23 replies to this topic

[MOPARDEVIL]

I am in the planning stage for a new track but I thought I better finish my first track before start a new one. Basically I want to add in some scenery into 3 small areas on my first track. I dont want anything fancy just small grass areas with maybe a 70's style fence or half tyres around the edge of the track. The grass areas I want to be slightly mounded up say an inch or so instead of just adding the grass area flat on the track so it adds a bit of depth to the track. The track folds up against the wall & I suppose there is some degree of flex in the track when lifting it up & down.

So how do I achieve the mounded look without it cracking from flex or falling off the track when the track is upright against the wall? What products, methods etc? I have included a photo & drew a red line where some planned scenery will go. There are a few other areas but you get the idea.



Ill post info of my new track later on. Will probably need help on that one to. Not an oval next time, something way different.

[sidecar steve]

Spray cavity foam works for me. Sticks like s**t to a bear, flexes enough and can be carved once it dries. Then whack some bog over the top to smooth it off, cover with grassy stuff and presto, a grassy knoll..

[Ember]

The cheap version.... white poly-styrene. Messy, but cheap and light. Glue it with a polystyrene friendly construction adhesive. Coat of what-have-you (bog or joint compound or plaster) over the top. Or even some grass mat over it and Bob's your mother's brother.

Or - Mound it up with paper and finish it off the same.

Or - Upholstery foam and spack filler

Or - Thin (3mm) mdf/masoniate layers and paint before grassing.

Lots of possibilities MoparD. Just grab something and chuck it together

[MOPARDEVIL]

Thanks for your replies guys & gals. I think I have just about all that stuff here at home somewhere. Ember when you say poly styrene you mean like the stuff brocolli boxes are made from? Also Im guessing that the bag of green sprinkles is gives a better finish than the green grass mats, is that right?

If you bog over upholstery foam, styrene or paper, how hard will those dry? eg if you put your hand on it when grabbing a car?

Thanks for your help. Almost to many options. If you bog over upholstery fill

[Ember]

I've used spack filler and plasterers joint compound almost exclusively on what I've done so far. Spack filler will dry harder than the joint compound. Cornice cement has been used by the railway guys too. Plaster, spack or cement will give a harder finish than the jointing compound on a soft surface. Although any of them will be fine of polystyrene. And yep, broccoli boxes are fine. I used fish boxes myself.

Some of the grass mats are very good. Look at some of the railways ones, although they're a bit exxy.

Good luck
Embs

[dangermouse]

any of the standard - warhammer or model railroad scenery methods will work - ie you could glue some polystyrene (white esky foam) and then cover with paper towel dipped in a white glue/ water solution - then just paint and scenic with grass flock etc...or buy the the roll / sheets of grass flock and glue that over the top of some foam. The attached photo is a game board for warhammer I made for my son...


some links
http://www.peegoresp...20A%20Hill.html
http://www.newrailwa...enery/Hills.htm
cheers
DM

Edited by dangermouse, 27 October 2009 - 05:19 PM.

[kalbfellp]

Quote

I used fish boxes myself.

Greg: I used the styrene and shaped it with the electric kitchen knife ( while the boss was out) then covered it with "chucks" soaked in some plaster mix. Painted it with cheap $2.00 shop water based paint then sprinkled on coloured sawdust.

[dangermouse]

Did you then carve the Sunday roast with it Phil ?
Before I use any kitchen appliance I check how much a new one will cost me
DM

Edited by dangermouse, 27 October 2009 - 05:31 PM.

[Ember]

kalbfellp, on Oct 27 2009, 06:19 PM, said:

Quote

I used fish boxes myself.

Yeah yeah. Ok. I should know to take more care with language around you blokes. But seriously, that's what I used where I wanted thin layers of polystyrene built up before topping off with joint compound. The lids from the polystyrene boxes that tropical fish are shipped in. Have a friend that works in the local pet store. The lids are flat sheets about an inch thick. Great for carving low rises.

kalbfellp, on Oct 27 2009, 06:19 PM, said:

Greg: I used the styrene and shaped it with the electric kitchen knife ( while the boss was out) then covered it with "chucks" soaked in some plaster mix. Painted it with cheap $2.00 shop water based paint then sprinkled on coloured sawdust.

dangermouse, on Oct 27 2009, 06:30 PM, said:

Did you then carve the Sunday roast with it Phil ?
Before I use any kitchen appliance I check how much a new one will cost me
DM

New electric knife will cost you all of $10. Hate the damned things. I had a bunch of them at one stage (wedding presents, etc). I think I've finally managed to get rid of them all.

My preference for cutting polystyrene is a bare snap-off blade. Don't bother putting it in the knife, just use it as it is. The meat of a razor sharp blade will give you a good smooth cut (saw it don't try to chop it) with even the least dense styrofoam.

