Castle with train tunnel...repro of vintage German toy...

Post by **Howard** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:41 pm

Greetings to all…

After a creative dry spell…and a inconvenient hurricane…I’m trying to get back into a creative mode…

I’ve chosen to build my version of a vintage German Elastolin toy castle that incorporates a tunnel for a train…a picture of the inspiration piece is shown below…my version will be similar…but much smaller…

Do a Google search of “Elastolin castles”…you’ll find the history and many images of the different models made over the years…

The patterns that follow are for the five major parts…house, square tower, round tower, entry gate and raised plateau…

I won’t be posting pattern for the following…roofs…windows and door frames…trim pieces…small details…tunnel…hill…road leading up to the drawbridge…etc…but will post photos so you can see how they are made plus how and where they fit…

By the way…I guess this means I’ll have to start making a new population of “flatties” for the castle…

My very best regards…

Howard…

Note...pattern sheets 3 and 4 will be posted after this initial post...

Post by **Howard** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:43 pm

Pattern sheets 3 of 4 and 4 of 4 are posted below...

Howard...

BurghGal · Post by **BurghGal** » Thu Sep 21, 2017 7:33 pm

Welcome back! I hope Irma, unwelcome visitor to Florida that she was, didn't do too much damage in your area.

I cannot wait to see this castle! I know it will be fabulous, it's just a matter of how fabulous it will be. Thanks for sharing your designs, they are inspiring.

Post by **Lucy** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:08 pm

I am eagerly awaiting this project as well. It's a great inspirational piece. A friend of mine wants me to make a cardboard recreation of the cover of the Batman comic #31 - an iconic cover. It's got a castle at the top of a rocky incline much like this Elastolin castle so some of the creative issues is placing the castle are similar. I look forward to see how you build this incredible castle.

(I didn't post a link to the cover even though it is everywhere on the internet because I just don't know the copyright rules well enough and I want to be respectful of Paul's wonderful website. You can google Bob Kane's cover of Batman comic #31 to see it if you want.)

Thank you for sharing the patterns, Howard. I am going to borrow the tower for a small project I am working on.

Lucy

Post by **maria** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:11 am

So wonderful--can't wait!

Post by **Howard** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:02 am

update...9/23...

walls of house cut out...started adding "layering details"...window and door frames...sills...bay window over arch entrance...tile roofs over windows...bump out for front door and step...etc...(it's a lot like making "flatties")...still have to do the two side walls and back wall...

my very best regards...

howard...

Clinton · Post by **Clinton** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:00 pm

Love the details and dimensionality of your castle project. Will you be using some kind of texture on the walls sir?

Post by **Howard** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:37 pm

Will...going with a fine sand finish...then craft paint...probably some dry brushed highlights...won't use any glitter or mica on this piece...the hill part will be done like model railroad scenery...more about all this later...
Howard...

Clinton · Post by **Clinton** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:44 pm

Thanks for the reply Howard. Looking forward to seeing it!

Post by **Howard** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:06 am

update...9/24...

i think i have just about all of the detail layering done on the house...i do see a few things i'll crisp up with a sharp xacto blade when all the glue dries...the next piece to build will be the square tower...

soon i'm going to be doing some measuring for the tunnel openings and height of the plateau...i'll set up the widest and tallest car and locomotive that i have so that i have plenty of clearance...the vintage castle/tunnel required the track to be on a curve...i'm looking at making mine go straight through...

my very best regards...

howard...