hey im building a LARGE modern desert armour diorama, ive e-mailed FSM but they aint replyed in a few weeks[:(!] so im askin you guys[;)]
i like the M-109 paladin and m60 patton models but i have no clue how the make the desert. im gona have a small US base a squad or two of infantry with about four tanks. i know most dioramas are quite small. but i want to have a actual seen. Do u know any links i can go to for help
or just some of your ideas.
thanx
You might want to have a look at the diorama forum here at the FSM site![;)]
Tons of great ideas there.
What would you like to know specifically?
specifically i want to know the best way to make the desert base, like is it better to use your own sand, like from a beach, or is it better to buy special sand
Welcome to FSM Chris.
Here’s a link to this very discussion. It is found in the Diorama Forum which will have many othre answers for you.
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8195
Hope this helps a bit, enjoy the forums !!
Ooops! I forgot to say welcome!
Welcome to FSM, Chris!
I hope you find what you’re looking for.
Enjoy![:D]
M-109’s and M-1’s in the same dio? My only question is which commander messed up? Really welcome! Sand from a home center would be better because it is clean. On a tight budget some fine saw dust might work also. With a coat of paint of course. One thing though. You have to decide whether or not the M-109 is “in place” or traveling. I say this because it is “a part of me” that the spades need to be used on the gun while in a firing postion. That may not be true anymore so I’ll shut up now Bob
Ok thanks all
Welcome to the forum Chris. Good luck on your diorama.
mark956
First, welcome to the forums.
Secondly, I have dabbled with some model railroading, and the guys from that hobby have really got landscaping down. I would suggest going out to the back yard and getting some sand//dirt and put it in a bucket. Next dry the sand out completely by baking it for a short time on low heat on a cookie sheet. Now, use a sifter to separate the different sized grains of sand. I have a couple different sifters that I use to separate different grades of sand. You should end up with dirt, that actually looks like dirt (don’t worry about the color yet) and not that stuff that’s all the same size that you get at the hobby store.
I would suggest making a base with plaster first and let it dry completely. Then spread white glue over the plaster and then finally sprinkle on the sand. The sifter works great for this too. Let the glue dry, then I usually liberally spray a mixture of white glue and water (about 10 to 1 water to glue) over the sand just to make sure everything stays put. An old windex spray bottle should work great for spraying. At this point, paint your base with the appropriate sand color. You can add washes, and dry brushing if you wish, and few spars plants should be easy to add on.
This is a relatively CHEEP way to make any kind of a base and the results can be very good, but it can be a little time consuming. If you are looking for more ideas, or need some clarification I would highly suggest going to your local Model RR shop, and ask some of the old farts for ideas. Every Model RR shop I have been in has old farts with a LOT of knowledge that are more than happy to help you out.
Good luck,
edog
That’s easy…both are broken down being worked on. [;)]
Or storage areas like the one in Qatar.
“The warehouses once stored hundreds of M-1 Army tanks and artillery.”
I believe original post mentions the M60.
In regards to references, spend a couple hours doing a Google search for pictures of the troops in Iraq or for pictures from Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Look up some Army sites. They’ll have plenty of pictures.
One comment about sand, you’ll probably want to use the finest grain sand you can possibly find, especially the smaller you go in scale.
Thanks for the correction David. (did you really need to point it out?) 
But yes really fine sand for scale.
I can never pass up the opportunity to get one up on a gun bunny. [;)]
Oh, and before someone takes that the wrong way…a gun bunny is slang for soldiers manning the artillery pieces. 13B = Cannon Crewmember
Dude,
Here is how I make my desert bases. I use picture frames for my bases.
I then apply paper clay on top to form the base. (The clay is available at Micheals craft stores). Then I take craft sand(Also available at Micheals)
and apply this to the hardened clay using spray glue. The sand is similar to the stuff sold in hobby shops for train setups. It looks great.
Keep on modelling!!!
LOL Dave! Not hopping mad yet. At least I don’t say ( or didn’t) “ribbet- ribbet” ( towed artillery) Bob
ps I really need an M-109, M-548, M-577… well maybe not?
yeah, no more spades to fire with the paladin, just the e-break and the engine eidled up to 1000rpm for the hydro power.
aaahhh the good ol’ 548, just pull the D rings and see what happens they said…
gun bunny = cannon crew member = redleg = KING OF BATTLE!
God also works?
First off all you Army guys just need to remember that RANGERS LEAD THE WAY …ALL THE WAY!!! Also SCOUTS OUT!!!.
Seriously , All of the Ideas sound really easy I will have to try it out with my Dio. An M-88 recovering an IDF m 113. I will let you know how it turns out!
Hobby Chris welcome Sorry I forgot to say that first!