(Part 2) Top products from r/TerrainBuilding

Honestly if you've only played one game I wouldn't go too crazy on making stuff just yet until you're sure your group will regularly play. It's really disappointing when you put a lot of work into something but don't get to use it.

My group started with just a battle mat (1" grid mat for using dry erase makers). They're inexpensive and a great way to get everyone in the game.

Eventually I added model trees, scatter terrain pieces over the grid (think rock obstacles), and now I do pieces like this for big battles:

https://i.imgur.com/xPT0k6J.jpg

Also I bought these which are a great way to build dungeons with minimal investment:

Dungeon Tiles Master Set - The Dungeon: An Essential Dungeons & Dragons Accessory https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786955554/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZtTQzbXCQC31C

I really like building terrain for my group, but it's best to do it if you know they will keep playing and appreciate it.

Going to a pet store or model train store will get you a lot of cheap terrain that looks reasonably good. If you have some coin to throw around, I may recommend a nicer tree set, like this one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JXW7OK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've bought a couple packs of those before, and they look frankly fantastic.

My forest boards usually have a mix of nice/expensive trees and cheaper trees to fill up the board. Remember to get some line-of-sight blocking hills and cliffs to, and it's always nice to have a building or two.

For basing I'd recommend styrene sheets. They're cheap, easy to cut (I just use common scissors) and work well with regular model superglue.

hey op, one thing I can definitely suggest is losing the external lego-like attachers on the walls and placing small holes for some magnets there instead (e.g. 8$ for 50 pieces). I think itll look better than the protrusions and make all the walls much more easier to manage.

Also much easier than trying to re-print the entire wall in case you break it and will decrease the print time as well.

Otherwise looks very good. the windowed wall definitely looks like a starship destroyer panel!

The brand I use is EasyCast, a two part one-to-one clear resin. Not the worlds best quality, but for effects like these it's perfectly fine. A 16-ounce set costs about $16.86 on Amazon right now.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GBT8V0/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1456844322&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=clear+resin

Woodland Scenics Foam Tack Glue. $16 for 12 oz. on amazon. It works great! Dries fast and clear and it holds really well, even if you routinely drop things like I do.

Normal Tools:

I've found my square tool with a lip on it: This one to be invaluable. I use it every time I craft to make a 90 degree cut.

X-Acto knives are a must when cutting foam (buy a box of 100 blades, foam dulls them QUICK). A box cutter for things like corkboard or cardboard.

A cheap clay set such as this can be useful when working with foam to add different types of impressions. The metal tool with prongs is good for making a wood grain effect.

Tiny hand drill such as This is useful for making small holes for wood posts, jail bars, etc.. I use this hand drill with a 3mm bit I bought elsewhere to put tiny magnets into my work to hold pieces together that are modular or detachable.

Paints:

I like to get house paints from Home Depot for major colors that I use a lot (grey for stone, brown for wood). I get the sample size containers that are really cheap for the amount of paint you get, and the paint is thick enough so you only have to use one coat most of the time. I use dental plaster bricks from Hirst Arts quite often and it takes several coats of cheap paint or just one coat of house paint to get the job done. I mix the house paint with cheap craft white paint for dry brushing highlights. For all the other colors I use the cheap($.50 - $1.00 / bottle) craft store paint. I wouldn't use that paint for miniatures, but works fine for terrain.

Brushes:

Get the cheap ones in a wide variety of sizes. You will be dragging and jamming those brushes into all sorts of places so they will get damaged. I also use the brushes for applying glue to terrain, or latex to wire armatures and they do not survive that process well. I never use any of the ones with the sponge tips.

Happy to help!

So, I'm still struggling to understand your overall goal here. Are you wanting landscape type terrain or interior dungeon stuff or both?

If you are wanting to build "mountains, canyons, etc..." then you should look into creating some landscapes made from foam such as this Rocky Terrain example, or these Lava Falls, or these Canyon type rock formations. Foam is much easier to carve and MUCH lighter than a similarly sized plaster formation. Be careful to read up on the construction process though, regular spray paint propellant will melt this type of foam, so you will need to glaze the surface or brush paint.

If you are looking for dungeon type interiors then I think that is where the molds I sent you will really shine. Those molds are designed to be used thousands of times with plaster and will give you consistent building blocks to build your modular terrain. This is a good example of the number of modular "blocks" you will need to make a map using this type of material. It can be rather tedious and repetitive, but if done correctly your map combinations are basically endless!

Also, keep in mind those molds are primarily designed to be used with a Plaster of Paris type material which is very fluid upon mixing and will harden to a rock like brick. You don't remove the plaster from the mold until it is completely hardened, so there really isn't any "soft" work time with that material. I'm not even really sure it is possible to permanently "add" to the brick after it has hardened. The plaster will be similar to a ceramic statue when you are finished; it is heavy, highly detailed, and thick pieces are very durable, but it is not unbreakable. A short drop could break off flimsy pieces and a large mechanical shock (hammer) can shatter it.

OP could also try tacky glue. It's basically a thicker white glue. It doesn't run as much, presumably important as you move your pieces into place inside the jar, and it holds the pieces in place a bit more immediately than standard white glue. But essentially, yeah, sounds like a job for white glue.

You have a few options for something like this:

Vallejo Still Water -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PHBH14/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Envirotex -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LNUBKU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Or just a plain up clear epoxy resin with some dye.

Wow it must be expensive to do a whole board...

Try this stuff instead http://www.amazon.com/DAP-12330-Indicator-Spackling-1-Quart/dp/B000BQPYJ0

Just need yourself a deadman switch and you're set! I have one of these for my proxxon, so much more productive to just hit a pedal and you're ready to rock.

MLCS 9080 Billy Pedal Foot Switch, Deadman Style https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LJNJOE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_L-AxDb30R8P11

sorta like this stuff right?

28mm is also around 1:56/1:60 scale, so you could look for model boats in that range as well

EDIT: Here's an example

Sorry, I do not know. I understand you specifically said not online, but the following link (to Amazon Canada) is the exact product I use. You get 25 sheets, which is enough to make 25 of these buildings. (in other words it will last a very long time).

https://www.amazon.ca/Grafix-Chipboard-12-Inch-Natural-25-Pack/dp/B0013JRFUA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1502806360&sr=8-3&keywords=grafix+medium+chipboard

Here is a guide on how to do it

Here is also a link to by a pound on amazon for $9.50

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Woodland-Scenics-Clump-Foliage-Inches-Medium/dp/B000BL1SPE

Tons of wire for the roots, trunk and branches and that is about it.

Paint + glue

I use The Chopper...

https://www.amazon.com/Northwest-Short-Line-The-Chopper/dp/B000YDIMZS

It depends on what you're looking for.

If you want it as-is, like a spooky swamp tree then I'd paint a dilute Mod Podge onto some of the base and less of the top branches, rubbing in some Fine Turf (this stuff is worth the money) wherever you want there to be moss.

For the base, go outside and find some dead leaves and toss em in a blender (or a shot glass with a pair of scissors) and glue the dead tiny leaves to the base. Here's an example of one I did

Finally, you might want some vines made from poly fiber. Just pull some off, work in some of that dilute mod podge, twist it here and there into individual vines and wrap around the tree or dangle where you'd like. You can finish the vines with some more of the turf, too