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Sterling Rock Molds and Castings?

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  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Seattle Area
  • 1,794 posts
Sterling Rock Molds and Castings?
Posted by Capt. Grimek on Friday, June 24, 2011 5:57 PM

Anyone here using Sterling Rock Molds and/or their castings?  They only have a p.o. box #. Would like to know if they're fast shippers, good communicators, etc. etc. I hadn't encountered them before. 

Thanks. As always if you have pics you have an eager audience!

Jim

Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, June 25, 2011 11:08 AM

I don't know about the rock molds, but the stone wall molds are the ones originally sold by Dave Frary.  The wall in the center of this picture is one of them:

The mold I have is quite flexible.  I poured the Hydrocal, waited 10-12 minutes and then bent it around a form to get this curved section for a turntable pit wall:

The castings release well, and the detail is very good, with nice deep indentations between the stone blocks on this one.

I bought mine from Dave while he still sold them, so I can't speak about the new distributor, but the molds themselves are very good.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Seattle Area
  • 1,794 posts
Posted by Capt. Grimek on Saturday, June 25, 2011 2:41 PM

Thanks Mr. B. I thought those retaining walls looked kind of familiar!

I've emailed Sterling but haven't heard back yet regarding their already cast-castings.

Still researching (rather obsessively) what rock scenicing method to use. I'll be at the National so I'll be visiting every scenic company or purveyor there next week.

 

Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • 4,612 posts
Posted by Hamltnblue on Saturday, June 25, 2011 3:39 PM

Also try scenic express.  www.scenicexpress.com.  They have a product called flexiwall.  Looks good and saves big time.

 

Springfield PA

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Big Blackfoot River
  • 2,788 posts
Posted by Geared Steam on Saturday, June 25, 2011 8:43 PM

LOL Capt....I have too admire your dedication to wanting to get it right.

>Salutes<

Smile, Wink & Grin

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Seattle Area
  • 1,794 posts
Posted by Capt. Grimek on Sunday, June 26, 2011 2:37 PM

Hamltnblue and Geared Steam, thanks. Flex Rock is definitely going to be considered. I've ordered from Scenic Express and heartily recommend them to anyone. 

G.S. rubber rocks is still in the lead for now. I liked Santa Fe Canyon so much that I've searched Washington State for similar rock on the WEST side of the mountians. (The "wet/green side"). I've found rocks on the Olympic Penninsula near the ocean that look close. I need to support a city with skyscrapers so not sure it'll look strong enough unless there's a thick/strong sandstone bedrock rationalized beneath the eroded areas.

I wish Cripplebush's stuff was all as large as that S.F. casting!

I'll be looking Bragdon's stuff over carefully as well as everyone else I can find. (Noch, etc.)

This is the last/only layout I'll be likely to build in this lifetime so I want to do the best, most artistic work I can pull off.

Jim

Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.

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