Tip of the Month: Finding the center of a circle

There comes a time when building scenery that you will run into something that is round, whether its a dome, a sphere, etc.  By itself, it does not pose any problems.  But what if you need to find the center of a item you didn't make yourself.  This little tip will help you solve that problem.  And yes, there is some math involved.

First, choose two points on the perimeter of the circle and draw a line between them.  You'll need to find the center of this line so choose two points at a distance that is easyily divided by two.

Second, draw a line at a right angle to the center of the first line using a square.  This new line passes through the center of the circle.

Third, repeat step 1 with another two points on the circle.

Lastly, repeat step 2 to creat a second line that passes through the center of the circle.  The point at which they intersect is the center of the circle.   See the figure below.

You can use this for drilling, painting, attaching it to a base, and many other things.
TTFN

'Ard Boyz is go!

So after calling around, the store closest to me (which I was told was not participating in the tournament) is hosting the 'Ard Boyz. If you are heading down to Game Empire in Pasadena, CA, I hope to see you on the other side of the deployement zone.

Looks like I'll be able to play after all.

I'm still painting my Emperor's Children and I doubt that I will complete all of them in two weeks. 

But this is what I'll be taking:

HQ (395)
Veneficus Voluptarius:  Sorcerer Lord (100)
--Mark of Slaanesh (5), Lash of Submission (20),
--Terminator Armor (15);
140 ptsDagoth, The Dreaming God:  Daemon Prince (110)
--Mark of Slaanesh (5), Sorcerer, Wings (20),
--Lash of Submission (20);
155 pts‘Custos a Latenter’:  Greater Daemon (100)
100 pts

ELITES (560)
Squad Custodis Ferratus:  5 Terminators (150)
--Icon of Slaanesh (15), Reaper Autocannon (25);
190 ptsSquad Ferratus Latenter:  6 Terminators (180)
--Icon of Slaanesh (15), Pair of Lightning Claws (50)
--Terminator Champion (10), Pair of Lightning Claws (10);
265 ptsTrucido Amens:  Dreadnought (90)
--Plasma Cannon (15);
105 pts

TROOPS (1071)
Squad Strages:  6 Noise Marines (120)
--4 Sonic Blasters (20), Blast Master (40), Personal Icon (5),
--Aspiring Champion (15), Sonic Blaster (5), Doom Siren (15),
--Rhino (35);
255 ptsSquad Nasicae:  6 Noise Marines (120)
--4 Sonic Blasters (20), Blast Master (40), Personal Icon (5),
--Aspiring Champion (15), Sonic Blaster (5), Doom Siren (15),
--Rhino (35);
255 ptsSquad Improbitas:  6 Noise Marines (120)
--5 Sonic Blasters (25), Personal Icon (5),
--Aspiring Champion (15), Sonic Blaster (5), Doom Siren (15),
--Rhino (35);
220 ptsSquad Luxuria:  6 Noise Marines (120)
--5 Sonic Blasters (25), Personal Icon (5),
--Aspiring Champion (15), Sonic Blaster (5), Doom Siren (15);
185 pts6 Daemonettes (78)6 Daemonettes (78)

HEAVY SUPPORT (470)
Scelestus:  Defiler
--Battle Cannon, Heavy Flamer, Reaper Autocannon;
150 ptsSquad Decoquo:  5 Chaos Havocs (75)
--4 Meltaguns (40), 1 Bolter,
--Rhino (35) with Combi-Melta (10)
160 ptsIra:  Vindicator (125)
--Daemonic Possession (20), Havoc Launcher (15);
160 pts

If I don't win, at least I'll have some fun.

'Ard Boyz, what?

So I finally have time and an army (or two) to actually participate in the 'Ard Boyz tournament.  But I'm not sure if I will be able to.  And not because of me.

Living in Los Angeles, you would think there would be at least five independant stores that I could go to.  Out of the five stores I know, three are on the list.  Of those on the list, one is a store I didn't know existed, another (a very large and popular store) is not hosting it (they're not sure why they were listed), and the other has the wrong day listed. 

So do I attempt to go or do I sit out another one?

Happy 4th of July

Happy Birthday to America!!

If you live outside the United States,  its still the the 4th of July, just not as special.

Making terrain

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Bug-eyed mosquitos and bow-legged Ants.

Today we will talk about how to build scenery from the ground up.  This works for all types of scenery: be it a forest or buildings.  I'll go over the different types of materials and what is best.  So lets get to it.

MDF

Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming panels by applying high temperature and pressure.  MDF is denser than plywood.

MDF does not have wood grain, making it more uniform than natural woods which makes it relatively easy to cut.  This is probably the best material to use since it is very durable, easy to cut, does not warp when wet (except when saturated), and is relatively inexpensive.  I use a 1/8” thick board for all my terrain bases.  A 3’ X 6’ sheet usually runs about $5.

Pros:  Hardly warps, easy to shape with a razor blade.  Accepts wood/white glue.
Cons:  Power tools to cut (bandsaw, jigsaw; you could cut it with a sharp carpet knife but it takes a long time to cut through.)



Chipwood





Pros:  Hardly warps (if at all).
Cons:  Crumbles and splinters when cut.  Need saw or power tools to cut.  If the edges become wet, they will swell like a sponge.



Plywood



 Plywood is a common building material used in houses to furniture.  It is made from intersecting layers of tin wooden sheets. 

Pros:  Good for baseboards.  More solid than MDF.
Cons:  Expensive.  Need power tools to cut.  Warps if not braced. 



Hardboard



Hardboard is similar to chipboard, only much tougher.  

Pros:  Thinner sheets can be cut with a sharp knife.  Similar to MDF.
Cons:  Warps if not braced.  Edges act like chipboard.  Not as durable.



Softwood



Soft Wood is used more for bracing baseboards to stop them from warping.  Alone, it is not very durable and usually costs more than plywood.



Pros:  Easy to work with.
Cons:  Only useful for bracing baseboards.

Cardboard

Cardboard comes in either corrugated or a single piece.  Some use this as a baseboard, don’t use it this way!  Your scenery will look like crap!  It is not durable as a base, warps easily, and is easily damaged if not protected.  Only use cardboard for building up the base or to represent materials such as corrugated iron.



CD's

CD Bases can be inexpensive or even free.  AOL sends them out for free.  They are very durable and will last a lifetime when used as a base.  The only drawback is their size.  Since they cannot be modified, you are stuck with one size.

Pros:  Easy to procure.  Bonds with most materials.
Cons:  Limited by size.



So there you have.  I personally use 1/8” MDF for all of my terrain.  I’ve only had one piece warp on me and that’s because I left it out in the rain.  Having built terrain for GW stores, I can tell you from experience that MDF and CD bases have the longest play life of all the materials.  Only use plywood if your scenery is bigger than 4’X4’ (yes I have built terrain that big) as you need its strength, just be aware of the weight factor.

Chipboard is similar to plywood but is made out of tiny chips of wood, compressed together in sheets.  The wood is sold in various thicknesses and usually come in full 4’x8’ sheets; almost the same price of plywood.

A pause in a long delay

So I haven't been able to post any articles lately.  I haven't worked on any terrain.  I'm still in the process of moving and finishing my new house.  Who know it would take so long and so much time to complete.  But its almost done.  And with summer approaching, more time to start on my "smaller" projects.

I'll keep you posted.

On the workbench

Some of my Emperor's Children Noise Marines.  And, yes, the purple is metallic also.