Sir, i have to say i have never been interested in this type of crafting, however, after the first minute or so of your video, i was compelled to watch until the end. You have so much passion for your hobby, and sincerity in your words. Nice crafts, good day.
Great advise ... the basing tips not the glue sniffing. It's worth mentioning that baking soda is way less expensive than other basing material you might find at the hobby store. Also, if you buy a big bag of kitty litter and only plan on using a cup or two, the local animal shelter probably wouldn't mind the donation. Thanks Atom!
I wasn’t technically “sniffing” the glue, I was testing to see if the tip was blocked after I finally got the cap off. I usually squeeze the bottle near my nose, and if I can smell the fumes coming out, then I know the tip isn’t blocked. It’s never sprayed out like that before at home, and now, in hindsight, I can see why it’s always been a sketchy idea. Thanks for watching!
My only thought is that you are going to burn through a lot of glue... I have assembled a fair amount of the Plastcraft terrain using superglue and I'm always surprised how quickly I run out of glue... So depending on the country you are in, what's a pretty inexpensive source for super glue? I feel like those little $.99 tubes are not worth it.. I look for the larger triangular bottle of superglue that I tend to find @ the hardware store... vs say specific miniature gaming glues like Zap-A-Gap then tend to be more $$.
@@SciFiPorkChop28 U can try universal glue. In the UK u can find tooth paste size tubes for 1 £. Sticks to anything and its strong. It takes a few minutes to set and a couple of hours to fully harden.
Use white Elmers glue diluted with water and apply to base with paint brush then apply base material.Then seal. Also there is plenty of free base material outside in nature. Gravel,sand, rocks, ...etc,
@@davidparton9158 and Azrael88 - I guess I'm confused, aren't we talking about the baking soda basing technique? and isn't it the reaction between the super glue (cyanoacrylate) and the baking soda that makes this technique work? if I used Elmer's white glue or universal glue won't I just end up with a snow like effect?... I suppose i can always paint over it... but yes, otherwise, Elmer's or Universal glue and various other tidbits, sand, gravel, etc work great as basing material
Great technique! What I do is I have a big tub filled with various different materials sand salt baking soda kitty litter tiny cork crumbles. What I do is a heavy application of wood glue on the base fairly thick then I put it in the mixture and then level all the material out with a little exacto or pallet knife with the glue when it dries it creates a nice level surface that shows all the variance in basing material then I gloss varnish it before priming and painting
Thank you for this tip! I am doing the hobby since 1984 and with the help of guys like you I am still learning new techniques.. Danke für diene Arbeit! Thank you for your work! Greetings from Germany!
Just found this video. Love it. I am a miniaturist and use chipboard for furniture, fencing, etc. I use CA glue and spread it with an old credit card and coat it with baking soda. Brush off excess. It is like board. It can be filed, sanded, cut, etc.
That bit towards the end, that must be the infamous first attempt to demonstrate how you use baking soda on your bases! I’ve been waiting for that video for years!
Love your tips! This and the wet pallet video are 2 of my favorite video tips and simple tricks. Thank you so much. I am an old dog (50) learning a new trick (painting & playing) with the added challenge of having young onset Parkinson's disease. Thanks again and keep up the good work
I've been watching tid bits of your videos, but as soon as I heard "some people like to texture after they paint but I'm not one of those people". You got my subscription.
Interesting... A point of clarification for non-US viewers (or maybe just British?). Here, what Americans call ‘baking soda’ is known as Bicarbonate of Soda. What we call ‘baking powder’, often sold adjacent to bicarb, is the same stuff with raising agents in it. It makes your cakes rise. I’m not sure if that will have an effect on basing but to avoid issues, don’t use ‘baking powder’. Another tip is that the stuff usually comes in small tubs like salt, but if you go to the laundry aisle you find it in large bags, usually cheaper. Should last you a lifetime...
Yep! Just to second this, in the UK, use Bicarbonate of Soda, not 'Baking Powder'. Baking power will react to moisture in your paints/PVA and fizz up into a gooey mess! Trust me!
Here in the U.S., we have baking soda and baking powder. I’ve heard of the term “bicarbonate of soda” but didn’t know it was the same thing. Good info. Thanks for watching!
I really love the outtakes added. It's almost like watching a comedy and looking for the added features on the dvd so you can watch the blooper real. Very funny. Keep doing those. 🤣🤣
I usually skip around in videos like this and pick through information, but I couldn't bring myself to skip a single word of this! Thoroughly enjoyable videos -- thank you!
this was more comedy than information for me ^^ zero interrest in this craft (just watched some vids on painting for my gloomhaven minis), but your voice and humor kept me on. nice!
