Sir, i have to say i have never been interested in this type of crafting, however, after the first minute or so of your video, i was compelled to watch until the end. You have so much passion for your hobby, and sincerity in your words. Nice crafts, good day.
Great advise ... the basing tips not the glue sniffing. It's worth mentioning that baking soda is way less expensive than other basing material you might find at the hobby store. Also, if you buy a big bag of kitty litter and only plan on using a cup or two, the local animal shelter probably wouldn't mind the donation. Thanks Atom!
I wasn’t technically “sniffing” the glue, I was testing to see if the tip was blocked after I finally got the cap off. I usually squeeze the bottle near my nose, and if I can smell the fumes coming out, then I know the tip isn’t blocked. It’s never sprayed out like that before at home, and now, in hindsight, I can see why it’s always been a sketchy idea. Thanks for watching!
My only thought is that you are going to burn through a lot of glue... I have assembled a fair amount of the Plastcraft terrain using superglue and I'm always surprised how quickly I run out of glue... So depending on the country you are in, what's a pretty inexpensive source for super glue? I feel like those little $.99 tubes are not worth it.. I look for the larger triangular bottle of superglue that I tend to find @ the hardware store... vs say specific miniature gaming glues like Zap-A-Gap then tend to be more $$.
@@SciFiPorkChop28 U can try universal glue. In the UK u can find tooth paste size tubes for 1 £. Sticks to anything and its strong. It takes a few minutes to set and a couple of hours to fully harden.
Use white Elmers glue diluted with water and apply to base with paint brush then apply base material.Then seal. Also there is plenty of free base material outside in nature. Gravel,sand, rocks, ...etc,
@@davidparton9158 and Azrael88 - I guess I'm confused, aren't we talking about the baking soda basing technique? and isn't it the reaction between the super glue (cyanoacrylate) and the baking soda that makes this technique work? if I used Elmer's white glue or universal glue won't I just end up with a snow like effect?... I suppose i can always paint over it... but yes, otherwise, Elmer's or Universal glue and various other tidbits, sand, gravel, etc work great as basing material
Thank you for this tip! I am doing the hobby since 1984 and with the help of guys like you I am still learning new techniques.. Danke für diene Arbeit! Thank you for your work! Greetings from Germany!
That bit towards the end, that must be the infamous first attempt to demonstrate how you use baking soda on your bases! I’ve been waiting for that video for years!
Great technique! What I do is I have a big tub filled with various different materials sand salt baking soda kitty litter tiny cork crumbles. What I do is a heavy application of wood glue on the base fairly thick then I put it in the mixture and then level all the material out with a little exacto or pallet knife with the glue when it dries it creates a nice level surface that shows all the variance in basing material then I gloss varnish it before priming and painting
Just found this video. Love it. I am a miniaturist and use chipboard for furniture, fencing, etc. I use CA glue and spread it with an old credit card and coat it with baking soda. Brush off excess. It is like board. It can be filed, sanded, cut, etc.
Love your tips! This and the wet pallet video are 2 of my favorite video tips and simple tricks. Thank you so much. I am an old dog (50) learning a new trick (painting & playing) with the added challenge of having young onset Parkinson's disease. Thanks again and keep up the good work
I really love the outtakes added. It's almost like watching a comedy and looking for the added features on the dvd so you can watch the blooper real. Very funny. Keep doing those. 🤣🤣
I usually skip around in videos like this and pick through information, but I couldn't bring myself to skip a single word of this! Thoroughly enjoyable videos -- thank you!
I've been watching tid bits of your videos, but as soon as I heard "some people like to texture after they paint but I'm not one of those people". You got my subscription.
this was more comedy than information for me ^^ zero interrest in this craft (just watched some vids on painting for my gloomhaven minis), but your voice and humor kept me on. nice!
Interesting... A point of clarification for non-US viewers (or maybe just British?). Here, what Americans call ‘baking soda’ is known as Bicarbonate of Soda. What we call ‘baking powder’, often sold adjacent to bicarb, is the same stuff with raising agents in it. It makes your cakes rise. I’m not sure if that will have an effect on basing but to avoid issues, don’t use ‘baking powder’. Another tip is that the stuff usually comes in small tubs like salt, but if you go to the laundry aisle you find it in large bags, usually cheaper. Should last you a lifetime...
Yep! Just to second this, in the UK, use Bicarbonate of Soda, not 'Baking Powder'. Baking power will react to moisture in your paints/PVA and fizz up into a gooey mess! Trust me!
Here in the U.S., we have baking soda and baking powder. I’ve heard of the term “bicarbonate of soda” but didn’t know it was the same thing. Good info. Thanks for watching!
Implemented this technique on my first bases, today. It’s pretty close for my first attempt, and looks better than I expected to pull off. I’ve been living in these videos in preparation of painting my first Space Marines. Thanks for the vids.
