Very good, Kathy. I have used the plaster cloth cut into strips about 1" wide and placed vertically, horizontally and on the diagonal in random pattern. The diagonal strips provide plenty of rigid base when dry.
I had never thought of draping plaster bandage on dry then wetting it, instead I've always dipped it in water, then put in place, accompanied by a bit of cursing at the drips everywhere. Just goes to show that you're never too old to learn. Thanks Kathy.Love the video, I'm sure they'll be a great success. 👍
I have used corrugated cardboard from boxes cut and stacked horizontally in layers gradually decreasing or increasing the size to do contours and overhangs for sedimentary rock structures it works really well once the basic shape is formed you can then cover with filler/spackle/scuplta mold. I personally hot glue the layers of cardboard together for speed but you can use PVA .. then I cover with filler/sculpta mold before applying a layer of sand and tile grout mixed to the base, top and any areas I want lose dirt/gravel. For gaming and making scatter terrain pieces using old CD's as a base works really well too!
@@KathyMillatt my pleasure of course thinking on it you could always just use it in thinner strips to veneer the front edge and use all your techniques here to pack the rest... I use a small palette knife to push the filler into the face of the cardboard and then smooth with a damp sponge or finger :)
I’ve used the plaster cloth for a few years. It also can get a bit expensive. I do one layer of cloth and after it’s dry I use Span Tex which is a ceiling stipple . It dries slower so you have time to work it. Love your videos. Always looking forward to the next one.
Thanks. I use quite thin layers of plaster cloth then use my ground layer to build it up but they wouldn't stand much pressure. Another layer like Span Tex sounds like a great alternative.
I've been using the dry plaster cloth and spray technique for some time to create a smooth covering over Woodland Scenics foam risers. I haven't had the opportunity to use it for other scenery, but I saw Mike Deverell using it for his Colorado Front Range Railroad a couple years ago,. One structural support you didn't mention which is my favorite, i.e,, chicken wire. I know its' very old school, but I like it because its' cheap; it can cover large areas quickly; it permits me a lot of control to create detailed rugged topography. This should be an interesting video series and especially helpful for beginners.
@@KathyMillatt chicken wire does put the "blood" into the "blood, sweat, and tears" of layout building. I recommend wearing safety goggles when working with the wire. It has a nasty tendency to flip around while you're working with it putting your eyes at risk. I found out after putting a scratch into the eyeglasses I normally wear.
I have recently fallen in love with using drywall patching spackle. I go over foam with it and because it's an acrylic based premixed paste, I have found I can even add color into it before I apply it and it takes the paint pretty well (at least compared to sculptamold which just becomes slightly tinted). Granted I just do small dioramas and scenic bases so I haven't factored in the cost when compared to something like sculptamold for a large layout. But it is certainly far cheaper than the diorama/scenery specific products (it behaves and feels a lot like AK Interactive's "Snow Terrains" product but it is probably a tenth the cost if not cheaper). What's also nice is it's very lightweight even when used to build up terrain by itself whereas the sculptamold as I'm sure you know can quickly get quite heavy. Thanks for the great video! Take care :)
I have a homemade recipe for sculp-a-mold. I take toilet paper wet it down well and put it in a blender keep adding the paper until it gets slightly thick like runny oatmeal then I portion it out to what you can use at the moment and then add the dry plaster until you get your desired consistency. Saves me boo-cooes of money.
I have bought a foam cutting table because everyone hates white foam but the table lets me build with no mess, use wood glue to build and then plaster cloth. will give the dry method next mountain I build. thanks for the heads up
Looks like a good series. So many ways to do scenery! When I was a baby, my dad bought vast quantities of nappy liners wholesale. Some were used legitimately for me and my brother, but most went into forming the base of scenery on his model railway. When supplies were eventually exhausted we moved onto chicken wire, covered with rags/papier maché and plaster, which had the advantage of making completely hollow scenery. We once needed a large lift-off section to provide access to an inaccessible corner of the layout, and I experimented with using fibreglass to cover chicken wire: it worked (could lift a 5 square feet section of scenery with a couple of fingers, but ... never again : it was evil stuff to work with.
