"Cement Walls in miniature- HELP!" Topic

I've acquired a sack of cement (not concrete) with the goal of creating strong, durable, inexpensive, albeit heavy miniature concrete walls for my 28mm soldiers to fight amongst. Ideally I want to make walls about 1/4" across the top, 4" long and about 1 1/2" tall with a 5 degree slant along the length so that the base is slightly wider than the top. I've cut some wood to use as a disassemble-able mold but haven't managed suitable results.

If you've home-made cement (or concrete) miniatures or models I'd love to have the benefits of your experience. Any tips or secrets that you care to pass on? Especially concerning the proper mix ratios for cement?

Thanks in advance.

I I were doing it, I would use another material .. but in specific answer to the post. I would make a mix of fine sand and cement in the ratio of 4:1

I would make a wet mix that verged on the dry rather than the slop and to that would add a generous squirt of washing up liquid.

I would apply the mix to a prefrabricated frame.

the frame would be the base (Tongue supressor) two posts at either end (cut down matchsticks or thicker) and a length of wire mesh plate fixed between the two posts. Bring the cement (mortar) onto either side of the mesh and press it into the wall shape – dry very slowly. The structure may need an additional internal strut lengthways to prevent warping of the base during the drying process. As I say, I would rather use other materials because all you really need is the final concrete looking texture.

Please note, I have never done this, but it would be how I would tackle my first attempt.

As an alternative, make bars of the said mix 1/4 inch thick and roughly the shape you want (so it looks like a thick 12" ruler and then just snap off the secion when dry and sand down the ends.

My friend's step dad once cast some cement blocks for us. He used two pieces of used wood (you could tell, because it was painted, and that would have had the side effect of sealing the wood). He used his saw to cut slots in these two pieces of wood, then cut pieces of something like a tongue depresser or popsicle stick as dividers; when assembled, it was kind of ladder like. There must have been a bottom ot the mold, but I don't remember it. Then he'd cast the bricks, six or eight at a time, using something like a putty knife to scrape off excess on the top. Sorry I can't be more helpful: it was a long time ago, and I don't think I actually saw him cast bricks, I just saw the mold.

Grelber

I use dental plaster (Merlin's Magic brand, to be precise) for this sort of thing.

Doug

If you are going to use concrete and sand to make small walls, the mix is approximately 4-1, but can be manipulated up or down depending on the sand used. I would make it very wet and I would use "wet water" which is essentially water with some dish-washing rinse aid added – 4 oz. per gallon, to make it release air better and prevent trapped air better. You should also de-air your concrete by vibration or tapping it regularly for a few minutes after the pour and let it cure 24 hours before removing from the mold to let it cure as much as possible.

Herculite with paint added (saves you painting it later) works for me. I made a WW1 board a few years back and the bunkers were made using this method. Stick small bits of wire in there to replicate reinforcing which then goes all rusty and looks most effective. Wouldn't go down the concrete route myself.

Just simple plaster, when painted, makes a very good scale look for cement, with a lot less trouble.

Try making a sand mold by packing down damp sand around your wall form, remove that, pour in your concrete mix, then smooth off the surface. Reusable "mold", and you can press corner sections and other shapes into the sand. But note that you'll get a rough sand texture on the wall surfaces….