Bloopers! Finally! Love how you don't lose your cool even in such a terrible chain disaster. Btw, I use bonsai clay instead of baking soda it gives you an even more wide particle range
Learned something new and exciting. Adding depth and flavor to your bases, it's all about lifts and levels as Martha Stewart always says. Really appreciate the video thanks for sharing your discovery. Sealing the model with clear coat will also prevent the baking soda from yellowing.
As a recovering RC enthusiast, I discovered many ways to glue things together (including fingers). Another thing to try for variations on these effects is to vary the thickness of the CA glue and try other fillers. Balsa dust (or any fine sawdust) and phenolic microballoons can create really cool textures. With thin CA, adding glue to powder is a really cool trick. Please keep the videos coming, your channel is my hobby background music!
CA glue can be extremely cheap to get if you skip the hobby stores and go to the dollar store... Also, when using your baking soda method, NEVER USE GEL SUPERGLUE, you aren't going to get good looking results from it.
I am a 100% novice and I’m working on my first two miniature bases. I was about to just go outside and collect the fine dirt, but I’m glad I decided to look the subject up before I went! You brought up a lot of great points and your examples are absolutely incredible.
Came across this from my recommended feed and gotta say, really nice quality video making. Audio is really crisp and I laughed out loud with the Dechnical Tifficulties that's just great.
Another way to base is to use the white Gesso primer. Add baking powder to thicken it up and use it like a cheap texturing paste. Add any more Colour you want in it also anymore grits for added texture. The white Gesso didn't work for me as a primer so i'm re-purposing it for basing. Thanks great videos even for a historical modeler.
Great bloopers at the end. That's a really good idea. I ran into the issue of "sand" size/scale on a 1:35 USMC desert sniper team diorama I made back in September of 2018. I ended up using extra fine craft sand. Of course it was still out of scale but what I did helped a little. I used pva to glue down the sand and when I did my sealing coat with watered down pva after misting with isopropyl, I sprinkled a little baking soda over the top while the sealing coat was still wet. It turned out ok but still wasn't entirely happy with it, but it got me a silver medal in the competition. So, I think next time I need to do sand, I'll lean more heavily on the baking soda and use the sand for smaller rock.
awesome tip! have used baking soda for years to dry CA in many tasks,.. not just minis and crafts, but never really thought of it as a texturing tool... thanx a ton!!!
Glad you were able to finally make this video without gluing your fingers to the base! From your suggestion a few years ago, I started using this technique combined with GW texture paints and other stuff and it has been really great! Keep up the great videos! ALSO- the lamp in the background is badass.
I love this advice, thankyou. Also love the technical difficulties card and music. Little bits like that make this channel so character ful. Would you ever do a video about the astetic and tone of the channel? How you refined the sound design, character and tone and how you see it now compared with when you started, and maybe goals for the future.
I just tried this last night and got great results first go. So this tutorial was excellent. Going to apply this method to all my GW Middle Earth minis going forward. Thanks!
I love the idea of scale here. I've used baking soda for a long time for my individual bases. I will say -- PVA works perfectly fine if you hit it twice. The first coat sticks to the plastic, the next one sort of seals the stuff together. I've never had any issues with it peeling off if I've hit it twice.
I have used PVA glue and sand grit, rocks, etc., and I have never had the basing pop off. I have dropped many minis in my time and have never had any basing damaged. I score the plastic base with a modeling knife. I mix PVA with water about 50/50. After the material dries, I put a second coat of 50/50 glue. I will add more material and build up parts to make the ground uneven. When the material is how I want it, I put a last coat of glue.
Really great video. I appreciate the camera shots and your explanation of the techniques. I thought your disclaimer about using unsullied cat liter was pretty funny too. Thanks so much for putting this together.
My go-to basing material is ready-mixed wall filler (spackle). Just get a little bit on a small tool, and spread it over the base, kinda like a texture paint. It winds with about the same grain as baking powder, but you can sculpt it into rocky textures as you lay it on, and when it's set, you can even carve cracks and such into it.
So many models I have not based - never sure what to use as I want the bases to match the terrain board and as I got Desert, Winter and Urban boards that is clearly almost impossible. So with my Death Guard I decided to use ash (as wherever they tread everything organic dies) and wow does it make the model 'pop'. So finding any basing tips really useful right now - thanks Uncle A :)
Sir, you just solved my problem with my minis and basing for grass. I have blood bowl figs I am working on and I live in Cairo, Egypt where there is no hobby shops like the ones we frequent in the US or elsewhere. I can't find static grass or "poweder" grass anywhere. I can, though, find baking soda in large amounts and rather cheaply too. Thank you!
If you want finer sand (or whatever texturing agent you're planning to use), a mortar and pestle does exactly that. And you can also sift sand to get the finest sand and dust separated from the larger bits.
In Australia, we have access to ultra-fine red desert sand. It's sold through pet stores for reptiles, or if you live in the right place, just go scoop it up/bring it back from a road trip. It's cheap, has about the same grain size as baking soda, and soaks up paint really well. Great for basing AdMech without even painting it!
