How to create a realistic gaming table

[eBob]

This section is under construction

[seanthebrave]

Hey Ebob how do i create a realistic gaming table

[eBob]

My preferred method at the moment is fur.



Find your local fabric shop. Push passed the old ladies to find the feaux fur (fake fur) at the back of the shop. I picked up a 5' x 6' piece of tan coloured fur for around £10.

Cut the length of the fur down with scissors - this takes a couple of days, because its really boring.

Once done all you need to do is dry brush it. brown first, then green.

[seanthebrave]

ah nice one

[Toshach]

That's a great idea.

Outta my way grannie. I'm comin' through.

[eBob]

It takes a bit of effort, but what you end up with is realistic, inexpensive, and portable.

[BilboOfGondor]

Fur...no kiddin'.
I was wondering how that long grass was made, and that certainly seems like the most inexpensive way to do it while keeping a realistic look at the same time.
Thanks Ebob! ;D

[grimatt]

When i was down town i manages to find the stuff you mentioned, at a similar size (which is pretty handy) i have taken a small piece off as a 'tester' though achieving the colour seems to be a complete arse. Any tips/more in depth description you can give me?

Thanks a bunch ;D

[Ebob]

Not really. I used paint and a brush - there's not more I can tell you is there?

cut the fur down, scrub brown paint in, then go over with green.

Obviously you need a large brush - mine is about 6" wide.

[fatty-bolger]

Shamlessly lifted this from the frothers

right - after about an hour of buzzin and clippering...



That's a four foot square board. I got into it a bit more after that and did the next four foot section in about 35 minutes.
The piece I have is about six foot wide and 12 feet long, so plenty big enough.



CLippers work good with no grading attachment, need to tilt them nose down slightly and move quite slowly through the fur. I have had to take the blades off twice now as they do get clogged with very fine fur dust. THe clippers start to comb the fur and not cut it.



The fur I have looks like hampster, but obviously it needs painting. I will keep cutting this week, then hoover, maybe even a wash in the machine?
Don't be afraid to cut too deep, as the clippers seem to jam up if they hit cloth. I'm working in a random fashion and not going in straight lines.



Painting will start next week, maybe even this weekend, will make sure I note the paint types - Ebob has some left over from his battlefur that I can use to start.



My loft space is filling up with tiny fibres and I am slowly choking to death - but it's worth it - or at least I hope so!!

Si

[eBob]

Be warned that the clippers will evenually stop cutting. I bought a brand new set of clipper for £30 and managed to cut just 2 sqft of fur before they stopped working, and Si2 also admits that he finished his cloth with scissors because his clippers also eventually failed.
The fur seems to blunt the blades very rapidly.

[Toshach]

Has anyone tried trimming the fur down to the fabric in order to make dirt paths and roads?

[Ebob]

yes, I've seen that done, but you need to do something to texture the fabric - otherwise it just looks like cloth.. not surprisingly. But doing this really means you are building a permanent rather than configurable board - so you'll probably have glued it down anyway.

[seanthebrave]

nice

[charla]

...As for painting it: try using an old toothbrush to apply the paint. Wipe of excess paint first, as if dry-brushing a figure. There's less chance of individual strands sticking together this way.