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I've seen people say paste on PVA and Baking Soda whit a bit of white paint but I was wondering if there was a way to make reusable flock without having to spend loads on those little packets.
I'm not sure what you could use with the goal of being able to reuse it. What is the plan for the snow flock?
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PVA + Baking soda is going to be a cheep as it gets. But getting a big tub of woodlands scenic’s and water effect stuff should not be bank-breakingly expensive. Just stay clear of the GW branded stuff.
Flock, by it’s very nature, is re-usable. Assuming you are talking about the extra that falls off the mini when you glue it on. Just be sure to work over a tub, or some sort of flexible sheet so you can pour the excess back into the container.
If you are painting the base with glue, then sprinkling the flock onto it, you will make a bit of a mess. Just sweep it up and re-use.
Another option is instead of sprinkling the flock on is to swish the glue-painted base through a dish/tub of flock, then knock the excess off the base, back into the dish. Very little waste. If you use a tub with a lid, you can just seal it up for later. If you use a dish, just transfer what you don’t use back into the bag it came in.
If you are mixing the flock and glue and applying it that way, work in small batches to avoid excess and waste.
Unless you are flocking a huge army (or table), even GW’s overpriced tiny bags should still cover a lot of minis.
Best looking option would be to buy actual snow flock, just not the tiny little packets. A big shaker of the Woodland Scenics stuff isn't nearly as pricey as half a dozen little tubs from GW, GF9, etc. and is just as good if not better (definitely superior to the "white grass=snow" of GW). If it's short-term, circumventing the yellowing issue, baking soda works just as well.
If you skip the adhesive, any flock will be effectively reusable. Just as we tap off the excess when gluing it to boards and bases, you can reclaim pretty much the whole lot that's been temporarily sprinkled over terrain. It's a lot of trouble for a one-off game, but it does allow you to "winterize" a board for special games or photo shoots without investing in a whole new table and set of terrain.
Do bear in mind that poorly adhered ground cover, static grass, et al are liable to find their way into the reclaimed snow, just as bits of snow will find themselves lodged in the board. A brush-ended vacuum hose, applied gently, can take care of the latter issue, but anything sucked up is effectively lost. Still, you're getting easily 95% of the material back, with a bit of effort, so any sizable container should still last you a while.
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As someone who recently tackled the issue of basing with snow, I'd recommend looking at Liquitex's texture gels (specifically resin sand/coarse texture gel). Historically I've found them for 4 or 5 bucks, and one 8oz tube lasted for the equivalent of 60-70 models or so (included 2 layers, one for the ground color, one for the actual snow.) I wish I had a better picture, but this might give the gist of what it is. It clumps up nicely and gives a proper texture and sheen, I always felt the flock/PVA/baking soda stuff looked a little funny. Mixes well with colors, doesn't crumble off.
PVA + Baking soda is going to be a cheep as it gets. But getting a big tub of woodlands scenic’s and water effect stuff should not be bank-breakingly expensive. Just stay clear of the GW branded stuff.
This link is great.
The best snow (other than the crushed glass, which is expensive and well, you know, crushed glass) is Woodland Scenics Snow and Realistic Water. The big tubs of each are pretty cheap considering how much product you get and they'll last for a long time.
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Microballoons have been the secret weapon of military & diorama modelers for ages. They were originally designed (and are still marketed) as a gap filler to be used with adhesives to make the bond stronger and sandable. A variety of snow types from slush to frost can be created with microballoons depending upon the type of adhesive and it's application. Because microballoons aren't specifically a wargaming product, they're easier and cheaper to find. A 9oz. bottle will run less than $10 on Amazon.
Check out this model railroading article for more info. on creating snow with all types of products: How to Model Snow
Edit: I forgot to mention that this stuff is not good for your lungs. Don't even think about opening the container without wearing a respirator.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/08/26 20:59:11
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Great replies people, thanks for all the information.
Sorry for the lack of clarity, i meant so i can simply pour the stuff back into its pot and re-use it for another project. I know the PVA B/Soda is a good method but is permanent.
General use would be for terrain but will probably use on bases and maybe a diorama.
My Tau and Kroot armies are all arctic themed and as such, all their bases are snow based.
The method I use is as such:
1. Cover base with PVA
2. Dunk base into a tub of White sand (and this stuff is from White Sands, NMlol)
3. Let dry completely.
4. Cover the base again with PVA
5. Dunk base into a tub of Snow Flock from Woodland scenics
6. Let Dry completely.
7. If needed (as per personal preference) repeat 4-6
this method has provided me with some realistic looking snow as if the snow flock isnt too heavy on top of the sand, you can see the sand sparkle a bit as real snow will do in the sunlight.
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Sorry for the lack of clarity, i meant so i can simply pour the stuff back into its pot and re-use it for another project. I know the PVA B/Soda is a good method but is permanent.
General use would be for terrain but will probably use on bases and maybe a diorama.
Thanks all
I'm not sure of what you are asking about.
There isn't anything that isn't permanent that I'm aware of. Any kind of flock (like the Woodland Soft Flake Snow) will need to be adhered to the base of terrain or it will just fall off. In that Woodland Scenics video, the Flex Paste (which I'm guessing is just an acrylic paste) is used to build drifts and the Soft Flake gives it a snow-like texture.
Can you just pour snow flock on something? Sure, but you will just end up losing all of it because there is nothing for it to stick too. It also won't look much like snow.
d-usa wrote: "When the Internet sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending posters that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing strawmen. They're bringing spam. They're trolls. And some, I assume, are good people."
The OP is considering just that, Scooty - temporarily sprinkling something down to - again, temporarily - make a non-winter board look like it has snowed. It won't be as convincing as permanently modeled snow, but it can be done without looking half bad.
OP: Head over to Battlefront's website - I seem to recall a FoW battle report where the players hit the table with a dusting of loose snow flock for a single winter scenario. Should give you a decent sense of what's achievable with your proposed method.
The Dreadnote wrote:But the Emperor already has a shrine, in the form of your local Games Workshop. You honour him by sacrificing your money to the plastic effigies of his warriors. In time, your devotion will be rewarded with the gift of having even more effigies to worship.
oadie wrote: The OP is considering just that, Scooty - temporarily sprinkling something down to - again, temporarily - make a non-winter board look like it has snowed. It won't be as convincing as permanently modeled snow, but it can be done without looking half bad.
OP: Head over to Battlefront's website - I seem to recall a FoW battle report where the players hit the table with a dusting of loose snow flock for a single winter scenario. Should give you a decent sense of what's achievable with your proposed method.
Yeah I figured that is what he was asking. I'm not sure of the logistics of covering a game board with snow flock and then trying to scoop it all back up again. The flock is pretty fine and I'd wager most of it would be unrecoverable, kind of defeating the purpose of it being "reusable."
But like I said, I guess it could be worth a shot.
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Its do able depending the the kinda piece you are using.
IF the board as a TON of detail and nooks and texture that might catch whatever flock you are using then no matter how much you try to shake it off it wont be pretty.
like on a piece that has sand glued onto it.
But if it is nothing but smooth with no major texture than it could work.
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