I started doing this a few years ago when you last talked about using baking soda for bases... it works great. I even use it as a rust effect or to add texture to skin on nurgle minis before priming...
Thanks for the tip . I have just got back into painting again and this has given me some good inspiration to expand on the bases , giving it even more detail .
Like the glue catalysing idea - In the UK cocktail sticks are round (typically about 2mm diameter) sharpened at both ends but toothpicks are flat tapering wooden sticks, about 30 thou thick.
I found a bag of very fine sand at the dollar store (also small green rocks for a fish tank, and larger white rocks that work for boulders). They work great. Use watered down PVA glue to seal it in and make it all solid after adding the sand and rocks.
Great advice! For a more textured, earthy look I use spack filler (used for filling cracks in plaster walls) with fine sand/stone/twigs etc pressed into it before its fully sets. Like the CA glue a little goes a long way and its very cheap too.
Lol at the bloopers. I totally agree about sand mostly looking out of scale. Unpainted sand is even worse. Great idea with the baking soda. These days I use Vallejo texture pastes for the most part.
Sand your plastic base prior to PVA glue with a coarse (80 grit) sandpaper and the glue will adhere much more strongly. I've also used a watered down (50-50) PVA glue to coat my baking soda used for snow. Didn't go yellow, but did slightly reduce the 'fluffy' look of the snow.
nice tuto. if you want to make snow or do not want your baking soda to turn yellow, add a drop of blue ink in your preparation. For good snow I use pva glue + medium + baking soda and the magic blue ink drop :D
And we thought it was just for baking...listen, I have been watching and listening for a couple of years now and I have grown to appreciate your unique ways of presenting yourself....at first I thought..."....a long diatribe and monologue on modeling stuff(well, miniatures)??" and guess what?..I have come to enjoy and appreciate your words of wisdom, seeing I have done this wonderful engagement for over 50 years and have tried to think I have much more to learn, and guess what I was right! Uh one thing though, you have got to get some better holders for your glasses...I think I counted over 57 times you reached up and adjusted them...Naw, just kidding, but a fun thing to notice....Thanks again for you great insight, unique presentation style...Take care. DH
I've always used actual dirt. It's free. I carry around old 'film canisters' - the plastic bottles camera film used to come in - and when I see a little pile of dirt or grit that looks interesting, I scoop up a bit into one of those canisters and take it home. You can end up with a nice 'spice rack' full of various grits and gradients for basing and terrain building.
To prevent baking soda snow bases from yellowing use this recipe. Baking soda, pva glue, cheap white craft paint and water. The amount of water determines how fluffy or flat you want your snow. When you put it on the base you can sprinkle some baking soda from high up to give it a smoother, less cluppy texture if you like. I suggest testing it out before you base your model. Once COMPLETELY dry (4 days) you can then seal it with matte varnish.
The baking soda/CA glue technique also works as a gap filler. Fill the gap with baking soda, drop a drop or two of CA glue onto it, and let it soak in. When it's dry, it can be filed, sanded, carved, etc. NOT drying wood in the microwave is GREAT advice. I tried it once. It actually caught fire in the microwave. Smoke, flames, melting plastic, and $400 for a new microwave. Strangely enough, my wife thought it was hilarious.
I order model railroad dirt, fine or medium. Has a mix of powdery dirt, sand and some larger particles. I apply it dry just how I want it, then touch the super thin super glue to it and it wicks it up and then dries solid.
Great tip, once again! To increase your pet-product-hobby-materials, try to look into "bird sand". The stuff you put in a bird cage. Its way finer than normal sand. I doubt it has, or have not experienced, the cataclistic properties of that sand yet though, like with the baking powder. enjoy your weekend all.
I still use sand, but i tend to stick to casting sand, with some normal sand mixed in. It gives a fine grain powder, like baking soda, but also has a little diversity.
wubda wubwub probably not unless you've done some metalworking with a forge to melt a metal and a process called "lost wax casting". Or in the case of of something 3D printed, "lost PLA casting". The hot metal, usually aluminum, melts/burns the wax or the PLA out of the mold and takes its place. The molds are made from casting sand that has some clay mixed into it. 1 Lb Petrobond Casting Sand Gold Silver Copper Jewelry Delft Clay Alternative www.amazon.com/dp/B00XRRKCRO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9tFnBbM47V27G
Great video! Really cool usage of common household materials. What you might be spending on CA, you are saving on the ridiculously expensive basing materials. Thanks!
Just use cheap glue. I use Cheap superglue from the cheap store (Dealz/poundland/dollar store). With the Bicarb it will still dry rock solid. Only thing to watch with this is that it can give off a lot of heat during the reaction, you don't want this mixture on your skin, as it can cause chemical burns.
Thank you sir.. Before, i use baking soda+superglue trick in figure customizing to place some part more strong or to cover a hole. Your video make me more confident to keep on with this trick and give a new route in display base customizing..
