Mannie Gentile: Toy Soldiers Forever

Road Work Ahead

2012-01-25T17:03:00.000-08:00

Work continues at a breath-taking pace on my soldier table (call for a better name still in effect). Recently I completed my roads and fences.

The road surface is a thin board of MDF cut on the band-saw with the wavy shoulder profile. Separate shoulders (traced from the lower layer) were glued and clamped into place. The edges were rounded off on the belt-sander

After painting and texturing the shoulders I spread a uniform coat of Liquid Nails on the roadbed.

Onto the still wet adhesive I liberally sprinkled fine sawdust.

Next step was to press wheel tracks into the surface...

followed by plenty of hoof-prints.

After the adhesive cured I brushed all the loose sawdust from the surface and applied a light wash of very thinned-out black acrylic paint.

When that had dried thoroughly I lightly dry brushed the road to highlight the detail.

Definitely not the road less travelled.

Next it was time to put up fences. I patterned them after the five rail post-and-rail turnpike fences found at Antietam National Battlefield.

The posts were milled from pine and drilled to accommodate four rails.

Using scrap oak I made the rails, each about seven inches in length. The ends were tapered with

a razor blade. As I was working with oak this was a breeze. There was no splintering and the rails are very durable.

The taper must be thin enough to fit two ends into each hole on the post...

thus:

Now with road established and fences erected our artillery battery can gallop into action!

Never a dull (nor idle) moment around here.

Soldier on!

Mannie

54mm Covered Bridge

2012-01-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

I've posted before about how versatile the BMC/Americana buildings are, seems you can make them into just about anything. As part of my new soldier table (not the best name...I'm open to suggestions) I wanted to make a covered bridge so I can do a Monocacy battle sometime in the future.

I planted myself at the kitchen counter with a utility knife and a BMC/Americana Andersonville kit and a Lee's headquarters set, everything I'd need for all of the components.

Always use a sharp blade; safety first!

Here are all of the parts except for the ramp surfaces. The brown pieces are from the gates and palisade walls of the Andersonville kit, the gray is the roof of Lee's headquarters. For convenience I matched the bridge length to the length of the roof panels to avoid any need for splicing.

For the inside support beams I cut down the guard tower supports from the Andersonville kit.

All of this was easy and relatively quick. Now comes the difficult and time consuming part - melting the pieces together, what I call "plastic welding"

Melting plastic makes a pretty nasty and toxic smoke so I use lots of positive ventilation. All the welding is done in my painting booth.

A respirator takes care of the fumes which escape the vent fan.

The soldering iron with a chisel tip does the trick, but the bond is brittle so more welds is better than less.

All the support timbers are welded into place.

Things are shaping up!

The peak of the roof had to be welded, making a pretty unsightly bond line. This wasn't a problem as I added a vent along the peak which was bonded with liquid nails and clamped with sheetmetal screws; removed after the adhesive cured (about a week).

A little sway in the roofline was achieved by cutting the peak edge of the roof panels with a slight curve.

A coat of black paint will accuentate the detail as the finish coat is applied.

Here's the white wash treatment, note it's a little brighter just under the eaves where it'd be a little more sheltered from the weather.

And here come the little men!

With the work done and the paint dried, scouts arrive to check out the

brand-new bridge.

They made it through to the other side, looks like it works.

The finished product in the heat of the action, with many skirmishes

and battles ahead.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Come over to my house and play!

2012-01-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

An idea has been churning around in my head for some time though its been far below the surface. Suddenly I found myself aware of, and acting upon it; a larger surface, in the house, upon which to photograph, and play with, toy soldiers. Time to head out to the shop.

I figured out the materials on paper and drew up a plan, then it was time to power-up the table saw and start cutting.

The table is designed to fit in an unused corner of the furnace room. The available space is about four feet by seven and a half.

All that remains is to brace the legs, and to start building topographic elements - things for soldiers to hide behind!

Band-saw and sander (with extra coarse belt) teamed up to make some cool artillery lunettes.

Back to the sander to use the disc to transform odd pieces of 2"x4" into boulders.

Things are shaping up, with stone ridges, boulders, and terrain features.

For the most part this was all done using scrap wood that I just had lying around. All of the hills are stepped, ziggurat-style, to allow soldiers to appear to be climbing them.

The pieces were cut and stacked for a large hill. This was the only feature which had the layers permanently glued and clamped.

Hey, you use your clamps, I'll use mine.

Here's one version of how this strategic point can be utilized.

Now came painting and texturing.

For texture on most of the pieces I liberally brushed carpenters glue all over the surfaces and then sprinkled fine sawdust all over the wet glue.

This process is really easy and way cheaper than buying hobby-shop flocking.

Texture applied...

its time to paint.

Things are starting to take shape.

I cut a creek out of a sheet of Plexiglas and reverse-painted a creek on it.

Now came time to paint a backdrop.

I used the James Hope paintings at Antietam National Battlefield for guidance.

Using acrylics I got started. Getting a nice gradation of blue for the sky was actually the hardest part.

The backdrop took about six hours to paint. Then I shoved the table back into position and started placing the various elements.

All pieces, save for the largest hill, have separate layers...

providing a variety of combinations.

With the paint barely dry and as the last element was put into place the troops started arriving on the field.

Artillery was well-represented and putting the lunettes to effective use.

A sentinel on the high ground surveys the arrival of the army.

In the valley below he sees the cloud of dust as cavalry thunder across the otherwise peaceful creek

Ancient boulders sit impassive to the machinations of man.

A signal station is established on a high prominence.

More artillery is rushed to the scene. One can only imagine the outcome.

An outcome that may be the fodder of a later post.

Here it is, a nice, warm, dry place to play the winter away. Total time to make this was two weekends and a few evenings in between.

This is a work in progress. Right now I'm working on a road, lane, more terrain, and a railroad bed, and more trees as well. I'll be posting more as things continue to evolve. Do tune in.

The more things change...

the more they stay the same.

Soldier on!

Mannie

.

Cannon Modification

2012-01-06T19:26:00.000-08:00

Another Christmas present I got myself was another Britains cannon, this time a ten-pounder Parrott gun.

As with the 12-pound gun howitzer featured in my most recent post, the moulding, painting, scale, and assembly is superb. The attention to detail, however, will be discussed momentarily.

The welt at the breech is the characteristic feature of the Parrott. With its cast-iron tube the Parrott needed reinforcement to handle the pressures generated by the ignition of the charge. The breech welt was designed to reinforce the breech; it was only marginally successful. The Parrott was prone to tube "failure" after extended use, you know, like a battle. Tube failure was an early euphemism for the tube explosively shattering, usually with lethal results for the men serving the gun. The Parrotts were eventually replaced (by the Federals) by the accurate and dependable 3-inch ordnance rifle. In its entire time in service the ordnance rifle had only one recorded failure. I'll profile the Britains ordnance rifle at a later date

The muzzle-swell indicates that this is an early ten-pounder. Later Parrots, sans swell, were standardized to accommodate a three-inch projectile.

Now the thing on attention to detail:

Hey! Where the heck is the sponge bucket??? This is a rather glaring omission, especially compared to the identical carriage of the Napoleon. What gives?

Oh, that's right...

Red Chinese slave-labor - I forgot.

Like the Napoleon, this gun comes with the hand-spike deployed. I want to use this as a towed piece, which required some modification.

With a razor saw I made my fist cut at the rear of the taller ring. By keeping the ring connected to the body of the gun enough support was provided for the next step...

the drilling. Using a brand-new bit at low rpm the drill was easy but slow, a testimonial to the robustness of the metal Britians is using for these models. After that first ring was drilled through I sawed off the remaining section of the hand-spike and drilled out the second ring.

The result is quite satisfying. True, in a towed configuration the tall ring would be folded flat, but that's a little beyond the tools that I have on hand.

Again, this is a nearly-flawless little gun from Wm. Britains. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some playing to do.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Dear Santa: Thanks for the Artillery

2011-12-31T14:23:00.000-08:00

.

Under my Christmas tree were not one but two 54mm Wm. Britains 12-pounder light-gun howitzers, commonly called the "Napoleon". Needless to say I am a happy boy.

The gun is up to Britain's usual meticulous standards and is a joy to look at.

In a side-by-side comparison with the real thing it's a dead-ringer. (Isn't it cool that I have daily access to an actual gun and limber?)

Britain's sets a high standard for packaging though one can only imagine how this impacts the cost of the piece.

I am not one of those unusual types who keeps toys unopened as an investment. Regular readers of this blog know that I am all about playing with toy soldiers. High-end miniatures are no exception. The only warfare that this piece will be exempted from will be rough outdoor play; for table top combat, however, it will be expected to do its duty.

