Sunday 25 September 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Last dig of the year.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Last dig of the year.: At Shillington again this weekend digging in an old farmhouse garden. The building dated back to the 15th Century and in the 18th century w...
Last dig of the year.
At Shillington again this weekend digging in an old farmhouse garden. The building dated back to the 15th Century and in the 18th century was a pub.
The usual format of a 1m square test pit dug in 10cm contexts. On parade today was Derek, Kevin, Ivor, Nigel & Alison ( Saturday only), we got off to a cracking start and finds were coming up thick and fast, Victorian pottery the ever popular clay pipe stems with one or two part bowls as well, some probable Medieval pot and afew metal nails. It was all bit of a jumble in terms of the mix of periods we were getting, it didn't really prove anything to us but we did come down onto a very rough surface at 0.3m which was probably a farmyard type surface made up of very rough material, broken tile, various stones. it certainly wasn't well laid like the surface in the previous dig.
After the third context the finds started to thin out ,it got very stony and one layer had alot of sand in it probably from building work some years ago, we'd got to 0.6m by the end of the day and were now just getting clay ( gault clay). We repaired to the Musgrave Arms for post dig analysis a very good pint of Banks and Taylor 'Dragon Slayer' was imbibed here followed by another as Kevin was driving today, my turn tomorrow!
Day two yielded more gault clay with very little in it, alittle frustrating but you just never know what may be just a trowels scrape away. 0.7m was pretty empty so just a quarter of the next context was taken out just to see. It was deemed to be the natural layer, untouched by inhabitation so we called it a day and back filled using the newly restored 'Old Thumper' that Derek had put a new handle on. To the Musgrave Arms again for a last beer and that was that. This was our last dig of the year though I'm pleased to say Derek has already lined up three test pits for next year, he hopes to get the pottery from this years & last years excavations up to pottery expert Paul Blinkhorn for analysis this winter. Another great weekend digging.
The usual format of a 1m square test pit dug in 10cm contexts. On parade today was Derek, Kevin, Ivor, Nigel & Alison ( Saturday only), we got off to a cracking start and finds were coming up thick and fast, Victorian pottery the ever popular clay pipe stems with one or two part bowls as well, some probable Medieval pot and afew metal nails. It was all bit of a jumble in terms of the mix of periods we were getting, it didn't really prove anything to us but we did come down onto a very rough surface at 0.3m which was probably a farmyard type surface made up of very rough material, broken tile, various stones. it certainly wasn't well laid like the surface in the previous dig.
After the third context the finds started to thin out ,it got very stony and one layer had alot of sand in it probably from building work some years ago, we'd got to 0.6m by the end of the day and were now just getting clay ( gault clay). We repaired to the Musgrave Arms for post dig analysis a very good pint of Banks and Taylor 'Dragon Slayer' was imbibed here followed by another as Kevin was driving today, my turn tomorrow!
Day two yielded more gault clay with very little in it, alittle frustrating but you just never know what may be just a trowels scrape away. 0.7m was pretty empty so just a quarter of the next context was taken out just to see. It was deemed to be the natural layer, untouched by inhabitation so we called it a day and back filled using the newly restored 'Old Thumper' that Derek had put a new handle on. To the Musgrave Arms again for a last beer and that was that. This was our last dig of the year though I'm pleased to say Derek has already lined up three test pits for next year, he hopes to get the pottery from this years & last years excavations up to pottery expert Paul Blinkhorn for analysis this winter. Another great weekend digging.
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| General view of the front of the farmhouse and our test pit. |
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| Derek records as Nigel and Kevin sieve the spoil from the pit. |
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| Test pit at 0.1m |
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| Ivor moves 'Old Thumper' to a safe distance as it wouldn't be used until Sunday. |
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| Alot more stones showing through. |
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Finds from the first three contexts. |
Friday 23 September 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Beer.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Beer.: I have been drinking beer for about thirty seven years............I could lie & say I was only six when I started but you know better! ...
Beer.
