Oleg's Hobby Blog: Let's protect our troops. SANDBAGS.

If your infantry or vehicles require extra protection the cheapest way to do that is sandbag. Let's equip our heroes!

Couple years ago I parsed more realistic and cheaper alternative for Tamiya sand bag set. Solution was found on Russia-language forum. Unfortunately I cant remember user's name who suggested describing below method of sandbag making.

I want public my experience based on acquired knowledge.

So, we need next tools and stuff:

- scissors

- pencil

- ruler

- tweezers

- toothpick

- thread

- PVA glue

- spatula

- model mat

- paper napkin

- tile grout as a filler

We will make 50-kilogramme bags on scale 1/35. Real size of the bag is 550mm x 950mm. Hence 16mm x 27mm on scale 1/35.

Mark on the napkin bands *16mm and **18mm width and cut with scissors.

Two types of patterns required for: *1 - tied up bags that will form upper layer of a protective wall and standing apart units, **2 -bags with glued throats - they can be stowed dense rows through absence a knots on throats.

Glue short sides of the workpiece to prevent napkin layers separation.

Glue should be applied to this gentle paper with caution and using ruler as auxiliary tool. The ruler should be fixed on the workpiece so as to keep only the edge outside (about 0.5mm). Now you can apply the glue. Do this confidently, push paper to the ruler with toothpick. Joint will be just stronger.

As you get necessary number workpieces and glue is dried out. Bend them in half and apply glue to sides of you bags.

Bags are ready to filling!

Think about ground colour your infantry based and buy the same dry mixture to fill your sandbags.

As the mixture has large stowage factor ram it by a pencil's back end.

Tie up the sandbag 18mm width and glue the sandbag 16mm width.

I clear up the matter about glued bags. When you seal up bags they looks rectangular. That's right! Wait untill glue will dry. Then put some glue to corners that you sealed and bend them to the middle.

Now bags looks not so good owing to a prominent side seams. That is not a problem. Put some glue on the seam, bend it to the bag and press your finger for a couple seconds. Let them dry. That's all!