Hi Guys ,I need to know something ,this is my first time dealing with water,I was at michaels today and bought craft liquid plasic and the hardener,will this be ok to use for water?? and have any of you used this stuff results
Much Thanks
Carl…[;)]
If this is a two part resin, yes that technique has been around for years. There are two types, one which produces a very smooth surface and another which produces a rippled surface. I can’t remember which is which. The type that produces a rippled surface tends to climb up the banks so if that is what you are using, be prepared to disquise the waters edge with rocks or foliage.
Yes its a 2 part resin and then i need to add the catalyst to it .How much should i mix up at once?
First, I would do a test batch to figure out which type you are working with, smooth or ripple. A couple teaspoons in a small basin made of aluminum foil should answer that question. Since you got it at Michael’s I am going to guess it is the smooth type.
If I remember correctly, the recommendation I read in the how-to manuals is that you only pour about 1/8 inch at a time. Let it cure then add another layer. How much you mix will depend on the size of the basin you will be filling. You could do a test pour with water to give you a good estimate on how much you will need.
Gotcha! Now paint the base first ,black in the middle with light blue on the edges? sand ect?
Carl.
It would be best to get the manufacturers’ instructions on how to mix the resin properly, otherwise you could end up with a mess. If there weren’t any instructions with what you bought, seek out the firm on the Internet. Some kinds of resin need but a small amount of catalyst to work; these types give off a very strong smell that could possibly cause health problems if not vented properly.
Envirotex is a brand name of polymer coating that works especially well in our hobby use. It comes in two parts that are mixed in equal parts to make a simulated water. The instructions for it are quite specific - it has to be gently stirred for two minutes.
A friend of mine bought some generic polymer coating that did not come with instructions, so he just mixed it together and poured in into his waterway. It would not harden at all - and he tried it twice! He asked me about the Envirotex instructions, and I told him about the 2 minute mixing, which he had not done. On the third try he did mix it properly and it hardened like it was supposed to.
So find the instructions or be prepared to do it over again!
Bob Boudreau
Light blue to greenish on the edges, but the trick for you will be do make the blend look natural. Practise on carboard or something until you get the blending technique to look good, and then paint the lake/river bed. Don’t forget to dam all possible escape apertures that the liquid resin will find, including all along banks.
I used the whole batch thinking I would need the combined total of about half a quart only to find that I used much less for my 3 sq ft lake, and the same area in a longish river.
Bob is quite right about this. One of my train buddies is experiencing the mother of all messes from some resin that didn’t cure correctly (not due to mixing, bad product). He poured it in a harbor with scratchbuilt piers and buildings. After staying sticky for a month or longer, the stuff started bubbling up. I probably would have quit the hobby at that point. He is still wrangling with the manufacturer on this…The resin is a new product that is supposed to be better than enviorotex (more expensive too).
My point is don’t screw this up. Some modelers will test the resin by pouring a test batch in a cup before pouring on the layout to make sure that it will cure…My buddy skipped this step.
Trainnut is so right! I used a product manufactured in Quebec, and their help forum held many complaints about failed pours on furniture. Inevitable, it was improper technique, so you can bet that I read, reread, and reread several times to ensure I knew how to handle the product. Accordingly, I had no problems at all.
I remember on my last layout I poured a small stream that never did harden. It was toward the back of the layout so I just left it there that way until the day I tore it down, about 10 years later. It looked fine. I was lucky nothing ever got in it.
Ill Give this all a shot guys thanks much sounds like im in for @!$%#&^*[banghead]Time with this stuff,ill let you know how it comes out
Carl…
I would avoid craft epoxy that is meant for decoupage. Get Environtex Lite [less odor] and pour no more than 1/8" at a time. Let harden at least 24 hours between pours. You can add blue or green food coloring while you are mixing it if you want some color. Be sure your pour area is leadproof – it will find any escape route available and will destroy carpet if it can get through. BTW, I inserted fish between pours and drilled holes in the first pour to plant some scrub brush bristles [cattails] along the sides in places shielded from the current. Later pours filled in over and around them. I still haven’t figured out how to get a realistic waterfall, though.
Thanks for the info that Michaels has this stuff, I have been in there many times and not seen it. I was wondering where I could get it.
You Find It in the artest section ,bottom shelf maybe
Well the first part dried hard as a rock guys so looks like im doing something right
Thanks
Carl…
Ok Guys Another question.How do i make the waves around rocks and in the water do i do this when its wet or dry? i still am going to put another coat on the river
Carl…
I have also used the Environtex Lite from Michaels and it was real easy.
Jim