Hobby Thread - April 18, 2026 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. It is that time of the year, a spin of the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) came up with castles as a theme for this Hobby Thread.

Castles? Yes, castles. Maybe more of a theme than a hobby per se, but who am I to argue with the Wheel of Hobbies (TM)?

[Top photo: Burg Eltz, Wierschem, Germany. Oil, 24 x 18 by polynikes]

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What are you hobbying?

As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. All (legal) hobbying is welcome. I understand that some people pay attention to military hardware, tactics and strategy as a hobby. Discussion of current military events permitted but must be made in the form of hobby commentary. Pants are optional. As always, puns are welcome and encouraged.

Play nice and do not be rude. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.

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Castles seem to have a hold on our collective imagination. They feature in medieval stories of combat and siege. Europe is dotted with castles on almost every mountain or vista. King Ludwig built his own fantasy castle in Bavaria and Cinderella lives in castle at Disney.

Tourists wander through castles (and castle ruins) and imagine what life was like. Surely the original masons and builders would be amazed to know their creations were tourist attractions hundreds of years later.

Castles are photogenic and artists have painted castles for centuries. Books and movies find castle settings irresistible. There will be no boiling oil poured from the ramparts in this thread, but how many hobbies have some touch to castles? Have your hobbies involved castles in some way?

Let's talk history, architecture, and art. Let's talk travel, scale builds, and stonework. Let's talk comedy and literature. Do you have favorites?

For purposes of this thread, let's steer towards structures of medieval history and defensive designs. There are a lot of chateaus or large homes that are called "castles" because of their size and and history and "castle" design cues, but let's stick to fortified structures with drawbridges, moats, turrets, high ground, ramparts, etc.

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Top painting is Burg Eltz. One of the best known castles in Germany. It has been owned and inhabited by the same family for over 850 years. Three branches of the family still live there.

This is Burg Eltz too. Always interesting to see the same thing through different eyes. This painting is courtesy of tankascribe.

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The Hohenzolleren Castle is the ancestral home of the Swabian branch of the House of Hohenzolleren. Naturally, it is built on Mount Hohenzolleren.

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Neuschwanstein - more for fantasy than combat:

[Photo Credit: Tom Wayman]

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How to Build a Medieval Castle

Sometimes it takes a village to raise a window. Between 2015 and 2017, skilled masons meticulously carved and beveled arches and four-lobed flourishes for a Gothic-style stone window frame in Guédelon Castle’s ornate Chapel Tower. All that remained was to install some glass. But there was a problem, and the carpenters, painters, blacksmiths, basket weavers, historians, and archaeologists who work on-site were all enlisted to figure it out. Eight years later, the matter of what to put in the window of a medieval castle has nearly been resolved...maybe.

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9 Myths About Medieval Moats and the Truth Behind Them

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Boo!

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Long video, but fascinating history. Hosted by the Countess of Sandwich (giggle).

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Check out a Scottish castle with Ruth:

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Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

April182026Castle 6 -- Dunluce Castle.jpg

Photo credit unknown. Painting credit to tankascribe.

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How medieval castles actually worked. (Alternative title: why blocking trade and supply routes and waiting was often a better strategy than a direct attack).

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Lego makes castles:

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A visit to Königstein in Germany is recommended. It is called a "fortress" which is arguably a bigger military site than a fortified residence but let's not get into a definitional debate. This video has great history. It is in German, but the English subtitles are good.

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Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did an paper folding and origami theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.

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Notable comments from last week:

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Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

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If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, contribute your own. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Welcome Hobbiests

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 05:31 PM (Ia/+0)

2 Besides seeing Edinburgh castle, and at least outside of one in East Angela, my castles were made of sand at the beach.

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 05:34 PM (Ia/+0)

3 I'll go with sand castles.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 18, 2026 05:37 PM (AkEZC)

4 I'm pretty sure I have an AD&D Castle Guide.

I bought my friends oldest child a wood-working kit for her birthday. She was happy.

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 18, 2026 05:37 PM (Sco7b)

5 Objectively, castle legos were/are the best Lego sets.

Posted by: HappyFun at April 18, 2026 05:39 PM (CoQfd)

6 I used to build Lego castles when I was a child.

I loved making giant Lego fortresses.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 18, 2026 05:40 PM (gnNyN)

7 Castles are scenic but once cannons show up, the star fortress served the function better.

A castle under siege would be a miserable place to be.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at April 18, 2026 05:42 PM (xcxpd)

8 Thanks to polynikes and tankascribe for the castle paintings. The artistic talent of the Horde is amazing.

Posted by: JTB at April 18, 2026 05:43 PM (yTvNw)

9 Beautiful painting from Polynikes! Love it!

Posted by: tankascribe at April 18, 2026 05:43 PM (NtoJk)

10 A castle under siege would be a miserable place to be.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at April 18, 2026 05:42 PM (xcxpd)
----
That was the point, I think.

Make the defenders miserable enough to surrender.

And hope they couldn't call for reinforcements.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 18, 2026 05:43 PM (gnNyN)

11 I feed my trolls "Farmer's Troll," so they get pancreatis and kidney problems and leave.

Posted by: Chairman LMAO at April 18, 2026 05:44 PM (cWLG3)

12 I made a castle once. It burned down, fell over, then sank into a swamp.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 18, 2026 05:44 PM (1Ff7Z)

13 Castles built into the side of mountains are my favorite castles. And I'm not referring to Lord of the Rings movie , though that is pretty cool.

