paddy
Well-known member
I cant say I have an order or a plan here but as I'm making it up as i go along, so I might as well post it here.......as i go along 
I plan a Diorama based round a long range desert patrol group, LRDP/SAS group about to leave the motor pool in a North African town.
I want a couple of buildings, i want a repair workshop, stores supply's, a LRDP consisting of a couple of jeeps and a Chev 30cwt working as desert raiders. I expect i will think of other details as i go along. I want this to be a busy scene but not filled up with models just for the sake of it so each addition has to be relevant.
Today i have been messing about with ideas for North African buildings. Fortunately these are pretty basic which suits me fine as this is my first attempt at anything like this. Of coarse you can just buy model buildings in kit form but i want to make this a little more individual. I need a challenge or i lose interest quite quickly.
I bought a couple of expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles from the hardware store, these are 50cm x 50cm x 8mm. i cut one up to make a basic 4 sided block and then cut a bit to fit inside for a roof. I will not be using this as its just a test to try out ideas. I wanted to check the white glue didn't melt the polystyrene and that it was strong enough. I coated one side in Ceramic tile grout/glue which gives a sort of plaster finish and again i needed to check this would not attack the polystyrene and that it would set and stay stuck. The ceiling tiles have a stippled finish so the grout sticks quite well. i need to perfect my surface finish but i think with some wooden frames for doors and windows this idea could work well for a building.
I think i have the scale about right. Obviously i am working at about 1/35 but not knowing the size of original buildings i am guessing door and window sizes based on a 54mm figure,
Hopefully the pictures and subject will get more interesting as i get going properly.
Thanks for looking
I plan a Diorama based round a long range desert patrol group, LRDP/SAS group about to leave the motor pool in a North African town.
I want a couple of buildings, i want a repair workshop, stores supply's, a LRDP consisting of a couple of jeeps and a Chev 30cwt working as desert raiders. I expect i will think of other details as i go along. I want this to be a busy scene but not filled up with models just for the sake of it so each addition has to be relevant.
Today i have been messing about with ideas for North African buildings. Fortunately these are pretty basic which suits me fine as this is my first attempt at anything like this. Of coarse you can just buy model buildings in kit form but i want to make this a little more individual. I need a challenge or i lose interest quite quickly.
I bought a couple of expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles from the hardware store, these are 50cm x 50cm x 8mm. i cut one up to make a basic 4 sided block and then cut a bit to fit inside for a roof. I will not be using this as its just a test to try out ideas. I wanted to check the white glue didn't melt the polystyrene and that it was strong enough. I coated one side in Ceramic tile grout/glue which gives a sort of plaster finish and again i needed to check this would not attack the polystyrene and that it would set and stay stuck. The ceiling tiles have a stippled finish so the grout sticks quite well. i need to perfect my surface finish but i think with some wooden frames for doors and windows this idea could work well for a building.
I think i have the scale about right. Obviously i am working at about 1/35 but not knowing the size of original buildings i am guessing door and window sizes based on a 54mm figure,
Hopefully the pictures and subject will get more interesting as i get going properly.
Thanks for looking
Now please excuse me while I'm going to do this; 