Many thanks Kathy for a very interesting and instructive video. I’d never thought of spraying water on dry plaster bandage, what a great idea. Can’t wait for the next five minute video😊. Thanks again.
Kathy, I finally decided to get off my butt and do a scale RR... However my homeowners association had me arrested for violating the rules... :Oh my, I just figured out why.... I was building to a 1:1 scale... OOPS! My bad:) As always love the videos thanks for bringing sunshine to my otherwise dull day:)
You are such a wonderful person and you are the best teacher for this great hobby we all have in common, you are a master craftswoman!!!really cute too.💖💖💞
Like the grid type layout you did and choices of rock modeling. Might try Sculptamold if it is on discount. It seems less time consuming and messy. Will look at some of your other vids.
Nice quick overview. While Sculptamold may be dear in the UK, it's not that bad in the US when you buy it in 25 pound bags (about $48 delivered). I use it all over my layout. It sticks well to foam board and I use 1/4 inch wire cloth as a base for some mountains or where I have track underneath. If you buy Sculptmold in small bags in craft stores it can get very expensive. If you mix in some hydrocal it does a reasonable job in castings that are much lighter. Good for background but you loose some detail so I wouldn't recommend it for foreground.
Great to see a video that keeps it simple, hopefully to get younger people involved in our hobby. I use mod podge over my plaster cloth or modroc. It fills in the gaps pretty well. I'll catch up with your other videos as time allows :-)
Hi Kathy, I’m just starting to build my layout and your tutorials are excellent. I have a lot of insulation boards that I’m using and hadn’t thought about the shorting problem without tearing the the metal covering off. I know what I’ll be doing today! Thanks John
Hi Kathy, very interesting video just the sort of thing us novices need to help point us in the right direction brief but to the point. Looking forward to watching the series and then giving it a try. 🙂
Hello Cathy, great to see you back, I have used Homebase wood filler over polystyrene on small scenic areas, but I think it would be too expensive over a large area, so I use Polyfilla for larger areas, one tip I learned, mixing P.V.A glue into the Polyfilla makes it less likely to crack, although, it does add weight to portable layouts, anyway, stay safe, all the best, Stephen.
Thanks Stephen. Great tip - thanks for sharing. I often add PVA to scenery mixes to stop the cracking. I buy it 5 litres at a time as I get through so much.
As always I admire your techniques. I sometime use dryer sheets dipped in a watery plaster mix, its cheap but MESSY! Thanks for sharing your art with us.
You’ve got another winner on your hands with this video. This information helps this old dog learn some new tricks😁. Have you ever used drywall compound when making rock cut faces? Also where do you find the plaster cloth? Keep up the great work. Joey
Kathy Millatt I find these sort of videos get more success sometimes , almost can absorb a lot info in the time it takes to boil the kettle that surely expands your audience , il look forward to the next instalment 👍🏻
always good to hear tips from The Queen of Scenery herself Kathy Millatt. I'm just getting started I am using a JTT Scenery plastic base, Elmer's Foam Board, and Glue this will form the foundation and the back drop for the next step which will be Woodland Scenics SceneARama Grass, Woodland Scenics Foliage, N Scale cork, Woodland Scenics Fine Ballast, and then the cherry on top to finish the scene Atlas Track structures for this scene will be Rix Grain Elevators. As you can see I am building a farm scene with a rail served grain elevator on a curve for my first diorama.
It's always good to see someone else's approach to scenery. I am looking forward to this series and nabbing some good ideas. When the 'Loo' roll crisis sorts itself, Luke Towan does a very good tutorial for D.I.Y. sculptamould. Stay safe.
I've not seen that Luke's video on sculptamold (he currently uses a local shop's equivalent) but Luke APS has a great video on it. TP is a bit scarce at the moment and thankfully I found 3 spare bags of Sculptamold when I tidied.
I find too many videos take forever and I just want the golden nugget. Setting a 5 minute time limit is really useful to make sure I get the point across.
