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Building A Lake


Johnnyfly41

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Hello ladies and gents,

 

well, I looked at my last scenery post of Pretzel City, it was about 18 months ago. The scenery has not changed since that time.

 

finally going to get it done. I will post pics by this weekend.

 

I originally was not going to do a water feature. However, after some high pressure sales from a fellow slot car fan, much teasing, taunting, cajoling, belittling, questioning of my manhood, insults directed at my mother....... I decided yes, yes, I should build a lake.

 

So, there you have it, I have decided to call the lake, "Ember Lake".

 

Note I am not completely out of charge of this project, I have deemed that the lake will be clothing optional for swimming.

 

anyway, from what I know now, I will likely use the woodland scenics product. Subject to change.

 

Questions.

 

1. Product you have used and prefer and technique tips..

 

2. How deep does it have to be to look correct ?

 

3. Should I paint the bottom so as to give the effect of depth, dark for deep areas, lighter near shore.

 

4. water plants. I want to place my shore, water plants etc. before "filling", dont I ?

 

5. Can I do the woodland scenics (or your suggested material) in layers or should it all be melted in at once.

 

That should about do it.

 

Hopefully my posts to this forum will not continue to be 18 months apart. Heck, I couldnt even remember what "landing rights" were when I reread the old posts. Thats sad on many levels. :lol:

 

thanks,

 

j.

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Model railroad magazines and websites are good for how to on all things scenic.

 

I made my lake out of matte medium - picked it up for about $4 at the dollars and cents shop - I painted the base in a range of colours blending darker colours to the middle - poured in the matte medium and let it dry.

 

matte medium is used to stiffen material and other art things :rolleyes:

 

th_IMG_3027.jpg

 

looks a bit bluer in this shot

th_IMG_3049.jpg

 

woodland products are good but cost a bit more than a bottle of matte medium

 

cheers

DM

Edited by dangermouse
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I'm innocent! Innocent I tell ya!!!

 

Nice to see you finally taking the plunge though.

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

_AM_sig_zps00cdfd1a.jpg

 

Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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I can offer some advice on this as I'm in the process of it myself.

 

1. The woodland stuff is the go, costs more but it looks better and is better to work with.

 

2. Depends but basically the deeper you go the more realistic it looks but anything from about 2cm min up to or just over 5cm gives a good effect.

 

3. Yes paint the bottom the colour you want, you need to decide if you want a clear lake or slightly muddy etc. If you can go pretty deep I'd go clearer if its shallow make it less clear this will look better. You can also tint each layer as you build it up, start darker and do the last few clear (see 5)

 

4. Yes do everything you want first, rocks, plants, shorelines etc and pour last.

 

5. Building it up in layers is the go becasue if you pour it all at once it can crack if its too deep. It also gives a much more realistic result especially if you tint the layers slightly as you go. It takes longer but it looks heaps better. Oh & make sure you have good ventilation and a mask cause the fumes are decent.

 

A quick tip, as it's drying you can mould the surface slightly to look more realistic, ripples etc things like that. An old Verlinden (legend diaroma builder) trick is to pour the resin, put some al foil over it and mould ripples into the foil so your not touching the liquid and when it drys you just pull the foil off cause it wont stick.

I Miss Brocky...

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I've also been told that the use of a hair dryer (on low and cold air) is also excellent for adding some ripple detail to the last layer of water.

 

Hey silver rocket, what have you used to add tinting colour to the layers? A little bit of paint or food colouring or...?

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I used a litre of cheap (very) satin, oil based clear(ish) estapol for my water. The drying time was frightfully long though in the middle of winter. About a week for each layer (of which there are four). Only the second layer has any tint in it which was done with a smidge of burnt umber oil paint. I also may have poured the third layer a little too thick and actually did finish up with quite a pronounced ripple in it with slow drying and shrinking. The final layer was poured just before the weather turned frosty. The room wasn't used during the drying time, so no heater. The surface has dried with a slight 'scum' on the surface. Suits a swamp just fine, but might not be suitable on a lake. And from some angles you can actually see the rippled surface of the layer below, which is an interesting effect.

 

So, if going the cheap route and using estapol, keep it warm.

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

_AM_sig_zps00cdfd1a.jpg

 

Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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I just want to thank you all for your input. keep those cards and letters coming.

 

And, that battleship picture is the shiznit !

