Gamera

Looks great Bakster! Glad you beat the shrinkage!!! 

Sounds good on the texture. They do make a texture paint now in spray cans. It looks like sand or something in the paint. Just spray it on the surface and you're done- it's like you put down a layer of glue and sprinkled with sand. 

 

Hey Gam, thanks. Thanks too about the spray on surface. I am interested. I will do some searching. 

Bakster

 

 

Gamera

Looks great Bakster! Glad you beat the shrinkage!!! 

Sounds good on the texture. They do make a texture paint now in spray cans. It looks like sand or something in the paint. Just spray it on the surface and you're done- it's like you put down a layer of glue and sprinkled with sand. 

 

 

 

 

Hey Gam, thanks. Thanks too about the spray on surface. I am interested. I will do some searching. 

 

Hey Gam, I didn't have much luck. If you know who makes it or link me to it, I will investigate. If not, that is Ok too.

Bakster, what I've been using is the Rust-oleum Multicolor Textured Caribbean Sand. It's basically as stated a sand colour but I've made asphalt by painting it dark grey and then adding a black wash. 

I normally put about two-three layers down but you can start with one and then add as it suits you. 

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/stops-rust/multicolor-textured

Hey Gam, thanks for the additional info. I like the idea of this being a paint. I will look for it and give it a try!

I suppose there are many ways to make rocks. Foam, bark, even natural rocks. I wanted something a little easier where it didn't require wasted time looking for the perfect pieces, or to fabricate something.

Below: I found this mold and I gave it a try. To make the casts I used the same Apoxie Clay used on the base. The stuff worked great. Mash it into the mold, let it cure, and out comes a piece with excellent detail. As well, I found the pieces easy to carve, sand, or file. 

Not sure yet how I will configure the pieces, but below is a possible option. Again, not a large footprint to work with here, options are limited.

An interesting side note. Or at least, I find it so. A few months back I re-subscribed to FSM magazine. It's been several years since I last let it lapse. The price was right, I figured, what the hey. The first issue I received had an article on dioramas. The main premace of the article is why not add a base to your model. We invest much time in our build, why not take it to another level. I wholeheartedly agree. What I found interesting is that the writer subscribed to doing them in compression. Basically, what I am doing here. Make the base a small footprint and strategically cram other elements into the scene, a sort of forced perspective. Also, the article talks about materials and interestingly, they mention Durhams, amongst other things.

I had not seen the article before starting this and to me, that is the interesting part. It's the serendipity of it. I found the article to be well done and informative.

Anyhow ... I am no expert with dioramas and for the most part, I am flying by the seat of my pants. Maybe it will look good, maybe it won't. I am keeping my expectations as low as I can.

End.

Bakster

there are many ways to make rocks

The late Peter, who had posted some cool stuff in Dioramas, had a technique using crumbled coarkboard which make for some cool rocks.

CapnMac82

 

 

Bakster

there are many ways to make rocks

 

 

The late Peter, who had posted some cool stuff in Dioramas, had a technique using crumbled coarkboard which make for some cool rocks.

 

That is interesting, Capn. Could be good for say smaller rocks maybe.

Those are working out well! 

I really like the captian's advice too! 

Gamera

Those are working out well! 

I really like the captian's advice too! 

 

I went to the hardware store today. My mission was to locate the textured paint Gamera mentioned. It was quite the adventure because I forgot my glasses. The entire row is dedicated to Rustoleum. It was three passes and with blurry eyes that I finnaly located it. I am glad that I did.

I sprayed the test piece and below is the outcome. For clarity sake, the bottom third had a thin layer of Durhams, the middle third nothing, and the top third was also Durhams but I added white glue. I tested it with white glue because I was concerned that Durhams might not adhere well to the base putty. I was covering my bases. In the end, I think the concern was unfounded.

All I can say is, wow! The paint did the job and then some. So much so, I might eliminate Durhams from the equation. If anything, if I do use it, it will be for the sole purpose of altering the topography. 

So, Gam, you sir, are the man of the hour. Thanks for mentioning this. It doesn't get any easier than this.

