Stone Steps & Spiral Stone Steps

[Beano Boy]

What another topic? Yip! Well more like a Ripping Yarn!

I`ve been raiding part of my Playmobil,and Lego Sets today.
Finally I fudged out some steps that I can use as patterns. We have had this stuff for years,and I often played with it with the Grandchildren as they slowly grew up,and then finally outgrew it. Anyway I have found other uses for it now.



Spiral Steps. I`MMMMM! I will have stab at making some of them too.





The Lego Box is made up and the Pattern is well placed.



These are the plastic steps, and when the mould is filled with Silicone Rubber, I`ll simply push four of these into the top. My plan is one where each step mould is filled with Plaster of Paris and then levelled off. Later each step as it turns will be fixed into place with a plaster mix. Some ruins of curved castle wall will be added too.



So two types of step in one rubber mould. Having tiny stuff to cast up means,that after the bigger stuff is poured there`s always some waste,so the left overs will make the smaller size steps.BB

[Bluefalchion]

Spiral steps were great for defense because the defenders were higher up and could swing their right arms freely, while the attackers could be manuveured close to the wall with little room to swing with their right. Great idea to use Harry Potter Lego to build your molds!

[Beano Boy]

Comments are always most welcome. So thank you bluefalchion , I hope you and others will return to view this topic again ,and perhaps see it`s final outcome. The larger steps will of course be part of my ongoing column project, but not the spiral ones they are best served as part of a medieval stairwell leading up to battlements.The Mould will be made later today. BB

[Fire at Will]

The Lego spiral staircase is going the wrong way. they should be clockwise when going up!

[Beano Boy]

Thanks for the information Fire at Will. The thing is they are actually being cast as separate individual steps so they can go either way,so no real problem. BB

[Paul]

Wrong way? ClockWise or anti-ClockWise, both directions are correct for the medieval period. The White Tower, for example has both types as do 85 other Castles in the UK.

[Beano Boy]

I`m so glad I decided to do Spiral Stone Steps, rather than a Lift in a Building, because this Topic has Alleviated Good Comments which is good on Tutorials,as there is no like option here. I`ve just checked the North Tower of Beano Castle and the steps hop skip and jump up the Right Side, and without even moving. So the right side is right,and the left side is right. Now that's a puzzlement at no mistake. I think one must remember this item is part of a Lego Toy and as such is not part of a model. BB

[Paul]

You´ve got no "like" function?? I can see it...another "bug" on the Forum?
I´ll use the like function on your last post to see if it works.

[Beano Boy]

The steps go either way, and the 28mm figure can give a good idea of the size. BB

[dirk]

Good idea !

[Beano Boy]

A slight change in plans.

I decided to fill up the hole with blu tac so it will make a solid strong round piece to each step cast in Plaster of Paris. Running out of SPACE I`ve placed them on my Sci Fi table.



I also decided to form a small Lego box for more steps on work top glass. Left over rubber will be pressed into this rather then wasting it.



The large Lego box is placed onto the glass too,and each box is fixed in place as are the Patterns with blu tac. This will stop them from moving as the rubber is pushed into place. I Have it all set up now to receive the Silicone Rubber.BB

[Beano Boy]

The best way I find to mix a big batch up is in view now. I mix the Corn Flour with the Baby Powder,then sepperate it into two parts. Then The Silicone is completely squeezed out on top. The other powdered stuff is then spooned on top. I flour my hands and mix it up and add the Baby Oil as I do so. Keeping dusting my hands with flour saves the stuff from sticking to my fingers on mass,but of course there is some that do stick,but it easily pulls off and is poked into the silicone rubber dough in the process of mixing. I tried wearing rubber gloves,which made it impossible to mix the stuff because it stuck fast to each finger,and it just stretched out the fingers of each glove as I tried to work the stuff. It was so funny trying to remove both my hands from the gloves and at the same time remove the silicone from those gloves.



Mixing Silicone up for the moulds. Mrs B, puts up with all of my antics of eccentricities ,that are at times on this project amusing rather than irritating.



I decided to save some money by not filling the complete large mould with rubber,because I intended to make an odd side that would be filled with 10p worth of Plaster of Paris,which saved me about a £1.00 in British money. So the steps were covered well with the rubber,and then after it had cured,I filled the rest of the box up with the plaster.



