Widening a bridge.

Something a little different for this blog entry. I ordered an MDF and card three arch bridge to use on the wargaming table, however it was too narrow to allow the movement bases that I use to fit. This called for some drastic surgery to widen the kit to suit, I widened it by about 20mm. I used a very sharp Stanley knife to cut the MDF using a steel rule as a guide. I also wore a dust mask as the dust and fibres from MDF are very dangerous and should not be inhaled. I also did the cutting outdoors.
Although the alterations seem drastic, they did actually work, as you will see from the following photographs.

 The original kit.

 You can see my movement base is just too wide for the bridge planking.

 The bases of the bridge, cut with a Stanley knife and a new piece of MDF cut to slot in between.

 Like so.

 This altered the width of the vertical walls and so allowed me to then widen the planking.

 The support pieces now glued with the new central inserts and the cardboard road surface now also has an insert to match.

Dry fitted together, it works!

 

 Now wide enough for my movement bases with about 12mm or quarter of an inch either side.



The other two pieces altered in the same way.

 

 All the pieces glued, painted and flocked.

 Keeping it in three separate pieces means the join isn't brilliant, but good enough for me.

Should look fine on the wargaming table.

 

 Keeping it in three pieces gives me the option of a shorter hump back bridge.

Mounted troopers cross the bridge. The bases now fit easily into the new wider bridge.

 

The next Quick & Dirty battle should be commencing in the next couple of days, it will be known as the battle of Gilbert's Forge and will have daily postings of what is going on, both on this blog and on my You Tube channel. This time the generals will be commanding much larger forces, this will test the modified rules to the limit, and should show up any problems.