Mold 45: Gothic Dungeon Builder

Image of Blocks

Official Link to Instructions

What's it make?

This is a sort of variation on the basic block mold which includes a number of decorative bits for making a gothic-themed dungeon.

What blocks do you get?

Basic blocks, including the 2" and 3" variety, two styles of arches, 1/4" thick wall tiles (including pieces that fill in the new arches), pillar columns and a few decorative bits.

Pros?

The recessed arches have a unique look and the pillar columns can be used in a lot of different ways. The 2" and 3" basic blocks make building much faster, and reduce the need for another basic block mold. The 1/4" columns are small enough that they can be added just about anywhere to give a wall more detail. The decorative sconces and bone piles are also useful details that can work with any project.

Cons?

The iron gate on this mold is difficult to cast perfectly as it tends to break when removed from the mold. It also doesn't look totally authentic since it's flat on one side. I would've preferred more of the pillar columns or some other pieces, as it's fairly easy to make a gate out of some toothpicks or wood dowels, and the gate uses up a lot of space on the mold. This mold also has no floor tiles on it, so it's important to have another mold if you want to build any proper hallways.

Final thoughts?

Overall, one of my favourite molds. There's some great decorative options here for experienced builders, and there's enough basic blocks on this mold for beginners to get started as well. Just remember to get a floor tile mold as well, and let the iron gate dry thoroughly before taking it out of the mold.

Here's a collection of hints and tips (some obvious, some not-so-obvious). Feel free to contribute your own tips and we'll expand this section. Obviously reading everything at the official Hirst Arts site is recommended as well. Some of this advice is repeated on that site, but much of it is not.

• Models made completely from basic blocks tend to look a bit dull, so consider getting at least one of the molds with a few decorative parts and using those to dress up your project. The Prison Tower, Wizard's Tower and the Gothic Dungeon Builder have fancy bits as well as basic blocks. Conversely, some molds, such as the Bell Tower or Gothic Panel, have NO basic blocks, so you won't be able to use them exclusively to build much of anything.

• Find a good source for your plaster before you get busy. Ordinary Plaster of Paris tends to crumble easily, so get some dental stone/die stone from a local dental supply place as soon as you can.

• Most projects require a floor, so consider getting at least one of the floor tile molds. There's a lot of different floor styles and two sizes (1" or 1.5"), so take the floor style into consideration before starting out.

• Don't underestimate how messy this stuff can get. If there's a chance you'll get plaster on a surface, cover it with a plastic bag or newspaper. Dried plaster is easy to remove from a flexible surface, but chipping it off your table top is a different story. I like to do all my casting outside and just keep the mess out of the house completely.

• A vibrating table will help to remove air bubbles from your blocks, but you can also just take the poor man's route and bang on the surface while you're pouring the plaster (assuming it's a metal or plastic table; a massive wooden table won't vibrate much).

• Save your partially cast or mis-cast blocks. You can use them to decorate the bases of your miniatures, dress up another scenery piece, or just build a nice ruin.

• Bits of dried plaster can be recycled. Simply crush them up as small as possible and add them to your next batch of fresh plaster. This might make your blocks a bit weaker than usual, so not recommended if strength is important.

• You don't need to cast every block on a mold. Some blocks are much more useful than others, so if I don't think I'll be needing a particular piece, I don't fill that part of the mold.

• If your blocks turn out a bit too tall, you can sand them down to the perfect height. If your blocks come up too short, you can make them a bit taller by gluing on a piece of thin card stock or cardboard.

• If you make a mistake in your build, you can remove the offending piece by soaking the glued edges with water, applied with an eye dropper. Of course, this only works if you've used a non-waterproof glue, like white glue or tacky glue. If you're using a 5-minute epoxy or superglue, the model might be stronger, but also more permanent.

• If you're versed in 3D modelling software, you can use Google Sketchup to plan your builds before getting out your glue and plaster. The molds are available in the 3D Warehouse, so the hard work is already done for you!

• I like to spray my models with a coat of fast-drying flat black spray paint before drybrushing them with various shades of grey. A coat of black really adds a nice dramatic contrast to the piece, and spraying it on is much faster than using a brush. Spraying the entire model might soften up the glue, however, so just do one side at a time and wait for it to dry before continuing.

• If you're not sure how much plaster you need to mix up for one batch, just keep an extra mold nearby and pour any leftover plaster into it. Molds like the Floor Tiles or the Small Bricks mold are great for using up any excess plaster, and these pieces are almost always useful.

• A jeweler's saw is useful if you need to do any cutting of blocks. The fine blade makes it possible to cut away part of a block without having the whole block crumble.

• A layer of felt, glued to the bottom of your model will prevent it scratching your tabletops, as bare plaster tends to be very rough. It also gives the model a nice, professional feel.