Building the Black Gate

 

Part two: The Gatehouse

© Lotrscenerybuilder 2009

 

Step 8:

The construction of the crowning parapet is already fully explained in Step 5.

The Elrond-parapet is intended for the lower part of the Gatehouse frame, the Gil-galad-parapet for the upper part.

Further down, a so-called ‘hinge-tower’ is going to connect the gateway to the gatehouse. To prevent cracks becoming visible between these three elements after assembling, we’re going to install a ‘screen-panel’ to the back of the gatehouse frame (however, we won’t be able to attach this screen – the “Bombadil” element – to the frame before the hinge-tower is finished).

The next steps will help you to construct the Elrond-parapet (see also: Step 5):

  1. Glue the Elrond Front template onto 2mm cardboard;
  2. Copy the Bombadil template onto 2mm cardboard; next, cut out the Elrond Back template and glue it onto the marked strip on the Bombadil element (if it’s too long, cut off the superfluous strip);
  3. When the glue has dried you can draw the 0.7cm and 0.3 cm guidelines onto the backside of both elements;
  4. Copy the Elrond Gangway template onto 2mm cardboard en cut it out;
  5. Cut out twenty-two 0.3cm Bill (small) pieces of 2mm cardboard; glue them in place onto the Elrond Front Element;
  6. Cut off twenty-two A Spikes and glue them to the Bill (small) pieces after sharpening their bottom ends;
  7. Cut out eleven Bill (medium) pieces from 2mm cardboard;
  8. Cut off eleven B Spikes and glue them to the Bill (medium) pieces after sharpening their bottom ends; glue the finished elements in place onto the Elrond Front Element; note that there’s going to be no closing Bill (medium) element at the right end of the Elrond strip – this, because it would hamper the functioning of the hinge-tower;
  9. Cut off forty-four D Spikes and glue them in place onto the Elrond / Bombadil Back element.
  10. Glue the Elrond Gangway element perpendicular to the Front element along the 0.7cm guideline; study the next picture first!

Morannon(7)

The picture shows the Bombadil-element with the Elrond Back-strip and 44 C-spikes in place; there’s also the Elrond Front element with all its spikes and the Gangway glued in place. Note that the Front-strip is slightly longer than the Gangway; note also that the spare part is situated at the right end (seen from the back); again, study the picture closely.

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Before gluing the parapet into place, to make things fit you will have to remove some cardboard from the top section of the green Merry element (it’s in the picture above). The “Maimed Merry” template on the download page might give you a notion of how to cut away the superfluous cardboard after marking the correct level. The picture shows you what needs to be done. When all parts fit comfortably together, glue the Merry element in place and mask the incision with a 0.6cmm strip of tape.

Also, before placing the parapet, we have to fix an extra corner strip to the frame:

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Copy the Elrond-strip template onto 1mm cardboard; make an incision along the red line and glue the strip around the corner of the frame as shown in the picture; mask the incision with a 0.6cm strip of tape.

Now you may glue the Elrond Gangway on top of the ‘lower’ frame (see also: Step 5).

We will leave the Bombadil screen-panel as it is and return to it later on.

Copy the Elrond-door (Front) template onto 1mm cardboard along with the red incision lines; add the alternating red lines on the back-side; cut out the element, make the incisions and fold the strips harmonica-like.

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Glue the Elrond-door onto the frame (take care: this isn’t as easy as it sounds; you will need both hands to get it properly done!). Mask the incisions with 0.6cm strips of painters tape.

 

Step 9:

The Gil-galad parapet is intended for the upper part of the Gatehouse frame.

  1. Cut out the Gil-galad Front element and the Gil-galad Back element and have them glued onto 2mm cardboard. When the glue has dried up sufficiently, cut them out. There’s a red incision line on each of them: make the incisions and fold both parts to the inside. Draw the 0.7cm and 0.3cm gangway guidelines on the backsides.
  2. Copy the Gil-galad Gangway onto 2mm cardboard and cut it out.
  3. Copy the Gil-galad Nose template onto 4mm MDF; use the fretsaw to cut out the element. The finishing of this nose-element is identical to that of the Bill (large) element: by using a knife and a file we produce an ‘axe- blade’ shape which links up with the spike in front (see for this: Step 6). Use a bit of filler to mask the joints.

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Glue the Gil-galad Nose element perpendicular upon the Gil-galad Gangway element.

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Cut off 12 Bill (small) elements (see: Step 5) and glue them onto the Gil-galad Front element. On the right end you find four additional “Bill (small)” elements; however, these are gradually longer than the regular ones. For these: cut off a 0.3cm strip of 2mm cardboard and mark off the proper lengths. Next, glue them in place (study the picture). We will deal with the red incision-line in a minute.

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Glue the Gil-galad Front element along the 0.7cm guideline onto the Gil-galad Gangway; make sure it’s joining well with the nose element. In the same manner, glue the Gil-galad Back element along the 0.3cm guideline onto Gangway.

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Cut off twenty-two D-Spikes and glue them onto the Gil-galad Back element; Use four additional Gil-galad Back Spikes to cover the nose (study the picture).

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Cut off twelve A-spikes, sharpen their bottom ends and glue them onto the Bill (small) elements of the Gil-galad front element.

Next, we produce six 2mm cardboard Bill (medium) elements with sharpened B-spikes; glue them onto the Gil-galad Front element. On the incision-line, we use the Bill-galad template (2mm cardboard) and spike (both templates are to be found with the downloads).

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Copy the Arwen Leaf template onto 1mm cardboard and cut it out. Copy both incision lines on the backside; next, bend the element as shown in the picture. Mask the incisions at the front & backside with painter’s tape. Put some glue onto the spikes to strengthen the cardboard tips.

Glue the Arwen Leaf to the bottom of the Gil-galad element, against the inner rim (study the picture); make sure the cardboard is pressed tightly to the rim. Model the leaf as shown in the picture, with its wings directed to the outside.

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Cut out two Pippin Long elements and glue them in place as shown in the picture.

Glue the completed Gil-galad parapet onto the top of the frame. Make sure that the Gil-galad Back strip is glued directly to the MDF while the front element is more ore less detached from the frame.

Finally, cut out the Arwen Leaflet template, glue it onto 1mm cardboard, cut it out and fold it along the red incision line; mask the folding line with tape. Next, glue it onto the structure as shown in the picture.

Paint the miniature with texture paint, and then paint it black.

You have just finished the Gatehouse element!