 miniMo  | 06 Nov 2017 10:20 p.m. PST |
I'm looking for something to use for 28mm apples for modelling an orchard. Woodland Scenic's apple trees and 'fruit' are tiny HO size, ~1mm or less. The particular variety I'm modelling has large green apples — Newtown Pippin, a colonial favorite! ~10cm diameter, so ~2mm scale version would be perfect. Tiny 'seed beads' aren't particularly spherical and won't do. I'm pondering using hard candy baking decorations. If they survive a light spraying of varnish without dissolving, are they likely to keep after that?
Does anyone have experience doing something like this? I can get 2mm ball bearings, but I'm not sure if gluing those into a tree will hold up over time because of the weight with wear and tear while transporting them to the club and conventions. Any thoughts on that approach? Or other suggestions for 2mm spheroids to use? |
 ochoin | 06 Nov 2017 11:15 p.m. PST |
I'm wondering if you have any polystyrene? If so, abrade it & you get these small balls:
Any good? |
| 14Bore | 07 Nov 2017 2:51 a.m. PST |
Candy should be able to be coated |
| LaserGrenadier | 07 Nov 2017 3:49 a.m. PST |
Back in the 1980's, Wargamers Digest suggested using mini Chicklets as sandbags. I tried it successfully, painting and sealing them, but after a year or two they turned into a gooey mess. My rule since then is to avoid any kind of food materials. |
| Hafen von Schlockenberg | 07 Nov 2017 6:33 a.m. PST |
Ha! I experienced the Chiclets Fiasco,too,from the same source. And I came to the same conclusion. |
| miniMo | 07 Nov 2017 9:23 a.m. PST |
Back then, I wondered how those sandbags would turn out. It certainly was one of those suggestions that has occupied a brain cell for lo these many years! Polystyrene would keep and be light. If I can work past the challenge of the static cling to get them spread out on double-sided tape for painting, then the painted ones shouldn't be so staticky and I could get them glued into the trees. Hmm… |
| miniMo | 07 Nov 2017 10:59 a.m. PST |
Aha! Now to figure out how to overcome the static to apply where desired:
link Only 99¢ on EBay with free slow-boat shipping from China. In this case I don't want to wait 4-8 weeks shipping to get started on the project though.
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| miniMo | 07 Nov 2017 12:29 p.m. PST |
Did go with the slow boat from China after all. There will be static science lab in my future! |
| Early morning writer | 07 Nov 2017 9:24 p.m. PST |
Green apples? Your troops are going to have the trots for sure. |
| miniMo | 07 Nov 2017 9:47 p.m. PST |
A number of apple varieties are green when ripe. Including Newtown Pippins — a favorite of Franklin, Washington, and Jefferson! And for bonus points they ripen late to very-late season so they're still on the trees in late October. And it's always October in Sleepy Hollow :3
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| Thomas O | 08 Nov 2017 9:01 a.m. PST |
I have used radish seeds for apples. |
 javelin98 | 08 Nov 2017 11:11 p.m. PST |
I was going to suggest dry tapioca beads, but… |
| miniMo | 11 Nov 2017 12:51 p.m. PST |
Radish seeds will very likely keep after varnishing. Based on the Chicklet Fiascos, Tapioca will likely devolve into pudding in a few years. |
| miniMo | 21 Nov 2017 9:04 a.m. PST |
The 99¢ beads arrived yesterday and are perfect size for large apples to scale with the over-sized hands of 28mm figures! And the colour is superb, there are mottled variegations in each bead, just like apple skin colour. |
| Bowman | 21 Nov 2017 10:21 a.m. PST |
I have used radish seeds for apples. Radishes have seeds? Sorry, stupid city-boy question. |