Join me for a quick walk-around

The scale is right on and the details are exquisite (first use of the word on this blog)

Note that even the front sight is in evidence.

Like the real thing it has a hand screw below the breach for elevation and a hand-spike for deflection.

The only anomaly in the design of this piece is that the hand-spike would not be deployed while the implements are still in the stowed position.

For that reason I may remove this hand-spike, drill out the trail rings, and use this as a towed piece behind a limber. I realize that this idea is anethema to "real collectors" but Hey, get your own gun. My gun, my rules.

The "prolonge" is well sculpted and proportional to the rest of the guns. The vent is distinct as is the bracket (above the knob) for the pendulum-hausse ( the removable rear-sight).

The water bucket and implement hooks are perfect, though the bucket, in an act of gravity defiance, is canted slightly forward, though this angle is appropriate in the towed position.

Both the sponge-rammer and worm are correctly positioned and stowed. Goodness! That is one factory-fresh sponge, n'est-ce pas?

Trunnions and spare hand-spike are also beautifully sculpted.

Land o' Goshen! even the underside is fully detailed. Britains just can't be beat.

Here's a quick look at the real thing in action:

Let's get a half-detachment in place to put this bronze beauty through it's paces.

While number 1 stands by with sponge-rammer, and number 3 dutifully "thumbs" the vent, number 2 fills in on the hand-spike, setting the deflection.

That this detachment is only half-staffed will be rectified as soon as the paint cures on their 54mm comrades-in-arms.

To prevent premature firing, and the resultant maiming of number 1 it is essential that number - keep his thumb-stall snugly over the vent throughout the loading process.

See my Park Service video here for a full explanation of the loading and firing process for a twelve-pounder.

Time to get this piece in battery for some actual combat.

With that incredible Britains accuracy its difficult to tell which twin has the Tony

This gun's going to look great with its five sisters. I'll keep you posted. Until then...

Soldier on!

Mannie

.

Action Front! A Redemption Story

2011-12-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

Battery B, 4th US Artillery

Here's an artillery story, start to finish.

Recently, on ebay, I bought this Hong Kong knock-off of the Swoppet limber, gun, and crew. Upon arrival buyer's remorse immediately set in.

Although the castings were mirror images of the Britains originals, they were finished in a bizarre fake pewter finish. What, exactly, might have our Hong Kong friends been thinking?

Oddly, the limber was the only piece not pewterfied (or perhaps, putrefied). Two outriders and the lid to the ammunition chest were missing in this counterfeit cannon convocation.

That omission of the lid was quickly remedied with a visit to my table and band saws.

The result was a perfect fit.

Now came time to deal with that wacky metallic finish.

The bugler sounded "assembly" and all hands mustered into an oatmeal can.

All concerned were about to understand the phrase "Better living through chemistry."

Always keep those old toothbrushes around.

Stripped of their finish, a remarkable array of colors was revealed.

Keep an eye on Manny, Moe, and Jack here as you'll be seeing more of them.

Everybody got a nice coat of Floquil white primer.

Our gleesome threesome is ready for painting.

These are the outriders which were missing along with the limber lid. Fortunately I had acquired this pair earlier in their original and not-very-impressive Swoppet colors.

Using the hot water treatment. I reshaped them with different arm positions and narrowed their stance for a better seat on the saddle. Left is before and right is after.

Out came the Testors paint and the sergeant and corporal are transformed.

I finished everyone in the traditional bright toy soldier finish.

And here we go, the reclaimed detachment, fully redone and rushing into action:

It's a mighty fast and bumpy ride...

but our steadfast trio hangs on tight as the limber and gun charge forward...

over hill and dale...

The noncoms whip the horses into a lather in hopes of beating the Rebels to the high ground.

It's nip and tuck.

Arriving in the nick of time the detachment commander oversees the unlimbering

The gun is man-handled into place...

carefully sighted, and loaded with double canister awaiting the order to...

Fire!

The rebel charge is broken.

All in a day's work for Battery B, 4th US Artillery.

Buyer's remorse is gone.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Watch This Space

2011-11-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

.

I'm working on a fun little rehab project.

I'll keep you posted.

Soldier on!

Mannie

CTS Confederates Pass in Review!

2011-10-02T17:44:00.000-07:00

This week a tidy package arrived at my door from Battlefield Legends; always a happy sight.

Hot diggity! Confederate reinforcements.

A box of new figures from CTS. Sixteen figures in eight poses, with some extras.

Let's check them out as they pass the reviewing stand.

Standing shooting guy is typical of the lot; exceptionally fine animation, imaginative poses, nice detail, and solid additions to a firing line.

There is something about the sculpting that I really like, perhaps it's just chunky enough to detect the hands of the sculptor behind it. I like that, its an element often lost in slicker figures.

The old sarge is drawing a bead on a Yankee or perhaps a wild turkey. This is the only one of the group with chevrons (pretty robust ones at that).

Charging bayonet guy has the weakest posture of the group, though still a very nice figure...

and it's nice to see that Fred Gwynne is still getting roles these days.

Charging kepi guy is another really nice figure, though I do wish his bayonet was fixed. I'd prefer it if manufactures routinely cast bayonets fixed. That would give the consumers - us - the option to keep them on or simply trim them off. What a perfect world that would be.

This is either a sesesh in full rebel yell, or a three-pack-a-day mudsill who's struggling to stay up with the rest of the regiment. They didn't have Chantix back in the day y'know.

From the side some weakness in the sculpting become apparent, though I do like the Shirley Temple locks.

Pete Townsend wounded guy. Nice windmill, by the way. Casualties are always an asset in my pretend battles. And having a member of The Who showing up on the field is an added bonus.

This is a pose I never tire of; a soldier loading from the kneeling position. On any firing line it's great to have guys loading and firing from behind rocks and fences. This little reb fills the bill nicely.

Though this guy's whacky facial-hair does seem to have its own agenda.

My favorite figure of all is this very determined rebel heading to a brawl. The animation is very dynamic, he's obviously in a hurry, and his clenched fist makes it clear that he knows

this will be no cake walk.

This is one determined Bubba. Hey, I think I saw this same guy at the Waffle House last week.

Kneeling shooting guy is a welcome asset to the firing line.

Again, the gestural sculpting really gives these figures an artistic touch.

Looking very much like the Ideal version of the same pose, prone shooting guy is perfect for plugging a yank from beneath a fence rail. Though in this position, reloading is going to be a real chore with that muzzle-loader he's carrying.

Trouser legs bloused in socks is a nice detail.

"Mommy, daddy...were things ever made in America?"

"Goodness no honey, at least not in my memory. Chinese slave labor has made everything so doggone affordable for as long as daddy and I can remember." "Sweet dreams, honey."

So there's our soldiers, and check this out as an extra; a nice little section of stone wall for them to take cover behind.

Boy, our friends over at Battlefield Legends think of just about everything.

And how! They even include instructions on how to use hot water to straighten bent rifles.

In these three poses note the bent rifles to the left of each pair and the straightened ones on the right. It's just like magic. You can see a little video I made on this process here.

Altogether a really excellent set of figures and a welcome addition to the firing line.

But wait...

There's more!

Frequently the fine folks at Battlefield Legends run a promotion. This purchase included a free gift of a repro of the legendary Marx seacoast mortar.

We've all seen these offered before, but what makes this one unique is that it comes with most of the components to make it fire!

I was very gratified to find the trigger mechanism as well as the original barrel liner included.

All that's needed to return this big boy to ballistic service is a rubber band...

and a coil compression spring, which may be at the hardware store.

As you see above, the rubber band is already installed to allow the trigger to flex.

As soon as I get the appropriate spring, the Dictator here will be ready to rumble.

Unfortunately, the barrel did come with a crack in it, so I'll probably be shooting reduced powder charges.

I'll keep you posted.

Soldier on!

Mannie

A bit of childhood rediscovered

2011-08-31T00:38:00.000-07:00

My friend Rory, who is 40, recently returned to the ancestral manse to clean out some boxes, an altogether unremarkable demonstration of filial piety - helping out the folks.

What became remarkable, however, was one particular, and vaguely-familiar cardboard carton he encountered on a high shelf in a closet. At just about the same time that he was processing the moment, he opened the carton and had the joyous experience of rediscovering an important part of his childhood...

Fort Revenge!

There it was, in all of it's plywood and masonite glory, a 54mm frontier-style fort, replete with cowboys, Indians, Britians ACW soldiers, horses and artillery, as well as a raft of plastic accessories. What a delightful treasure-trove! Rory had acquired this lot at a yard sale when he was a boy of eleven. Many happy summers were spent setting up and knocking down (with rubber bands) these figures in and around Fort Revenge.

