thinset rocks!

[FJ and G]

Over the weekend, I created a 25 foot mountain range using beaded styrofoam. Once I shaped the mountain range, a messy job, I covered it with a layer of thinset.

Of all the materials I've ever used, thinset is the best (for me anyway).

First off, it is dark material and if something chips, you won't get ugly white like plaster.

Second, it takes hours for it to dry, thus more time to sculpt it, unlike plaster.

However, plaster still is one of the better mediums to create moldings and fine detailing, so there's a tradeoff.

I've now experimented with everything from plaster, thinset, leveling compound, grout, drywall mud, cement and mortar mix to paper mache and real rocks.

Dave Vergun

[Big_Boy_4005]

Dave, are you talking cement based thinset mortar? That seem a bit harsh, but if it works, that's great.

Have you ever tried Durabond? That's a gypsum based product used as an undercoat or filler on drywall. Unlike regular "mud" it has a specific setting time, and comes in a variety of times. You can add coloring to it, and once it sets it is great for carving.