I’ve been scratch building a Spanish windmill for 28mm skirmish gaming in the Peninsular War. Today I put together the wheel assembly, which was a major milestone. Now I need to figure out the nacelle, the roof peak, basing, and hopefully not completely ruin the entire model when I paint it.
The main body of the windmill is blue foam, cut at a slight taper using a Proxxion hot wire cutter, and crudely rendered with spackle. The blades, hub, doors, and window frames are all of various sorts of basswood. The roof is of plastic card, and was laboriously assembled with superglue, a paper form, and a prayer. That roof was a bear to figure out; I had to do MATH, y’all!
I figure this building will survive roughly 0.75 actual games before the blades are destroyed by hamfisted gamers (meaning myself, most likely).
Windmill! And the blades spin, too. Unfortunately I can’t post video to WordPress. There’s still a ton of work to do to this thing, but I’m glad the blades didn’t end up all cattywhampus. Don’t worry, I’m going to sand on the plaster render a bit, before painting.
I’m also posting the current state of my British and allied force, so that this post contains more than just a single picture of a half finished windmill.
A few boys (lads?) from the 52nd, a gun (9 pounder, maybe?) with RHA crew, and their friends from the 3rd Caçadores. I have some incredibly cool guerrillas on the painting deck.
ArkieGamer 
Comments
I love a good scratch built windmill. I built one in 15mm and that was hard enough let alone trying in 28mm. I strengthened my sails with thin metal rod to try and avoid them getting broken as you fear. Good luck and well done so far.
Thanks. Good idea with the metal rod, but I think I’m just going to wing it, and hope for the best!
I really like how that one looks so far. The texture on the wall is convincing, the sails(?) are beautifully rendered, with thin woodwork. Looks very much to scale. I also like the wooden door and conical roof. All around an awesome model and I look forward to the painted work.
Thanks, man. Sails sounds good, to me. I should have researched my windmill terminology.
It must be both a blessing and a curse to be an architect and a gamer. You are blessed to know how to design things and get them right – you are cursed to want to design things and get them right…. And as usual, you get it right.
I think it’s mostly curse, when it comes to gaming – all I see are the mistakes! We need to talk about DBA sometime soon, Frank. I picked up a copy of the rules, and have a starter army of Marian Romans on the way from Italy (of course). Is that something you might be interested in?
Just now seeing this – and yes, I am. Will text further.