Fake Water & Styrofoam

[screwysquirrel]

as several know, I'm building a layout with Styrofoam insulation as my subroadbed, on a door.

I was thinking of using the Woodland Scenics 'EZ-Water', which are crystals you melt on a stove, then pour.

My question is: How will this affect the styrofoam? I'm planning to dig a channel in the foam and pour the 'water' in. I'm worried the hot 'EZ Water' will melt the foam though.

 

[Clerk]

I used that EZ water on my first layout and will never use it again.. The last time I used some stuff (forgot the name) that came in two bottles and you mixed it half and half. It was much easier than that EZ water.
I have heard there is some new stuff out now that requires no mixing. Just open and pour. It should be available at your LHS.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

I've never used EZ water either but know that Envirotex won't harm the blue insulation foam most people use.

 

[ezdays]

I have a can of casting resin. I haven't used it yet, but it was recommended over ezwater, and is a lot cheaper. I'm doing the same thing you are, blue foam over a hollow-core door and the resin should not attack the foam....well, I sure hope it doesn't...

Don

 

[Tyson Rayles]

When you pour it, it is very hot and will eat right thru the styro. You will have to line the area with plaster first. I WOULD NOT recommend this product as you will have trouble with air bubbles, direct sunlight will cause it to crack etc. Use ANYTHING but this product! Myself I use Gloss Medium, but there are lots of other things that will work as well.

 

[jon-monon]

I melted the foam with a heat lamp trying to dry a polyurethane stream. Melts pretty easy.

 

[sumpter250]

The Woodland scenics "water", and "Water effects" products work very well. The only limiter here is that you can only pour 1/8 inch depth at a time, and you need to let each layer set thoroughly between pours. Otherwise, no heat, no odor, and so far there has been no other probems that I have detected.
As with any other "new" process, practice on scrap material first. Better to destroy something that can easily be trashed, than part of the layout which has taken time and effort to create.
Pete

 

[pondman]

water

I seen In the academy - scenery a thing about water,, may be it will help you .........

 

[GNRail]

Originally posted by ezdays
I have a can of casting resin.
Don

If that is solvent based resin don't let it anywhere near that styrofoam.

Long story short or short story long.

I tried clear casting resin over painted styrofoam. After a few minutes bubbles started forming and not long later the resin lake disappeared under the styrofoam. I was glad I had used a board under the foam or I would have bee trying to get the resin foam mixture out of the carpet.

It took a few weeks to get the smell out of the house. I now use the Woodland Scenics Realistic Water. I believe it is laytex based and doesn't melt foam.

 

[billk]

What's the advantage of the Woodland$ $cenic$ stuff over the old tried-and-true of painting a smooth surface to give the illusion of depth and then putting on a coat of clear varish, polyurethane or the like?

 

[ezdays]

Originally posted by GNRail


If that is solvent based resin don't let it anywhere near that styrofoam.

Casting resin is like an epoxy. I don't plan on using it over foam anyway. I want to plaster the surface to get texture then paint it to show some depth and rocks before I pour it. Since this is my first layout, you can be sure I'm going to experiment first to see what works and looks best.

Don

 

[scoobyloven]

well you can be an out law like one of use here and go with the real thing i used the real stuff on my layout not with the head banging and water here and there but now it runs like a champ i went and used plaster and two fish pumps the 50 gal ones i have the water start at a high point on the layout and run down from their in two the lake then from their to the other side of the layout to another high point and in to another lake both lakes where made out of a kitty potty cut to about 3 inches deep and then plaster put in to make all water run into the center for the pump hose and back up for another ride down the river but the only thing with using that is you want to have a drain hole for you can change the water and for the color i use food coloring and to keep everythin from getting slimely i use a 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol once a week

 

[billk]

real water

Sounds like a real pain in the a** to me (especially if you're planning on storing your layout behind the pie safe!) but to each his own....
I've always heard that real water doesn't "scale down" correctly, meaning that the ripples etc. don't look quite right. Anyone have any first-hand knowledge about that?

 

[jon-monon]

Wouldn't matter in a pond, and you can have a hell of a big goldfish in there!

 

[billk]

...you can have a hell of a big goldfish in there

Hey Jon, I think you missed this part!

...for the color i use food coloring and to keep everythin from getting slimely i use a 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol once a week

 

[jon-monon]

Have to switch to ethonol!

 

[scoobyloven]

jon that wouldn't be a gold fish it would be fish zilla (lol) unless you get a white one then you gan call it moby dick

as for the ripples if the water is moving fast it is not to scale but you get it to run at a trickle and it looks good and the pumps are used to move the water but you would need atleast a 3-4 inch wide river not a stream well i do n scale and i4 inches is the sit is somthing you would have to planmallest one i have and at the widest point it is 6 1/2 inches wide it is something you would have to plan at th start of the layout becouse of the pump and hoses to move the water after you get that all worked out and put in the rest just fall into place

 

[Clerk]

If you used 90 proof, that gold fish could have a high old time.

 

[trainmasta13601]

no no no all u people have it rong j/k but i used elmers Gel Glue on a school project as a river1 time it was AWSOME it drys quick and it looks great u can make it liek rapids or calm white water rapids i ment u can put a gloss paint on it after