I'm much of a novice on model railroads. Currently, I want to do roads easily with accessible materials. My location is in Quezon City, the Philippines, and there are no model railroad shops here. It is of my current interest to use plaster of paris for the roads. Can this be done? How do I do it, from how much water to be mixed per part, to how could I color the plaster? Are there other materials that can be used as well? Should there be other materials, they should be available here. Sorry for the parameters.
Building roads for HO
- Thread starter mikebalcos
- Start date
I've used joint compound for drywalling right out of the container. Spackle too, if you have something like that available.
Ralph
Ralph
From a guy who lives in hurricane country to a guy who lives in typhoon country, asphalt shingles can be a plentiful commodity to use for model roads. I use the back of them, cut to size, weathered with chalks and lined with Elmer's yellow and white paint pens. The grade crossing how-to can be found here>>> http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=16462
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Wow. That's an interesting technique, and not one you usually see in books. It looks quite realistic - it should, since it's the same material as the real thing. The chalk markings look good. The texture of the road gives them that speckly, worn look like they have in reality. My only quibble would be that roads aren't that dark unless they've just been paved.
I use polly filler (plaster of paris) every time, speckling compoud is also a good option.
There are lots of threads here concerning roard building, use our search option to find them easily
announce1 Also please post your progress. that would be great.
There are lots of threads here concerning roard building, use our search option to find them easily
announce1 Also please post your progress. that would be great.
That is a great idea CaNadiaN, I have tons of that stuff and never thought of using fo roads, I'll have to try that one out, sounds like it would work and look cool:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Triplex said:
Thanks, I saw it used a a train show and never went back to plaster. As for the color, the sunlight makes it appear darker than it actually is. I even go so far as to allow it to be sunbleached for several months before I use them.
I like this one, its what I'm going to use for a majority of my roads:
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/crowley/ashphalt_roads.htm
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/crowley/ashphalt_roads.htm
alexander
Member
Wow, Josh, your method really produces outstanding effects for an asphalt road! I never saw such realistic cracks in a model road surface so far, and also the pothole looks very convincing. (Poor suspensions of the passing cars! 
)
I think I've seen such foam boards in a handycraft shop - and I'll give your technique a try.
Thank you for the link!
Ron
)I think I've seen such foam boards in a handycraft shop - and I'll give your technique a try.
Thank you for the link!
Ron
I've got to agree -- Josh, that looks great! I vote for that technique for distressed roads, and the asphalt shingle technique for a newly-paved road. The yellow and white lines done with the paint pens works well, too.
As for the PEP BOYS truck in the photo, though -- aren't they a relatively recent chain? How could their logo be on such an old truck?
As for the PEP BOYS truck in the photo, though -- aren't they a relatively recent chain? How could their logo be on such an old truck?
I just use dark grey undercoat paint and tissue paper. I simply put paint down in the desired area and then carefully spread the paper on top of it. The paint soaks through and when dry, the joins become barely noticeable.
planeshavings42
Member