As a recovering RC enthusiast, I discovered many ways to glue things together (including fingers). Another thing to try for variations on these effects is to vary the thickness of the CA glue and try other fillers. Balsa dust (or any fine sawdust) and phenolic microballoons can create really cool textures. With thin CA, adding glue to powder is a really cool trick. Please keep the videos coming, your channel is my hobby background music!
Bloopers! Finally! Love how you don't lose your cool even in such a terrible chain disaster. Btw, I use bonsai clay instead of baking soda it gives you an even more wide particle range
Learned something new and exciting. Adding depth and flavor to your bases, it's all about lifts and levels as Martha Stewart always says. Really appreciate the video thanks for sharing your discovery. Sealing the model with clear coat will also prevent the baking soda from yellowing.
Implemented this technique on my first bases, today. It’s pretty close for my first attempt, and looks better than I expected to pull off. I’ve been living in these videos in preparation of painting my first Space Marines. Thanks for the vids.
Great bloopers at the end. That's a really good idea. I ran into the issue of "sand" size/scale on a 1:35 USMC desert sniper team diorama I made back in September of 2018. I ended up using extra fine craft sand. Of course it was still out of scale but what I did helped a little. I used pva to glue down the sand and when I did my sealing coat with watered down pva after misting with isopropyl, I sprinkled a little baking soda over the top while the sealing coat was still wet. It turned out ok but still wasn't entirely happy with it, but it got me a silver medal in the competition. So, I think next time I need to do sand, I'll lean more heavily on the baking soda and use the sand for smaller rock.
Glad you were able to finally make this video without gluing your fingers to the base! From your suggestion a few years ago, I started using this technique combined with GW texture paints and other stuff and it has been really great! Keep up the great videos! ALSO- the lamp in the background is badass.
CA glue can be extremely cheap to get if you skip the hobby stores and go to the dollar store... Also, when using your baking soda method, NEVER USE GEL SUPERGLUE, you aren't going to get good looking results from it.
Came across this from my recommended feed and gotta say, really nice quality video making. Audio is really crisp and I laughed out loud with the Dechnical Tifficulties that's just great.
awesome tip! have used baking soda for years to dry CA in many tasks,.. not just minis and crafts, but never really thought of it as a texturing tool... thanx a ton!!!
I am a 100% novice and I’m working on my first two miniature bases. I was about to just go outside and collect the fine dirt, but I’m glad I decided to look the subject up before I went! You brought up a lot of great points and your examples are absolutely incredible.
Another way to base is to use the white Gesso primer. Add baking powder to thicken it up and use it like a cheap texturing paste. Add any more Colour you want in it also anymore grits for added texture. The white Gesso didn't work for me as a primer so i'm re-purposing it for basing. Thanks great videos even for a historical modeler.
Like the glue catalysing idea - In the UK cocktail sticks are round (typically about 2mm diameter) sharpened at both ends but toothpicks are flat tapering wooden sticks, about 30 thou thick.
I have used PVA glue and sand grit, rocks, etc., and I have never had the basing pop off. I have dropped many minis in my time and have never had any basing damaged. I score the plastic base with a modeling knife. I mix PVA with water about 50/50. After the material dries, I put a second coat of 50/50 glue. I will add more material and build up parts to make the ground uneven. When the material is how I want it, I put a last coat of glue.
I started doing this a few years ago when you last talked about using baking soda for bases... it works great. I even use it as a rust effect or to add texture to skin on nurgle minis before priming...
I just tried this last night and got great results first go. So this tutorial was excellent. Going to apply this method to all my GW Middle Earth minis going forward. Thanks!
Really great video. I appreciate the camera shots and your explanation of the techniques. I thought your disclaimer about using unsullied cat liter was pretty funny too. Thanks so much for putting this together.
I love this advice, thankyou. Also love the technical difficulties card and music. Little bits like that make this channel so character ful. Would you ever do a video about the astetic and tone of the channel? How you refined the sound design, character and tone and how you see it now compared with when you started, and maybe goals for the future.
My go-to basing material is ready-mixed wall filler (spackle). Just get a little bit on a small tool, and spread it over the base, kinda like a texture paint. It winds with about the same grain as baking powder, but you can sculpt it into rocky textures as you lay it on, and when it's set, you can even carve cracks and such into it.
Sir, you just solved my problem with my minis and basing for grass. I have blood bowl figs I am working on and I live in Cairo, Egypt where there is no hobby shops like the ones we frequent in the US or elsewhere. I can't find static grass or "poweder" grass anywhere. I can, though, find baking soda in large amounts and rather cheaply too. Thank you!