Because this is rather a deep box I found that a few minutes after the pour poking small indentations into the plaster allows for water that rises to the top to well up into them,and using a paper kitchen towel its easy to just stick into these nice wet water spots and soak the stuff up. So the plaster set much quicker.

The smaller mould has the small steps inside it.

Soon the Patterns were removed and both moulds were cast up. The tops were levelled off before the plaster set to hard. I saved money by simply using a piece of styrene card to form the flat bottom to the steps. Selotape held it in place.
Everything is working out fine, and I`ll show the results later. BB

[Beano Boy]

Well I`m not satisfied with the small steps,as there is a narrow weakness that cracks far to easily.



This is a dry run,and so it looks a bit ruff,and although I could eventually end up with spiral steps using undamaged castings. I decided to make another change using a sharp craft knife.



So if you look at the mould you will see I have made the unseen edge of each step wider to solve the problem of damaged castings. This action means as each step is fixed into place one upon the other,this straight edge will not be seen.One of the pieces has the opposite edge cut away because I want another flight of steps to go up the other way. So this cut away alteration should now give a more solid casting. So W I P,and I`ll show results soon.



The larger mould producing steps is a complete success.



Today I`m clearing up with Mrs B,and making it much more dust free and rather tidy like. BB
.

[Ochoin]

Some professional columns:

https://www.facebook.com/11529993852199 ... =1&theater

[Peter]

Looks like a little factory Paul!

[Beano Boy]

It seems that new arrivals are getting the news that now they are upon BB`s table strange things seem always to be in full outstanding spin. Outstanding in the real sense of the word,meaning behind schedule,as pure usual. The spin applies to his head and other unfinished business that has now been concluded.



The steps await a few minor touches to give that warn appearance of medieval age. This is how I will prepare these for painting. A subject of skill that I lack due to being colourblind. First a Wash of Waterproof PVA Glue mixed with black of brown paint and water will be applied. Perhaps two coats might be needed. This process soaks in and will waterproof the work and when dry other washes or painting techniques can be added without over reaction to the colour wash.




One would of course like to have spent much more time making these four sections of spiralling stone steps, but here you can plainly see the work promised has been successful and the two sets of steps lead upward in both directions. So hopefully everyone can be pleased with this effort.



It really is a case of adding another step to the spiral and proceed as high as one likes,and perhaps build up a ruined section of wall too as one proceeds with the task in hand. Alas I have had no such time to do so,but it is hoped if there are those who try out this odd system of spiralling ruff and ready unprofessional stuff that they will also know how to knock up simple bricks for such a wall. A Tip, if you are using Plaster of Paris,you must wet each of the two pieces to be stuck together with water, than add Waterproof PVA Glue to those sections and after lay the next top piece in place. This is because this is very dry Plaster if you don`t wet the edges to be stuck, and simply apply the glue it will just suck the moisture out of the glue preventing it sticking the work together. This I have now learnt from experience which I feel good about passing on to others. I believe I have proved the point in making both the moulds necessary to carry out the project and the work involved afterwards, and so guys this is the end of this project because it was never the exercise to show how to build Great Castles ment for Nobles or indeed Kings. That I leave for others imagination to ponder upon and work out.



So as the word continue to spread of what intrepid actions often take place here in Fiddle Wood,more new arrivals heading for other toy projects learn the way of things here. It is all in all such Fun.

There is no such thing as a Like Button here on Tutorials , so comments are most welcome along with kind banter. Beano Boy

[Beano Boy]

Thanks Paul,it seems Moderators can place a like here,but just how is a complete wonderment to my little fat head. BB

[Peter]

Go on Paul! The steps look excellent!

[Beano Boy]

Well Peter I am feeling good today ,and have managed to add some more steps. A bit highly precipitous now at 22 steps spiralling upwards,and strangely down at the same time. What the Grand Old Duke of York would make of its up or down is any ones guess?





When I took these shots I had placed 14 steps onto two spirals.

By sticking double steps onto each stack of steps at a time, I am finding out by placing the steps against a plastic bottle with the bottom step flat on the deck, helps keep it steady and upright at the same time,and can be left to dry without any other support. It will be interesting to see how high I can get following this procedure. Remember I am not building walls,and so as it stands it is getting to be quite fun.
So I`ll keep the stone steps ongoing at present,untill they come a crashing down. He, He,He! BB

[Beano Boy]

It has never been possible to see through the walls of a castle tower before,but there`s always a first time for everything here in tutorials. Like the Movie 39 steps. BB