I have been drinking beer for about thirty seven years............I could lie & say I was only six when I started but you know better! What is it with beer? Getting served in pubs underage out with mates, having a laugh, well you couldn't drink lemonade could you, had to be a 'proper' drink. My Dad worked for Whitbread's in the days when they brewed beer so it was always in the house. Infact as he worked for the Diplomatic Sales Division the beers , lagers I should say, were stronger than you could buy in the UK at the time & I didn't really like it! I got more of a taste for it I guess & quite liked some of the bitters like Tankard, then I saw this mysterious beer drawn by a hand pump called Ruddles County, wasn't greatly struck on the flavour but there was something about it.
I read up abit on Real Ales & saw a great quote which goes 'Being a beer lover and living in Britain is like being a wine lover and living in France.' I understood that and decided to explore Real Ale in , what shall we say, alittle more depth.
Most of my friends at the time were just lager louts, one drank lager & lime (yuk!) & another, always striving to be different drank lager and blackcurrant & for a while lager & coke!
Then we discovered The Kings Head on Harrow on the Hill, long since converted into flats sadly, this place had several bars on different levels throughout the old building & down in the depths of the building, the very bowels of this great edifice was the Real Ale bar. You could pretty well hear the animal howls & strange scratchings as you approached down through the half light of the staircase down ,down ever down to the inner sanctum. It was probably the least furnished bar with just simple tables & chairs, a video game called 'Frogs' and the bar, nay the high alter itself! If memory serves they had anything up to a dozen different beers poured straight from the barrel, I suppose it was more of an old fashioned tap room. I first tasted Theakstons 'Old Peculiar' here, at 5.6% it's strong stuff. Had my stag night here, when a stag night was just that-one night! It was my round and everybody wanted something different, a couple of lagers, a Guinness, an ale, a short............I came back with eight pints of Sam Smiths 'Old Brewery Bitter,' as I recall it all went!
Of course beer is the perfect accompaniment to any social event & all post dig analysis after archaeological digs takes place in the local pub. It is possible, though I've yet to do it, to have a four course dinner with a different beer for each course as you might wine.
Had a very interesting trip round the Chiltern Brewery that did a version of this, the last beer we tried was served with fruit cake. It shouldn't have gone but it did! The Hook Norton brewery is an excellent trip if you get the chance, their local pubs are still delivered to by horse drawn delivery wagons.
Tring Brewery beers are amongst my faves. Who can forget the polypin of 'Side pocket for a Toad' that Stan got when we subjected his garden to an archaeological dig a few years ago.
I haven't been to all that many beer festivals though they are great fun and as the name suggests there is beer in abundance. I took Gary to the Dunstable Beer Festival a few years ago, even found some beers he liked, & he prefers Cider! The Globe used to do a great beer fest but now so many of the beers they get are more amber coloured summer beers I've given their festival up.
Micro breweries are on the increase and have just added to the wealth of flavours on offer, there's a good one in Leighton Buzzard we visited recently on one of their open days & last year we went on the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway Beer Festival called the Buzzrail Ale Trail there was beer in the engine shed, then half way along the track a stop at the Clay Pipe for another selection and at the quarry terminus of the railway more beer and snacks.
One of the more unusual beers I've tried was made from Tayberries which are a cross between a raspberry & a blackberry, I can't recall its name but it was actually pink in colour! It was a guest beer at the Globe & I was rather taken with it. We were meeting friends to go onwards for a curry & of course I recommended this tayberry beer which few of our number seemed to like.............so their pints was passed to me. The rest of the evening was bit of a tayberry/curry blur but it was a good night I was told!
I'm very keen on the Brewdog range of beers from Scotland recommended by a grand chap I know called Andrew, there're brilliant beers but again my friends don't seem as keen on them as me!
I do try & support the cause & have , on & off been a member of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). My first membership stint came to an end because of their ties. I brought one, just to show support & bear in mind this is when ties were quite thin. When the kipper tie turned up in the post I couldn't believe it! I bowed our shortly after ,I'd like to join again sometime but now I stick to T shirts.
There's nothing like a nice cool ale on a hot day, finished most of our walks in Sussex when Ella & Julian lived in Eastbourne at a great country pub. I've seen the future & it's beer!
I read up abit on Real Ales & saw a great quote which goes 'Being a beer lover and living in Britain is like being a wine lover and living in France.' I understood that and decided to explore Real Ale in , what shall we say, alittle more depth.