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 05:44 PM (0cOSz)

14 You are missing "Edinburgh Castle Tour Guide DGAF"

youtu.be/2waC149tQsI

Posted by: Kindltot at April 18, 2026 05:45 PM (rbvCR)

15 Dunvegan Castle on Isle of Sky made for some nice pictures when I last visited (btw, it's not Vegan).

Posted by: Chairman LMAO at April 18, 2026 05:46 PM (cWLG3)

16 Skye, oopsie

Posted by: Chairman LMAO at April 18, 2026 05:46 PM (cWLG3)

17 That is a outstanding painting

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 05:47 PM (Ia/+0)

18 I *thought* we'd seen that castle and dragon artwork before!

Willowed: 2 Hi Wolfus! Praying for your travels.
Posted by: TecumsehTea at April 18, 2026

Your prayers are working, TT. So far, so good. The little vintage-style room I have at the Fort Scott hotel is smaller than my bedroom at home, but it's got charm. I'm waiting for a reasonable time to go out to eat; the last thing I want to be is The Early Bird Guy at Denny's. There are several places, a pub, two Mexican places, and a diner within walking distance.

Temps will be chilly here tonight. Here I am, the only Swamp denizen I know with a full range of coats, jackets, and sweaters . . . and I brought only one windbreaker. If it's still cool in Salina tomorrow, I'll run to a Walmart and get a sweatshirt or something.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 18, 2026 05:48 PM (fcdZC)

19 I'd build my modest but creepy castle on an island in a river or off the coast.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes. at April 18, 2026 05:49 PM (kpS4V)

20 I toured Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. It's been inhabited by the MacLeods since it was built, which leads to some oddities. The main drawing room had very ornate furniture (French?). The Fairy Flag was on the wall behind glass. Down a hallway the guide opened a door, behind where a medieval oubliette still existed. The hallway ended in a very Victorian man's study. It was clear the place was lived in, every generation re-decorated, made alterations, rebuilt.

Posted by: Lirio100 at April 18, 2026 05:49 PM (ky7/T)

21 Stayed in the town of Windsor Castle once. Couldn't score a room in the actual castle though. Here's a relevant musical interlude...

https://youtu.be/TI9NjQK_xm8

Posted by: Joe Kidd at April 18, 2026 05:51 PM (nbLIj)

22 The best things about castles are all the secret rooms, tunnels,etc.

I am in the process of turning the entrance of my third bedroom at the end of the hall into a secret entrance. I've found a company that makes bookcase secret doors.

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 05:54 PM (0cOSz)

23 I would love to be able to travel and see all of these castles. Alas, I'm not wealthy enough to do that. It's amazing what humanity can accomplish when they're not killing each other.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 18, 2026 05:54 PM (Fbc0I)

24 10 A castle under siege would be a miserable place to be.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at April 18, 2026 05:42 PM (xcxpd)
----
That was the point, I think.

Make the defenders miserable enough to surrender.

And hope they couldn't call for reinforcements.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 18, 2026 05:43 PM (gnNyN)

What with sanitation and disease, sometimes it was as bad or worse for the besiegers.

Makes a man long for manuver warfare.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at April 18, 2026 05:54 PM (xcxpd)

25 22 The best things about castles are all the secret rooms, tunnels,etc.

I am in the process of turning the entrance of my third bedroom at the end of the hall into a secret entrance. I've found a company that makes bookcase secret doors.
Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 05:54 PM (0cOSz)
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Or better yet, put a secret door to Narnia in the back of a wardrobe.

Posted by: Chairman LMAO at April 18, 2026 05:56 PM (cWLG3)

26 Obviously a lot of those castles served their purpose since the still survive.

I think the Eltz castle is one of the few castles that were never conquered.

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 05:57 PM (0cOSz)

27 Or better yet, put a secret door to Narnia in the back of a wardrobe.
Posted by: Chairman LMAO at April 18, 2026 05:56 PM (cWLG

One of the advantages of being an adult is to be able to fulfill prior childhood wishes.

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 05:59 PM (0cOSz)

28 It's amazing what humanity can accomplish when they're not killing each other.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 18, 2026 05:54 PM (Fbc0I)

Castles were built to avoid being killed.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 18, 2026 05:59 PM (1Ff7Z)

29 I guess castles worked back in the day; marauders must have been impatient as a group; as I can't see how they could store enough supplies to sustain the group inside the castle if they were sieged for any length of time. Must of been more about making it hard to take valuables by force than for surviving what I think of as war actions.

Posted by: PaleRider at April 18, 2026 06:01 PM (+89TD)

30 Windsor being the oldest occupied castle at around 900 years. Will current civilization even come close to leaving such a mark?

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:02 PM (yAteE)

31 Heidelberg and Neuschwanstein are the only 2 I've seen in person. the former looks amazing at night.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 18, 2026 06:02 PM (YBtcQ)

32 By the way, thank you TRex for the thread.

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 18, 2026 06:03 PM (Sco7b)

33 Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:02 PM (yAteE)

I can only think of the Hoover Dam being a man made structure from the 20th century that will still be around in 900 years.

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 06:04 PM (0cOSz)

34 I made a castle for my kids to play with. It has a drawbridge and uses dowels for assembly. It is sized for toy medieval soldiers.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 18, 2026 06:05 PM (4Ib7A)

35 32 By the way, thank you TRex for the thread.

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 18, 2026 06:03 PM
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You're welcome! Thanks for being here.

