Recent content by kchildress


  1. K

    Attaching Structure to Diorama Base

    And this is how that looks installed into the diorama base. This gives a good idea of the slope in my topography.
  2. K

    Attaching Structure to Diorama Base

    I wanted to share how my idea of a rigid mount for my structure has evolved. I cut a hole in the foam to get a precise measurement from the foam surface to the bottom of my diorama base. I decided on a T-shaped rigid mount, at 2-1/4" tall, which I cut from the heart of a 2x4. I haven't...
  3. K

    Painting Balsa Wood - Seal it First?

    No sir, I don't. I know that's what I need for this project, and others, but its just not in the budget right now. I've rear about the technique you explained and that sounds very interesting. Can you tell me about the actual type of paints you've used like that? Are they enamels, or other...
  4. K

    Painting Balsa Wood - Seal it First?

    Ash, as I mentioned, I won't be sealing the balsa. My questions relate to paint.
  5. K

    Painting Balsa Wood - Seal it First?

    Yep, been there along with every other place like it. No spray acrylics at any of them. So it brings me back to my original questions ... In the absence of spray acrylics for modeling: Lots of people explain they just use "cheap rattle can sprays", but no specifics on what that is. I don't see...
  6. K

    Painting Balsa Wood - Seal it First?

    I've got a dilemma. There doesn't seem to be a can (or three) of pure white acrylic model spray paint on the North American continent. I'm looking for others to share their experiences with painting balsa with spray paints other than acrylic. I've read dozens of threads on this topic and I...
  7. K

    Painting Balsa Wood - Seal it First?

    GeeTee, Your comment is exactly the type of stuff I hoped to hear. I had assumed it the other way around - that using something like that spray shellac would help retain the detail of wood grain. And I definitely used wood to make sure it looked like it was built of wood! Thanks for the...
  8. K

    Painting Balsa Wood - Seal it First?

    Local Home Depot says they have 3 can of this. I'll post a few photos of my tests. Kevin
  9. K

    Painting Balsa Wood - Seal it First?

    JazzDad, wvg_ca, and Sherrel D., Thank you all for the ideas. I'll definitely take the pre-sealed route, but there will be no sanding. The clapboard is only 1/8" spacing so sanding would be too tricky. I've been racking my brain for what to seal with and aerosol shellac is the best thing I...
  10. K

    Painting Balsa Wood - Seal it First?

    Looking for advice with painting balsa wood on buildings. Being as soft as it is, I have a feeling the wood will soak up paint like a sponge. I mostly curious if the wood should be sealed with something prior to painting. I'll be using these 1/16"-thick clapboard siding panels. My plan is to...
  11. K

    Attaching Structure to Diorama Base

    Back again to share an idea that came to me for attaching my structure to the base. You'll see in my original images that my floor is a T-shaped piece of wood. That represents the house footprint only and does not include the porches. I've had to remake that floor a couple times due to...
  12. K

    Attaching Structure to Diorama Base

    T.C., BRILLIANT!!!! And man, does that solve some problems that I was not looking forward to solving. I had planned to excavate the foam ~1-in. deep to get the brick piers deep-ish into the foam, and then filling the void/s around the piers with some sort of adhesive/glue filler...
  13. K

    Attaching Structure to Diorama Base

    Dennis461, That doesn't exactly address my problem. But, thanks.
  14. K

    Attaching Structure to Diorama Base

    Looking for ideas on placing a structure onto the diorama base. The base is carved from XPS foam insulating board shown in the first image - you'll see a gentle curve in the base from front-to-back which copies to topography of my landscape. The second image shows a concept floor of the...
  15. K

    Weather/Water-proofing XPS Diorama

    Same topic as above ... new question: Does anyone have experience with foam coat products from Hot Wire Foam Factory? In particular, their Create Coat and / or Exterior Foam Coat? Thanks.



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