Most of my friends at the time were just lager louts, one drank lager & lime (yuk!) & another, always striving to be different drank lager and blackcurrant & for a while lager & coke!
Then we discovered The Kings Head on Harrow on the Hill, long since converted into flats sadly, this place had several bars on different levels throughout the old building & down in the depths of the building, the very bowels of this great edifice was the Real Ale bar. You could pretty well hear the animal howls & strange scratchings as you approached down through the half light of the staircase down ,down ever down to the inner sanctum. It was probably the least furnished bar with just simple tables & chairs, a video game called 'Frogs' and the bar, nay the high alter itself! If memory serves they had anything up to a dozen different beers poured straight from the barrel, I suppose it was more of an old fashioned tap room. I first tasted Theakstons 'Old Peculiar' here, at 5.6% it's strong stuff. Had my stag night here, when a stag night was just that-one night! It was my round and everybody wanted something different, a couple of lagers, a Guinness, an ale, a short............I came back with eight pints of Sam Smiths 'Old Brewery Bitter,' as I recall it all went!
Of course beer is the perfect accompaniment to any social event & all post dig analysis after archaeological digs takes place in the local pub. It is possible, though I've yet to do it, to have a four course dinner with a different beer for each course as you might wine.
Had a very interesting trip round the Chiltern Brewery that did a version of this, the last beer we tried was served with fruit cake. It shouldn't have gone but it did! The Hook Norton brewery is an excellent trip if you get the chance, their local pubs are still delivered to by horse drawn delivery wagons.
Tring Brewery beers are amongst my faves. Who can forget the polypin of 'Side pocket for a Toad' that Stan got when we subjected his garden to an archaeological dig a few years ago.
I haven't been to all that many beer festivals though they are great fun and as the name suggests there is beer in abundance. I took Gary to the Dunstable Beer Festival a few years ago, even found some beers he liked, & he prefers Cider! The Globe used to do a great beer fest but now so many of the beers they get are more amber coloured summer beers I've given their festival up.
Micro breweries are on the increase and have just added to the wealth of flavours on offer, there's a good one in Leighton Buzzard we visited recently on one of their open days & last year we went on the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway Beer Festival called the Buzzrail Ale Trail there was beer in the engine shed, then half way along the track a stop at the Clay Pipe for another selection and at the quarry terminus of the railway more beer and snacks.
One of the more unusual beers I've tried was made from Tayberries which are a cross between a raspberry & a blackberry, I can't recall its name but it was actually pink in colour! It was a guest beer at the Globe & I was rather taken with it. We were meeting friends to go onwards for a curry & of course I recommended this tayberry beer which few of our number seemed to like.............so their pints was passed to me. The rest of the evening was bit of a tayberry/curry blur but it was a good night I was told!
I'm very keen on the Brewdog range of beers from Scotland recommended by a grand chap I know called Andrew, there're brilliant beers but again my friends don't seem as keen on them as me!
I do try & support the cause & have , on & off been a member of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). My first membership stint came to an end because of their ties. I brought one, just to show support & bear in mind this is when ties were quite thin. When the kipper tie turned up in the post I couldn't believe it! I bowed our shortly after ,I'd like to join again sometime but now I stick to T shirts.
There's nothing like a nice cool ale on a hot day, finished most of our walks in Sussex when Ella & Julian lived in Eastbourne at a great country pub. I've seen the future & it's beer!
Sunday 11 September 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Camera
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Camera: If you saw any of the photos I took at Cropredy and of a dig I was on recently you'll see there is a black dot appearing in them all. It...
Camera
If you saw any of the photos I took at Cropredy and of a dig I was on recently you'll see there is a black dot appearing in them all. It's not on the lens so must be inside, trouble is cost of getting it sorted is probably more than a new camera which is exactly what Tara suggested I get. She's a good old thing & I love her very much. I didn't need to put this, I am just stating a fact.
The first cameras I looked at was the Canon Ixus 275 and the canon SX610, both compact cameras just what I wanted but both were out of stock in Argos with no known delivery date for new stock, so I looked at others eventually going for a dearer one, a Nikon Coolpix S7000. There's a photo of it here taken on my old camera!
