1. Next build the attic assemblies. Two sides and two roof pieces are needed for each one. The maximum that can be crammed on the building shown is three on the front and back. I put three on the front and one on the back and added a large dormer (or double garret) on the back. The sides of the attic are labelled B and the roof sections D in figure 2. The bottom of the front of part C should rest on the dashed line shown on the roof pieces. If a large garret is desired either front or back, use that assembly (parts A for the side and E for the front). Once this is dry, put a long sheet or roof of 2'/, '' by 1 1/4 " of cardboard over the garret. Now cut cardboard into strips between '/4 ~ and 3/16" in size (this is a good time to use up all the odd angles, snippets and cuttings from the building). Most of them should be in that size range, but don't worry if they are a little over or undersized. Cut the strips into small rectangles about 1/4" to 3/8" long. Once you have a good pile you are ready to shingle the roof. Work from the bottom of the roof up. Lay a line of glue (thick and sloppy, don't spare it!) along the bottom roof edge. Then lay a line of shingles along this with the short side parallel to the horizontal edge of the roof. Lay another strip of glue over that and lay another line of shingles, being careful to overlap the first line halfway so the shingles stand up a little. Repeat all the way to the top of the roof. Work around the attics and garrets. Shingle the roofs of these also. Don't worry if they are not exactly in straight lines, of if the shingles are of odd sizes, and that they seem to lay in a rather haphazard manner as is seen in cartoons of Ozark shanties -it will look very realistic. Remember you are modelling a poorer city or country Inn where maintenance is probably not the best. Once complete, let it DRY THOROUGHLY for at least a day. Using Pactra paint, mix a shade of dark green (green and black) or maroon and black and slop the paint on thickly over the shingles (and the garret, your hands, table and anything else). This gets the paint into the little nooks and crannies. Once this is dry, paint the sides and front of the garrets. Paint the chimneys white, then go over it with maroon, painting in individual bricks. Remember that here too you do not have to make straight even rows as seen in homes today. In the 18th century most of these Inns had been standing for some time, and many of them had hearths going back to the middle ages. Bricks at that time were never regular, and chimneys were often rebuilt and repaired several times. Once dry, water down some black ink and splash it around the tops of the chimneys to look like soot. Construction Plan #1: Inn (Large: slow: 81K) Construction Plan #1: Inn (Jumbo: slower: 164K) Construction Plan #2: Inn (Large: slow: 67K) Construction Plan #2: Inn (Jumbo: slower: 128K) Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. III #1 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1981 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com