Basement Troll Studios
| Basement
Troll Studios is a fulltime shop whose purpose
is to fulfill all your model and tabletop gaming
needs. We not only finish models you've started
but design and scratch build anything you might
need in any scale you require using only the best
of materials.
We're a custom studio with no set line of products,
meaning you won't find mass produced items here.
Each and every product is unique, so you the client
can put a little something different on your game
table that no one else has.
We have the ability to work in any scale you might
have a need for, from 10mm to 54mm and beyond.
We're not limited by genre and can cover every
time period from the wild west to hopping the
galaxies. Not only do we build facades, we can
build pieces with complete interiors as well,
either as a single piece or as modular sections
that can be assembled anyway you wish.
Every project is fully finished and ready to use
right out of the box. We do not sell unfinished
work.
Over the years we have catered to many customers
from around the world that have included such
places as New Zealand, Switzerland, Italy and
the United States. From building large projects
for company organized gaming tournaments, designing
pieces for the 100 Kingdoms game system, to private
commissions for the everyday gamer, Basement Troll
Studios is capable of fulfilling your design needs.
We have no problems with taking on single piece
projects and have built large layouts as big as
100 (actual) square feet for 28mm scale. If you
want it built, you've come the right place. We
can build from your drawings, plans or photos
or pictures from books too or we will custom design
your project at no extra cost.
We also believe that you, the customer should
get more than what you pay for. We build to last
using common, everyday materials so you can touch-up
your models if they get damaged in everyday use.
In fact if, down the road you have a fix that
needs to be done on any model you buy from us
we'll walk you through the repair...step by step.
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Wes-
Owner, Manufacturer and Troll King
| My
name is William, some folks call me Wes and
I've had Basement Troll Studio open year round
since 2000. It's on the upper floor of our 1835
farmhouse situated in rural Ontario.
I got involved with the gaming industry as most
folks do, by playing the games which began with
D&D back in 1977. I didn't get around to
building models and such until much later when
my wife Mary and a friend Ken opened a 4000
sq. ft. game and comics store in 1994, of which
1200 sq. ft. of it was a dedicated gaming room
open to the public.
As more folks dropped in, I found myself in
the position of having to provide terrain and
such to keep the drop-ins happy. As a kid I
was always one of those frustrated model builders,
you know the ones... the kid that buys the plastic
car kit and puts his heart into doing the best
job, only to look at the picture on the box
and get depressed.
I always knew there was a scratch builder hidden
inside somewhere dying to get out but it just
never happened. Now that I had a store full
of people needing things I had no choice and
I plunged right in.
The first thing I learned and it's something
I always strive for and that's durability. The
pieces have to last and take lots of general
game use while all the time remaining pleasant
to look at. I've gotten very good at what I
do and I'm proud of every piece I build. Nothing
leaves the studio unless I'm happy with it.
I studied as an artist for two years in a general
arts program and spent a great deal of time
painting landscapes and the sense of color and
composition I learned by doing that I have managed
to bring to the art of terrain design.
So you can see I've been designing and building
terrain for many different systems through many
scales and time periods for 11 years now. It
never gets dull and I'm always experimenting
and looking for ways to make my pieces worth
having.
So have a look around, take your time, glad
you dropped in.
Kindest Regards,
William
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Production
Here's
a small list of some of the things we've
learned over the years.
1.
Don't be cheap on your materials. That's
not to say you shouldn't be on the constant
lookout for inexpensive ways of doing things.
For example, we never use corrugated cardboard
from boxes and we never use cereal box cardboard
for anything other than decorative touches
like exposed bricks on a wall. Go to a picture
framing place and ask for scraps. They recycle
the stuff anyway and what better way to
do that than immortalizing them in a model?
2. Look at everything you see as a possible
mold for unique shapes for plaster of paris.
We've used the plastic packaging from blister
packs of glue and packs of batteries as
molds.
3. Don't use white glue to stick foam together.
There isn't enough oxygen between the layers
for the glue to dry. Use a product like
liquid nails instead. Liquid nails won't
glue plaster shapes together with any kind
of a solid bond.
4. Look to nature for materials. Branches,
sand, small rocks and such can all be incorporated
into a model, saving you tons of time.
5. Don't use cardboard for a base to glue
your model onto. There are a lot of inexpensive
materials to use instead, like old CD's
and 1/4 inch plywood.
Finally,
experiment. Have fun trying new materials
and learn from your mistakes. We've made
a many happy a mistake which resulted into
a new way of doing things.
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Clients
| "Functional,
professional terrain, ready to stand the
test of time and players. Special orders
are filled as requested and on time. Very
nice work lots of care given to each and
every piece. Prompt and friendly communication.
I will buy again and recommend this studio
to anyone."
Xavier
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"Basement
Troll Studios does amazing work! The piece
that I have is so intricately detailed
that every time I look at it, I find something
new to appreciate!! He listens to what
you want and then delivers with amazing
accuracy and intimacy. Thank you Trollking
=) "
Kelli
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"Wes
I have always been bowled over by your creations
especially my city stuff. Your creativity
and practically in gaming terms is truly
second to none. However nothing has blown
me away more than the latest shipment. I
could not be more pleased with the (unfinished)
Forgeworld stuff you painted for me. The
crashed space ship (unfinished plastic pieces)that
you painted and mounted on bases for me,
exceeded my wildest expectations! Well worth
the price. Fair and fast as always."
Jeff Lamb
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"
I have never seen terrain as solidly built
as this. These aren't the cheap foamboard
products that I see other people sell, nor
are they those everyday resin pieces that
are manufactured in China. These are solidly
built pieces that I will, most likely, be
using in my games 15-20 years from now.
The players love them and they add so much
to the game. I use them for both Wargames
and for Fantasy based games as they can
fit into one or the other. They make sieges,
rooftop battles, and wars in the streets
much more vivid and easier for the GM to
manage. Solidly Built, Awesome Detail, and
Extremely Versatile. I have bought so many
of these from Wes that I can populate my
gaming table in so many different configurations
but every time I see one of his new pieces
I am, again, amazed at the detail of his
work. "
John List
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"The
work the Trollking has done for me has been
awesome. This is a person who takes great
pride in his work and it shows in every
piece he does."
Bob Thompson
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Many thanks go out to guys like Robert, Jeff,
Thomas, Bryce G, Ken, Ryan, Tom, Isaac, Sandro,
Cout, Jay , Dave, Gene, Gord and many, many more....
Have any photos of your Basement Troll Studios
product in use? If so please send
us some pictures of you and your setup.
We would be more than pleased to post them up
here for you.
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