Best Of Weekend Update 7/31/11

[wm3798]

I'm a Sculptamold fan, Ed.  Joint compound is certainly cheaper, but I like the more porous nature of Sculptamold, being able to color and mix it in relatively small batches, and the ease with which I can poke trees and other details into it after it's set.  Spackle gets too crumbly, and ends up with little bits of white you have to go back and touch up.

This morning I tinkered around with building the outbound warehouse for the brewery.  If begins to approach being photogenic, I'll pop something up later.

Lee

[Catt]

Well,I guess I will take a shot at posting a underconstruction photo of my river.This is sort of modeled after the Grand river which actually splits Grand Rapids into two sections.Until the first bridge was built across the river GR actually was two seperate towns.



The real river has retaining walls running through most of the town with a series of concrete dams lowering the water level through town.I am planning to replicate two of these dams, one back by the wall and the other one at the front edge (fashia).The real difference between my modeled river and the real one is ,the real one has a rather crappy brown-green colour to it while mine has a blue-black colour.

I am thinking of narrowing the river to just slightly wider than that access door at the back.Anybody have any thoughts about that.

[Dave V]

I'm a Sculptamold fan, Ed. 

+1.

[ednadolski]

Wow, that looks really good, I love the texturing!

Ed

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I don't like the texture of sculptamold. It doesn't smooth out well. While the texture might seem appealing, in my advanced research, I've found that the texture is actually way out of scale. I think it works well for desert or rocky scenery, but as an underpinning for rolling hills and forrest floors, I don't like it.

[DKS]

I'm a Sculptamold fan, Ed.

+1.

+2.

I don't like the texture of sculptamold. It doesn't smooth out well. While the texture might seem appealing, in my advanced research, I've found that the texture is actually way out of scale. I think it works well for desert or rocky scenery, but as an underpinning for rolling hills and forrest floors, I don't like it.

I know you prefer a smoother surface for your scenery base. You can get Sculptamold quite smooth by mixing in some tube acrylic paint, and working it with a spatula or your fingers. The open time is a lot longer than plaster or joint compound, so you can keep working on the surface until it's just the way you want it, without having to carve and sand later. And it's almost guaranteed not to crack.

One other strong recommendation: regardless of the material you use, tint it first. If you use tube acrylic paint for smoother Sculptamold, it gets tinted at the same time.

[bbussey]

I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for that building today...

David,

I finished the building today and posted it to Shapeways moments ago, fully expecting it to be too expensive in FUD.  I'm stunned, it priced out under $20. I'll make it available through the ESM store on Shapeways once I make sure it's correct, so probably sometime in September based on their current backlog.  It's tiny, only about 1.5" x 0.7".  The building can be wired for interior LED lighting.

[DKS]

David,

I finished the building today and posted it to Shapeways moments ago, fully expecting it to be too expensive in FUD.  I'm stunned, it priced out under $20. I'll make it available through the ESM store on Shapeways once I make sure it's correct, so probably sometime in September based on their current backlog.  It's tiny, only about 1.5" x 0.7".

Actually, the price isn't surprising; it's based principally on the volume of material used, so the fact that the building is tiny explains its economy. I was able to knock $20 off of my $80 Z Scale factory superstructure just by making recesses on the undersides of the floors to reduce the material volume.

[SkipGear]

+1.


+2.

I know you prefer a smoother surface for your scenery base. You can get Sculptamold quite smooth by mixing in some tube acrylic paint, and working it with a spatula or your fingers. The open time is a lot longer than plaster or joint compound, so you can keep working on the surface until it's just the way you want it, without having to carve and sand later. And it's almost guaranteed not to crack.

One other strong recommendation: regardless of the material you use, tint it first. If you use tube acrylic paint for smoother Sculptamold, it gets tinted at the same time.

I don't use joint compound or plaster. Both are hard and crumbly when dry. What I use is Lightweight Spakling compound.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100028549/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

It is a little more expensive than the other options but it works easier by a long shot. It has microballoons mixed in with it and when it dries is rougly the consistancy of the high density foam we are using. It sands and shapes just like the foam and I have never had any issues with it shrinking or cracking. I tint it gray to use for roads, tint it mud for ground cover etc. It comes in gallon buckets and doesn't weigh much more than 3 pounds per gallon. It air dries so there is no "set" time like plaster. If I have a complaint, it is that in thick layers, it takes too long to dry. That is why I try to keep it as thin as possible and just as a skim coat. Also I try to use it thin as possible because of the cost. The layout I showed pictures of, a 4'x8' that I built for a customer, only used a partial one gallon bucket on it.

I have never liked plaster or joint compound as it always looks like plaster or joint compound when done. Plaster slumps a bit to much and looks more like a lava flow that earth. Honestly I have never tried sculptamold but looking at it in the bag, I think I will stick with the lightweight spackle.

[Bendtracker1]

I don't use joint compound or plaster. Both are hard and crumbly when dry. What I use is Lightweight Spakling compound.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100028549/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

It is a little more expensive than the other options but it works easier by a long shot. It has microballoons mixed in with it and when it dries is rougly the consistancy of the high density foam we are using. It sands and shapes just like the foam and I have never had any issues with it shrinking or cracking. I tint it gray to use for roads, tint it mud for ground cover etc. It comes in gallon buckets and doesn't weigh much more than 3 pounds per gallon. It air dries so there is no "set" time like plaster. If I have a complaint, it is that in thick layers, it takes too long to dry. That is why I try to keep it as thin as possible and just as a skim coat. Also I try to use it thin as possible because of the cost. The layout I showed pictures of, a 4'x8' that I built for a customer, only used a partial one gallon bucket on it.

I have never liked plaster or joint compound as it always looks like plaster or joint compound when done. Plaster slumps a bit to much and looks more like a lava flow that earth. Honestly I have never tried sculptamold but looking at it in the bag, I think I will stick with the lightweight spackle.

+1
A little bit of this can go a looooong way.
We've used this on our modules as it won't crack and flake like the plaster products.  So if you move the layout, it should hold better, even if it does crack a bit it won't flake.  Then just go back and touch it up and re-sand it.  The stuff is very tenacious!

It becomes very durable as well.  I had a section that I built up several layers of ceiling tile for a cut and the one face was flush with the edge of the framework.  We did not use fascia on the modules, we just attached our skirting to the framework even with the top.  The section that I rose above the top was just raw ceiling tile, so I just applied several layers of the spakling compound and sanded it smooth then painted it black to match and have never had any problems with it.  It got dented one time, so I just filled in the dent and sanded and repainted.   



You can see the raised areas on each side of the bridge in front of the track.  On the left side is the ceiling tile and on the right side I used the Blue foam board.  The bridge is level with the bench top.

It also works good if your foam has a rough surface after you file or sureform it down.  The little pits can be filled and then smoothed down.  Then you can paint it and apply any type of ground cover you want.  Or you can leave it uneven so that it looks like what you did with the joint compound.

[wm3798]

I had every intention of working on painting the house today, but instead, installed 5 Tortoises on the west throat interlockings and approaches.  Well, four so far, but I'm on a roll...

I bet there's going to be a White Tower in downtown Cumberland...

Lee

[chuck geiger]

I have like three small cracks today and it will be filled with ground goop and cover.
Wedding cake time this weekend, who wants a slice?

[dougnelson]

At long last, a video of my PRR N Scale Middle Division layout.  Enjoy.

[DKS]

I had every intention of working on painting the house today...

A likely story...

I'm closing in on the finish line with the Z Scale G&D.

[ednadolski]

I'm closing in on the finish line with the Z Scale G&D.

Breathtaking work, David!  Are those handmade trees?

Ed