I agree, the plaster cloth works best for me as I just used it last weekend on a foam mountain dio. I never thought of laying it on the surface and then spraying it with water! I will do that next time. Those holes can be annoying though.... I had only half a roll left so I couldn't double it up so I used some regular white glue straight and brushed it over the holes. Still I could see the cloth texture so I then painted on three coats of gray foundation craft paint and let dry. Finally I can move on with my other colors for the rocks. Lesson learned: always have enough plaster cloth! As my luck would have it..... the extra plaster cloth arrived a week later... lol ( also it helps to put the plaster coated side facing out ) Great vid. !!!!! Thanks ;)
Hi, plaster cloth is great but those holes! I often use grout as my earth later so put on the glue then the grout. A thickish layer will cover the holes although some may fall through at first.
What an enjoyable start to the day, a great video packed with lots of interesting tips. As always, a top job Kathy, many thanks, I feel educated already lol.
Some useful ideas there and obviously depends on whether you’re building something permanent or to be moved around. I guess the Great model railway challenge show has been cancelled for this year which would be a shame.
Hi Kathy, hopefully it will return after things get back to some normality, maybe next year. I loved Tim’s corny jokes, they’re the sort of jokes I tell 😀
Just glancing at this, you missed a few other basic start points for things. The first is wire mesh, which can even be chickenwire or similar. It tends to work similarly to the cardboard weave, but it lets you work a lot more contour into it and the resulting structure is far more sturdy, making it great for things like a mobile display or similar. You can also reinforce it even more with crumpled paper or other things. A second is either plywood or foamcore (or similar things) cut to make a frame. It takes a lot more time to assemble, but if you're going for details or heavier work such as a lot of plaster rock faces and sculpting there, it's a great option for having a solid structure underneath it. It's a lot heavier, and not so good for moving around, but it's something a lot of the museum type displays tend to use for things because of just how solid the end result is. And the third is to have a basic form and filling it with expanding foam which is then cut back. It tends to be quite cheap and decently solid, but takes a bit more time and work to get to your shape. It's something quite common in the reptile/amphibian hobby for habitat work, and has gone into wargaming and trains because it's relatively easy if you have a basic idea about how to carve foam. Your basic forms for it tend to be more of the end points that you might want flat done with foam core to just wooden dowels put in to make it easier to attach it to things.
Thanks Kathy, I was wondering if you've ever tried the Iain Rice "glueshell" method with PVA and paper towels on a card lattice substrate? If you have I was wondering how it compares to the plaster based methods?
I haven’t used PVA with paper towels but I use it a lot to strengthen and seal card when I’m using that. I go through litres of it so I must be putting it somewhere!
It depends on the insulation block. Celotex is fire resistant so won’t carve with hot tools but many types of insulation foam, especially in the US, can be carved with hot tools.
Foam core? Yes and you can put motors on but it’s not that robust. My latest layout does it though. I wouldn’t put track on any of the other surfaces as they’re not flat enough and plaster cloth isn’t that robust.
I use blue foam from Amazon (it's confusingly now black) but the video was some really old insulation foam I got from B&Q. They haven't stocked it in decades but I had a stockpile. I think googling Styrofoam is the safest bet. I did find some on Amazon I might try.
@@RaymondOreFineArt It's on my list to experiment but I do have 5 bags of Sculptamold so it will be a bit later. Luke APS does some great workarounds here too if you want to check his channel out.
Thanks for another professionally made video. You seem to be getting on well the hot glue gun, so I am glad I suggested it! Another tip for completing dioramas - get a length of Peco HOm rail from Hattons/Rails of Sheffield etc. Then go online and you can get Tri-ang TT scale carriages for £6 and locos for £30. Quite a large range of UK outline was produced by Triang in 3mm scale and on a CZcams video it looks like OO gauge, but requires much less space! czcams.com/video/ziGM8K3h2l8/video.html If you are wondering, the points on this layout are also by Peco and they look great. Modification of the check rail is needed to pass Triang, but that's quite easy.