Us Armour modellers sometimes use it for creating winter scene dioramas too! It's alot cheaper than paying out krycel for it and if you use abit of hairspray the same way you would with krycel it goes rock solid
I use the baking soda technique (also from building scale models), but what I’ve moving to, came from building scale model dioramas, and that’s a mix of dirt (yes, actual dirt from the yard baked to kill off bacteria and fungus) about 30-40% and grout (non-sanded) about 60-70% using ‘Gorilla’ wood glue. Also I make my own bases with Masonite, the type with one smooth side which makes the underside leaving the rough/“textured” side for the wood glue to adhere extremely well. Using different shades of grout (darker and also lighter than the dirt) gives nice tonal variations and you don’t have to paint it because it naturally looks like dirt and the grout binds the dirt and dries rock hard.
So many models I have not based - never sure what to use as I want the bases to match the terrain board and as I got Desert, Winter and Urban boards that is clearly almost impossible. So with my Death Guard I decided to use ash (as wherever they tread everything organic dies) and wow does it make the model 'pop'. So finding any basing tips really useful right now - thanks Uncle A :)
The baking soda/CA glue technique also works as a gap filler. Fill the gap with baking soda, drop a drop or two of CA glue onto it, and let it soak in. When it's dry, it can be filed, sanded, carved, etc. NOT drying wood in the microwave is GREAT advice. I tried it once. It actually caught fire in the microwave. Smoke, flames, melting plastic, and $400 for a new microwave. Strangely enough, my wife thought it was hilarious.
If you want finer sand (or whatever texturing agent you're planning to use), a mortar and pestle does exactly that. And you can also sift sand to get the finest sand and dust separated from the larger bits.
Sand your plastic base prior to PVA glue with a coarse (80 grit) sandpaper and the glue will adhere much more strongly. I've also used a watered down (50-50) PVA glue to coat my baking soda used for snow. Didn't go yellow, but did slightly reduce the 'fluffy' look of the snow.
I found a bag of very fine sand at the dollar store (also small green rocks for a fish tank, and larger white rocks that work for boulders). They work great. Use watered down PVA glue to seal it in and make it all solid after adding the sand and rocks.
I love the idea of scale here. I've used baking soda for a long time for my individual bases. I will say -- PVA works perfectly fine if you hit it twice. The first coat sticks to the plastic, the next one sort of seals the stuff together. I've never had any issues with it peeling off if I've hit it twice.
A fine clay based sand is also good, I had the benefit of living in the north west of Australia for a long time and the sand there known as Pindan is awesome for basing 40k and fantasy mini's. the sand itself is used in construction for housing and many other things such as bowls and cups etc. but a good pile from the yard with some heavier particles in it gave a really nice layered look to my bases. (I even took boxes of the stuff with me when I moved away to keep my bases uniformed for years to come) As for the baking soda yes we had a couple of brothers at our local club that used it both also shared a scale model background and I met a sales rep from GW in 99 who used it for his work as well, but he had it in a container premixed with other things like small granular rocks and bits of flock etc.
Thanks for the tip . I have just got back into painting again and this has given me some good inspiration to expand on the bases , giving it even more detail .
In Australia, we have access to ultra-fine red desert sand. It's sold through pet stores for reptiles, or if you live in the right place, just go scoop it up/bring it back from a road trip. It's cheap, has about the same grain size as baking soda, and soaks up paint really well. Great for basing AdMech without even painting it!
Great advice! For a more textured, earthy look I use spack filler (used for filling cracks in plaster walls) with fine sand/stone/twigs etc pressed into it before its fully sets. Like the CA glue a little goes a long way and its very cheap too.
I like to use it to fill gaps on models. I have not had much luck with green stuff. Plus you can get super glue of different consistency. I use the thick gel for wider gaps so it doesn’t run before I sprinkle the baking soda on it
I've always used actual dirt. It's free. I carry around old 'film canisters' - the plastic bottles camera film used to come in - and when I see a little pile of dirt or grit that looks interesting, I scoop up a bit into one of those canisters and take it home. You can end up with a nice 'spice rack' full of various grits and gradients for basing and terrain building.
I order model railroad dirt, fine or medium. Has a mix of powdery dirt, sand and some larger particles. I apply it dry just how I want it, then touch the super thin super glue to it and it wicks it up and then dries solid.
Where I live the CA glue it’s a bit more liquid, but it has the same results with baking soda, however sometimes there is a strange reaction that causes the both elements to create a strange smoke, which makes me glad that I work with open windows when I do my bases.
This technique looks great on my bases but unfortunately I now have bits flaking off over time and due to the painted base vs exposed pure white material contrast it really stands out. Anything I can do to stop this happening?
nice tuto. if you want to make snow or do not want your baking soda to turn yellow, add a drop of blue ink in your preparation. For good snow I use pva glue + medium + baking soda and the magic blue ink drop :D
Great video! Really cool usage of common household materials. What you might be spending on CA, you are saving on the ridiculously expensive basing materials. Thanks!
Thank you sir.. Before, i use baking soda+superglue trick in figure customizing to place some part more strong or to cover a hole. Your video make me more confident to keep on with this trick and give a new route in display base customizing..
