Free Promethium to burn the heretics!

Promethium Storage

A&W fuel tanks

To follow-up my last post and the single can fuel storage tank, I thought the only thing to do was to double-down on promethium. So here is more about the two can fuel storage. You can never have enough to burn the heretics.

Ironheart Artisans's Two Can Fuel Storage

The most important thing about promethium is to not run out. There is nothing worse than your Hellhound hitting empty with plenty of tainted humans around to burn. So to solve this problem, I picked up the two-can fuel storage tank ($29) by Ironheart Artisans. This adds additional terrain to the table with elevation since it has a walkway similar to the single can fuel storage. For the review and build instructions for the single fuel storage system see my previous post (A place to keep my promethium).

With the two-can storage system, I was also able to make some changes to the build tutorial without taking too many additional pictures. This would be a good step-by-step reference for any of the fuel storage tanks.

Kit

Ladder/walkway pieces

Let's start by taking a look at the kit itself and the contents of the kit. As with the single can fuel kit, you will need to supply the tanks. I used two A&W cans, but any aluminum 12 ounce can would work. I used what I had readily available.

You can a couple of options for the cans as well. You can leave them full, which would add a significant amount of weight to the piece. You can empty and leave empty, but then you risk potential damage to the cans during play/use. You can also use a filler material, expansion foam, which will give some support but not too much weight. I decided to leave these empty since this is for a set piece of terrain.

Since everything with this kit is great than the single can kit, there are more pieces to assemble. I've taken separate photos for each of the sections of the fuel tanks to show the number of parts to the kit and will start each section with those photos.

Assembly

Ladder/Walkway

Ladder/walkway (side view)

The completed ladder/walkway spans the entire fuel storage system and provides for the elevation on this terrain piece. The assembly is comprised of sixteen stairs, one walk-way and two railing supports.

Ladder/walk-way (top view)

Assembly for this is essentially identical to the assembly instructions for the single can fuel tank. Starting with one rail/support, glue the platform to the bottom of the support piece. The walk-way will connect with two tabs that go into two holes and then a notch system in the support and walkway. Lay the support with the attached walk-way down flat and glue each stair to the support. Each stair will attach to the rail/support with a square tab into a square hole.

Once the stairs have had about 30 seconds for the glue to start to cure, the opposite rail/support can be attached. Apply glue to the walkway and each of the stairs so that the surfaces that contact the opposite rail/support will adhere. Starting with the walkway, attach the rail/support.

Ladder/walkway (side view)

Once this is attached work from the top to the bottom to attach one side of stairs. Once the side is fitted/work the stairs on the opposite side to fit into the rails. You will need to keep sufficient pressure on the rail to hold the parts in place, but not so much as to make it impossible to fit the remaining parts. Once the stairs are fit, give about 30 seconds for the glue to set, then you can stand to complete the curing process.

Top hatch components

Top Hatch

Since there are two top cans, there are two top hatches. This means twice as many parts to the assembly. Each hatch is comprised of a box frame, a top, hatch assembly, and two hatch doors. There are also four bolts that sit on the top, which I had neglected to cover in the single can fuel tank assembly.

Hatch to top assembly

With each piece in duplicate, I can show the components and the final assembled piece in one photo. The top of the hatch is clearly marked to show where the component pieces should be attached. Starting with the top, add glue to the bottom surface of the top and add the hatch assembly. After the hatch assembly is fitted, attach the bolts for the hatch mounts. Doing the hatch assembly last makes the bolt addition easier.

Hatch assembly to base

Hatch bolt attachment

The hatch base is four pieces. These attach with tabs and notches and as you can see there are curved pieces where the hatch assembly attaches to the fuel tanks. I placed one of the curved pieces face down on the table, applied glue to the side pieces and attached to the curved piece. Before the glue sets, attach the other curved piece and make sure the assembly is square and level then set down to cure.

Hatch doors

Hatch base assembly

 With a square and level base, adding the top/hatch assembly to the base is simple. Apply glue to the top of the base and place the top/hatch assembly on top.

The hatch doors can be assembled in a number of manners depending on the final look of the terrain piece. In this image, I demonstrated a partially open hatch. You can make this one sided open, both open, both closed, or can attach them angled to replicate broken hatches. There are some additional images of completed tanks on the Ironheart Artisans website. In my final piece, the hatches are closed on the tanks.

Front/Rear Tank Face

Face assembly (front view)

The front and rear of the tanks are essentially identical. This assembly will be repeated for each of the tank faces and differences will be called out where necessary.

Tank front assembly

The front of each face is composed of three pieces. The main can support and where the tank connects and the face of the tank. This has a built on support rail system for the piece. The front part is laser-etched to show there the two pieces connect. Apply glue to the rear of the face and the rails then attach to the can support. The rear of the face has a separate support rail system that must be added. while the glue is still wet, position the rail support so the bottoms line up. This will ensure the components fit well on the fuel tank base.

Face assembly (rear view)

The tank faces can be assembled in a few ways. I have decided to make the tank have one side with closed hatches and one side with pipe connections that are open. The closed port assembly consists of one solid port piece which is laser-etched with a space for the port door assembly or the fly wheel. I did not use the fly wheel component which could also be attached on either site. You can also add the hatch in an open position on the tank port.