@@KathyMillatt My current layout is OO. I sometimes run HO stuff on it as John Chambers does. I have not as yet got any TT gauge stuff! However, earlier this week, I put in a bid for a TT Gauge loco and some carriages and won for £20. So yesterday I put in a bid for some track and got that too for £18. So when it comes I am going to have a play! I noticed on Garry Hall's layout, alluded to in the link above, he uses 4mm scale buildings such as the Rye Station and the Skaledale signal box which do not look out of place, since they are much smaller than they would be true to scale. Although TT has a limited selection of RTR, it would allow you to depict an actual place. The static 'Corgi Legends' locos are TT scale and could be used in a diorama. Thanks for taking the trouble to make these videos. xxx
I gave a 👎 for this video because Kathy complained about the cost of Sculptamold, while she does not mention that something similar can be made quite easily from old newspapers (shredded and boiled to pulp), sawdust (the fine kind that one gets from sanding wood), (ask a local carpentry that has a large sanding machine for some), cellulose (wallpaper-) glue and plaster.
Wow you are harsh! I can only talk about what I use and Sculptamold is expensive. There are all sorts of recipes for Sculptamold equivalents out there though most use toilet paper and I haven't tried any of them.
Haven't tried it ? Then you should ! It's easy to work with, lightweight, flexible and very strong when dry, and doesn't crumble (like pure plaster does) when drilled or cut.
@@4623620 I love Sculptamold and don't want to go to carpentry shops to find sawdust and to boil up newspapers. If you enjoy that then brilliant - I'm really glad it works for you but I love the ease of having a powder I can mix up as and when I need it.
Very good, Kathy. I have used the plaster cloth cut into strips about 1" wide and placed vertically, horizontally and on the diagonal in random pattern. The diagonal strips provide plenty of rigid base when dry.
That’s an interesting technique. Thank you. There’s so many ways to do this aren’t there!
I would never have thought of applying plaster cloth dry, buy it kind of makes sense. Great Idea. Will try that for my new layout.
It is so much easier and less messy but you do need a good pump or you can wear your finger out.
Love this series.
I had never thought of draping plaster bandage on dry then wetting it, instead I've always dipped it in water, then put in place, accompanied by a bit of cursing at the drips everywhere. Just goes to show that you're never too old to learn. Thanks Kathy.Love the video, I'm sure they'll be a great success. 👍
Thanks Ian! I used to drop everywhere too...
I have used corrugated cardboard from boxes cut and stacked horizontally in layers gradually decreasing or increasing the size to do contours and overhangs for sedimentary rock structures it works really well once the basic shape is formed you can then cover with filler/spackle/scuplta mold.
I personally hot glue the layers of cardboard together for speed but you can use PVA .. then I cover with filler/sculpta mold before applying a layer of sand and tile grout mixed to the base, top and any areas I want lose dirt/gravel.
For gaming and making scatter terrain pieces using old CD's as a base works really well too!
Sounds interesting. It would take a while for really tall scenery but must give a lovely finish. Thanks for sharing with me.
@@KathyMillatt my pleasure of course thinking on it you could always just use it in thinner strips to veneer the front edge and use all your techniques here to pack the rest...
I use a small palette knife to push the filler into the face of the cardboard and then smooth with a damp sponge or finger :)
Ben Ward sounds interesting!
I’ve used the plaster cloth for a few years. It also can get a bit expensive. I do one layer of cloth and after it’s dry I use Span Tex which is a ceiling stipple . It dries slower so you have time to work it. Love your videos. Always looking forward to the next one.
Thanks. I use quite thin layers of plaster cloth then use my ground layer to build it up but they wouldn't stand much pressure. Another layer like Span Tex sounds like a great alternative.
I've been using the dry plaster cloth and spray technique for some time to create a smooth covering over Woodland Scenics foam risers. I haven't had the opportunity to use it for other scenery, but I saw Mike Deverell using it for his Colorado Front Range Railroad a couple years ago,. One structural support you didn't mention which is my favorite, i.e,, chicken wire. I know its' very old school, but I like it because its' cheap; it can cover large areas quickly; it permits me a lot of control to create detailed rugged topography. This should be an interesting video series and especially helpful for beginners.
Hi Jerry. Chicken wire is an oldie but a goodie. Thanks for mentioning it. I did find I took a chunk out my arm last time I used it!
@@KathyMillatt chicken wire does put the "blood" into the "blood, sweat, and tears" of layout building. I recommend wearing safety goggles when working with the wire. It has a nasty tendency to flip around while you're working with it putting your eyes at risk. I found out after putting a scratch into the eyeglasses I normally wear.
