As some of you know I'm building my first HO scale layout, so I've had to do a lot of research, reading and trial and error after trial and error, not to mention pestering you guys with a ton of questions. I decided to give two things a try, Durham's Water Putty for an old asphalt road/parking lots, and Ground Goop for ground cover. In case you don't know, Ground Goop is 1 part (cup) vermiculite, 1 part celluclay (paper mache product), 1 part ground color paint and 1/2 cup white glue. I like working with the GG, it breaks up that plain, level foam board very nicely, covers seams, washes (gullies) are easy to create. I decided to try it on the center table of my layout, which looks like a capital E... sorta. Here's an overall shot of it.
After spreading and teasing it into the shapes I want I usually sprinkle some dirt of different shades, i.e. brown, red clay, a mixture of the two etc. I model the southeast and we have lotsa clay.
That hill in the road in the bottom right of the upper photo is a dirt road, where the pavement ends and it'll go on across the track. Here's a shot from the opposite angle.
and a little closer to show more detail. I like the way the 'wet' goop allows you to get some 'tooth' on the hill sides that helps to hold dirt, grass, bushes etc.
Over at the barrell factory, on one side of it.. I wanted a little more rugged look, kinda washed out, the way a heavy rain would do, so I wet the area again with 'wet water' and then with an eye dropper doused it with a 50/50 mix of matt medium and water. I may come back and put another light sprinklin' of grass on this spot and for certain some scrubby bushes.
Any way, I hope this'll help some beginner as much as you folks have help THIS beginner.
Oh,... the Durham's Water Putty.. boy, that stuff dries hard as a rock! I learned some things making this road and maybe my next one will be a lot better. I've still got to put another coat of paint on it, stripe it etc.
Jarrell
Looking very good. I like the rocky hill in the background of the 2nd pic
Photos aren't too big, either, and they're very crisp!
I look forward to more.
Mike
Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0
WOW!!!
That's coming along very nicely, JaRRell.
-Crandell
Jarrell,
You are making some good progress on the layout. It's looking great.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Nice photos and great work. I will have to try the GG myselfwhen I get to that point. It really adds to the scenery and makesit appear more realistic thats for sure. I'f love to see morepics when you get a chance.
Tery
Thanks all for the comments. Next I've gotta figure out how to put down those center stripe lines. Someone on here had done some great ones with auto pinstriping, the pro grade kind. Maybe I'll try that since I couldn't draw a straight line with a ruler!
JaRRell
Great photos !!! That ground goop stuff seems to be an excellent way to do terrain.
One question, however... How do you keep your trains from rolling off the end of the track ? I can't see anything there that would prevent a train from rolling off the end of the track.
Looks really good so far. I like that small cut at the end of the station the second photo also.
I've tried about every method there is for road striping and have come down to two things that work the best for me. The first is called drafter's or architectural tape. You can get it in yellow and white in several different widths. It's easy to use a straight edge and then lay out the tape so it is straight and about in the middle of the road. It's thin enough that it doesn't look like tape when you're through weathering the road. The only problem is that edges seem to always start peeling up after a year or so.
What I use now (since I'm building my first layout in 25 years) is striping decals from Microscale. They are harder to work with than tape but the end result looks much more like real striping because the decals are thin enough that some of the road surface comes through. One of the things I don't like is road striping that's too bright since that's not the way it looks on a real road unless it has been freshly striped. Just be sure to seal the decals with some Dullcote before you begin weathering the roads.
As far as the end of the station track, just get a couple of ties and stick them in the ballast at the end of the tack so they stand up like kind of an "X", if you understand what I mean. Heck, you can just use a pile of ballast as a track stop. If you want to get fancy, there are several different kinds of track stops and bumpers available from Walthers but I've seen a lot of tracks where ties or a pile of ballast or dirt was all that was used.
Regards, Jim
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I use ground goop for my layout and instead of vermiculite, I use a soilless plant mixture......gives it a nice texture.....
