Cobblestone-printing

This mask can be used to etch a 0,3mm brass photosensitive sheet to shape. The only thing we need for the printing wheel is a piece of 4mm brass tube, an M3 bolt and nut and some washers.
The handle is recovered from a tool, bought at a needlecraft store: a little device used to copy cloth designs. It has a fairly large spur fitted, which w will replace by our printing wheel.

After etching, the parts can be cut out with a sheet metal clipper. In fact, the cobblestone printer only has two sorts of pieces: 40 little rectangulair parts, ready to be folded and three disks that, prepared to hold the smaller parts in place. The rectangular pieces have a folding notch, soyou can bend them to U-shapes.
Start construction with the large disk that's notched only at one side. Place a circle of 20 bent brass pieces with their opening facing outwards.

These pieces can be glued to place, but soldering is better. I used a small gas torch, soldering paste and bits of resin-core solder. After soldering this first layer, place the other large disk after checking its fitting. You will propably need to adjust things before soldering this second disk..

The second layer of bent pieces can now be alligned and soldered and the smaller disk can be mounted in place. We now just need to place an axis, made from a small piece of brass tubing. We might need to allign the centre holes, using a suitable drill. This tube is soldered to the home-made printing wheel.

The wheel needs some final tuning, in order to get all the metal shapes lined up. The wheel's outside should be level, so some filing is definitely needed. If the round shape isn't perfect after this, that isn't that bad: after all, cobblestone streets aren't layed perfect either.
The handle should be bent to hold the wheel, an M3-nut and bolt, and some washers, hold everything in place. Shape the handle until the wheel runs smoothly.

Practice with this tool to get the right feel for the pressure needed. Use the large disk side to run along a ruler. Other than on foamboard, this tool can be used on nearly-hard plaster or clay, too.
When printing angular cobblestone lines, e.g. to form a gutter, don't print to far: it's better to add some shapes with a piece of metal sheet than trying to erase overlapping impressions.

As shown on this picture, due to the small width of the printing wheel, fairly tight curves are possible.
After printing and before painting,, it is very likely you'll need to adjust things using a small piec of metal.

Painting was done in the classical order: primer, base tone, painting individual stones, washings, pastels and a finishing varnish.