matte medium?

[Li'lJugs]

Hi, I'm just beginning to experiment with scenery and have read that matte medium, mixed with water, is the thing to spray to fix the ground foam, etc.  Fine and dandy, except I went to Micheal's today, and it is expensive, at least compared to what white glue and water would be for the same area.

So, am I missing something here?  I would use white glue and water for a fixitive, but wouldn't that be shiny?

 

[jim22]

I use white glue and water for ballast, but have found that Woodland Scenic's Scenic Cement is better for scenery.  It will spray through a spray bottle if you want to try that.  I spray first with isopropyl alchohol and then with the scenic cement.  I find using an eye-dropper is tedius, but better.  Try a small section with glue and water using an eye-dropper and see how it works.

Jim 

[bogp40]

I use both matte medium and white glue. Heavy applications of white glue on fine grasses etc, can leave a shine. Don't be alarmed at the $$$ of matte medium. It is very thick and does needd considerable dilution. Following Dave Frary's suggestion for preparing the glue, I dilute a quart of matte medium with 3-4 parts water and allow to sit in a gallon container. Cheaper brands will tend to have more of the fillers that will settle after a few days. Then I'll pour off the diluted glue into another container for storage. The filler that settled can just be dicarded and the container washed out. Now I have already made a gallon from 1 qt. This is still fairly consentrated and can be diluted again for use almost about a 50/50. So you are getting almost 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of glue from the $10 initial purchase of the qt of matte medium. Not a bad deal if you compare it to a $4 per pint of WS.

I bought the matte medium at a commercial art/ photo supplier, Michael's is much more expensive. I believe this is also why many will use Modge podge from Wal Mart etc. I don't know the dilution for the viscosity of the Modge Podge, others that use it may be able to help out. It should be about the same as matte medium though.

[tomkat-13]

Modge Podge or matte medium.....Will hold better, drys flat with no shine...& is rock hard.

I use 3 parts water 1 part glue & some drops liquid dish soap to make it flow.

[jktrains]

Tomkat-13, you've described one of the differences between white glue, modge podge and matte medium - the first two do dry rock hard.  Matte medium should dry and be somewhat flexible.  Having it be rock hard is not always desirable.  There is still another, cheaper alternative.  Any guesses?

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I use a 50/50 mix of white glue and water for scenery and ballast. The main reason is, if I wish to remove something, I won't have to cut it out. I would only have to apply a wet cloth to the area in question. The glue will soften and the item(s) can be removed.

[mobilman44]

Hi,

I've used diluted white glue for ballast and groundcover and never tried the matte medium.  However, I do use matte medium to mix with acrylics (out of the tube) when painting rocks, etc., as it kills the glossiness.............

Mobilman44

[loathar]

A 16oz bottle of matte Mod Podge is $5. That gives me about 3-16oz bottles of diluted spray.
That's about $1.70/bottle after it's diluted. Much cheaper than the $8 for a bottle of Woodland Scenics spray.

jktrains-I give up. What's the cheaper alternative?

[concretelackey]

Miracle Grow available in N, HO, and O scales?

[edit] I receive no compensation (monetary or otherwise) for mentioning the above product....

[Blue Flamer]

Miracle Grow available in N, HO, and O scales?

concretelackey, you are just about as funny as a screen door on a submarine.

Blue Flamer. 

[concretelackey]

Miracle Grow available in N, HO, and O scales?

concretelackey, you are just about as funny as a screen door on a submarine.

Blue Flamer.