Help support TMP


"Help! Help! My Colonial Pig Pen is cracking!" Topic


15 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

Remember that you can Stifle members so that you don't have to read their posts.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Back to the Sculpting Message Board

Back to the Terrain and Scenics Message Board

Back to the Moldmaking and Casting Message Board

Back to the SYW Message Board

Back to the Dioramas Message Board

Back to the 18th Century Discussion Message Board

Back to the American Revolution Message Board


Areas of Interest

General
18th Century

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


2,782 hits since 21 Jun 2014
©1994-2024 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?

Redcoat 5521 Jun 2014 8:56 a.m. PST

So inspired by this link

and this:

picture

I decided to try using Crayola Air Dry Clay with craft store wood bits and made this: link

As you can see it was moving along okay, but the clay is shrinking a bit more than I expected and resulting in cracks.

I am thinking I maybe let the clay dry, then pour Elmer's glue in the cracks and resink the wooden planks. Another option with the bigger cracks may be to try to fill the gaps in with clay now. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Could anyone recommend another product to try to do similar products?

There is a thin metal base underneath the clay. I don't think that contributed to the problem, but hey, this is all new to me.

olicana21 Jun 2014 9:20 a.m. PST

wow, that is cracked. I'd be tempted to let it dry for a week, glue it to the base, then fill the cracks with household plaster filler.

I tend to use Das clay (packet not tub) and don't get this kind of problem. Its also available in 'terracotta' which is a handy base colour for terrain stuff.

Sysiphus21 Jun 2014 10:31 a.m. PST

I would let it dry as well, but would fill the cracks with Arlene's Tacky Glue. When dry this glue bonds but stays pliable, might be less likely to crack again.

Personal logo etotheipi Sponsoring Member of TMP21 Jun 2014 11:58 a.m. PST

am thinking I maybe let the clay dry,

I use Crayola all the time. You should let it dry two days before painting it. Otherwise, fill in the gaps with wood putty.

Wood putty is the best for gap filling as it doesn't shrink or contract when it dries.

dglennjr21 Jun 2014 2:06 p.m. PST

I'd cover it with a sand/white glue mixture. That's what I use on a lot of my building bases and what I used for my pig sty.

link

David G.

Viper guy Supporting Member of TMP21 Jun 2014 6:58 p.m. PST

Redcoats, where did you get your pigs?

Redcoat 5521 Jun 2014 9:19 p.m. PST

Thank you for all the tips Gentlemen!

Viper Guy,

I bought the pigs at a Hobby Store. They were a bit pricey (75 cents a piece) and being sold as a good luck charm, but are painted and made of flexible rubber.

You can find them here 5 for $3.00 USD: link FARM SETS, ANIMALS & ACCESSORIES They are made by Safari and are item 347722

Viper guy Supporting Member of TMP21 Jun 2014 9:57 p.m. PST

Thank you!

Augie the Doggie22 Jun 2014 5:38 a.m. PST

Hovels has a nice assortment of farm animals as well as some 18th C civilians.

DyeHard23 Jun 2014 7:41 a.m. PST

For filling cracks and gaps, or just building terrain in general I highly recommend "DURHAM'S ROCK HARD Water Putty".

waterputty.com

Mixes up like plaster, but to a wide range of runnyness.
Drys with very little shrinkage (none if you mix it thick).
And is very strong. File it, sand it, drill it once it is hard.

P.S. it is available all over the US (at least). Hardware stores, craft stores, paint stores, and even supermarkets often have it

Redcoat 5524 Jun 2014 12:42 p.m. PST

You are welcome Viper Guy.

Thank you for the extra suggestion Dyehard.

Does anyone have a recommendation on the type of glue to try to refasten the pig pen model to the metal base?

Would it be better to glue it down to a plastic board sign?

NY Irish25 Jun 2014 7:42 p.m. PST

I made a pig sty out of coffee stirrers and match sticks with no base for my Irish village (what is Ireland without pigs?) The pigs were on the base which sat inside the sty. This way I could take out the pigs and hide a sniper in there. I cut one pig in half to make him deep in his mud, one on his trotters. mine are Ertl farm toys in 1/64. A bag of 25 cost $7. USD

Redcoat 5511 Jul 2014 10:35 p.m. PST

Thank you all for the tips, I finally got the time to progress again, and I think it is headed in the right direction. I have added picture here: link I ended up removing the broken pieces and using Elmer's glue to secure it to a new cardboard base. I then applied more glue and sand to the base surrounding the pen. I glued the cracks in the Pig Pen mud with Elmer's Glue, than filled in more with Elmer's wood filler. So far so good. I am debating whether or not to glue the original metal base under the cardboard or not. It is still a WIP, but I am happy so far.

Personal logo etotheipi Sponsoring Member of TMP12 Jul 2014 2:21 a.m. PST

I would recommend making the base as rigid as you can. The wood filler will not expand, shrink or crack (you know, within a couple hundred hears, kept in human habitable conditions). But if you put torsion on the areas around it (by bending the base), it may shear loose as a unit. Plus, you might crack it in other places.

Timothy L Mayer22 Jul 2014 6:55 p.m. PST

Cough*cough*cough you could try ProCreate since it doesn't shrink Cough*cough*cough

Crusoe the Painter24 Jul 2014 9:15 a.m. PST

Interior/exterior light weight spackle. Doesn't shrink as it dries. Use it to make hillocks with pine bark for rocks. Very light weight and durable when dry.

link

Just build up a hill, or wall, and then dab a boar bristle brush into it as it dries. Raises a texture that paints up great as grass or sand.

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.