While I continue to work on the base, I turned my attention to the track assembly. Specifically, how will I mask the rims. I knew this would be the most problematic portion of the process, and it did not disappoint. I tried cutting circular Tamiya tape masks, then vinyl tape, and lastly, Bare Metal Foil. I could not get a good result with any of those. I came closets to achieving the goal using BMF but with the wheels being recessed, it was difficult to trim. I scrapped the idea using any of the mentioned.

What I came up with was to make a circular mask using styrene. I will paint the rims, mask the front face of the wheels, paint the tracks and most of the rubber tires, then remove the masking and one by one trim out the forward facing portions of the tires using the mask tool I made. I should be able to get a nice and tight wheel rim. That's the plan.

I think from here I will prep the base for textured paint.

End.

Bakster

The entire row is dedicated to Rustoleum.

Ah, their textured line has become pretty wide.  Some of the line are available at hobby places like Jo-Ann and Hobby Lobby; but thebest selections are the big box home imporvement places.

There are someinteresting effects that can be made by using a texture paint  for the texture, then applying a finish color for the effect.

Bakster

using the mask tool I made

That's a slick method, especially given how less-than easy those tracs are for painting.

Might be worth getting some Blu-Tak to mask the tires, for being able to "mush" it around the tyre surfaces a bit better.  Dunno, it's a thought, and, possibly, a touch easier than the ten fathoms of 5mm tape wanted.  Mayb.  Perhaps.

CapnMac82

Ah, their textured line has become pretty wide.  Some of the line are available at hobby places like Jo-Ann and Hobby Lobby; but thebest selections are the big box home imporvement places. There are someinteresting effects that can be made by using a texture paint  for the texture, then applying a finish color for the effect.

Indeed! They offer an impressive line of paint.

CapnMac82

That's a slick method, especially given how less-than easy those tracs are for painting. Might be worth getting some Blu-Tak to mask the tires, for being able to "mush" it around the tyre surfaces a bit better.  Dunno, it's a thought, and, possibly, a touch easier than the ten fathoms of 5mm tape wanted.  Mayb.  Perhaps

Thanks, Capn.  Btw. That is great thinking about the Blu tack. I just came back from Menards. They don't stock that brand but they have Gorrilla brand which comes in an off white. I bought it.

Serendipity continues. Your timing could not have been better with the blu tack. Not only will this help with the wheels, but it may just solve another problem I stepped into. More on that in post I will do shortly. 

You guys are bringing it.  Thank you.

So, last night I pulled the trigger and epoxied the rocks down. In my zeal, I didn't think things through very well. I have yet to texturize the base and that means, I must mask the rocks somehow. I tested using liquid mask on scrap rocks and though that works, the mask is a major pita to remove. As a result, I decided not to go that route. It was then I read Capns post about blu-tack and the light bulb went on. Yes, try using that. I have a piece with paint curing right now. I will give that a few hours and check it then. Pretty confident that will do the trick. My biggest concern was how corrosive this paint might be. I feared it might melt these masking materials, but it didn't melt the liquid mask. So, I have a high confidence that the Gorrila tack will be fine.

End.

Glad things worked out with the paint Bakster! Yeah, I've seen some the other stuff the Captian talked about but haven't gotten around to trying it yet though. 

Good luck with the masking! I've generally just sprayed a poster board with the texture paint and then when dry glued it to a wooden base and never masked it. I hope the masking works out well. 

Gorilla tack worked well. It was a bit gummy but nothing I could not deal with. The textured paint went well too. 

Towards the end of the build I will paint the sand and rocks. With this portion now completed, I am shifting gears. I will start work on the tracks.

End.

Looks good, it's all probably due to the spate of spring-like weather up there.

(It's scaring triple digits here, this last week, with heavy inversion domes to hold the humidity high, too--many complaints, but, this time last year we were into five weeks straight of 100+ )

Might be worth, on the next trip to Menards, to pick up a bag of sanded grout mix.  That dry powder has excellent texture for ground work dry, and will "set" nicely using 50/50 water/PVA glue.  A couple mounds along the track runs line wind-blown dirt might help with the present "float of the tracks.  Or not.

As wide as theose tracks are, IRL, they would "float" over most firm surfaces--whether IRL is "good modeling" is a more personal choice.