Evening gentlemen and Lady of the forum.

I recently bought the BACCUS system for my 6mm stuff and am a little miffed at the results so far 

The first time I applied the sand it just rubbed off (this was using the PVA in the kit).

I've now changed to my own PVA and it looks to be going the same way

Help please

Quote from: getagrip on 25 March 2015, 07:23:30 PM
Evening gentlemen and Lady of the forum.

I recently bought the BACCUS system for my 6mm stuff and am a little miffed at the results so far 

The first time I applied the sand it just rubbed off (this was using the PVA in the kit).

I've now changed to my own PVA and it looks to be going the same way

Help please

Not sure. I haven't had a problem. Perhaps,you are not leaving them long enough before putting the wash on them?  Might be worth posting e same question of the Baccus Forum, then you'd get Pete's personal attention!

Mollinary

Hertsblue and I had teething problems with the Baccus system (see the "6mm painting" thread). By the sound of things, you've not left it to dry long enough and when you say, "rubbed off" I presume this happened when you applied the foundation wash? Anyhow, here's what I said in the other thread .......

Using a slightly watered down mix of PVA (roughly 2 of PVA, 1 of water but never more than 50/50), I sprinkle the sand on the base, turn the base upside down, give it a gentle tap or two and leave it, usually overnight.

When I apply the ink wash, I dip the brush in the pot to get a generous helping and dab it on, letting it run freely through the sand. I use different size brushes depending on the area to be covered (large for wide areas, thin for getting between figures, etc.).

After leaving it overnight, I then dry brush the base as directed and apply the PVA/water mix again. I then dump a load of static grass on the base, turn the base upside down, give it a couple of taps with my finger, smooth the edges with my finger and again leave overnight. Next day, I get our old hoover out (!) and using the thin nozzle attachment, (very carefully) vacuum off the loose static grass (both this and the upside tapping of the base also helps the grass to stand up).  Works fine that way. Next lot of PVA was bought in a DIY shop.

Hope that helps, Grip. 

Thanks guys,  I'm still confused though as I left the base for 24 hours and didn't even get chance to apply the wash, the sand came off with my finger.

The only thing I haven't done is cut the PVA with water.

Another thought - what sort of bases are you using?  Is the base soaking up the PVA?

Molinary

When I'm doing crappy bases like this I do it in a bit of a different order.

Neat PVA on the base, dunk intio the sandbox
Leave it to dry 2-3 hours
Thinned down PVA washed over the sand 50:50
Leave overnight (you'll know when its dry, no white milky colour)
Generous coat of thinned dark brown paint (your foundation wash?)
Wet brush some mid-brown over the dark
Dry brush sand/beached bone
Slap some random patches of PVA here and there, dunk into the flock box.

and all your bases can look as crappy as mine. 

and no its didnt cost me £18

Assuming you guys are talking about sand on top of PVA......Have you ever tried speeding up the drying time with a hairdryer ?
(From a distance that doesn't blow the sand away, naturally !!)
In the past I've found that works quite well....and also for drying the paint on the figure, if you're in a rush.
Just find a happy medium for the distance, and flick the dryer from side to side quickly, so things don't get TOO hot.

Cheers - Phil.

Thanks guys, great tips.

Gordon, I like the idea of using another coat of PVA over the top

Phil, to speed up drying I usually use the oven on a setting of 50 degrees; works a treat (and cue loads of cooking lead/minis gags etc).

GG, as Westmarcher says, we've had problems with the Baccus basing material too. PVA seems to have trouble "gripping" the tiny particles. I always scatter the material on the base and then press it down well into the PVA. Even then, after a couple of hours' drying time, it can lift if you're too robust with the paintbrush. I use a brown wash and dab it on gently. Once it's dry the wash anchors the base material well enough to drybrush.

I'm thinking of using a contact adhesive like Evo-Stick or trying my hot-melt glue-gun on an experimental base next time around. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Quote from: Hertsblue on 26 March 2015, 09:14:23 AM
GG, as Westmarcher says, we've had problems with the Baccus basing material too. PVA seems to have trouble "gripping" the tiny particles. I always scatter the material on the base and then press it down well into the PVA. Even then, after a couple of hours' drying time, it can lift if you're too robust with the paintbrush. I use a brown wash and dab it on gently. Once it's dry the wash anchors the base material well enough to drybrush.

I'm thinking of using a contact adhesive like Evo-Stick or trying my hot-melt glue-gun on an experimental base next time around. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks Herts,

One thing I tried last night which was pouring the grit on and leaving it about a cm deep overnight, then shaking the excess off.

This worked

I use PVA from a diy store and never had the grit come off.

it's the only way I can do bases!

They're very nice Freddy

Indeed they are !! 
Cheers - Phil

They look good, but the blanket needs to be replaced with something that corresponds.

I'm certainly not getting into correspondence with a blanket !
Dealing with you lot's bad enough !
Cheers - Phil