Peter Pig Norman Church

[Quebec]

Hello all,

I would like to ask fellow forum members  how would they go about chopping off the roofed tower of the circa 1944 Normandy church.  I already own one and have thought about  converting it into a circa 1580 English parish church with a battlement-topped tower. My hobby skills are bordering on the ridicule so any ideas would be very appreciated.

I'd also like to make the most of the moment and ask Martin, if he has ever thought about making buildings for his SCW range. A shallow tiled roofed Norman church using the existing model would be really perfect for a Northern Spanish romanesque church. I can't find anything worthwhile in the market. I'm also looking at those pirate buildings of yours with more than just a passing curiousity.

Thanks in advance to all.

Look after yourselves

Joe

[Radar]

First question is: is the tower solid or hollow?

Before I make any suggestions resin is unpleasant stuff, wear a face mask and goggles!

If solid - angle grinder, if hollow a cutting disc on a Dremel.

Mask around the top of the top where you'd like the cut line, then mark it up all the way around. Then start cutting. Good luck and take care - an angle grinder disc cut to a thumb/finger hurts and can be a bit messy.

Once cut, you'll need to sand it so it is completely level. then you can start building it up, Youll need to put in a floor texture then build up walls and add texture to them. I'd recommend Milliput for this or Fimo. Fimo will be easier to work than Milliput if you have never used the stuff before. Might be easier to make cardboard templates for the wall sections you want.  Make some slabs, cutting them to your templates. Leave them to partially cure, then start putting texture in. When dry glue them in place.

Alternatively you could use some polystyrene foam board, which you can 'engrave' with a ballpoint pen. Never used the stuff myself. I imagine it would be fairly easy to use. cardboard might be an option too, with some polyfilla on top.
I'm sure someone with some actual modelling skills will be along to provide a much more useful answer.

[John Watson]

Hi Joe,
I also have lamentable DIY skills so don't convert or adapt anything unless it is very simple. So if I was in this situation I'd sell the spare church on Ebay and try to buy one elsewhere that fits the bill. Far less messy.
Cheers
John

[martin goddard]

I think you will be pleased to know that the tower is a separate casting to the main body of the church.
I would suggest that you make strips of crenelations from card. 2cm in height. i would suggest card of 2mm thickness to give substance to the work.

Stick them around the faces of the tower top and you will have crenelations that encase a tiled roof.

This would be very plausible for English churches.
In addition no cutting required.


martin

[Smoking gun]

You could cut the roof off using a hacksaw, use a proper "full sized" one not a junior hacksaw. Put a strip on masking tape around the tower where you want to cut, mark the cutting line on the masking tape before starting, use a vice to hold the tower, or clamp the tower to something solid, check your cut as you go. Your crenellations can "overlap" the sides of the tower so your cut doesn't have to be perfect and a false floor can hide the top of the tower not being exactly level.

I hope that makes sense.

Good luck,
Martin Buck

[Quebec]

Hello all,

Thanks ever so much for getting back to me. I've read and taken in your replies and I am really grateful for your time and help. I've obviously still got doubts as to how to proceed, I don't fancy sawing away and though Martin's idea is perfectly plausible, I've also seen those surrounded towers he mentions, I'd prefer to have the tower removed. John's ebay idea made me laugh at the perfectly valid logic behind the advice.

Still, the important thing here is the feedback and the companionship, and for that, I am indeed. very grateful.

Stay safe

Joe

[martin goddard]

Good news Joe.
Keep the saw away from the good furniture.
I usually rest an item on something good and manage to get a nice cut into it.


martin

[Leslie BT]

Martins resin is very easy to cut, I have done it before using a jigsaw on its slowest speed with a new blade. No problems at all.

Don't forget the PPE whilst you do the cutting.