It's a very sleek white model again a compact which is simple enough for me but with a few bells & whistles. I like to take some photos in black and white, they have a certain 'feel' to them & this camera has a 'high contrast' black & white setting which should be interesting as well as sepia and what they call 'toy camera' setting. Well it's al loaded with a memory card now & ready to go, just got to get out and take some pictures, stay tuned!
The first cameras I looked at was the Canon Ixus 275 and the canon SX610, both compact cameras just what I wanted but both were out of stock in Argos with no known delivery date for new stock, so I looked at others eventually going for a dearer one, a Nikon Coolpix S7000. There's a photo of it here taken on my old camera!
It's a very sleek white model again a compact which is simple enough for me but with a few bells & whistles. I like to take some photos in black and white, they have a certain 'feel' to them & this camera has a 'high contrast' black & white setting which should be interesting as well as sepia and what they call 'toy camera' setting. Well it's al loaded with a memory card now & ready to go, just got to get out and take some pictures, stay tuned!
An idiots guide to an Idiot: The mountains call and I must go.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: The mountains call and I must go.: Laura entitled one of her photos this, as her Mum ( Kathy) said that's the name for your blog. We spoke to Alec & Laura for the fi...
The mountains call and I must go.
Laura entitled one of her photos this, as her Mum ( Kathy) said that's the name for your blog. We spoke to Alec & Laura for the first time since they left Blighty at the end of June, it was good to hear them and to talk to Alec even though the connection wasn't good. If you remember the comedian Norman Collier with his dodgy microphone gag then you'll know what I mean. if you don't know what I mean google it!
Sounds like they are living the dream, the photos they have posted are awesome, only attached one here of a sunset from an island off the coast of Vietnam. This is their third country to date. They started in Thailand then Cambodia now Vietnam next country will be Laos. The tunnels used by the Viet -Cong during their protracted war are now a tourist attraction! The pair of them have travelled many hours by train, plane, boat and bus not to mention moped! Animals checked off their list have been snakes, elephants, big spiders, monkeys, & as Alec put it 'Cows roaming everywhere.' Though Alec reckons they are not on holiday because they've had to be up & out very early for connections etc...........Still sounds like a holiday to me! It was so good to hear from them, we have missed both Alec & Laura like I cannot say, they seem to have met up with a few Europeans doing a similar trip to them & have kept in contact as they travel so can exchange information. By the way beer it 20p a pint though I expect it's just fizz! Alec says Laura has many books to write her blog in but doesn't know where to start, I hope she does soon. Alec is going to phone a gain when the get to Hanoi the capital where hopefully internet connection will be better.
They really are living the dream!
Sounds like they are living the dream, the photos they have posted are awesome, only attached one here of a sunset from an island off the coast of Vietnam. This is their third country to date. They started in Thailand then Cambodia now Vietnam next country will be Laos. The tunnels used by the Viet -Cong during their protracted war are now a tourist attraction! The pair of them have travelled many hours by train, plane, boat and bus not to mention moped! Animals checked off their list have been snakes, elephants, big spiders, monkeys, & as Alec put it 'Cows roaming everywhere.' Though Alec reckons they are not on holiday because they've had to be up & out very early for connections etc...........Still sounds like a holiday to me! It was so good to hear from them, we have missed both Alec & Laura like I cannot say, they seem to have met up with a few Europeans doing a similar trip to them & have kept in contact as they travel so can exchange information. By the way beer it 20p a pint though I expect it's just fizz! Alec says Laura has many books to write her blog in but doesn't know where to start, I hope she does soon. Alec is going to phone a gain when the get to Hanoi the capital where hopefully internet connection will be better.
They really are living the dream!
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Shropshire.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Shropshire.: 'Another border to get through, Another tube of superglue, I'm driving like a maniac, Drive the way to hell & back, Another ...
Shropshire.
'Another border to get through,
Another tube of superglue,
I'm driving like a maniac,
Drive the way to hell & back,
Another room, a case to pack.'
So sayeth Lemmy in the words to 'We are the road crew' from one of my favourite Motorhead albums 'Ace of Spades.'