And we thought it was just for baking...listen, I have been watching and listening for a couple of years now and I have grown to appreciate your unique ways of presenting yourself....at first I thought..."....a long diatribe and monologue on modeling stuff(well, miniatures)??" and guess what?..I have come to enjoy and appreciate your words of wisdom, seeing I have done this wonderful engagement for over 50 years and have tried to think I have much more to learn, and guess what I was right! Uh one thing though, you have got to get some better holders for your glasses...I think I counted over 57 times you reached up and adjusted them...Naw, just kidding, but a fun thing to notice....Thanks again for you great insight, unique presentation style...Take care. DH
I have found thet if you use a medium pill bottle with a lid, store the bakeing soda in the pill bottle and when you wish to coat your bases for effect, simpley remove the lid and then stretch a stocking over the top and then dust. I find it makes the effect look more like sand to scale . The pay off it the bakeing soda stays fresh in the container
I have one for you when i used to paint GW nids. used UHU glue with a few drops of water. mixed it and it would not only set quickly but you could draw it to make it look like goo dripping from certain nids as well it's a great way to make bases for nurgle esk worlds n such
Haha! Thank you so much for including excerpts from the old first version of this tutorial that you've already mentioned about couple of times before. It really made my day! :-D
Nice. I always thought sand was to big to be "sand" thanks for the tip. I love kitty litter too btw. Very versatile and once its soaked up some glue surprisingly durable.
Recently I've heard people have had issues with baking soda reacting with paints over long periods of time and releasing a gunky residue. Is this only an issue with using enamel paints?
A similar technique that can give greater depth in fewer steps is epoxy + microballoons (see hobby store, tough baking soda can be substituted for microballoons). Use five-minute epoxy, mix it with the microballoons and whip it up to an icing-like consistency. Then you can sculpt it on the base with a toothpick, put in/on sand if you want, impress texture as it hardens, etc. Hardens in 5-10 minutes and is sandable if you want to shape it after it dries.
Great tip, once again! To increase your pet-product-hobby-materials, try to look into "bird sand". The stuff you put in a bird cage. Its way finer than normal sand. I doubt it has, or have not experienced, the cataclistic properties of that sand yet though, like with the baking powder. enjoy your weekend all.
Lol at the bloopers. I totally agree about sand mostly looking out of scale. Unpainted sand is even worse. Great idea with the baking soda. These days I use Vallejo texture pastes for the most part.
He glue, he sand, but most importantly he glue stuff to hand.
Longest video to kick an open door... Glue, and sand.
I can’t use my phone for the rest of the day after putting together models
Bro 😂
Your voice is made for radio/podcasts
My mom always told me I had a face for radio. 🤔
@@ChrisBennettGameDesign and a voice for print.
Same thought
It’s velvety
It's a setting in the recording software he uses.
Sir, i have to say i have never been interested in this type of crafting, however, after the first minute or so of your video, i was compelled to watch until the end. You have so much passion for your hobby, and sincerity in your words. Nice crafts, good day.
“Don’t use used kitty litter...”
But...but... extra texture!
“You can really smell the Nurgle on these models!”
Comes with free logs.
Great advise ... the basing tips not the glue sniffing. It's worth mentioning that baking soda is way less expensive than other basing material you might find at the hobby store. Also, if you buy a big bag of kitty litter and only plan on using a cup or two, the local animal shelter probably wouldn't mind the donation. Thanks Atom!
I wasn’t technically “sniffing” the glue, I was testing to see if the tip was blocked after I finally got the cap off. I usually squeeze the bottle near my nose, and if I can smell the fumes coming out, then I know the tip isn’t blocked. It’s never sprayed out like that before at home, and now, in hindsight, I can see why it’s always been a sketchy idea. Thanks for watching!
My only thought is that you are going to burn through a lot of glue... I have assembled a fair amount of the Plastcraft terrain using superglue and I'm always surprised how quickly I run out of glue... So depending on the country you are in, what's a pretty inexpensive source for super glue? I feel like those little $.99 tubes are not worth it.. I look for the larger triangular bottle of superglue that I tend to find @ the hardware store... vs say specific miniature gaming glues like Zap-A-Gap then tend to be more $$.
@@SciFiPorkChop28 U can try universal glue. In the UK u can find tooth paste size tubes for 1 £. Sticks to anything and its strong. It takes a few minutes to set and a couple of hours to fully harden.
Use white Elmers glue diluted with water and apply to base with paint brush then apply base material.Then seal. Also there is plenty of free base material outside in nature. Gravel,sand, rocks, ...etc,
@@davidparton9158 and Azrael88 - I guess I'm confused, aren't we talking about the baking soda basing technique? and isn't it the reaction between the super glue (cyanoacrylate) and the baking soda that makes this technique work? if I used Elmer's white glue or universal glue won't I just end up with a snow like effect?... I suppose i can always paint over it... but yes, otherwise, Elmer's or Universal glue and various other tidbits, sand, gravel, etc work great as basing material
You're like the cool uncle who introduces you to wargaming and helps you paint your first mini's.