New shirt idea: I'm not a baking soda scientist. Also, BSI has a fantastic brush on CA that never get's the bristles hard. It's by far my favorite CA glue. Works great for applying the glue to the base for putting on baking soda.
Nice. I always thought sand was to big to be "sand" thanks for the tip. I love kitty litter too btw. Very versatile and once its soaked up some glue surprisingly durable.
Pretty cool. What I'm doing for my orks since the table is going to be deserty wasteland. 1. Super glue any bits/rocks. 2. Put vallejo earth texture. 3. prime/paint/shade/highlight/etc as needed 4. glue down an army painter wasteland tuft somewhere that looks good
I sometimes go to a large pet store to buy kitty litter, they have a little jar of each brand so you can see what they look like before. There's so much difference, some brands have a much finer grit than others. There's also different kinds, the clay stuff that clumps together (that's what you want), the kind that doesn't, the hippie kind that's made from organic corn husks or something like that and the really fancy all crystal smell absorbing stuff (expensive, but it has decently sized crystals that could look good for some bases?)
I use the baking soda technique (also from building scale models), but what I’ve moving to, came from building scale model dioramas, and that’s a mix of dirt (yes, actual dirt from the yard baked to kill off bacteria and fungus) about 30-40% and grout (non-sanded) about 60-70% using ‘Gorilla’ wood glue. Also I make my own bases with Masonite, the type with one smooth side which makes the underside leaving the rough/“textured” side for the wood glue to adhere extremely well. Using different shades of grout (darker and also lighter than the dirt) gives nice tonal variations and you don’t have to paint it because it naturally looks like dirt and the grout binds the dirt and dries rock hard.
A similar technique that can give greater depth in fewer steps is epoxy + microballoons (see hobby store, tough baking soda can be substituted for microballoons). Use five-minute epoxy, mix it with the microballoons and whip it up to an icing-like consistency. Then you can sculpt it on the base with a toothpick, put in/on sand if you want, impress texture as it hardens, etc. Hardens in 5-10 minutes and is sandable if you want to shape it after it dries.
Where I live the CA glue it’s a bit more liquid, but it has the same results with baking soda, however sometimes there is a strange reaction that causes the both elements to create a strange smoke, which makes me glad that I work with open windows when I do my bases.
Us Armour modellers sometimes use it for creating winter scene dioramas too! It's alot cheaper than paying out krycel for it and if you use abit of hairspray the same way you would with krycel it goes rock solid
![[DRAGON BALL LEGENDS REVEALS ＆ STUFF] LEGENDS FESTIVAL 2024 Special Edition Part 1](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mV5bGIswTtQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Sir, i have to say i have never been interested in this type of crafting, however, after the first minute or so of your video, i was compelled to watch until the end. You have so much passion for your hobby, and sincerity in your words. Nice crafts, good day.
He glue, he sand, but most importantly he glue stuff to hand.
Longest video to kick an open door... Glue, and sand.
I can’t use my phone for the rest of the day after putting together models
Bro 😂
Your voice is made for radio/podcasts
My mom always told me I had a face for radio. 🤔
@@ChrisBennettGameDesign and a voice for print.
Same thought
It’s velvety
It's a setting in the recording software he uses.
Great advise ... the basing tips not the glue sniffing. It's worth mentioning that baking soda is way less expensive than other basing material you might find at the hobby store. Also, if you buy a big bag of kitty litter and only plan on using a cup or two, the local animal shelter probably wouldn't mind the donation. Thanks Atom!
I wasn’t technically “sniffing” the glue, I was testing to see if the tip was blocked after I finally got the cap off. I usually squeeze the bottle near my nose, and if I can smell the fumes coming out, then I know the tip isn’t blocked. It’s never sprayed out like that before at home, and now, in hindsight, I can see why it’s always been a sketchy idea. Thanks for watching!
My only thought is that you are going to burn through a lot of glue... I have assembled a fair amount of the Plastcraft terrain using superglue and I'm always surprised how quickly I run out of glue... So depending on the country you are in, what's a pretty inexpensive source for super glue? I feel like those little $.99 tubes are not worth it.. I look for the larger triangular bottle of superglue that I tend to find @ the hardware store... vs say specific miniature gaming glues like Zap-A-Gap then tend to be more $$.
@@SciFiPorkChop28 U can try universal glue. In the UK u can find tooth paste size tubes for 1 £. Sticks to anything and its strong. It takes a few minutes to set and a couple of hours to fully harden.
Use white Elmers glue diluted with water and apply to base with paint brush then apply base material.Then seal. Also there is plenty of free base material outside in nature. Gravel,sand, rocks, ...etc,
@@davidparton9158 and Azrael88 - I guess I'm confused, aren't we talking about the baking soda basing technique? and isn't it the reaction between the super glue (cyanoacrylate) and the baking soda that makes this technique work? if I used Elmer's white glue or universal glue won't I just end up with a snow like effect?... I suppose i can always paint over it... but yes, otherwise, Elmer's or Universal glue and various other tidbits, sand, gravel, etc work great as basing material
Thank you for this tip! I am doing the hobby since 1984 and with the help of guys like you I am still learning new techniques.. Danke für diene Arbeit! Thank you for your work! Greetings from Germany!