Too often, Forts Revenge et al are forgotten, boxed up, sent away, and lost forever. The pathetically familiar sight of a middle-aged man scouring ebay, and leveraging the better part of a mortgage payment toward the chance of reclaiming a magic bit of his mistily happy childhood may be one that many of us are familiar with.

Not so Rory.

Here it was all boxed up and quietly waiting for him. It was a very happy forty-something that came back home and triumphantly shared his bounty with me for this blog.

Although the plywood and masonite fort contains no manufacturers marks it is clearly an item of mass-production. Slotted panels fit together to form walls and to provide supports for the interior walkways and blockhouses.

A gated palisade wall with four blockhouses and an interior headquarters structure make for a sturdy, roomy, well-protected fort.

Included in the cardboard box were enough soldiers and cowboys cast in blue...

as well as artillery...

to provide a formidable defense.

And now; our story.

To generalize, the American Civil War was divided into four theaters of operation, the East, the West, the Trans-Mississippi, and the Far West. Typically, the further west one went the greater the distances the armies moved and fought. And beyond the Western theater the engagements became smaller, nastier, and fought by smaller forces comprised of inferior soldiery led by bottom-of-the-barrel officers (remember, this is a generalization). This is the story of one of those forgotten engagements that characterized the Far West theater - The Battle of Fort Revenge.

Fort Revenge was a forgotten backwash of Arizona,
near modern Winslow.

Fort Revenge was a typical palisade-wall outpost on the
Shamakalapoosa river, on the road to nowhere,

guarding the flank of the more modern Fort Snodgrass three miles upriver.

As the construction of the brick and stone Fort Snodgrass neared completion so too did the mission of Fort Revenge. Once the new fort was completed the garrison of Fort Revenge was to raze the old fort and transfer to the new.

The old fort, however, would have its day in the sun, just prior to any of that happening due to the mistaken belief, on the part of Confederates, that Fort Revenge was one of the few settlements in the region that was not afflicted with consumption (Tuberculosis as we know it today).

Rebels in the far-west, already operating under extreme hardship thought that the seizure and occupation of Fort Revenge by their forces would provide harried and haggard rebels with some small respite from the diseases ravaging their army.

The ironic reality is that the Federal government was utilizing Fort Revenge as both a consumption isolation ward for stricken Union troops as well as an asylum for lunatic Federal officers. The quality of troops and leadership of the opposing sides were nearly equal, given that spirochetes had incinerated the nervous systems of the great majority of the belligerents, leaving maddened, stuperous, or oddly euphoric soldiers in their wake.

Revisionists of the 1970s have also made a strong case for Fort Revenge being utilized as a labratory in the nascent days of biological warfare; against the Indians.

It was a real bug-house.

Enter into this mix the Alpaca clan of the Shamakalapoosa Nation, a proud people, though reduced in numbers and influence, who found themselves the proxies of the Confederates, mere cannon fodder to do the bidding of the dregs of the rebel nation against the dregs of the Lincolnites.

The treatment of the Shamakalapoosa by their Confederate masters was informed by the slave-holding heritage of the men in butternut and gray. Cruel overseers, the rebels thought nothing of the expenditure of Indian lives, in fruitless assaults against fortified Federal positions. Using all the coercive powers in their considerable array of white-supremacist madness, the Confederates brought great exertions and energies to the subjugation and exploitation of the Shamakalapoosa. It may come as no surprise that the equally racist Federal defenders of Fort Revenge were indifferent to the near extermination of the Indians; a rare example of common cause between opposing sides.

As the completion of still un-garrisoned Fort Snodgrass loomed, time was growing short for the Rebels to mount their attack on Fort Revenge, their would-be sanatorium cum spa. On May third, as the roads became passable and the Rebel commander's fevered, syphilitic brain lapsed into a rare moment of clarity, the seized the opportunity to launch his attack, driving a spearhead of Shamakalapoosa into battle ahead of his handful of barely ambulatory rebel soldiers.

Union defenders, intoxicated on a home-brew cocktail of paint, molasses, grain alcohol, and hair tonic, might have missed the approach of the enemy had it not been for the one Amish man among them.

In an ironic instance of military mis-allocation of resources, the sole sober, literate, healthy, observant member of the garrison, hearing the approach of dozens of muffled plastic hooves...

roused his tentmates and alerted the garrison.

Soldiers and cowboys scrambled to the palisade walls, rifles and sixguns ready for action.

The Artillery detachment was able to muster just enough men from their opiated states to man a gun in the outer works.

Barely continent cavalry troopers squished into their saddles to make their drunken way forward to meet the equally soused rebel equine challenge.

Neither side presented the smartness of maneuver or alacrity to duty that typified the armies further east.

Observant to all of the fumblings, stumblings, and grumblings, of the opposing belligerents in blue and gray, the Shamakalapoosa waited with the stoicism, typical of their portrayal in Hollywood movies, knowing that within moments they would be forced, again, to do the deadly bidding of their secessionist masters.

With the dregs of Dixie cowering behind protection their Indian wards are again expected to do the heavy lifting in the assault.

In many instances the besotted sons of chivalry send forward their carmine-hued allies at gunpoint.

The game Shamakalapoosa surge forward toward the palisade walls and into the gaping maws of...

blue-belly artillery, both in the outer works...

as well as from the blockhouses.

Great losses befall the Indian attackers.

Despite great losses and long odds the Shamakalapoosa begin to make significant gains as one achieves a prime position...

atop a stagecoach abandoned just below the palisade.

As he plays his weapon upon the walls above...

increasing numbers of his Shamakalapoosa brethren form a fearsome phalanx flowing forcefully toward the walls.

In their terrible numbers the Indians surge ahead...

spurred on by native bravery.

As the wall is gained, the Rebel troops now advance to exploit the gains made by their Indian wards. Scaling ladders are thrown against the heights and the few able-bodied among the rebel retinue make the arduous climb to the combat which awaits them above.

Gunsels in gray scramble upward to be met...

in disbelief by the diseased and dilapidated defenders.

Close combat convenes all along the wall...

some quarter asked, though none given.

Gasping graybacks grasp the gravity of the moment and gleefully gaze upon their goal.

Hapless defenders make a stand at their colors in a desperate defense of their diminishing domain.

Keen observers may note that in all of this murderous maelstrom swirling above the fort walls the Indians are suddenly quite absent. The canny men in red have stolen away to attend to a rare and unique opportunity that has been fated them.

Thus falls the final irony of the name "Fort Revenge". As the confused combatants struggle within the walls of the wooden fort, great, though unnoticed, activity stirrs within the brick and stone ramparts of Fort Snodgrass. Shamakalapoosa warriors, unfailingly observant of the ways of the white soldiers, have driven off the construction crew and have manned the large 15-inch Rodman gun.

Taking careful aim, the always apt pupils of the ways of the white man have the gun loaded and in readiness.

the headman of the Shamakalapoosa raises his arm in a salute to the passing of the servitude of his people and a signal to his man tensing the firing lanyard

Fort "Revenge" indeed.

Visitors today can still encounter remains of the long-abandoned Fort Snodgrass, and the Park Service does maintain the ruins for visitation (by appointment).

All that remains of Fort Revenge, however...

is a reminder of the marksmanship of the triumphant Shamakalapoosa.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Enjoy this

2011-08-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Go here

.

Bridgework, in 54mm

2011-07-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

With the upcoming sesquicentennial observance of the first battle of Manassas scheduled for later this month, my attention has turned to all things Bull Run, including the Stone Bridge that sits astride that waterway.

Recently, a colleague asked me to render in miniature some of the salient features of the Manassass battlefield that will be used in public programming for the sesquicentennial events. I was really taken with the Stone Bridge, especially after just completing my 54mm Burnside Bridge of my most recent entry.

After making this "rough draft" for my colleague, I decided to make a much more detailed, and nicer one for my troops.

Back to the Victory Woodworking shop to draw up the plans and start the process moving forward. Though considerably smaller than the Stone Bridge of Bull Run, the design and look of this little bridge will certainly be informed by its bigger brother.

I traced my pattern for the walls onto a piece of clear pine and made a bee-line for the band saw.

I wanted to have a stone coping along the tops of the walls, though I didn't want the hassle of trying to exactly match the curve in a piece of thicker wood, so I followed a more deconstructionist path.

Starting out with standard 3/4" thick pine, I cut out the walls and then cut off the top edge to a depth of 3/16. I set the wooden copings aside and took the walls to my planer. I passed the pair of walls through my planer until I had removed about 1/8" of the thickness. When reunited with the copings, not only were they a perfect match (natch) but they had an ideal overhang of 1/16". This method saved me alot of time and head-scratching.

