HELP ME!

I need to know what I should use to secure sand to a diorama base. I know that I can take white glue and water and put it in a spray bottle and spray it on there to sucure the sand, but it just comes out in a straite spray and not a fine mist. Is this right or am I doing something wrong, and should I just use my mixture how it is.?

Thanks.

Vintage AIrcraft

Oh and by the end of today my infamouse Lady Be Good Project will finnally come to a close and you can expect pictures either this week or shortly after this week.

You might check the bottle that you are trying to spray your mixture from. Some bottles are designed to shoot only a straight stream of liquid, not a mist. That sounds like your problem from what you describe. If it only shoots a stream and you don’t have another one around the house, check the Dollar General store. They have both styles (straight & mist) in 1 1/2 pint sizes for two for a buck.

On a side thought, I wonder if anyone has tried misting the white glue/water mixture with an airbrush? Might wonder over to the Model Railroader forum and ask. I’ve got a couple of really cheapo airbrushes people have given me over the years (use the bottles and nothing else) so I wouldn’t be out anything if it didn’t work.

The bottle that I am using is a windex bottle, so it is supposed to shoot out a mist.
But am I securing the sand correctly?

The method your using works with the mist. However I find that I blow more of the sand off than anything. What I do is use and old brush (good size one, like 1/4 or 3/8") and spread the diluted white glue where I want it. Then I sprinkle the sand/grass/gravel/etc. into the glue. I find this much easier to control without the “Hurricane Francis” effect.

Check this link, might be helpful.
http://www.swannysmodels.com/Dioramas.html

I usually put the glue down and then spread the sand over it. Let it dry. Dump off the sand and see if I need to recoat.
I also watched one of the railroad guys in my area and he just had the mixture in an old elmers bottle and flooded it over the ground cover he had put down.
Both ways seem to work.

Here’s what worked for me…

  • Poured some white glue into a receiving dish (pallet)
  • Using a foam paint brush, spread the glue on the base
  • Pour sand on the base and then shake off the excess
  • Repeat in spots not covered
  • Let dry 24 hours (it was quicker than that in Yuma, AZ) and touch up again if need be.

It’s basically the same principle used in grade school when we used glitter in art class. [:D]

Dragonfire’s idea definetly works, another thing you might want to try is elmers white glue in a spray, works pretty much the same way.