Posted by: TRex - medieval dino at April 18, 2026 06:07 PM (IQ6Gq)

36 I can only think of the Hoover Dam being a man made structure from the 20th century that will still be around in 900 years.
Posted by: Harry Vandenburg

As there are plenty of ruins here from 1100 AD I'll bet there will be plenty.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 18, 2026 06:08 PM (YBtcQ)

37 When you look at the sites so many of these castles were built on ,the height of the turrets and all done with rope and tackle. The pyramids are even more astounding.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:09 PM (yAteE)

38 As there are plenty of ruins here from 1100 AD I'll bet there will be plenty.
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 18, 2026 06:08 PM (YBtcQ)

Structures built in the 20th century that will be around in 900 years is what we're talking about.

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 06:11 PM (0cOSz)

39 Once in a dream
Far beyond these castle walls
There by the bay
Where the moonlit water falls
I stood alone
While the minstrel sang his song
So afraid I'd lost my soul...

Posted by: Bad Andrew at April 18, 2026 06:12 PM (MSlZp)

40 Was thinking while eating, guess tower of London is a castle

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 06:12 PM (Ia/+0)

41
Structures built in the 20th century that will be around in 900 years is what we're talking about.
Posted by: Harry Vandenburg

Cement and rock will last a long time.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 18, 2026 06:12 PM (YBtcQ)

42 Konigstein Fortress in Saxony has never been invaded in over 800 years. It is indeed a fortress, and where many treasures were housed during WWII to protect them. I cannot imagine it ever being invaded, it is a monster!

Posted by: The Grateful at April 18, 2026 06:13 PM (IQ6Gq)

43 My interest in castles is historic and literary. The historical aspects involve the need for them (power), the mechanics (science), labor (society), military (logistics and weapons), and more. Even the idea of time and progress. It's a fascinating assemblage and concentration of factors.

The literary aspects, from Troy to Camelot to Norman England and German waterways, bring in the personal consequences of the historical factors. The Iliad and the Odyssey, the Aeneid, Conan stories, Where Eagles Dare, and many others.

Posted by: JTB at April 18, 2026 06:13 PM (yTvNw)

44 Ah ... my daughter and I visited many a castle during my stint overseas. I was stationed in Greece, and then transferred to Spain, and drove across Italy, Germany, France and then Spain. A lot of those places which we visited then, and again in a couple of summer road trips in Spain were in ruins when we visited them. The ones in Greece and Germany as well ... a lot of them smelled of pee, especially in the far corners. The especially ruinous ones which were open to tourists didn't have much in the way of conveniences for visitors.
So ... yeah, visitors went to the bathroom in odd corners. I will never forget visiting the ancient fortress on top of a crag outside of ancient Corinth in Greece, and surprising the heck out of an old lady hoisting her black skirt to take a dump in a far corner. (I think she was there minding a flock of sheep.)
Yeah, if a lot of these old castles didn't reek of pee historically ... they reek of it these days because there are no established latrines anywhere about the place. Save for the more remote corners.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at April 18, 2026 06:14 PM (Ew3fm)

45 Mid-evil is before the Later-Evil and after the Primeval

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 06:15 PM (Ia/+0)

46 I wonder about supply lines to a lot of these castles. Did they have defensible resupply provisions? The lack of wine would be killer.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:16 PM (yAteE)

47 Europe has some fascinating castles, and we visit every one when we are in the area. And each has it's own very long hike to the top. I swear, TRex was a billy goat in a previous life....

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at April 18, 2026 06:17 PM (IQ6Gq)

48 Since this is a smart military blog, castles either held strategic ground (such as the ability to control a waterway) or provided refuge for workers and farmers that supported a feudal lord that owned the land. Naturally, high ground makes defense easier.

If your castle looked difficult to conquer, perhaps the marauders would opt to move on. They didn't know how well you were stocked (supplies or fighting men and materiel). The best fight is one you don't have to wage.

Burg Eltz is a novelty. It was not built on high ground. Instead it was built in a valley that controlled a major trade route.

Posted by: TRex - strategic dino at April 18, 2026 06:18 PM (IQ6Gq)

49 I wonder about supply lines to a lot of these castles. Did they have defensible resupply provisions? The lack of wine would be killer.
Posted by: Ben Had
***********
We have wine cellars, they had wine buildings - where it was pressed, made, and then stored. I believe supplies arrived at most by horse/cart, although the one in Salzburg has it's own train to the top

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at April 18, 2026 06:19 PM (IQ6Gq)

50 I think being able to build a well or wells within a castle wall was a big advantage for location.

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 06:20 PM (0cOSz)

51 Meh. That is a lot to vacuum and dust.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 18, 2026 06:20 PM (RIvkX)

52 I only know reading military history of sieges, most fortresses were well supplied as they often were the hub of suppy lines.
But sieges can last a long time

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 06:20 PM (Ia/+0)

53 >>>Castles were built to avoid being killed.

Posted by: OrangeEnt

>As I type this, I'm watching MMA fights. It's our nature as a flesh and bone species to brutalize and dominate each other.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 18, 2026 06:20 PM (Fbc0I)

54 >Castles were built to avoid being killed.

