My quandary is as follows: I have my layout built permanent style, but with the woodwork seperated into 5-8’ sections strategically so that one day, when I have to move it, it will be easier. This doesn’t include scenery, but it will include the 1/2" ply I will be making my lakes out of. In the area I’m building there are 5 sections, but there’s only one place where the lake is across a join.
SO! Does anyone have any ideas on how I’d join the two pieces of plywood together and pour the gloss medium (or whatever I end up using) on top, while still making it easy to cut through the gloss medium layer and split the layout when the time comes?
I think I would build the lake, just like I would if it were not on the joint. Be sure you have a good tight base of plaster or material of your choice. Since you only make a few pours of “water” material, it actually will not be too thick. If/when you have to move, cut through the lake. When rebuilding, remove the water, repair the bottom and repour.
May be kind of a pain, but I think it would be the simplist solution. Maybe somebody has a better idea.
What if you made 2 regular modules and 1 mini module? Say 1x 2 minimodule with the lake and a little scenery around to distract the eye. You could use the surrounding scenery to blend the joint of the modules. You could use a chunk of foam, ply or what ever to get a good solid base. Just a thought
Pouring one lake in a series of pours to establish our depth, and then cutting through the cured pour would be clean surgically, but there would be lots of ‘dust’. A reciprocating saw would make short work of it, but a cut-off disk could also work if you are willing to take about 15 times longer.
Solution 1: Since this will only be moved once or twice in the lifetime of the layout, if that, just make the lake like you normall would. Use Envirotex Lite for the “water.” When it comes time to move, use a sharp utility knife to cut through the lake. When you re-assemble the modules, make sure you seal the underside thoroughly, clean the edges, and then do a thin pour of Envirotex to seal the lake. I’m guessing that it will fill the crack and the new seam will be invisible.
Solution 2: Build the lake on a separate piece of foam, plywood or whatever so that the whole thing can be removed as one section. The joints will be around the shoreline, which are easy to repair with ground foam, turf, talus or whatever.
I figured I would probably pour the lake as I normally would, I really don’t want this to have the appearance of a sectional layout. Unfortunately, the lake is too big to be modeled as one piece (it’s a 5x3’ L shape, plus I’d have to redo the entire shoreline) and I have another lake which will be even larger (15’ straight) so removing the lake by itself isn’t really an option. What I’m most concerned about is the plywood…if I don’t cut it at the join, I’ll have a really nasty gash through it when I go to move.
Would a couple layers of masking tape over the join work, and look consistent when painted?
A couple of ideas. How transparent will the “water” be? Are you painting the river bed to establish the colour? You could join your sections then fill the crack in the lake with caulking. Smooth the top of the caulking and paint over it. Then pour the “water” over the whole lake.
Second idea. Separate the sections after painting the bottom of the lake. Put a dam across the open ends and pour two separate sections of lake. Then join the two sections together, filling in the crack, as another poster has suggested to do after you have moved the layout to its new location.
Make sure you have lots of newspapers on the floor as whatever you use for “water” will find its way down through the tiniest little opening.
Just a wild thought not knowing whether you could bring the lake down to a small river that then emptied into the “other side” of the lake. Then use a low water bridge with a back road to cross over the location of the seam, which would pretty much cover it. Then in a move, remove the bridge, make the move, reconnect and drop the bridge back in place.
Again it would all depend on length and also to the position of the spot in relationship to the viewing area.