We’re trying to use scultamold to “easily” make a long rock "wall along the track (rather than casting and casting and casting.
First off, are there any good online articles on how to used scultamold?
Next, is there any good advice on how to make it look like rocks? Ours is sort of clumpy and has these weird pointy things that stick out… nothing at all like rocks.
Do you apply it, smooth it, and then when it’s driy sand and carve?
help.
(thanks)
Add a little more water to the Sculptamold to get it a bit more soupy. The more you rub it, the smoother it gets–one thing I tried was wearing latex gloves and rubbing it by hand, which produced some nice smooth ground effects.
could we have gotten too soupy?
Our consistency allowed it to stick to a semi-vertical foam wall, but when I tried to shape it using some crumpled foil (to give texture), it sort of oozed back in place.
I was thinking this stuff was supposed ot be more like putty or something.
What I meant by the “pointy things stickiing out” was like some sharp edges of paper pr something…it’s very werid… almost bristly… and nothing seemd to smooth it down.
I have used the Sculptamold mixed with latex paint with good results. I have a web article at:
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/dynamite_lines/
Hope that helps
Harold
Thanks Harold.
In your 2nd & 3rd images, I see that under the brown latex goo there’s some grayish rock you are cutting. Is that rock also made from scultamold or is that cast? if it’s scultamold, how did you get that sort of texture?
thanka again
Jim,
That is ceiling tile broken up to make the rockface. I have a web article on making sedimentary rock using ceiling tiles at:
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/rockfaces/
Thank you if you visit
Harold
Is scultamold the same thing as paper mechier or some other form of plaster you can but at Lowes or Home Depot. Also, isn’t scenic cement the same as white glue that is diluted with water??
Yes and no. Sculptamold is a plaster base but with paper fiber in it to add strength and texture. It also serves to extend the working time. It works best as a scenery base, in my opinion. Rock faces are harder and more defined surfaces than you can achieve with Sculptamold. What I do is mix it up with some craft acrylic paint to tint it, and mix it to about the consistency of Cottage Cheese. After I schmear it onto the foam or screen or whatever the scenery is constructed of, I let it set for a bit, then press rock castings into it. I also use some natural rocks pressed in.
Since the Sculptamold takes a lot longer to set, it’s easy to make adjustments along the way.
Lee
While sculptamold is useful for modeling ground, I find that plaster rock castings give me better results for rock cliffs. I’ve got a bunch of rubber molds home-made easily enough some decades ago, but there are commercial molds available now. I wait until the plaster sets a bit so it won’t run off the casting, then “slap” it against the scenery base. I lay the all/most of the castings from top to bottom. Strip the mold off after the plaster sets (about 15 minutes, depending on the plaster and environmental conditions). It is easiest to merge the molds with a pick while the plaster hasn’t set completely hard.
This is how nature did it:
Mark
Below is a link that will show you “limited preview” of Kalmbach scenery info. You might even find some pages with useful info. You can copy the pages to your computer if you know how to use the Print Screen option on your keyboard. Might find the books in your library. Also LHS if one is near you.
http://books.google.com/books?q=kalmbach+sculptamold+scenery&spell=1&oi=spell
Rich
You sold me!! Thank you.
In case some of you are not familiar with “cut and paste” for URL’s, here is a direct link to Harold’s page. He always has very useful information. Great modeler. Store the site in your Favorite’s folder.
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/dynamite_lines/
Rich