Originally, the interior ramps were to be comprised of two 2x4s, however, I wasn't satisfied with the width. I want the hubs of a gun or limber to have room to spare when making a crossing, so I added a middle section to the sandwich of another 3/4" thickness. The result was quite satisfactory.

I have some oversize Allen Wrenches that I've mounted to wooden handles specifically as tools for adding texture to my "stone" bridges.

Assembled and painted, with trees mounted (more on those trees here) things are looking pretty swell. The ground was terraformed on my belt sander using my coarsest belt. The wood was shaped, in this manner very (very) quickly and I was really pleased with the result. A generous layer of white glue was brushed over all and very fine sawdust provided a convincing texture.

Acrylic paint provided the bulk of the color with some india ink highlighting the divisions between the coping stones, and a "peach" Prismacolor pencil providing the mortar. A very light dry-brushing of white brought out the highlights while subduing the stone work.

Just add water.

Preparation is key to a successful pour of casting resin; a dust free environment, thoroughly dry (and cured) painted surfaces, a clear understanding of the product directions, and the proper containers for measuring and mixing.

I used masking tape bolstered with 2x4s to create cofferdams to contain the pour.

A good seal is essential.

In the past, I've always used two-part Envirotex resin to create water. My local art supply store was out of my old standby so I had the opportunity to use another product that I've eyed for years -

Castin'Craft Clear liquid plastic casting resin. I shall henceforth and forever refer to this product as

"Castin'Crap".

Noxious and caustic to the eyes, this product is a real pain to mix. Rather than the simple one-to-one mixing ratio of Envirotex, the catalyst for this product has to be measured out in drops per ounce. I actually had to count out 120 drops. Nonetheless, I gave it a very thorough stirring for two minutes and commenced the pour.

My estimate of ten ounces turned out to be just right. By the way...

this stuff creates a great deal of heat whilst curing.

Twenty-four hours later, the result was adequate, though some unwanted texture and shrinkage (along the edges of the creek banks) was present - phenomena I've never experienced with Envirotex.

Though I'll use the rest of this can, I won't be buying the product again, and I'd dissuade anyone thinking about going down that road.

And speaking of roads...

The bridge is finished and ready for traffic.

A supply wagon lumbers along on a sunny afternoon in summer of 1862 outside of Greenbrier Maryland.

The lazing teamster is lulled by the rumble of a distant thunderstorm.

He will be rudely awakened, however, as he's overtaken by skedaddling cavalrymen with mounted Sesesh in hot pursuit.

The action just never ends around here.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Interior Decorating

2011-06-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the gals in the bookstre for all those cast-off "made in Red China" kepi insignias:

They're the perfect finishing touch for the decor out in the Toy Soldiers Forever! studio.

I have several hundred of these to mount to the chair rail, then, I believe, the studio will be quite complete...for now.

See you soon with a new 54mm bridge I'm making.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Not Toy Soldiers...

2011-06-15T05:41:00.001-07:00

but cool, nonetheless, especially in as historic a place as Antietam National Battlefield.

These pieces arrived as samples at the bookstore and the manager let me borrow them for this photo shoot. They'd make nice decor in my studio.

Soldier on!

Mannie

54mm Burnside Bridge in wood

2011-05-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

That focal point of Antietam National Battlefield captured my fancy decades ago. Spanning Antietam Creek just below Sharpsburg Maryland, Burnside Bridge has withstood fire, flood, and combat since the 1830s and remains an icon of elegance in stone and moving water.

I've been moved to express the bridge in art, as in this greeting card I made for the Save Historic Antietam Foundation,

You can go to their website here and see not only the incredible work that they do for the battlefield, but also a very compelling image of Burnside Bridge on their masthead.

Twice, I've reworked the BMC/Americana Burnside Bridge kit into something more accurate and pleasing to the eyes of those who ended up purchasing them.

I undertook those projects for the bookstore at Antietam National Battlefield, and the process of modeling the first one you can view here.

Recently I rendered the bridge on a five-board bench,

also for the bookstore and you can see that process here.

Remanufacturing the BMC/Americana model was very time consuming, noxious fume producing, and never completely satisfying. Frequently during that project I'd find my mind drifting toward thoughts of making a 54mm soldier scale Burnside Bridge from scratch, out of wood.

Now, with my woodshop, Victory Wood Working, fully up and running the time seemed opportune to take a crack at it; again, as a product for the bookstore at Antietam, the Western Maryland Interpretive Association (their site here).

I drew up a pattern which I traced on a nice, clear, plank of craft poplar and started cutting out the components on my scroll saw.

Here one side of the bridge gets a good sanding on my Grizzly Industries belt sander.

I hammered a rock-like texture into all exposed surfaces.

The approaches on each end of the bridge are flared to accommodate the Rohersville-Sharpsburg road which enters and leaves the bridge at right angles.

The very distinctive abutments I turned on my lathe, and then halved on my bandsaw. Stone texture was hammered into the resulting four pieces.

Four-inch spacers were glued into the carcass of the bridge and clamped.

An arced piece of pegboard was glued in as the roadbed substrate, and coated...

with a thick layer of Liquid Nails adhesive.

The roadbed was textured with a sprinkling of fine sawdust,

and roller-pressed semi-smooth.

Using my table saw fence set at minimal thickness I milled out several hundred little shingles with which to make the coping for the bridge walls...

As seen here...

on the actual bridge.

Using one of my nice High Speed Steel turning chisels I cut the stonework into each of the arches.

Terraforming was achieved by cutting contoured layers of thin plywood on the scrollsaw which, when glued and clamped into position formed the creekbanks.

Here's the complete structure ready for priming, painting, and application of resin water surface.

Painting was very straightforward, and much drybrushing was utilized to provide depth...

as well as to accentuate highlights.

Following the painting, I mixed up the binary Enviro-tex resin that would provide the illusion of a creek full of water.

Here, it's being poured on the creek surface to slowly spread to the masking tape dams along the sides.

Twenty-four hours later I had a pretty convincing creek...

and a bridge that's ready for delivery to the client.

As soon as the troops make their way across Antietam Creek, that is!

The troops, by the way, are a small portion of my pewter Third Michigan project which you can see more of here.

Soldier On!

Mannie

Unexpected consequences, and, a cool new Civil War book.

2011-05-15T14:45:00.000-07:00

Once again, I leave the studio for for a week and all heck breaks loose. I should have known better than to position all of those cheval de frise and then leave them unattended. No sooner was my back turned then elements of my 54mm yankees foolishly and fruitlessly attacked strong Confederate earthworks.

(click on the image)

This is happening more and more often out there, perhaps I should keep the combatants in separate buildings.

On a happier front, my good friend John Hoptak has penned a new history of the Battle of South Mountain (with maps by me, no less) which should spark the imaginations of gamers and player-arounders alike.

You can link to a promotional video here.

And where the heck are those new Paragon Scenics mounted Union cavalrymen? I thought that they would have been released by now? And can anyone tell me exactly what OTSN means?
This being my birthday month I'd hoped to be the happy recipient of mounted re-enforcements.

Happy reading and soldier on!

Mannie

Cheval De Frise in 54mm

2011-04-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me, even a little, will tell you that I'm a huge fan of formidable breast-works. And call me a product of the fifties - I like 'em pointy!

These are Confederate Cheval De Frise (French for "pointy sticks that poke horses") outside of Petersburg in 1865. At six feet in height they provided a serious obstacle to attacking Yankees.

I decided to get my shop - Victory Wood Working - on a production footing and make up a bunch of these in 54mm.

The main beam is cut from pine, poplar, or whatever strikes my fancy, I've even made them from mahogany.

The main beam bored at my drill press. Each beam accommodates 20 pickets.

Square corners are removed on my Grizzly Industries belt sander.

I also used my sander to put points on each of the pickets.

Pickets slip snugly through the holes and a small brushpoint of glue will keep the pickets snug in the beam.

Lined up ready to paint and deploy outside the Rebel works.

Indoors they look daunting.

(oh do click on this image!)

Outdoors, nearly insurmountable.

Looking forward to a summer of backyard campaigning, and woodworking.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Remember the Peeplamo!

2011-04-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

Marshmallow combat here

Another cool site!

2011-04-05T17:15:00.001-07:00

Hat tip to Dave M.

Go here

Soldier on!
Mannie

Toy Soldiers and trains (what's not to like?)

2011-04-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

Hey all, check out this remarkable site:

http://usmrr.blogspot.com/

This bears watching. (hat tip to Scott Mingus)

Soldier on! (by rail)

Mannie

Five-minute Field Modification

2011-03-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, more like ten minutes.

Utilizing the redundant saddles from the Imex 7th Cavalry sets and those uncharacteristically beautifully-sculpted downed, and saddle-less, horses from BMC/Americana, a little carving and plastic "welding", one is greeted by this usable combination:

Add a wounded Toy Soldiers of San Diego trooper and the combination is pretty compelling:

Soldier on!

