Here’s my thinking- on the cheap: Using the old elementary school project idea of making salt maps, using just flour/water/salt, I can make various small items, such as crates, where I can scribe board lines, irregular shapes to be tarped on flat cars or gondolas, or even the bases of various gondola or hopper loads, to be covered with coal or sand,etc. The moldable aspect of the “dough mass” allows for detail to be set into it before it dries, it can easily be painted after drying, and it is remarkably cheap. Before I upset my wife and make a general mess, please offer comments on this idea. Thanks, Cedarwoodron
I think that may be a great idea. [tup] I don’t know how long that stuff lasts, but I imagine if “sealed” with paint" it should last. I don’t know if it breaks down after awhile.
I had totally forgotten about such stuff!
Make a small batch so as not to upset the wife to much and make only a small mess and try it!
Then, be sure to let us know how it comes out!
[8-|]
Just be sure to add something to inhibit the “critters” that might find your creations to be a nice “lunch”.[:)]
Joe
Why not just use Dry wall joint compound it sets up quick and would be about the same. I bought a big bag for $8.00. I would guess the flour would crumble or turn moldy? ( just my guess.)
Thayne
I’m not certain about your location and the relative humidity there. Living here near the “big pond”, I believe that the flour content would tend to absorb humidity and attract mold & other living things.
Bill
I would use plaster. Either hydrocal, or the dry wall seam stuff. You can get the drywall paste already mixed. easy to use, sandable, and will last a long time. Probably cheaper than using salt these days…???
73
Definitely would not do this. We have a number of these things that our kids have made. Their shelf life is less than a year, although if you sealed it, it might do better.
I think however, that this is one of those “false economies” that trip us up from time to time.
If the only reason you want to try this is because its cheap then your in the wrong hobby. Sure you can be frugal in the hobby but you can also be just cheap for the sake of being cheap. BAD idea.[tdn].
I threw this idea out there because, as a parent and as a professional educator, I recall this simple method of “mass” creation being used by myself many decades ago and more recently, by my child in the past several years. My intent was to obtain feedback, in order to validate or invalidate it’s use. To those who replied with knowledge and alternate suggestions, thank you. To those who feel compelled to comment in a crass and impolite manner, the quality of your reply speaks volumes. Cedarwoodron
After reading all of the posts carefully, I would not want to be in any of your classes.
Bob
Geeze, the guy only asked a simple question!
I STILL have my childhood Papier Mache stuff…nothing more than wadded up newsprint covered with flour paste strips and painted form my elementary school projects at my parents house! No critters ate them, MAYBE some deterioration {not the last I looked about 6 years ago hunting for something trains related}. My old childhood 4x12x8 {L shaped} layout of O/O27 is STILL there in the basement with the papier Mache mountains and elevations I made as a kid!
I don’t know if there are any of those flour mass projects hanging around up in the attic, but I DO remember them. If it works, and is cheap, why NOT use it?
NO DIFFERENT than using “ground goop” or other cheaper mixtures or products to do things MRRing!
Ceder, I DO think you could try the drywall compound as well, and maybe have better satisfactory results? May be able to carve it better after it hardens?
AS I said, Ceder, mix up a small batch cast" yourself some crates and barrels and other fancy stuff", and let us know!!!
[8-|]
Galaxy, I bet if you looked at the stuff you did as a kid it would be cracked and look like crap. For projects like this you want to use stuff that lasts, stuff that doesn’t deteriorate over time.
It MAY look “like crap” but I would question if it the STUFF IT IS MADE OF or the ABILITIES {actually lack thereof} of a CHILD to build something in elementary school under age 10.
I think those items were disposed of, NOT for desintegration, but because as I GREW, I no longer had any interest in them.
AS I said, my Papier Mache stuff ON the LAYOUT is STILL there and survived quite well for, what,…some odd 30-40 years???
I’ll be the OP now wishes he hadn’t started this thread for all the negativity it seems to have raised. As he siad, the “quality” of some posts are evident.
[8-|]
Let’s keep the negativity to a minimum. I’ll be watching this thread.
You know, Cedar, there used to be this stuff called “sculpy clay” that was the kind you baked when done “creating” and that would harden it for permanence. It would be available in the crafty stores and did come in multiple colors. It might be good for what you want.
Not sure how much it costs, but a little might go along way.
[8-|]
’
I’ve seen it advertised online for about $11 for a one pound bar and you can get it in a wide range of colors.
Edit: Here’s the ad page I saw.
We still use Sculpy for a variety of the kids school projects. It is not impossible that there is something made of Sculpy on my layout, too (I’ve used it to beef up tree trunks made from sedum florets). After baking, it takes paint (at least, the acrylic variety) very well, too.
Some very good ideas here that I would like to try. These are commonly available materials that, per ounce, cost pennies on the dollar. Being that this would be “water based”, it seems that it may be sealable with an acrylic based clear. It’s at least worth experimenting with.
The potential I’m imagining for example is: A modeler has an industrial warehouse where on the loading dock there are a number of detailed crates and boxes from Woodland Scenics, Preiser, etc. Then, mixed in or behind those units are the dough-mass versions Cedarwooden is thinking about creating, weathered and painted. That would be a decent mix. Considering that Woodland Scenics and Preiser are not cheap, this idea seems to have good merit. Tarped loads would be a goal as well.
In addition to this particular mix, there are other materials that have been mentioned that we can try as well.
To me this is similar to those of us that have a batch of beautifully detailed freight cars from Atlas or Intermountain that we park on our layout’s industries. But we also have the batches of the old Athearn and Roundhouse Blue Box freight cars that we use as “fillers” for those freight trains that are rolling by.
Guys, and to those of you criticizing, don’t forget that those of us modeling during the 60s and 70s often had to restort to plaster, clay, and fiberglass resins to produce the detailing items that today we take for granted.
BTW: I agree that there’s no need for discouraging comments. One of the ideals of this forum is the encouragment to post ideas and information. There was no need to slam Cedarwooden.
There is a common misconception that saying, “No, I wouldn’t do that,” or “That’s not such a great idea,” are discouraging comments. They aren’t. They reflect an honest opinion. Likewise my reference to a “false economy” – not a personal attack, but an expression of my belief that in using this technique, you may save money up front, only to spend lots of time dealing with other issues later.
If you don’t want an honest opinion, then you’re really not seeking advice, but looking for someone to stroke your ego by providing nothing but good comments. While some of the comments and responses above tended toward personal attacks, most of them don’t appear to be intended that way, and shouldn’t be taken that way.
I didn’t even have you in mind as your comments were sincere. Go back and read the comment from SuperBee. No one here is asking for egos to be stroked. Honest critiques are what’s needed and often appreciated. [;)]