My uncle introduced me to cider and Queen 😂
Great technique! What I do is I have a big tub filled with various different materials sand salt baking soda kitty litter tiny cork crumbles. What I do is a heavy application of wood glue on the base fairly thick then I put it in the mixture and then level all the material out with a little exacto or pallet knife with the glue when it dries it creates a nice level surface that shows all the variance in basing material then I gloss varnish it before priming and painting
Thank you for this tip! I am doing the hobby since 1984 and with the help of guys like you I am still learning new techniques.. Danke für diene Arbeit! Thank you for your work! Greetings from Germany!
Just found this video. Love it. I am a miniaturist and use chipboard for furniture, fencing, etc. I use CA glue and spread it with an old credit card and coat it with baking soda. Brush off excess. It is like board. It can be filed, sanded, cut, etc.
That bit towards the end, that must be the infamous first attempt to demonstrate how you use baking soda on your bases! I’ve been waiting for that video for years!
Love your tips! This and the wet pallet video are 2 of my favorite video tips and simple tricks. Thank you so much. I am an old dog (50) learning a new trick (painting & playing) with the added challenge of having young onset Parkinson's disease. Thanks again and keep up the good work
I've been watching tid bits of your videos, but as soon as I heard "some people like to texture after they paint but I'm not one of those people". You got my subscription.
Interesting...
A point of clarification for non-US viewers (or maybe just British?). Here, what Americans call ‘baking soda’ is known as Bicarbonate of Soda. What we call ‘baking powder’, often sold adjacent to bicarb, is the same stuff with raising agents in it. It makes your cakes rise. I’m not sure if that will have an effect on basing but to avoid issues, don’t use ‘baking powder’.
Another tip is that the stuff usually comes in small tubs like salt, but if you go to the laundry aisle you find it in large bags, usually cheaper. Should last you a lifetime...
Jonathan Baldwin the rising agent in baking powder is baking soda. It typically also contains cornstarch.
Yep! Just to second this, in the UK, use Bicarbonate of Soda, not 'Baking Powder'. Baking power will react to moisture in your paints/PVA and fizz up into a gooey mess! Trust me!
Here in the U.S., we have baking soda and baking powder. I’ve heard of the term “bicarbonate of soda” but didn’t know it was the same thing. Good info. Thanks for watching!
And for your german viewers: Go for Natron. ;)
Well I used german baking powder and wondered why it looks so strange :D
Now I know...
Seven years I have been waiting for this guy's know how. A real big help thanks yo
I really love the outtakes added.
It's almost like watching a comedy and looking for the added features on the dvd so you can watch the blooper real.
Very funny.
Keep doing those. 🤣🤣
Utterly disagree. I didn't come here to watch a fifteen minute video by some humourless fuck intent on wasting my time.
Oooh, someone's got some venom inside them.
Not cuddled enough as a nipper?
Or are you in fact the above mentioned "humourless fuck"?
What a sour apple.
I usually skip around in videos like this and pick through information, but I couldn't bring myself to skip a single word of this! Thoroughly enjoyable videos -- thank you!
this was more comedy than information for me ^^
zero interrest in this craft (just watched some vids on painting for my gloomhaven minis), but your voice and humor kept me on. nice!
As a recovering RC enthusiast, I discovered many ways to glue things together (including fingers). Another thing to try for variations on these effects is to vary the thickness of the CA glue and try other fillers. Balsa dust (or any fine sawdust) and phenolic microballoons can create really cool textures. With thin CA, adding glue to powder is a really cool trick.
Please keep the videos coming, your channel is my hobby background music!
Bloopers! Finally! Love how you don't lose your cool even in such a terrible chain disaster.
Btw, I use bonsai clay instead of baking soda it gives you an even more wide particle range
Learned something new and exciting. Adding depth and flavor to your bases, it's all about lifts and levels as Martha Stewart always says. Really appreciate the video thanks for sharing your discovery. Sealing the model with clear coat will also prevent the baking soda from yellowing.
Implemented this technique on my first bases, today. It’s pretty close for my first attempt, and looks better than I expected to pull off. I’ve been living in these videos in preparation of painting my first Space Marines. Thanks for the vids.
Superb explanation of this technique, I really appreciate how thorough you are with your advise.
wow very nice video. I have been painting for 26 years and have never heard of using bakingsoda. this is going to be a must try on my next jobs
Great bloopers at the end.
