So unfortunately my layout of fake water using 5 minute epozy and Envirotex Lite has yellowed BIG TIME over hte course of 1 year. WS water effects, however has remained clear, but I need something like Envirotex Lite Resin that can creat about a 1/4 inch deep clear glass bottom, and something like 5 minute epoxy to create clear wide and smooth ripples. Any idea?
Here is a picture of the water area before it yellowed:
I use a ‘finish quality’ two part epoxy, but I add two components to it so that any yellowing is mostly neutralized. I add tiny amounts (a drop, half drop) of acrylic craft paints, the Walmart craft section variety, and I also add a pinch of plaster of Paris powder. Between the two, I get some tinting and I get some opacity that resembles turbidity.
Since the epoxies dry flat and shiny in an unnatural/unlikely finish, I add a single top coat of Mod Podge Gloss Medium or a craft store’s gel gloss medium. I spread that over my tinted and ‘turbid’ flat epoxy thinly, and then I turn my throw-away foam applicator on its flat side and stipple the gloss medium to creat ripples. Atop that you can add the water effects for white caps, foamy water, etc.
I had similar problems with Woodland Scenics Realistic Water. I did the Forum thing and Magic Water was the way to go so I gave it a shot. It worked very good, I did a a swimming pool about three years ago and it is still crystal clear.
I found a recommendation for Parks Super Glaze on another Forum, it also works very good and it’s available at Home Depot and Lowes for fraction of the hobby type suppliers. 32 ounces of Parks Super Glaze costs under $25 vs $18 plus S&H for 8 oz. of Magic Water.
This pond is three years old, it’s done with Parks Super Glaze. The bottom of the pond is WS flocking, Earth & Blended Earth with some Green Grass. I gave up trying to paint the bottom; I’m definitely not an artist.
You shouldn’t need to pour your “water” that deep: the trick is to paint the bottom in the manner and colours you want, creating an illusion of depth. Then make a pour of the “water” in the depth recommended by the manufacturer.
You can, of course, make multiple pours, letting each fully-cure before adding the next, but this shouldn’t be necessary and wastes both time and money.
Crandell’s suggestion to use gloss medium to overcoat the cured water’s surface, then stippling it to create ripples, is the method which I’ve seen mentioned most often.
While I’ve used pourable waters before, my current layout uses Durabond patching plaster to create the water’s surface. In the photos below, it’s applied atop plywood, in a layer about 1/8" thick, then worked with various drywall knives to create swells, waves, ripples, etc.
Once the plaster has cured, I use a 2" or 3" brush to apply flat interior latex house paint to colour it, using the same colours used on the plaster-on-screen landforms around the layout. Once dry to the touch, whitewater effects are added using Pollyscale Reefer White (any water-based white should work), applied with a suitably-sized brush.
When the paint had fully cured, usually in a couple of days, the “water” got three coats of Varathane water-based Diamond Wood Finish, a clear, tough urethane-type finish that doesn’t yellow.
The “water” shown has been in place over ten years, with no yellowing and no scratches despite cameras placed directly atop it dozens of times.
Should I use the HD product mentioned to create water on a layout with 2" foam as the sub-roadbed? I already painted the water bodies different shades of brown and green to mimic depth.
This is a great topic since I worry about getting something to have it become yellowish over time. I’m making rivers and lakes, so crystal clear is not realistic; i am going for something cost-effective to mimic those waters.
Okay, so an epoxy with a tiny bit of added plaster powder, and maybe a drop of medium green, might accomplish what you aim to achieve. Here is how it turned out for me…looks just like the South Thompson River in southern British Columbia:
Yellow? What is wrong with Yellow Water. Looks perfectly natural to me. Polution, Algee, and whatever makes water look turbid.
LION is going to model the Gownaus Canal, and that water is anything BUT clear!
ROAR
I’ve used Mod-Podge with good results. It goes on white, but dries clear. The key is to limit each layer to 1/8" thick. Too thick and it takes too long to dry. It’s water soluble when white, but waterproof when dry. Therefore, it’s imperative to do cleanup before it dries.
This Magic Water, WS water effects stream is about six years old and no yellowing at all.
Haven’t seen you around here much, Grampy, and have missed seeing photos of your good-looking layout.
Wayne
Thanks, Wayne. I post mostly in the WPF and Show me something threads. DJ.