Scratch Built Goblin Chariot Part 1

I've been working (slowly) on my scratch built goblin chariot. I looked around and wasn't very happy with the availability of models for the gobbos - I don't really like the Grom the Paunch version, and I wasn't very keen on working with a huge FineCast model with lots of fiddly bits. So, I did what any self-respecting warhams modeler would do and decided to scratch build one!

After researching methods for working with sheet styrene, I ran across a tutorial for making wooden cart out of styrene for casting (here). Using these methods should work fine for a chariot!

I started with a plastic door from a Monsters Inc. toy I had laying around and cut the panels out of it to form the floor of the chariot. I figured it would be easier to get a solid platform and some initial tests I did showed that it would glue to styrene with plastic glue. This turned out to be incorrect, and I later found I would need to use super glue. It would have been easier to carve a floor it turns out and it would assemble easier. Also, I found out as I worked that it would have been better to start with a frame rather than the paneling. That way I could have fit the panels to the frame rather than vice versa. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself.

 Carving the front and sides was easier than I thought, and it was actually pretty fun.

Starting with a strip of styrene, I carved deep lines to represent boards. Then with a scribing tool, I drew in wood grain patterns. Alternating between cleaning up the deep lines and the wood grain, I ended up with a decent pattern. Then, I cut the ends to represent the roughshod nature of Goblin construction. The nice thing is that I never had to be very straight or accurate. These are Gobins building it!

 

Then I did a smiler treatment with some thin strip for the supporting braces, and cut some thin rod to represent bolts, nails, or whatever.

Those red spots are blood. I also found out exactly how sharp my Exacto blades were! I didn't even know I got myself until I saw the spots on the plastic. Seems to always happen with I'm working on Goblins, the little blighters.

Here is a mockup held together with white-tac to give an idea of what it will look like when it's glued together.

I used the same technique for the wheels, although that would turn out to be a little more involved. I took a series of pictures for a tutorial for that. I shall write it up soon.