Ok, I know that this seems like a really stupid question but I am trying to make a normandy beach head and I would like to know how do I make beach sand that is true to scale? If I am unble to make it to scale where could I buy it for the scale I am looking for?

Ciao Wolf-Leader
You might want to think twice about using beach sand on Normandy (I guess depending on which beach.) The beach at Omaha(?) was gravel rock. Anyway, if you want sand use baking soda and paint or stain it to color. Works better than sand.
Ciao for now
Rob

Bingo, I agree - baking soda would give you the best scale affect.

Plaster of Paris would do. Dries rock hard but when painted, looks like sand.

Ciao Wolf-Leader,
Try this link:
[urlhttps://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/32200&page=1[/url]
Also, there is a useful link at the bottom for more pictures at the army history website.
Ciao for now
Rob

Howdy Wolf-Leader,

(I just helped you on your other thread ). Go to your local Michael's craft store. They have an excellent finely sifted sand there that comes in almost a dozen different colours, and is dandy for desert sand (used it), and I can only assume it would work as well for beach sand too. I've been trying to remember exactly what it's called (it's in a plastic bag with a bright yellow hardcard hanger at the top with even more brightly coloured lettering), but coming up blank at the moment. But, it's the only sand they have, so just ask a clerk.
hth too.

Tread.

Oh, and listen to husky1943. He's correct about making sure which beach you chose to depict. Just like in England, some of the beaches are actually more gravel then sand.

Post post script: And just in case you're wondering about the advantage of having different coloured sands available, many of the beaches in the Pacific Theatre were made up of Volcanic ash/residue, so would be in the realm of from jet black, to a mix of grey/black and in between.

My family and I have just returned from Normandy. We walked down from the American Mermorial and onto the beach. The sand on Omaha beach was very soft and fine. The beach itself was wide and very shallow out a long way from the shore. there were a number of sand bars trapping water behind them. It then stepped up into a fairly steep and heavily overgrown slope upto the bunker complex. This beach is a glorious place and totally at odds with the carnage that took place there. I am not so sure about Utah beach. As this is at the bottom of cliffs, maybe this is more rocky. Arromanche was certainly quite heavily pebbled as well as having rocks and sand.

Another medium to consider is crushed oyster shells.
I purchased a 15oz box for $2.00 at the pet store in the pet bird section. It has a different shape and texture than regular sand.. more like a broken shale texture.
I sifted thru a nylon veil for uniformity and glued with matte medium.
One drawback was that a few shell piece points stuck up vertically,, and although not hard as a rock, they were hard as an oyster shell and were difficult to smooth out with sanding. If i did it again i would press them level while still drying.
The product might not work for your whole beach area, but may work in spot areas to add some effect.. for the price of a box might be worth checking out.

The way I would go about is to find a very fine sifter. You can probably 'borrow' one from your mom, girlfriend, wife, grandma etc. Then go our to the back of your house and dig up some dirt. Let that dirt dry for a couple of days and then sift it. Sift it several times and what you will end up with is basically dust powder. You will definitely be able to use it as scaled down beach sand.

Pet stores usually stock "bathing sand" for Chincilla's. It is extremely fine and comes in quart sized bottles. One bottle goes a long long way when modeling. Good luck on whatever you decide.

Steve

I've made it from "silversand" that's the stuff you put on the ground of a bird cage. It's really fine and perfect for creating a beach!

I grind real beach sand in a coffee grinder till its soft and powdery....works real nice. How much do you need, i might be able to hook you up with some for a small price, modtly shipping......PM me if interested.

Did someone mentioned the beach? The downside of beach sand no matter how you sift it will appear slightly gravelly for 1:35 and stoney for 1:72. Sand unfortunately doesn't get smaller than 0.05 mm. unless you grind it as suggested by Matrix. Any smaller we will be into silt and clay. You could use silt or clay (from sifting the garden) but then you may not get a consistent color akin to a washed, bleached beach.

If your'e looking into a white sand beach you might want to try very fine table salt. Don't think you can paint them with water based paints although oil based ones may be a possibility? Sorry didn't try painting them.

Talcum powder though a bit too fine is another possiblity which may be able to take a bit of paint.

Yes to all,

Remember two things. If it is a real sand beach, you have the scale to deal with.Look at a grain of sand and reduce it 35 times. Its invisible. But, then you have the "perception" of sand. So, the actual product you use to replicate the sand may "cheat" in size a little to give the impression of sand. Gring some medium and sifting for uniformity is the best.
I made a "sand" castle for my son's wedding. It was a styrofoam core, with cast plaster turrets and I only used the four colors of real sand I collected when traveling; gold, white (Pensacola), black (Hawaii) and green from the only green sand beach in the world.
The sand looked 1" equals 1" on purpose. But, I have even taken a bag of regular sand and by sifting it through progrssively finer screens came up with some pretty fine stuff.

Sealhead

Try using nonsanded tile grout. I'm using it right now on a road dio, and it's worked out great. It comes in tons of different colours and when I apply it to my base, instead of mixing it up into a slurry then adding it, I apply the grout bone dry to the base, spray it lightly with water just to make it damp a bit, then start adding your white glue/water mix, it will start to harden in a few minutes, which gives you some time to "sculpt" it a bit to your desires. And it dries rock hard and with the glue, it gives it alot more strength. Very fine powder, so it should give a convincing scale effect.

I think it comes in colors too!!!!

well i got my sand from a pet store . the sand for ya birds (the flying ones he he) :-) which that cost me £1.00 for a big bag then i sieved it about 3 times to get the texture i wanted. hope that helps dude goodluck

To the above sifted sand method I would cut in a 50% split of ground black pepper to start and then eyeball the scaling in from there. Worked great for anO scale (1/48) gravel built up warehouse roof! :-)