I have seen many posts on multiple forums requesting
information on how to build dockside terrain.
I figured I would try my hand at this by making some crab pots. My first attempt was a disaster because I
tried to do them in scale with 32mm figures. They were
structurally so unsound that they collapsed while I was working on them. My solution was to scale up slightly and make
them a bit beefier than they would be in real life. They are not horribly out of scale and at tabletop
gaming ranges the eye should miss the discrepancy.
A couple of things first:
I reinforced all points of this build with superglue after
the PVA/white glue dried.
I glazed the gauze with superglue to make it hard after the
build was complete. To glade drop some superglue onto the surface and blow the
excess off and let dry.
Materials:
Coffee stirrers
Gauze
Self-adhering metal ducting tape
Paper (I used graph because it is was easier to cut)
PVA/white Glue
Super glue
Tools:
Hobby knife
Razor blade
File
Ruler
Scissors
Base:
The base is basically a pallet made of many individual
slats. Since I am an American I will use
inches. The long slats are roughly 1/8 X 1/8 X 1
inches and some variation with not matter. The three short slats in the
middle are 3/16 X 1/8 X ½ inch. It is
best to start by gluing one long slat to three short slats to define the edge
of the pallet. Then add more slats with
space in between to finish the top. The
bottom only has three long slats. See
image below.
Top:
The top is pretty straightforward. Stick a piece of Metal ducting tape to some
paper and glaze the paper surface with superglue to give it more
strength. Once this has dried cut strips
of paper and tape 1/8 inch wide by 1 ¼ inch long. Glue the paper side of three of these to one
long slat and let set. Glue another long
slat to the other end and let those set.
Use a pencil or other suitable mandrel to shape the metal side of the
tape in a loose U shape. Superglue this
to the long side of a pallet with the slat facing out. Glue down the other side to the opposite side of the
pallet and then add the remaining slats.
The netting:
Cut a square roughly 1 ½ on each side of gauze. Superglue the netting to the open face of one
of your lobster pots. Once set trim the
edges with scissors, hobby knife or cigarette lighter to remove the excess from
the edges. And repeat on the other
side.
This is the basic pot.
You can add more detail to make it fairly realistic but at table top
level it will be missed.
Hope you like.
Snitchy sends.