You're like the cool uncle who introduces you to wargaming and helps you paint your first mini's.
My uncle introduced me to cider and Queen 😂
That bit towards the end, that must be the infamous first attempt to demonstrate how you use baking soda on your bases! I’ve been waiting for that video for years!
Great technique! What I do is I have a big tub filled with various different materials sand salt baking soda kitty litter tiny cork crumbles. What I do is a heavy application of wood glue on the base fairly thick then I put it in the mixture and then level all the material out with a little exacto or pallet knife with the glue when it dries it creates a nice level surface that shows all the variance in basing material then I gloss varnish it before priming and painting
“Don’t use used kitty litter...”
But...but... extra texture!
“You can really smell the Nurgle on these models!”
Comes with free logs.
Just found this video. Love it. I am a miniaturist and use chipboard for furniture, fencing, etc. I use CA glue and spread it with an old credit card and coat it with baking soda. Brush off excess. It is like board. It can be filed, sanded, cut, etc.
Love your tips! This and the wet pallet video are 2 of my favorite video tips and simple tricks. Thank you so much. I am an old dog (50) learning a new trick (painting & playing) with the added challenge of having young onset Parkinson's disease. Thanks again and keep up the good work
I really love the outtakes added.
It's almost like watching a comedy and looking for the added features on the dvd so you can watch the blooper real.
Very funny.
Keep doing those. 🤣🤣
Utterly disagree. I didn't come here to watch a fifteen minute video by some humourless fuck intent on wasting my time.
Oooh, someone's got some venom inside them.
Not cuddled enough as a nipper?
Or are you in fact the above mentioned "humourless fuck"?
What a sour apple.
I usually skip around in videos like this and pick through information, but I couldn't bring myself to skip a single word of this! Thoroughly enjoyable videos -- thank you!
I've been watching tid bits of your videos, but as soon as I heard "some people like to texture after they paint but I'm not one of those people". You got my subscription.
wow very nice video. I have been painting for 26 years and have never heard of using bakingsoda. this is going to be a must try on my next jobs
this was more comedy than information for me ^^
zero interrest in this craft (just watched some vids on painting for my gloomhaven minis), but your voice and humor kept me on. nice!
Interesting...
A point of clarification for non-US viewers (or maybe just British?). Here, what Americans call ‘baking soda’ is known as Bicarbonate of Soda. What we call ‘baking powder’, often sold adjacent to bicarb, is the same stuff with raising agents in it. It makes your cakes rise. I’m not sure if that will have an effect on basing but to avoid issues, don’t use ‘baking powder’.
Another tip is that the stuff usually comes in small tubs like salt, but if you go to the laundry aisle you find it in large bags, usually cheaper. Should last you a lifetime...
Jonathan Baldwin the rising agent in baking powder is baking soda. It typically also contains cornstarch.
Yep! Just to second this, in the UK, use Bicarbonate of Soda, not 'Baking Powder'. Baking power will react to moisture in your paints/PVA and fizz up into a gooey mess! Trust me!
Here in the U.S., we have baking soda and baking powder. I’ve heard of the term “bicarbonate of soda” but didn’t know it was the same thing. Good info. Thanks for watching!
And for your german viewers: Go for Natron. ;)
Well I used german baking powder and wondered why it looks so strange :D
Now I know...
Lol, that end clip of you gluing the base to your table... Reminds me of why I picked up the habit of using wax paper under my models when using glue.
Implemented this technique on my first bases, today. It’s pretty close for my first attempt, and looks better than I expected to pull off. I’ve been living in these videos in preparation of painting my first Space Marines. Thanks for the vids.
Bloopers! Finally! Love how you don't lose your cool even in such a terrible chain disaster.
Btw, I use bonsai clay instead of baking soda it gives you an even more wide particle range
Learned something new and exciting. Adding depth and flavor to your bases, it's all about lifts and levels as Martha Stewart always says. Really appreciate the video thanks for sharing your discovery. Sealing the model with clear coat will also prevent the baking soda from yellowing.
As a recovering RC enthusiast, I discovered many ways to glue things together (including fingers). Another thing to try for variations on these effects is to vary the thickness of the CA glue and try other fillers. Balsa dust (or any fine sawdust) and phenolic microballoons can create really cool textures. With thin CA, adding glue to powder is a really cool trick.
Please keep the videos coming, your channel is my hobby background music!
CA glue can be extremely cheap to get if you skip the hobby stores and go to the dollar store...
Also, when using your baking soda method, NEVER USE GEL SUPERGLUE, you aren't going to get good looking results from it.
