Flocking Sand.

[kyoteblue]

I am basing some 15mm fantasy figures I painted 25 years ago for a Conan type skirmish game when I couldn’t find the sand I use to flock the bases for a desert type look. I had to go to Lowe’s to buy 50 pounds of play sand to finish this project. The joys of miniature gaming.

Yes I know.

[Mike]

50 lbs?
That is quite a lot…

But huzzah for 15mm Conan style.

[kyoteblue]

It was the smallest bag they had, but it was only 5 dollars.

[Hafen von Schlockenberg]

Next time (although with 50 lbs, I doubt they will ever be a “next time”) try an aquarium store. Good ones carry sand in different shades, and smaller quantities.

I bought several bags of pebbles — very useful on bases, as a method of differentiating units in a subtle but easily identifiable way.

[Deleted User]

I went with aquariam gravel as well but they’re usually several order more expensive.

[kyoteblue]

I’m 66 so I should have a lifetime supply of sand.

 

[Thaddeus Blanchette]

I dunno, man. You could live well past 100

We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

[kyoteblue]

Dear Goddess, I hope not.

[Mr. Average]

There are a whole lot of bases out there that need flocking.

[Piyan Glupak]

I use the sand that they sell in bags at the builders merchant in the nearest small town.  On the plus side, it means that I have some that I can mix with cement and pebbles to patch-up holes in the cellar wall.

The sand that they sell by the cubic metre in the village that I live in is a little course for basing 15mm figures.  It isn’t bad for basing 25mm figures though, and is good for making concrete paths.

[Harry Faversham]

I keep mine at the bottom of the garden…

"Wot did you do in the war Grandad?"

"I was with Harry... At The Bridge!"

[ian pillay]

As Harry pointed out, I also got mine from the same garden about 15 years ago. Top it up every return trip 😉

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[Mike Headden]

So THAT’S what causes coastal erosion, it’s not wind, water and rising sea levels …. it’s wargaming!!! 😀

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Deleted User]

Mike Headden wrote:

<p style=”font-size: 16px !important; line-height: 20px !important;”>So THAT’S what causes coastal erosion, it’s not wind, water and rising sea levels …. it’s wargaming!!!

That’s the funniest thing I heard today. Thanks.

[Cerdic]

Tut tut Harry…

 

http://28mmreview.blogspot.co.uk

[kyoteblue]

This has gone in a wonderfully weird direction.

[Thorsten Frank]

50 pounds? Only? I opened my third 1okg pack birds sand on tuesday. And I started in oct ´´ 19 using this stuff…..
Despite being a true mess in many ways I can´ t get much cheaper.

"In strange grammar this one writes" - Master Yoda

[MartinR]

I also use builders sand, two 50lb bags of it in the garage… also handy when I need to do some minor building repairs.

When I make hills etc out of insulation foam, I seal it with PVA  an then flock the whole thing with sand before painting. Surprising quite how much sand you can get through doing stuff like that.

"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" - Helmuth von Moltke

[Who Asked This Joker]

50 pounds!?  That is a lot of basing!  Get busy, Mr!  😉

It does seem over the top at first glance but at just $5, you can gift some to friends and still make out like a bandit compared to the cost of the equivalent in model railroad products.

 

John

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

--Abraham Lincoln

[Darkest Star Games]

Honestly, I just go out in the back yard and dig up some dirt.  You can still paint it if needed, and it comes will all sorts of twigs and rocks and bits that really help it to look organic ( ha!).  In fact, for my Vietnam miniatures I use red dirt I grabbed off the side of the road in Oklahoma.  It’s the perfect color and again has all sort of bits in it that don’t need to be painted.  Works great!

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Cacique Caribe]

For 15mm I use super fine sand like the type sold at craft stores for sand bottle “sculptures”.  It is also found occasionally in the aisle that has vase fillers such as pebbles and glass beads.  The super fine sand comes to about $6 for a liter-sized bag.  I also use fine grout mixed in with it.  The grout was simply material left over from a tile job after Hurricane Harvey flooded our house.

Dan
Loads of WIPs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9593487@N07/albums/with/72157710630529376

[kyoteblue]

Thanks, everyone!!!

[Mr. Average]

Darkest Star Games wrote:

Honestly, I just go out in the back yard and dig up some dirt. You can still paint it if needed, and it comes will all sorts of twigs and rocks and bits that really help it to look organic ( ha!). In fact, for my Vietnam miniatures I use red dirt I grabbed off the side of the road in Oklahoma. It’s the perfect color and again has all sort of bits in it that don’t need to be painted. Works great!

Before using dirt you need to heat it up to kill off any organic material or it will grow mold and stink to high heaven. Please believe me that this is so. You’re far better off sticking with potting sand.

[Darkest Star Games]

Mr. Average wrote:

Before using dirt you need to heat it up to kill off any organic material or it will grow mold and stink to high heaven. Please believe me that this is so. You’re far better off sticking with potting sand.

  I’ve heard that, but yet to experience this.  I do not collect wet dirt, and if it is a little damp it gets dried out rather rapidly in the good old Texas heat!  I can imagine the results though of using something with a higher organic content that what we have around here, that could be both interesting and messy (especially if you’re allergic!).

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Author]

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