I've finally started casting Joel Bragdon's Geo Foam/Resin rocks and have been blown away by the remarkable detail. The detail is what sold me initially when viewing Joel's own samples at the Sacramento National Train Show this past summer. It's great to see that it's attainable by...me.
In this age of frustrating and less than pleasurable customer support from so many manufacturers and suppliers, I wanted to give a huge thumbs up to Bragdon Enterprises so others might be aware of his excellent customer service and support.
I emailed Joel and he asked me to call him and we went through my procedure and trouble shot. He is an incredibly nice and patient guy and was very helpful.
Both my wife and I are extremely sensitive to solvent based paints and chemicals so after Joel offered an alternative acrylic paint with 50/50 Gesso (an artist's canvas prep "varnish") and a prior degreasing with "Greased Lightning" I've decided to try that.
There's a small learning curve after working with more traditional methods like plaster, but I'm really liking the incredible ease of applying flexible large castings to my carefully pre-shaped hardshell and the nearly perfect and effortless blending of casting edges with adjacent rocks.
Anyway, I wanted to make forum members aware that if you have doubts or fears trying Bragdon Geo-Foam rock casting that Joel is top notch in caring about and advising "us" to ensure success.
He sells starter kits if you'd like to try his method without a great deal of expense initially. I thought his excellent business model deserved reporting.
3 more castings and I'll give the painting a try.
No business association with Bragdon. Just spreading the good word in return for my gratitude.
Jim
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
I'll second that. I saw my first example of Bragdon castings at a train show, and I had to reach out and touch it to see if it was a model or just a nice piece of real rock. I bought a starter set of materials, and let them sit around for several years before I finally got to that point of my layout. I had some trouble, and e-mailed Joel over the weekend. A short time later, he had straightened me out and I was on the way to some outstanding castings for one of my favorite spots on the layout.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Interesting. Got any pics of these finished rock formations?
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Yes, I too would like to see some pics, please.
This is a more finished picture of the overall scenery
But this one shows the rocks better
Actually, I don't think either photo does them justice.
Mr. B.,
Did you have any issues using cast resin or foam liquids after a few years of storage? Mine are nearing a year old (9 months) and was figuring I'd better use it. The instructions say they should be used within a year if possible.
I have no pics to post of...anything yet.
Photo bucket or similar account in my future but have work to get done lst. Lots of pics in Joel's catalog on-line. bragdonent.com
Joel's fantastic rocks are well known in narrow gauge hobby circles. Joel himself is a professional layout scenery builder. Two of his well known scenery efforts are:
Tom Millers FN3 layout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HqqZHvuNhY
and
Kevin Shanahan's HON3 layout still under construction.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafa3rafa/3864356135/in/set-72157622167776254/
Joel did the rocks on both of these layouts using his resin rock method being described in this thread. Both layouts feature spectacular scenery and have been in the hobby press within the last couple of years.
Bragdon's is a quality outfit.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Capt. Grimek Did you have any issues using cast resin or foam liquids after a few years of storage? Mine are nearing a year old (9 months) and was figuring I'd better use it. The instructions say they should be used within a year if possible.
No, I had no problems with the resin at all, even after several years of storage. The paints in the kit were a bit dried out, though. I had never opened the bottles. I still have some left, which I hope to get to this summer. Hopefully, this will be as immortal as Envirotex, which is also a 2-part resin. I've had that open for even longer, and it still works like I just bought it.
Thank you, Mr. B. That's good to know.
I noticed there weren't any painting directions and can't remember from the clinic. Does anyone happen to know how many drops per spray bottle (what size?) you are supposed to use on average?
My casting yesterday, went well and I'm really happy with this method now that I'm getting a handle on it. The rock edges are blending so easily and seamlessly with adjacent rocks. I haven't even had to use a heat gun or hair dryer, just the heat from the hot glue, while the casting is still mostly flexible.
As G.Wolfe says, these molds are very flexy and the thinnest granite ones might actually be a bit tricky to get enough plaster to stay in them, without letting them harden all the way and breaking the casting up.
Tom White, as you can see I've "got goin'" finally. Thanks for the encouragement many months ago.
I'm going to have to order more resins/bottles. I started with a large "trial/how to" kit.