The only link to this blog piece is the last line as I have been on my travels again this time to North Wales & Shropshire. Up very early on Tuesday morning and in Llandudno my about 9.30am. Offered a cup of coffee at my first appointment, great! From there to Conwy a lovely coastal town with a medieval wall still intact. Sadly just never have the time to look round these places. A quick jaunt to Porthmadog then its down the old coaching road of the A5 into Shropshire. Strange to think we live alittle further down the A5! It's a lovely drive through North Wales if the weather is at least reasonable which it was, stopped at Oswestry then onto a couple of accounts in Shrewsbury & done for the day. Clocked up around 320 miles.
Stopover for tonight a pub cum hotel called the Mytton & Mermaid at Atcham a couple of miles outside of Shrewsbury. Stayed here once before a while ago, I tend not to go back repeatedly to the same place, it's nice to explore!
Stuff put in room then to finish work emails etc which I do in the bar with a very fine pint of '1066' to keep me company, though not for long! It's a local brew by Battlefield Brewery in Shrewsbury, at 4.2% it slipped down a treat after a long day. Quite a rich tasting beer & a good nut brown colour.
Thought it was all going to go terribly wrong when I came down later for dinner, stood at the bar for ages even though a couple of staff had walked by however eventually met with a apology and they never looked back, although I asked to change my table as I was sat in what felt like the middle of the restaurant with all un-sundry walking past 'Billy no mates' with his book & IPad. Got a nice table in the corner and settled down for dinner.
Determined to have a change tonight I had Cauliflower & Stilton soup for starters with a large cheesy crouton in the middle of it & very tasty it was too.
Main meal was a trio of Wenlock Edge sausages with thyme & sage mash, veg & shallot gravy. 'Yum' would be the best description for this meal all washed down with a pint of another local beer '3 Tuns Pale Ale' by the Bishop Castle Brewery , very nice but as the name suggests a pale ale so finished up with another pint of '1066.'
Absolutely no room to do a pud justice so knocked it on the head & retired to bed. Not such an early start next morning, just as well.
Another tube of superglue,
I'm driving like a maniac,
Drive the way to hell & back,
Another room, a case to pack.'
So sayeth Lemmy in the words to 'We are the road crew' from one of my favourite Motorhead albums 'Ace of Spades.'
The only link to this blog piece is the last line as I have been on my travels again this time to North Wales & Shropshire. Up very early on Tuesday morning and in Llandudno my about 9.30am. Offered a cup of coffee at my first appointment, great! From there to Conwy a lovely coastal town with a medieval wall still intact. Sadly just never have the time to look round these places. A quick jaunt to Porthmadog then its down the old coaching road of the A5 into Shropshire. Strange to think we live alittle further down the A5! It's a lovely drive through North Wales if the weather is at least reasonable which it was, stopped at Oswestry then onto a couple of accounts in Shrewsbury & done for the day. Clocked up around 320 miles.
Stopover for tonight a pub cum hotel called the Mytton & Mermaid at Atcham a couple of miles outside of Shrewsbury. Stayed here once before a while ago, I tend not to go back repeatedly to the same place, it's nice to explore!
Stuff put in room then to finish work emails etc which I do in the bar with a very fine pint of '1066' to keep me company, though not for long! It's a local brew by Battlefield Brewery in Shrewsbury, at 4.2% it slipped down a treat after a long day. Quite a rich tasting beer & a good nut brown colour.
Thought it was all going to go terribly wrong when I came down later for dinner, stood at the bar for ages even though a couple of staff had walked by however eventually met with a apology and they never looked back, although I asked to change my table as I was sat in what felt like the middle of the restaurant with all un-sundry walking past 'Billy no mates' with his book & IPad. Got a nice table in the corner and settled down for dinner.
Determined to have a change tonight I had Cauliflower & Stilton soup for starters with a large cheesy crouton in the middle of it & very tasty it was too.
Main meal was a trio of Wenlock Edge sausages with thyme & sage mash, veg & shallot gravy. 'Yum' would be the best description for this meal all washed down with a pint of another local beer '3 Tuns Pale Ale' by the Bishop Castle Brewery , very nice but as the name suggests a pale ale so finished up with another pint of '1066.'
Absolutely no room to do a pud justice so knocked it on the head & retired to bed. Not such an early start next morning, just as well.