Mannie

Marx Cavalrymen pass in review!

2011-03-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

This was the symbol of quality for plastic soldiers when I was a kid. The Louis Marx company churned out numerous playsets on a variety of themes. The sculpting and animation of their figure, and the television or thematic tie-ins were so compelling that the imaginations of a generation of kids were sparked thanks to these marvels in 54mm.

I recently acquired this delightful, and well-played with group of twelve Fort Apache cavalrymen, and though they are of a later era, they will augment my growing phalanx of ACW troopers. (remember: if you have a beef with how I play, stay in your own yard). I think they will do nicely, especially in this very rich blue hue.

Dirt from the trail, or perhaps the previous kid who owned him, crusts the front of this jolly trooper as he lopes along on his standard Marx steed. The novelty of this figure is his very relaxed and natural pose, a nice break from the usual combat poses usually available in mounted figures. He looks like a member of that long line of Federal horsemen in the open credits of the John Wayne/William Holden film "The Horse Soldiers" (which heavily influenced this nine-year-old back in the day).

The bugler roused me from my reverie of the past with a call to arms. Wait a second, that guy, those cheekbones, that chin, they all look so familiar...

Of course!

It's Chuck Connors!

This dismounted trooper, sword intact (unlike our hero above) is particularly menacing. I think that the sculpting and animation of all of these figures is quite outstanding and well thought-out. I particularly like his grasp on his scabbard, indicating he has just withdrawn that flashing blade.

"OOOf!" I hate it when that happens. This grimacing horseman has just received a slug to the chest. We can only hope for the best and trust to his otherwise robust state of health to pull him through (though I'm doubtful).

This refugee from a barbershop quartet sports both a trapdoor Springfield as well as a great looking handlebar moustache. Despite his profession of arms he looks quite the friendly fellow.

Sometimes the Marx treatment of that trapdoor Springfield makes it look a little too much like the M1 carbine of a much later era. Time travel, perhaps?

Drawing a bead on unseen enemies downrange, this stalwart cavalryman is well balanced and beautifully sculpted. Noteworthy are his trouser stripes and very convincing boots.

This man is obviously in a hurry. the animation and intensity of his gaze is absolutely outstanding, his revolver however, has an oddly truncated barrel.

Of all the troopers in the group this is the only one with chevrons...

in this instance, a corporal, on his way to a fight.

Leading the charge, afoot interestingly, is this officer with sword in hand and running pell-mell into the fray.

His glance to the side, however,, causes me to think he's just caught glimpse of a flanking force of the badguys.

That cavity in his chest may be a chilling freeze frame at the moment of impact. Or, perhaps, merely a casting flaw

This shot illustrates his shoulder-straps.

By the paucity of stripes and other indicators of rank, it is evident that these are actual soldiers and not a group of reenactors rendered in 54 mm. How many sergeants does one twelve-man squad need anyway?

Not only is this superb animation but the face has outstanding character as well. I really like this guy.

I think that this figure with neckerchief blowing in the breeze and fantastic balance may be my favorite figure in the group.

Marching-guy below, gave me pause:

There is something about these Marx troopers that's vaguely familiar...the open collars, suspenders, the distinctive non-Stetson hats...hmmm.

Omygosh! They're...

Mennonites!

Odd that this pacifist sect would be so well-armed, kinda have to wonder what the folks at Marx had in mind.

This marching Anabaptist may be on his way to a communal barn-raising, mistaking, perhaps, his shootin' iron for his adz.

The casual pose of the mounted man in this group contrasts with the rearing Britains Deetail horse in the background. Sometimes it's nice to let the guys take a break.

In all, a very nice ebay find at a very low price. The bargains are out there, and the army continues to grow. Campaigning season may be only weeks away.

Soldier On!

Mannie

More Cavalry Hijinks!

2011-03-02T14:40:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Susan and I drove up to Gettysburg to listen to Park Ranger Matt Atkinson give a really good program on General Sickles. As is my usual custom when in G'burg, I also stopped by Gettysburg Miniature Soldiers not merely to see what was new, but to complete a set of Britains cavalrymen.

A friend of mine recently gave me a Britains Deetail Federal cavalryman, and it prompted me to go online to see what it would cost to get a few more. The results were pretty daunting; a set of six, after postage, would cost around $45. These days that's a little rich for my blood.

So I figured that if I poked around the toy soldier shop I'd find them for a better price plus no shipping charge.

And I was right. Four dollars per, Huzzah!

And here, for your edification they pass in review with the Toy Soldiers Forever! studio in the background.

The box was a mixed lot with newer figures having the dark green base...

and older figures sporting the light green. Other differences will be discussed momentarily.

This mounted officer had a badly bent saber, though the tried-and-true hot water treatment

restored his blade to armoury condition.

This trooper was the gift that motivated me to recruit him some comrades. I think the sculpting and animation of the Britains horses is some of the very best available. The riders are pretty fine too.

Superior sculpting aside, there are some quality differences between the older and newer figures, notably in the painting, which can be a little haphazard in those earlier pieces with the light green bases.

This trooper, with the wildly immodest open-front shirt provides the only "character" figure, with a spitting image of...

The "Hof"!

Saddle up, night rider.

Here's Hasslehof from another angle, note the poor painting and the pecular saddle arrangement. That saddle holster is also somewhat pedestrian and poorly sculpted.

Here's a side-by-side with one of the earlier figures on the left and later on the right. Note the superior painting of the newer figure as well as the better sculpted integral saddle.

From a second angle the fragility of the paint on the lighter green bases is also apparent.

And here comes our surprise twist...

Here is the marking of the slightly inferior older Britians figures...

and here comes the markings on the superior, and newer, recasts...

Gasp! Say it ain't so! Red Chinese treachery unseats John Bull! Who among us ever thought to see the day?

Regardless of pedigree, British or Red Chinese, A.P. Hill appears equally threatened by either. A little lesson in tolerance, perhaps?

On my tabletop the Deetail horsemen operate as an integrated unit.

Beautifully sculpted and ready for battle.

The worst nightmare of the infantryman who neglected to keep his musket in good repair.

These twisted rubber bands, though so simple, make very convincing reigns.

Against a beautiful blue sky this Federal is ready for the advance.

And signs in my front lawn indicate that...

the spring campaigning season is nearly upon us.

And, may I add, not a moment too soon.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Passing the Torch

2011-02-13T18:00:00.000-08:00

I had my new nephew, Michael Logan over this weekend. He's nine years old and a real "good egg". I asked him if he was into toy soldiers as we walked out to the Toy Soldiers Forever! studio. He replied that he really liked LEGOS (which I knew) but seemed a little tentative about toy soldiers.

Once in the studio, Michael was rapt at being surrounded by zillions of soldiers filling shelves and surfaces. He had plenty of questions especially about my home-made pewter soldiers. By the time we got back up to the house he had a new interest and I had a Toy Soldiers Forever! ammo chest for him filled with BMC figures. he was off and running setting up his own battles.

With each scenario he'd ask Susan or I which battle it looked like. "Malvern Hill" I'd say, "because the Yankees have all the cannons and they're on the high ground." It quickly became clear to him that there was some method, as well as history involved. He was really having a very good time.

He'd ask our opinion of his various scenarios and wanted to preserve them in pictures.

Later that afternoon Susan brought him out to Antietam and with my employee discount I was able to load him up with the BMC/Americana Dunker Church and Burnside Bridge, both of which come with more soldiers. He got loaded up with reinforcements and I got off really cheap!

Seems to me the hobby continues in new and enthusiastic hands.

Reminds me of another nine-year-old...

some fifty years ago.

Soldier On!

Mannie

Cavalry Spectacular! (Paragon and TSSD)

2011-02-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

The Horse Soldiers

No sooner had I learned the disconcerting news that future releases from Cunnyngham Collectables are in Limbo and that their much anticipated Union Infantry are not as close to release as everyone had thought, I got distracted by stumbling upon some really nice dismounted cavalry figures by Paragon Scenics. I guess it's true, when one door closes, tiny cavalrymen kick open another door. Thanks mom.

Paragon, who knew? I'd never heard of them before. Much like Cunnyngham, they seemed to sprout up like mushrooms after a spring rain, and, like Cunnyngham, I'm very pleased to make their acquaintance.

In two sets of dismounted cavalry there are twelve figures each of six poses, included are a few interchangeable heads, arms, etc. They depict US Cavalry of the post Civil War era of genocide against Indians, which frankly, I was never into even as a kid. But despite the trapdoor Springfields and later model army Colts, in rich medium blue, they'll work just fine as Yankee cavalry, and I'm always on the lookout for reinforcements.

