I've been measuring and measuring, and I've concluded that I'll probably need a base measuring 15"x17". Aside from the obvious issues.. mostly weight and size... is there anything that I can use besides wood?

The dio will likely be mostly flat, so I've also considered using plastic, but can't seem to find a hunk that large. =)

Odd sizes too! Looks like I'll be doing a bit of woodwork...

Why don't or won't you just use the wood. Sure it's heavy, but it's also strong enough to hold the dio. Besides, it's not something you have to carry around all day .... #:-)

I'd settle for the wood after all...but hey...it's just my two Eurocents

You have different types of wood. Ply wood, hard wood, laminant (MDF), go to DIY place and check out the different types of wood, some are lighter and will give you the strength you need. Some types of wood are lighter than others, pine vs. maple etc.
You do need the strength and Eagles right it won't be carried around much.
I just thought of a plastic that would be strong enough - we have a cutting board in the kitchen that is huge and fairly thin and very strong. You might check out a kitchen store.

thanks guys, never done this before (as you can tell! )

a cutting board, thats a neat idea, even if its not used for this project. heh! ingenious.

My latest soon-to-be-completed project is sitting on a piece of 1-1/2" thick x 21" diameter piece of solid red oak. On top of that, there's close to 4 lbs of Sculptamold, white glue and other groundwork materials. I'd say close to 7 lbs total.

Believe me, I won't be moving this one around too often.

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe
Mortars in Miniature

Start with a 1/4" sheet of hardboard like mason-nite. Seal with varnish and add an inch or more of closed cell foam. The hard foam used by florists. This will give you a solid base that id light and strong. You can carve the foam, add plaster, sculptamold or ground cover and there you go.

I dont know what you are building, but one thing I try to avoid is very square dios. They are hard to get a good balance in the overall effect (big corner areas are usually left bare) and need a special wide shelf to hold. I prefer to try and keep my dios a little longer and cut down on the overall width. It is easier to work at, easier to move, etc.
Just something you might consider before starting!

While not a great idea for a "huge" diorama base, I use plaster and plastic lids to create some really unusual bases. Take a look at the Digital Diamonds article on the subject... lots of fun, very cheap, and adds a lot of interest to the finished project! Here is the link:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/79

MDF is a good choice, as it's cheap! But if you are cutting it, be sure to wear a mask as the dust is harmful. Another cheap solution is hardboard with strengthening battens underneath in an X shape. The textured side of hardboard is also a good key for applying filler to for the contours.

After sawing and / or cutting, you'd better watch the sides too, since it can be as sharp as knives !

This may sound odd, but I've always used "pink" contruction styrofoam sheet for my dio bases. It comes in several thicknesses (1", 2" etc.), cuts to any shape with just about any type of knife or saw, its sturdy, glues easily (i.e. to make several thicknesses, or, for gluing dirt, debris to it), its lightweight, and easy to shape and/or punch holes in to "plant" trees, shrubs. etc.

I cover the exposed edges with dark brown acryllic paint.

If construction stryofoam isn't available, try using the styrofoam packing pieces that package electronic items, tv's vcr's, etc. Its pretty sturdy stuff also.

There is a very elegant way to do it: By using a pin board (You can get it very cheap in Your local paper-store) and styrofoam. Advantage: The whole construction is very light at the end.



I found this hint at: http://www.modellbau-soltys.de/hints/diobase-a.shtml#