Large Scale Central

Building a diorama (kinda)

I’d like to mount my old time gas station on a piece of material (I chose particle board) and am wondering what to use to model the surface? I’ve read about Celluclay, but has anyone got any other ideas/tips/thoughts? This is not meant to be a permanent home, but just a place for the building to sit while I figure out where it will eventually “live.” Right now it is cluttering up my workbench.

Why not use 2" think High density styrofoam board. Then you could carve it to what ever profile you wanted. You can us white glue to glue down different types of ground cover and it is light weight, durable, strong and can use hydrocal or paster to create a hard surface if you desire… Plus you can easily plant trees and shurbs and telephone poles and suce just by poking a hole into the styrofoam base. Make large modular layouts use the 2" foam as a base surrounded by wood which make it ideal for a stong light weight module.

Dan

Actually, Dan, I have a couple of 2 x 4 foot sheets of foam board, but I was saving them for possibly building a module, as opposed to a diorama. I agree, they can be carved and all, which means you don’t have to build up contours. But for my gas station, which will probably join my unmounted buildings on the living room floor, I just want something to keep it in place (it sits on brick pillars, has front steps and a carport) and provide room for a couple of cars parked by the pumps. There doesn’t have to be a lot of topography, since it’s supposed to be a graded lot, although I have seen a scene (ha, ha) on an HO layout, where a similar gas station was kinda carved into a hillside. Anyway, I do appreciate your input, regardless.

basicly the same idea:

but i use just the cheap isolation foam. styropor or styrofoam.

cheap, easily painted with wallpaint, acrylics or tempera, and one can stick some additions into it. like fences, brushes, billboards or trees.

I’ve used Scupltamold, which is very similar to Celluclay the only thing I can recommend is make sure its thoroughly DRY before you paint over it. Mine wasn’t and I got some mildew issues with it from not being 1000% dry.

When I am planting a new building I always make sure it comes up easily. I usually use the buildings on both my Modular and also my home layout. Here is an example of how I do it.

There are 2 ways to go. When I first started doing this I used 1/4" plywood. I would trace the building out on it and then cut the inside out as close as possible so the building just fits in place.

Lately I just use 1/4"x 1/2’ balsa and line the parameter of the building.

Which ever way I do it I glue the pieces to the layout . Here I glued it directly to the foam. Then build up the area right up over the edge of the wood parameter. I use a Whit glue and finely sifted sawdust. I just mix it in a bowl and use a spatula to spread it out. It allows to to make the ground uneven. and when dry its hard as a rock… Once done I but in my ground cover. It has worked great for me. All my building are easy to move and you about can’t see the parting lines when you put the building in place…

Ty

that sounds like an excellent idea.

i always feel disturbed by buildings, that obviously stand upon the landscape.

Hmm, great ideas, all. I’m a gonna cut the base material today. Gotta dig thru my bins of modeling stuff to find the Sculptamold and the white glue. I’ll post a pix.

Hmm…maybe too late, but I used a sheet of 1/4" thick foamed PVC for the base to my gas station. It’s easy to carve and lasts well outside.

Bruce, that is exactly what I had in mind, only with a dirt/gravel surface vs. see-ment, as y’all say. Since I plan to set this down on the living room carpet, along with all the rest of my junk, I thought of chamfering the edges so the thing doesn’t stick up too much, know what I mean? BTW, I didn’t do any cutting or real work 'cause I got caught up taking a picture of my wife in her garden, as I try to perfect my fill-flash technique.