Mark, if it helps, I'm thinking of the same approach. It really doesn't matter what the plaster looks like unless you only intend to tint/paint its surface and see if that looks close to prototypical for a yard. If it's too lumpy, use a sanding block, the foam kind from the paints section, and rub it down. Vacuum and then tint or overlay with something such as fine cinders.
If you are going for that muddy yard look where only one in 50 ties is ever visible, including between the rails, you have little choice but to deal with it as it turns out and try to keep the flange paths clear. That's going to be a chore.
On my most photographed layout eight years ago, I mixed P of P with some finely sifted garden soil, and laid that out thinly everywhere. I rolled it with a baby food bottle because of its small size. Then I spritzed it well with a watery wood glue mixture with the idea of the P of P and glue holding the thin layer in place. It worked. I always immediately take a damp drop cloth remnant and wipe down the rails well as soon as I put the glue bottle down.
I have images in my mind for every part of my new builds, and I can manage it to about an A- grade about 3/4 of the time. The other times vary from B- to a D, and as you know, it's a lunch box letdown. My expectations, whether of a technique that can't fail to the outcome, are sometimes much too lofty for my skills or chosen materials. I abandoned the camper topper tape attempt for road bed very soon, mostly because it was too wide and I had trouble cutting it consistently. Also, I found it too soft. Getting it up again was a bear. I went to the local build store and bought myself six feet of 1/4" cork underlay and never looked back.
Pruitt Maybe I should take up drinking as a hobby. You can't mess that up. Can you?
Maybe I should take up drinking as a hobby. You can't mess that up. Can you?
I guess you've never broken your favorite martini glass.
Ed
I agree with Ed, above.
Go ahead and continue with the plaster but I would also use some strips of the blue-type "light tack" masking tape to protect as much of the track area as possible, especially for when there are those unexpected drips.
When the plaster has nearly set, chip away any areas that may be too thick, use a fine brass toothbrush-sized wire brush to clean up any other stray plaster.
Then I would cover the plaster areas with thinned, shades of gray/brown flat latex paint. I always look for the discounted "oops" paint you can get cheap at some of the retail stores.
IMG_7821 by Edmund, on Flickr
You're going to fill and cover most of this area with cinders dirt, weeds and maybe a little bit of ballast. There was a thread a week or two back about yard coloring and I posted some photos of C&NW's Proviso yard:
CNW_Proviso_x5a by Edmund, on Flickr
Looks like a mess...
I don't think you messed up. Maybe you might have to scrape some errant plaster off here and there, but for the most part I think you have a good start.
Black India ink diluted with alcohol will also help cover all that white plaster and give you a dirty grungy look.
Keep us abreast of your progress. Lookin' good Ed
I'm just not seeing a real problem, here (unless, of course, you think you're done). True, I don't know exactly where you're going. But it looks SORT OF OK to me.
You'll have to clean some plaster off, here and there. Call it pennance for something you forgot you did a long time ago.
BUT.
I'd take a step back.
Then I'd do some practice NOT on the layout.
Don't forget, you can still add ballast, a thin layer of dusted on dirt, various colors of paint, and of course, weeds. And more of the same. For example, I found that just varying the coloring of the dirt with splotches of washes helped a lot. I also sprayed on a bit of color, here and there.
Anyway, it's FAR from a disaster. But hold back, and do some pondering.
It works for me.
Was the plaster supposed to simulate concrete between the tracks or just fill in the space?
If the later you would have been better off laying your yard on a sheet of cork or turning cork roadbed upside down to fill in the intratrack spaces. You could have used something else that was more foregiving, like sculptamold.
Plaster on ties is a big pain to deal with. Blue tape can keep it clean.
Since I don't know what the game plan was, I don't know what to say, except the plaster isn't working out for you.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I'm a bit curious why you're putting plaster of paris between the tracks. Is it because the cork creates too large a ballast appearence for a yard track? Just curious. This looks like it might be a little tough to clean up.
I've started scenicking Casper yard.
It may not be working out very well...
After getting all the track laid in the classification area, I painted the track. That seemed to go ok for the most part:
So I proceed on to the spaces between the tracks.
I mixed and applied a small batch of plaster of paris. As I was applying it I realized it might have been a bit too stiff. I wound up with this:
This may not be so good. Still, I press on.
Today I mixed up another small batch, much thinner this time - kind of like a medium-thin pancake batter - and poured it between the tracks. I got this (new part still wet):
Not looking promising. I'm hoping that after it dries, and I apply some ballast to the track and weathering to the plaster, that it will look better. I'm not really feeling very confident right now, though.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton