*
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
April 18, 2024, 11:33:52 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Donate

We Appreciate Your Support

Recent

Author Topic: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?  (Read 6871 times)

Offline Cubs

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4923
  • "I simply cannot survive without beauty ..."
'Sir John ejaculated explosively, sitting up in his chair.' ... 'The Black Gang'.

Paul Cubbin Miniature Painter

Offline Dewbakuk

  • Administrator
  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5775
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #16 on: November 12, 2015, 02:18:30 PM »
So many projects..... so little time.......

Offline Cubs

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4923
  • "I simply cannot survive without beauty ..."
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #17 on: November 12, 2015, 06:56:09 PM »
It's a lot more expensive than I thought it would be. When we had high winds and lots of fallen trees a couple of years back I confess to going scavenging with a hammer, chisel and bucket.

Offline Momotaro

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1320
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #18 on: November 13, 2015, 05:15:12 PM »
I have to confess to taking a plastic bag along to play areas when the kids were younger and scavenging.

These days I'd get arrested if I went on my own...  :D

Milton Keynes eh?  I'm working in Aylesbury during the week, I may have to take an evening detour...  Definitely looking to get arrested...

Offline Klingsor

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 62
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #19 on: November 16, 2015, 02:13:54 PM »
I bought a bag in B & Q about a decade ago. It lay around until I finally figured out how to use it properly and how wonderful it was and now I have run out. I looked last year and did find some places in England selling it which is useless to me as I am in Northern Ireland so I would have to get a pallet of it – which I am not entirely adverse to. I have not given up hope yet and haunt garden centres looking for some more.

Try looking for bark nuggets or cedar bark chips. The former seems to produce more hits.

Offline Dewbakuk

  • Administrator
  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5775
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #20 on: November 16, 2015, 03:03:42 PM »
Bark nuggets do still turn up in b&q etc periodically, but they're the small ones unfortunately, usually no bigger than around 30mm :(

Offline kingsmt

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 750
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #21 on: November 16, 2015, 08:52:49 PM »
Even with smaller chips, you can build a respectable piece. Just hot glue them together. Don't forget that you can break these chips up to fit into each other,  as if they were natural crevases. Keep the cracks dark and scatter some vegatation in them for a realistic look.
You can also stack them up like pancakes to make rocky terrain.

Pust some on your ground and then cover a portion as if the were sticking out of the earth.

Lots you can do with the smaller chips.

Offline Jon Suth

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 218
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #22 on: November 17, 2015, 11:45:42 AM »
The problem with the stuff you can get in the UK is that it is like mulch rather than ground cover, so its like chunky dust!!
I think the solution is to raid a supermarket car park or lurk around in a park until the groundsmen disappear for a brew of tea!!!

Offline Rhoderic

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1830
  • I disapprove!
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #23 on: November 17, 2015, 11:58:59 AM »
This has got me curious. Any pictures of wargaming terrain made out of the stuff? If it's that sought after, I want to at least have it on my radar :)
"When to keep awake against the camel's swaying or the junk's rocking, you start summoning up your memories one by one, your wolf will have become another wolf, your sister a different sister, your battle other battles, on your return from Euphemia, the city where memory is traded." - Italo Calvino

Offline westwaller

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 775
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #24 on: November 17, 2015, 12:51:42 PM »
Easy enough to get in the Uk from specialist horticultural suppliers, (just google pine bark nuggets) but it averages 130 quid for 600 litres. It might be worth trying to find a local company to you and giving them a call about buying smaller amounts for modelling or perhaps you are enquiring about a sample of their product(s)

Have a search on the net and in your yellow pages for a company and give it a go. Some people in this world are friendly and helpful... If you can go and collect it yourself, then I bet that makes it easier...

Offline Dewbakuk

  • Administrator
  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5775
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #25 on: November 17, 2015, 01:23:38 PM »
Some examples from a quick Google search.






Offline Rhoderic

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1830
  • I disapprove!
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #26 on: November 17, 2015, 01:29:48 PM »
Oh, in that case I was just confused. The stuff in Cubs's link looked like something else. I'm quite familiar with the material in those pictures and have some of it myself (though I can't recall where I got it). Sorry.

Offline Eric the Shed

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4200
    • The Shed Wars Experience
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #27 on: November 18, 2015, 09:02:02 AM »
I produced these from Oak Bark (scavenged from the local park) - remember to blast this in the microwave to kill off any bugs

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/rocky-outcops-oak-bark.html




Offline Silent Invader

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 9656
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #28 on: November 18, 2015, 10:19:01 AM »
I looked into this a couple of years ago. Aside from the bulk supplies mentioned, I did find one retail bagged equivalent. When I said find, I mean sort of: in that while it could be purchased nowhere in about 50 miles of me actually carried it. I then found a cheap local supplier of cork so canned the idea. Apologies but I can't remember the brand.

Edit:

I think the brand might have been Melcourt, which is UK but sells wholesale only. They do a variety of bark shreds, chips and nuggets, many of which are in 70/75 litre bags.

For example there's the 15-35mm orchid nuggets at £17 for 70 litres

http://www.bhgsltd.co.uk/melcourt-orchid-bark-course-grade-70l-p-1481.html

There are bigger grades (up to I think 150mm in reptile) and cheaper prices (about £8 upwards - but will include more fines and won't be disease free).

www.melcourt.co.uk

Just to be clear, I haven't actually used or even seen this brand.


Edit2:

A few more 10mm - 50 MM play bark for less than £9 plus delivery

http://www.jfcmonro.co.uk/search.asp?brand=Melcourt
« Last Edit: November 18, 2015, 11:17:01 AM by Silent Invader »
My LAF Gallery is HERE
Minis (foot & mounted) finished in 2024 = 32
(2023 = 151; 2022 = 204; 2021 = 123; 2020 = ???)

Offline black hat miniatures

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 970
    • http://www.blackhat.co.uk/
Re: Chunky wood chips in the UK - where?
« Reply #29 on: November 18, 2015, 02:20:01 PM »
I have just bought a sample of this to try - I found you could get a small amount for £3 post free from CPA Horticultural:

http://www.cpa-horticulture.co.uk/play-surfaces/play-nuggets

It arrived today and I have two ziploc bags of large pieces Pine Play nuggets and Deluxe pine nuggets and one of bark mulch - which doesn't look usable.

Pictures with a sample Dust 28mm figure for size against a couple of pieces:







Mike
Mike Lewis

Black Hat Miniatures
www.blackhat.co.uk

 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
4 Replies
2566 Views
Last post December 29, 2009, 03:16:10 PM
by Phil Robinson
8 Replies
3053 Views
Last post May 31, 2010, 12:25:31 AM
by Bako
21 Replies
4758 Views
Last post November 29, 2011, 06:31:09 PM
by Galloping Major
68 Replies
13814 Views
Last post December 13, 2014, 09:44:15 AM
by Alan maguire
3 Replies
779 Views
Last post July 21, 2021, 03:53:40 PM
by pacarat