I am a 100% novice and I’m working on my first two miniature bases. I was about to just go outside and collect the fine dirt, but I’m glad I decided to look the subject up before I went! You brought up a lot of great points and your examples are absolutely incredible.
Seven years I have been waiting for this guy's know how. A real big help thanks yo
Came across this from my recommended feed and gotta say, really nice quality video making. Audio is really crisp and I laughed out loud with the Dechnical Tifficulties that's just great.
Another way to base is to use the white Gesso primer. Add baking powder to thicken it up and use it like a cheap texturing paste. Add any more Colour you want in it also anymore grits for added texture.
The white Gesso didn't work for me as a primer so i'm re-purposing it for basing.
Thanks great videos even for a historical modeler.
Great bloopers at the end.
That's a really good idea. I ran into the issue of "sand" size/scale on a 1:35 USMC desert sniper team diorama I made back in September of 2018. I ended up using extra fine craft sand. Of course it was still out of scale but what I did helped a little. I used pva to glue down the sand and when I did my sealing coat with watered down pva after misting with isopropyl, I sprinkled a little baking soda over the top while the sealing coat was still wet. It turned out ok but still wasn't entirely happy with it, but it got me a silver medal in the competition.
So, I think next time I need to do sand, I'll lean more heavily on the baking soda and use the sand for smaller rock.
Superb explanation of this technique, I really appreciate how thorough you are with your advise.
awesome tip! have used baking soda for years to dry CA in many tasks,.. not just minis and crafts, but never really thought of it as a texturing tool... thanx a ton!!!
Should have watched this 12 hours ago. Will be texturing my bases pre primer in future. Great article.
Me too! The only time I've done anything to bases before priming was when I was putting bigger rocks on them.
Glad you were able to finally make this video without gluing your fingers to the base! From your suggestion a few years ago, I started using this technique combined with GW texture paints and other stuff and it has been really great! Keep up the great videos! ALSO- the lamp in the background is badass.
I want that SHIRT!
Had SO much fun playing Car Wars in Jr. High... So many years ago.
Best basing technique ever! Ive been using this for my Dwarven dispossesd Sigmar army, it looks fantastic! Thank you Uncle Adam!
I love this advice, thankyou. Also love the technical difficulties card and music. Little bits like that make this channel so character ful. Would you ever do a video about the astetic and tone of the channel? How you refined the sound design, character and tone and how you see it now compared with when you started, and maybe goals for the future.
I just tried this last night and got great results first go. So this tutorial was excellent. Going to apply this method to all my GW Middle Earth minis going forward. Thanks!
So the crusty old brush you used, is BOBS brush (Brushing Off Baking Soda) !!! Awesome video thanks TM.
I love the idea of scale here. I've used baking soda for a long time for my individual bases.
I will say -- PVA works perfectly fine if you hit it twice. The first coat sticks to the plastic, the next one sort of seals the stuff together. I've never had any issues with it peeling off if I've hit it twice.
Just started my first minis in yeeeears. Used this basing technique and just primed. Looks great so far!
Kitty litter with flavor crystals.
"don't forget the flavor crystals" -Napoleon Dynamite
yum ☺
5th and I use this technique all the time thanks to you, but I have found out that it works great even with PVA glue, and it is rock solid.
I have used PVA glue and sand grit, rocks, etc., and I have never had the basing pop off. I have dropped many minis in my time and have never had any basing damaged. I score the plastic base with a modeling knife. I mix PVA with water about 50/50. After the material dries, I put a second coat of 50/50 glue. I will add more material and build up parts to make the ground uneven. When the material is how I want it, I put a last coat of glue.
Really great video. I appreciate the camera shots and your explanation of the techniques. I thought your disclaimer about using unsullied cat liter was pretty funny too. Thanks so much for putting this together.
The nose-pump-blooper was hilarious! Really brilliant!
Vince v and atom should have a podcast together. You guys would be a perfect balance. Everyone from beginners to pros would listen, I'm sure.
My go-to basing material is ready-mixed wall filler (spackle). Just get a little bit on a small tool, and spread it over the base, kinda like a texture paint. It winds with about the same grain as baking powder, but you can sculpt it into rocky textures as you lay it on, and when it's set, you can even carve cracks and such into it.
So many models I have not based - never sure what to use as I want the bases to match the terrain board and as I got Desert, Winter and Urban boards that is clearly almost impossible. So with my Death Guard I decided to use ash (as wherever they tread everything organic dies) and wow does it make the model 'pop'. So finding any basing tips really useful right now - thanks Uncle A :)
Watching these videos has helped me in my hobby alot, just to clarify I avoided your first step of sniffing the glue and it worked fine 😉
I love the bloopers. Makes me feel better about it when I screw up.
Sir, you just solved my problem with my minis and basing for grass. I have blood bowl figs I am working on and I live in Cairo, Egypt where there is no hobby shops like the ones we frequent in the US or elsewhere. I can't find static grass or "poweder" grass anywhere. I can, though, find baking soda in large amounts and rather cheaply too. Thank you!
