Putting Your Tips Into Action (1 Viewer)

[mestell]

Hello Ken. I had the day off from work today, and wouldn't you know it, its been raining here in Wisconsin all day. So I decided to go shopping for some items you discussed in your Diorama Building clinics at the Chicago OTSN show. I purchased a bottle of Elmer's All Purpose White Glue, a Tru-Form rasp, a Japanese style pull saw, and a 2"x12"x36" piece of floral cell foam. Using these materials and the notes I took during your clinic, I have been working on my "Fall of Acre, 1191" diorama where I want to place my JG Miniature Oasis, Desert Rock Outcropping, Richard the Lionheart's Campaign Tent, and my K&C Catapult and related figures.

This couldn't be any easier and it certainly isn't terribly messy. Here are pics of what I have been able to accomplish in a relitively short time. The next step will be to use Activa Celluclay to cover the floral foam, etc.

Thanks again for all your gracious help.

Mike

 

[thebritfarmer]

Well it looks good so far Mike. What a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Look forward to seeing the progress on this one.

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Hi Mike!
Now I know were the rain came from today...it was beautiful this morning but now it is grey and rainy. It's great to see you working on some new displays for your wonderful collection of Crusaders and Saracens. The JG items will certainly speed up the progress and when tied together with your groundwork will be very natural looking.
You might want to prime the raw MDF before you add any of the groundwork or glue to minimize the possibility of warping. It is still not too late by the images you have posted. I hope you plan on showing us your continued progress too!
Ericka and her Mom have spent the last couple of days making hedgerows and the other room looks like a mini forest right now! I will try and post a couple of images in the next few days.
Keep up the great work!
Ken Osen

 

[mestell]

Hi Mike!
It's great to see you working on some new displays for your wonderful collection of Crusaders and Saracens. The JG items will certainly speed up the progress and when tied together with your groundwork will be very natural looking. You might want to prime the raw MDF before you add any of the groundwork or glue to minimize the possibility of warping. Keep up the great work!
Ken Osen

Thanks Brit Farmer and Ken. That's not MDF Ken. Its 3/8" plywood fastened down to framed bench-work similar to how one would build a model train table. The "table" is fastened into a corner in my basement "office". The top has been given several coats of a very good interior latex paint. Size is 72"X30". I've been "playing" around with how I might place the date palm trees I have - not permanent yet, just imagining what might be. Here are a few more pics.

Mike

 

[OzDigger]

Hey guys, how stable is that green floral type foam. I have thought of using it but it seems to fall apart easily. Maybe they use different stuff in the US.

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Hi there Oz!
I am guessing that the floral foam you might be referring to is the 'Oasis' type that is used to hold water to keep arrangements longer. This is uualy the same colour green but is very fine and crumbles easily.
The open celled styrofoam that you see in Mike's diorama is very stable and I use it rather than the dense pink or blue home insulation foam that everyone else seems to use. This floral type of styrofoam comes in green and also white and is used for dried flower arrangements and works very well for scale model scenics.
Mike...good news about the substructure you are using. You are doing everything right. I was concerned that the surface I was seeing was unprimed material, and was trying to head any problems off at the pass!
Ken

 

[mestell]

Hey guys, how stable is that green floral type foam. I have thought of using it but it seems to fall apart easily. Maybe they use different stuff in the US.

Hey OZ - The floral foam is very durable and made a nice light weight foundation. Its a lot easier to work with than white foam bead board or the extruded blue/pink foam board. I used the pull saw to rough cut the general shapes I wanted and then used the Sur-Form rasp/shaper to make the contours. I did all of the cutting and shaping over a trash can - very easy to do and not much of a mess. Like Ken said, there is a water floral foam - stay away from that stuff. What I am using and what Ken recommends is the open cell floral foam that is used for dried flower arrangements. It comes in many different deminsions, sizes and shapes. Here in my neighborhood it is available at Michael's Craft Store, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and many floral shops.

Mike

 

[Leadmen]

Nice diorama and progress Mike. I enjoy viewing your work. I noticed what Ken said about the floral foam. I think I bought the wrong type. I better check at Michael's to see if I got the right stuff. I did prime my boards and got my stuff ready to try soon. I also made some scene out of the large foam board but did not landscape it yet. Are the saws different then hobby or key hole saws? I will look for one. Right now I was using my old fillet fishing knife. Well. guess I better try soon to make something. John

 

[marco55]

Mike,
could you put a picture of the rasp and saw on so we could see them and what did yiu actually use them for.
Mark

 

[OzDigger]

Ken & Mike, thanks for the clarification on what type of floral foam to use. I suspect that in Australia I should have a better chance of getting the floral stuff than the sheets of insulating foam. Which I haven't been able to track down, largely due to our wonderful warm climate

 

[mestell]

Nice diorama and progress Mike. I enjoy viewing your work. Are the saws different then hobby or key hole saws? I will look for one. Right now I was using my old fillet fishing knife. Well. guess I better try soon to make something. John

Hello John and Mark -

The saw Ken recommended in the diorama clinics was a Japanese style "pull saw". The one I purchased today is made by Marples and I bought it at The Home Depot, about $12.00 (7.25" blade length). I also bought the rasp/shaper at The Home Depot, about $3.00 - it is made by Stanely and is a Sur-Form #21-115.

The saw cuts when drawing it back (on the "pull") and makes a crisper less messy cut. I used the saw to cut the foam into the basic shape I wanted it in. I then used the rasp/shaper to contour the foam into the final shape I desired.

Here are some pics of the tools.

Mike

 

[Leadmen]

Thanks Mike for the tool pictures. I will look for that saw. John

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Hi again!
Although almost any tool, including kitchen knifes will work to shape this type of foam, but you will find that the tools that I recommended in the Chicago clinic work the best.
Thanks for posting the images Mike. Since I returned home I have cut and shaped almost 40 new scenics with these basic tools. It would have taken almost twice as long using other types of tools on this project.
Later this week Ericka will be posting some images of new scenics we have just finished here on Treefrog.
All the Best!
Ken Osen

 

[mestell]

Through my research I have learned that the terrain around Acre is made up of mostly reddish clay with outcroppings of a limestone/sandstone that is locally called karkur. Karkur is used as a major building material and is often carved/cut into large blocks. I have inclued a picture of the actual outer walls of Acre today that clearly show how karkur was used. I have also included two pics of the landscape around Acre - notice the greenery - Acre is a port city on the Med Sea. Also notice the large chunks of stone laying around and the noticeable lack of "Saharan-type" sand. The final pic is of my diorama so far - I have started to cover the floral foam with Activa Celluclay which I have "dyed" with Raw Sienna acrylic paint. All the rock outcrops are from JG Miniatures. I think the raw sienna might be too "reddish" - might go over it with a lighter color. I am finding that celluclay is very easy to work with and it takes about 2 days to dry in my basement. Besides the color, I also added some white glue, some liquid soap, and Lysol (mildew prohibitor).

Mike

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Great progress Mike.
It is nice to see someone doing some primary research to get it right!
All the Best!
Ken