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| 'Three Tuns' Pale Ale. |
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| Cauliflower & Stilton soup. |
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| Trio of Wenlock Edge sausages with all the trimmings. |
An idiots guide to an Idiot: New Model Army
An idiots guide to an Idiot: New Model Army: Not Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army but mine.......You probably know that amongst the many things I collect are model soldiers, yes I k...
New Model Army
Not Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army but mine.......You probably know that amongst the many things I collect are model soldiers, yes I know I'm 54 but what the hell! I also make them. I work in many scales from 15mm,20mm, 30mm,54mm through to 75mm. One on going project is of mine is the dismounted bands of the British cavalry circa 1980/90's, I thought it may be of passing interest to upload a sort of tutorial of what I do, so here goes.
These figures are cast at home, it's a commercially available mould (though I have made my own too) with conversions by me (fig 1). The figures are 54mm (also known as 1/32nd scale), the scales can be a bit misleading from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some work it as 54mm from head to toe, others use a scale taking in any headdress worn so the overall figure then appears abit shorter. The second photo shows the tools and odds & sods I use (Fig 2), the next is the metal pan on our cooker melting the metal. It's a low melt tin alloy that works well at the low temperatures a cooker can give (fig 3). Once melted , as quick as poss, pour the liquid metal into the mould that has been clamped together. I have had some disasters at this stage with the clamps slipping off and sending molten metal over the work surface. Not quite as bad as it sounds as it solidifies quickly & it's not exactly like working in a foundry!
Give the metal a couple of minutes to solidify then open the two halves of the mould to reveal the figure, cut off the sprue from the funnel end into the mould and you're ready to go (fig 4).
I use sand paper and sharp modelling knives to carve down the figure to take arms etc and usually use the foil off wine bottles for belts etc & two types of modelling putty, the green for filling holes and imperfections & a two part putty that can be used for finer work. Whilst I cast the figures, generally I buy the instruments already cast from a company called Dorset Soldiers.
The figures here will be a side drummer & bass drummer from the 16th/5th The Queens Royal Lancers, you'll see the side drummer taking shape with head on, lancer drooping plume attached, arms and the lancer plastron attached to his tunic. Just the cap lines, drum belt and hands holding the drum sticks to go (fig 5 & 6).
Known as the 'Scarlet Lancers' as they wore red tunics where other lancer regiments wore blue, they were one of the post world war one cavalry amalgamations when in 1922 the 16th The Queens Lancers joined the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. To be honest the research into the uniform or battle I am depicting is just as interesting to do. I go to great pains to make sure that particular uniform was worn in the era I have represented or the battle is as close as I can get it.
Now both figures and complete & primed (fig 7), I generally use a quick coat of matt white for this. You may be able to see the bass drummer wears a leopard skin apron, this harks back to when regimental bands used African drummers brought back from their tours of duty abroad in the 18th & 19th centuries.
The next thing is to start painting, I do the 'big' colours first so in this case its the red tunic and dark blue trousers, plastron, cuffs and collars. I use enamels, though many use acrylics & oils. (fig 8), then its just a case of building up the colours and putting on the detail, so there you have it.(fig 9).
Commissions taken!
These figures are cast at home, it's a commercially available mould (though I have made my own too) with conversions by me (fig 1). The figures are 54mm (also known as 1/32nd scale), the scales can be a bit misleading from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some work it as 54mm from head to toe, others use a scale taking in any headdress worn so the overall figure then appears abit shorter. The second photo shows the tools and odds & sods I use (Fig 2), the next is the metal pan on our cooker melting the metal. It's a low melt tin alloy that works well at the low temperatures a cooker can give (fig 3). Once melted , as quick as poss, pour the liquid metal into the mould that has been clamped together. I have had some disasters at this stage with the clamps slipping off and sending molten metal over the work surface. Not quite as bad as it sounds as it solidifies quickly & it's not exactly like working in a foundry!
Give the metal a couple of minutes to solidify then open the two halves of the mould to reveal the figure, cut off the sprue from the funnel end into the mould and you're ready to go (fig 4).
I use sand paper and sharp modelling knives to carve down the figure to take arms etc and usually use the foil off wine bottles for belts etc & two types of modelling putty, the green for filling holes and imperfections & a two part putty that can be used for finer work. Whilst I cast the figures, generally I buy the instruments already cast from a company called Dorset Soldiers.
