How to Make Model Bases by Caz Dalton

I always make bases for my models. They are sized so that the model can be covered by a clear Plexiglas cover. I have a friend that does cabinetry work and I buy up all of his used scrap that I can use. Some is real wood and some is nothing but presswood, but they all work fine for my purposes. Bear in mind, this is caveman stuff compared to the beautiful woodwork Gnat does!

The first thing I do is cut my base with a table saw to the proper dimensions. In the case of the wee Berkut, a 5-in by 7-in. base is just fine. The topside of the base is ripped about a quarter of an inch in depth and slightly more than a quarter of an inch inward from the outside. This makes up for paint coats and ant discrepancies that might occur in the showcase. A loose fit is much better than a tight fit in this case.

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After cutting the base, I hand sand with 150 grit in the beginning and work down to a 220 grit. I also bevel the edges and round the corners. Both enable the paint to cover better and the showcase to slip on easily. I clean the sanding residue with an old 3-inch brush and rub it down well will a non-linting cloth.

It's really a matter of choice as to what primer one likes. I keep two, but for the presswood and most pine, I prefer KILZ, as it seals and sands like a charm in one hour under warm temperatures. Do not worry about spider webs, dust, flying insects, or such in the first coat; one has to sand that before the final coat.

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I just use an old bucket with a slab of wood and a small slab to raise the base. Please wear a protective respirator devise of some kind, if it's only a paper pollen filter and even if you are working outdoors as I am.

Botta-bing! Spray the base about 12 to 15 inches from it in parallel strokes. Back away on occasion, shake the can, and let the paint dust settle. KILZ has lots of paint cloud dust (see above, protect your carburetor).

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I liked Zynolyte's Camo Sand, it's a real fast drying and good coverage paint. Here's the finished paint, as I left it to completely dry while I went to pick up the lads at school.

So that my bases do not slip on glass or slick wood, I like to apply some felt to the bottom. I use a product called Presto Felt, which I get at Wal-Mart. Presto Felt comes in a 9 X 12 inch size, but for the Berkut I had a remnant that was the proper size. This was marked, squared, and cut with a carpenter's square and a utility knife. As I sad, no rocket science here. The felt has a self-adhesive backing, which is peeled away and the felt pressed down.

I could drill a wee hole for the pilot's wire brace and do up a plaque in Photoshop and leave it be. Be nay, let's get artistic!

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We left off with the felt applied, which would suffice for any model. But as Emiril says, let's kick it up a notch! I had scanned the model into Photoshop before I attached the vertical fins to lay out a camo pattern in that program, so why not use that scan again, it's already the proper size of the model!

I brought the image into Photoshop, selected the model and made the background transparent. I colored the model silhouette in a dark brown. I next opened a new image with a transparent background in Photoshop in the size of the base top, 4.75 X 6.75 inches. I colored the new image in a light grayish tan. Next I brought up the silhouette and drug it over to the new image and slewed it until I got the position I liked, after which I merged the image. The text tool with some swath detail was used for the text. The resulting image was printed on glossy photo paper and sprayed with a clear matte fixative one the inks had dried.

I cut the printed image out with a carpenter’s square and a sharp utility knife blade, and then checked the fitting on the base top. There are two type of cement available for mounting printed images or matte board to a base, both made by 3M, Spray Mount and Spra-Ment. Spray Mount is a very tacky adhesive and is not permanent mounting cement; therefore I only use it on small items like plaques that I may decide to change. For base tops, Spra-Ment is by far the recommended choice. It is permanent once the base top is fixed. I use a low-tack, wet paint masking tape strips to seal the colored edges of the base top and peel them away as soon as I have the base top in position. I then rub down the base top with a paper towel very gently to assure all is set.

Making a simple base is a great improvement in presentation. When you add a special top, it furthers the presentation of the model. Try it; it's a quick easy two day affair, most of that spent waiting for paint to dry.

Caz Dalton

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