UU Progress Report

[Exp. Date, the rat]

So some of you have been wondering how it looks like during the contruction of the UU Cut Out Book.

Well ,luckliy enough I have been documenting my progress as I am building it. Below are just a few of the pictures so far. I am only to the end of the Boat House, just have to boats to build. I must say that I am very pleased at my abilities so far. There have been some slip ups. Like too much of the white showing where two pieces meet, and some crooked items, but for me just getting to build it, it looks great.

So with no futher ado:


All the items needed to construct:


The main wall of the Library:


Walls are up:


All outer walls and support are on:


Roof on:


Dome on:


Outer Buttreses:


LIBRARY COMPLETE!!!!!






Boat House being built:


Small pieces of boat house assembled and needing to be:


BOAT HOUSE COMPLETE!!!!!





I must say that the boat house went together easier than the library. I think this was so since I took a break and let what I had done sink in. Was much more "limber" with the small pieces and had better knowledge. I would think that the n ext time something like this is done a small item, like to boat house would have been a better choice to start off with. You wouldn't have such large 'mistakes' to look at.

But I am having fun all the same and am proud of my work!

Some tips.

*Have some tape handy. I have learned that the outside acutal painted surface does not come off with lightly place tape. Some of the curves and tiny pieces need some extra support.

*Put a small amount of glue on some cardboard to use with the brush to get the small parts.

*GET SOME BABY WIPES!!!!!!! Very important. These are indespensible. Cleanes up brush with a wipe so glue doesn't set. Get fingers before FINGERS GET GLUED TOGETHER!!!!

[Tonyblack]

What type of glue are you using, Doug?

It's looking pretty good so far.

[Catch-up]

Looks fantastic!! Great job.

[Katariina]

Looks very good! Your dome is better than mine. *jealous*

Did you have any trouble with no 17 of the Library? The little tower thing? I had to trim the roof a bit to get it fit between the big tower and the main wall. And it was not easy, since the glue had already set.

[Exp. Date, the rat]

What type of glue are you using, Doug?

I am using Elmers Craft Bond Glue as pictured below:



Thought a picture would help the US builders. It stays malible (think that's the word) for about a minute and give some good time to move it around. Then as you hold it the heat from your body makes a good enough seal to put it down and work on something else. The buttreseses and small parts on the boathouse was done in stages to help it look better.

Also the cut on my finger is not from building the model... it was... um... I was using a cheese slicer to peel an apple for the Lill' Twin Rat Spouts this morning, and... well you can see what happened.

Couldn't find the apple peeler!

It's looking pretty good so far.

THANKS!!

[Exp. Date, the rat]

Did you have any trouble with no 17 of the Library? The little tower thing? I had to trim the roof a bit to get it fit between the big tower and the main wall. And it was not easy, since the glue had already set.

No what got me was that it was two layered. Tried for a long time to get it flat. Then looked at the base and saw that it went around the corner!

Katariina, have you done the boat house yet???!!!!! Such small parts. After that I think I am ready for anything!



***Addition***

I must add that I only have maybe an hour and a half Wednesday-Friday to work on it. Since when the kids go to nap time I have to do some cleaning then work on it. What will help is winter. Take away some of the yard work and free up the hour each week that i use for mowing.

So it will be a long time before it is completed.

But weekly update will show you my progress!

[CUTMEOWNTHROATPETER]

Wow! I have just found this page and what a great job you have done so far.

A little tip for the white folds that you mentioned. The white folds are unavoidable due to the nature of printing on a surface and then breaking that surface to create a fold. Use some matching coloured pencils or pens to colour the exposed edges before gluing the parts together. Hope this helps.

Keep up this excellent work Exp. Date, the rat i will be following your progress.

PS please delete the u in colour if living in the USA etc etc.

[Pusha-da-Quil]

Laid up as I am with a broken toe - I call it 'Fi'ed toe' I have spent to long on what is becoming known in this family as 'That Bl**dy Alan Batley's Folly'.
Have so far completed, in the 'right' order, through to the observatory. Will start that tomorrow, if I still can't get a shoe on.

Tips from a 'quite experienced' modeler, who is finding this challenge interesting.

