How to apply the "snow"?

And that seems to settle that. For me at least.

DO NOT--I REPEAT--DO NOT USE BAKING SODA FOR SNOW!!!!!

Seriously, guys--this is NO LIE. Sodium Bicarbonate--"Baking Soda'--is waaay too chemically "active" to be mixed with modeling products.DO NOT USE IT--YOU RISK DISASTER.

I'll tell the story again. A decade or more ago, I used to use baking soda to simulate rust by mixing it into Testor's enamel paints. I even used it for snow on a diorama that I was so proud of.

About two years into my modeling fever, I started noticing that the mufflers and tracks and anything "rusted up" had started to ooze out this resinous, oily gunk in droplets all over the pieces where it the baking soda had been used. It was impossible to get rid of--I'd blot it off wit a tissue, and it'd come back. You couldn't wash it away. It ruined almost all of my collection at that point.Additionally, the snow on the diorama turned a sickly yellow. It looked awful.

I contacted both Testor's and Arm & Hammer. We finally came to the conclusion that the sodium bicarbonate had somehow reacted with the paint and was breaking down the paint and its carrier.

In any case, "baking soda" will attract bugs; it can ruin your models if you use it in the paint, and in this day of advanced modeling products, you'd be crazy to risk the consequences.

I use Woodland Scenics snow powder. It works really well, and can be put down with glue, hair spray, spray adhesive--and a light coating of talcum powder even looks great over it to get a better "scale" appearance.

Yeah, and I know that there will be guys who say "I've used it for so-and-so years, and I never had a problem with it!"  --that's great. But hey, it ruined my collection. You want to take that chance? It's your choice.

You can check out my snow tiger in January issue of FSM, i used Woodland Scenic snow there
as well.

Hi Guys

i used woodland scenic snow on my dio.it's 3 yrs old and no yellowing.

Leon

I'll have to see if I can get the Woodlands scenic snow shipped down to me.

Meanwhile, I'll follow your suggestion and experiment with the baking soda a bit to see what I can do.

Thanks all for the great advice.

Dan

Electric, i really have no idea on that. Haveing not used clear lacquer, its not something i am familar with. I can only say go for it and see what you think. The result i got from bakeing soda on a 35th dio great

I liked the way it clung to the brick work and it was very easy to add foot prints. But it needs replaceing now for a number of reasons and i just figure i might as well try something designed for the job. If the wood lands scenics snow does as good a job i will be very happy.

Morning all

I've only done a couple of snowy dio's but I use Woodland Scenics snow, it covers really nice and you can spray some scenic glue to seal it. I don't know if it will yellow in time but only time will tell so to speak

This is 1/72 and it was the first one I tried.

Mark

Thanks!

How do you feel baking soda and perhaps crystal clear lacquer would work? I have a small dio I'd like to start but am waiting until I can learn to model snow.

Now thats the question. But it was the only thing i could think of to hold it down. how ever, i also learnt after i had used it that over time it can damage plastic. It has been 5 years and so far it seems ok, but seeing as it needs redoing anyway, i am going to try something else.

Bish

I used it on a dio a few years ago and i just sprinkeled in with my fingurs. I think i sealed it in with hair spray. It looked great at the time, but has yellowed a bit and looking the worse for wear. So i plan on replaceing it soon with something else.

Bish,

Did the baking soda yellow or the hairspray?

BTW, never eat the yellow snow.

I used it on a dio a few years ago and i just sprinkeled in with my fingurs. I think i sealed it in with hair spray. It looked great at the time, but has yellowed a bit and looking the worse for wear. So i plan on replaceing it soon with something else.

Give white silicone caulk a try. I haven't tried it but I thought it might work well, especially if it is white. 

Signed up.

Interested in making realistic snow as well.