Newbie help needed please

Mr Bowcat

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Hi Guys,

My youngest daughter (7) advised me last night that she has to make a model of the Nile river in ancient Egypt for school. We headed down to Hobbycraft and I picked up some plaster bandage to make the base, and some different grits of sand and gravel to go over it.

The question is, can I use normal PVA/wood glue to stick it down, or do I need to buy a special product? Am I also right in thinking I need to put the glue down first, sprinkle the product on, let dry then spray more glue over the top?

Cheers,

B
 

Gern

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Yeah. Normal PVA will stick your sand and gravel. Your method sounds correct too. Use neat PVA to stick the materials down but you'll need to dilute the PVA for the top coat. If you can't spray it, you could just drop it on using some sort of eye dropper or a small pipette.

What are you using as a base? If it's wood, it might pay you to seal it first with a thin coat of PVA. That should help stop it warping.
 

Mr Bowcat

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Cheers Dave.

The base is actually multiple layers of round frozen pizza bases (dont ask :smiling2:), but they have been glued together and sealed with PVA so should be OK. Theres papier mache, plaster bandage and paint to go on top before the gravel & sand, I'm hoping all the weight keeps it flat.
 

spanner570

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Bob,
A warm welcome to the 'I use pizza bases.' Club - Membership forms in the post!

Dave's advise is spot on. No real need for a second coat, the first will dry your sprinklings rock hard.

Good luck little girl, and I hope your Dad will show us how you are getting on with your model........
 

Mr Bowcat

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Cheers for the advice Ron, we were actually planning on using Woodlands Scenic Realistic Water for the river, but I will float (see what I did there) the plastic idea and see what she thinks. :smiling3:
 

spanner570

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Cheers for the advice Ron, we were actually planning on using Woodlands Scenic Realistic Water for the river, but I will float (see what I did there) the plastic idea and see what she thinks. :smiling3:


Keep it simple and easy for her. Using simple methods means she can be hands on and muck in using safe, and easy to use materials. You never know it could be the start of a new generation of dioramarerer's! :smiling:

Yours sincerely,

The Right Rev. Great, Great Grandad Ron. (Ret)
 
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