I am working on my 2’ x 3’ N scale layout. I know it is a small layout, but space is tight. Anyways because of the size of the layout, I want to take the time to make everything look really good. I want to make sure I model the water correctly. I bought a Woodland Scenics river/waterfall learning kit. I was wondering if anyone had any advise for me. I don’t want to screw it up, but I guess if I do, I’ll just rip it out and do it over. But I would like to avoid that.
My layout is made of a wood frame and plywood base. I planned where the river was going to go, so I cut out the ply and recessed it in that area. I am using spray foam insulation to make my rough landscape features, then sculpting them with a knife and finishing them off with a sander. I already have the contours that I want. My river starts at a reservoir and flows through a dam into a river canyon. My track crosses on two bridges that have yet to be built. I am waiting until I put in the water. I want the river to look realistic. Because it runs through a canyon, I would like to make rapids, a flat river won’t cut it. Any help anyone has would be greatly appreciated. I have never modeled water before, so I am a bit tentative.
I’m not familiar with the specifics of the WS kit in question, but I have picked up these considerations over the last few years of haunting forums. (I model the desert, we don’t have no stinkin water!)
Many “water” products eat foam. Test yours to find out if it does.
“Water” products are often much like water, i.e. liquid and desirous of escaping any hole possible to make the maximum imaginable mess.
Some food for thought. Also, when you want some focused N scale advice, mosey on over to Nscale.net.
Best advice I can offer is to avoid blue when painting the stream bed - go for dark green or brownish-green instead. Also, plan ahead. If you want to have rocks protruding from the surface, get them in there before adding the water. That might sound obvious, but it’s easy to think of improvements when it’s too late.
I have a river and a lake on my layout and I used the realistic water and water effects for the ripples. I also had good luck with clear silicone for making rapids. I painted the river bed and lake a brownish green color before adding the water. Good luck Dave
I use a clear sealant called Lexel. I made the creek bed using WS ballast and talus. Then, I spread the Lexel on, and tooled it with my finger to form the rapids.
Here’s a dam outfall, I made from some clear styrene, streaked with white paint, and coated with acrylic gloss medium. Again, I used Lexel for the rapids.
I have good experience with a acrylic gloss medium sold in craft stores as Modge Podge. It is more economical than some other products, cleans up easily and I am satisfied with the results.
This was a practice layout that I worked on before starting my current layout. I have not yet painted my Modge Podge onto the current layout, that should come up later this year. You want to have all your submerged details, beaches, wharfs, docks, bridge abutments, etc done before applying your final layers of water.
When applying Modge Podge, first paint the bottom, dark in the center, almost black, to a sandy shade by the shallow waters. Muddy merky waters are more appropriate than bright blue waters. There are exceptions, if you are modelling a glacial lake like Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies you need an turquoise shade of blue green, but most rivers, lakes, even ponds are dark murky waters. My sample is way too green. Next time, deep brown, black with patches of deep dark green.
I first put a layer of plaster (well actuall Pollyfilla joint compound) over the styrofoam before painting. The Modge Podge is put on in layers, about four or five layers were used, let each one dry at least 24 hours between layers. Later layers were “blow dryed” with a hair dryer to get the waves to come up. Putting Modge Podge down too thick will result in a skin forming on the surface with the white Modge Podge trapped under the surface. Modge Podge goes on white and dries clear. Don’t put it on too thick. This is a patient effort of painting a layer on, and then leaving it for another day, and repeat until you get the effect you want. You can come back later (as in years later) and refresh your water with another layer or two of Modge Podge after you 'wash" your water