Posted by: OrangeEnt

>As I type this, I'm watching MMA fights. It's our nature as a flesh and bone species to brutalize and dominate each other.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 18, 2026 06:20 PM (Fbc0I)

Might Makes Right

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 06:21 PM (0cOSz)

55 Castle Lords were the original preppers?

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:22 PM (yAteE)

56 Watched this morning a new video on the Bayeau Tapestry and they showed some castles from that period.

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 06:23 PM (Ia/+0)

57 Once upon a time ( SWIDT ) I stayed at the Ballygally Castle Hotel in Antrim, N. Ireland, and I got to stay in a room in the castle itself! The accomodations were not that luxurious, but IT WAS SO COOL spending the night in a real castle.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 18, 2026 06:24 PM (PiwSw)

58 I loved castles as a kid. And still do. Lego Castle was probably my favorite of all the lego themes. And I collected long enough that I had multiple castle factions. At any given point in time I would likely have a (custom built) Black Falcon castle, a Lion Knight castle, and a Dragon Knight castle. Then one of the castles would empty out, assault one of the other castles, and I would end up with a lot of decapitated minifigures and a half-torn-apart castle.

Which just meant I got to re-build the castle, or scrap it completely and build it anew! I wish I still had the time devote to simple joys like that...

Posted by: Castle Guy at April 18, 2026 06:24 PM (Lhaco)

59 I guess castles worked back in the day; marauders must have been impatient as a group; as I can't see how they could store enough supplies to sustain the group inside the castle if they were sieged for any length of time. Must of been more about making it hard to take valuables by force than for surviving what I think of as war actions.
Posted by: PaleRider at April 18, 2026 06:01 PM (+89TD)

The invaders also had a problem with supply lines and disease in camps. A lot of sieges were broken by winter when disease killed the besiegers and food was hard to come by.
The attacking force had to prevent reinforcements, and try to breach the walls before morale broke or the individual commanders took their soldiers home

Posted by: Kindltot at April 18, 2026 06:24 PM (rbvCR)

60 We don't really have castles here, do we? I mean, there is Hearst Castle in CA, and most of the ceilings were shipped from Castles or grand homes in Europe. But it is not medieval (yes, I know we were founded long after the medieval times - thank you God). So, we have many grand homes to visit, which are not as cold and stark.

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at April 18, 2026 06:25 PM (IQ6Gq)

61 Asian castles are pretty cool. Japan has a couple of famous ones .

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 06:27 PM (0cOSz)

62 >>Structures built in the 20th century that will be around in 900 years is what we're talking about

Some of the mansions in Newport should last a very long time. The Breakers, the Vanderbilt mansion, is entirely made of steel and stone. Built around 1900. It's got 70 room and is ridiculously ornate.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 18, 2026 06:28 PM (viF8m)

63 Neuschwanstein is a faux castle built centuries after real castles had become obsolete due to the disrupting technology of the siege cannon. It's steel and concrete, like a modern skyscraper.

The Romantics of the early 19th century did a lot of fakery designed to invoke a less heartlessly rational time.

That said, it's still worth a detour next time you're in southern Germany.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 18, 2026 06:28 PM (R+0al)

64 So, we have many grand homes to visit, which are not as cold and stark.
Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at April 18, 2026 06:25 PM (IQ6Gq)

The Vanderbilt Mansion on the Hudson feels a little bit like a castle.

Posted by: Harry Vandenburg at April 18, 2026 06:30 PM (0cOSz)

65 Thanks for the Castle theme for this week's hobby thread, T-Rex. I spent two tours in Germany in the 70s and 80s and spent a fair amount of time mucking around in them. On a recent cruise on Seine, I was able to visit the ruins of Richard I, the Lionheart's, Norman castle, Chateaux Galliard. What a site and what a view of the Seine River! The local beer still celebrates Richard and was very tasty after the climb up to the castle and back down.

Posted by: Retired, thank God at April 18, 2026 06:32 PM (va0Yo)

66 Best extant example of real high-period castle technology? Krak des Chevaliers, in Syria.

It's a crusader castle of the most cutting-edge design.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 18, 2026 06:32 PM (R+0al)

67 36 I can only think of the Hoover Dam being a man made structure from the 20th century that will still be around in 900 years.
Posted by: Harry Vandenburg

As there are plenty of ruins here from 1100 AD I'll bet there will be plenty.
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 18, 2026 06:08 PM (YBtcQ)

The Obama library of Doom will still be haunting whatevers left.

Also from AI - TUNNELS in Seige Warfare

Purpose of Tunnels in Siege Warfare

Tunnels have historically been used as a strategic method to undermine castle walls during sieges. This tactic allows attackers to breach defenses by collapsing the walls above, facilitating entry into fortified structures.

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 18, 2026 06:33 PM (Sco7b)

68 My dad's side of the family went back to Wales before coming to America. Somewhere in the lineage there we were tied to a castle that was taken by the British g'ment I think in the WWI era. We have a picture of it but I'll have to find it to see if it has any other information.

The real coincidence is I mentioned it in a comment on Don Surber's blog yesterday. Haven't even thought of it in decades.

Posted by: DanMan at April 18, 2026 06:33 PM (8uzBS)

69 Undermining Walls: Attackers dig tunnels beneath the castle walls to weaken their foundations.

Collapse Mechanism: Once the tunnel is sufficiently excavated, explosives may be placed to collapse the wall, creating an opening for troops to enter.

Surprise Element: Tunnels provide a stealthy approach, allowing attackers to bypass direct confrontations with defenders

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 18, 2026 06:33 PM (Sco7b)

70 Tunnels were Henry VIII's strategy at Bologna, was it not?

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:36 PM (yAteE)

71 We could do a Hobby Thread on catapults and trebuchets. What say you?

Posted by: TRex - artillery dino at April 18, 2026 06:37 PM (IQ6Gq)

72 Tunnels have historically been used as a strategic method to undermine castle walls during sieges. This tactic allows attackers to breach defenses by collapsing the walls above, facilitating entry into fortified structures.