@@jerrysmith1929 Ouch! I am glad I wear glasses when I see the state they're in after a few years' wear.
Great video. Thank you.
Very interesting to see the different sort of finishes you get 😀 I love the idea of laying it dry and spraying it - seems a lot less messy
It really is less messy! Glad you found it interesting.
I have recently fallen in love with using drywall patching spackle. I go over foam with it and because it's an acrylic based premixed paste, I have found I can even add color into it before I apply it and it takes the paint pretty well (at least compared to sculptamold which just becomes slightly tinted). Granted I just do small dioramas and scenic bases so I haven't factored in the cost when compared to something like sculptamold for a large layout. But it is certainly far cheaper than the diorama/scenery specific products (it behaves and feels a lot like AK Interactive's "Snow Terrains" product but it is probably a tenth the cost if not cheaper). What's also nice is it's very lightweight even when used to build up terrain by itself whereas the sculptamold as I'm sure you know can quickly get quite heavy. Thanks for the great video! Take care :)
Thanks for that. I’ve tried various plasters over the years and it’s good to know you’ve found one that works. Thanks for sharing.
I have a homemade recipe for sculp-a-mold. I take toilet paper wet it down well and put it in a blender keep adding the paper until it gets slightly thick like runny oatmeal then I portion it out to what you can use at the moment and then add the dry plaster until you get your desired consistency.
Saves me boo-cooes of money.
I bet. Thanks for the tip. At least toilet roll hoarding is over now.
I have bought a foam cutting table because everyone hates white foam but the table lets me build with no mess, use wood glue to build and then plaster cloth. will give the dry method next mountain I build. thanks for the heads up
I don’t have a foam cutting table but I can see how useful they’d be. Thanks for mentioning it.
So glad I found this channel - you deserve to be so much bigger. Easy to follow and more importantly, interesting and engaging presentation.
Thanks. I've really tried to make it easy to follow so glad I'm succeeding.
Hello Kathy, short tutorials on making scenery. Brilliant. Thank you. I look forward to your next episode. Bye.
Thanks Norman.
Looks like a good series. So many ways to do scenery! When I was a baby, my dad bought vast quantities of nappy liners wholesale. Some were used legitimately for me and my brother, but most went into forming the base of scenery on his model railway. When supplies were eventually exhausted we moved onto chicken wire, covered with rags/papier maché and plaster, which had the advantage of making completely hollow scenery. We once needed a large lift-off section to provide access to an inaccessible corner of the layout, and I experimented with using fibreglass to cover chicken wire: it worked (could lift a 5 square feet section of scenery with a couple of fingers, but ... never again : it was evil stuff to work with.
I almost tried fibreglass but the smell was atrocious! I really like lightweight removable scenery but I've never heard of nappies before!
Many thanks Kathy for a very interesting and instructive video. I’d never thought of spraying water on dry plaster bandage, what a great idea. Can’t wait for the next five minute video😊. Thanks again.
Thanks Allan.
Kathy, I finally decided to get off my butt and do a scale RR... However my homeowners association had me arrested for violating the rules... :Oh my, I just figured out why.... I was building to a 1:1 scale... OOPS! My bad:) As always love the videos thanks for bringing sunshine to my otherwise dull day:)
Funny. Glad you enjoyed it.
You are such a wonderful person and you are the best teacher for this great hobby we all have in common, you are a master craftswoman!!!really cute too.💖💖💞
Thanks so much!
Like the grid type layout you did and choices of rock modeling. Might try Sculptamold if it is on discount. It seems less time consuming and messy. Will look at some of your other vids.
Thanks. The grid layout works well on large open top layouts. It really depends what your modelling.
What some brilliant ideas nicely grouped together in one show...fantastic. Well done Kathy
Thanks Martin
Nice quick overview. While Sculptamold may be dear in the UK, it's not that bad in the US when you buy it in 25 pound bags (about $48 delivered). I use it all over my layout. It sticks well to foam board and I use 1/4 inch wire cloth as a base for some mountains or where I have track underneath. If you buy Sculptmold in small bags in craft stores it can get very expensive. If you mix in some hydrocal it does a reasonable job in castings that are much lighter. Good for background but you loose some detail so I wouldn't recommend it for foreground.
