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Stour Valley Dream - Sculptamold and ballast

Fen End Pit

Entry posted by Fen End Pit

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I've been making slow progress on the scenics over the last couple of weeks. I've covered all the polystyrene with a layer of Sculptamold and got what I hope will be a suitable base for static grassing in a future.

 

IMG_6921a.jpg.e56b5a486ca8594eff8963b237b82a85.jpg

 

I'd not used this stuff until I was recommended it by one of my friends, having always used modrock or other plaster bandage type things in the past. I've been very impressed as it dries quickly, forms a strong layer even when applied quite thinly and is very light. It sticks well to itself so you can mix a small quantity up at a time and work on little areas.

 

I found mixing in an old plastic container and spreading with a plastic tool which was originally intended for removing prints from a 3D printer (but was useless for that purpose) worked well.IMG_6920a.jpg.cd6ee217a5feed3ebd3b0fcb998c2823.jpg

 

 

The resulting ground has been painted with poster paint to hopefully give a reasonable base. I think the intention is to cover with a sprinkling of sieved soil (Our American friends might say 'Yard dirt') and seal the surface a little more before applying static grass. In the photograph below the right hand track is the running line and the left hand track just a siding/lay-by hence the smoking staining on the bridge being on one side only.

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I gave the track a spray with Railmatch' Sleeper Grime' with a sideways waft of 'rust' to paint the rails. Ballast is Woodland Scenics grey, using a mix a medium and fine grades. I tried sticking it down with both DeLuxe Materials 'Ballast Bond' which is a dilute glue and 'Ballast Magic' which is a dry powder that you add to the ballast as you apply it and then spray with water. Of the two methods I'll admit to getting on better with the 'Ballast Magic', being able to apply the ballast and move it about in a dry state and then just spray some water on with a fine sprayer seems the easiest approach. I found some tiny spray bottles with the 'liquids must be in a transparent bottle for airport security' bottles in Sainsbury's for ~75p.

 

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The cess is Woodland Scenic fine cinders which hopefully will get blended in a little when the ballast gets a light weathering later. The idea is that there used to be a track on the left hand side of the formation which has been removed, I'm trying to work out whether to ballast with the light grey or cinders.

 

The river area is coming on. I've used Sculptamold to form a river bank and will ultimately use a two-part resin to make the water (hence the 'dam' at the back of the layout!). I'm quite happy with the shape of the land, I don't think it looks too bad, you can see the path of the disused farm track which lead down from the road over the bridge to the now disused loading siding. I'm planning on this having some overgrown hedges and grass rather than anything paved.

 

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I think I'm pleased with the way the bridge is looking, The abutments look ok with a mixture of red and blue brick.

 

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It is a bit weird actually doing scenic work on a 4mm scale layout after so long. I don't think I've modeled scenic areas like this for about 20 years. I'm getting quite excited about it turning green over the next week or so.

 

David

 

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RichardS

Looking good. I've never heard of Sculptamould before. Is there any chance of a close up picture of the surface texture. The product looks promising and in time I will have a considerable area on my own layout to dress.

Many thanks.

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Fen End Pit
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Hi Richard

 

The texture can be made quite smooth, the secret is in the timing , catching at at the right time to smooth it down. It can be 'worked' for about 10-15 minutes and as it dries it can be smoothed nicely.

 

IMG_6944a.jpg.8b7339dcf6f58b06e803b88d57f8e04d.jpg

 

Along the base of the river I worked it a bit more to get a smoother finish.

 

IMG_6945a.jpg.35f7786895f3c1c8107d847248344f4c.jpg

 

Hope that helps

 

David

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young37215
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Richard of Everard Junction fame also uses Scultpamould extensively and speaks well of it.  His latest Youtube video contains a chunk of time in the middle given over to using Scultpamould

 

 

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Dave Holt

David.

I have no personal experience with Sculptmold but was introduced to it at Leamington Model Railway Club and was impressed enough to intend to use it on Delph/Holt, if I ever get that far. So it's good to see you using it here to good effect. The scenic base really is coming along and looking very good. That and the track ballast do make a major transformation from a flat board with track to looking like a railway in the landscape.

Are you sure using sieved soil is a good idea? I'd be a bit wary of using organic materials, such as natural soil, in case it is not inert and leaches some corrosive residues over time.

Enjoying seeing progress, as always.

Dave.

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RichardS
23 hours ago, Fen End Pit said:

Hi Richard

 

The texture can be made quite smooth, the secret is in the timing , catching at at the right time to smooth it down. It can be 'worked' for about 10-15 minutes and as it dries it can be smoothed nicely.

 

IMG_6944a.jpg.8b7339dcf6f58b06e803b88d57f8e04d.jpg

 

Along the base of the river I worked it a bit more to get a smoother finish.

 

IMG_6945a.jpg.35f7786895f3c1c8107d847248344f4c.jpg

 

Hope that helps

 

David

 

Thanks David. I shall certainly consider this in due course.

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Mikkel
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Thanks David, I had been wondering what Sculptamould was like. Your post helps a lot. The views along the track are excellent by the way.

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KH1
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I have had no problems with real soil on my Up the Line layout, it has been down for six years now with no problems. One thing I would recomend though is giving it a blast in a very hot oven (when the wife is out!), to just neutralise any organic or living elements.

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26power

Interesting to see such dramatic progress.  Had heard of sculptamould but have never used it.  Was under the impression it was a form of paper mache?  I wonder if there is scope to add in colour when mixing it - poster paint or emulsion paint, of an appropriate colour obviously!

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