1. Already done this somewhere - cut the instructions off the parts, through the spine.
2. The sharper the blade, the better the cut. I am using the Swann Morton blades that Alan recommends. So far I have used six. Paper and card is very damaging to the edge, they really don't do more than about one building each, probably two blades for the bigger stuff.
3 As important as the cut is the scouring and folding. The reason for the bits of white showing on Doug's is almost certainly down to slightly inacurate folding. I can't stress enough how care is rewarded in model making.
(Having said that, great effort so far Doug. How are you stopping the little ones 'helping Daddy play?')
4. For final touch up to 'hide' faults, as someone has said crayons are good, but sometimes hard to access the problem with. When the whole Uni is finished, spend a day carefully touching all the 'bits and bobs' up with acrylic paints. But remember, the 'white' bits are oftem edges of the cuts, so unsurfaced card. it will soak up whatever paint that you use, as against the white surfaced card around each piece.

Hey! This is meant to be fun - so ENJOY.

[Pusha-da-Quil]

Oh! and also, a cutting mat will help 'save' the edge on the blade. I see from the pictures that you are cutting on the board that you are working on Doug. That is also 'doing in' your blade.

Sorry to sound 'know all', but these models are rewarding to make, but can be tricky. We should all help each other, right. I am using Dougs 'tape trick', hadn't thought of that. Great idea.
And the Baby Wipes.

[Pat]

Hey! This is meant to be fun - so ENJOY.

In Rollerball, Jonathon E's manager said

Game? This was never meant to be a game! NEVER!

I think the same spirit applies for some of us!

[Exp. Date, the rat]

Oh! and also, a cutting mat will help 'save' the edge on the blade. I see from the pictures that you are cutting on the board that you are working on Doug. That is also 'doing in' your blade.

I am actually using a piece of cardboard now under what I am cutting, as well as the cutting board. The cuttin board is my fathers that he bought after college and I put a couple of deep cutts into it, so the cardboard is saving the board.

The knife that I an using is an exacto knife and I so far I have only changed the blade once. It is still making nice cutts, but I was going to change it after Modo's cottage.

Sorry to sound 'know all', but these models are rewarding to make, but can be tricky. We should all help each other, right. I am using Dougs 'tape trick', hadn't thought of that. Great idea.
And the Baby Wipes.

Hey, any advice helps. This is my first time doing such a model and I thank you for the help.

(Having said that, great effort so far Doug. How are you stopping the little ones 'helping Daddy play?')

AS I said I do it while they take a nap and after I put them up for bed at night and before Kim gets home. Give me a two solid hours some days.

[Cara]

I am actually using a piece of cardboard now under what I am cutting, as well as the cutting board. The cuttin board is my fathers that he bought after college and I put a couple of deep cutts into it, so the cardboard is saving the board.

The knife that I an using is an exacto knife and I so far I have only changed the blade once. It is still making nice cutts, but I was going to change it after Modo's cottage.

The cardboard will still blunt the blade and may not provide the best surface to cut on - I'd invest in a self healing cutting mat if you possibly can, it really does make a difference. I'd also advise changing cutting blades regularly - even before you think they've deteriorated - many's the time I've swapped one when I didn't think it was necessary & have been surprised at the difference it makes. But hey that's just my opinion - feel free to ignore it! Glad to hear you're enjoying making it - that's the most important part after all.

[Pusha-da-Quil]

Righto!

That is the HE Magic Building finished. So, if you include walls, I have done 6 parts so far.
Happy too. Getting a good result with great care.

The 'balls' on the HEM Building are difficult. I used scissors to cut the curved support sections out. and worked really hard to do it accurately. In the end - because of that care, I got a good result.

ToA next I think, just to get it out of the way.

[Katariina]

Just made all the parapets and chimneys etc of HEM. 16 little parts, all essentially the same. God, that was dull! I'm almost glad to be moving on to the spheres now.

[Exp. Date, the rat]

' ello All,

I am sorry to say I did not update my piccy's this week. I have been very busy, hectic and lack of sleep. Kim has a cold which has kept me up helping her, I did not get any sleep Thursday night, and then on Friday we had to have Gavin's eyes checked again (he has a lazy eye) and we found out that he needs surgery in March, we also had to get him some new glasses so we were out and about all day Saturday in a major rain/wind storm and almost lost power a few times.

So when I get back on Thursday of next week I promise that I will upload some piccys!

Good luck to all opf you with your buildings, I myself am at the stage of cutting out the HEX Spheres (that's that I call them) so I want to mak sure that I have a good long time to work on those. Seems very complex, and on Thursday I will have that time.

Once again, good luck!

Exp. Date, the cut little cuddly rat ( )