Need a good idea

jflessne

Member
May 10, 2006
165
0
16
52
Hot Arizona
www.azlivewire.com
Anyone have suggestions for creating icicles in ho scale? I tried hot glue and it was difficult to get it formed and was to flexible. I was wondering if magic water would work or maybe clear silicone? Does it dry hard?
 
In an article in MR, Rand Hood (one of the best winter scene modellers I have seen) recommends clear silicon. I have not tried this, but it is on my list of things for my (planned) winter module.

Andrew
 
Just thinking out loud here...

Take some GOOP brand household glue. It is clear silicone glue, and put a bead of it along the edge of an eave. It will leave a long "spider web" trail, of course.

Then maybe take an old comb with some missing teeth and touch the glue parallel to the bead while the glue is still wet and pull it away from the eave.

I imagine you'll get lot's of "spider web" trails that will snap back to the eave when pulled completely off the comb.

These "danglers" should hang down something like icicles. Maybe.....

Sounds messy. Might work....
 
Silicone will stay rubbery because it is a rubber. You might try 2 part clear resin casting material. It will set up & cure in about 5 minutes if memory serves. Put the house or building that you want to have icicles hanging off of on a piece of newspaper, mix the casting resin and put it around the eves. It will drip off until it sets which will leave a long thin string of resin from the eve to a puddle on the paper. After it sets up, try cutting the resin string to the length you want, and leave the puddle on the newspaper. I haven't tried this method, just an idea that popped into my head, so you might want to make a "quick & dirty" building out of cardboard to test thhis method before you take a chance with a nicely detailed model.
 
MasonJar said:
In an article in MR, Rand Hood (one of the best winter scene modellers I have seen) recommends clear silicon. I have not tried this, but it is on my list of things for my (planned) winter module.

Andrew

Hmmm Mr Rand Hood....I'm interested in seeing some examples. Any suggestions?

I did a simple google search...vague results.
 
My test results with hot glue.

-I used a mock building from cardboard. Used the flap to dangle some hot glue off the edge. (My cameras on the fritz) But the hot glue got very stringy and didn't leave any base at the edge of the roof. (sorta a tear drop rather than an icicle) Does that make any sense?

I'll take a shot at silicone.

Where might I get clear resin casting material?


It's a side project while I take a break from ballasting.
 
Part of Rand Hood's technique was to make the icicles independent of the building, and then glue them on after. You should be able to make tapered cones with hotglue on wax paper or some other "nonstick" surface, and then transfer them once they cool...?

Andrew
 
I'll try the wax paper. The one thing bad about hot glue it seem even after I shaped it. It still wanted to warp a bit. Soon after it didn't look natural.

I've been told Model railroader did a two part article some time ago concerning the Donner pass layout. It was done completly in winter sceme. Anyone know the issue?
 
I have not done this BUT...
1. Smear silicone on wax paper.
2. Run a comb [that you don't want] through it to produce a streamer effect [tendrils, whatever you want to call them].
3. Let dry.
4. Then cut into shape.
5. Remove and use.

I seen that once years ago [I forget where] and they looked real good.
Hope that helps.