General Discussion (Model Railroader)

Thank you!! This has been very enlightening.  I am doing my first layout and have been coming up with all kinds of complicated ideas on how to do things.  Your method seems idiot proof...which is what I need. 

Garry, this is a wonderfully done thread on a subject that I will eventually have to tackle on my layout. I think this technique will fit in well with some areas on my PD layout that will simulate the Piedmont and mountain regions in western North Carolina that I am modeling. I have saved this one for my Modeling Techniques links and future reference materials.

Thanks,

Ryan

Hi Garry,

Your rock work is just tremendous. You make it seem simple but I know better. Just out of curosity , how many hours would you sy that it took you to do this??

Bob

superbe wrote:

Hi Garry, Your rock work is just tremendous. You make it seem simple but I know better. Just out of curosity , how many hours would you sy that it took you to do this?? Bob

The most time consuming part is putting in the broken plaster pieces into place with the adhesive. Each piece needs attention.

After all the pieces of plaster are installed, each step is not much work. There is a lot of waiting time. You have to wait for things to dry: plaster, adhesive, spackling compound, and actrylics.

Thanks everyone for the kind remarks.

I have done more work on this section and will show it now.

I put ground cover in shakers that were formerly for grated cheese. The best part was eating all of that spaghetti. I sprayed detergent water on the rocks, and then brushed a white glue and water solution onto it.

Next, I sprinkled three colors of gound  cover on some cardboard. Then, I blew it into the rocks. This is better than just sprinkling directly onto the rocks because too much ground cover drops of the rocks.

The third photo shows the final result. I waited for the glue to dry. Then, if there was too much ground on any of the rocks, I gently rubbed it off with a dry cloth. Also, you will see I added more scenery such as trees to the scene.

Based on the pieces in your bucket, it looks like your method would work with broken up pieces of drywall too.  I have a bunch of small drywall sections leftover from my basement remodel.  Think I'll try it with those.

Thanks...

Garry,

Oh my stars!  This is exactly the technique I needed for my Canyon Diablo Bridge module!

Thanks a gazillion for posting it!  

Arjay ... You are most welcome!

Philip ... Yes, I wanted it to be random. Also, I would repeat the application of the ground cover a few times as needed using the blow-from-cardboard method. It's "low tech" so i can do it.

Heartland Division CB and Q wrote:

It's "low tech" so i can do it.

Why do you think I'm interested in it?

shawnee wrote:

Based on the pieces in your bucket, it looks like your method would work with broken up pieces of drywall too.  I have a bunch of small drywall sections leftover from my basement remodel.  Think I'll try it with those. Thanks...

The gypsum is so soft that any working it or wetting will make it crumble. You might be able to knife the paper away from the edges and seal it with shellac/ denatured alcohol. May stiffen it up from the thinned shellac soaking into the face of the gypsum. Broken ceiling tile may be a better choice if you don't use GARRY's plaster method.

You are welcome, trewc. Looks like your first post and welcome to the forum. Hope to see you post more often.

I should have mentioned its good to observe rock strata where you see it. As one person said, it can be slanted instead of horizontal. Also, colors, of course, vary in differnt locations. Experimenting ahead of doing the real thing is helpful.

Happy Model Railroading.