Hi all,

I would like to make my own sand-bag for my M36 jackson but I am not sure
how I can do it.

Anyone out there has this experience before ? What is the dimension and material
used and what is the color for the sand bag.

Thanks,
Mikado

miliput is the name of the game. Use some bandage gauze to make some texture and a touthpick fot the seems. Dimensions i think there were no real dimensions.
You can put them on your vehicle like real ones.
There's an article here on the site i think. Take a look in the feature section.

Q

I like to use a technique I saw in a modeling magazine and several other articles I have seen in the past... The process is lengthy but it is the most realistic I have seen, or done myself. Admittedly this will take some practice to do and is time consuming, but the finished product I think is soooo much better and realistic.

You make the sand bags out of tissue paper. You need a tube to shape your bags. I used a brass tube and recommend any type of 1/4" metal tubetube. I use a metal tube so when you form your tissue over the tube the glues dosen't stick as bad.

I lay the tissue on a flat surface, fold one edge of the tissue, wrap that edge of the tissue( leaving the the full length of the sheet) around the tube til it meets the other side. leave the fold to the outside so the actual edge is inside rather than loose on the outside of the tube, glue it with a toothpick making the seem as small as possible. Cut the tissue leaving yourself enough to work with. Close the end again gluing the excess to what will be the inside of the sandbag. What you should have now is a tube made of tissue. Slide the tissue towards one end of the metal tube, using a funnel fill your first sandbag about 1/2" to 5/8" of an inch (using very fine sand or baking soda works well too). Use fine wire or fine thread to tie close the sandbag be sure not to tie it too tight as the finished sandbag will tear when placing it if there is to much tension. You also want it loose so when you place the sandbag it lies naturally. Cut it off after you tie it off. Step and repeat the process until you have the numer of bags you need.

To place on the model or diorama I dip mine in a premixed solution of woodland senics matte medium ground work cement and the paint color of the sandbags I very carefully touch the dipped sandbags on a paper towel barley touching it to soak up the excess solution before laying it on the model. When the dry they will become rock solid. Here is a photo so you can at least get an idea of what they can look like. The photo isn't the best to showcase the sandbags but will give you an idea.

Wow. That is quite a process. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Mikado,

Here's a little scan I found usefull for you. it's from the old book The Verlinden Way vol. II.

HTH, John.

The tissue paper sand bags do look really good. I did the front of an M5 that way. The article was in the Feb. or March 2002 issue of FSM. (Not sure which because it was a two part article by Bob Collignon)

I can check when I get home.

Shaun

Here is a article based on the Verlinden Way

https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/116

Ok, Mikado, this on might be a bit off topic concerning you are making sandbags for a vehicle, but I will post it anyway. A major mistake wich are often made by soldiers filling sandbags is "overfilling". The sandbag looks like a stuffed pillow, and are not good for anything. A sandbag should be filled no more than 3/4 full. Then you will be able to "mold" it into position. We usually use a 2" by 4" to form the sandbag. Overfilled sandbags rips open very easily due to machingunfire (Wich will chew through every sandbag, given enough time), and you will soon loose your cover. Building with sandbags are pretty much like Lego. You want the sandbags to lock eachother into place. Using 4" by 4" and 8" by 8" as support strenghten your construction. I have seen a lot of models where sandbags are thrown in as overstuffed pillows, and it don't look very realistic. When we build static position wich are ment to last for a while, we often spray concrete on the sandbags to make them last longer. All this is quiet easily modeled with the techniques mentioned abow. This picture is not of a perfect position but it gives you an idea of what I'm talking about.

Cheers

Erik

If I may add something: my opinion is that using gauze or fabric to imprint a fabric or canvas "pattern" onto your sandbags would be overdoing it for 1/35 scale. I'd say one would be hard pressed to see fabric surface details on even the roughest burlap bags at 35 feet away. Just keep them flat coated with some weathering, I say.

Hi Guys,

thanks for the wonderful suggestion :-) I will try them out and let you guys
know how this turn out !!!

Cheers.....