Castle for my sons birthday

[hopester101]

Morning all

My name's Chris, from Warrington and first of all I'm not a joiner/ carpenter, I'm 37 and have had no training on the subject and actually work in an office - but I've renovated my own house and and self taught on all things wood and creative. I love working with wood, my grandad was a carpenter and I'm looking to start a joinery course soon. I dont have a workshop and everything I do is just with handtools, bar a drill and jigsaw.

I've made a few things over the years, garden gates, hifi stands, cupboards etc which usually go ok - but my little boy turned 3 recently and I decided to make him a castle. My granddad made me one when I was little and I played with it for way too long, ha.

Anyway I would really appreciate some feedback about what you think, and any tips you might be able to give.

Walls: 6mm ply 'sandwiches' with pine 3/4" rails running top and bottom so they are hollow but have the thickness
Corner towers: 2x2 pine
Battlements: Oak strips that I jigsaw cut and chiseled out
Steps: short lengths of 1x1 glued to a pine strip
Base: MDF
All glued with no more nails, so no pinning, screws etc

Then handpainted the lot (waterbased interior satin and artists acrylics)

Be interested to hear what people think.
Thanks
Chris

 

[Mcluma]

Gorgeous, a lovely piece – very nice

Your son will be very very happy with that castle

Ps is the scale set on a Playmobil toy?

 

[gc]

Thats great, will provide hours of enjoyment for your son.

 

[hopester101]

Aw thank you very much guys, nice to hear. Have never attempted anything like this before, so I'm pretty pleased.

It works for Playmobil yes, but I found some Britains figures (the ones with the green metal bases that have been around since the 70's) that fit pretty well.

Just need to add the drawbridge which is made but cant work out how to hinge it to the base, either a bamboo skewer piloted right through it with pivot blocks either side and then fine chain to raise and lower, or just a fine brass hinge or 2... hmmm.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I went for pivot blocks and a dowel for my drawbridge; the dowel is fixed to the bridge with brass straps. I copped out of making the planned spiral staircase and went for ladders instead ...

 

[hopester101]

Wow very nice mate, don't suppose you have any pics of the drawbridge pivots up close do you?

 

[billybuntus]

Very nice. My only criticism is it needs more to interact with. Battlements to climb up etc

Get some cannons made too!

Its great to see a parent who wants there kid to play and not just stare at a tv or games console.

 

[The Weegie]

Lovely piece of work. your son will get hours of enjoyment from it. I thought about making my 6 year old a castle. However my local model shop was selling a castle with knights half price so bought one instead.

I then decided to make him a world war 2 french scene with trees village houses/shops, bridges etc etc for his soldiers. My son loves playing with the scene.

Once again well done.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I don't have any more pictures I'm afraid, but it is basically the two grey blocks (20x20 mm beech) each have a blind hole in them which takes the end of the 6mm dowel, which is fixed along the bottom edge of the drawbridge, sticking out by 10mm (to go into the pivot blocks) at each side. The dowel hinge pin I decided might not stay stuck to the drawbridge by glue alone, so I cut two 8mmx80mmx0.5mm brass straps, which go over the dowel and up the door inside and out, and are bolted through with a couple of 8BA brass screws - nuts locked on by soldering after fitting to avoid small parts coming adrift.

Incidentally, following on from the other thread - this does flat pack. It goes in one of those wheelie under-bed storage boxes. The flaps at all the corners have slide-together slots, and all the floors are just sitting on little blocks glued on to the "walls". I initially wanted to make it so you could assemble it in different configurations, but never worked out a way.

I like your detailing, especially around the arrow slots. You are clearly more artistically talented than me !

 

[disco_monkey79]

Excellent, I'm sure your boy will love it!

 

[hopester101]

I don't have any more pictures I'm afraid, but it is basically the two grey blocks (20x20 mm beech) each have a blind hole in them which takes the end of the 6mm dowel, which is fixed along the bottom edge of the drawbridge, sticking out by 10mm (to go into the pivot blocks) at each side. The dowel hinge pin I decided might not stay stuck to the drawbridge by glue alone, so I cut two 8mmx80mmx0.5mm brass straps, which go over the dowel and up the door inside and out, and are bolted through with a couple of 8BA brass screws - nuts locked on by soldering after fitting to avoid small parts coming adrift.

Incidentally, following on from the other thread - this does flat pack. It goes in one of those wheelie under-bed storage boxes. The flaps at all the corners have slide-together slots, and all the floors are just sitting on little blocks glued on to the "walls". I initially wanted to make it so you could assemble it in different configurations, but never worked out a way.

I like your detailing, especially around the arrow slots. You are clearly more artistically talented than me !

Perfect thank you, will give that a try this weekend! We should go into business, there's a huge market for them apparently and given our combined skills......