The sculpting, detail, and animation of these figures are absolutely superb and the variety of poses provides a great deal of flexibility for any tabletop battle scene. This trooper's trapdoor easily passes as a Sharps for my purposes, and when the lead is flying no one will be able to get close enough to tell the difference.

Here's a bunch of firepower, all beautifully rendered in 54mm.

This corporal is one of the few troopers in either set sporting a kepi, which is unfortunate, though I will be making a stab at modifying some of those campaign hats into kepis... yes, I'm pretty confident that I can pull that off. Fodder for a future post perhaps.

This is obviously a "Custer's Last Stand" type idea here, and these fellows are pretty fixated on their six-shooters, which is fine, I guess, though I prefer carbine action for my battles.

Even this cool cat bugler takes five on his axe to get off a few rounds in the direction of some critic from Downbeat.

The sculpting is so fine that it's pretty obvious that this is a post-Civil War revolver, exactly the reason I don't let the hard-core purists come over to my house to play.

This two-gun pistolero has an interchangeable arm allowing him to do this Kevin Costner Silverado thing or...

his Kevin Costner Dances with Wolves thing (remember him riding off, guidon fluttering, to meet the indians?)

Similarly, interchangeable heads allow a different look for the prone shooter, either kepi or campaign hat.

I really could have done with more of these heads, especially with kepis.

Here are all twelve figures from sets one and two. A very nice grouping, all firing and one wounded.

All twenty-four figures is a mighty formidable phalanx of fighting ferocity.

For as thoughtful and well-sculpted as these artful figures are, the box art is strictly third-rate.

Though the front features an imaginative photo of the figures hand-painted,

The art on the back is a horse of a different color,

The box art was obviously an afterthought.

Including the grainy still of John Wayne

And, as with all really good figures these days:

So, Paragon has really hit this one out of the park, my only real complaint is that the plastic is a little brittle and details like gun barrels and swords don't look like they'll take much play. Otherwise, I really like these figures from the fine sculpting, to the dynamic animation and anatomy, the high attention to detail and best of all the beautiful medium blue of the plastic, make these figures a must for any ACW play.

More good news - according to the Paragon website, they'll have a set of mounted cavalrymen ready for release by May of this year; here's hoping.

And if that wasn't good news enough...

enter our friends from Toy Soldiers of San Diego with some outstanding dismounted cavalry of their own.

I'm so happy to see TSSD utilizing medium blue, that light blue they frequently use makes their Yankees appear to be on their way to a baby shower rather than a battle. This trooper firing prone is remarkable detailed with spurs, and a nice sharps carbine. Like all TSSD figures he is robustly sculped without sacrificing really nice detail.

This casualty figure is also quite outstanding. Most toy soldier companies are very much like the Veterans Administration during the reign of George W. Bush in that they generally limit their time and attention when it comes to the dead and the wounded.

Leaning against an oversized gabion, this wounded trooper waits for first aid. Is that Donald Sutherland, by the way?

The only figure that's a little questionable is this officer tricked out with two pistols and holsters...

and Rollie Finger's moustache.

Here, Charleton Heston awaits confiscation of his pistol.

This figure provides us with a soldier in his undershirt, something rarelyseen in toy soldiers.

Something else I realy like about this latest batch of TSSD figures is the anonimity of the figures; their earlier, more character-driven figures are often a little distracting, something I discussed in an earlier post.

Note the tatters in the front; from wear or gunfire?

The package art is quite nice, though only on a simple hang-tag.

Combined with the paragon figures the TSSD troopers provide welcome reinforcements.

Paragon at top and TSSD below. Here you can see the robustness of the San Diego casting.
I continue to be impressed by the quality of their work and their prolific releases.

So that's the review, now its time to put thise guys in action.

Once upon a time...

A thin column of union Cavalrymen made a desperate stand outside Greenbrier maryland in an attempt to keep advancing rebels out of tiny Unionist Boonsboro.

Despite rapid fire and strong position, they realize the gathering hosts of sessionists will surely sweep them from the scene.

Horse-holders in the rear watch helplessly as comrades fall to the bullets of the Southron scoundrels.

Casualties mount, though no man will slaken fire or shirk, rather they simply shoulder up to the man next to them and await fight to the last bullet and the last man.

As the bodies of comrades crumble all around him his revolver advances the last round to the waiting hammer, just as he squeezes the trigger he finds it odd to hear thunder on this cloudless day, but then he hears the unmistakable sound of a distant trumpet as the thunder grows louder.

Not a quarter a mile away the trumpet sounds again as mounted reinforcements thunder to the scene.

Thundering across the bridge the lead elements can see the smoke of their beleaguered comrades in the near distance.

In a race to the rescue the speeding horses' hooves spark against the stone bridge roadway.

Riders begin firing at longer ranges as the Rebel ranks only begin to realize the threat to their flank.

The mounted vanguard breaks through the treeline as the desperate remnants of Troop A realize their deliverance is at hand.

Horsemen choose their shots over the heads of the thinned though undaunted ranks of their comrades afoot.

Wounded men shelter under the trees as galloping horses snort by.

A ripple of hearty "Huzzahs" ring down the line as the pressed men realize the moment of their deliver is at hand.

Troopers spring from the saddle and quickly augment the firing line, shouldering in among the stalwart survivors. The increased rate of fire is staggering to their foes as round after round is chambered and launched toward the sons of the Southland and slavery.

(You've simply got to click on this image)

After a few quick volleys, all that can be seen through the smoke and dust are the backs of the fleeing rebels.

Once again the day is saved by the timely arrival of our dauntless dragoons. "Lincoln and Union Forever!" is the cry that issues forth from the lips of the triumphant horsemen of the North.

It goes on like this all the time around here.

Soldier on!

Mannie

The Artistry of A.G. Smith

2011-01-29T07:19:00.000-08:00

The work of Christopher Walker, profiled earlier here, coupled with a wonderful Dover publication received for Christmas, got me all revved up on paper toy soldiers. I'd had the book below for several years but kept it intact as it is so nice to have as a bound piece, but with the arrival under my Christmas tree of a duplicate copy I found myself free, and eager, to put it to its intended use.

As an illustrator myself, I have an affinity for the work of artists like A.G. Smith, Alan Archambault, Christopher Walker and others. The gender of the very prolific and talented A.G. Smith is a mystery to me as I can find no biographical information about the artist. If Smith is out there listening however, I'd just like to say that I admire his or her work immensely, both in scope and execution.

Civil War Paper Soldiers in Full Color by A.G. Smith is a delight to the eyes and, when assembled, a very satisfying resource for the game table. Dover Publications are always a visual treat, and the work of A.G. Smith (one of Dover's regulars) is superb.

Now to recruit, assemble, and deploy these small but impressive 54mm paper armies of yankees and rebels.

It becomes immediately apparent once one begins the process, that is is not a children's book, at least not the cutting and assembly.

Any parent or grandparent who presents this book to a child as a gift needs to be prepared to contribute hours and hours of careful cutting with an exacto knife of the 100 soldiers in the book.

The more meticulous the cutting, the more satisfying the results, and the cutting needs to be meticulous to get around noses, hammers, cap bills ramrods, and other very fine details. I found myself changing blades about every six or eight soldiers. Sharper is definitely better. I also recommend using a "self-healing" cutting mat, available at any hobby, art, or fabric store.

I used a glue stick to join the two-sided figures together.

Each figure has a base to keep it upright. Only one black cutting line is printed but it is more effective to make two parallel cuts as a slightly longer and wider slot will keep the base from warping.

Although a gluestick works best to join the soldier halves together, white craft glue is best for affixing the soldier to the base. Don't overdo the glue, and results should look...

like this...

and this. That's a really nice looking little toy soldier. One down 99 to go!

I seemed to average about eight or ten in an hour, working a very leisurely pace. Again, this is a cautionary tale for adults who think they can present this book to a child and glibly walk away, not if you want it to be a satisfying experience for the kid in question. Somebody will have to do the work. Think of it as an excellent opportunity for some cross-generational family time, especially if popcorn is involved.

In addition to soldiers there are a few ancillary items included.

Two cannons round out the playroom floor mayhem as do a tent, two flags, stacked arms and a couple other goodies.

Each side has only one mounted figure apiece, prompting me to think that a book of 54mm paper cavalrymen would be a natural for a future publication.

My Union army completed, it's time to get started on the sons of the southland.

It's worth noting than both armies are in their Sunday best, no butternut appears in the rebel ranks, only gray.

This recruit is ready to be thrown into the fray...

alongside his 49 comrades-in-arms.

This fighting phalanx of determined Dixiecrats forms a fierce firing line,

though the Army of the Potomac is the team to beat on my game table.

