AlreadyInUse wrote:In the meantime, with a little baking powder, I can completely control my working time with plaster.
In the meantime, with a little baking powder, I can completely control my working time with plaster.
I am planning to use some baking powder(or was it soda? I can never remember..) in my 50/50 vermiculite/plaster mix. I will watch for what you experienced. I am not going to use any Portland Cement. That speeds up the setting and is only in there to provide grey coloring. I am going to try using tints ala Dave Frary's scenery book. I have used Rit Fabric Dye on some casting plaster.. but that dramatically increased set time so I don't think it will be appropriate for the terrain goop.
Chris
NKP68 wrote:Awesome work and progress! The background is great. What did you use for the background structure. I am looking to construct mine and I would like to curve the corners like you did!
The backdrop is 1/8" tempered hardboard on a 1 x 2 frame. I used angle brackets to hold the frame together. For the corners I made formers out of 1/2" plywood similar to the two in the lower right corner of picture #1 above. The radius for the backdrop is 18". It was constructed on the ground in 8' sections and then nailed to the studs. The tempered hardboard is glued to the frame with construction adhesive and nailed with paneling nails. The seams between sections are taped with nylon drywall tape and then mudded.
Santa Fe all the way:
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The paint is Americana craft paint purchased at Michaels. The formula I used was:
3 1" lines of Slate Grey
1 0.5" line of Lamp (ebony) Black
1 0.25" line of Raw Umber
30% water thinner
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The log cabin was scratch built. My first. I googled "log cabin kit" and go 2,710,000 hits. I narrowed it down from there... <g>
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
ChrisNH wrote:I am planning to do a similar thing.. cardboard (which is started) covered in masking tape and then covered in plaster. I am using the Vermiculite/Plaster mix Joe Fugate recommended in his video.. I hope I won't encounter sag. Still.. a layer of plaster cloth sounds like a good way to get around that if I do.Thanks!Chris
I am planning to do a similar thing.. cardboard (which is started) covered in masking tape and then covered in plaster. I am using the Vermiculite/Plaster mix Joe Fugate recommended in his video.. I hope I won't encounter sag. Still.. a layer of plaster cloth sounds like a good way to get around that if I do.
Thanks!
Chris, I tried Joe's technique without much success. I have all of his videos and followed his scenery clinic at his web site. I couldn't find any recommendation for the ratio of water (I'm sure I just missed it) so, I just tried to get the consistency of "soft ice cream". However, almost as soon as I got there, the mix began to set up. I added more water and was able to save (just barely) the batch. It went on very nicely, almost no tool marks, but once it started to set it was very difficult to get the consistency back.
My second try was a complete failure. I started with a lot more water and ended up with soup. I added more plaster and portland cement and again it set up almost immediately. Plus it was very heavy and caused a lot of sag.
Perhaps the trick is to soak the vermiculite in water first; it may have absorbed the water. Maybe someone with success with the formula will outline their method.
AlreadyInUse wrote:Thanks. The terrain is pretty standard as far as I know. Basketweave cardboard strips form the basic shape. Then covered with masking tape. One layer of paster cloth on top of that. A layer of plaster about 1/4" thick forms the final shell. The plaster cloth helps to keep the plaster in place and also prevents it from causing the masking tape to sag. When the plaster just starts to set up, I mist it with water and smooth the tool marks out with my fingers.After the plaster has completely set, I paint it with brown latex paint thinned 50% with water and then zip texture it.
Thanks. The terrain is pretty standard as far as I know. Basketweave cardboard strips form the basic shape. Then covered with masking tape. One layer of paster cloth on top of that. A layer of plaster about 1/4" thick forms the final shell. The plaster cloth helps to keep the plaster in place and also prevents it from causing the masking tape to sag. When the plaster just starts to set up, I mist it with water and smooth the tool marks out with my fingers.
After the plaster has completely set, I paint it with brown latex paint thinned 50% with water and then zip texture it.
Looks good!
Nice backdrop, too.
Keep up the good work (and updates!).
AlreadyInUse wrote: I've been having fun...
I've been having fun...
That's what it's all about, right?
Besides fun, you're also building some nice scenery. Keep up the good work.
Back when I started building my layout, I never thought I'd get so much enjoyment out of "arts and crafts" projects like plaster castings for tunnel portals and rock walls, but it quickly became one of those things I found most enjoyable and satisfying. You just never know what's going to turn up when you stimulate that other side of your brain.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
ChrisNH wrote: Lookin good.. keep the pictures coming!What are you using to do that, plaster of paris or something else? Soaked paper towels? Tell us how you did it..Chris
Lookin good.. keep the pictures coming!
What are you using to do that, plaster of paris or something else? Soaked paper towels? Tell us how you did it..
Before:
After: