Stone Wall from Plaster

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Fred_M

I'm building a new corner module for my HO layout and want to build a long curved stone wall with a town elevated above the tracks with a stratified rock wall and mountain behind the town. So first I made a form from cardboard covered with clear packing tape.
 

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F

Fred_M

I then started castin wall sections and as they set I nuke them for 5 min and then carve them with an eyeglass screwdriver, my tool of choice.
 

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Fred_M

Here's a picture of a casting after carving but before coloring. I'm going to use acrylic washes which is a pretty way of saying watered down paint.
 

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jon-monon

Active Member
Welcome to the-gauge, dash10!

Fantastic! Can we see a pic after it's all painted up? I'll bet it will be great.

Hafta remember not to help myself to anything in the microwave at your house without asking! :D :D :D :D
 

billk

Active Member
Looks good, d10 - can't wait to see it after the wash brings out the details. BTW, what's the purpose of the nuking step? Just to speed thing up?
 

jon-monon

Active Member
I let my bottle of indian ink freeze last winter. So I did the next logical step and nuked it in my wifes brand spankin' new white microwave. Looked away for a while, then looked back and saw the bulb on the eye dropper part was swollen up to the size of a grapefruit. I proceded to hit the stop button faster than you could immagine, and the bulb din't explode. The whole dropper apperatus was pretty melted down, but still sorta functions, but more importantly, my (_!_) is still intact. My hair is still standing on end to this day.
 
F

Fred_M

Nuking plaster speeds up the drying time by about a day per min. Walmart has microwaves for $30. Of course my layout is at MY store and my wife is ignorant as to how I use MY stuff up here. I'm not allowed to do anything at HER house. The next step is to do basic coloring to the castings before the are glued down. This is critical as glue seals plaster and keeps it from soaking in stains. Over time plaster tends to shed, that is little pieces flake off. Painting on the surface comes off and leaves white spots. If you stain it the plaster either sheds less, or the plaster is colored deeper and the white specks are less noticable? Also since this is a module I'll need to isolate the plaster from the plywood to lessen the chances of cracking. That will be done by glueing a 1/8 strip of foam to the plywood and then glueing the plaster to the foam with brown carpenters glue. I'll also leave a 1/2 gap betwween pieces and "pour" plaster pillars. I'm also installing a sewer gate with a padlock and chain.
 
F

Fred_M

drain gate

Here's a pic of the drain gate and basic wall color which is the color of the native limestone in my world. It has an inner tube made from a toilet paper tube and I'm going to sink a drain shaft from above with a wire cover so there will be a light seen behind the gate.
 

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Matthyro

Will always be re-membered
The wall is looking good dash10. I like the way you carved the rock pattern.
Welcome to the Gauge.
 
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Fred_M

Closer

The wall has the pillars cast in place and colored. The motor lines are darker than they appear in normal overhead light. The flash on my camera robs some of the naturally occuring contrasts. I like my little screw driver because if you want wider lines you apply twist as you pull and the line gets wider. The one I use is the smallest straight blade that come in the imported $2 sets. Next step is to blend the wall into the rock and dirt.
 

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jawatkins

Member
Welcome to the Gauge. I like what you've done with your stone wall. Can't wait to see the finished product come together!
 
F

Fred_M

Here is some strata made from broken ceiling tile and hardshell being applied over foam. I have also started the overpass and highway through town. The weekends here so it's time to quit construction on the layout for the week.
 

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Fred_M

Bridge

Today I scratched an overpass using a aluminium plate from ? as the deck and I glued on some Rix overpass sides. I used N scale ones because the HO ones looked too big to me. The I beams were made from basswood strips. I also "planted" a thicket around and under the bridge. Should be some rabbits in there.
 

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F

Fred_M

I'm not sure what floral moss is. I first make a mush from 2 oz of whiteglue, 8 oz water, and green paint in a blender. I then add paper towel, McDonalds bags, and newspaper to make a thick pulp which I spread about 1/2 inch thick. I then add turf flocks, home made ground foam, commercial ground foam, green poly-fiber, clump-foliage, caspia, deermoss, lyken, trumpet vine roots, sticks from the woods and yard, paint brush fibers, dirt from the gutter, sand, whatever looks good. I then wet it down with alcoho; based wet glue and wait overnight for it to dry. I like lots of genetic diversity as I think it makes things look better than using a lifelike grass matte or all one color flock. I attacked a pic of another area from my layout that's my favorite so far.
 

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jawatkins

Member
Well, the stuff you use looks great. I, too, enjoy a visual interest in scenery. Well done. Looking forward to seeing more pictures.
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
That last picture of the retaining wall is great. The outcrop of rock looks just like limestone. I am going to have to try it. Good work, and thanks for the progress photos!

Andrew
 
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