Hi I have a plastic display case from Tamiya 51/2 by 10" i want to put some advancing german troops and Sdkfz250 on it but i don't like the idea of placing all of it on the black plastic that the base of case is made with so I have purchased verlinden's "static Grass green" but since it would be my very first diorama, I have no idea of how to "place" it on base. Is there some sort of glue or other stuff i can spray the base with and then pour grass on it so it will stay in place?
As I have mentioned above this is my first time doing something like it so detailed description and eventually where can i get stuff i need for it would be great.
Thanks a lot guys , love this new hobby and have already learned a few tricks through this website....cheers

Hi there
I prefer to use regular white glue, available in any 'hardware store'. I'm not sure if that is the correct term.
Next I just sprinkle the grassy stuff on the glue. You could then gently blow from one side of the base, to put the grass up. Like the real thing would do.
Let dry, and than you could paint it, altough this is not obligatory.
Please excuse me for any mistakes in my english. Have fun building your first. ... Bye

I would not do this as you describe. The surface is going to look too flat and even. Most folks use some sort of ground material, such as Celluclay, a commercial papier mache but you may have a hard time getting this to adhere to plastic. In fact, you may have difficulty with any glue appropriate to static grass adhering to plastic as well.
Consider getting a piece of wood that will fit in your display case and use that. the Celluclay wil adhere better, especially if you score it or drill holes in the wood. When mixing the Celluclay, I used both white glue and water as well as tinting it with earth toned acrylic paint.
Thin some white glue (Elmer's type) with water and lay a thin layer on your "ground." Sprinkle the grass over it and hold it upside down over an empy box to let the excess fall off. You can save the excess for your next use.
When attaching your figures, drill a hole in one or both feet and insert a bit of brass or aluminum rod. Drill a hole in the ground work and insert the rod's extension into the hole.

Going along with the original poster's question, I have pruchased Silfor's Grass pad but am unsure of the best way to glue it down so that it doesn't look like its just been placed there. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Greg,
I would suggest something along what Al mentioned about the wood base, or celluclay. But if you just want to add grass, I would lightly sand the smooth plastic surface first, then score it several times with a knife to give the white glue something to "bite" into. Good luck.

agreed the black plastic will look too flat.
Celluclay or household wall spackle will be a nice surface treatment to give the ground a more natural look and feel.

I have a 12 x 11 IMEX case,which I will be using as a diobase like you.I plan on using a model rr technique,and using plaster/celluclay as the "ground"
As I do it, I will post step by step pictures
. If you use a plain celluclay for the ground,paint it an earth color,and grab tufts of whatever you use for grass and "plant them into a drop of CA glue.This wil help you make areas of grass and bare ground.

Rather than buying and using "static grass green", you may produce the grass on your own. Here is my modeler's method :

1. Find jute rope or hemp rope (Manila rope)
2. Cut it into desired length
3. Put it in the Moulinex (food spinning machine) so as to make it disintegrate
4. Glue the disintegrated pieces on the base using glue (Latex is OK)
5. Paint it. That's all. Here's some results :

I don't use Celluclay for ground cover anymore, but
when I did use it, I remembered a "step" that Shep
Paine suggested in one of his soft cover "how to" books
that I have. Shep put earth colored paint, acrylics in
the Celluclay with the water when he was mixing it.
That way you already start with a ground color that is
the color of earth. Since celluclay can end up dry with
such a textured surface — if you wait to paint the
Celluclay after applying it, when it's dry — you will
find that in some places it is hard to get the brush
down into the deep holes or recesses of the Celluclay.

Thus putting paint in the Celluclay first is a good idea.

Several have suggested CelluClay to create ground texture and they are correct. However, if you use a thin plywood or other thin wood base please spray with several coats of acrylic paint first. If you do not the wood will warp or twist badly. Please note you will also need to paint the edges of the wood or frame it somehow.

joe.

Gday Gregory
Not having celluclay (to the best of my knowledge) here in OZ, I use any sort of hardware store wood filler... some come as a paste, others a powder to which you'd add water... Either way I'd add a colour (a brown cement colour for example) to mix first, then add the grass once dried sporadically unless there is a manicured lawn planned...
Cheers
Brad

Thank You guys so much for all the info......I'm not sure which method I'll try to use (scared a bit LOL) as of now I'm trying to improve my skills with the airbrush (getting better...at least i was finally able to put desert - tunisia camo on my Sdkfz222 at 1:35 scale)