Newbie Question - about Instant Durable Cathedral Build

[NorCalWM]

Hello all ! I'm so excited to finally be on this forum. I just recieved my first Instant Durable model - the Reims Cathedral - and I'm wondering if I should attach the fold-out base to a piece of foamcore or heavy stock before I begin building? - It seems that some people have trouble with the base and alignment - would having it tacked down help? I won't have a problem cutting thru the foamcore to create the access areas. Any insight would be greatly appreciated !!

[shawndymond]

Hi and welcome

I've made two or three ID models and have always mounted the base onto thick card stock before starting building (remembering to cut out access holes etc).

Personally, I find it makes it so much easier to keep everything straight and true and also makes for a sturdy foundation - just like building the real thing!

I'm sure some of the other guys with far more experience than me will elaborate and give you more information on their favourite methods...

[Tomdaviesclay]

Let me be the first to welcome you to papermodelers. I have only been a member a short time and read it daily. In fact it has replaced Facebook for me.

You have chosen one of my favorite cathedrals both the "real thing" and the model. Reims was the third model that I made. It is a beautiful model as are all of the Instant Durable models.

To answer your question. I always glue the base paper to a piece of 1/4 inch plywood at the start of my building. It gives it strength as well as a surface to square up the parts. I just looked at my model and noted that there were a number of cutouts in the base. These are very helpful in reaching inside to help support parts when gluing. There are several small hole where you can insert a dowel or small ruler to aid in the support.

I am now at 38 finished models which includes several castles. You can see these on my webpage www.cathedralquest.com (http://www.cathedralquest.com) and click on church models...there are 3 pages plus a page showing the building of Melk Abbey.

I love to build models of the churches that we are going to visit. I have been to all of the cathedrals that are on my model pages. We are soon going to Central Europe to visit Berlin, Dresden, Prague with a side trip to see St. Barbara's in Kutna Hora, Brno, Budapest, Vienna, Melk and Salzburg. I have made models of the Berlinerdome and Reichstag in Berlin, St. Barbara's, Prague Cathedral, St. Stephens in Vienna and am presently working on Dresden's Frauenkirche. Next I am going to build St. Mathias in Budapest. After spending many hours attaching all the parts it is great fun to see the church in person and examine and photograph some of the more exciting parts of the model.

Good luck on your new adventure. Keep us posted on your progress. You will find that those who build architectual models is a smaller group than those with other papermodel interests but we respond well to questions and love to hear of your progress.

[doctormax]

Welcome to the forum, good luck on the build and hope you post build progress and photos and of course do ask questions and tell what you find out as well to help others.

[NorCalWM]

Thank you all !! - Tom, sounds like you are about to embark on my dream vacation. Reims is incredibly dear to my heart. My master's thesis was in part about the tympanum sculptures on this cathedral and surrounding ones. I was granted access to rarely traveled areas of the building when I was able to visit back in 1996. I can say in all honesty sitting atop the cathedral was the all time highpoint of my life. I hope so badly that I can return to France someday to relive that experience.

I wish that ID would offer a model of Amiens Cathedral and St. Denis - Wow, then I'd be set for life !! LOL.

I'm so glad i found this site !!

[Tomdaviesclay]

Thanks for your reply. Your master's thesis sounds exciting. I would like to hear more about it. I do remember the tympanums at Reims especially the one on the north side with all those wonderful characters climbing out of their coffins. I have attached a photo of an etching that I have of Reims cathedral, and I saw the picture on the wall and knew exactly what it was. The price was more than I wanted to pay. I walked around the block and went back and bought it. It hangs in our dining room, and I face it every night during dinner. I don't know the history of it but it is very old and quite lovely.

I am still working on my 2 French trips to put on cathedralquest.com. We did visit all the major French Cathedrals.

You mentioned Amiens and St. Denis. Did you happen to see my wooden model of Amiens on my webpage? My great love has always been wood working - papermodeling is a new and very adictive hobby. I particularly love scrollsawing- you can visit my second webpage - www.creations-by-thomas.com (http://www.creations-by-thomas.com) and see all of the things that I made. I made the wooden model of Amiens. It is 38 inches tall. It has 636 parts with 3,877 inside cuts which means that I drilled 3,877 tiny holes and inserted the scrollsaw blade in each for a delicate cut. It is made out of mahogney and cherry. When we were at Amien I took photos of the rose window and copied it on wood and mounted it in place of the clock. It is lighted. Have you seen the light show on the facade of Amien? It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Every single statue on the whole facade showed up in color in great detail.

You also mentioned St. Denis. I think the interior of St. Denis is my favorite. We were fortune to attend a Sunday mass there (don't tell your local RC friends that an Episcopal Priest attended a Roman mass --we have alll over Europe and the cathedrals are still there --the roof didn't fal inhttp://www.papermodelers.com/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif.

Please keep informed of your progress.