That's a really good idea. I ran into the issue of "sand" size/scale on a 1:35 USMC desert sniper team diorama I made back in September of 2018. I ended up using extra fine craft sand. Of course it was still out of scale but what I did helped a little. I used pva to glue down the sand and when I did my sealing coat with watered down pva after misting with isopropyl, I sprinkled a little baking soda over the top while the sealing coat was still wet. It turned out ok but still wasn't entirely happy with it, but it got me a silver medal in the competition.
So, I think next time I need to do sand, I'll lean more heavily on the baking soda and use the sand for smaller rock.
Glad you were able to finally make this video without gluing your fingers to the base! From your suggestion a few years ago, I started using this technique combined with GW texture paints and other stuff and it has been really great! Keep up the great videos! ALSO- the lamp in the background is badass.
CA glue can be extremely cheap to get if you skip the hobby stores and go to the dollar store...
Also, when using your baking soda method, NEVER USE GEL SUPERGLUE, you aren't going to get good looking results from it.
Came across this from my recommended feed and gotta say, really nice quality video making. Audio is really crisp and I laughed out loud with the Dechnical Tifficulties that's just great.
awesome tip! have used baking soda for years to dry CA in many tasks,.. not just minis and crafts, but never really thought of it as a texturing tool... thanx a ton!!!
I am a 100% novice and I’m working on my first two miniature bases. I was about to just go outside and collect the fine dirt, but I’m glad I decided to look the subject up before I went! You brought up a lot of great points and your examples are absolutely incredible.
Vince v and atom should have a podcast together. You guys would be a perfect balance. Everyone from beginners to pros would listen, I'm sure.
Another way to base is to use the white Gesso primer. Add baking powder to thicken it up and use it like a cheap texturing paste. Add any more Colour you want in it also anymore grits for added texture.
The white Gesso didn't work for me as a primer so i'm re-purposing it for basing.
Thanks great videos even for a historical modeler.
Lol, that end clip of you gluing the base to your table... Reminds me of why I picked up the habit of using wax paper under my models when using glue.
Like the glue catalysing idea - In the UK cocktail sticks are round (typically about 2mm diameter) sharpened at both ends but toothpicks are flat tapering wooden sticks, about 30 thou thick.
I have used PVA glue and sand grit, rocks, etc., and I have never had the basing pop off. I have dropped many minis in my time and have never had any basing damaged. I score the plastic base with a modeling knife. I mix PVA with water about 50/50. After the material dries, I put a second coat of 50/50 glue. I will add more material and build up parts to make the ground uneven. When the material is how I want it, I put a last coat of glue.
I have a super fine sieve used for tea leaves that I use to sprinkle stuffs... Works a treat if you want even coverage.
Kitty litter with flavor crystals.
"don't forget the flavor crystals" -Napoleon Dynamite
yum ☺
I started doing this a few years ago when you last talked about using baking soda for bases... it works great. I even use it as a rust effect or to add texture to skin on nurgle minis before priming...
I just tried this last night and got great results first go. So this tutorial was excellent. Going to apply this method to all my GW Middle Earth minis going forward. Thanks!
Really great video. I appreciate the camera shots and your explanation of the techniques. I thought your disclaimer about using unsullied cat liter was pretty funny too. Thanks so much for putting this together.
Just started my first minis in yeeeears. Used this basing technique and just primed. Looks great so far!
I love this advice, thankyou. Also love the technical difficulties card and music. Little bits like that make this channel so character ful. Would you ever do a video about the astetic and tone of the channel? How you refined the sound design, character and tone and how you see it now compared with when you started, and maybe goals for the future.
My go-to basing material is ready-mixed wall filler (spackle). Just get a little bit on a small tool, and spread it over the base, kinda like a texture paint. It winds with about the same grain as baking powder, but you can sculpt it into rocky textures as you lay it on, and when it's set, you can even carve cracks and such into it.
Should have watched this 12 hours ago. Will be texturing my bases pre primer in future. Great article.
Me too! The only time I've done anything to bases before priming was when I was putting bigger rocks on them.
Sir, you just solved my problem with my minis and basing for grass. I have blood bowl figs I am working on and I live in Cairo, Egypt where there is no hobby shops like the ones we frequent in the US or elsewhere. I can't find static grass or "poweder" grass anywhere. I can, though, find baking soda in large amounts and rather cheaply too. Thank you!
Us Armour modellers sometimes use it for creating winter scene dioramas too! It's alot cheaper than paying out krycel for it and if you use abit of hairspray the same way you would with krycel it goes rock solid
Best basing technique ever! Ive been using this for my Dwarven dispossesd Sigmar army, it looks fantastic! Thank you Uncle Adam!