[knoath]

Greg, cheapest way is to use some Polystyrene bits, glued down with Construction Adhesive (I've used PVA too) then lay over some Chux dipped in Plaster of Paris as Phil mentioned.
Any mistinted pot of water based paint from your local hardware store will give you a base (anything but the white of the PoP) then, while the paint is still wet, sprinkle on some 'grass', whether it be some home made sawdust n paint or Woodlands Scenics grass, just use a few different shades to mix it up a bit. (they're not that exxy... $7.00 a bag goes a long way.)

Either that or I'll swap ya a couple of your sweet looking repaints (mmmm, Beechey Monaro....) for your landscaping needs!

Dick

[triggy]

Another simple method I use: Staple / screw / nail, flywire to the area then spread cornice adhesive over the area and shape as you like with damp paint brush. Dry in 30 mins. Paint in 4 hours.....No mess No Fuss...

Edited by triggy, 27 October 2009 - 07:18 PM.

[Ontheflipside]

triggy, on Oct 27 2009, 08:18 PM, said:

Dry in 30 mins. Paint in 4 hours.....No mess No Fuss...

Typical Chippy

[Johnnyfly41]

What little I have done was "hardshell technique".

I used aluminum window screen, stapled, crumpled, hot glued into place.

Over that, to create the hardshell on the cheap I used strips of heavy paper towels, dipped into a watery slurry of plaster of paris.

over the hardshell, I did my own, "ground goop". I used white carpenters glue, latex paint, water, sawdust that was screened through that window screen, keeping the finer stuff, a little plaster of paris again, and some disinfectant cleaner like pine sol. You want like a runny mud, so that you can sort of spread it with a paint brush. this fills the hardshell and lets you even out any real unnatural features in your shell.

If you make your ground goop dirt colored using latex paint or acrylics, then when you have it the way you want, you can add your grass while it is still wet.

For grass, I used the screened sawdust, stirred into it water based green wood stains. I created three different colors of grass using three different wood stains. If you want brown, just use the screened sawdust alone.

If you want flocking for trees, use some of the coarser sawdust and color with stains or acrylics.

for stone cliffs, I used the accoustic ceiling tile with broken edges. for stone wall, I ripped accoustic tile into strips, hacked it to create cracks and joints and stacked and hot glued it. Once painted, it becomes quite hard. Probably so does the spray foam and the styrofoam though.

None of this is my invention of course, I just took the advice out there and suited it to my budget and degree of laziness and cheapness.

This reply is a mess, but I learned everything I needed from these forums and some of the model railroader sites and groups.

many ways to accomplish this, it's a matter of picking the one you like best, both in terms of result sand the process itself.

j

[SlotsNZ]

knoath, on Oct 27 2009, 07:45 PM, said:

......... then lay over some Chux dipped in Plaster of Paris as Phil mentioned.

.......or, if the boss is out . . . the towels for drying off the dog, which have JUST been washed and dried.... nice and thick, hold lots of jointing compound, and supply their own long grass texture .. . .. By the time you paint and sprinkle on the grass flock, you have an overgrown paddock, marvellous.

IMPORTANT, leave NO scraps of left-over towel in the rubbish bin, do not leave any area unpainted when the boss gets home . . . . . this is VERY important

Don't believe me . . well YOU ask my orthapaedic surgeon ............

"but honey, it works out SO much cheaper than plaster cloth. That amount of cloth is at LEAST 3 times the price of one new towel......"

[manimmal]

old cotton sheets will do the trick, dip them in a thick slurry of plaster.

[MOPARDEVIL]

hi guys,

Im going to do some scenery tomorrow. When you guys say to use Chux is that paper towel of those blue wipes with the holes in it that you can use for washing up etc Is the chux brand best to use or any brand like the cheaper ones

[Obsidith]

i just used the blue wipes from the $2 shop

[kalbfellp]

Greg: I used what ever was the cheapest from Coles. Mixed the plaster thin and put the wipe in the plaster and layed over the base shape.
Once that was pretty dry I roughly brushed thicked plaster or "base coat over that. Used up all the old plaster stuff I had.

[manic35]

This may help: http://manicslots.blogspot.com/2007/12/how...ar-scenery.html

Good luck with it. Above all else, enjoy yourself!

Edited by manic35, 05 December 2009 - 10:44 PM.

[MOPARDEVIL]

I started with the plaster of Paris & chux today. I dont have much scenery to do & I thought 1kg bag of Plaster would be enough. Boy was I wrong, Those chux suck up the plaster like it going of of fashion. Anyway I remembered I have about 15kg of cornice cement leftover from my house renos so Im going to try that in place of the plaster. Hopefully it will be ok.

Thanks for all your help, its coming along.