THE TOOLS and SUPPLIES that you will be using to build the 5 different Wigwams
In this post we will take a look at what “
tools” and “
materials” you will need (some are optional) to build the wigwams shown in this presentation.
There should be very little in the way of tools that you don’t already own and material that you can’t obtain at a very low cost … or that you get for FREE.
The
Styrofoam spheres will be used as the form on which we will apply the outer covering.
TIP: There are many sizes available but I used the 6" size. However if your Wigwam is to be larger or smaller than chose an appropriate size.
The
elastic bands will hold the pieces in place as they dry.
TIP: These are very important as they save time and fingers!
You will need a sealant such as
Mod Podge or
Liquitex Gesso to seal the styrofoam sphere spaces, but a white glue and water mix work just as well.
I used
white glue such as
Elmers to apply the covering to the Styrofoam, but you can use any glue that works on wood/Styrofoam.
The snips are for cutting wooden branches into small pieces and such.
The
string (or as an option,
Raffia) is used to tie the frames together and the outer support pieces to each other.
The
pins are for helping to secure Birch Bark to the Styrofoam.
The
sharp pointed tweezers are essential for tying knots and helping to pull string through openings, holding pieces and more
The other items shown, such as the X-Acto blade, tape measure, scissors and note pad are obvious.
Then again without my glasses nothing would ever have been done.
Also you will need a sharp knife or tool to
crisply cut the Styrofoam sphere in half and “acrylic” paints and brushes for painting and weathering. Whatever color(s) makes sense to you (and you like) will work.
I used a Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Black, White, Cobblestone Grey, Gray Flannel, Iron Oxide Brown, Dark Chocolate Brown, Leaf Green and English Yew Green.
The
long thin blade knife was to cut the opening for the smoke opening.
Sanding sticks for smoothing or ruffing up the wooden pieces and a sharpening stone to keep the X-acto blade sharp.
The outside covering can be whatever you would like.
Here I used the thin end of
White Cedar Shingles (as used for home siding),
Birch Bark off a Birch tree and
Red Cedar bark.
TIP:
PLEASE DO NOT strip Birch bark off a live tree as it will hurt or kill the tree. Use only what has blown or fallen off ..
As I stated before the type of material that you have in your front yard should work as well. Instead of White Cedar Shingles simple
THIN basswood or Balsa wood will be fine.
Here is the Raffia that I mentioned. It is a better looking solution that string but much harder to work with as it tends to like to unwind and will break if to much tension is applied. I used Raffia on all the models except the FRAME model.
AND FIANLLY and very important ... PRE-BENT wooden branches or sticks .......
TIP: At the start of the project get a bunch of "flexible or bendable" sticks or branches. You should "PRE-BEND" them so when the time comes they are ready to use. If you try to bend dry sticks they will break. If you try to use flexible sticks they will want to pop off the model and make a difficult time. You will want to make as many different radiuses as you think you will need. Some very tight and some much more loose.
QUESTIONS YET?
Please ask them ....
--- Larry
