DBA Camp Elements

Medieval German Tower

Scratch-built by Kevin Sheehan. The tower is based on a standard 40mm square base and made of a substance called Das - a type of modelling clay that doesn't require kiln firing. It simply dries in the air and is paintable after 24 hours or so. I rolled out a length of it and then fashoned the stones by gently pressing in with a small sharp piece of wood. It takes a little patience but the effect is quite realistic. Next I did a separate conical roof and used some plastic roofing material available from specialist model train stores and the like. I pressed a piece of this plastic shingle roofing around the top of the tower to produce the shingle effect in the Das. I then reworked the rough bits to get a consistent shape. While the two pieces were still damp I stuck a thin metal rod - again available in various sizes in good model train shops - right down the middle of both. Then once the two pieces - stone tower and shingle roof - had dried, I simply pressed them together tightly and glued them with a strong adhesive. I painted the tower using Vallejo colors. The basing material is another product used for model train enthusiasts. Its called Flex Paste and is made by Woodland Scenics. It can be expensive - US $12.00 for 16 Fl. Oz. but will last a long time. It has a thick plastic consistency and when dry will not crack. I mix it with sand to create a heavy textured paint which I then apply to the base and paint when dry.

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