Recent posts

#1

The Engine Room / Re: A New Fine Arts Board?

Last post by James Harrison - Today at 05:26:37 PM

I like the idea of having such a board, but I think it would have to be as part of a wider reworking of the existing boards - otherwise there's potentially a lot of overlap when you consider what content we have and where it currently is. 

Full disclosure - I have an fine arts degree (in Architecture).  Broadly, my experience at University was that academia's approach to fine art is to question the philosophy and deeper meaning behind artwork, rather than the technical side of its production.  Example - as a student the taught section of my academic timetable was about 75% lectures about architectural history or the societal framework that we function in (trying to teach how an Architect 'should' think about their work) and 25% technical aspects (by which I mean, knowledge of materials, basic structural engineering, draftsmanship and modelmaking). 

If we were to cast a new board in the context of providing an academic space for talking about what our artwork is and the thinking behind it, it would make some fascinating discussions but would it draw any interest?

Or would we want something more like has been discussed upthread and have it more like an art gallery?  I think the issue if we do that is - it's already done to an extent in the other boards (see the various artwork threads in aural-ocular, or the various sculptural works and house renovations in tactile).

 

#2

Off Topic / Re: YET *EVEN* MORE things tha...

Last post by Xenos - Today at 07:16:54 AM

And as of 1:15 AM Eastern Standard Time, my book is done (the vomit draft). 35,155 words.

I wrote a book in 10 (cumulative, 12) total days.

#3

Off Topic / Re: The Brassgoggles Model Mak...

Last post by Madasasteamfish - Yesterday at 06:23:24 PM

Well, for the first time in many years, I've found something Hornby make that I'd give layout room to. 

https://uk.hornby.com/products/great-eastern-railway-class-j15-564-r30407

One of these.  Although usually considered as being an East Anglian railway, the GER got surprisingly far into the Midlands.

Rather annoyingly, I may be joining you in sending my money to Margate as whilst looking through theirannouncements I noticed this:

https://uk.hornby.com/products/br-kitchen-and-buttery-car-and-composite-restaurant-7833-white-horse-coach-twin-pack-r40470

Although this specific example was allocated to BR's southern region, a Bulleid tavern car was a notable feature on The Master Cutler service in BR days.

And given I want to model aat least 1 London express on Dukeswood, rebranding/numbering this for my own Cutler train could provide a suitable alternative to scratch building/converting another restaurant/buffet car.

#4

Tactile / Re: My Steampunk Gameboy

Last post by Coppernibrass - January 20, 2025, 08:58:32 PM

Not only a little. A normal Gameboy Classic weighs around 230 grams without batteries. Mine, with the game module inserted, weighs a little under 450 grams. So almost twice as much.

#5

Tactile / Re: That 'big project' I've be...

Last post by James Harrison - January 20, 2025, 06:09:38 PM

While you are working in the attic I would like to give you one piece of advice:

Even if a "cold" attic is not a living room it is better to install at least two outlets (at the far ends) and efficient lights with the switch less than arm´s length from the entry.

Reason:
If you need to go there to inspect for leaks or damage it is mostly at night during a thunderstorm.
Then you need proper lights.
My house has three attic spaces. Main house and both extensions have separate ones. One extension attic is only accessible via the carport roof.
The sockets on my "outside" attic came in handy for an IR movement sensor and a huge 230C driven bell (something inbetween a school and tram bell considering the noise) to drive away a marten that wanted to move in when the weather turned cold.

Good advice.  I've got a light up there but no plug sockets.  Usually what I do is either rely on a torch or plug an extension cord into one of the bedroom sockets and then trail it up the ladder. 

James, why do you think the bricks are so fragile? Is it their quality or where they are positioned, or something else? Why haven't you seen a similar problem elsewhere on the walls?

Sorontar

An interesting question.  I think it's telling that everywhere else on the external walls, the bricks are in good condition, they're intact, their fireskin is still there and generally there's little to no evidence of weathering.  Assuming that the same sort of brick was used under the render, there are two possibilities;

- firstly that 'something' happened to the bricks and the render is a cosmetic repair for weatherproofing purposes (for example, the house fronts onto a road, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that something hit the wall or scraped it at some point). 
- secondly that the render could be surface decoration applied during construction - there's another terrace to the rear of mine that has exposed bricks at ground floor level and cement rendering throughout at first floor.

I think it's telling that the render doesn't go down to pavement level but rather stops a brick or so above it with a metal edging.  That's not an Edwardian detail...

If we take it that the render has been applied for reasons other than accident damage, I think you then have to consider how the stuff is applied and the circumstances in which it best sticks.  A smooth, fairly impermeable surface like the vast majority of my brickwork is not good for adhesion.  Cement renders tend to prefer a rough, broken surface to key to. 

It's difficult to be certain of course because the action of taking the render off tends to bring a bit of the brick surface off with it, but so far what I have noticed is that the scratches, gouges and lumps knocked out of the bricks are tending to be quite uniform in shape and size.  It's almost as if someone has deliberately roughed the brick surface up. 

At times like this I do wish the few historic photos of the neighbourhood were a bit clearer, but at the moment my working hypothesis is that it was applied long after the house was built, for reasons unknown (probably a cheap, stopgap measure if the brickwork needed repointing) and that the brick damage I'm finding is an artefact of how the stuff was applied. 

#6

Aural-Ocular / Re: Myth of Man

Last post by Sorontar - January 20, 2025, 12:55:45 PM

I liked Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow because of the shortcuts they took to save costs (though it did ended up costing $70M). I thought they worked well. This movie also looks interesting in its different approach to visual storytelling. I hope it is understandable and the roles have character.

Sorontar

#7

Tactile / Re: My Steampunk Gameboy

Last post by Sorontar - January 20, 2025, 10:14:27 AM

That looks great. Have your additions added much weight to it?

Sorontar

#8

Tactile / Re: That 'big project' I've be...

Last post by Sorontar - January 20, 2025, 10:11:06 AM

James, why do you think the bricks are so fragile? Is it their quality or where they are positioned, or something else? Why haven't you seen a similar problem elsewhere on the walls?

Sorontar

#9

Tactile / Re: That 'big project' I've be...

Last post by The Bullet - January 20, 2025, 08:35:45 AM

While you are working in the attic I would like to give you one piece of advice:

Even if a "cold" attic is not a living room it is better to install at least two outlets (at the far ends) and efficient lights with the switch less than arm´s length from the entry.

Reason:
If you need to go there to inspect for leaks or damage it is mostly at night during a thunderstorm.
Then you need proper lights.
My house has three attic spaces. Main house and both extensions have separate ones. One extension attic is only accessible via the carport roof.
The sockets on my "outside" attic came in handy for an IR movement sensor and a huge 230C driven bell (something inbetween a school and tram bell considering the noise) to drive away a marten that wanted to move in when the weather turned cold.

#10

Off Topic / Re: YET *EVEN* MORE things tha...

Last post by The Bullet - January 20, 2025, 08:29:56 AM

Wow Xenos,

you are really making progress.
Keep it up.