Renovation Journal

R e n o v a t i o n J o u r n a l

T o r q u e T o w e r

37.1 ~ The Idea

(March 15-26, 2023)

Between Schloss Cochemer and Pulverturm is a wall, a socalled Wehrgang.

The question was how I could connect them in an accurate way. Simply sliding the two parts together left the roof of the Wehrgang floating in space in an unnatural and illogical way.

37.2 ~ The Materials

(January 26, 2023)

26.1.2023

Now. since Jimmy needed an eagle's crest for the paving he is making for me, I had to order a new one.

Via Faller Kundenservice I not only got the crest but the whole rack around it as well. It arrived on January 26.

As you can read in the chapter on the cobblestones, this is what Jimmy Low has made of it so far.

~~~

On March 15, I start developing my ideas for the construction of a so-called torque tower or coupling gate between Schildturm and Wehrgang.

While useing parts of the Faller tower (such as 130406), the rest was scratch building to an own design, which incidentally only developed during the construction process.

But more on that later.

The painting was done according to the proven method as described in chapter 13, among others.

No clock and no eagle this time.

I had in mind the ruin tower of Burg Cochem and at first this was going to be a ruin at the top, with decayed beams and gravel on the roof.

The spacious gate passage had to be bricked up...

Must have been done sometime in the late 17th century

Look promising to me...

Since the gate has a different outline than the gate opening, I simply solved it by placing the gate inwards in an alcove.

And at this point I started adding more and more details, which at the end of the day would lead to... well, that will come later.

A similar cutting procedure followed in the outer wall above the entrance.

I looked up all kinds of windows and other parts.

Still, I opted for simplicity, by applying no more than two closed shutters. It is after all an outer wall...

Support beam for the roof to come...

Meanwhile, the stones are updated with lasur.

The nice thing about scratch building is that you are constantly busy with all sorts of things.

While the paint dries, you are already busy cutting a wall section or picking out windows, and so on.

Still just a roof, I thought at this point. And why not a light at the same time? High in the roof, nice indirect light...

Now, here's a typical example of unforeseen development.

Because the top wall protrudes a bit, because of the thickness of the styrofoam,

I came up with the idea of a support beam. And this beam is again supported by four supporting stones.

~~~

37.3 ~ Scratch is in the Detail

(March 25, 2023)

Both doorways, taken from Faller 191779, will be used at the Torque Tower.

37.4 ~ Finishing up

(March 25, 2023)

And of course some greenery can't be missed...

And finally some autumn leaves that have been blown on the roof by the wind...

37.5 ~ The Deception, however...

(March 25, 2023... in the evening)

Although planned as a simple extension at the back, I didn't manage to keep it simple. Love for detail takes over. Time and time again...

When I replaced this wall section tonight at Schloss Cochem where it was intended, there was nothing left to see of all that beauty, even when the drawer is fully pulled out.

A real shame...

However, this fact was also a turning point.
Initially I placed the Schildturm at the very other end of the market, now with the extension visible on the inside, intended as a kind of final piece of the entire Wehrgang.
But on closer inspection I heard my friend Sander whisper: "Way too tower-ish...!"