---------

FUN FACT: Undermining and burning is what caused square corners in castle walls to become obsolete. Rounded turrets became the thing because they eliminated the vulnerable 45-degree angled corner.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 18, 2026 06:40 PM (R+0al)

73 TRex, great idea.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:40 PM (yAteE)

74 90-degree angled corner.

Whatever.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 18, 2026 06:42 PM (R+0al)

75 73 TRex, great idea.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:40 PM
***
Thanks! and thanks for being here.

Posted by: TRex - siege dino at April 18, 2026 06:44 PM (IQ6Gq)

76 Most of my hobby stuff this week has been reading. The temps have been in the 90s and our A/C died last fall so we're staying put with fans. (The new A/C is coming on Monday.) But I received two reading treasures this week. The first is a prose rendition of Spenser's "Faerie Queene" which is turning out to be wonderful. The second is Malcolm Guite's "Galahad and the Grail", the first of four volumes of his Arthuriad. It is in ballad form and is the first poetic epic of the King Arthur stories since Tennyson's "Idylls of the King".

I'll have more about them on the book threads but I can say these are as all consuming as LOTR. I'm in nerd heaven.

Posted by: JTB at April 18, 2026 06:44 PM (yTvNw)

77 I can only think of the Hoover Dam being a man made structure from the 20th century that will still be around in 900 years.
Posted by: Harry Vandenburg

Tour guide says it's expected to be still standing in 2500 years.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 18, 2026 06:46 PM (1Ff7Z)

78 I'm adding another expensive hobby: scuba diving. If all goes to plan and I don't drown, I'll get my open water cert in June.

Posted by: Bert G at April 18, 2026 06:46 PM (VARTN)

79 TRex, the Hobby thread is my favorite place to be on a Saturday evening. I only miss it due to circumstances.

Thank you for all your effort. Greatly appreciated.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:47 PM (yAteE)

80 Tunnels were Henry VIII's strategy at Bologna, was it not?
Posted by: Ben Had

Strategies about bologna and tunnels are, how you say, The Paolo's bread and butter.

Posted by: Paolo at April 18, 2026 06:47 PM (VHUov)

81 I can only think of the Hoover Dam being a man made structure from the 20th century that will still be around in 900 years.
Posted by: Harry Vandenburg

Tour guide says it's expected to be still standing in 2500 years.
Posted by: OrangeEnt

DDG-AI says the concrete in Hoover Dam should finish curing in 2061, 125 years after its completion.

Posted by: mikeski at April 18, 2026 06:50 PM (VHUov)

82 Taxonomy of German "Castles"

"Schloss"-- Think "palace." More ornate residence with zero to minimal military utility. Neuschwanstein, e.g.

"Burg"--Basic castle, generally owned by minor nobility in places of tactical significance. Greater military utility. Ruins of these everywhere.

"Festung"--"Fortress" Greatest military utility. Strategic location. Think WWI Verdun.

Posted by: RS at April 18, 2026 06:50 PM (SuU/K)

83 But I do have another castle anecdote:
I worked for a guy that made bank in the dirt bidness in the Houston area. He knew I had been a house framer before Mexico took that over. He was building a huge house in one the vichy enclaves inside the city. He wanted me to go act like an inspector while the crew was working.

So I walk in carrying a case for a soil density testing device and walked around like I was inspectigatin' and notice these guys waling away on a huge slab of thick wood with hammers and chains.

"Hey Bill, why were these guys abusing a big slab of wood in your new house?"

"I needed it for a door to my wine cellar" he said.

He had gone to France and bought a shitload of stuff from a castle that was being taken down and the piece they were beating on needed some patina to match the other double door to that cellar.

Posted by: DanMan at April 18, 2026 06:50 PM (8uzBS)

84 Little known factoid regarding security of castles are the total lack of plans. Not like would-be invaders cold just go down to the Building Commission and get a copy of the plans. Even to this day after a hundred years of study it is still almost impossible to get realistic (even if simplified) plans on any castle.
Look on-line and you'd be lucky to find tourist 'maps' that call out Entrance, Concessions, and Restrooms. Ikea stores have better plans for visitors.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at April 18, 2026 06:51 PM (/lPRQ)

85 I am in the process of turning the entrance of my third bedroom at the end of the hall into a secret entrance. I've found a company that makes bookcase secret doors.
Posted by: Harry Vandenburg

Traditionally, they killed the builders to keep it secret, so...

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 18, 2026 06:51 PM (diia5)

86 Thanks for the royal Hobby Thread, T Rex!

Lots of good castle information today.

Castles are fascinating. Saw a few in Germany along the Rhine River near Frankfurt. They are so much more impressive in person.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at April 18, 2026 06:52 PM (vrNzf)

87 86 Thanks for the royal Hobby Thread, T Rex!

Castles are fascinating. Saw a few in Germany along the Rhine River near Frankfurt. They are so much more impressive in person.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at April 18, 2026 06:52 PM
***
You're welcome! I don't recall the Hobby Thread ever being called "royal" before!!

Lots of good scenery on the Rhine and Mosel rivers, including the castles.

Posted by: TRex - riesling dino at April 18, 2026 06:55 PM (IQ6Gq)

88 Come up and see us sometime.

Posted by: Die Lorelei at April 18, 2026 06:55 PM (R+0al)

89 There are some who had piles of money to burn who trued to make as much of a castle they could.
Can't think of any but remember some.