Sam
Good work, the goop leaves a nice texture for adding the foam products
I have used Durhams for roads with good results. You can wet sand the road after the putty sets up to improve the surface. I used one of those fine grit foam sanding blocks that drywall contractors use on drywall joints. It smooths out the rough spots, and leaves a nice smooth surface for painting. Keep some damp paper towels handy to mop up the goo from the samding, as that will set up hard again.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Nice work,you're progressing well.Just need to clear somethin up. In your recipe for ground goop ,you state that you use one part of everything then add a 1/2 cup of white glue. So the question is what size are your parts?
Tim, right now I have a pile of ballast there.. but that's gotta be improved.
chateauricher wrote: Great photos !!! That ground goop stuff seems to be an excellent way to do terrain.One question, however... How do you keep your trains from rolling off the end of the track ? I can't see anything there that would prevent a train from rolling off the end of the track.
Jim, thanks for the tip on the striping. I've gotta do that sooner or later and hadn't checked out the options yet.
UP2CSX wrote: Looks really good so far. I like that small cut at the end of the station the second photo also.I've tried about every method there is for road striping and have come down to two things that work the best for me. The first is called drafter's or architectural tape. You can get it in yellow and white in several different widths. It's easy to use a straight edge and then lay out the tape so it is straight and about in the middle of the road. It's thin enough that it doesn't look like tape when you're through weathering the road. The only problem is that edges seem to always start peeling up after a year or so. What I use now (since I'm building my first layout in 25 years) is striping decals from Microscale. They are harder to work with than tape but the end result looks much more like real striping because the decals are thin enough that some of the road surface comes through. One of the things I don't like is road striping that's too bright since that's not the way it looks on a real road unless it has been freshly striped. Just be sure to seal the decals with some Dullcote before you begin weathering the roads.As far as the end of the station track, just get a couple of ties and stick them in the ballast at the end of the tack so they stand up like kind of an "X", if you understand what I mean. Heck, you can just use a pile of ballast as a track stop. If you want to get fancy, there are several different kinds of track stops and bumpers available from Walthers but I've seen a lot of tracks where ties or a pile of ballast or dirt was all that was used. Regards, Jim
Thanks! I'll remember that! I've been working on areas on both sides of the road and , true to form, I drop stuff ON the road that I shouldn't. So I've decided to not work on the road surface again til I'm pretty much done. I'll stripe it then.
Medina1128 wrote:As for peeling up, we had the same problem when pinstriping a car. A little clear fingernail polish helps seal it. To kill the sheen, spray with Dull-Cote.
Sam, where do you get it and what's it's name? I know some members have said vermiculite was a little hard to get in their area.
weinschenksk wrote: I use ground goop for my layout and instead of vermiculite, I use a soilless plant mixture......gives it a nice texture.....Sam
George, this is the first time I've used it and didn't know you could wet sand it. That's good to know, as I have some... ahem... kinda rough spots in mine. Since it's supposed to be a back country road I didn't worry about it too much, but I told myself it wouldn't do for another street I had in mind. Thanks for the tip!
G Paine wrote: Good work, the goop leaves a nice texture for adding the foam productsI have used Durhams for roads with good results. You can wet sand the road after the putty sets up to improve the surface. I used one of those fine grit foam sanding blocks that drywall contractors use on drywall joints. It smooths out the rough spots, and leaves a nice smooth surface for painting. Keep some damp paper towels handy to mop up the goo from the samding, as that will set up hard again.
Sorry 'bout that confusing statement. I use
Stir well and store in a covered container. I've found that my container needed help being more air tight so I use a couple of sheets of saran wrap pressed down on top of the goop, then put the lid on. I've never tested how long it'll stay stored because I use it up within a couple of days.
reklein wrote: Nice work,you're progressing well.Just need to clear somethin up. In your recipe for ground goop ,you state that you use one part of everything then add a 1/2 cup of white glue. So the question is what size are your parts?
jacon12 wrote:Sorry 'bout that confusing statement. I use5. 'bout a jigger of Lysol
5. 'bout a jigger of Lysol
Is a "jigger" larger than a "slosh"? Jarrell, I really like the progress you're making on the layout! (I still remember when you were early in the planning stages. )
Thanks for the pics, too. They are good impetus for me for getting off my rump and moving on some things. I've been at a crossroad (vs. a crossing) for a while and putting off one particular decision because it has ramifications to a number of other things. I just need to think it through and...put one foot in front of another.
