So here is another copper roof update... some good, some not so, but generally a good day's results. So without any further adieu...

This is a shot of the roof section built on top of the plastic sheet that I originally started with when I decided to try to replicate a copper roof. The damaged section is a separate piece of copper, which I formed with the help of my Etch Mate 3C. I formed it over a couple small wooden pieces to give it the proper edge profile since there was no plastic substrate on it. This allows it to sit level with the larger roof section.
Here is a closer look at the damaged piece. It is my first foray into battle damage, and I'm not sure if I have gotten it right but much of it will be blocked by the tree so I am not too concerned if it isn't perfect! I know... I can hear it already, but truly I am okay with it because after-all I did begin this as an exercise in skill learning and renewal.
Here you can see the sections together on the roof. They overhang at the top just enough to allow for the roof boards and the copper roof for the small section of roof on the back side of the building.

Here is a closer view of how the damaged section lines up with the broken timbers of the roof boards.

this is the damaged section as viewed from above.

And here is from below. You can see the scale 2 x 6 ? I placed at the edges of the sheet, to give it the proper look, and they also give a stronger glue point for the sheet.

Here is one more, I have painted, glazed the wood thet will be seen through the damaged portion.



Some flashing for the last section, which will also be damaged. This would prevent rain from getting behind the roof and wearing away at the mortar of the stonework.

The rain flashing for the side section as well as a piece to hide any wood that may show through the cracks.

The section placed in its location.

A close up view.

a close up look at the convergence point of the roof and the bell tower

A dark, but full shot of the copper roof completed... but not yet glued down. The finishing patina is yet to come.

All for tonight. another early morning come in but a few hours....

Enjoy the time you spend doing what you do everyone. Life & work were not created to be dreary... well maybe work was, but not life for sure!

Dave

another quick update as I am redoing, yea go figure... all of what this update will show because, go figure... I didn't like the result of how it turned out.

Never the less, if my problems can be of solace, comfort or help to one of you or the next generation of scale modelers then it has been well worth my efforts I am sure!

after I had gotten the roof pieces built, i tried to use the oxidizer agent I had purchased and demoed on a spare sheet of copper. here are some pics...

It is a basically simple process, just coat the liquid onto the copper and wait...

After a few minutes the oxidation begins, and the longer you let it sit on the copper the more it develops into a patina that is commonly found on most copper roofs.


this is after about ten minutes...

This is about forty minutes later..


And these two are about 1.5 hours later. The manufacturer recommends at least a 2 hour wait between coats to allow for the oxidation to completely dry I guess. If you put on a second coat too soon as I said before you can get a bubbling off of the first layer. Believe me it looks bad!

here are a couple of shots of the roof I took just before I went to bed last night, after about four hours with the solution on in total.





and one more,


Well it is a little hard to see from these photos, but the end result, IMHO, is that the color is too "teal"?, or too blue green for my liking. Another thing I did not like was that it was clear to me from even a foot away that the patina had brush marks left by the application process.

Well that just would not do! So today I came home from work and took as much of the patina off as I could. it wasn't very hard as it is basically just a fine layer of dust for lack of a better term. Actually it's oxidation, and just a quick wipe of the finger and most of it came off. Some of the areas where I had more solution on or where the copper was better cleaned of grease and stuff the solution was more effective and I had to rub harder.

But I did manage to get it to where I am comfortable with it's appearance... at this moment anyway!


I took some fine sanding pads to the copper to remove the rest of the powdery build up, under a running tap, because of my asthma and the fact that the powdery residue I was removing seemed even finer then resin dust! Better safe than sorry.

I may still try to vary the "patina" of the copper a bit but I kinda like the look of the only slightly distressed look I have right now.


Hope you enjoy the small update. More to come soon as I am again feeling like I am getting on a bit of a roll....

Take care everyone!

Dave

Hey Dave!
Your attention to detail is super!
I am always following you with interest!

Take care with that oxidation though.... I believe it is poisonous!

Ciao
Edo

Hey Edo, thanks for the compliment. I looked at the solutions that are commercial in nature & they are much stronger andorra noxious. This stuff that is available at most craft stores has so little percentage of active chemical that it barely reacts to the copper. That is why I believe it was do easy to remove...


Have a good day

Dave

Dave: Looks great.

Happy Modeling, -zon

Thanks Zon, it's coming along. No work done on it today... I am way too tired. A few long days at work this week and a toddler in the house, but I am certainly not complaining. I would rather be tired and happy then the alternatives.

have a great night.

Dave.

so truth be told, I did get a tiny bit of work done last night... to the roof.

A couple of very thin applications of what would be considered "washes" to the copper. Two applications of Vallejo Smoke, and 3 of their Transparent Green, which has given me I believe the exact look I was looking for... a partially oxidized patina for a relatively new copper roof!

You be the judge, let me know what you think. I will try to get a couple of pictures taken of the whole thing done in a partly overcast sky for the best possible lighting.

But for now here are 5 or 6 pictures to look at.








Have a great night and keep modeling everyone!

Dave

Hi Dave,

I've just discovered your thread recently, and I must say your craftman skills are just amazing. This is the best reproduction of church I ever seen, all the details are just mad
Please keep on publishing your very talented works

Best,
Julien

Thanks Julien, this is a huge compliment coming from you.