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 06:56 PM (Ia/+0)

90 Still writing my SF romance, might be 20k words now.
Good thing I'm not married, the female MC is a best gurl so far, my wife would be jealous. Getting that across onto the page is hard though.

Posted by: gKWVE at April 18, 2026 06:57 PM (gKWVE)

91 "It's only a model."

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 18, 2026 06:59 PM (2GVsD)

92 Given the opportunity to build a home I would opt for a steel frame to support an inner an outer wall of concrete block set 8 inches apart filled with sand. All utilities would be conceald on an inner wall . All doors frames would be 6 ft wide.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:59 PM (yAteE)

93 91 "It's only a model."

--------

Shut up, Patsy.

Posted by: Arthur, King of the Britons at April 18, 2026 07:01 PM (R+0al)

94 Mrs Hi Desert wants to go see Dunvegan to see the Faerie Flag. Her side of the MacCleods are on the Isle of Lewis (she's related to Mary MacCleod, Trump's mother).

Her side of the clan wasn't on friendly terms with the Isle of Skye side for a long time.

Posted by: AZ Hi Desert (Gringo fuertemente armado-Tempus belli) at April 18, 2026 07:03 PM (ewm6S)

95 Little known factoid regarding security of castles are the total lack of plans. Not like would-be invaders cold just go down to the Building Commission and get a copy of the plans. Even to this day after a hundred years of study it is still almost impossible to get realistic (even if simplified) plans on any castle.
Look on-line and you'd be lucky to find tourist 'maps' that call out Entrance, Concessions, and Restrooms. Ikea stores have better plans for visitors.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at April 18, 2026 06:51 PM (/lPRQ)
---
Many of them grew organically over time. They'd start out with a simple one-building keep, then they'd expand over the centuries as the castle grew in strategic or political value.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 18, 2026 07:05 PM (gnNyN)

96 Given the opportunity to build a home I would opt for a steel frame to support an inner an outer wall of concrete block set 8 inches apart filled with sand. All utilities would be conceald on an inner wall . All doors frames would be 6 ft wide.
Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 06:59 PM (yAteE)

Stay with me here:

Old tractor tires and rammed earth...

Posted by: Joe Kidd at April 18, 2026 07:07 PM (nbLIj)

97 I have never traveled to the Old World, so the only "castle" I've set foot in is Castillo San Felipe del Morro ("El Morro") in San Juan. It's huge.

Interesting to see how they retrofitted parts of it for modern artillery and other military use during the World Wars. Though they had museum pieces from the Spanish colonization days on display, too.

Posted by: mikeski at April 18, 2026 07:07 PM (VHUov)

98 My son went to Ireland a number of years ago. Took pictures. I don't feel the need to see any castles.

Ever.

Not my bag.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 18, 2026 07:08 PM (AkEZC)

99 88 Come up and see us sometime.

Posted by: Die Lorelei at April 18, 2026 06:55 PM
***
We did. Don't you remember? It was a nice sunny day. We drank beer.

Posted by: TRex - driving was less perilous than boating at April 18, 2026 07:08 PM (IQ6Gq)

100 My favorite story about Hoover Dam: during construction, a worker's line broke and he fell headlong. The men on either side saw him fall, kicked away from the wall into freefall until they were below him and could catch him. And they saved him.

If this is a myth, please do not disillusion me.

Posted by: Wenda at April 18, 2026 07:08 PM (833ut)

101 Joe Kidd, Dennis Weaver did that when he built his house in New Mexico.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:08 PM (yAteE)

102 >>> All that remained was to install some glass. But there was a problem... what to put in the window of a medieval castle has nearly been resolved...maybe.

Tapestries.
They covered window opening with heavy curtains and drapes because it gets cold in stone castles.
And that is our window treatment history lesson of the day.

Warmer climates could use capice shells. (also spelled capiz).

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at April 18, 2026 07:09 PM (/lPRQ)

103 Back in another lifetime, before the internet, young geeks would design their own castles and friends would provide siege battles according to rules of whatever game was the flavor of the day. Many Mountain Dews and Doritos were consumed in those days.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 18, 2026 07:13 PM (Fbc0I)

104 Old tractor tires and rammed earth...
Posted by: Joe Kidd at April 18, 2026 07:07 PM (nbLIj)

Earthships have a lot going for them but they aren't as classy as adobe

Posted by: Kindltot at April 18, 2026 07:14 PM (rbvCR)

105 the earl of sandwich was the first man to place his meat between two slices of bread.

Posted by: cmeat at April 18, 2026 07:14 PM (R11M+)

106 Ben Had, why such wide door frames?

Posted by: Ronster at April 18, 2026 07:15 PM (LjEfn)

107 Kindltot, the Adobe is added to the finished structure.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:15 PM (yAteE)

108 The fairy flag was actually not that big, IIRC it looked to be less than two foot square. When I saw it the flag was hung on the wall behind glass.

Posted by: Lirio100 at April 18, 2026 07:15 PM (ky7/T)

109 Joe Kidd, Dennis Weaver did that when he built his house in New Mexico.
Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:08 PM (yAteE)

Yep, that's my inspiration. I also considered (with a couple like-minded visionaries) rice straw bales...

Posted by: Joe Kidd at April 18, 2026 07:16 PM (nbLIj)

110 Ronster, for easy of moving furniture in and out.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:16 PM (yAteE)

111 Our family's ancestral home in Old Blighty is Allington castle:

https://allingtoncastle.com/

We're descended from Sir Thomas Wyatt, Protestant martyr at the hands of Bloody Mary.

