Chooch Retaining Walls

[jacon12]

Do you have any of these walls on your layout?

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/214-8304

Did you cut them in any way and/or stain them.

I'd like to see pictures how other modelers used them.

JaRRell

[MisterBeasley]

I've got 3 of these stone wall molds:

http://www.mrscenery.com/catalog.htm

I've done a lot of retaining walls, so this is a very economical way to go.  I cast them with Hydrocal.  For some, I simply spray them with cheap rattle-can gray primer from Lowe's.  On others, I've used Rustoleum speckled sprays.  Then I brush them with an India-Ink-in-water wash to bring out the details.

[Anonymous]

I have a few.. Thinking of creating coke oven bases out of them by cutting a arched access for the workers to pull coke.

[dknelson]

If you cut them (I used a Dremel tool and their reinforced wheels) I suggest doing it outside.  The resin creates quite a bit of dust and the smell is not heavenly by any means.  I painted them using a variety of gray primer and Krylon camouflage khaki paints.  One thing I did need to change and that is that the tops and ends are flat where my prototype had a cut stone appearance like the sides.  I took thin balsa wood, glued it to the top and ends , battered at it with a wood burning tool (shades of the old E.L. Moore articles) and then sealed the balsa it with acrylic paints to give it a smooth surface and hide the burn marks and then painted the entire wall with the gray and Krylon camouflage khaki spray paints.

Dave Nelson

 

[Medina1128]

I haven't retaining wall, but I have made tunnel portals insulating foam. I cut them out, carve the stones or brick, then apply plaster to it. I can stain it to replicate whatever material I want it to be made of.