Thanks for this. There are also home made versions which can be cheaper.
Great video.....love to see your different techniques. Very much looking forward to the rest of this series.
Thanks a lot.
Great to see a video that keeps it simple, hopefully to get younger people involved in our hobby. I use mod podge over my plaster cloth or modroc. It fills in the gaps pretty well. I'll catch up with your other videos as time allows :-)
Thanks. I tend to use white glue rather than mod Podge as it’s much cheaper but the effect is the same.
Hi Kathy, I’m just starting to build my layout and your tutorials are excellent. I have a lot of insulation boards that I’m using and hadn’t thought about the shorting problem without tearing the the metal covering off. I know what I’ll be doing today! Thanks John
You only do it once! Seriously though, it can take a while to find as it’s not obvious.
Hi Kathy, very interesting video just the sort of thing us novices need to help point us in the right direction brief but to the point. Looking forward to watching the series and then giving it a try. 🙂
Thanks and good luck when you try.
Always a pleasure to watch, always informative and always a stunning smile thank you.
Thanks a lot.
Hello Cathy, great to see you back, I have used Homebase wood filler over polystyrene on small scenic areas, but I think it would be too expensive over a large area, so I use Polyfilla for larger areas, one tip I learned, mixing P.V.A glue into the Polyfilla makes it less likely to crack, although, it does add weight to portable layouts, anyway, stay safe, all the best, Stephen.
Thanks Stephen. Great tip - thanks for sharing. I often add PVA to scenery mixes to stop the cracking. I buy it 5 litres at a time as I get through so much.
So helpful, as always - keep them coming, please. Many thanks. Stay safe everyone
Thanks Alex.
As always I admire your techniques. I sometime use dryer sheets dipped in a watery plaster mix, its cheap but MESSY! Thanks for sharing your art with us.
Thanks and that’s a nice cheap technique.
You’ve got another winner on your hands with this video. This information helps this old dog learn some new tricks😁. Have you ever used drywall compound when making rock cut faces? Also where do you find the plaster cloth? Keep up the great work. Joey
Hi Joey I haven’t used drywall for rocks. I tend to use rock moulds but I have tried other techniques. That’s one of the videos I’m doing next.
I get my plaster cloth on Amazon. Link on my website.
This is great! I like the shorter format for these tutorials.
Thanks John. I personally struggle with long tutorials which don’t say much so I’m trying to make these to the point.
@@KathyMillatt Well you did a great job of doing it. The tutorial was easy to understand and I really enjoyed it.
This is looking a great little mini series Kathy 👍🏻 sound advice excellent tutorial as always
Thanks a lot. Trying to keep them short and helpful.
Kathy Millatt yep your achieving that 👍🏻👍🏻
Brilliant!
Kathy Millatt I find these sort of videos get more success sometimes , almost can absorb a lot info in the time it takes to boil the kettle that surely expands your audience , il look forward to the next instalment 👍🏻
always good to hear tips from The Queen of Scenery herself Kathy Millatt. I'm just getting started I am using a JTT Scenery plastic base, Elmer's Foam Board, and Glue this will form the foundation and the back drop for the next step which will be Woodland Scenics SceneARama Grass, Woodland Scenics Foliage, N Scale cork, Woodland Scenics Fine Ballast, and then the cherry on top to finish the scene Atlas Track structures for this scene will be Rix Grain Elevators. As you can see I am building a farm scene with a rail served grain elevator on a curve for my first diorama.
Sounds like you are going to have so much fun - enjoy!!
It's always good to see someone else's approach to scenery. I am looking forward to this series and nabbing some good ideas. When the 'Loo' roll crisis sorts itself, Luke Towan does a very good tutorial for D.I.Y. sculptamould. Stay safe.
I've not seen that Luke's video on sculptamold (he currently uses a local shop's equivalent) but Luke APS has a great video on it. TP is a bit scarce at the moment and thankfully I found 3 spare bags of Sculptamold when I tidied.
My apology, I am getting my 'Lukes' mixed up. I did mean as in Lukes Apss. The other Like has some good stuff too.