Tank rear assembly

The open side is created using two open hexagon pieces assembled one above the other. I glued these two pieces together then attached to the face. This allows the sides to be aligned appropriately.


I have selected the open side for future pipeline attachment to come in a subsequent build. Later in the build the signage details will be added.

 Tank Base and Final Assembly

The tank base is composed of two middle support pieces and nine bolt heads. The front and rear tank assemblies complete the support structure for the base.

Base assembly

Front face assembly on base

Start by gluing the bolts onto the base. There are etched locations marking where each bolt head should be located. Attaching these to the base first allows you to maneuver them into location. Trying to add them to the base after the supports are attached makes attachment more difficult than necessary.

Next glue on the middle support sections. These are single pieces and are the same front and back. There is a slot in the base where the tab on the bottom of the support sits.

I started from the front to the back with the assembly. The front and rear faces attach to the base in a similar fashion as the middle assembly. The assembled from and read faces should have a tab at the bottom if assembled correctly.

Can addition

Once the front face is attached, apply glue to the interior rim of the front face and to the top of the middle assembly. Attach a can to the middle piece and fit into the front face. Apply glue to the interior of the rear face and the tab and attach to the base. It will take a little finesse to get everything assembled. The fit isn't exact, but it is pretty secure and with a little pressure until the glue sets everything will hold. Repeat each of these steps for the other side of the fuel tanks.

Assembled walkway/hatch

Once the cans are added and the piece has cured enough, move on to adding the finishing touches. Apply some glue to the bottom of the walkway tabs and some to the tops of the cans. Add the walkway to the base.

The hatches sit nicely to the top of the can. For aesthetics, I decided to secure the hatches just at the edge of the can where it slopes to the top. To keep the looks similar to the single can I assembled, I added the caution signs to the front face of the fuel storage.

Final Assembly

There are additional flame triangles should you decide to use those instead. They will be well suited to the sides of the tanks or alternates to the front/rear faces. I am planning on use them for the later build with the scenery, probably on the promethium lines running to/from the tanks.

A place to keep my Promethium

Promethium Depot

Background

After AdeptiCon, I knew I would be adding more terrain to my collection and working on a themed table of some sort. I didn't know what it would be until I started reading the Gaunt's Ghosts novels by Dan Abnett. I haven't been reading them in any specific order, but am starting to line them up for that purpose now. The idea I had was born from reading The Armour of Contempt (e-Book $11.99). In this Gaunt leads his Ghosts back to the Chaos tainted world of Gereon a former Forge World where they go through a trench-ridden Munitorium that has been corrupted thoroughly.

My idea though combines the horrors of Dan's novel and the fantastic scenery pieces produced by Alex at Ironheart Artisans. My idea is to create a Promethium depot that is tainted and corrupt. This will require a number of the Fuel Storage units, the Promethium Pipes ($37) sets built on and around the trench system. More on this build as I get started, but first up...a place to store the promethium.

Ironheart Artisans' Fuel Storage

Fuel Storage Can

I started with the single can fuel storage unit kit ($19)...can what you I mean can, well the kit is laser-cut MDF that forms around a 12 ounce aluminum can. What the can formerly held is up to you, but in my case; I had an A&W root beer can that was emptied and cleaned the night before. Beer cans weren't available, mostly because I typically drink bottled beer, but please enjoy responsibly.

Fuel Storage Kit

You can, should you desire additional weight, use a full can. If doing this than I can only recommend using the highest level of beer, Coors Light, as terrain may be the only valuable use for this "beer".

The image here shows the entire contents of the kit. This kit as with all of the other Ironheart kits does not have to be glued together. I decided that this would be a frequently used piece of terrain and I have ample storage, so I glued the parts together using Aleene's Wood Glue.

The entire kit is well thought out so that each of the pieces fit snugly, which is why you don't have to glue. While the assembly is straight forward and pretty easy, I created a step-by-step walk-through and pictorial of the process I used. Surely some of the steps could be done in a different order.

Stairs/Walkway

I thought it best to tackle the assembly in separate parts and then assemble them all together at the end. Since the stairs/walkway were the most complex part of the build, I started there. This part of the kit definitely takes a little patience. The stair runs fit well into the riser as does the walkway. As you can see in the top view image, the walkway has added texture with the cut-outs to make it look like steel decking. What you can't see in the images so clearly, is the texture built into each of the stairs as well. These each have some etching to make them look like steel steps as well.

Half-assembled ladder (side view)

Half -assembled ladder (top view)

I started by gluing the walkway while holding the riser in my hand. This fits perfectly to the riser and is rather secure when fit together. I then laid the riser down and glued each of the stairs to the riser. There is a little peg at the end of each stair that fits well into the associated hole in the riser. There are a number of lattice cuts in the riser, so gluing surface is reduced but more than sufficient to hold everything together. Apply a little glue to the end of each stair and put in the hole, making sure that the etched side is facing up.