Smith doesn't skimp on variety, including musicians as well as a commander.

Artillery is represented on both sides with guns and some very nicely animated artillerymen...

blue...

and gray. I really like the artilleryman taking a ball from the stack.

Finally cut out and assembled, the two armies met in awesome combat in my studio...

(click on the image for full dramatic effect)

as I hope they shall in yours.

Many thanks to Dover Publications and that exceptional talent of A.G. Smith for this truly delightful toy soldiering experience.

I've since ordered two more A.G. Smith projects from Dover; larger format soldiers and a really cool fort to cut out and assemble. Look for both in the upcoming.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Thinking of a Distant Spring

2011-01-26T15:04:00.000-08:00

Winter has socked-in the Toy Soldiers Forever! studio.

This was the scene in my driveway at about five o'clock this afternoon:

But keep in mind that I live in a 54mm world.

I never tire of this particular view of the studio.

No matter how badly you want to, please don't put your tongue on the cast-iron sentinel guns!

On the frosty outside, looking in. There is a little heater in there by the way.

Regardless of the weather, at Toy Soldiers Forever! it's Memorial Day every day of the year.

Staying warm,

Mannie

M.A.S.H. Lego-style

2011-01-18T18:26:00.000-08:00

For Christmas Susan got me a little box of Lego soldiers and a jeep, and although this blog generally concerns itself with toy soldiers of the American Civil War, regular readers know that I occasionally stray farther afield.

Legos are as fun as they ever were, despite their marriage-made-in-hell with the Disney machine.

The Euro-style directions are clear and wordless.

And assembly is both fun and simple.

As I close the door to my studio, I can only wonder what

mischief they'll get in to.

One day in the Ardennes Forest.

Since the time of the Roman Legions it has been said, and rightly so, that there is nothing more dangerous than a Second Lieutenant with a map. The trouble is compounded for our little squad of Lego GIs as their second-looey has not only a map but binoculars and walkie-talkie as well.

"I insist..." he insists, "the road ahead is clear, there is 'naught to fear, get yourselves here!"

Ever skeptical of his leader's talents, our plucky engineer precedes the convoy with mine detector deployed (just in case).

A metallic "click" followed by a barely audible "uh-oh" and...

KA-BOOM!!!

Out goes the cry "MEDIC!!"

Instinctively, our little corpsman rushes in to provide aid.

Our wounded soldier is stabilized and stalwart litter-bearers whisk him to a waiting jeep.

Evacuation and medical attention are only moments away, and we hope for the best.

All the while the lieutenant ponders how this may effect his "O club" membership dues.

It was ever thus.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Something sort of new from Imex (sort of)

2010-11-28T15:45:00.000-08:00

Honeymooning last week in Gettysburg found my bride and I at one of our favorite places, Gettysburg Pa (did I just repeat myself?). While there, we swung by one of my favorite shops "Gettysburg Miniature Soldiers" to see what was new.

Much to my delight I found a very inexpensive bag of 40 soldiers, soldiers that I don't have, but which were vaguely familiar.

Though the label touted these as an Imex product, it was immediately clear that the plastic armyman industrial slave laborers deep in the bunkers of Red China have resculpted many superior Imex figures in a rather haphazard way.

Note that this one looks like he's right out of a Red Chinese revolutionary poster, with the light of the Chairman's wisdom shining brightly on his upturned face.

This officer is very much a "B grade" version of a better Imex figure. But there was another surprise contained in this delightful assortment. (oooh, very Tron-like background, notes co-worker Meg)...

Look, its a redone MPC figure. Finally, a mediocre figure redone in an even more lackluster fashion. One must wonder why the Imex name was attached to such a substandard figure. I'm certain many malcontents will blame it on Obama.

Odd knee, BTW.

Advancing flag guy, with upturned face, is actually quite nice though the tiny flag would be dwarf-like in any battle scene. Otherwise the sculpting is quite pleasing.

Anyone familiar with Imex figures will recognize standing pistol shooting guy. The detail is a little clumsy, but he is a welcome addition to any battery being threatened by advancing graybacks.

I think bugle guy is an Imex redo, or perhaps Marx? hmmm, seems I've seen him somewhere before, but I just can't place his face. Nonetheless this is one of the better figures in the bag of 40. I especially appreciate the musicians piping on the front of his shell jacket. Though why buglers are nearly always sculpted with unholstered pistols is quite beyond me.

Another Imex resculpt. Of particular note is the enormous trigger guard on the rifle. Not sure what's going on with that.

This prone shooter is another incarnation of the same pose in the MPC stable of originals. Prone shooters give me a pain. Makes me want to shout "Hey buddy, good luck reloading!"...dope. Prone shooters are my second least favorite type of ACW figure.

And here's my number one least fave...

Stealthy crawling guy.

Please, such a waste of plastic. When did one Civil War soldier turn to another and remark "Hey dude, let's start fighting like they will in World War Two, that way historians will criticize us less in the future." Dopes (historians, that is).

Crawling figures are nearly worthless, unless paired with another nearly worthless pose; the downward-bayoneting guy.

This clearly works. Never stop thinking like a nine-year-old boy and everything will start making sense. "Take that you slave-freeing blue-belly scumdog!"

This dopey-looking guy smacks of MPC though I've not exactly seen him under that brand. From the waist up he looks quite similar to the MPC mounted bugler. I'm at a loss to explain his flag-bearer's harness and the enormous aquebus he's toting. On closer inspection his bugle looks more like a misshapen wine bottle. Cheers! Johnny reb.

Rock and heroin legend, Pete Townsend as Confederate soldier. Interesting pose, great hat. I do like the chunky bases on these soldiers. They're solid. won't warp, and will stand up on an uneven surface.

Of note is the fact that in this entire assortment of 40 figures there is only one conventionally firing figure. This standing rebel, who seems to be having some difficulty fitting his trigger finger into the trigger guard (odd, considering the above-mentioned trigger guard) is the sole firing-line figure. The paucity of kneeling or standing firing figures is perplexing.

This son of the south is either calling to the attention of his comrades that he's about to shoot his toe off...

or directing their attention to his enormous trouser-fly. An interesting Asian perspective on American anatomy.

Oh my! It's Charles Bronson.

n'est–ce pas?

This hapless chap appears to have just realized that he left his ammo back in camp. This is a pose quite unknown to me, neither Imex, MPC nor any other that I can identify. Perhaps a reader can help out here.

It's another example of the very clumsy sculpting of the rifles among these troops.

Confederate soldier, or simply Saturday night in my mountain neighborhood? Relax, it's just another frightened redneck.

Not yet mastering the manual of arms, this rebel GI seems intent on not loosing his rifle. Hang on tight pal. I wonder when Charles Nelson Reilly needs his scarf back?

This Confederate officer is clearly a fan of the "Hell-Boy" saga. The outsized gun is a dead-ringer for The Samaritan.

This pose is utterly inexplicable...

from any angle.

At $7.99 for 40 soldiers this is a good deal. New, and new-old poses means plenty more reinforcements on the cheap.

Here they all are at the company party talking about how Imex has really gone to the dogs since the early days.

Evident in this shot, you'll take the good with the bad in this grab-bag, and fortunately there's plenty of good and even the bad makes adequate cannon-fodder in a pinch.

Next trip to Gettysburg, be sure to swing some business into Gettysburg Miniature Soldiers, a really nice little shop, in a great little town.

Soldier on!

Mannie

Walkerloo's Free Armies are on the March!

2010-08-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

I encountered the work of Christopher Walker maybe a year and a half or two years ago and his work really captured my fancy. He makes paper soldiers of the Napoleonic era, and although his illustrations are meticulously researched and detailed he still brings to the transaction a delightful amount of cartooniness, or, as he terms it "expression and humor" in his soldiers. I love his work.

His die-cut armies are available at his website which is nearly as entertaining as his paper armies.

Now Walker has launched a diabolical plan of majestic proportions. In his quest for world domination he is pre-positioning his forces across the globe, possibly even into China and the hermit kingdom of North Korea.

He is making many of his soldiers available on-line and totally for free (especially if you print them off at the office, moms and dads). One needs merely to go here to begin the process.

Slip a sheet of bristol board into your printer, hit "print". Do it all over again after "flipping horizontally" and you are on your way to assisting Walker in his nefarious machinations, and everyone will be have a lot of fun in the process (including the printer ink salesperson).

You'll end up with two mirror-image sheets. Punch out the registration marks with a paper punch...

evenly spread a light layer of white glue on the back of one of the sheets and sandwich them together, making sure that the registration holes are in alignment. I found it handy to press the glued sheets between books to keep them nice and flat while they dried.

When the glue is dry, fetch your X-acto knife (#11 blade) and start carefully cutting through the double layer of bristol to liberate your soldier from the sheet.

