Prepping base materials for ground cover...

[Anonymous]

I am at the process in my layout of adding my base scenery, ie the mountains and other hillocks and cliffs et al. I am using pink extruded foam insulation to form the layers of my scenery base. I am forming the rough shape of the mountains using a drywall saw with a narrow blade, and a surform shaver. The resulting base form is very rough in texture. What next step should I take to get the rocks/cliffs to start looking like rocks and cliffs? Sanding? Then what should I cover the lovely pink colour with? Paint? Drywall compund, Hydrocal, Plaster?

I look forward to your suggestions.

Trevor

[selector]

You could use either method, and might want to do just that. Hydrocal is good for making natural contours, cliff and rock faces, rock walls, etc. On the other hand, I just use a wire brush with very good results. For one, the brush is great for evening out any rail grades you might be trying to construct. It is also great for getting rid of the 'stepped' look that stacked foam layers will leave. Yet again, even nature leaves steppes, so don't be too assiduous about making all features baby-bottom smooth.

[Anonymous]

Selector,

A stiff wire brush...I hadn't thought of that. I'll give it a try. Thanks [:)]

Any other ideas? How about when I get to actually pouring on ground cover. What's the best way to adhere the ground cover to the finished base surfaces?

Trevor[8D]

[cwclark]

I use an old seregated kitchen steak knife and a hobby knife to carve out all my rock formations in the foam...you might want to do it outside over a trash can..the small pieces of foam and "grit" that is cut from your work gets everywhere and it does'nt taste very good...to hold it all together i'll use pieces of old track rail cut and pushed through the sections of foam and then pour plaster of paris (or hydrocal) in all the joints and smooth (more like roughing it out) it out with a hobby knife before it dries to hold the entire thing together...once that is done, i'll paint the entire mountain with a latex White paint and let it dry...after it is dry, i'll take a mixture of india ink and water (50% / 50%) in a spray bottle and lightly spray it where there are shadows in the rock face...let that dry....then i'll take earth tone acrylic paints...i like southwest colors so i'll use raw and burnt umber, raw and burnt sienna, red iron oxide, and yellow ochre and mix them individually in a 50% paint / 50% water solution..( east coast colors use whites, grays, and tans) now start at the top of the mountain and stain them with the lighter colors first and as you work down the mountain switch to the more darker colors with the darkest (red iron oxide) at the very bottom...once that is dry, take some white paint and a small artists brush and touch the edges of the rocks where the light hits it the most to highlight the rocks...after that is done then i'll use various woodland scenic material for ground cover,...fine and course turf, polyfiber, groundfoam and even dirt finely sifted through a tea strainer from the region i'm modeling ... Chuck

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the details Chuck. I knew I could count on one of you to come through for me. I appreciate reading about your steps for laying on colour as well.

I used Weldbond white glue to join my layers of pink foam. The drywall saw I use is similar to a serrated kitchen knife. You're absolutely right about the mess. Fortunately it's in the basement and the shopvac does a nice job. Remember kids, alway clean up your work area when you're done for the nigh [:)]

Trevor[:p]

[selector]

First things first, Trevor. I guess I could have been more thorough in my response, as Chuck was above.

First, make sure your foam layers have any manufacturer's lables face down. If too late, oh well... Judt double up on the paint or the ground dover later on. I did.

Yes, the wire brush is messy, but that is easily taken care of with a Shop Vac. the brush really is the best method to shape once you have done rough cutting with a knife or saw. Vacuum up the residue (there'll be lots) once you are done a section. I left much of my topography as it was after the wire bru***reatment 'cuz I got impatient. Glad to say that it hasn't hurt.

So, once you are happy with your shapes, elevevations, and especially your rail grades (you'll test them by laying track on them and running a loco up and down, yes?), you can simply paint the foam, as is, with a LIGHT coloured tan latex. You could make your paint purchase (I used only one litre on my whole 11' X 8" layout) last by diluting it somewhere near 50%, but err on a thicker mixture, please (ie, less water). Do only one area, say two square feet at a time. Then, before it dries, sprinkle on at least two colours of fine ground foam, followed by at least one thin layer of coarse foam, preferrably of yet another colour. Go light!! You can always add more ground colour later if you feel that you have been too stingy. simply anchor it with carpenters glue (Elmers) diluted 50/50 with one or two drops of dish detergent added.

Hope this helps

[Blind Bruce]

Just because the layout is in the basement is no sign that fine dust will not appear upstairs as well. Just ask my wife!!! If you find yourself coughing AT ALL during the process, WEAR A MASK. The dust can be toxic. I even have a low micron filter in my Fein Turbo III to prevent dust from re entering the room. Sure does save the lungs.
BB

[dehusman]

Get plaster of Paris, and in a plastic basin mix up a very wet soupy mix. Rip up newspapers into strips 3-4 in wide and 6-8 long. dip the newspaper sheets one at a time in the plaster and drape them over the rough foam. Build up a couple layers. When dry paint with latex house paint. You can get mismatched biege colors for $5-10 a gallan at paint stores and home improvemt places.
To make rock cliffs, crmple up some heavy duty aluminum foil and then semi-flatten it out, leaving some variations and big dents in it. Mix a batch of plaster about the thickness of pancake batter, pour it on the foil mold, then pick up the foil and slap it on the area you want the rocks. When it starts really setting (plaster gets warm and then begins to cool) peel off the foil, brush it lightly with a cheap paint brush, paint with grey (or rock color) latex house paint (some of the ground color paint or white mixed with a little black craft paint). When that dries use washes of craft paint to stain the rocks and bring out the details.

Dave H.

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dehusman

Get plaster of Paris, and in a plastic basin mix up a very wet soupy mix. Rip up newspapers into strips 3-4 in wide and 6-8 long. dip the newspaper sheets one at a time in the plaster and drape them over the rough foam. Build up a couple layers.

Why bother? The bare foam makes a much better scenic layer than a thin (or even thick) layer of plaster of any kind. You can beat on sceniced foam and not tell the difference. Beat on plaster and you end up with broken scenery. I've said it for years: YOU DON'T NEED TO USE PLASTER WITH A FOAM-BASED LAYOUT. The only POSSIBLE reason to use plaster is MAYBE for rock molds and roads, and there are ways around them as well.

QUOTE:
To make rock cliffs, crmple up some heavy duty aluminum foil and then semi-flatten it out, leaving some variations and big dents in it. Mix a batch of plaster about the thickness of pancake batter, pour it on the foil mold, then pick up the foil and slap it on the area you want the rocks. When it starts really setting (plaster gets warm and then begins to cool) peel off the foil, brush it lightly with a cheap paint brush, paint with grey (or rock color) latex house paint (some of the ground color paint or white mixed with a little black craft paint). When that dries use washes of craft paint to stain the rocks and bring out the details.

If you MUST use plaster rock molds, this is generlaly the best way to do it. Why bother spending $20+ for a latex rock mold when you can do it yourself for pennies?

[SpaceMouse]

I'm one to talk since I haven't actually done it yet, but on the steeper surfaces where the rock is exposed, I'm going to layer the foam at about a 45 degree angle or so, so that the striations are not horizontal.