First test of a new stand idea

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08-23-2017, 05:59
'Warspite'

1 Attachment(s)

First test of a new stand idea

I famously don't like the slender WoW/Wings of Glory stands as (to my mind) they are too thin and bend too much at higher altitudes.

This is a first test using Wilkinsons department store Lego-style 'Wilko blocks' and a Litko WoW stand. The stand has the same markings as a WoW stand and the green brick (ground level) has been superglued on.

The ball joint is a rare-earth magnet and a ball-bearing on a cut down WoW acrylic peg to match the pin under the plane. Care had to be taken with drilling out the WoW peg as the first one melted onto the drill bit despite only being 12v. I eventually dipped the drill bit in water every few seconds to cool it and lubricate the cut. The bricks have all been 'eased' with a power drill and the back edge of a knife as they stuck together too well.

The aircraft is a DH4 and it is 'flying' at 10,000 feet being eight blue bricks and two red ones. The red ones are inserted at 5,000 foot levels as a playing aid. The white brick contains the magnet and has no height value. I chose white as it looks like a cloud! :) If this succeeds I may rub the blue bricks with a gentle abrasive and re-spray them with a lighter blue car paint, probably about the same colour as the Roland CII.

Barry

Attachment 230750
08-23-2017, 10:09
Jager

Boy, if you can get these in clear......:slysmile:
Karl
08-23-2017, 12:57
'Warspite'

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jager

Boy, if you can get these in clear......:slysmile:
Karl

I must admit my first thought was clear Lego but the cost per brick is prohibitive in the UK. These Wilko blocks are about £3.50 for a hundred or so, the last time I checked single Lego 2x2 pin bricks they were nearly 5 bricks for a pound!
So you can see why I went with Wilko. Early tests suggest the bricks are stable to 20 high - which is 20,000 feet in my rules.

Barry
08-23-2017, 14:26
Hedeby

1 Attachment(s)

Never mind the stands go the whole hog...

Attachment 230754
08-23-2017, 14:49
'Warspite'

You can model battle damage with this one! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedeby

Never mind the stands go the whole hog...

Attachment 230754
08-23-2017, 15:50
BobP

Nice idea. Solid base and for those that use altitude the different colors show the altitude.
08-23-2017, 15:53
'Warspite'

Exactly the idea. TY!

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobP

Nice idea. Solid base and for those that use altitude the different colors show the altitude.
08-23-2017, 18:40
Naharaht

Very creative, Barry! :thumbsup:
08-23-2017, 18:48
'Warspite'

Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naharaht

Very creative, Barry! :thumbsup:
08-24-2017, 02:57
Marechallannes

This isn't a joke?:confused:
08-24-2017, 04:05
gully_raker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marechallannes

This isn't a joke?:confused:

:D Yeah it does not add to the ambience of the Game in my opinion.
However ;)what ever "Floats your Boat"!
08-24-2017, 05:05
Flying Helmut

I can't look at those extending metal poles without them becoming all I see.

If these brick stands work for you, then great! I'll pass, though.
08-24-2017, 07:23
'Warspite'

As explained in the lead post, I find the clear plastic poles supplied with the game very poor as they bend and become unstable at height. I want to take games up to 18-20,000 feet using one section per 1,000 foot of real altitude. Experiments with 18 to 20 clear poles have not come out well so far. The bricks are individually shorter and being 2x2 pins are quite stable up to 20 bricks. The test aeroplane pictured is the heaviest two-seater I could find quickly. The ball joint allows it to bank its wings during turns, go nose-up during climbs and nose-down during dives.

My eventual plan (watch this space) is to trial the old Harold Wood Wargamers rules which worked differently to WoW/WoG by allowing pilots to 'steer' onto target just as real pilots do rather than play guessing games. For this greater height is required for power dives, etc.

Yes the colours are a bit brutal on the eye but I intend to tone down the blue with car spray when I get to regular play. As mentioned above clear Lego bricks might be aesthetically more pleasing but they are hideously expensive. This is strictly first sight of my test rig.

I am not suggesting that others copy this practice, I am merely offering it as an option that other might wish to explore if they also find the game poles less than satisfactory.

Barry

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marechallannes

This isn't a joke?:confused:
08-24-2017, 07:31
zenlizard

Hm, at first, I was kind of "why bother?" I do see your point, though with the higher altitudes being more than a little unstable.

And your advice about the drill bit heat is a good heads-up for those of us who might want to try this ourselves. That also helped bring me around.
08-24-2017, 08:22
'Warspite'

I have a 12v minicraft drill. I use it to drill out the hands of whitemetal figures to add wire/pin spears and also to drill plastics. With both whitemetal and the clear acrylic of the stands I have found melting to be a major problem. Indeed a whitemetal 15mm figure can become so hot it cannot be held with a bare hand. I now use pliers, a bulldog clip or a glove to hold them.

With the acrylic the clear plastic went to mush and struck all over the small twist drill and had to be cut off using a craft knife with a 'whittling' action. Luckily I saved the drill bit. In both cases I have found having a small pot of cold water standing by and just dipping the drill bit into the water while it is spinning is enough to cool the bit. Dip it every ten seconds or so and don't be afraid to dip the piece as well. Finally do not exert too much pressure on the drill as that seems to raise the heat due to increased friction. Dip and gently let it cut a little, remove from the hole and dip again. Just repeat the process. Time consuming but ultimately successful! :)

Barry

Quote:

Originally Posted by zenlizard

Hm, at first, I was kind of "why bother?" I do see your point, though with the higher altitudes being more than a little unstable.

