Hi all. I wanted to thank everyone who contributed to my requests for pics and feedback concerning rubber rocks, Bragdon molds and techniques, etc.
After attending two of Joel Bragdon's clinics at the National Convention in Sacramento I decided to use his geodesic foam method and his molds. I'll be applying the rock castings over existing plaster cloth hardshell. I had only one layer so decided to harden/plasticize it up a bit with a coat of white glue-full strength to allow more physical pushing of the castings and reheating them to shape them.
Gardiner Cross at rubber rocks was extremely helpful and took some additional photos for me that I greatly appreciated. It was a hard decision but after seeing the how to clinics and many finished examples I felt most comfortable going with what was most familiar.
I feel a bit guilty but was always up front from the start with Gardiner about my two final choices to be considered. If you are interested in or have decided on the Cripplebush rubber rocks Gardiner is a great guy and will be helpful to you with additional questions.
I just wish that he had more dealers or was able to do more train shows far afield so that one could see his stuff in person and compare with other products. I still hope to include some of his product(s) later on down the road.
Anyway wanted you all to know that I truly appreciate and acknowledge the help you gave me to arrive at a decision. I may be back with some Geodesic method questions in the near future but Joel is also extemely helpful and I have his DVD so probably will be good to go.
Cheers, Jim
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
Good for you. Good choice. Now on to the mountains and cliffs. I love to see pics so I am looking forward to your terraforming days.
I hope to get a photo-bucket or similar site up next Fall or Winter when the rock work is finished.
Summer chores and trips are coming on fast and I will want to devote all of my careful attention to my lst rock work. I can't wait! (But might have to)...
Jim:
I saw examples of the Bragdon Geodesic foam rocks at the show, too. VERY impressive. Only thing keeping me from trying it would be the possibility of chemical odors (I've got COPD, but not too bad).
Now let's get Them Washington Cascades up and runnin, partner!
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Hey, I've got good news for you. I too am chemically sensitive, get migraines and can no longer work with solvent glues and solvent based paints etc.
I figured I'd NEVER be using this method but at the clinic I was allowed to stick my nose right into the necks of the resins and they truly are fragrant/scent free! I'm sure like me, you have experienced claims on detergent products and deoderants, etc. that they are scent free and they are anything but-so I was very dubious.
I watched (twice) the entire process with all of the resins and the foams and sniffed each finished product after they'd set up or almost had-nothing.
I've always been a guy too, who has never been able to warm up to pink and blue foam for my layout so the rock detail had to be pretty astounding to convince me to go with a "plastic" but I was completely sold.
Now all I have to do is get up the nerve to start! It looks pretty easy though and quick. I have this fear paralysis with every new project but know that once I dig in it'll go away pretty quickly. At least by the 2nd redo :-)
So..might be something you can still explore. If you have a lot of rock work left to do and feel like trying something "new", try to see one of Joel's clinics at a show.
Thanks for the encouragement Tom!
Jim, well you really did your homework on this one. I'll anxiously be waiting to see some of the results.
Just to be on the safe side, even though you may not notice any chemical (smell) of the resins still allow for adaquate ventilation. Why take chances.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
I love my Bragdon rocks, but when I did them I got off to a "rocky" start. It was a few years ago, and like you, I've got that "fear factor" thing going on projects like this. One smart thing I did was clear my calendar for the day and choose a time when I was alone in the house so there would be no interruptions.
The two "lessons learned" for me were "use real TSP, not some "greener" TSP substitute. I was having trouble here, and I e-mailed Joel. He responded promptly and pointed that out.
Also, the first time, I made the backing layer too thick for my first casting. The surface was fine, but I was unable to form it to the planned curve. I ended up using this piece elsewhere, but later castings with thinner backing came out much better.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Thanks for the tips. My lst layer will be going over existant plaster cloth painted over with white glue so I won't be getting to the Geodesic hardshell at lst.
***I don't recall the use of TSP from the 2 clinics or the DVD. When and where is it used? I'll go back to his online tutorial after I do some down town errands and see if it's mentioned there. ***
Thanks Mr. B.
Were the rock castings themselves "limber" enough to follow your planned curves without heating them later?
I may start this month but may also have to wait until Oct. when I return from a trip... although I did spend late last night "playing" with placement of my molds on the hardshell. I've got #85 among other similar molds and it's going to be much trickier than usual to match those diagonal strata lines than usual. No simple turning of the molds upside down and sideways here... a challenge.
my first two trys did not turn out to good the mold was one of the big ones. so now i mix 3 oz. at a time so it is easy to work with
jeff m
Jeff, are you talking about 3 oz. at a time for plaster or the geodesic foam?
Thanks.
geodesic foam
jeff
Thanks Jeff. After looking over my notes from the clinic and figuring the sq. footage I figured that you probably meant the foam and resin.
If you have any further tips I'm all ears! Have you done a lot of rock work yet? I picked a fractured granite that will be very hard to re use upside down or sideways in the usual manner due to a diagonal layer look to them. It'll be a challenge for a beginner. I may mock this whole thing up lst using photo copies on a cardboard model or (hopefully) a friend with photo shop expertise. Or, I may just go for it one mold at a time in Oct.
Did you place fresh from the mold/ flexible castings onto a pre formed plaster hardshell like I have to?
I was wondering if I'd likely be able to push and bend things fairly severely in existing crevices and dips and flash harden them with the canned air or if I'll only able to approximate these shapes.
As you no doubt know it's hard to find folks who've used the geo. method to discuss these things with.
Maybe Joel needs to start a forum!
i have molds # 85 & 87 i have made a few of the casting a head of time if i need them to form along the contour of the hard shell i use a heat gun i got from harbor freight it works great
Picked one up today. Looking forward to starting. It's hard to hold off but need to wait until after a vacation trip so that I can concentrate fully on the task at hand.
Thanks Jeff.
enjoy your vacation and update us on your progress