I have seen your own "mad" craftsmanship on your dioramas. The work you have done on your Alsace forest piece is top notch.

Your figures are absolutely sweet! My goal would be to paint my figures to the same high standard.

Thanks again Julien, I will indeed continue to post more updates.

Dave

Yeah man,I think this latest iteration of the roof is way better.
J

I think so too Jerry. In fact I do believe I will leave it as is, with the exception of another damaged section behind the tower and some very subtle variations in the color that is presently there via some more selected pin washes with a couple other Vallejo transparent acrylics.

then to the business of putting the elements together for good and finishing this puppy in time for the WCRMC.

Talk to you soon. Getting ready to go preach the word to a church family in Pincher Creek! Very exciting!

Dave

THAT light will shine even in a ruined church!
J

You know it! Just got back from celebrating with some great members of The Body. Was a lot of fun & time well spent. Now for an afternoon nap, then maybe a round of golf this evening and back to building tomorrow.

Dave

Playoff hockey, a friend from out of town comes down for the weekend, the finals of American Idol... oh yea and running a golf course with myself & six others really eats into a guys modeling time!

Plus my wife & toddler daughter & a preaching date to boot, but nevertheless here is another update as the end draws near on "Sunday Service Cancelled".











Sorry for the lack of commentary, but I want to go and get the patina started on the rest of the now completed copper roof.

More tomorrow... I hope

Dave

A few more of the totally completed roof!









have a good night everyone!

Dave,

Ps. I also fashioned two interior overhead lights for the inside of the church today, and applied a wash over the entire building inside & out and followed that with a layer of Future floor polish, Tomorrow I will do some oil filters on the exterior and then a matt varnish to seal it up after the oils have dried.

My Hornet heads should be here by Monday so the figures will be ready by Thursday night to finish it off.

Good progress today and yesterday....

Here's hoping for the weekend to be profitable.

That is a mighty fine miniature church buddy. The wash really brings it to life and I can't wait to see the results of the subsequent paint work,figures,etc.
Funny how things change. I used to build tanks and throw away the figs,now I build the figs and can hardly be bothered to complete a tank.
Is this th case here? Would you rather work on groundwork and buildings than vehicles? Just curious.
J

That's funny you would make that comment today as I was thinking the same thing yesterday! Actually the answer is yes & no. When I was a lot younger, like 13-14 I only seemed to build figures and small vignettes. I was really good with enamels and got fantastic results.

Today with acrylic paints I feel a bit intimidated by guys like you to be honest and painting small details scares the crap out of me because my close vision is so poor now compared to back in the day.

That said I have a bunch of figures just waiting for heads, and the 2 tanks are basically finished too. I have just been concentrating on the building as it is where my skills have improved so much from when I started it that much had to be replaced!

A good thing I guess?

Everything will come together this weekend of all things fall into place.

Dave

Speaking of the weekend & things falling into place... Heads!!! I have heads!!! My order was on the stoop when I got home from work today, and so I can get more done this weekend then i thought I would. I won't have to wait till Monday to put some of the figures together... yippee!

Is it my imagination or is this guy not happy? he seems to be yelling something at me? Oh wait, maybe it's " let me out of this bag! I'm suffocating!"

hehe

here are a couple photos of the lights I put in last night.


Found this packet at the craft store, 3 dollars I think. Beader's make necklaces out of them I guess?

Here is what they look like. I got 2 in the pack & only used one. I cut the glass in the one and distressed it a bit. used the white bead as the insulator inside the light fixture, and to hold the eye hook in place.



I cut a small length of clear sprue from one of the frets of parts in my panther box.

I drilled out part of the clear " bulb" part to accept the end of the eye hook that went through the fixture. I CA'd the whole thing together and attached a small piece of pipe... and viola!




So far so good!

Dave

Dave: This is really coming along. The roof looks great and the light fixtures too. Can't wait to see those heads find some bodies! Have a productive weekend!

Happy Modeling, -zon

Thanks Zon! I have a gloss coat on and I'm hoping to do some oil paint filtering tonight. I already have 8 or so figures ready for the heads. So it should be a good weekend. Busy but good.


I am honestly looking forward to when this is all done however.

Not in a bad way. Just looking forward to a rest.

Have a good weekend yourself Zon!

Dave

This is one big diorama. Looking forward to seeing it all come together. The idea I'm tossing around won't outdo yours by any means, your tips really did help, and you've more or less proved you know what you're talking about
Great job!

-Conor

Thanks Conor. Take your time & plan things out before you do anything and you will have no problem competing with any of us here if you are willing to take your time and plug away.

Keep gleaning ideas from this and other forums and most of all don't be afraid of making mistakes along the way as you may ( probably will ) learn more from them then you might have if you never made mistakes in the first place.

Take care, I look forward to checking your progress.

Dave

Hi Dave
Enjoying your build thread. The church and stone work is incredible. Great job.

Thanks Frank, I am on the home stretch now and should be able to finish it up by mid week. Competition is on Saturday. A six hour ride away and our first trip back home in a year as a family. Should be fun! As was this build!

Have a great day.

Dave

Dave-- best of luck to you. This is an outstanding build and a credit to your skills. Great job.
Do well
DJ