I am new to this hobby and am confused about a few things…I know how benchwork works
but am confused by what type to use…Also am wondering once the benchwork is done what do I use to make the acual land area or the skin that the grass attaches too…Do you use a mesh and cover it in something? And can you tell me where to get it please…
Please post pic’s if possible
There are many books on this topic so I won’t write one here. You need to get a hold of a book or do some searching online. If you look at my WWW below you will see L-girder benchwork. I used cardboard strips hot glued together for a base shell. Then I added plaster cloth( mostly Woodland Scenics ) over that. I used a mixrure of wall compound, latex paint, and vermeculite and put it over the plaster cloth. This is what you see in the pictures, I have yet to add dirt and trees.
Probably the quickest, if not the cheapest, is to layer extruded foam sheets pre-cut to the approximate shape you want for hills. Again, this stuff isn’t exactly inexpensive, but it is easily worked, glues together quickly, and when sanded reasonably smooth and glue or paint applied, you can sprinkle ground foam over it to look guite good. So, a simple box frame and a sheet of 1.5" foam as a base, and then stack slabs of it where you want the hills. You can also gouge rivers and ditches into it.
More labour intensive is cookie-cutter where you cut widths of plywood for the subroadbed. It means a lot of cutting in curves, and using risers at times for grades and elevations. For the scenery, you have to weave a lattice of strips of cardboard and hot glue those weaves to the cookie cutter edges. Or, you can use aluminum chicken wire, or aluminum window screen as I did. My roadbed was splines, so the same process applies…glue or staple the screening to the sides of the splines and then you cover all the mesh with a ground goop comprising plaster, colouring, vermiculite, and other things that give it body and strength. This is quite labour intensive.
Is this the sort of information you are after? There are many books available through our hosts, Kalmbach Publishers, that detail how to build a layout.
Here is a photo of my general layout. You can see that I built four modules that abut and that comprise a layout with a central operating pit. Great views, but it means stooping to get into it…not for everyone.
Our own Joe Fugate has an excellent clinic on his own website about this very subject. Here’s a link: http://siskiyou-railfan.net/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?1270
You will have to read some books and visit some layouts to really get it. I see four basic ideas
Plaster of Paris and towels on screen
Plaster on cardboard weavings
Plaster cloth on bunched up newspaper
Styrofoam carved to shape.
There are dozens of variations on each of these. I use plaster cloth on bunched up newspaper when I am in a hurry
I use styrofoam when I want something complex.
My grandson did most of this
Here is a more elaborate styrofoam application
Here is a piece being carved at the bench to be set in place later after painting
Another application of foam.
On the new section I used a moduler type bench. it is over kill using 2 X 4. I then used 1/2 plywood then 2" foam over the top of the outside for the A line. Reason I used the foam is so I can cut some lower detail on the base of the A line.
More than likely I will cover the foam with drywall compound with some brown paint mixed in so it is not white. Detail rock sections with latex paint then cover sections that I want grass with white glue and shack on green ground foam to my liking. Use more than one color for the grass and all so look at the driffrent texures. They are normal fine, medium and course. (spell check)
Main thing is read, look, ask questions and ask again if you do not understand the answer’s! One of the big mistakes I made was making the project way harder than it really was.
I like foam my self but may try plaster cloth with the new section.
Few PIC no ware as sweet as Art Hill Grandson can do![:D]
Jump in the water and have some fun. Far from knowing what I am doing but getting there.
Arthill and cudaken have showed you the foam method. My club uses a few methods and even combinations of them.
Below are some pics and decriptions to follow selector’s explainations.
This is “L” girder with risers to wood spline subroadbed, scenery is plaster over wire screening, the spot to the left of the bridge is unfinished due to an old ROW and an abutment yet to be finished.
A bottom view of spline on risers
This is cookie cutter, cut ply subroadbed on risers. Can be done on “L” girder or boxed joist. Note the “scab” pieces @ the subroadbed joints.
This is the cookie cutter showing cardboard strips for scenery support (shop towels glued to web) and plastered over
Large raised hill/ mountains done w/ this method
Overveiw of the spline and cookie cutter layout. “L” girder, using risers for elevations and yard areas are 3/4" ply decked.
Built up scenery base using foam
Plaster cloth over the foam and plaster casting abutments being cut and fitted.
Advantage of cookie cutter using risers, elevation changes are easily done. Scenery w/ cardboard web or screening is needed with this method. Much more labor intesive than straight foam or foam stacking method.
Some fin
Updated photos of some of unfinished areas.
The abutments ready for staining and weathering
Benchwork is a religious argument around here. You’ll find everybody has their own favorite method. I have done plywood, L-girder with Homasote, and foam on shelves. Each has advantages and disadvantages, which have been discussed at length in other threads.
I would suggest you get one of Kalmbach’s books on building a model railroad from start to finish, one of the first 4 on this page (not Koester’s book, it just is for design)
http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/model-railroading-books-home-layout-ideas.html
You can sub in your own track plan and scale if you want, but one of these should help you.
Enjoy
Paul