getting ready for Sydney Miniatures Fair

As they say,"good things come to those that wait". Sorry about the delay between posts.

Life has been a little intense in the last couple of months, for starters I had a series of miniatures to work on for the Sydney Fair, the Embassy Theater to be completed for photos for advertising for the AMEA Convention in October and then a mockup model for the first in a set of eight 1 gauge (1/32) Rub set train carriages from New South Wales in Australia for a live steam running weekend, same weekend as the Sydney show, as well as assembling kits for Sydney and to just top it off I took on a prop making position on a TV series. My health crashed and I ended up being unable to do very much, very well of anything.

Step one was to withdraw from the TV show after the first lot of props and designs for the second set where completed. The advantage of working for people who I have worked with before is that they where able to understand what was going on and were able to find a replacement who was happy to have my designs to work with. It is unfortunate that I needed to withdraw because the props needed where really interesting and if my health had been OK I would have enjoyed making them.

Secondly was having a serious talk with some friends and asking for the help that they had offered previously. This was given and that has taken a huge weight off my shoulders.

So where am I at and what am I getting done, The train carriage that I first did a sample of 3 years ago, but have totally rejigged is now almost ready for paint, it was primed earlier today and I'm really happy with how its looking. I have to go to Parramatta tomorrow for some model paint to get the correct colour to paint it. I'm presently casting the Air Conditioner box's and some detail pieces that hang underneath and are such an important visual component to the carriage. Somewhere on my bench under all the mess are the bumper plates ready for sealing and priming. The Bogies I had laser cut in 1mm steel arrived yesterday to which I fitted roller bearings and wheels, I still have to make some very small shock absorbers to finish off the bogie side frame details before casting those as well. All in all it's coming together after almost driving me to the Psych Unit at Katoomba Hospital.

The Embassy Theater only needs a replacement top Neon name signage finished and fitted, the photos have been done by a friend who loves photographing miniatures and has the camera equipment to do a great job. The photos are with the editor who is putting the workshop package together for posting out next week and as soon as those are out I'll be able to post some photos here as I am really pleased with it. It will also be on display on the AMEA table next weekend at the Sydney Dollhouse and Miniatures Fair. As some of you will be aware, this was a project that I proposed as part of a Kickstarter funding project, since then I have turned it into workshop project for the AMEA Convention in October that I will be teaching. It will be a 3 day workshop that will generally be able to be finished in the time, but will have full instructions to allow kits to be assembled at home but without my supple tones passing on some of my modelling techniques.

Kit manufacture and assembly has started so I'll hopefully have a full range of kits on hand at my trading table at the Fair as well as the catalog of my wallpapers for order. (Found the Bumpers, put them where I won't loose them again.)

Will be starting on the Blue Waters Art Deco house after the show so that will be the next kit available.

WOW its now 3 days later and got distracted by work so will post this NOW

yours in miniatures

Warren

2016 Dollhouse & Miniature Extravaganza

1/48th "Queenslander" Assembly manual

1-48th Queenslander - Assembly manual.pdf

My Internet miniatures shop now open

It's finally happened, my shop is now open so that I can put my kits out as soon as they are ready.

Find it here:  http://barnardbuilt.com/

I am really pleased with how it looks and so far works, but your feedback can only help to make it better and easier to use.

I have added a currency converter to assist overseas buyers and a full shopping cart with Australia Post shipping. There is no  packaging fee in the postage pricing. I hope that all is self explanatory  .

After ongoing discussions with customers/friends I have decided to add wallpapers in 1/48th to my collection. These will be added slowly and ongoing. They are all printed by me on 130gsm hi res paper with pigment inks, so they do not run with water and the colour is stable. These setting I have found suitable and the papers look good, I hope you will agree. At this stage I will primarily be doing papers to suit my house styles but this will grow in the future. All sheets a A4 and will come with 4 prints 67mm high  x 201mm wide,( 2' 7/8" x 7' 15/16" ) more than enough to do one room a sheet and possibly 2. Pricing is $2.50 a sheet.

I will also shortly be adding options like a lighting kit for the Queenslander and alternative options for various kits.

Yours in miniatures

Warren
http://barnardbuilt.com/

Tonia's Painted Lady

Thanks to Tonia in Queensland for supplying some photos of her Painted Lady. She was also the first in line in Brisbane to buy a "Queenslander" Kit which I know she will enjoy building.

Please enjoy looking at her photos

Thanks Tonia for sharing

yours in miniatures

Returning from Brisbane with a new Energy

My wife Elizabeth and I have just returned from Queensland where we were traders at the 1st Brisbane Miniatures and Dollhouse Extravaganza. The show went very well for us and people really seemed to enjoy what we had to show and sell and we really enjoyed the feedback and talking with other Traders and participants.