Completed ladder/walkway assembly

Once the stairs are added, give the piece a minute or two for the glue to start setting. Add some glue to the other side of the walkway edge and the edge of each of the stairs. Since the kit is so snug, here is where you may need a little patience. Fit the walkway to the other riser then you will have to work your way down the stairs. While keeping pressure on the walkway with one hand, fit the pegs of each stair to the appropriate hole in the riser. This will go pretty quickly if you are applying just enough pressure to hold the piece together, but not so much as you can't move the stairs. I worked on alternate sides until I got to the bottom. As you can see in the finished image, you have a very nice ladder piece and landing which is stable and appealing.

Top access hatch

Top access hatch (top view)

Top access hatch (side view)

The next separate part is the top access hatch. The hatch body is composed of four pieces that connect to each other with a tab and slot system. Apply some glue to each of the ends and simply fit together. Once the base is assembled, the top can be added. I applied the glue to the base and then added the top. The hatch portal component is a separate piece and there is a nice outline where it will fit. There is added detail to his for bolts/rivets which hold the completed piece together.

Front/Rear tank assembly

Front/Rear tank assembly (front view)

Front/Rear tank assembly (rear view)

The front and rear of the tanks are identical in the basic assembly, but there are a few additional details that come at the end of assembly. The base is composed of one piece with a large hole to frame the aluminum can. These are etched so that you can see where the face of the tank gets added. As you can see in the front view, the is a hole with an etched octagon for the detail pieces. There are a few options for to differentiate the front and back. For each side there is an octagonal extension piece, there you have the option of adding a fly wheel, a cap, or an access port to the front/rear as you like. I have chosed to have an access port on the front and left the rear open for the scenery build. The bottom of the face has cut outs for the support structure. To make the support structure identical, a single support structure component is applied to the back of the can frame.

Base and final assembly

Base with rear of tank storage attached

The base is well designed to hold the front/rear tank supports with one additional support piece for the center. This is a cut out similar to the front/rear supports. I put the rear of the tank in first and the middle support piece. I added a bead of glue to the interior of the rear support (not pictured) and the middle support where the can is seated. I also I then placed the can into the structure and with a bead of glue in the front of the tank and on the front support completed the tank assembly.

Assembled tank storage unit (front view)

Assembled tank storage unit (rear view)

The top hatch or the stairs/walkway can be added next. The assembled stairs/walkway fit neatly into the cutouts at the rear of the tank. The top hatch sits very cleanly on the fuel tank with the arched bottom. Signage is available with the flammable sign triangle, which can be added to the front/rear or the tank and the Caution signs, which I have added to the front/rear.

This is a great kit and one that will provide you with additional areas of cover, allow for height and will greatly add to your tabletop. While I am using this for promethium storage in a WH40k setting, this is easily used as an oil tank or fuel tank for any modern/future gaming scenario.

It takes and Ironheart to get organized

Ironheart Artisans' Paint Rack

Quality brushes

Paint brush components

One of the biggest issues I have it keeping my brushes organized and at the ready. Recently I decided to invest in some Windsor and Newton Series 7 Sable brushes after experiences at Adepticon 2014. As such wanted the proper way to store them and keep them organized. Now for those who aren't aware, the proper way to store a brush is horizontally not vertically. The reason is simple, it prevents any water and paint remnants from getting into the ferrule. This will allow the brush to dry without the bristles spreading from the base out. Be aware of this if you are already using the Games Workshop Paint Station or any number of paint racks or a good old cup.

Paint brush rack

Description

Individual kit pieces

The Ironheart Artisans' Paint Brush Rack is a kit made from laser-cut MDF that is simple enough to slide together. The rack has curved hooks that will allow it to hold 8 brushes (or tools if you are a modeler). As with all of the Ironheart MDF pieces, it can be assembled with or without glue and is stables on a tabletop. The rack stands about 6.5 inches tall and is 3.5" x 4.5" at the base. The sloped design allows you to easily grab the brush you need with ease.

Step-by-step assembly

Top support addition

The assembly of the rack is pretty simple, but I've put together a step-by-step pictorial on assembly since detailed instructions are not included in the kit. This really is an easy kit to put together, so there are plenty of ways to get to the end, but here is what I did.

Rear arch addition

I started by connecting the two risers with the top cross piece. The top cross piece slides up from the bottom to the top into two notches built into the risers. I only did this to give is stability to allow for the rest of the assembly. As you can see in the photo the rack is well branded with the Ironheart Artisans logo.

The next step was to add the rear arch to the base. The arch has a notch cut out of it that slides into the nothces on the bottom of the bottom rear of the riser pieces. This gives stability to the rear of the rack with some additional style to the rack.

Front support addition

The front of the rack also receives an additional support. The bottom front support connects to the riser in a notch where it slides from top to bottom. This is also branded with the Ironheart Artisans web address.

Final rack assembly with two W&N brushes

The final assembled piece holds eight brushes neatly with easy access. The rack will easily accommodate any brush that is at least 4 inches (10.5 cm) across measured from the ferrule to the end of the handle.

This is another great offering from Ironheart Artisans and I'll be looking to add another to the collection soon to hold the sculpting tools (dental picks). It is a good feeling to add a little more organization and structure to the painting table.