I’m getting ready to attempt my first model RR scenery, and many of the books recommend using Hydrocal for hardshell scenery. Does anyone know where to find Hydrocal in San Diego? Or do any big name stores carry it?
Thanks!
Paul
Hydrocal is a product of US Gypsum. Any lumberyard or home center that sells USG products should be able to order it. Other USG plasters like 20-minute casting plaster are equally suited to model RR scenery (at least from my use) and are usually less expensive.
If your LHS’ in San Diego carry the Woodland Scenics line of materials, they should carry the lightweight Hydrocal. It comes in containers that look like paper milk cartons. Hydrocal’s main selling point is that it’s more lightweight than plaster, and unless you’re using plaster cloth (like Woodland Scenics makes), a lot tougher. It has a much faster setting time than plaster, so you have to work quickly if you’re planning on doing any moulding. But it’s great for rock castings. I usually use a combination of plaster cloth for the base scenery, and hydrocal for any castings I need to do. Seems to work well for me. Just remember when you’re using it, it cures about twice as fast as plaster, so don’t mix up huge amounts at once, otherwise you’ll have a bowl full of set hydrocal in about fifteen minutes. When that happens to me, I just take a hammer and break it up for talus.
Tom
Go to Lowes, Home Depot, Sears Hardware they have it packaged as floor leveler in half-pints to 25 pound quanitities and it is chaper than WS. I have pictures of the packages on my webpage:
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/gravel
Hope that helps
Harold
This is true, the WS products are very good, but if you have a layout of any size you can go broke using them. Go to your local do it yourself retailer (Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc.) and see what they have. Just ask a knowledgable associate for a plaster that doesn’t set too quick and that is lightweight. You may not get hydorcal exactly, but there are several similar products on the market for various purposes (floor leveler, plaster patching, drywall repair, etc.) YOu can buy these products in larger quantities and for MUCH less $$$.
Ron
Regular Hydrocal ftrom US Gypsum is about $20.00 for a 50lb bag. One bag is sufficient for most small layouts. Woodland scenis stuff is great, but very expensive if you have a large layout. If weight is not an issue, and you don’t mind making a mess, you will save quiete a bit buying Hydrocal in big bags from the building supply store .I used several on my old layout, but I had around 70 square feet of hand carved rocks. Hydrocal sets up very hard and it is very strong. I love the stuff…
Look for the store in your area that sells to professional wall repair guys (lath and plaster) to find it. Usually there is one place in town that carries it. Buy Hydrocal, don’t buy Hydrostone. Hydrostone has a wierd slimey texture and won’t stick to screen very well.
Guy
Also, most art and/or craft stores carry Hydrocal, Sculptamold, and other types of molding plaster.
Why not just use Joint Compound? Here in Upstate NY, a 5 gal pail only costs $11.00
Drywall mud has some adherents, but I don’t like it for most scenery work. Unlike setting-type plasters (casting plaster, Hydrocal, etc.), it softens when re-exposed to water - a big disadvantage for many types of water-soluble scenery finishing techniques, shrinks considerably as it dries (while the other plasters don’t), and dries very slowly. Also, it tends not to be very strong in thin applications; whereas only a 1/8" to 1/4" shell of a setting-type plaster can be amazingly rigid.
This is only my opinion, but I think the Woodland Scenics “Lightweight Hydrocal” is a complete rip-off. It’s exactly the same material you can buy from a USG supplier in 50 or 100 pound bags for a LOT less. Compared to normal Hydrocal or casting plaster it sets up very soft and I don’t like how it absorbs stains (it’s easy to stain too dark).
Also my opinion, but Hydrocal as a brand name has been unnecessarily pushed in the hobby as some kind of miracle ingredient that you must use to build a plaster shell. Hand the average modeler an unmarked bag of some other setting-type plaster and he’ll have the same success. If you’re not employing Hydrocal for its intended industrial uses quit wasting time searching for it or wasting money buying it for $35.00+ (US) per 100 pound bag when other types of plaster work just as well or better for most scenery applications. I usually get USG 20-minute casting plaster (about $12.50 per 100 pounds), and lately have been doing base hardshell with a slower setting plater called Fix-All which is about $7.00 for 50 pounds at Home Depot.
Drywall mud cracks as it dries if it is applied with any thickness over about 1/32 inch. Twenty Minute Casting Plaster is a better choice if your scenery is going to need to be very thick in order to be durable and not crack if someone inadvertently pushes on it. Hydrocal, a product of U.S. Gypsum, is available in four different grades according to its intended use. I’m not sure which grade is the one Woodland Scenics sells, but for the price of two quart boxes of Hydrocal at a hobby shop you can get 50 pounds at a lumber yard.
Well, this will be an “amen” post, but the fact is, buy the stuff at the local building supplier or you will quickly go broke. That is, unless you have just a few rocks to cast.