Has anyone used this product and what has been your oponion of it? i am trying to make a long running river in my layout and trying to figure the best product to use> does this product come wth good instructions?
Thanks
MOSEMAN
Hi Moseman: Yes, I’ve used Magic Water. I think the instructions are excellent. Here’s an example, Stoney Creek.
Grampy, can you elaborate more on the product and what you thought of it? How easy / hard it was to use, etc.?
Hi mac: Sure. Magic Water is a two part resin. But, there is no odor. It is water thin, so your river bed has to be leak proof, like most products. It can be poured thin or thick. You can pour a section, let it dry and pour another section over the last one. It’s very forgiving. It also has a very long shelf life. It doesn’t shrink, and dries very hard. I just use a dry paint brush to remove any dust that settles on it. I thoroughly mixed it in a plastic cup, then poured. It cures in about 24 hrs. Everyone who sees it has to touch it to see if its real water. Any finger prints wipe off with a damp rag. The instructions are almost fool proof. I really like it and I have no connection with Unreal Details.
They do have a website. It is: http://www.unrealdetails.com/instructions.htm
The club I belong to used it for a harbor scene. Link is: http://www.svmrrc.com/harbor_pics.html
I didn’t use the stuff myself. A couple of our talented members did. But from what I remember, they were very pleased with the product.
Regards
I love the stuff.
Unlike some other products I’ve used, it’s easy to mix correctly, the outgassed fumes are pretty much non-existant, it flows very well, and dries perfectly clear. It continues to look wet, even when it’s dry.
Plus, it’s safe to use with foam scenery.
Can anyone compare Magic Water to Envirotex Lite? The Envirotex is slightly cheaper, although not all that much at MSRP. Envirotex can be purchased at art supply places, though, and if you play with the coupons you can get 40% off.
Envortex is not quite water thin. Mixes one-to-one. It will have some bubbles when you pour, so you have to get rid of them by passing carbon dioxide over the surface. This can be in the form of a small propane flame or breathing / blowing through a straw. If you use the straw, you have to watch out for saliva drops from the straw. It will wick up on the bank slightly. You must also have the area sealed where you pour it because it will find the smallest pin hole and run out. Takes over night to cure. It has some odor. Cures to a glass finish. I have had people stick their finger in it expecting it to be wet (after curing). It dries water clear. I had a lake last for 10 years with no problems. I understand that you can tint it by mixing Floquil type paint with it to get different effects. It will not hold waves or other surface ripple effects when you are pouring / curing, so they have to be applied using other methods. It is better for lakes than streams, although you can use it for streams but you will hve to build it up into layers.
Woodland Scenics Water Effects works well to form waves and ripples and would work for fast water too. I have used it for waves in a harbor entrance under a bridge.
I haven’t used Magic Water yet.
Greetings to all,
I’ve posted this in the past but here goes; one lesson learned the easy way, water out of a can.
1.) Purchase of Acrylic house-hold repair material,i.e. Polycrylic Waterproofing Sealant by “Minwax” who also have various stains for woodworking projects such as diorama bases for people like me that exteend out to the worl of 1/35 scale military models.
2.) Buy the large 1 Qt can as this will supply you with a great amount of water. Upon opening the can you will notice the fact that there is almost no odor, the milky appearence and the consistancy of pancake syrup, all of which will not harm you or the project.
3.) Experiment first on a scrap piece of styrofoam with a cut out section to fill as if it were a riverbed, etc. Mix the contents of the can thouroughly and pour a layer in your test bed that is about 1/4" deep and let set at room temp for about 2 hours. When this layer is tacky, pour a second layer, each will be clear and you can set in details such as rocks in the first layer. Go about 2 hours between layers.
4.) I have used the Polycrylic on plain sandy riverbeds to fill in with a water look and used it to provide a glossy look over acrylic paint for river rapids. Each application will function very well.
Finally, as I have pointed out in past threads, landscaper material is availabel in the hardware store along with all the paints you need for any hobby and the savings by bulk purchase is amazing.
Try it and good luck,
johncpo