Basing a Playmobil Coliseum Part III or the Pitfalls of Pit-traps

     Continuing with the mission to complete the Playmobil Coliseum as quickly as possible (so I can get back to my tower for the Angry Piper's Terrain Challenge) I embarked on the addition of the subterranean features that Kevin had requested; put-traps and an oversize passage to allow him to send a tiger into the arena from below. This turned out to be rather more work than I had thought it would, requiring very precise cutting and (gasp!) measurements. Happily my efforts were equal to the task.

 

I decided that a test-case was in order before I began full-scale operations

I sketched out a small pit trap on some matte board and deeply scored the lines

 

the scoring ensures that the folds are straight and bend easily

 

a quick check to make sure my measurements were on

 

 and then some glue, Titebond works surprisingly well for this type of project, 

the glue absorbs easily and dries very quickly

 

then I cut the bottom, I really missed an opportunity here....

 

a couple of dots of glue and the bottom was stuck in place

 

bamboo BBQ skewers provide the spikes

 

after a few moments with an Xacto knife, that is

 

then I coated the bottom with glue, as I was doing this it occurred to me that I could have installed the spikes BEFORE I had attached the bottom and saved myself a good bit of work

 

be that as it may, I dipped the base of the spikes in wood glue

 

after the glue had been given a chance to dry a little I dropped the spikes into the rapidly drying glue, after a little encouragement they were standing up nicely

 

next was the liner for the large pit, I am making a hole in the arena floor that I will press this sleeve into, then make different inserts that can be placed inside it

 

the tiger pit will have a sloping floor

 to ease the access of the predator in his approach to the gladiators

 

after carefully tracing a cut into the table surface I began cutting the underlying blue board with a reciprocating saw blade, I did this by had as I am not precise enough to attempt it with a Sawzall

 

in no time I was able to push the plug out

 

the edges need a bit of tidying-up

 

test-fitting the sleeve before gluing it in place

 

it fit perfectly so I glued it in place and cleaned up the cut-out edges a bit

 

insert #1 ready for testing

 

it fit almost perfectly.....

......maybe there IS something to this "measuring"

 

the hole still looked like a jagged wound so I planked around the opening 

and then cut a sheet of balsa to fit and drew on some planks

 

insert #1 will be the tiger pit

 

it fit just fine but I couldn't see anybody lifting that huge lid

 

the lids covers the hole when it isn't being used

 

who knows what dangers lurk beneath that simple wooden hatch?

 

as well as the insert fit it didn't look right so I added doors that had been opened from below

 

my Viking Brawler approves

     All that remains is the two smaller pits and some sand for the arena floor.