Beginners difficulty with plaster cloth

Hi, I'm new to the hobby and I'm trying my hand at building a very small layout to learn how its down. I've had some ups and downs but I think I've managed to figure most things out through trial and error until now.

I chose an area that was inside of a tunnel to lay my first plaster cloth (Woodland Scenics) on my foam base. I followed the instructions as best as I could to lay it in sheets, overlapping the sheets with the "bumpy" side up. I picked which side was bumpy as best I could. The area was small and cramped so I used small pieces, no bigger then 4" x 3" each.

When everything was dry I found I had lots of holes. Not all the way through to the hollow inside, but definite holes in one sheet leaving a gap before the next sheet. Since there was an area that needed filling in to make the track sit level I laid a second round of cloth, in smaller pieces, successfulling leveling out the area of concern, but not do anything to fix the holes.

I've seen properly laid plaster cloth on a demo layout and it was clean and smooth, like a cast. I tried painting mine, hoping I could hide it but that's proved impossible.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? All the cloth laid so far is going to hidden most of the time, but I want to do the rest of it right. I don't think I was soaking the cloth too much, only enough that it became flexible instead of stiff. Do I need to press it down harder or rub it in? A few small areas did turn out ok, but I can't remember if those are the areas I did a lot of smoothing with my fingers.

 

You figured it out at the last of your post-rub it in! While it is wet, just rub on it to make the plaster smooth out. After 2 or 3 coats, the stuff will be hard as you know what. This is the same stuff that the doctor used to wrap around broken arms, etc. Many years ago, we bought it at a medical supply company..there was no Woodland Scenics then.
Woodie

 

As Boxcab 50 said, add an additional layer of plaster. I like to use jont compound mixed with Celluclay to form a nice thick layer for carving and when I want to plant a tree there is enough to the scenery base to help keep the tree straight up.
If you are comfotable with a thin shell then as Woodie suggested just keep the plaster in the cloth wet wile you rub it with your finger to spread over those holes.

 

No worries digits, even many of us with years of experience in the hobby experience catastrophes. I just tore out an entire scene of a failed attempt at using sculptamold.

With the plaster cloth, getting those tiny holes has always been a problem for me. The first time I used it was the last. Instead of buying the cloth, I then just bought straight plaster and used newspaper or paper towels as the cloth. Instead of dipping the cloth in water to activate the plaster, you just mix the plaster, then dip the paper in the plaster mixture to absorb some of the mixture. The result is the exact same, except the newspaper has no holes to fill like the gauze. Rubbing the strip after application is still recommended for the best even spread.

Its also cheaper to buy plaster and a roll of paper towels than it is to buy the same amount of plaster cloth.

Good luck with further progress! I know we all would love to see more.

 

Try Something Else.

I think you are worried about nothing here. The little holes are normal for the Woodland Scenic Plaster Cloth. You just need more layers of the cloth to cover and build up the thickness.
Woodland Scenic Plaster Cloth is OK, but quite expensive in the long run. I got some Hydrocal and some industrial paper towels. I make my own "plaster cloth" for pennies on the dollar. Whole bunch cheaper than Woodland Scenic.
HYDROCAL is a heavy duty casting plaster. It may be hard to find. I bought a 50lb. at the local Drywall Supply Company. Hydrocal will set up and become rock hard. Will make great rock castings with the use of rock molds.
The Industrial Paper Towels I use came straight from the Maintenance Department at the company I used to work for. Ask the Maintenance Man for a pack or two. This is the brown type that was in the towel dispenser in the bathroom, not the white paper towels on the roll in the kitchen. You can get them at SAM'S CLUB also, but you will have to buy a case.
You can use a lot of different types of plaster for the plaster cloth. Casting plaster, plaster of paris, moulding plaster, etc. etc. whatever works best for YOU. And you use different types of cloth also. Paper towels(regular and/or industrial type), regular cloth(old bed sheets, pillow cases) or even burlap bags in areas that need a reinforced cover.
I've giving up the old "hard shell" type of scenery building, and gone with a modified approach. I use foam board for my basic contours and cover it with Scuptamold for rock carving. But I will use just about anything to represent the different type of ground cover.

 

I had the same thing happen, but I wasn't concerned since I always paint the dried cloth an earth tone, the paint always fills in those gaps. In areas that I needed to be exceptionally smooth, as others suggested, rub the plaster with your fingertips when it is still wet. I like the plaster cloth, and WS is better IMO, I tried some "off" brand and it didn't have nearly as much plaster in it as the WS had, but again, I simply painted it and added my first layer of ground foam, all was good.

 

Hi digits: This is just my opinion on using plaster cloth, and the method I used for all my scenery. This is based on Dave Frary's book, "Modeling the Pennsy Middle Division". My scenery is basically, three layers. The first is cardboard strips, hot glued to form the basic shape. Then, this is covered with plaster cloth to fill in all the gaps. Finally, I apply a layer of a mix of Sculptamold and Gysolite. This makes a hard, rough surface that takes paint and various scenery products well. DJ.

 

As has been said, the plaster cloth is expected to have those holes. They are intended to be a base only. The should be covered with a skim coat of some other type of plaster.

The same is true if you use plaster soaked paper towels as the plaster doesn't cover completely with that either.
You can smooth it out using your hands which will fill in most of the problem as well.

Plaster soaked towels is for sure cheaper. Though if you can find a medical supply wholesaler you might be able to get the plaster cloth cheaper, but looking online, every retailer has plaster bandage priced only slightly less than Woodland Scenics.

 

I just started using plaster cloth not too long ago.

Here's a great tip for you: USE HOT WATER to dip your dry cloth in. You only need to soak it in for less than 4 seconds. This gives the plaster a slightly longer curing time and more time for you to rub out the holes.

As mentioned, cover any remaining holes with lightweight spackling compound or Sculptamold. Once you paint over it, you won't notice they're there.

By the way, I dip my plaster cloth strips in a large plastic cup and when I'm done, I allow the excess plaster to harden. Then I put it in a ziploc bag, smash it with a hammer and get rocks/boulders/talus that I can use for scenery.

 

In addition to plaster, you can also use Sculptamold for a top coat if you need something thicker.

I prefer a soupy top layer rather than Spackle.

 

plaster

I too have used the plaster cloth and it needs about three layers before it is a substantial base. If you are doing a large area that is quite an expensive proposition. I like foam layers with scuptamold over it. You can cut the foam to whatever you want and then a quick layer of scuptamold over it and you are ready for paint and groundfoams.

 

Thanks for all the help. 2 nights ago I plastered the other graded section with lots of attention to rubbing in the plaster and smoothing it out before it dried, and it's come out great. There is a faint cloth texture up close (I haven't painted or added dirt/grass yet) but it's otherwise smooth and exactly what I was expecting the first time around.