R e n o v a t i o n J o u r n a l
9.4.1 ~ T h e W h i t e T o w e r
(18.2.2021)
Model by Yuri Kovalev
Another kit arrived, where in fact the whole story of Klingentorturm, Cathedral, Monastery and City Wall began with:
this Vollmer Tower, seen on a display with - awkward enough - the name Reichsburg Cochemer Castle.
Whereas Vollmer gave it the name R o t h e n b u r g !
How curiously all things come together again.
The content of this box with only 19 parts was rather disappointing, considering the firm price of € 33,99!
Whereas Faller's Klingentorturm with 178 parts only costed € 43,95.
It's almost plug-and-play.
As my friend Sander wrote on my Facebook page: "That'll speed things up nicely..."
~~~
Painting the roof was no problem. But what came underneath...
On Tuesday February 18th, I started painting the walls, which was done in less than an hour.
I opted for an unmixed clean white base colour and will weather it furthermore with a choice of darker shades.
I assume, the paintwork will give the flair that this model lacks in its base!
My first attempt was a complete disaster.
I thought I could use Deco sleek white paint (RAL 9000) as a substrate and
wanted to apply a layer of Heki Dur Lasur for weathering the next morning.
When cleaning the Lasur, the white undercoat came off. Either the paint wouldn't
adhere well or the plastic was too greasy.
In addition, the Lasur had in the
meantime developed in such a way that the whole thing started to resemble
stratiachelli ice cream.
The next day I rinsed off all the paint, washed the plastic parts with soap and now chose Vallejo Off-white paint as a base.
And from now on it all went smoothly.
A new attempt with Heki Dur Lasur...
Last night I entered the train room to look for a first impression of how this tower would fit.
The odd thing: it just didn't fit in the least! Not in the town, not at the wall, not even at the monastery.
And then... something happened. Things fell into place.
But that will be another chapter!
~~~
Finishing up (Monday, February22, 2021)
Dry white, a most rewarding job in the end.
I chose a different way of filling the gaps.
I also put a light bulb inside.
This gives more confidence to travellers, who approach the gate from the dark forest.
Since this morning I decided to use this tower as gate-tower to the castle, I think some kind of fence is in place.
In the evening I put the icing on the cake.
Finished!
~~~
The story continues (February 22-28, 2021)
The odd thing is, that I had in mind to put the White Tower somewhere in Town.
Either as part of the Faller Wall to come behind the houses or as part of the Monastery in the background.
The funny thing is, that when I took this tower to my train room and randomly put it in and around town, it just didn't fit.
Until... I just dropped it at the Cochemer Burg and since then everything fell into place.
It would become a Gate Tower.
To me the challenge was to not only have it as a separate watchtower, to check on people entering the castle, but to connect it with the Castle as well.
This would be at the top by means of a bridge.
And as happens so often to me... from one thing comes another!
Adding some details, all scratch.
This bridge belonged originally to the Falkenstein Castle, now Cochemer Burg. So, it's back again!
One can't enter the tower, except by this door at the end of the bridge.
In the mean time I had to cut away the rock. Solid plastic that came with the Falkenstein Castle, Kibri B-9010.
On 2/24 I thought I was done with a small piece, but three days later I had to believe in cutting away a whole piece of rock.
Because it had to be done carefully, I used a soldering iron to cut away the plastic while melting.
A work of no less than some three hours.
Piece by piece...
~~~
9.4.2 ~ D i e D r a c h e n b u r g
(February 22 until March 1, 2021)
I initially thought that - while connecting the White Tower to the Cochemer Burg - I could do it the easy way with just a single wall.
The rest would become just rock, grass and bushes with a (fantasy) tunnel leading into the castle.
However, when you're scratch building - at least to me it happens time and again - one step leads as usual to another.
While looking at a single wall and a nice-looking Pinnacle Turret, the idea of a C o u r t y a r d was born.
The following story will tell you, how I dismantled the 40-year-old Alsfeld Town Hall (Faller B-936) and turned it into the D r a c h e n b u r g.
As a basis I started with a piece of wall that remained of the Klingentorturm, as you could read in a previous chapter.
I thought the small turret from the Alsfeld Rathaus was a nice addition.
The turret was painted with ivory...
... whereas the three white windows - turned yellow due to glue and UV - got a nice gloss black layer!
After all, they're made of cast iron
The left wall was taken from the Alsfeld Rathaus, as well as a second turret. The original pinnacles, broken loose for years, are back in place.
Only later did I realize that one of these four pinnacles is already on the wall of the Cochemer Burg (to replace the broken flag).
This view in the evening convinced me of the idea that there should be a courtyard anyway.
Indeed, more stripping...
Because the Cochemer Burg is located in a fairly dark area, I decided to create a light island around the White Tower.
No less than three light bulbs will illuminate the bridge, the courtyard and the little tower.
I deliberately lowered this lamp (with yellow wires), so that you only see a light in the dark, but not the lamp itself.
I could have saved myself a lot of work. But yea, fun is in the detail.
Again, a piece of B-936.
On Sunday 28/2, I started to finish with details.
With a little cosy decoration
Yea, unfortunately I did cut myself and spilled some blood...
A slate roof will cover the wires later on...
~~~
Finishing up things... (Monday, March 1, 2021)
Today I added three roofs (remnant parts of the Busch Forsthaus), a small bench in the courtyard, and filled remaining gaps in the walls.
Lasur paint was added where needed.
It took me some 15 minutes to figure out, cut, paint and position only 5 parts.
I could have made it easy for myself to just take a plastic one from my stock.
But as is clear from the entire Drachenburg project: every addition can make or break the whole.
Covering the light bulb with one wooden plank...
In the afternoon (outdoors)...
... and in the evening, with a first test of the light.
Even without the Knight's Wall yet attached, a first impression how it will look like!
It's time to install the D r a c h e n b u r g into the Cochemer Bahn. And then...
~~~
About foundations, hatches and the Knight's Wall
(Wednesday, March 3, 2021)
Today, the Knight's Wall was attached. No more photos can be taken from the inside, hence the delay.
All of a sudden, I got the luminous idea this morning of making a slated roof between Castle Wall and Drachenburg as well.
Fortunately, I have enough material left over from the hunting lodge (Busch Forsthaus).
I cannot imagine a better connection between both buildings.
This shelf makes a nice connection as well. Since none of this building has been thought out in advance, I was glad it fitted.
I only noticed this morning that the D r a c h e n b u r g is leaning considerably outwards, and yet not as level as I thought.
Hence this bar.
An extra stone foundation, to which the rock will soon be glued.
One of the last small annoyances I found was the small tower in the middle.
Too much stone and basically without function. Therefor these hatches.
3.3.2021
~~~
9.4.3 ~ C o n n e c t i n g t h e D r a c h e n b u r g t o t h e C o c h e m e r B u r g
(March 4, 2021)
Basement weathered
Fits most perfect
~~~
After four days of drying, I painted the new rocks on Thursday March 12th.
A day later vegetation was applied and then the White Tower could be put in place.
The levelling was quite a thing, but in the end it worked fine.
With the beautiful mountain landscape in the background, this castle certainly makes an impression.
Even between dusk and dawn...
~~~
Now one thing still had to be made: a doorway from the bridge into the Castle
(March 19, 2021)
19.3.2021
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What started in the 1980's with Kibri 9010...
14.9.2023
...is what it became after four decades:
8.2.2023
~~~
Frits Osterthun © 22.1.2023
Last update: 15.9.2023