I am starting a new project and I think you have inspired me to take my bases to the next level.
You can also use grout for sand and keep it in scale for 28mm figures.
That ripple effect works great for lava flows and solidified lava.
Very detailed. Very patiently conveyed and articulated really well. Thanks for that elite knowledge sir.
If you want finer sand (or whatever texturing agent you're planning to use), a mortar and pestle does exactly that. And you can also sift sand to get the finest sand and dust separated from the larger bits.
In Australia, we have access to ultra-fine red desert sand. It's sold through pet stores for reptiles, or if you live in the right place, just go scoop it up/bring it back from a road trip. It's cheap, has about the same grain size as baking soda, and soaks up paint really well. Great for basing AdMech without even painting it!
I started doing this a few years ago when you last talked about using baking soda for bases... it works great. I even use it as a rust effect or to add texture to skin on nurgle minis before priming...
Thanks for the tip . I have just got back into painting again and this has given me some good inspiration to expand on the bases , giving it even more detail .
Like the glue catalysing idea - In the UK cocktail sticks are round (typically about 2mm diameter) sharpened at both ends but toothpicks are flat tapering wooden sticks, about 30 thou thick.
I found a bag of very fine sand at the dollar store (also small green rocks for a fish tank, and larger white rocks that work for boulders). They work great. Use watered down PVA glue to seal it in and make it all solid after adding the sand and rocks.
Great advice! For a more textured, earthy look I use spack filler (used for filling cracks in plaster walls) with fine sand/stone/twigs etc pressed into it before its fully sets. Like the CA glue a little goes a long way and its very cheap too.
Tip for you uncle Atom, when you can't get CA glue open, pour some plastic glue between the bottle and the cap. Works most of the time...
Love the outtake/tech difficulties 😂
Between the nose spray and the flavor crystals this is one of my favorites
Lol at the bloopers. I totally agree about sand mostly looking out of scale. Unpainted sand is even worse. Great idea with the baking soda. These days I use Vallejo texture pastes for the most part.
Just tried this out for the first time on my dark imperium death guard, absolutely love the result
Sand your plastic base prior to PVA glue with a coarse (80 grit) sandpaper and the glue will adhere much more strongly. I've also used a watered down (50-50) PVA glue to coat my baking soda used for snow. Didn't go yellow, but did slightly reduce the 'fluffy' look of the snow.
Awesome, I love watching ideas for basing miniatures. However I am more impressed by that sweet Car Wars shirt.
nice tuto. if you want to make snow or do not want your baking soda to turn yellow, add a drop of blue ink in your preparation. For good snow I use pva glue + medium + baking soda and the magic blue ink drop :D
I would recommend also that old used or broken toys work. You can take parts from them to make stuff.
And we thought it was just for baking...listen, I have been watching and listening for a couple of years now and I have grown to appreciate your unique ways of presenting yourself....at first I thought..."....a long diatribe and monologue on modeling stuff(well, miniatures)??" and guess what?..I have come to enjoy and appreciate your words of wisdom, seeing I have done this wonderful engagement for over 50 years and have tried to think I have much more to learn, and guess what I was right! Uh one thing though, you have got to get some better holders for your glasses...I think I counted over 57 times you reached up and adjusted them...Naw, just kidding, but a fun thing to notice....Thanks again for you great insight, unique presentation style...Take care. DH
used this for years started using backing soda and superglue to repair guitar bridges then went to use it on bases. works great. :)
I love CA glue, after 25 years in the rc car racing hobby I have had many fun gluing adventures, seeing yours was hilarious.
I've always used actual dirt. It's free. I carry around old 'film canisters' - the plastic bottles camera film used to come in - and when I see a little pile of dirt or grit that looks interesting, I scoop up a bit into one of those canisters and take it home. You can end up with a nice 'spice rack' full of various grits and gradients for basing and terrain building.
To prevent baking soda snow bases from yellowing use this recipe. Baking soda, pva glue, cheap white craft paint and water. The amount of water determines how fluffy or flat you want your snow. When you put it on the base you can sprinkle some baking soda from high up to give it a smoother, less cluppy texture if you like. I suggest testing it out before you base your model. Once COMPLETELY dry (4 days) you can then seal it with matte varnish.
The baking soda/CA glue technique also works as a gap filler. Fill the gap with baking soda, drop a drop or two of CA glue onto it, and let it soak in. When it's dry, it can be filed, sanded, carved, etc.
NOT drying wood in the microwave is GREAT advice. I tried it once. It actually caught fire in the microwave. Smoke, flames, melting plastic, and $400 for a new microwave. Strangely enough, my wife thought it was hilarious.
Great vid! For snow baking soda+PVA+fine salt will stay white for a long time.
I order model railroad dirt, fine or medium. Has a mix of powdery dirt, sand and some larger particles. I apply it dry just how I want it, then touch the super thin super glue to it and it wicks it up and then dries solid.