@@nickbutler7935 They are both great Lukes!
Thanks Kathy - very useful (and I like this short format)
I find too many videos take forever and I just want the golden nugget. Setting a 5 minute time limit is really useful to make sure I get the point across.
Thanks Kathy, I did not know you could put plaster cloth on dry then spray water on it, I have always been messy with it. Rick
It’s so much easier once you know.
I agree, the plaster cloth works best for me as I just used it last weekend on a foam mountain dio. I never thought of laying it on the surface and then spraying it with water! I will do that next time. Those holes can be annoying though.... I had only half a roll left so I couldn't double it up so I used some regular white glue straight and brushed it over the holes. Still I could see the cloth texture so I then painted on three coats of gray foundation craft paint and let dry. Finally I can move on with my other colors for the rocks. Lesson learned: always have enough plaster cloth!
As my luck would have it..... the extra plaster cloth arrived a week later... lol ( also it helps to put the plaster coated side facing out )
Great vid. !!!!!
Thanks ;)
Hi, plaster cloth is great but those holes! I often use grout as my earth later so put on the glue then the grout. A thickish layer will cover the holes although some may fall through at first.
@@KathyMillatt Ohh yeah, I will thanks!
Very useful. Thanks
Thanks!
Tamiya tweezers.....nuff said!
Great idea for a series of videos, really enjoyed this first video 👍
Thanks Jerry.
What an enjoyable start to the day, a great video packed with lots of interesting tips. As always, a top job Kathy, many thanks, I feel educated already lol.
Thanks Paul. Glad you enjoyed it.
Wow lots of info here, thank you!
Thanks!
Just in time for me - am about to start scenery and was wondering about contours. Will buy some foam board in the morning. Many thanks.
Hi Graham You can use ordinary cardboard for contours too if you have that lying around.
Looking good
Thanks!
Great ideas! Thank you for sharing :)
Thanks!
this is great, you've given me an idea what to do with these 200 loo rolls I bought not so long ago...oops...😬
Well, you won’t get through them in a hurry the usual way!
@@KathyMillatt you haven't tried my curry 😁 looking forward to the next vid 😎
🚂 Cool • Good stuff 😎
Thanks!
Great to see another video! :D
Thanks!
Some useful ideas there and obviously depends on whether you’re building something permanent or to be moved around.
I guess the Great model railway challenge show has been cancelled for this year which would be a shame.
Simon. I haven’t heard anything at all on a new series of GMRC so a shame indeed. I do different bases for different purposes.
Hi Kathy, hopefully it will return after things get back to some normality, maybe next year. I loved Tim’s corny jokes, they’re the sort of jokes I tell 😀
Just glancing at this, you missed a few other basic start points for things.
The first is wire mesh, which can even be chickenwire or similar. It tends to work similarly to the cardboard weave, but it lets you work a lot more contour into it and the resulting structure is far more sturdy, making it great for things like a mobile display or similar. You can also reinforce it even more with crumpled paper or other things.
A second is either plywood or foamcore (or similar things) cut to make a frame. It takes a lot more time to assemble, but if you're going for details or heavier work such as a lot of plaster rock faces and sculpting there, it's a great option for having a solid structure underneath it. It's a lot heavier, and not so good for moving around, but it's something a lot of the museum type displays tend to use for things because of just how solid the end result is.
And the third is to have a basic form and filling it with expanding foam which is then cut back. It tends to be quite cheap and decently solid, but takes a bit more time and work to get to your shape. It's something quite common in the reptile/amphibian hobby for habitat work, and has gone into wargaming and trains because it's relatively easy if you have a basic idea about how to carve foam. Your basic forms for it tend to be more of the end points that you might want flat done with foam core to just wooden dowels put in to make it easier to attach it to things.
Great additional ideas. Thank you.
Thanks Kathy, I was wondering if you've ever tried the Iain Rice "glueshell" method with PVA and paper towels on a card lattice substrate? If you have I was wondering how it compares to the plaster based methods?
I haven’t used PVA with paper towels but I use it a lot to strengthen and seal card when I’m using that. I go through litres of it so I must be putting it somewhere!