I use the baking soda technique (also from building scale models), but what I’ve moving to, came from building scale model dioramas, and that’s a mix of dirt (yes, actual dirt from the yard baked to kill off bacteria and fungus) about 30-40% and grout (non-sanded) about 60-70% using ‘Gorilla’ wood glue. Also I make my own bases with Masonite, the type with one smooth side which makes the underside leaving the rough/“textured” side for the wood glue to adhere extremely well. Using different shades of grout (darker and also lighter than the dirt) gives nice tonal variations and you don’t have to paint it because it naturally looks like dirt and the grout binds the dirt and dries rock hard.
You can also use grout for sand and keep it in scale for 28mm figures.
That ripple effect works great for lava flows and solidified lava.
So many models I have not based - never sure what to use as I want the bases to match the terrain board and as I got Desert, Winter and Urban boards that is clearly almost impossible. So with my Death Guard I decided to use ash (as wherever they tread everything organic dies) and wow does it make the model 'pop'. So finding any basing tips really useful right now - thanks Uncle A :)
Very detailed. Very patiently conveyed and articulated really well. Thanks for that elite knowledge sir.
The baking soda/CA glue technique also works as a gap filler. Fill the gap with baking soda, drop a drop or two of CA glue onto it, and let it soak in. When it's dry, it can be filed, sanded, carved, etc.
NOT drying wood in the microwave is GREAT advice. I tried it once. It actually caught fire in the microwave. Smoke, flames, melting plastic, and $400 for a new microwave. Strangely enough, my wife thought it was hilarious.
If you want finer sand (or whatever texturing agent you're planning to use), a mortar and pestle does exactly that. And you can also sift sand to get the finest sand and dust separated from the larger bits.
Sand your plastic base prior to PVA glue with a coarse (80 grit) sandpaper and the glue will adhere much more strongly. I've also used a watered down (50-50) PVA glue to coat my baking soda used for snow. Didn't go yellow, but did slightly reduce the 'fluffy' look of the snow.
5th and I use this technique all the time thanks to you, but I have found out that it works great even with PVA glue, and it is rock solid.
I found a bag of very fine sand at the dollar store (also small green rocks for a fish tank, and larger white rocks that work for boulders). They work great. Use watered down PVA glue to seal it in and make it all solid after adding the sand and rocks.
I love the idea of scale here. I've used baking soda for a long time for my individual bases.
I will say -- PVA works perfectly fine if you hit it twice. The first coat sticks to the plastic, the next one sort of seals the stuff together. I've never had any issues with it peeling off if I've hit it twice.
A fine clay based sand is also good, I had the benefit of living in the north west of Australia for a long time and the sand there known as Pindan is awesome for basing 40k and fantasy mini's. the sand itself is used in construction for housing and many other things such as bowls and cups etc. but a good pile from the yard with some heavier particles in it gave a really nice layered look to my bases. (I even took boxes of the stuff with me when I moved away to keep my bases uniformed for years to come) As for the baking soda yes we had a couple of brothers at our local club that used it both also shared a scale model background and I met a sales rep from GW in 99 who used it for his work as well, but he had it in a container premixed with other things like small granular rocks and bits of flock etc.
Thanks for the tip . I have just got back into painting again and this has given me some good inspiration to expand on the bases , giving it even more detail .
The nose-pump-blooper was hilarious! Really brilliant!
In Australia, we have access to ultra-fine red desert sand. It's sold through pet stores for reptiles, or if you live in the right place, just go scoop it up/bring it back from a road trip. It's cheap, has about the same grain size as baking soda, and soaks up paint really well. Great for basing AdMech without even painting it!
Great advice! For a more textured, earthy look I use spack filler (used for filling cracks in plaster walls) with fine sand/stone/twigs etc pressed into it before its fully sets. Like the CA glue a little goes a long way and its very cheap too.
I love the bloopers. Makes me feel better about it when I screw up.
I like to use it to fill gaps on models. I have not had much luck with green stuff. Plus you can get super glue of different consistency. I use the thick gel for wider gaps so it doesn’t run before I sprinkle the baking soda on it
I've always used actual dirt. It's free. I carry around old 'film canisters' - the plastic bottles camera film used to come in - and when I see a little pile of dirt or grit that looks interesting, I scoop up a bit into one of those canisters and take it home. You can end up with a nice 'spice rack' full of various grits and gradients for basing and terrain building.
I want that SHIRT!
Had SO much fun playing Car Wars in Jr. High... So many years ago.
I order model railroad dirt, fine or medium. Has a mix of powdery dirt, sand and some larger particles. I apply it dry just how I want it, then touch the super thin super glue to it and it wicks it up and then dries solid.
Where I live the CA glue it’s a bit more liquid, but it has the same results with baking soda, however sometimes there is a strange reaction that causes the both elements to create a strange smoke, which makes me glad that I work with open windows when I do my bases.
This technique looks great on my bases but unfortunately I now have bits flaking off over time and due to the painted base vs exposed pure white material contrast it really stands out. Anything I can do to stop this happening?
