Matches?

[KatieG]

Hi all,

I have an idea for a diorama where I want to use a bunch of matches. I don\'t want to use real matches for obvious reasons (flammable, TSA won\'t let me bring them anywhere...). Any thoughts for using non-flammable materials that look like matches? I will probably need something like 20-50 of them.

I am thinking of something like this:

Any thoughts? I was thinking small square pieces of wood cut to size and maybe green stuff on the end, but maybe someone has a better idea?

 

[Bill]

Wut?

 

[PegaZus]

Er, the TSA probably won\'t care that they aren\'t REAL matches. If they LOOK like matches, they\'ll be no-go. Maybe you can get them to understand that they aren\'t real, but I seriously doubt they\'ll go along with it.

That said, figure the easiest way would be to take a bunch of real matches, cut their heads off, dip them in glue, hang them upside down and wait for them to dry. Then paint the new heads red.

 

[KatieG]

Excellent idea.

As for the TSA, I planned on waiting to paint the tips until I got where I was going. Then I can either ship it back or figure out something similar...

Either that or paint them \"symbolically\" to look like matches, but be obvious they aren\'t, if you get my drift.

 

[Einion]

What scale?

Einion

 

[KatieG]

The miniatures are 28mm scale, but I want the matches to be life sized. I think I am going with the real matches cut off the head idea, since I think I can do that easily enough...

 

[Dragonsreach]

Any hobby shop should have bags of matchsticks for modelling. I bought a cheap bag of 500 over 2 years ago and find so many differing uses for them:-
Ideal for mixing Epoxy glues.
Stirring paint.
Holding small items while painting.
Props while glue dries.
Basing materials
Chewing on them while paint dries lol

No modeller should really be without them.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by KatieG
I think I am going with the real matches cut off the head idea, since I think I can do that easily enough...

If you can\'t get matchsticks I\'d scrape the heads off matches, instead of cutting them off, that way you keep the length the same. The loss of the 3mm or so could make them look a bit \'dumpy\'!

Instead of sculpting the heads I\'d probably try making a paste of PVA + something gritty to give it body and the right sort of roughness, dipping the ends in it and hanging \'em head-down to dry - basically replicating the way matches are made in the factory.

Might take a couple of dips to build up the right volume, but the method is as easy as pie.

Einion