Gah!

[TehMac]

So I am trying to build a scale model of Tiryns, and I'm not going solely by This but it's good help. I have the scale down, 1:350, and the walls will be a bit taller, and the hill I made is a bit taller, but I am having a devil of a time with the actual stone walls. I basically used garden rocks. smashed them small into maybe 1/4 of an inch, but the shit isn't sticking.

I have tried using: vinyl patching compound, Grout, Cement, another type of cement, and I'm at my fucking wits end.

I started to make some cement, let it set, and in the process it became rather like clay, and I tried sticking stones in there, which kinda works, but it looks like shit. It's so frustrating. Any suggestions?

 

[se7en]

3minute epoxy

2000 lbs psi

 

[TehMac]

3minute epoxy you say? Why that?

 

[Lonyo]

PVA.

 

[se7en]

Originally posted by: TehMac
3minute epoxy you say? Why that?

-Its fast
-as it dries it will get sticky so you can make adjustments to position
-when it dries that shit isnt moving
-its cheap
-doesnt make a huge mess
-it works on almost any surface

 

[John P]

Dude,

For the stone walls just take some balsa wood and coat it with a thin coat of spackling compound. Carve the stone pattern in with an exacto knife before the spackle dries. For the base/streets/ground just coat with a watered down white (elmers) glue solution and sprinkle sand and fine gravel down and wait for it do dry. Spray paint and your done.

 

[TehMac]

Originally posted by: John P
Dude,

For the stone walls just take some balsa wood and coat it with a thin coat of spackling compound. Carve the stone pattern in with an exacto knife before the spackle dries. For the base/streets/ground just coat with a watered down white (elmers) glue solution and sprinkle sand and fine gravel down and wait for it do dry. Spray paint and your done.

Ermm, no thanks. I want this to be as authentic (or as close to the real thing) as I can.

I'd ordinarily take your suggestion, but I think I'm going to Ace to get some Crazy Glue.

 

[John P]

Ermm, no thanks. I want this to be as authentic (or as close to the real thing) as I can.

Hmmm, I've built lots of dioramas and that's the method I learned in books/magazines, etc. You can make some pretty realistic looking stone walls that way with a little effort. Post some pics of what you're trying to do if you can, I'm not quite picturing it.... How big is the total layout?

I haven't actually done much of this in a while so I did a quick google search, here's a cool page that may give you some ideas. Looks like mainly foamcore stuff coated with spackle

Structures for Colonial Gaming

Here's another site kind of explaining what I was suggesting (basically carving your own stone pattern into the spackle):

Modular Castle

Have fun!

 

[TehMac]

Originally posted by: John P

Ermm, no thanks. I want this to be as authentic (or as close to the real thing) as I can.

Hmmm, I've built lots of dioramas and that's the method I learned in books/magazines, etc. You can make some pretty realistic looking stone walls that way with a little effort. Post some pics of what you're trying to do if you can, I'm not quite picturing it.... How big is the total layout?

I think the total perimter is around 6 feet. The walls are going to be about .87 of an inch, and about 1.5 inches tall.

 

[TuxDave]

I can't believe you're actually trying to use stone to build a mini-stone wall. I was going to say use something cheaper and easier to form like form so you can cut and shape it easily and then add texture to that later to make it look like stone.

I mean, if this was a hobby project with unlimited time, yeah you can do the most authentic thing and do lots of detail but with a school deadline etc... I dunno if you'll finish in time without removing details from other parts that can benefit from the time.

 

[John P]

I think the total perimter is around 6 feet. The walls are going to be about .87 of an inch, and about 1.5 inches tall.

So, it sounds like you've got tons of tiny little walls. Sounds like a lot of work. Perhaps cork or balsa wood walls and some of that spray spackle stuff to coat it once it's all set in place. Then jam the rocks in the spackle before it drys. Then a coat of clear lacquer (or some sort of spray to watered down adhesive) followed by a coat of spray paint to hole everything in place?

Just some thoughts....

 

[Throckmorton]

If you build that wall stone by stone, it will either take forever, or the stones will be too big for the scale and it won't look right anyway.

 

[BoomerD]

I hated model building for my architectural classes, even though most of it was foam-core board and balsa/bass woods.

 

[TehMac]

Originally posted by: TuxDave
I can't believe you're actually trying to use stone to build a mini-stone wall. I was going to say use something cheaper and easier to form like form so you can cut and shape it easily and then add texture to that later to make it look like stone.

I mean, if this was a hobby project with unlimited time, yeah you can do the most authentic thing and do lots of detail but with a school deadline etc... I dunno if you'll finish in time without removing details from other parts that can benefit from the time.

I have a lot of time, frankly. Two weeks off, gonna power through it.