Great tip, once again! To increase your pet-product-hobby-materials, try to look into "bird sand". The stuff you put in a bird cage. Its way finer than normal sand. I doubt it has, or have not experienced, the cataclistic properties of that sand yet though, like with the baking powder. enjoy your weekend all.
I have a super fine sieve used for tea leaves that I use to sprinkle stuffs... Works a treat if you want even coverage.
I still use sand, but i tend to stick to casting sand, with some normal sand mixed in. It gives a fine grain powder, like baking soda, but also has a little diversity.
is casting sand a technical term ive never heard of?
wubda wubwub probably not unless you've done some metalworking with a forge to melt a metal and a process called "lost wax casting". Or in the case of of something 3D printed, "lost PLA casting".
The hot metal, usually aluminum, melts/burns the wax or the PLA out of the mold and takes its place. The molds are made from casting sand that has some clay mixed into it.
1 Lb Petrobond Casting Sand Gold Silver Copper Jewelry Delft Clay Alternative www.amazon.com/dp/B00XRRKCRO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9tFnBbM47V27G
Thanks!
Great video! Really cool usage of common household materials. What you might be spending on CA, you are saving on the ridiculously expensive basing materials. Thanks!
Just use cheap glue. I use Cheap superglue from the cheap store (Dealz/poundland/dollar store). With the Bicarb it will still dry rock solid.
Only thing to watch with this is that it can give off a lot of heat during the reaction, you don't want this mixture on your skin, as it can cause chemical burns.
Do NOT lean in over your work, the gas rises, and will burn out your eyes, nose, lungs.
The model camera is very good.
Loved the bloopers.
Simple, cheap, and effective... awesome! Also liked your guilty smile about making a mess! Haha!
Thank you sir.. Before, i use baking soda+superglue trick in figure customizing to place some part more strong or to cover a hole. Your video make me more confident to keep on with this trick and give a new route in display base customizing..
New shirt idea: I'm not a baking soda scientist. Also, BSI has a fantastic brush on CA that never get's the bristles hard. It's by far my favorite CA glue. Works great for applying the glue to the base for putting on baking soda.
Nice. I always thought sand was to big to be "sand" thanks for the tip. I love kitty litter too btw. Very versatile and once its soaked up some glue surprisingly durable.
I did this on a few bases today and I like the way it came out.
Pretty cool. What I'm doing for my orks since the table is going to be deserty wasteland. 1. Super glue any bits/rocks. 2. Put vallejo earth texture. 3. prime/paint/shade/highlight/etc as needed 4. glue down an army painter wasteland tuft somewhere that looks good
I sometimes go to a large pet store to buy kitty litter, they have a little jar of each brand so you can see what they look like before.
There's so much difference, some brands have a much finer grit than others.
There's also different kinds, the clay stuff that clumps together (that's what you want), the kind that doesn't, the hippie kind that's made from organic corn husks or something like that and the really fancy all crystal smell absorbing stuff (expensive, but it has decently sized crystals that could look good for some bases?)
I just ordered some painting supplies to finish off my 3D prints, I can't wait to try this! :3
I'm just happy to see that his CA glue cap was glued on too. I've been doing this for 20 years and I still can't prevent that from happening.
I've no idea why RUclips recommended this, but I'm glad they did!
I am also glad they did. Thanks for watching!
I use the baking soda technique (also from building scale models), but what I’ve moving to, came from building scale model dioramas, and that’s a mix of dirt (yes, actual dirt from the yard baked to kill off bacteria and fungus) about 30-40% and grout (non-sanded) about 60-70% using ‘Gorilla’ wood glue. Also I make my own bases with Masonite, the type with one smooth side which makes the underside leaving the rough/“textured” side for the wood glue to adhere extremely well. Using different shades of grout (darker and also lighter than the dirt) gives nice tonal variations and you don’t have to paint it because it naturally looks like dirt and the grout binds the dirt and dries rock hard.
A similar technique that can give greater depth in fewer steps is epoxy + microballoons (see hobby store, tough baking soda can be substituted for microballoons). Use five-minute epoxy, mix it with the microballoons and whip it up to an icing-like consistency. Then you can sculpt it on the base with a toothpick, put in/on sand if you want, impress texture as it hardens, etc. Hardens in 5-10 minutes and is sandable if you want to shape it after it dries.
Where I live the CA glue it’s a bit more liquid, but it has the same results with baking soda, however sometimes there is a strange reaction that causes the both elements to create a strange smoke, which makes me glad that I work with open windows when I do my bases.
Us Armour modellers sometimes use it for creating winter scene dioramas too! It's alot cheaper than paying out krycel for it and if you use abit of hairspray the same way you would with krycel it goes rock solid
Excellent post! Knicked some sand from the local playground, bunch of super glue, bit of baking soda, et voila!
It makes sense to texture the bases before priming. Means when you start painting you are looking at the final product :-)
with liquid superglue you can skip the sprinkling part and just throw that stuff on the base