And your advice about the drill bit heat is a good heads-up for those of us who might want to try this ourselves. That also helped bring me around.
08-24-2017, 08:30
'Warspite'

Additional idea:

Looking at my own photo I suddenly realised that each player's brick pylon could also have white bricks inserted into it to imitate cloud levels.
Say the umpire says there is a layer of 7/10s cloud at 8000 to 10,000 feet, those three bricks could be replaced by white bricks. While in that layer aircraft only have a 30% chance of spotting each other on each move. Say a roll of 71 to 100 on a set of percentage dice!

Barry
08-24-2017, 15:41
Hedeby

It might work and I agree it will be a lot steadier than the pegs, but for me, what it gains in practicality it loses in the aesthetic. The pegs at least give a semblance of the plane flying, alas the lego does not.
But each to their own.
08-25-2017, 14:15
csadn

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedeby

The pegs at least give a semblance of the plane flying, alas the lego does not.
But each to their own.

https://www.bricklink.com/catalogIte...olorID=12&in=A

;)
08-25-2017, 16:16
'Warspite'

Interesting. After starting this thread I went to the UK site and the transparent 2x2 brick which I remember seeing several years ago has disappeared. Many other colours are available but the clear was not. Your site (below) appears to be US as it mentions US stores and appears to indicate that the brick is still available in the US at least.

Quote:

Originally Posted by csadn

https://www.bricklink.com/catalogIte...olorID=12&in=A

;)
08-25-2017, 19:32
RJG173

In Lego 2x2 round bricks in clear should be readily available. Also 2x2 square bricks the medium blue color of the Roland C.II exist. See the bricklink website mentioned earlier.
08-25-2017, 22:30
Naharaht

This shop has some clear circular 2x2 Lego bricks at 19p each. If the cross in the centre is a hole perhaps an aircraft peg would fit into it.

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Pick-A-Brick-11998
08-26-2017, 01:08
'Warspite'

That is the same site which I previously checked. The 2x2s are at pages 13,14, and 15. There are no clear ones. The cost is now slightly less than 5 for a £, nearer 7 for a £.

The only apparent clears are in the 1x2 and specialist areas. Also if you pull the colour choice list down on the front page, clear does not appear as a choice at all. Very odd!

Barry

EDIT: I also just did an ebay search for part 3003 clear and it does not show up on any sellers' site. Various colours are available but the only clear Lego is specialist or 'wall panel' parts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naharaht

This shop has some clear circular 2x2 Lego bricks at 19p each. If the cross in the centre is a hole perhaps an aircraft peg would fit into it.

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Pick-A-Brick-11998
08-26-2017, 01:25
Naharaht

There is a colour option labelled 'Transparent', Barry.
08-26-2017, 01:39
'Warspite'

Doh! It is early in the morning here!
What's the time difference between your and I ? :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naharaht

There is a colour option labelled 'Transparent', Barry.
08-28-2017, 22:02
Naharaht

No time difference at all, Barry.
08-29-2017, 02:03
'Warspite'

I was kidding to try and excuse my jet lag…. :) :) :)

Barry

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naharaht

No time difference at all, Barry.
08-29-2017, 04:46
grumpybear

Intersting idea but I'll stick with pegs
09-07-2017, 13:38
Horse4261

Have you considered using the larger 'balloon/bomber' pegs for use with your scout aircraft? I found that four of the regular height pegs, both scout and balloon/bomber, are equal to one of the extra long pegs that came with my balloon minis. I have permanently glued all my shorter pegs into four unit sections to represent a single height unit. I then painted them Light Blue with a thin red strip at the top of each section for quick visual altitude checking. The thicker balloon/bomber pegs will grant extra stability that you might be looking for and retain the aesthetic qualities many are seeking.
09-07-2017, 16:25
'Warspite'

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horse4261

Have you considered using the larger 'balloon/bomber' pegs for use with your scout aircraft? I found that four of the regular height pegs, both scout and balloon/bomber, are equal to one of the extra long pegs that came with my balloon minis. I have permanently glued all my shorter pegs into four unit sections to represent a single height unit. I then painted them Light Blue with a thin red strip at the top of each section for quick visual altitude checking. The thicker balloon/bomber pegs will grant extra stability that you might be looking for and retain the aesthetic qualities many are seeking.

Hmmmmm….. interesting!

Barry
09-07-2017, 22:51
flash

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Warspite'

The only apparent clears are in the 1x2 and specialist areas. Also if you pull the colour choice list down on the front page, clear does not appear as a choice at all. Very odd!.

Have you thought of using single round pegs Barry ? They do a round brick 1 - TR (light blue, or blue transparent as well as just tr) that may do the job, you could stick them together too. Cost 6p each
https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Pick-A-Brick-11998 ,or, https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Pick-A-Brick-11998, or, https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Pick-A-Brick-11998.
Here's the blue one: https://sh-s7-live-s.legocdn.com/is/...843?$PABthumb$
09-08-2017, 14:20
csadn

Quote:

Originally Posted by flash

Have you thought of using single round pegs Barry ? They do a round brick 1 - TR (light blue, or blue transparent as well as just tr) that may do the job, you could stick them together too. Cost 6p each
https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Pick-A-Brick-11998 ,or, https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Pick-A-Brick-11998, or, https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Pick-A-Brick-11998.
Here's the blue one: https://sh-s7-live-s.legocdn.com/is/...843?$PABthumb$

Long experience with LEGO bricks says: They will wobble, and fall apart, without some sort of support through the center. The 2x2 provides the necessary stability.