Thursday 19 July 2012

Tonnelon (Scratchbuilt)

Another scratchbuild..this time a Tonnelon. It was apparently used in the 12th century and the name means Little barrel, because empty wine barrels were used to make the gondolas.
The idea was to use the front gondola to get above an enemy wall and shoot into the areas behind..the second gondola was for another archer /crossbowman to provide covering fire.
It was a real device..honest!!! . The only actual link I´ve found with an explantion is in German or French...HERE
The main construction, platform and wheels, are made from card and Balsawood. The masts are old paintbrushes cut down to purpose. The barrels, plastic bottle tops..the type that come from those pump spray bottles. Simply scratch the surface with sandpaper and glue on the strips of card using silicon.
Just visible underneath the platform is a big brass washer which acts as a counter balance. The construction for the barrely involved using plastic bottle caps, which when the cardboard planking effects were added it made them heavy. I suppose in real life the platform would be heavy enough.
Wnding gear from florists wire.
The hinges for the front barrel and the roller for the rope on the "mast" were made using the inner from a biro (proving usefull ) Slightly heat one end and then pressed against a flat surface, it flattens out. For the roller, both ends.
Hello to Brian from  Lead Legion blog. Brian does a mini painting service and avery nice job he does too.

21 comments:

  1. Very unusuale but interesting

    Ian

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  2. I wouldn't have like been 'volunteered' to serve in that monster! Great model, very interesting.

    Regards,
    Matt

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  3. Fine modeling, Paul. This takes the term "bucket brigade" to a whole new level.

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  4. That is awesome! I agree that I wouldn'nt want to volunteer for that though.

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  5. Great work...very original!

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  6. Wow! I never seen this ever before. I need one if I go to war with my neighbor.:) Excellent scratch built.

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  7. Wow, this is just soooo cool!
    :-)

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  8. Pretty sure I wouldn't want to be in one of those barrels!

    This is the origin of the phrase "Easy as shooting French in a barrel"... somewhere along the line it got changed to 'fish', probably after the original meaning was lost to memory.
    ;)

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  9. Did they use this contraption to paste adverts for car insurance on the side of castles??

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  10. What you all do to see what the neighbour next door is doing! :-D

    Excellent model again Paul! Some kind of small siege tower in my eyes!

    Greetings
    Peter
    http://peterscave.blogspot.be/

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  11. cool. it way have been a useless war machine and a funny looking one but it is cool to see you scratch build it

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  12. Absolutely brilliant! The things I learn visiting here, just wonderful Paul.

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  13. You've given me some new ideas Paul. I'm now going to rummage through your previous posts for more ideas. Thank you!

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  14. And you did that on your own? Wow!! Very ingenious work Paul.
    And I agree with you, this silly device was actually used baxk in the 12th century. We can become very innovative when it comes into killing each other (and ourselves in this barrel case). :)

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  15. Jeeze Paul!

    You make me look very bad!! Can't you just take a vacation or something?

    Joke aside, Jen and I love it when you have an update! Sir, the amount of quality and work are simply amazing.

    VS

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  16. Used to get someone inside walls without defenders?!

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    Replies
    1. I reckon it would be a bit too loud for that..trundling up to the wall. A ladder would have been quieter.
      Cheers
      paul

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  17. Paul, I'm going to need to make a wine cask for a 32mm figure. Do you have any creative ideas for how to make one using something I'd find around the house.

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    1. Easy peasy Anne. I´ll make a little how to and bung it up ASP :-D
      Cheers
      Paul

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    2. Thank you Paul. I'll be posting my first attempts at my own scratch-built scenery on Tuesday. It's just a small scene, but it's a beginning and I'm really enjoying it.

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