Posted by: Beverly at April 18, 2026 07:16 PM (UbW/g)

112 Joe Kidd, I have friends that have a straw bale house and it is lovely but that material decomposes after time.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:18 PM (yAteE)

113 We don't really have castles here, do we? I mean, there is Hearst Castle in CA, and most of the ceilings were shipped from Castles or grand homes in Europe. But it is not medieval (yes, I know we were founded long after the medieval times - thank you God). So, we have many grand homes to visit, which are not as cold and stark.
Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at April 18, 2026 06:25 PM (IQ6Gq)

Loveland Castle in Ohio was build by some dude over his lifetime. I met him once visiting on a Friday night.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 18, 2026 07:18 PM (Ai6WH)

114 it has a website if you google it.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 18, 2026 07:19 PM (Ai6WH)

115 111 Our family's ancestral home in Old Blighty is Allington castle:

Posted by: Beverly at April 18, 2026 07:16 PM
***
Wow. Stunning. Thanks for sharing. Need to look through the website more but wow.

Posted by: TRex - moated dino at April 18, 2026 07:20 PM (IQ6Gq)

116 My new hobby is whale watching.

I walk across the street. I bring my chair and a couple frosties, a sammich and my binoculars. There’s a whale watching app on my phone that will buzz if there are whales in the area. Tells me direction and type. So fun.

Today, there is a University of Washington beach volleyball invitational tournament going on. Lots of people. Lots of fit 20 yo women playing volleyball. Talked to a couple girls from Boise State. Lovely young women.

I have hope.

Posted by: nurse ratched at April 18, 2026 07:21 PM (A5RD0)

117 I remain astonished that the resources necessary to construct these things could be assembled. Materials, labor, skilled labor, etc. Money.

Mind boggling.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 18, 2026 07:23 PM (XeU6L)

118 Joe Kidd, I have friends that have a straw bale house and it is lovely but that material decomposes after time.
Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:18 PM (yAteE)
---
Ya gotta watch out for big bad wolves that huff and puff and blow yer house down.

Posted by: Three Little Pigs at April 18, 2026 07:23 PM (gnNyN)

119 Time to say thank you before the next act takes the Ace of Spades stage. Thanks for being here. New theme next week. Never know what the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) will pick... Thanks to polynikes and tankascribe for the artwork.

You don't have to leave but don't forget to stop by Club ONT later.

Posted by: TRex - watch tower dino at April 18, 2026 07:24 PM (IQ6Gq)

120 Joe Kidd, I have friends that have a straw bale house and it is lovely but that material decomposes after time.
Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:18 PM (yAteE)

Is it rice straw? Rice has a high silica content that doesn't break down...or so I seem to recall..

Posted by: Joe Kidd at April 18, 2026 07:24 PM (nbLIj)

121 Kindltot, the Adobe is added to the finished structure.
Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:15 PM (yAteE)

I am going to have to admit that I first studied earthships back in the 70's when they were still being designed for tires and sandbags and good intentions. They are more refined now, and do take a lot more engineering to build. They still mean, in my head, "lets put the wooden lintels in contact with the rammed earth walls because it is organic"

I like the inclusion of greenhouse elements in the design, and it calls out for low temperature geothermal too. But that worries me about massive condensation from the plants transpiring, which is also bad for the wood and adobe parts too.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 18, 2026 07:24 PM (rbvCR)

122 Was thinking while eating, guess tower of London is a castle
Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026

***
It was, I think, the British royal family's primary residence for several centuries. We think of it now as a prison, but it was a residence first.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 18, 2026 07:25 PM (fcdZC)

123 117 I remain astonished that the resources necessary to construct these things could be assembled. Materials, labor, skilled labor, etc. Money.

Mind boggling.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 18, 2026 07:23 PM
***
Absolutely agreed. Impressive on many levels.

Posted by: TRex - stone mason apprentice dino at April 18, 2026 07:26 PM (IQ6Gq)

124 Joe Kidd, I have friends that have a straw bale house and it is lovely but that material decomposes after time.
Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:18 PM (yAteE)

They last longer if they are raised up off the dirt by a foundation, and they do need to be sealed. My biggest worry is about mildewy hay since that is one of my worst allergies.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 18, 2026 07:26 PM (rbvCR)

125 Joe Kidd, it was made with wheat straw. Making sure the bales are very tightly baked makes a difference also. I will say the insulation factor is amazing.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 18, 2026 07:26 PM (yAteE)

126 Good work on your part as always, TRex!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 18, 2026 07:26 PM (fcdZC)

127 > My new hobby is whale watching.
----------
Years ago I worked for NOAA at a lab on the Monterey Bay. I'd go up on the roof when the weather was nice and could see the Gray Whales migrating north, or south, depending on the season.

"Whale spout!"

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 18, 2026 07:26 PM (AkEZC)

128 I think every hill in Germany has a castle on it.

Posted by: Reforger at April 18, 2026 07:28 PM (WYOCN)

129 126 Good work on your part as always, TRex!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 18, 2026 07:26 PM
***
Thanks! Appreciate everyone's participation.

