Building Frostgrave Archipelago for Historicon, Part 1

I've been working on this table for a while, but as with most of my projects, life gets in the way and I get help up.

So this is a table for Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago. I'm running the game at Historicon in about 2 weeks. My original plans was just to build a 6x12 board covered in ruins, jungle and a volcano. My build and vacation was interrupted by a work emergency. So I had to scrap that table, and just ran FGA on my winter Frostgrave table. No one cared we weren't in the Jungle and they all had fun.

Anyway, I decided to scrap that design and make Islands. I have blue patterned cloth that will be on the table and islands will sit on top of that. They are made out of house insulation.

Here are some in progress pics.

 I have 2 large pieces of foam that will be cut to make the 2 main islands. With smaller islands between them.

 I use glass beads to layout the shape of the island. Easy to change if I don't like it.

 Once I get the shape I'm happy with, I use a sharpie to draw an on outline on the foam.

 For the real big pieces I used a jigsaw to cut out the islands

For the small pieces I use a scroll saw. Easier to use than a jigsaw, but it is limited by the size of the piece.

 $75 at a garage sale, 20 years ago, and the scroll saw is still going.

 Next I use a utility knife with a slide out blade, to cut a slope into the edge of the board. This will be the shore line.

 Rough cut shoreline.

 I then use a random orbital sander to grind the slope smooth. You have to use lots of ventilation as the foam is incredibly bad to breath in. I use lots of safeguards when sanding the foam.

The main base of the islands are done, Now I need to start building up. Elevation changes, foliage, ruins, etc, etc. That's it for now. More to come.


Jeff/ Xin