Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

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Mobius
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Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by Mobius »

I was asked by a customer to do a scenario tabletop for his Warhammer 40k game nights. For reference, here is the Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_40,000

After downloading Blender and watching a 5 min tutorial on how to use the A.N.T landscape creation tool, I spent about an hour randomly clicking buttons until I came up with this:

Image


The customer was happy with the concept, so I saved it as an STL and imported it directly into V-carve 8. I thought about trying out the slice function for the first time, but since the total model height was less than 4" (the max material thickness I can cut on my CNC), I set it up to cut all as one piece. In hindsight, using the slice function would probably have been better, and also would have resulted in less waste cutting.

I went down to the local hardware store and picked up some rigid insulation foam (2") and some foam adhesive. Again in hindsight I should have just used the Elmer's glue I keep on hand, since the foam adhesive was a pain to work with and the seams turned out awful.

Anyways, after letting the adhesive cure for a couple of days I was ready to start cutting. 3 hours on the CNC (what a mess cutting this foam makes!) and 1.5 hours of patching seams and sanding and I had this:

Image


The bare foam, while fantastic to sand and shape, is very easy to damage. I coated the whole surface with watered down wood glue to increase the surface durability and strength. Once that was dry, I applied two coats of latex acrylic primer. I'm hoping the primer will sufficiently protect the foam, allowing me to use solvent based finishes in the next step.

Image


The seams are still somewhat visible, but I'm confident I will be able to blend them in when I apply the textures and finishes on Monday.
Connor Bredin
Distinctive Dimensional Concepts Ltd.
www.distinctive-concepts.ca

mpol0717
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by mpol0717 »

Nice job! Ive never tried the model slicing so its cool seeing others use it. How long was your cut time?

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scottp55
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by scottp55 »

Thanks for going into the process Connor!
Looks like another program I'll have to look into for getting landscapes(or in my case lakescapes).
scott
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LittleGreyMan
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by LittleGreyMan »

scottp55 wrote:Looks like another program I'll have to look into for getting landscapes(or in my case lakescapes).
Scott, what do you want to achieve? Actual landscapes of fake ones like this tabletop?

This is an actual landscape. Massif du Cantal, an inactive volcano in France. The side size is about 50km, the model is 230mm wide.

Z scale is 150% XY scale.
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Cantal
Cantal
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Didier

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scottp55
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by scottp55 »

LGM,
All personal gift stuff, and trying to do bathymetric contour lines the way Maine does the depth maps for the inland lakes is a real PITA.
Contour maps are available for a lot of states, but not mine.
Tried doing pocket toolpaths, but it's pretty hit or miss and very time consuming.
Pretty sure it's me and not enough knowledge to massage the data points.
Here's very basic lake here...even a very loose rendition would make a good gift.
Imaginary could be pretty interesting also.
Just playing with things can be a fun change from production drawing :)
Thanks,
scott
Attachments
Long Lake 5780.jpg
I've learned my lesson well. You can't please everyone,so you have to please yourself
R.N.

LittleGreyMan
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by LittleGreyMan »

Scott,

Have a look at this thread:
http://forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=16349

Follow the links to Paul Rowntree's BigTopo. It's worth every cent, and you can try it for free.

The Cantal map has been made with this software. It automagically downloads the relevant SRTM files.

HTH
Best regards

Didier

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Ms Wolffie
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by Ms Wolffie »

I am trying to find to area of our local council but no luck :(
Cheers
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scottp55
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by scottp55 »

Thanks LGM!
Bookmarked for next time I Have time:)
scott
I've learned my lesson well. You can't please everyone,so you have to please yourself
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LittleGreyMan
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by LittleGreyMan »

Ms Wolffie wrote:I am trying to find to area of our local council but no luck :(
Use Google Maps to find the latitude and longitude of the area you need, then run BigTopo.

Maybe it's better to open a new discussion, we're polluting the original thread now. Sorry Mobius. BTW, good job!
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Didier

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Ms Wolffie
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by Ms Wolffie »

Thanks LGM.
Back to original topic.
:arrow:
Cheers
Wolffie

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Mobius
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by Mobius »

I aimed some rattle cans in the general direction of the tabletop today. I think it is looking pretty decent. I think I may add some permanent scenery to it yet, but I don't want to clutter the space up too much more than it already is. I also borrowed one of the miniatures (unpainted, he didn't want to part with any of the painted ones) to place on the table to show scale.

Image
Connor Bredin
Distinctive Dimensional Concepts Ltd.
www.distinctive-concepts.ca

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scottp55
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by scottp55 »

Nice Connor!:)
Sorry for Jacking:(
scott
I've learned my lesson well. You can't please everyone,so you have to please yourself
R.N.

Mobius
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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by Mobius »

No worries Scott, I'm glad for the jack as I learned something that may come in handy as well.
Connor Bredin
Distinctive Dimensional Concepts Ltd.
www.distinctive-concepts.ca

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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by DMcDonald »

Looks good. I made a Christmas village a few years ago and used regular styrofoam and just cut by hand and sanded (talk about a mess). To finish it I mixed up plaster of paris and poured it over and used my hands to get it close to what I wanted then let it dry and sanded it down. For the grass areas I used water based acrylic craft paint and got bags of moss from the dollar store that is sold for flower arrangements. Ground it with a coffee grinder and sprinkled over the wet paint. Got trees from dollar store they have for Halloween villages that may work size wise for you also. They are way cheaper than the ones for model trains. Worked out pretty good and has lasted with no damage. I just put it up in the storage area above the garage in Florida heat.

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Re: Warhammer 40k Scenario Tabletop

Post by knowlzy0791 »

Just curious. Now that you have the tabletop cut out, are there any type of moldings you could put on there and make "copies" of this without the pain of going through the cutting process again?

Like a fiberglass mold or something of that nature?

I know a good few people who would love to have things like this so it has my interest.

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