These free figures are really well designed for a DIY project as the cutting is not too complex (for an adult). Miscuts were easy to avoid with some care and practice.

Once cut out and attached to his little paper cross piece he is ready to muster-in with the forces.

By the way, when printing, do direct your attention to the quality of print. Higher dpi is to the left and lower dpi is on the right. The difference in quality is, as one would expect, remarkable.

Though the Coldstreamers seem outnumbered, be assured that their comrades will join them as soon as another X-acto blade can be loaded.

The graphics are quite "graphic" when it comes to the wounded, unless, of course these are simply overly-exuberant participants from a chili eating contest.

Now, more evenly matched, the belligerents square off for battle.

These robust figures average four and one half inches in height (bearskins included) which makes them tower over...

their 54mm brethren, but this large size may also make them easier to maneuver by smaller hands.

"Haughty" rendered flawlessly in two-dimension.

Christopher Walkerloo's notes provide a wealth of historical information, and even in his text his humor is apparent. Another very personalized aspect which makes these figures appealing is that Walkerloo himself models each of the poses, uniquely putting a little of the artist into every one of his drawings.

In addition to providing delightful soldiers, Walkerloo is continuing a long tradition of high-quality paper soldiers. And in my opinion his style, breezy though it is, compares well with the classic paper soldiers of an earlier century, as seen here in the apres combat"battle of the bands" at which some Mcloughlin figures are participating.

Finally, after all of the glue, paper, and X-acto blades are put away one is left to realize the real genius of Walker as the Clausewicz of paper soldiers.

In "giving away" these wonderful, but labor intensive paper soldiers, he makes it abundantly clear how much more convenient, and possibly less expensive, it would have been to merely have purchased one (or more) of his ready-made playsets on line.

Diabolical indeed!

See you all on or around the 15th. Until then...

Soldier on!

Mannie

Iron Giant

2010-08-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

(click on the pix for larger versions)

Several years ago I traveled to Fort Foote just south of Washington DC to see the Giant Rodman guns emplaced there during the Civil War to bar the Potomac as a Confederate route of attack.

I've been fascinated with these guns ever since and have frequently thought of making a scale model of one.

Well, now armed with a woodshop the time seemed right. This cannon project, like the previous one started with a nice poplar blank locked into the wood lathe.

Scale drawings guided every move...

and measurement.

Remove enough wood and the barrel reveals itself.

By keeping the ends of the blank attached to the barel, I had the dead center indicated which made boring out the barrel really easy, not to mention accurate.

Here it is, right on the money.

Back to the lathe to turn the trunnions...

which, after shaping with a small drum sander...

were glued and clamped into position.

This Rodman gun has six wheels, two to return the gun to battery after the recoil caused it to slide up its inclined frame (thus absorbing the force of the recoil), and four large casters upon which the carriage travels along semi-circular tracks.

Again, I kept the stock ends intact to provice stable, square footings for accurate drilling and cutting.

As the upper part of the carriage took shape it was time to drill out shallow holes for the rivets.

When working in 54mm scale, to find a variety of rivets one need look no further than the nearest shotgun shell. Number 8 size shot was ideal for this project.

A drop of super glue will keep all rivets firmly in position.

Finally, it came time to make and assemble the twin I-beam recoil frame.

The large pivot wheels were glued and clamped, with weight, into position. Note that they are at a slight angle to each other, describing the arc'd tracks they will travel along.

The elevation lock was shaped by machine and by hand.

And glued into place at the rear of the upper carriage. The holes correspond with holes in the base of the breach. These were used for elevating the barrel and locking it into place.

To balance the barrel on its trunnions, I drilled a hole in the underside of the breech and filled it with shot, adding and subtracting until a perfect balance was achieved.

At that point white glue was dripped into the hole and cured overnight, locking the shot into place.

The subassemblies were then moved to the paint booth for two coats of satin black paint.

Then it was time to turn my attention to the fortification that would place the gun in a context. I chose to represent the handsome brick, stone, and mortar seacoast fortifications typical of the period.

Making an embrasure with a HSS hand-chisel was a real pleasure.

The various pieces of wood were then glued and clamped together.

Finally the gun is in context with the pivot tongue (forward) visible and the traversing rails executed in white styrene and superglued to the deck.

The pristine coat of black paint was weathered at this point by dry brushing with shades of gray, white, and graphite.

The pivot tongue captures a pin within the wall. This allowed the gun to move left to right while staying captured upon its rails.

The styrene rails were rubbed with powered graphite and polished until they looked like shiny steel. The deck was painted brick red and a "peach" prismacolor pencil laid out the mortar between the bricks.

The stone work around the embrasure was made with wood putty textured and painted to look like granite.

Moving the finished piece out into the daylight reveals a satisfying project completed.

Homestead safe from raiding gunboats, and I'm left to ponder...

about what the next project might be.

Soldier on!

Mannie

A Fanciful Cannon

2010-07-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

I've always been a fan of artillery, especially the heavy guns used during the Great War. With all those rivets, gears, wheels, steel and brass, there's something positively steam-punk about the look.

Having recently acquired a beautiful and classic Britain's 4.7" naval gun, I decided to increase my artillery holdings while at the same time staying within my budget. Out I went to my shop - Victory Wood Working - to dig through the scrap pile for some odd pieces of mahogany, Armed with the wood, the time and the tools, now I had to find a likely candidate.

There is a dizzying array of available subjects, and I chose to cherry pick the more dramatic features of several guns and combine them into one fancifully generic cannon.

Every shop project starts with a drawing and this one was no exception. Using the journal book my sweetie got me for my birthday I sketched out plans that incorporated my favorite WWI gun features.

Identifying Clausewitz's "center of gravity" for the project was important, that one piece upon which the whole assembly would depend. That turned out to be the yoke which would support the barrel and the recuperator cylinders. The milling began at the drill press with measured holes (determined by the sizes of my available spade bits) drilled through a piece of mahogany.

From the drill press station the piece moved to first, the band and scroll saws to be roughed out and then to the belt sander where it became the yoke.

Hand sanding with fine files and sand paper sticks produced this finished piece:

I clamped another piece of mahogany stock into the wood lathe and started removing wood, being careful to measure a consistent diameter as I went along.

This became the barrel of the piece.

Like all sculpture, one simply removes all of the material that doesn't look like the thing which one is trying to sculpt. The grain on this mahogany required as much time sanding as chisel and scraper work.

Following a good deal of careful sanding, the finished barrel fit perfectly into the yoke.

Then it came time to build the carriage. I glued and clamped two pieces of mahogany to provide the right thickness for the carriage. I traced the outline onto the stock and, after drilling the hole for the trunnions, I returned to the band saw to release the carriage from the block of wood.

And it seemed pretty happy to get out of there.

Next I built the elevation gear which would appear so prominently beneath the recoil track of the barrel. These enormous toothed-gears are a distinctive feature of the big guns of the Big War.

The components in raw mahagony. The maple plywood is a pattern for what will become the wheels.

Building the breach block required as much hand work as power tools

Everything fit together nicely, though this is the point at which I started to rethink the asthetics of my recuperator cylinders.

Temporarily mounted on wheels, everything is looking pretty good, except for those cylinders. The look so...long.

I broke my mahogany habit long enough to build the gun shield out of maple plywood. I'm still not sure that this was the best choice, but onward I went, gluing and clamping.

Back to the lathe to turn two jolly, fat projectiles which fit in their mechanized (pretend, that is) loading tray. Yes, this is a large caliber gun.

Now on to the wheels. I didn't want to have to deal with spokes, and fortunately WWI was an era of a variety of spokeless steel wheels. I fit characteristic "duck boards" around the diameter and shaped reinforcing ribs on my disc sander. The masonite duck boards were the only instance of using hot glue rather than wood glue.

Wheels complete, and temporarilly mounted, it was time to glue and clamp the gun shield into place.

By this time, I made the decision to shorten the recuperator cylinders, and I'm so glad that I did.

At that point all the sub assemblies got a good coat of grey primer.

I also took a moment to simulate some rifling in the muzzle.

Then it was time to move out of the shop and into the sunshine to apply the "dazzle" camoflauge scheme to the piece. What a beautiful morning.

And "voila" as my beloved French say; my heavy gun is at the front and ready for action.

With the barrel returned to the "in battery" position, the loading tray is ready to be elevated and the next round rammed into the breech.

The Huns are menacing even in small scale.

Sacrebleu! I think I've just painted myself into a corner.

Until next time, Soldier On!

Mannie

Something I'm working on:

2010-07-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

A diminutive Big Bertha

There's a little mahogany WWI heavy gun taking shape out in my shop.

I'll keep you posted.

Soldier on!

Mannie