What is an easy way to make bricks without using plaster?

First take a piece of styrene or sealed balsa wood.
Spread a thin layer (2mm) of household spackle evenly over the whole thing. Let it dry completely.
Sand it smooth on the face.
Measure a real brick and convert size to the scale your looking for. Layout the brick pattern lightly with a ruler and pencil.
Take the back of a #11 blade or a dental pick and etch the mortar lines along the pattern.
Paint accordingly.

how about individual bricks?

check out the digital diamonds..Number 3 I think... Ive used that same technique. cost no more then a few bucks and you get a large amount of bricks. Mix in some acrylic paint for colour and viola individual bricks.

Mojo - the bricks article is actually Digital Diamonds #2. Here is the link

https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/58

This method works quite well, and is very fast and CHEAP....
hmmm - kinda like my ex-wife!

Forgive my mistake ... Numer two it is... A great idea.. I have a bag o bricks as we speak and am in the process of building a section of wall.. Just cause I can... *L* Kinda makes my eyes a bit buggy though...

you use plaster of paris right? I think I can borrow some from my freinds house

Plaster of paris it is.

I actually cast my pieces in Dental Stone (about 18,000 PSI breaking point vs 5,000PSI for plane plaster of paris). The great thing about Plaster is that it is cheap - I often by 0ne-gallon buckets at Hobby Lobby for $4.97 per jug - you can cast a LOT of pieces for that price!

I usually build my bricks with a modeling clay called DAS that comes ready for use (no need for mixing) and it is available in various colours; one of this is quite close to the one of the real bricks. I just roll a piece of clay with a bottle until I get the right tickness of the clay and then I just cut it with a sharp knife with the aid of a metal ruler. Once dry they are just ok. Another option is to make a whole wall with the same clay, so when you've rolled the clay to the right thickness for your wall, just scribe it with a toothpick and the aid of a metal ruler and let it dry.

i have never seen DAS. (Das Pronto?) but have heard of it. I have two questions:

1) Does it shrink much when it air-dries?
2) How much is it - and is it sold by volume, or weight?

Ya, it sounds interesting

KF, you may want to check out Freeman Supply's web site. I supervise a pattern shop in a foundry and we buy castable plaster in bult from them. I don't know if would be a cheaper source for you or not. They have about every castable resin/plastic know to man, too. Just a thought...

Freeman

Click around and check out the whole site.

why not cheat and buy them. I bought a bag of plaster ones for a couple of bucks. I've even used (heaven forbid) the plastic ones from Italerie. They do alright if you spray white and then dry brush a brick color over them just touching the high spots. Bought a verlinden dio kit and got lots of busted up stuff tht can be used as well.

Yes it is! It doesn't shrink too much (1 to 3% may be). Here it is available in 500g and 1000g packs. You should find it at fine arts stores...