I just got a few boxes of the Tamiya sandbags. I started cleaning them up and dry fitting but ran into a problem... there are gaps between each bag. No matter how you place them, there are gaps everywhere. Now, if you look at them from above it's o.k. but when looking at them from eye-level there are spaces between them where you can see light shining through. Is there an easy way to solve this problem, or did i waste my money buying these?
thanks.

I've never used them, for that reason, I'd rather sculpt mine out of some sort of clay or putty. The gaps between the bags are one of the biggest problems with the Tamiya bags, hence why a lot of people dont buy them.

You can save them by cutting them into 4 slices and puttying them togeather. But that only works for ground / bunker use - don't put them on vehicle.

They are WAY to big for 1/35 scale (you are talking about 1/35 no?).

Good Luck
N E O

Yeah 1/35. well, maybe i can find another use for em.

Hi Chris

I've got good news and bad news. The bads new is, Those Tamiya sandbags are not only way to big but also pretty sad/poor looking. The good news is sandbags are really easy to make. There are a couple different ways to make them. I'll tell you the way I use, and then track down the web sites that cover the others. I didn't come up with this method, I read about somewhere on the net.
!, take a pc of Miliput putty, a pc of glass, and some baby powder.

2. sprinkle the baby powder on the glass [the powder will keep the putty from sticking ] .

3. Roll the putty on the glass until you have a tube a little smaller than a pencil. about the size of a coffee stir.

4. Cut the putty a little smaller than a 1/4 inch in length.

5. Flaten it out, and shape it with your fingers.

6. Take a sharpe pencil and draw a thin light line where the seam would be. then with a small pc of string, pinch one end and tie a knot around it

7. Take an old t-shirt and tap it on both sides of the bag. This will show a cloth texture .

8. stack the bags wait for them to dry. Then paint and weather as normal.

Like I said, This is only one method. I'll try and track down the sites with the others on it. I'm sorry about not giving exact measurements. I pretty much go by sight. I use reference pics to give a rough idea and go from there. I'll try and find those other sites by Monday night. Good luck
Harry

Chris,
agree with all said so far. I bought some myself and found them to be almost usless. Ended up making my own, actually created mini sandbags using toilet tissue and real fine sand. Extremely happy with the results. If you goolge the site you will find a number of how toos, right here on the big A.

Cheers
Lee

I saw somebody use thtem in the back of a truck as bags of food - potatos maybe? That looked OK.

On way to fix them is to lay a first ground level row, next heat the next sandbags on a Non stick cookie pan until they soften and quickly press them on. After you are done coat with MEK or some other solvent and use an old bristle cut short and stiff and dap or stipple a texture on them. Lot of work, but I have seen it done and look good.

Personally I would drop them in my extra parts box and make my own. Here is my method, no mater what scale:

Good luck

Neill

hey lemming,
i have to totally agree with wolfsix ,that was very close to the same advice i was going to give you i tried tamiya sandbags many years ago and didn't like the results.wolfsix's method is what i've been using since then and haven't looked backed.sometimes people spend to much time trying to fix something than coming up with a better way to do it.
good luck,
parrot.

There are several items that Tamyia should destroy the molds for. The sandbag set is one of them.

Harry gives a really good simple way to make your own.

I agree totally with Dave. n ot only are the sandbags horrible, the brick wall sets and many of the early figure sets are hopeless. Unbelievably Tamiya are still producing them to catch unwary newcomers to the hobby. My advice is if you see a Tamiya kit and are thinking of buying it then ask here first about the quality

Making sandbags from Miliput