With another project nearing its completetion, I needed to do something entirely different....

Sure can´t blame you guys for being curious ...

The whole structure looks promising Jan,
what's this? Looks like a balloon.
will watch your topic with great attention.

Alexandre.

I web searched F.A.L.A. "Heimdal" and still don't know what it is. I clicked SUBSCRIBE because it looks like an interesting project so-far. Go for it

Don´t expect realism

Yes Alexandre, a ballon, or rather an airship, it is - but it will be more than that.

cheers/Jan

I like the concept. Sign up for the ACUTR Campaign with this, man! It qualifies.

Whatcha gonna skin it with?

Cuhail

I´m not sure it will ever be finished - but will continue working on it.

I tried skin it with that special paper you use for foodstuff, wrapping sandwiches etc. but it made the strips bulge as they are only cardboard - so i have ripped it of and are going to put wire on it instead.

It draws inspiration from Castle in the sky, Stardust and a heawy dose of steampunk

Try aluminum foil. It may be a bit easier to work with. Tougher material, pretty easy to cut. Puttyable as well.
Give it a shot.

Cuhail

Looks to me like an angry EGGPLANE version of the Hindenberg. Cool work so far.

A good advice, but theres some qualities about "foodpaper" that I want to explore - first of all it shrinks when drying up and gets a hard parchmentlike surface that shapes itself after the contours of the underlaying which leaves the perfect surface virtually without work.

I have been working with building new ribs from vire - and the result so far is just perfect for my needs - pictures will follow - I have drilled small holes in the cardboard disks and basically sewed the ribs on.

Adding the skin is quite easy when the ribbing is done - I havn´t been very fussy about cutting he paper in the exact same size, as I wanted it to have a more handcrafted than industial look, which can be helped along not being too perfect.

I will throw up a load of pictures after work

Cheers/Jan

Now with vires for ribbing:



Added some skin:



And some black to test it - only as a basepaint:



The round wooden stick will be a chimney going trough the ballon - it is steam after all...

Cheers/Jan

Okay, I dig what you got goin! Right-on! Looks good, man! Can't wait to see some more!

Cuhail

Damn!
That's pretty great work Jan. Some tiny lights and a watch battery inside would be cool. Really nice scratchbuilding.

Hermon

This is looking very neat! Something sort of Heavy Metal magazine or Frank Frazetta art subject

Well Ko, it will be my first venture into the world of SteamPunk - essentially a world where steam is still the powersource no 1 and where the level of technology and style is Victorian but with highteck like informationtechnologi.

So rivets is the order of the day, brass, cobber, cast iron and a heavy industrial look.

I will build a boat to sit under the balloon, it will be about 2/3 the lenght of the balloon and will have a mix of wood and dreadnought look - lightly armoured and a yellow bridge etc.

The stick under the balloon is the chimney going trough the balloon, and there is a exit hole on top of the balloon.

I am basically done with the balloon. Its a bit scary adding the skin and see it all wrinkle when wet, and having to wait over night too see it straitgen out again

Cuhail, I have joined the campain, but I cant change the headline for the topic.

Cheers- and a merry Christmas/Jan

No sweat, I know it's an ACUTR build and in the end, that counts!

Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!

Cuhail

Oh, right, SteamPunk. I just did some web searching and saw a lot of images. Very cool idea and project.

I figure that "SteamPunk" is like an alternate timeline where steam power took the lead instead of electricity.
I come across a lot of it in the Renaissance stuff I'm in all summer. Think "Time Machine".

Cuhail

A little paint - just the basics - metal done with foil from vinebottles.

The hole on top are for the chimney.

Cheers/Jan

Really coming together and fitting the SP look.
Also got your PM, no problem anytime.

Nice work with the foil man! Looks like you did some work with a pounce wheel for rivets? Looking good, my man!

And this, I'm happy to say, is my 2000th post, effectively bringing me past Master Gunnery Sergeant! Hooray!

Cuhail

Concrats dude

In Denmark christmass is celebrated on christmas eve the 24. so today evrybody is just goofing around, the kids play with their new toys and its time for daddy to sneak down to his secret room in the basement ...

The hull is buildt around a solid block of wood to ensure a strong joining of the ballon and the base.







Cheers/Jan