Posted by: TRex - drawbridge operator dino at April 18, 2026 07:28 PM (IQ6Gq)

130 I'm back from dinner at a little diner in the Fort Scott historic district. A "smashburger" with cheese and bacon, a bottle of water (they are under a boil water advisory here), and a cup of ice cream came to $11.56. I left exact change and a $3 tip for the waitress, who said to me when I asked about leaving off the onions, "For sure!" I hadn't heard that expression out of a living human since 2001, since I left CO. I was at pains to tell her that, too, and to keep up the good work.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 18, 2026 07:29 PM (fcdZC)

131 fairy flag was actually not that big, IIRC it looked to be less than two foot square. When I saw it the flag was hung on the wall behind glass.
Posted by: Lirio100 at April 18, 2026 07:15 PM (ky7/T)

Clan lore says the flag has one more 'use' in it.

Posted by: AZ Hi Desert (Gringo fuertemente armado-Tempus belli) at April 18, 2026 07:32 PM (ewm6S)

132 It should be a requirement for all rich people to build castles.

Posted by: Reforger at April 18, 2026 07:36 PM (WYOCN)

133 Castles? Cool!
Got fitted for and purchased a new driver for golf hobby today. I am sure it's the equipment, not the operator that is the problem.

Posted by: scampydog at April 18, 2026 07:36 PM (41CYW)

134 Got fitted for and purchased a new driver for golf hobby today. I am sure it's the equipment, not the operator that is the problem.
Posted by: scampydog at April 18, 2026

***
They have to measure you, like with glasses or a business suit?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 18, 2026 07:39 PM (fcdZC)

135 Many Mountain Dews and Doritos were consumed in those days.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 18, 2026 07:13 PM (Fbc0I)

Companion Set's "War Machine" was fucking choice.

Posted by: gKWVE at April 18, 2026 07:39 PM (gKWVE)

136 Doggo alert on the Hobby Thread!

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at April 18, 2026 07:39 PM (IQ6Gq)

137 117 I remain astonished that the resources necessary to construct these things could be assembled. Materials, labor, skilled labor, etc. Money.

Mind boggling.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 18, 2026 07:23 PM
***
Absolutely agreed. Impressive on many levels.
Posted by: TRex - stone mason apprentice dino at April 18, 2026 07:26 PM (IQ6Gq)

In Egypt they think a lot of the labor was the farmers made idle by the annual Nile floods who would work in exchange for food and bennies while they were idle anyway.

There might have been similar slack periods in Europe in winter or early spring or after planting where similar deals could be made.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 18, 2026 07:40 PM (Ai6WH)

138 >>>Castles? Cool!
Got fitted for and purchased a new driver for golf hobby today. I am sure it's the equipment, not the operator that is the problem.

Posted by: scampydog

>Hah. Sometimes range balls work just as well as the top of the line pro series.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 18, 2026 07:40 PM (Fbc0I)

139 133 Castles? Cool!
Got fitted for and purchased a new driver for golf hobby today. I am sure it's the equipment, not the operator that is the problem.

Posted by: scampydog at April 18, 2026 07:36 PM
***
Perhaps hitting golf balls from the castle ramparts can qualify as a defensive military weapon?

Posted by: TRex - fore! dino at April 18, 2026 07:43 PM (IQ6Gq)

140 It was awhile ago that I did the tourist thing, but the White Tower in the Tower of London was built as the royal residence when the (Norman) kings spent more time in France. That's the building in the centre (sic).

By the time they had to move to London, because John was that much a twat, they had already built up a lot of the wall, including parts of the wall that weren't abutting the stenchy river. So the kings made those parts of the wall their home.

Later they realised (sic) that the Tower had a stenchy river, and figured they could just use it as a prison instead.

Posted by: gKWVE at April 18, 2026 07:43 PM (gKWVE)

141 WE HAZ A MOVIE MARQUE

Posted by: Skip at April 18, 2026 07:45 PM (Ia/+0)

142 I hate movies.

Posted by: Ronster at April 18, 2026 07:46 PM (LjEfn)

143 Polynikes … Ya did GOOD, brah! Excellent work!

Posted by: Dr_No at April 18, 2026 07:48 PM (ayRl+)

144 >>>Perhaps hitting golf balls from the castle ramparts can qualify as a defensive military weapon?

Posted by: TRex - fore! dino

>I can't even imagine what golf club designed for a dinosaur would look like. Pro Tip: It's all in the hips.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 18, 2026 07:50 PM (Fbc0I)

145 Castle building could occupy me for days, years even.

Posted by: Eromero at April 18, 2026 07:52 PM (LHPAg)

146 Castle building could occupy me for days, years even.
Posted by: Eromero

Especially if you're doing it all by hand.

Posted by: mikeski at April 18, 2026 08:03 PM (VHUov)

147 Biltmore House, best I can do locally:
https://shorturl.at/qEvuv
https://shorturl.at/ltbWa

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 18, 2026 08:11 PM (XeU6L)

148 Speaking of

How to build a castle. Timeline vid from BB2.
https://tinyurl.com/mr4yf8b6

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 18, 2026 08:15 PM (diia5)

149 Biltmore House
***********
That place is unbelievably beautiful. TRex took his Mom years ago, and her reaction was "I didn't even realize this was on my bucket list."

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at April 18, 2026 08:25 PM (IQ6Gq)

150 Evening, TRex and Hobby Folken. Worked on the '88 Chevy pickup all day today. Changed front brake hoses, and changed out front tires. Overhauled RH caliper; looks like I will have to do the left one, too. The "no start" issue resolved itself, like magic. I have no clue.

Hobby-related, sort of: took my .22 rifle (with its newly installed and zeroed scope) on a yard tour on the golf cart, and spotted a gopher, nailed same.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 18, 2026 08:38 PM (utfVc)

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