Hello,

Just sharing to you a technique for making perfect sandbags....without using epoxy putty.

1) Buy a pack of Chicklets. Those white chicklets in a yellow box. Those are exactly 1/35th scale.

2) Put the Chicklets in bowl of water. Leave it for an hour or two. The water will dissolve the hard candy covering.

3) Wash the remaining squares. Let dry for a few minutes.

4) Round off the bags by lightly pressing the corners. Then, dab the sided with the pointed end of a hobby knife to simulate stitches.

5) Press a rough cloth or fine screen on the surface to provide texture.

6) Place on surface and bend according to shape. Let dry.

7) Paint and weather.

If you want to make a hole, just stick the point of your hobby knife in the sandbag and chuck out a rough hole.

Don't worry about ants. The gum base of chicklets is not edible. It's only the hard candy coating which attracts unwanted insects.

The gum base will dry as hard as a rock....as one can attest to experience...hardened bubble gum under school tables.

Here are some pics of the sandbags:







What a waste of chicklets.

It's fun! Hope this helps....

Angela

This is an excellent idea. Your sandbags are beee-uuutiful. Very nice work.

:-) Bubble gum sandbags, what a great idea.
So, what makes the best sand bags. Spearmint or tutti futti?

The gum sand bags look great. Thanks for sharing Angela

I have heard of this technique before but have never seen it. Very nicely done and thanx for sharing.

That's one of Shepard Paine's techniques that he writes in his old book from 1982, "Modeling Tanks and Military Vehicles". Good info nonetheless.

This is an excellent idea. What is really strange is that I have Shep's book but somehow I've missed this tip. Duh!

Hi Sabot

Thanks for pointing that out. I forgot to say where that idea came from.

As what Sabot said, the tip came from Shep Paine's book although he stated there that it was not his idea. It was from another modeler's.

Just sharing.

Angela

Page 53, second paragraph down. He attributes this technique to George Rees.

Very intresting, thanks! There´s just one problem, what is Chicklets?
Something I can get in Sweden?
Andreas

"Chicklet" is a chewing gum coated with a white crust similar to M&Ms. Its similar to Clorets. There is another post from Angela in a another forum that discussed this in detail...

Cheers

Angela, great tip indeed. Thanks for sharing it.

One question,

would some other chewing gums work?

like ORBIT




or Airwaves?




Mirko

I think so. All you have to do is to immerse them in water so that the candy covering will be dissolved.

Angela

thanks Angie for the tip

this is chicklets

I love this idea. I read about it before, and I cant wait to try it in one of my dioramas. Not to mention it gives it that speariment smell.

-Jay-

Its great article...
..but are somebody know some way to make small sandbags in 1/72 on this way? I try to cut the gum before boiling in warm wather - nope after that - again nope
Remark: the gums whidout "sweet coverage" are "bad thing" its stay great when you modelling it (still wet), but when it dry - not looks good.

thanks for the tip. i have been trying to figure out how to make sand bags.

That's a great idea, makes it simple for a few bags. If you want to make a large quantity, cheap modeling clay will also do the trick. It will harden with exposure to the air. Gives you plenty of time to work and detail the bags.

The bags came out real nice and the tank looks great too. I do wonder though, if the sugar in the gum draws little critters to want to eat it. ....Al....(Edit)....OK , just read the part about the critters. The reason that I mentioned it is that some critters once ate the celuclay off of one of my dios. Something in there that they liked.

Interestingly enough, Chicklets come in two sizes,...the "normel" size, discussed here, is perfect for 1/35. They ALSO make a "mini" Chicklet, that is ideal for 1/72. Same principle as above, just in the size you need!

Rod

You can also use Dentyne, although it is closer to 1/32 scale.
-Matt