Keep up the great work!
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
jacon12...
the product I use is called Professional Jiffy Mix....I picked it up at Home Depot....it's made by the same people who make jiffy peat pots.....I really like it for my ground goop....I am also into greenhouse gardening and know there are several products like this.....often called seed starter soil...I think if you try it you'll like the outcome....I tried vermiculite but it always seemd to 'pop' out when dry.....i.e. the shiny mica showed too much for my taste.
Tom, a jigger is a little bit more than a slosh. When I slosh, it's tilt.. pour.. whoa! A jigger is a little more time between the pour and the whoa.
Thank you for the kind help you've given me over the last couple of years. I'm still making mistakes right and left, trying to do it right.. but I've just gotta convince myself the first one ain't gonna be no where near perfect. Just go on and do the best I can and try and learn from my goofs. Good luck with your decision, it must've been a big one with lots of implications.
tstage wrote: jacon12 wrote:Sorry 'bout that confusing statement. I use5. 'bout a jigger of Lysol Jarrell, Is a "jigger" larger than a "slosh"? Jarrell, I really like the progress you're making on the layout! (I still remember when you were early in the planning stages. )Thanks for the pics, too. They are good impetus for me for getting off my rump and moving on some things. I've been at a crossroad (vs. a crossing) for a while and putting off one particular decision because it has ramifications to a number of other things. I just need to think it through and...put one foot in front of another.Keep up the great work! Tom
Sam, I think I've seen that product before. I'll pick up a little bag and try it, may give some variation to the ground cover. Do you use the other ingredients just the same?
Thanks for the tip!
weinschenksk wrote: jacon12... the product I use is called Professional Jiffy Mix....I picked it up at Home Depot....it's made by the same people who make jiffy peat pots.....I really like it for my ground goop....I am also into greenhouse gardening and know there are several products like this.....often called seed starter soil...I think if you try it you'll like the outcome....I tried vermiculite but it always seemd to 'pop' out when dry.....i.e. the shiny mica showed too much for my taste.Sam
JaRRel,
Yep, the other ingredients are the same....paint, glue, paper mache(celluclay).
For road striping you might want to try using charttape. 1/16" is about 6" in HO scale. Make your road first, Durhams, styrene whatever you want to use. Then paint the center area yellow. An airbrush works best. Then lay out your stripes. For a double yellow line I like to lay tape down the middle and then a piece on each side so that I use the middle piece as a spacer. Once the tape is applied make sure it is well stuck to the road. The apply the road color. Again, an airbrush works great. Once dry, peel up that tape and you've got yellow stripes that won't start peeling or lifting off the road.
If you're making your road out of styrene or using the Walthers road system, build the road on the workbench, paint it and install on the layout. The use the ground goop to hide the edge. Ground Goop is a great scenery trick. It provides an underlying base ground cover, sculpts easily, is good for smoothing joints or seams in foam or plaster, and is a great binding agent for applying ground cover since the glue/water mixture soaks right into the goop. Thanks Lou Sassi.
jktrains
Amen, thanks Lou!
jktrains wrote: Jarrell,For road striping you might want to try using charttape. 1/16" is about 6" in HO scale. Make your road first, Durhams, styrene whatever you want to use. Then paint the center area yellow. An airbrush works best. Then lay out your stripes. For a double yellow line I like to lay tape down the middle and then a piece on each side so that I use the middle piece as a spacer. Once the tape is applied make sure it is well stuck to the road. The apply the road color. Again, an airbrush works great. Once dry, peel up that tape and you've got yellow stripes that won't start peeling or lifting off the road.If you're making your road out of styrene or using the Walthers road system, build the road on the workbench, paint it and install on the layout. The use the ground goop to hide the edge. Ground Goop is a great scenery trick. It provides an underlying base ground cover, sculpts easily, is good for smoothing joints or seams in foam or plaster, and is a great binding agent for applying ground cover since the glue/water mixture soaks right into the goop. Thanks Lou Sassi.jktrains
I love it too. It really ties things together to look natural.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.