Can you cut the insulation blocks with a heat knife or is it a special type of foam? thanks for the very straight forward presentation. Berrybrook
It depends on the insulation block. Celotex is fire resistant so won’t carve with hot tools but many types of insulation foam, especially in the US, can be carved with hot tools.
Would you lay track onto those surfaces? What about points with Cobalt etc motors underneath, or do they need some extra reinforcement?
Foam core? Yes and you can put motors on but it’s not that robust. My latest layout does it though. I wouldn’t put track on any of the other surfaces as they’re not flat enough and plaster cloth isn’t that robust.
Forgot to ask Kathy....What make/brand name of foam did you use when using the hot wire cutter? I,m very wary of the fume issue...Cheers..thankyou
I use blue foam from Amazon (it's confusingly now black) but the video was some really old insulation foam I got from B&Q. They haven't stocked it in decades but I had a stockpile. I think googling Styrofoam is the safest bet. I did find some on Amazon I might try.
What as the mix you used? It was in a clear bag.
Sculptamold.
Good easy to understand starter/ refresher.
That spray bottle you used intrigues me - do you have a link for that as well?
It was off Amazon for hair dressers...
Sadly that one is currently unavailable
Could you make your own Sculptamold If it's just plaster and shredded paper?
watch this from about 3.40 czcams.com/video/XZiwOj7B0gA/video.html
@@vodkasrups Very interesting, thanks. Kathy could do a test with different types of paper and see how it compares to the real thing. Hint, hint
@@RaymondOreFineArt It's on my list to experiment but I do have 5 bags of Sculptamold so it will be a bit later. Luke APS does some great workarounds here too if you want to check his channel out.
Thanks for another professionally made video. You seem to be getting on well the hot glue gun, so I am glad I suggested it! Another tip for completing dioramas - get a length of Peco HOm rail from Hattons/Rails of Sheffield etc. Then go online and you can get Tri-ang TT scale carriages for £6 and locos for £30. Quite a large range of UK outline was produced by Triang in 3mm scale and on a CZcams video it looks like OO gauge, but requires much less space!
czcams.com/video/ziGM8K3h2l8/video.html
If you are wondering, the points on this layout are also by Peco and they look great. Modification of the check rail is needed to pass Triang, but that's quite easy.
I normally model HO but am currently mixing it up with OO9. That’s a lovely gauge to work in.
@@KathyMillatt My current layout is OO. I sometimes run HO stuff on it as John Chambers does. I have not as yet got any TT gauge stuff! However, earlier this week, I put in a bid for a TT Gauge loco and some carriages and won for £20. So yesterday I put in a bid for some track and got that too for £18. So when it comes I am going to have a play! I noticed on Garry Hall's layout, alluded to in the link above, he uses 4mm scale buildings such as the Rye Station and the Skaledale signal box which do not look out of place, since they are much smaller than they would be true to scale. Although TT has a limited selection of RTR, it would allow you to depict an actual place. The static 'Corgi Legends' locos are TT scale and could be used in a diorama. Thanks for taking the trouble to make these videos. xxx
Allen Knight thanks Allen. Interesting idea.
Guess who laid track on foil covered foam - you wouldn't believe the shorts!
I can. I've done it and they did it on the GMRC - but you only do it once!
I gave a 👎 for this video because Kathy complained about the cost of Sculptamold, while she does not mention that something similar can be made quite easily from old newspapers (shredded and boiled to pulp), sawdust (the fine kind that one gets from sanding wood), (ask a local carpentry that has a large sanding machine for some), cellulose (wallpaper-) glue and plaster.
Wow you are harsh! I can only talk about what I use and Sculptamold is expensive. There are all sorts of recipes for Sculptamold equivalents out there though most use toilet paper and I haven't tried any of them.
Haven't tried it ? Then you should !
It's easy to work with, lightweight, flexible and very strong when dry, and doesn't crumble (like pure plaster does) when drilled or cut.
@@4623620 I love Sculptamold and don't want to go to carpentry shops to find sawdust and to boil up newspapers. If you enjoy that then brilliant - I'm really glad it works for you but I love the ease of having a powder I can mix up as and when I need it.
@@KathyMillatt Than don't complain about the price.