Hey all...
A quick question for advice...I am modeling a DIO of Iwo Jima and modeling cliffs and caves - which I need to carve. I also need to "dig" the tunnels and caves...
What works best - I have heard GREAT things about Balsa Foam, but wonder if there is another alternative...
Suggestions???

S/F

Pat

Hi there

I can remember buying some kind of tree bark that had great texture and colour that could be easily cut and broken into large sections for whole rock faces. Smaller pieces for individual rocks. The bark had lovely crevases and texture that meant it could be used alongside other materials like mod rock or plaster.

Railway model shops tend to stock such stuff.

Regards

Nige

By the way what scale are you planning this in and how big a diorama!!!!!!!!! Some sort of phot backdrop to a segment of diorama can give an impresion of the scale of the bays around the island but trying to do a scale size cliff face will be an interesting build.

A lot of detail to get into perspective. Would love to see how you pull it together. Have you got a sketch of the consept and possible placement of figures?

Good luck

Any kind of fine textured foam should work. Carve the foam to shape (you can assemble sections of it with white glue--never use plastic cement on foam, as it will dissolve into goo), then coat it with a thin layer of Durham's water putty, which is sold as a powder in hardware stores. Mixes with water, and it has a natural tan color. Sprinkle dry Durham's right from the can onto the wet Durham's and it will soak up the excess water and produce an instant gritty texture, very nice for rock faces. Paint it with anything you like.

Nige...
Thanks - it's 35th scale...and focused on the Ampitheatre area fought over by the 4th Marine Division...I'm modeling it on a section of cliff that I have explored there and the caves inside.

The base is 18x24, with the cliffs being about 40 "scale" feet tall. The centerpiece is a Zippo tank of the 4th Tank Bn, with Marines and, of course, IJA Soldiers in the mix...

I have sketched it out and laid it out already (my wife even thinks it looks cool ) and am working on the terrain now...hence my questions...

Sorry - no pics yet as my trusty digital CAM went Tango Uniform this week, and I will have to wait for Santa to bring another.

S/F

Pat

Hi Pat,
as soon as I saw your question, I remebered a diorama in the September issue of MMI which was based on a mountain pass, and had a rock face in it.
The guy used a product made by "Javis Countryside Scenics", used as Nige mentioned by model railway makers. It was a piece of cork, available in various sizes.
It looked pretty good , and blended in realistically. It would definetly be the type of thing I would look to use if doing something along those lines, hope that may be of some use to you?

Good luck
Simon

I've seen some really nice cliffs made with foam and then coated with Durhams putty - check out Ray Andersons book-