Creating the Central PlatformSo, it took me a while to choose which models to utilize to build the totem, but it probably took me longer to think exactly how I was going to build the means for the dwarves to ride the darn thing. What I finally landed on was utilizing a pair of "plastic peg thingees for bookshelves" (a technical term).
Plastic Peg Thingees for BookshelvesI'm not sure if these were really for bookshelves or not, but I found them in my workshop in my box of "miscellaneous small parts that might be useful in modeling someday". The plan was to use two of them to straddle the Totem with the "peg" parts sticking out away from its body. I figured the pegs could be integrated somehow in whatever means I come up with to mount the Totem Warriors. As you can see in the above picture, I have already modified the one on the left. I've shortened the "platform" section, as leaving it at original length would result in the platform being much too wide. I've also significantly shaved down the "peg"...and you will see why shortly.
I decided that it would be easiest if I could build small "mini platforms" on each side of the totem which the Totem Warriors could simply stand on. What I ended up using were a couple of stray parts I had from one of those kits you can buy for hanging mirrors and pictures...the kind of kit that comes with about 5,000 parts, but you really only need 2 of them. (This kit will come in handy several times).
Stray parts from mirror hanging kitAnd wouldn't you know it, the "peg thingees" and the "mirror hanging stray parts" fit perfectly together!
The miniature gods smile kindly upon me, and deem the parts will fit together perfectly Note at this point I had decided to cut off one "panel" of the metal piece. I thought about leaving it, which would leave a sort of "curtain" down from the mini-platform on either side of the Totem. That would allow for some creativity and decor, but it stuck out too far and just didn't look right. Instead I cut if off, and shaved down the adjoining panel to make the shallowest mini-platform I could. Also note that at this point I have also shaved down the triangular inner section of the plastic piece to better fit the contour of the Krung Beast.
(Side note: one of the best purchases I ever made was buying a cordless dremel tool and a whole bunch of attachments...I used it a lot for this project!)
So far so good...but there is still a lot of work to be done....