Saturday 29 December 2012

The painting and gluing has begun



Painting and gluing has begun.  I have to say, hats off to Mr McQueen because this caravan is very straightforward to put together and could be put together in a very short time indeed if one did not have to endure time consumed while waiting for paint and glue to dry.


I tried painting these plastic windows, I believe it will work but not for the door windown which must be re-made a-new.

I buy up lots of cheap tins of paint from the locak DIY shop and mix my own colours, saves money.

This is around four shades darked than I'd like, more painting required I think.

This and the pic below are the main body coming together.


I chose the turquoise colour because so many caravans are in beep red and while I love this colour I wanted something different, also my caravan’s inhabitants will be on the 'hippy/alternative' side so a unique colour scheme is a must.  So far the bare wood is sucking up my paint so the colours have come out around 4 shades darker that I want, but it will lighten up with a second or third coat me thinks. 

   
As always there are a few things I’d like to change or modify.  As you will be aware if you read my other blogs, I like ‘working’ parts and ‘realism’ wherever possible so having researched this caravan and found that each real size caravan in the same design has a three-way split door, I can’t very well leave mine with its two piece door now can I (grin).  Besides the window for the door is one of those plastic ones that will look great in the walls once painted but in the door it is a little over powering so it has to go.




I began to make the stove, it is a Phoenix miniature and is metal cast.  While the stove is a very detailed one, sadly it lacks in my much loved ‘working parts’ characteristic.  The doors can be glued open or shut but one cannot have the choice of opening and closing them at will, such a shame but hey-ho I guess there will be very little space to move inside eventually so this detail I will let slide and settle for gluing a couple of doors slightly ajar.  I think I make my own light up fire to go inside later on.  The unit where the stove sits does not have an opening wodden door just a piece of wood that should be glued in place, I'd like a cuboard so with the help of some sanding down, a door knob and a couple of pins I will be making it open up for storage.  I don't know about you but I always find I actually do need storage spaces in my mini dwellings, for things such as seasonal objects or odds and ends I'm still working on but don't want to loose etc.  

The stove in its many pieces.
the gluing has begun. I used evo-stick, mainly because its great for sticking everything that no other glue sticks and I don't have to mix it.

The little stove door.

The stove unit in bits.
Testing for fit.
 
So for now, this is where I’m at, undecided on the interior decoration and feeling as if I need to get to grips with my inside colour scheme asap.  I have great ideas I just need to put together a design board so I can pinpoint exactly what I want.  I need to buy some wood too, a few thin strips should do it, they will be used for the modifications and in the exterior design.

Well I better get back to it...  see you soon x

Thursday 27 December 2012

In the beginning



Hello there, I thought I’d do a little project aside from my main blog.  I have a gypsy caravan to make and I’d like to take you on the journey with me as I make it.

To begin with I have a box of wooden bits and so far the only progress made is a colour scheme.  I shall be using several colours, turquoise, burgundy, buttermilk, pink and gold to name but a few.  It was a long process deciding the colours but I’m off out to buy paint and hopefully it will all work out the way I want it to, fingers crossed.  Soon as I make a start I’ll pop up some pictures so you can see.



Don’t forget to check out my other blogs – Thatch Cottage and Teeny Tiny Things