repurposed cardboard tube: lighthouse & towers

[lexomatic 8468]

My wife asked if I wanted a leftover tube from a bolt of fabric. It's much thicker than paper towel - at least standard foamcore - and at 32 inches, would give me enough for a 12 inch lighthouse and 4 5 inch towers.

[lexomatic 8468]

Here's the lighthouse with whatever minis were handy for scale : 2inch diameter by 12 inch height, roughly 10x60feet?

I might do a plug out of foamcore for 2 different roof tops - one more fantasy tower,  1 more modern lighthouse.

[Glitterwolf 207428]

Oh, go for it!

 

[lexomatic 8468]

I finished cutting stuff- had to use a handsaw because it was sooo thick.

That lonely 1 ply round is a normal tube of paper towel. These are... 20 ply? More?

And here's a few towers cut with the lighthouse and minis for scale. This will probably be it for a while until I cut some bricks. Only trying it with the towers, not the lighthouse.

[Chris Palmer 25962]

I saw a photo where somebody that had done a tower with a tube like this, and had made a rickety wooden staircase running up, and spiraling around, the outside.  Made for a great playable area for precarious fights with the possibility of characters getting pushed off.

[lexomatic 8468]

Yeah I like the idea, but also no lighthouse I've seen has that irl. And other options I don't feel like I can satisfactorily fake. Maybe I'll come up with something,  but this is for a really basic tower except for the top... which was part of the appeal. I intend to use clear plastic caps from a few hair products as the light.

I guess I could do a ladder like on a silo or chimney.

Edited October 11, 2020 by lexomatic

[lexomatic 8468]

Something like this maybe?

https://www.canstockphoto.ca/exterior-metal-ladder-of-old-lighthouse-1856019.html

[Chris Palmer 25962]

18 hours ago, lexomatic said:

Something like this maybe?

https://www.canstockphoto.ca/exterior-metal-ladder-of-old-lighthouse-1856019.html

 

 

You might already be aware of this, but incase you aren't, that kind of ladder can be done well using staples individually inserted as the rungs.  just pre-drill holes and glue in place.

[lowlylowlycook 9602]

44 minutes ago, Chris Palmer said:

 

 

You might already be aware of this, but incase you aren't, that kind of ladder can be done well using staples individually inserted as the rungs.  just pre-drill holes and glue in place.

Office staples or carpentry staples?

[Chris Palmer 25962]

1 hour ago, lowlylowlycook said:

2 hours ago, Chris Palmer said:

 

You might already be aware of this, but incase you aren't, that kind of ladder can be done well using staples individually inserted as the rungs.  just pre-drill holes and glue in place.

Office staples or carpentry staples?

 

 

The time I did it, I used regular old office staples.    I would think either would work though.  

[lexomatic 8468]

6 hours ago, Chris Palmer said:

 

 

You might already be aware of this, but incase you aren't, that kind of ladder can be done well using staples individually inserted as the rungs.  just pre-drill holes and glue in place.

I did not. I might use some upholstery staples. Nice and big. I only have mini staples handy otherwise.

[lexomatic 8468]

So we have use for a rotary tool and I bit the bullet. I'll use it to cut a doorway and maybe a few windows and pre-drill the staple ladder. I'll start this up again then, but much work is delayed while I wait for the replacement dishwasher that was ordered because current one was delivered broken 3 weeks ago.  Most of my terrain/painting time is just gone now. I'm going to use acetate for the window.

Edited October 19, 2020 by lexomatic

[lexomatic 8468]

Need to find spare mask to use rotary tool. Scoring with a blade is sloooow.

I have discovered right size plug.

I have a base for the lighthouse.

I have the beginning of 1 turret to see if I like it.

I found a spare thingy from Michael's that I got on clearance that's perfect for the light /top.

[lexomatic 8468]

I think I'll keep the one 4x4 but it looks really big and I'll do 4 3x3 instead.

[TGP 76127]

For bricks or individual stones on the exterior of tube towers like these:

 

I suggest thin cardboard. The stuff cereal boxes are made from. It is flexible. Cut into rectangles, Glue to exterior. You only have to do a few to suggest the whole structure is masonry.

 

Check out the (lighthouse no less) tower in the upper left corner. The artist has indicated the whole structure is masonry by only drawing a few of the blocks. The same thing will work for your towers. Also you can vary the thickness of the 'blocks' you apply to the outside. 

 

• Index cards
• Manila file folders
• Cookie box cardboard

 

All are different thicknesses. Using a mix will give an indication that the masonry has shifted and settled a bit. Another consideration is cover up the spiral !  Scattered masonry blocks eliminating the spiral seams of tubes like this will prove very useful when it comes time to paint. The seam is a dead giveaway that screams, "I am a painted cardboard tube!!!" Get rid of it and you get a scale model tower.