Check out these balls (1 Viewer)

[Alexdakar]

I was at Michaels craft store with my daughter and I found these 1/4 inch wood balls. I thought to myself these would make great cannonballs for my Alamo diorama.

This packet cost around $1.20 for 18 wood balls.

For this little project only a few items will be needed.

First glue two balls together with white glue.

I found out that a toothpick helps with the gluing. Just add a little dab of glue with the toothpick.

 

[Alexdakar]

There should be a 3 x 3 row for the base of the cannonballs.

Then a 2 x 2 set of cannonballs.

Both sets were glued together and then one last one on top.

Next is the painting part.

 

[Alexdakar]

I painted the whole stack in matte black.

The final piece is to dry brush some Gun metal color paint.

Here it is in the diorama.

 

[1879fanatic]

Alex,
Excellent tip! Are'nt the arts & crafts stores great for finding stuff to use? Great paint tip as well. Thanks .
Mike

 

[Spitfrnd]

Very good tip indeed, thanks Alex.

 

[theBaron]

Great title, Alex!

Yes, Michael's and AC Moore and other craft stores can be a gold mine of materials for us. Michael's is running a 40%-off sale through tomorrow, too.

Prost!
Brad

 

[fishead19690]

Cool idea Alex! From the title of the thread I thought you were going to post a link to Capital Rons ebay page or something??? Just kidding Ron!

 

[sceic2]

Alex, your choice of a title for this thread has caused me to struggle with myself over the appropriateness of a really bad, but funny, posting that refers to … well I think you know where this one is going.

 

[mestell]

Great tip and excellent step-by-step pictorial. Very helpful to those with artillery units. I go to Michael's Craft Store more and more for my diorma needs - more oftenm than not, my purchase receit has a 40% to 50% off coupon on a single item good for a week - keeps me going back. I have also found that JoAnn Fabrics (they also carry craft materials) is another good resource for diorama materials.

Mike

 

[Col. Hesler]

Amazing what the mind can make up with just a little imagination.

 

[Tiger Tank]

WOW you have some nice balls there. Looks great

 

[Alexdakar]

Why thank you and for those people who only have one ball here is another painting tip.

To paint one cannon ball you will need a toothpick and some superglue.

Add a tiny drop of superglue at the end of a toothpick or matchstick and place a wooden ball at the tip and hold for a few seconds.

Once it drys it will make the wooden ball easier to paint than holding it with your fingers and getting messy. So paint it black.

Then dry brush with Gun metal paint.

Let it dry then break it off the toothpick and paint black the part where the toothpick was glued to.

That's it.

 

[noli-poli]

Great Balls of Fire!

 

[Gustavflyer]

Alex the ball breaker!!!

 

[Alexdakar]

Alex, your choice of a title for this thread has caused me to struggle with myself over the appropriateness of a really bad, but funny, posting that refers to … well I think you know where this one is going.

So Michael are you saying you don't have the balls to post on this thread.

 

[sceic2]

So Michael are you saying you don't have the balls to post on this thread.

DUH, OK, I was trying to be civil but I can bring the animal out when I want to, so here it is...
Alex, you old ball painter you.
Alex, I have never met anyone who painted their balls.
Alex, what is the motivation behind painted balls?
Alex, how do you keep the chaffing down on your painted balls?
As Jimmy Duranty said, "I gota million of um!"

 

[bromhead]

nice ones and sized right

 

[Scott]

Ball Breaker question.......how is the size compared to the bore of your cannon model. I can't see from the photos.

 

[Alexdakar]

Ball Breaker question.......how is the size compared to the bore of your cannon model. I can't see from the photos.

The cannonball is a little bigger than the bore of the cannon. You could always use some other material but the painting technique should be the same.

 

[Scott]

Alex,

Thanks! You can make a whole magazine of cannon balls with your method. Too expensive to buy multiple sets that include cannon ball stacks.