Most people will know of Nissan,the car producing factory,based up here in the North East,but not many will know of the "Nissanite" chariot producing factory based in Westerhope!!
Being a POP(Poor Old Pensioner) and notoriously mean,and also requiring 12x 25mm chariots,6light and 6 heavy,to face Brian and Dave's "Biblical" armies,I looked at the vehicles on offer from various manufacturers-Bloody Hell!!!!!
Prices ranged from £7.50 to £12 each(these are heart attack prices as far as I am concerned)
So what could I do?Well,using only the materials to hand and a bit of ingenuity,I decided to make my own.
I used a re-cycled birthday card for the bodies,cocktail sticks for the axles,and extra long matchsticks for the poles,plus about a gallon(or litres if you like) of liquid nails and super glue!!
I already had a stock of wheels,both plastic and metal,and some spare horses,and any more I needed I made from my Prince August moulds.
The first step was to make a paper "template",using my Technical Drawing skills gained at school 50 years ago(I just knew it would come in handy some day!!) to test my design-it worked-hurrah!! and production began........
Template and bodies awaiting diagonal cuts to sides.
Cuts made,awaiting wheels and poles-the made up one shows the effect I was after.
Production well under way,however I have run out of wheels,and need a couple of horses.....
Good old Prince August moulds!!I only had to caste 4 wheels and 4 horses,so it wasn't too much of a chore.
Some made up and base painted-bonny colours!! and some getting their poles attached.
Two chariots painted and based-I thinks I may have been carried away with the paint jobs on the wheels!!
All twelve painted and based awaiting crews-I bought some figures at an auction a while ago,and used the "Biblical-looking" ones for the crews.
Two light chariots completed-I was quite pleased with the way they turned out
All twelve flocked and crewed-what they needed was a Pyramid to drive past-so I made one out of spare hardboard,when I had a couple of minutes!!
The finished vehicles,in all their painted glory,trundling past the Pyramid and Sphinxes.
I have decided to call my new army the "Parasites",led by their legendary king,who goes down in history as being the first Egyptian Car Park Attendant-Toot and Come In!!(TutanKumin-groan,groan!)
From design to finished article,including painting the crews,and making the Pyramid,took just two weeks-it's great being retired you know!!
I would love some "feed-back" on my DIY chariots.
Monday, 8 September 2014
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Ingenious and excellent use of available resources. Bearing in mind that 12 chariots from a manufacturer would be £90. They look just the job
ReplyDeleteHi Ian,god to see you're still alive!!-thanks for your comment-you're always welcome you know!
DeleteJohnc
That should be "good" not God!!
ReplyDeletejohnc
I know I would be. Someday I shall pluck up the courage.
ReplyDeleteYour Nemesis doesn't come along now-give it a go!!
Deletejohnc