Thanks to Julie and Patron Richard and all those that were able to support this new show. We were told that it will be back on next year and we will be returning. With more time now and having the basics done I know that Julie will provide an even better show for next year.

While at the show I was able to meet with a couple of people who have previously purchased kits and was able to get some photos from Tonia which will go in the next posting.

While in Brisbane we stayed with Kim and Mac and Jag the Doberman. Thanks for your hospitality and friendship. We are looking forward to catching up at Sydney. While staying with Kim we had a bit of a workshop on using shellac as a sealer and from that I feel I need to do another post about the correct use and the wonder of shellac as a sealer.

yours in miniatures

The next kit news

Hello all, after the successful design and build of the 1920s Queenslander and kits are being assembled for next weeks Brisbane miniatures show " I hav good news and I hav bad news" said with a very bad German accent, " Ve vill begin with das bad" the Bendigo Art Deco house which was to have been my next kit has been put on hold. I know, I know all you Art Deco fans have been waiting patiently for it but "das good news" is another Streamline Moderne house first. I have reached agreement with the owner David Cavanagh about building a 1/48th kit of his home in Perth " Blue Waters". This is a more interesting as a first Deco build and will be able to sit alongside the Bendigo house as a significantly different variation on the Art Deco theme.

Image courtesy D. Cavanagh

David's website has some interesting history and photos of the "Original Party Palace" as its known so please check out his website at "Blue Waters house in Perth".

Yours in miniatures

1/48th 1920s Queenslander prototype build

I've finally got the Queenslander prototype finished, I've been distracted by doing a bit of prop making for a TV series in Melbourne. I'm very happy with the look of the Queenslander and I'm looking forward to having it on display at the Brisbane show in February. It's now ready for cutting of kits and assembling another one to take photos of for the assembly manual

I have to head out now to assist my local miniatures group, but wanted to get these out before I go. I will put more details up later today as well as some info about a New and exciting Streamline Moderne house.

Yours in miniatures


UPDATE TO POST:
This is my first kit to include all internal doors and door architraves as well as all external doors and windows. The floor boards and decking timbers with nail heads are also etched for easy finishing. The only things need to finish the kit to look like photos are paint, wallpaper and glue and scenic material. I have found new thickness materials for the windows and doors that has increased the realism and construct-ability.

A New year is on us.

Happy New Year everyone, 

 I have just started the Queenslander kit in 1/48th. At this stage I only have the base structure assembled. You get that perfect first and then start fitting the details. As a new addition this kit will come with all internal doors and architrave. I have also etched all the floorboards and decking timbers with nail holes. Their are 3 sets of french doors and 7 single doors, most external doors will have glass fanlights above and grill vents above the internals. Also 5 double casement windows and an archway for the hallway, front and rear steps and detailed hand railing. It will also come with correct corrugated card for the roof.

Front and right verandahs, Bedrooms at front, kitchen at right.

 

Front and left 2x bedrooms and bathroom at rear

I am also doing this house slightly different by having access by removing the roof instead of walls. The New Zealand railway house showed that this is quite feasible. This works better because of the balcony's and detail pieces and because you can see through the french doors and windows into the rooms. The exterior walls will be clad in basswood weatherboard or clapboard siding to our American cousins.

Stumps and floor framing.

Rear, kitchen to left, bathroom to right.

There are still a lot of details to add to this basic structure so keep an eye on this blog for further updates.

As I've said before I will have this kit available first at the Brisbane Dollhouse and Miniature Extravaganza first weekend in February, and plan to have a fully finished display model available. I will also be bringing up some stock of previous kits, putting it in the boot rather than having to carry it on a plane makes a big difference.

I had a lovely request from a women in Bowral for the Bendigo Streamline Moderne house in 1/24h rather than 1/48th as a kit. Is there any other interest in 1/24th for houses as my newer buildings don't just scale up from 48th by using thicker materials but need a fair bit of readjustment for different materials as well as 4x as much of thicker material. So for it to be economic I need to make as a commission or to believe that I will sell more than a couple of kits. The other comments from her were some suggestions for other 20th century Australian homes, which I've been looking into and fit with where I'm heading. The Bendigo Streamline house is the next kit into production followed by an Art deco multi story frontage with front rooms that can be set up as a variety of apartments or hotel rooms.

 My houses are becoming more architecturally correct with each new kit, which I'm enjoying creating and are now suitable as display house's or to go on model railway layouts as well as dollhouses.

Yours in miniatures

Warren