 

I like the idea of doing it in layers. Tinting, I am wondering if india ink would do the trick. Cant be too clear to represent a lake that would be near me. I am thinking if in layers, some underwater greenery in the top layers, maybe some surface "pond scum" and some reeds and rocks and such along shore. If I can find small green disks, maybe some lilly pads. For the scum near shore, I was thinking maybe sprinkling the fine grass products into the soft material on the final pour might do the trick. If it looks to thick, too much build, then another very thin pour over that might do the trick.

 

And, since Ember is forcing me to do a lake, damn the torpedos, there is going to be a fish in there somewhere !

 

I like the idea of using air to generate ripples, I suppose those first pours will tell me just how the stuff works, viscosity, setting time all that good stuff.

 

Sorry to say, I am not one of the yanks that your tax dollars are paying to ship down there with Oprah. Too bad too, probably not a slot car racer in the whole lot of them either. :D

 

cheers,

 

j.

 

( the good yank who has not cost you a cent ! )

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Yeah. Yeah. Go one. Blame me. I'm used to it. :D But hey, it's got you working on it again. And you've scored an apprentice. ;)

 

I'd be wary on the India Ink. That stuff is black. And I do mean BLACK! Although it does have 101 uses, I wouldn't count this as one.

 

Trouble is I have no idea what the WS water stuff actually is. Anyone? The guess would be tint with a little acryllic.

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

_AM_sig_zps00cdfd1a.jpg

 

Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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I've never done water, and I don't want to appear to be critical of others who've had a go, but can I add that water with a mirror gloss surface looks fake. Go for a walk in your local park areas and think about what you see. The colour, transparency, variation as you et to the edges, and surface are very difficult to reproduce convincingly.

 

Also try Youtube for video how-to's. This guy has a great off-hand style!

 

Edited by KarKraft
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Nice find Auphartz. Oh. Just had a look at a few of the other things listed. Hmmm.... Bowhunters with deer. Ok, they're compound bows, I can live with that.

 

KK, I guess a lot depends on the type of water body you're trying to create. Come to that I've certainly seen mirror smooth water, including the sea in a sheltered bay around sunset. But, there are products out there to enable creation of moving water, from gentle ripples and waves to full on white water. Again, depends on what you're after.

 

Edit: Crumbs. I could actually type once upon a time.

Edited by Ember

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

_AM_sig_zps00cdfd1a.jpg

 

Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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Come to that I've certainly seen mirror smooth water, including the sea in a sheltered bay around sunset.

 

Oh me too! But Aquamarine blue water with a mirror finish is what most people produce, but you rarely find it but for a few momemts of the day.

 

Once again, I dips-me-lid to all who have a go.

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well, I went and bought thirty dollars worth of lake today.

 

There is a new Woodland Scenics water that is a liquid. I am guessing that I might have just paid thirty dollars for 32 ounces of future floor finish.

 

At the hobby shop, the real scenery guy was not there. The owner says that with this liquid stuff, one way guys are putting waves in it is to slit the surface while it is still not fully cured and then blow it up with a blow gun. I may experiment with this just a bit, maybe on the lower layers.

 

Paint the bottom to simulate depth, then play with some tints. I love the canadian guy scenery clip. He is entertaining for sure. Probably more to learn on youtube.

 

Once my lake is done, I will be able to tell you everything you should not do.

 

got to get those tunnel walls in, I have to work my way from the overpass that is roughtly at track center, back to the ends of the track.

 

Have to get the water in before things start to freeze.

 

j.

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Hate to disappoint you Rick. But those folks are only available in HO, OO and N scale.

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

_AM_sig_zps00cdfd1a.jpg

 

Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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So, let me get this straight, size doesn't matter

So, you're one that actually believes when she says that? :lol:

 

:whip2:

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

_AM_sig_zps00cdfd1a.jpg

 

Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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it's pretty easy to 'make your own' filthy people, my track has a country kind of feel to it, so i made up a 'cow lover' from an innocent looking MRRC chap.., great for putting people off when they're winning! (no pics, it's just not right)

 

I've used the woodland scenics product and found it pretty good. It does shrink a little, and takes a good while to dry between layers, but when it's done you'll be happy with your purchase and associated skills.

One thing i have noticed with this product is in damp conditions it will cloud up a little, at least mine has over this winter, the wettest winter since forever, sitting in a huge poorly sealed shed. time will tell if it recovers and given the water section has been on my track for a few years i dare say it will.

Edited by manimmal

My mum says I'm an excellent driver

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