Okie dokie. Must be something unique here. Do they get advertising revenue from hobby companies. Without naming vendors it was 42 cents per sq ft vs popular hobby brands in the 70 to 78 cent range ... Just like you do at the grocery store. Just strange you can do it the all legal etc. But not a train forum. Live and learn.
Yes, PMs are fine. The issue here was direct comparing of retailer pricing along with a (modest) discussion of an on-line retailer who is not a TB advertiser. When I posted, by simply pointing at the Amazon item, the price point comparison should have been a simple item for most folks looking for plaster cloth to do.
I found for good coverage for showing detail, spackling won't work for it goes on too smooth. The plaster of Paris does that fine. I have found however that the vinyl spackling works well as an adhesive for Attaching plaster rock castings. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
How does the Activa roll compare quality wise to other rolls of plaster cloth? It is cheaper than the others but does it compare well for use on a layout?
Yes, when advertisers are involved, things get a little sensitive - I see it now. Most model train forums I am a member of do not have the same relationship with advertisers as here. I suppose lesson is you give up some things, like what you can say in these circumstances, vs. other formats. Yesterday I opened up my rolls of Woodland Scenic's plaster cloth that was probalby around 17 or 18 years old, stored awaiting the next layout. It was fun to use and mess was minimal. I didn't have much to clean up which was real nice and it went on pretty well over the cardboard webbing I had made with strips and a glue gun. The thing that got the most plaster on it was a pair of scissers I used to cut it with before wetting it in a metal pan. The biggest thing was handling it once it got wet, it hand a tendency to fold back and cling to itself to you had to hold it carefully on the edges to keep it fully open and lay it down. One roll didn't cover as much as I had hoped so I'm glad I found the Activa and ordered a 5 pound roll because I've got quite a way's to go yet. I'll try to remember to take a photo and post it in the next week.
I forget the guy's name, but saw on a video where he takes the cloth and cuts it to shape. Then he places it on the layout dry. Then sprays it with water from a spray bottle, then follows that up with a wet paintbrush, made it look easy and very neat and tidy... I want to say it was Ken McCorry of Conrail mega layout fame but I could be wrong. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk Edit: It is indeed Mr. McCorry, Vol. 51 of Allen Keller's videos.
Of course it'll only work if your underlayout support is solid like foam or paper mache... Screen and cardboard web will probably just bend and dent. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Really? Tell me what you think? This is a cardboard mesh with plaster cloth on top then covered with plaster rock castings, vinyl speckle, and plaster depending where you are at. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
I meant as your first layer of "ground", you've all ready got cloth down and dried. I'm talking about the people just starting to cover their ground infrastructure. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Doh, I think my cardboard webbing woul hold up just fine if I put the plaster cloth on try and sprayed it with a mist of water. Frankly I don't see the difference - wet is wet - if it's going cave, it would either way. Plus, I'm not totally saturating the cardboard underneath, gets wet where the plaster lays on it of course and is adhered too.
Not because it gets wet, because you have to push down with the paintbrush dipped in water to get the water out of the brush and into the plaster cloth, that requires some pressure so you fill in the holes. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Okay, I read this whole thread and like many things in out hobby this covering of plaster cloth can be done many, many, ways. Most of these ways seem to be more labor intensive than they need to be. I use Sculptamod for most of my rock work these days so that just goes on the dried plaster cloth. As for the holes in the cloth I don't worry about them. If you are short cutting yourself on ground covers like only using one layer of covering you may see a hole here and there. What happens when you put down three or four layers of different ground covers then you don't see the holes and you have a base for more scenery so your layout will look more realistic. Jim
So far I have these layers down. Rock castings and plaster covering. Then I put paint on it today. Next will be ground foam. Then I will do trees. Lots and lots of trees. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
Kevin, I see you've been here for awhile now. I think your doing good work. Here is a site that may interest you and others. http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/...ing-the-Pinacle-Creek-Mining-amp-Timber-Co-RR It happens to me mine. If you get there check out the number of views. In the thread is all I know about scenery and photography. Jim
One of the nice things about modeling the Ruby Canyon area of western Colorado and Eastern Utah is very few trees! I'll need some sage brush of course and a few scrub trees, talus etc.
Whatever you do dont forget the Black rock too. That probably the most important part of the whole canyon. Between Westwater and Cisco is some pretty interesting landscape too.