The figures here will be a side drummer & bass drummer from the 16th/5th The Queens Royal Lancers, you'll see the side drummer taking shape with head on, lancer drooping plume attached, arms and the lancer plastron attached to his tunic. Just the cap lines, drum belt and hands holding the drum sticks to go (fig 5 & 6).
Known as the 'Scarlet Lancers' as they wore red tunics where other lancer regiments wore blue, they were one of the post world war one cavalry amalgamations when in 1922 the 16th The Queens Lancers joined the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. To be honest the research into the uniform or battle I am depicting is just as interesting to do. I go to great pains to make sure that particular uniform was worn in the era I have represented or the battle is as close as I can get it.
Now both figures and complete & primed (fig 7), I generally use a quick coat of matt white for this. You may be able to see the bass drummer wears a leopard skin apron, this harks back to when regimental bands used African drummers brought back from their tours of duty abroad in the 18th & 19th centuries.
The next thing is to start painting, I do the 'big' colours first so in this case its the red tunic and dark blue trousers, plastron, cuffs and collars. I use enamels, though many use acrylics & oils. (fig 8), then its just a case of building up the colours and putting on the detail, so there you have it.(fig 9).
Commissions taken!
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| Fig 1.Moulds ready. |
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| Fig 2. Clamps and odds and sods used. |
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| Fig 3.Metal melting on stove. |
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| Fig 4. Cast pieces cooling down in moulds. |
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| Fig 5. Finished parts of both drummers. |
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| Fig 6. Main parts of side drummer assembled. |
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| Fig 7. All parts of both figures glued together and primed. |
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| Fig 8. 'Big' colours added first. |
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| Fig 9. The finished figures. |
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| Some I prepared earlier. World War One British cavalry. 28mm figures. |
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| Some I prepared earlier. French Crimean War infantry. 28mm figures. |
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| Some I prepared earlier. Medieval men at Arms. 28mm figures. |
Monday 5 September 2016
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Shillington
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Shillington: On another dig this weekend, this time it lasted both days. Usual suspects on parade, me , Kevin, Ivor, Nigel with Derek I/C with the additi...
Shillington
On another dig this weekend, this time it lasted both days. Usual suspects on parade, me , Kevin, Ivor, Nigel with Derek I/C with the addition of Alison in between the Italian Grand Prix warm up and race!
Again, looking at how the village grew and where there was occupation here, this test pit being nearer the church.
First really good feature we got was a nice cobbled surface at about 30cm down, only took up half of our test pit, could have been more going under where we hadn't dug of course, probably Victorian that's the pottery we were finding. It was interesting to ponder who might have walked over this surface when it was in use.
Some nice pottery finds coming up including the ever popular blue & white Victorian wares & some sherds of probable Hertfordshire grey ware.
We were happily digging when at 60cm we hit a field drain again!( prob Victorian) We were rained off not long after this so repaired to The Crown for post dig analysis & during a very nice pint of Doombar we decided to extend the trench the following day, we didn't have alot of room to play with but thought we could probably get another half metre.
Day Two. No rain forecast which was good though it was overcast all day. We got cracking on the new half of trench to bring it down to the 60cm level of the field drain and then took out more from the extended half so keeping away from the drain.
Taking it down another context to 70cm I found a nice piece of Hertfordshire grey ware & in higher levels animal bones, probably pig & sheep. After that it was decided to take out a quarter of the trench to see what was happening as finds were drying up. General consensus was that it was looking like natural ground at this point so we called it a day and began the task of back filling. I really do think we should ask whether the householders would like the pit left as a feature to their garden!
Another session of post dig analysis with another dig in a couple of weeks and potentially another one for October.
A great couple of days.
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| Dig commences. |
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| Derek gets stuck in with the mattock. |
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| Cobbled surface is revealed. |
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| General view of the chaos of a dig in a 1m test pit! |
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| Cobbled surface. |
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| Now cleaned up and measured. |
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| The digging A Team of Kevin,Ivor,Nigel and Derek. |
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| Selfie with glasses. |
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| Selfie without glasses. |
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| Finds from the last context. |
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| Cleaning up for final recording and phot. |
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| Tree root in bottom right corner with field drain above next to measure. |
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