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Display base??

Posted: July 15th, 2014, 5:40 pm
by DazDaMan
Right, I'm building a Spitfire for a veteran, and would like to put it on a base.

I have an old place mat (made from some kind of wood) and would like to put it on a grass/earth-kind of base. Something basic, but nice to look at, if nothing else.

Can anyone tell me the best/easiest ways to go about it?

Something like this, I suppose:

http://www.bowemodels.com/images/dioramas/job_done.jpg;

Re: Display base??

Posted: July 15th, 2014, 8:42 pm
by bluesteel
If you have Railway Hobby Shop nearby just go for some of the multi-colour flocks they use for grass and gravel. Spread on a thin layer of PVA, dust the flock on and shake off. Voilà! A grassy base. Sometimes I mix the flock with a little sand or gravel to give a rougher look and texture.

Re: Display base??

Posted: July 15th, 2014, 8:47 pm
by DazDaMan
As simple as that?

I'll schedule a visit to my local model shop at some point and have a look.

Re: Display base??

Posted: July 15th, 2014, 9:02 pm
by fredk
As bluesteel says. Or even simpler; model railway shops sell rolls of ready made grass carpets. Flock all ready glued to paper base for glueing down to your base. Once glued down a spray with a contrasting green in random mottle breaks up the same-ness.

Re: Display base??

Posted: July 15th, 2014, 9:19 pm
by iggie
The example looks like static grass to me; simple enough to do but you will need an applicator that applies a static charge to the grass to make it stand on end.
You can get them from fleabay easily enough, either manufactured specialist tools for £70 upwards, or there is a guy who makes his own and sells them for a lot less (he makes them out of electronic fly swatters!)
Here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Static-Grass- ... 35b853c54f

He does starter kits too that include a couple of packs of grass. It really does look good, I've used it on model railways to good effect!

Re: Display base??

Posted: July 15th, 2014, 9:35 pm
by DazDaMan
I've never even heard of that!

I'm going to go for the simplest/cheapest option for this one - especially as it's my first shot!

Re: Display base??

Posted: July 19th, 2014, 5:10 pm
by AndrewR
DazDaMan wrote:I've never even heard of that!

I'm going to go for the simplest/cheapest option for this one - especially as it's my first shot!

Always look at model railway sites - they have lots of information on scenery


http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Sc ... felt-grass;

cheers

Andrew

Re: Display base??

Posted: July 19th, 2014, 6:44 pm
by DazDaMan
I ended up getting a roll of Ready Grass from Hobbycraft yesterday - will see how I get on with it!

Re: Display base??

Posted: July 20th, 2014, 7:50 am
by fredk
One extra tip on that grass carpet; spray it with hairspray, [non perfumed if you can get it], - it tends to shed a few grass fibres occasionally.

Re: Display base??

Posted: January 1st, 2018, 9:44 am
by kprophater
Model railroad publications and forums are a great place to find modeling info. I think of model railroading to be the “Mother of all modeling.”

Re: Display base??

Posted: October 29th, 2021, 1:39 pm
by Tim Reynaga
Hi Daren,

If you are even slightly interested in diorama building, I strongly recommend picking up Shepherd Paine's 1980 How to Build Dioramas.

Image

If you were a modeler in the 1970s-80s you would have seen his model builds on the sides of Monogram model boxes. If not, then you must know that Shep was a master builder, and his works will absolutely knock your socks off! Still, he explains how to do things simply, explicitly, and with lots of drawings and pictures. I'm not sure if it is still in print, but you can find it used for US10-15 pretty easily. Do yourself a favor and pick up his book - it will become your modeling bible!

:grin:

Re: Display base??

Posted: December 30th, 2022, 6:37 pm
by Chuck E
I use cheap photo frames from the charity shop.

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