I did this on a few bases today and I like the way it came out.
nice tuto. if you want to make snow or do not want your baking soda to turn yellow, add a drop of blue ink in your preparation. For good snow I use pva glue + medium + baking soda and the magic blue ink drop :D
I use Vallejo Dark Earth. Very fine grit, takes wash and drybrush well and is really easy to apply.
I am starting a new project and I think you have inspired me to take my bases to the next level.
Love the outtake/tech difficulties 😂
Watching these videos has helped me in my hobby alot, just to clarify I avoided your first step of sniffing the glue and it worked fine 😉
Awesome, I love watching ideas for basing miniatures. However I am more impressed by that sweet Car Wars shirt.
Great video! Really cool usage of common household materials. What you might be spending on CA, you are saving on the ridiculously expensive basing materials. Thanks!
Thank you sir.. Before, i use baking soda+superglue trick in figure customizing to place some part more strong or to cover a hole. Your video make me more confident to keep on with this trick and give a new route in display base customizing..
I think I'll use the "ripply look" on forest floor bases. Reminds me of vines or exposed tree roots.
@11:00 Thanks for the advice. Just a little Baking Soda in my snow bases to make it look like the pissed thier name in te snow. :P
I would recommend also that old used or broken toys work. You can take parts from them to make stuff.
And we thought it was just for baking...listen, I have been watching and listening for a couple of years now and I have grown to appreciate your unique ways of presenting yourself....at first I thought..."....a long diatribe and monologue on modeling stuff(well, miniatures)??" and guess what?..I have come to enjoy and appreciate your words of wisdom, seeing I have done this wonderful engagement for over 50 years and have tried to think I have much more to learn, and guess what I was right! Uh one thing though, you have got to get some better holders for your glasses...I think I counted over 57 times you reached up and adjusted them...Naw, just kidding, but a fun thing to notice....Thanks again for you great insight, unique presentation style...Take care. DH
I have found thet if you use a medium pill bottle with a lid, store the bakeing soda in the pill bottle and when you wish to coat your bases for effect, simpley remove the lid and then stretch a stocking over the top and then dust. I find it makes the effect look more like sand to scale . The pay off it the bakeing soda stays fresh in the container
So the crusty old brush you used, is BOBS brush (Brushing Off Baking Soda) !!! Awesome video thanks TM.
I have one for you when i used to paint GW nids. used UHU glue with a few drops of water. mixed it and it would not only set quickly but you could draw it to make it look like goo dripping from certain nids as well it's a great way to make bases for nurgle esk worlds n such
Mark Allan Nids? Esk?
Haha! Thank you so much for including excerpts from the old first version of this tutorial that you've already mentioned about couple of times before. It really made my day! :-D
The model camera is very good.
Loved the bloopers.
5:24 Ah yes, the antithesis of a Nasal Spray. the Nasal Sealer.
For when you can breathe too well!
I love CA glue, after 25 years in the rc car racing hobby I have had many fun gluing adventures, seeing yours was hilarious.
Tile grout works great too (very fine powder). Easy to get various shades, it's very cheap and pigments can be added if desired.
Tip for you uncle Atom, when you can't get CA glue open, pour some plastic glue between the bottle and the cap. Works most of the time...
Nice. I always thought sand was to big to be "sand" thanks for the tip. I love kitty litter too btw. Very versatile and once its soaked up some glue surprisingly durable.
Recently I've heard people have had issues with baking soda reacting with paints over long periods of time and releasing a gunky residue. Is this only an issue with using enamel paints?
A similar technique that can give greater depth in fewer steps is epoxy + microballoons (see hobby store, tough baking soda can be substituted for microballoons). Use five-minute epoxy, mix it with the microballoons and whip it up to an icing-like consistency. Then you can sculpt it on the base with a toothpick, put in/on sand if you want, impress texture as it hardens, etc. Hardens in 5-10 minutes and is sandable if you want to shape it after it dries.
Great tip, once again! To increase your pet-product-hobby-materials, try to look into "bird sand". The stuff you put in a bird cage. Its way finer than normal sand. I doubt it has, or have not experienced, the cataclistic properties of that sand yet though, like with the baking powder. enjoy your weekend all.
I like to use tile grout it drys rock hard has a good sandy texture great as a bottom layer use with cork to make great hills thanks for the tip Adam
That clip at the end was a killer. Hahaha
Lol at the bloopers. I totally agree about sand mostly looking out of scale. Unpainted sand is even worse. Great idea with the baking soda. These days I use Vallejo texture pastes for the most part.
Just tried this out for the first time on my dark imperium death guard, absolutely love the result
Great vid! For snow baking soda+PVA+fine salt will stay white for a long time.
Between the nose spray and the flavor crystals this is one of my favorites