Hello I need to make a few mud puddles and some standing water in a ditch. My first thought is polyurethane? I don’t need a lot water as there are no ponds or lakes on the layout. I am trying to avoid buying anything I wont use all of. Any thoughts ? Thanks Frank
A small can of Polyurethane could be used for this, but be aware of two problems –
First, the area you’re going to pour into must have an absolutely watertight seal, or the Poly will soak through and disappear.
Second, Poly tends to creep up the sides of the pour area and soak into the surrounding scenery, making it as hard as a rock and giving it a glossy sheen. Pour several very thin layers and let it set for several days between pours. Use no more than a teaspoon or tablespoon full, depending on the size of the area, for each application.
Woodland Scenics Realistic Water and other model water products do the same thing.
On a mock up, try cheap $0.99 store clear nail polish. Play with it a little until you get the look you want the try on the layout. A little more expensive but a little better to work with is Gloss Medium from the art and craft store
ratled
I had good luck with Mod-Podge modeling a drain pipe with standing water below. The nice thing about Mod-Podge is that I think it’s a little thicker than the urethane, making it a little easier to control.I modeled the water coming from the pipe using scotch tape. I glued it to the pipe, then to the ground below. I followed it with layers of Mod-Podge. I redid the pipe water so it “flows” more naturally, but just haven’t taken pics of it since.
I use acrylic gloss medium tinted with a little brown paint.
try mucilage glue works great for what you want to do for standing water, you may have to shop around to find it or make a few calls to local Pat Cattans or Michaels may be able to order a few bottles .
Since standing muddy water in puddles is generally not very transparent you could just paint the area you want to make into water a muddy brownish color and then add a thin coat or two of acrylic gloss medium. You can add ripples in it with a fan brush if you want to represent a windy day, otherwise you can do it perfectly calm.
I tried using Woodland Scenics Realistic Water and am very dissapointed with it. I did look great until it dried overnight, now it has deep pockets in it and I have added 4 more layers and they all do the same thing. Not very realistic as it should be smooth and flat. I will try some of the other suggestions here on this thread.
Those deep pockets are areas where it is soaking through your scenery base. Any area where a water product is going to be poured must be absolutely watertight.
Realistic Water and others need to cure for two or three days before you add to them or they will continue to disappear into the scenery base.
I use Envirotex for my water. It’s a two-part epoxy resin. For ditches and puddles, I add a few drops of cheap acrylic craft paint, brown or dark green. By varying the amount of paint you add, you can get the water anywhere from crystal clear to opaque.
Since Envirotex is a two-part product, it has a very long shelf life until you mix the parts together. I’ve had mine on the shelf for several years now, and it’s still fine every time I use it.
Yes, Envirotex is one of those “high-end” products. But, if you go online you can find coupons for craft stores like Michaels or A.C. Moore. There’s usually one for “40% off one item.” If you use the coupon for the small package of Envirotex, it will set you back less than $10. This will be enough for a lot of water, but, as I said, it will last for years and you don’t have to use it all at once.
Here’s a picture using “realistic water”. I’ve used it several times, but you do have to have it “water” tight. I would make the spot where it was going to go. Then put down some plaster cloth. Then after that dried I would go over the plaster cloth with plaster paris. That will fill in all the small holes. I still need to add details to this area.
I do like some of the other ways I’ve read so far!!
Hello I tried the polyurethane last night and it look great from the start.I poured it on to real dirt and WS ballast. I looked at it this morning and it soaked in like I was told but the spot still look good. That should make a seal? I think with a couple layers it should be fine as long as I keep it thin and don’t go past the edge of the first poor. Now this poly is 2-3 years old so I hope it tries all the way. If it don’t I have a couple craft stores close so I will see if they have any of the other products. Thanks for posting the photos guys they help.Thanks for the help and ideas I will post some pics as I go along. Frank
Hello here are a couple pics this one is after the first pour
this was 24 hours later you can see it all soak in. It was dry and hard so I added some more and put in some grass.
I will give this time to dry and see how it looks. Have a nice day Frank
Looks like it’s working very well so far. Now what you need are some mosquitoes and perhaps a frog or two.
I done this ditch with polyurethane.
Two-part high gloss epoxy resin for mine
Mike
Don’t you love this place? Where else would you find a thread where people are showing off their photos of drainage ditches?
These are both done with Envirotex. I tinted the mixture with “muddy” colors, olive green and brown. I added talus to the bottom of the ditch before pouring the Envirotex. The field grass was applied later. Using scenic materials after the pour has set helps hid the “creep” up the sides of the ditch that happens with many of these “water” products.
Hello Yes Mr B I do love this place you never know what kind of thread you will find next. Thanks everyone for posting pics. Very nice work gives me some good ideas for finishing the edges. I check the second pour today still a little soft in some spots but looks good. I need to get some more supplies before I can finish the edges.
Mike did you use real dirt to make that road?
Have a nice day Frank
Serious question… if you press your thumb on the “water” before it has cured hard can you get the effect of a slight ripple on the water?
I’m thinking that if you touch paint when it is tacky you sometimes leave a thumb print… so can we use the effect deliberately?
Thanks
[:P]
Robby, that does not look realistic at all. It looks like the product has bumps and is not level . I’m going to try modge podge myself, and maybe envirotex later.