Has anyone used Sculptamold for making paved roads/streets on their layout? If so, how’d it work out??
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks,
Jimmy
I’ve used sculptamold for roads in the past. I mixed it with RIT dye to a grey/black color before applying to the layout. The results were good, but very dependant upon the skill of application. I was devilish hard for me to get a smooth finish and I never could manage to get the edges quite right. It was probably more of a lack of skill on my part than anything else. The prevailing wisdom is to make a frame of scrap wood, much in the fashion of real concrete molds, and level the sculptamold to the formers. After drying remove the formers and you’ve got a road. Too thin and it will crack, too thick and it looks like your road is 4 ft off the ground. My current layout calls for a major highway to parallel the tracks for a distance and I have not decided how to do it quite yet, but sculptamold is high on the list of options.
You didn’t mention scale, but I assume HO or N. For my G scale I use asphalt roofing shingles glued down with liquid nails. Nothing looks more like asphalt than real asphalt.
how thick would the sculptamold have to be? a fairly major portion of my lil layout includes a down town area, but every pre-made road surface i see is only 2 lanes wide and already has markings. my down town will be two lanes wide, but have either parallel parking or slanted lots, not sure yet cause i don’t know which was more popular in the 20’s/30’s when my down town would have been originally built
Sculptamold is a tad chunky for this use in my estimation. I think something like drywall mud would work better as you can spread more smoothly at application, and you can go back and touch sand it once it’s dry.
Lee
Why use sculpamold…try art foam-board less mess!
The roads start out as art foam-board cut 4" wide, glued down with acrylic caulk, 1/2" shoulders of very fine ballast on each side. Then I painted the road with gray acrylic paint (I got the paint at Hobby Lobby with their weekly coupon) & made the repair patches with a darker gray acrylic paint. The tar lines made with a fine tip Sharpie marker. Then weather with black & gray chalks.
tomkat-13, Nice road. Thanks for sharing.
The easy and reasonably priced way to go, especially if the road project is limited in distance, is the Woodland Scenics road project supplies. They have a paving tape of correct thickness for each side, road paving compound (probably something like Sculptamold) and an asphalt coloring material. Quick, easy and looks good when you’re finished.
I don’t recall the names they have for the individual components, but ought to be quick to find on their web site. They have recently come out with small area "learning’ kits for many of their products, and I think the have one for roads. That might be place to start to see if it works for you.
Mike
Hi Jimmy: Good advice, so far. Have you considered the model rr’s friend, .040 styrene? It’s easy to form/cut, no mess, pretty much self supporting (it does need some intermediate support), and easy to finish. I use the styrene For Sale signs, available everywhere, cut it, paint with grimy black paint, weather with gray side walk chalk, and paint the lines with blue painters tape and a white paint pen. Here’s a couple of examples.
Nice roads, Grampy. The signs on the roadside add a nice touch.
I use Durham’s Water Putty for my roads. It goes on easily and will hold a crown shape once applied. I can pour it over any surface, or combination of surfaces, and the road will cover and smooth anything. That’s very helpful when you’re not working on a flat base, but rather a hodge-podge of foam, roadbed and scraps to change elevation. Once you’ve got the technique down, the road surface comes out smooth, but not too smooth. It sets up quickly (I actually add vinegar to the mix to slow setting and give me more working time) and I’ve found it easy to blend in new sections seamlessly.
I paint it with several applications of a water wash of cheap acrylic gray. This gives a slightly uneven cover, which adds to the realism.
Since it’s a liquid when it goes on, I can use a foam brush to push it right up against the rails on the outside of a grade crossing. I use styrene between the rails, but I can do the approaches with Durhams and it comes out perfectly.
Ditto the Durham’s - and double ditto the foam (decoupage) brush. The brush solves the OP’s problem with creating a relatively smooth surface.
Now, Mr. Beasley, what material did you use to simulate the guard rail in your photo of the velocipede enthisiast?
chicochip
Those are Pikestuff guard rails. Each package has enough parts for 7 inches of guard rail. I cut the vertical supports in two, and placed them twice as close. Still, I think they short-change you a bit on vertical supports, so you might want to just get some styrene rod and use that. They give you a couple of different end caps - straight/flat and rounded. The rail itself is quite flexible so it goes around curves easily.
After assembling the rail, I spray-painted it first with silver, and then with Dul-Cote.
The different part numbers are just packaging options - 1, 2 or 3 of the packages.
The cyclist with the banana is from Preiser. I recommend a helmet when bicycling, for adults as well as kids, but back in the Transition Era nobody even heard of such a thing.
Excellent looking roads, good job! 100% agree on using art-foam board for roads, so simple and easy to work with. I have used sculptamold for roads years ago, and it was just a pain to get it smooth enough for a highway. Now mainly use it for light hills and such.
Thanks to one and all. Some good ideas there. I thing Durham’s and /or foamboard will be the wat to go! Thanks, again.
Jimmy
Grampy, what coloring technique did you use for the rocky outcrops in this area?
Thanks,
Jarrell
Hi Jarrell: As you may know, I used Hydrocal Lite in WS rubber molds. They are pure white. I use an alcohol/india ink wash as the initial color. I spray or brush it on liberally. Then let it dry. It usually dries to a lighter shade. Then I apply this mixture again. I repeat until I get the darkness that looks right. Then I apply a thin wash of med brown (my basic earthe color). Then I apply more alcohol/ink before the brown dries. Repeat until it looks right, again. When I get the shade I like, I dry brush with a light gray color, this high lights any raised parts of the rocks. And, you’re more than welcome.
I appreciate the answer! That’s a different technique than I’ve heard of before. I have some uncolored rocks that I can experiment on today, time permitting.
Thanks,
Jarrell
very nicely done !!! Could you explain / describe art foam board? What is it, how thick, would an art store have it etc
thanks
I got mine at “Michael’s” ( they have it at Hobby Lobby & most art stores) used their weekly 40% off coupon. It comes in a 30" x 20" sheet 3/16ths thick, mine was made by Elmer’s. I use a shap X-acto and a steel straight edge to cut.
Before:
After:
Great, thanks.
Another question or 3. What advantage is the foam board over sheet stryene, other than size perhaps. How flexible is it for going up and down hills? And how do you glue it down??
thanks again