| One of the fascinating activities in building a model | | | | the real world. I repeated this action several times |
| railroad layout is the water scenes. Even with all the | | | | which gave the stream character and caused a |
| trees, fauna, grasses and other scenic materials it | | | | waterfall effect over the rocks. At the base or stop |
| looks like a barren waste land without water.The | | | | fascia board, a small pond was created as I |
| creation of water scenes is not necessarily ease but | | | | wanted.This particular plastic water is tricky to |
| worth the effort. There are several materials that | | | | produce and use. Great care must be taken not to |
| can be made to look like water. There are three | | | | burn your self nor let the liquid plastic boil over. Also, |
| types of resin plastic that I use to create water | | | | you must use a container where you have complete |
| scenes. They are all non-toxic and readily available | | | | control. The container needs to have a handle that |
| either by hobby shop or WEB site.With out going into | | | | will not act as a heat sink thus burning you. It would |
| trade names, the three types are different for | | | | be wise to have a container with a spout like the |
| specific reasons. One comes in a squeeze bottle that | | | | coffee pots used on camping trips. This way you will |
| is very thick and does not run readily and I find hard | | | | not have the liquid plastic going places you do not |
| to use. I use it for specific areas where a fast | | | | want it to go.A stove is not the best way to heat |
| moving liquid would not stabilize fast enough to | | | | the plastic. For one thing, there usually are no stoves |
| create the scene that I want. However, it is | | | | in the layout area and the heating would take to long |
| wonderful in making waterfalls. It is so thick that you | | | | unless you had a gas stove. The best method is to |
| can comb it with a fine metal comb that produces | | | | use a torch or some quick heating implement that |
| the look of a water fall.The next type is a thick but | | | | would generate enough heat to liquefy the plastic |
| fast pouring liquid plastic that can be used to begin a | | | | rapidly. We have used a torch in a pinch but it is |
| small too large pond and streams. The key to this | | | | cumbersome and a bit dangerous. The safest |
| one is that it has restrictions as to how much can be | | | | method is a butane stove that can produce |
| poured. It dries very slowly thus the amount you can | | | | maximum heat. What ever method you use where |
| pore at any on time is only about 1/8 thick. It dries | | | | fire is concerned make sure you have a fire |
| very clear and is very useful when you add small | | | | extinguisher available and there is plenty of fresh air |
| amounts in specific areas to increase the realism.The | | | | circulating in the layout room. Also, use fire retardant |
| next type is hard and comes in beads with a slight | | | | gloves when working with liquid plastic and fire. DO |
| yellow color. It is my favorite of the three because | | | | NOT MAKE TO MUCH LIQUID PLASTIC AT ONE |
| of its nature once heated to a liquid. It is very hot | | | | TIME. You will accomplish each project in plenty of |
| once heated and it pours fast but solidifies quickly. | | | | time by following the directions on the package.There |
| This allows you to pour your next layer almost | | | | are other types of clear resins available but this set is |
| immediately. It also has a unique characteristic of | | | | easily attainable from more than one source and |
| creating a wave like action.The best example I can | | | | ease to use.Joy Ball has been involved in the |
| give you is when I poured the plastic down a | | | | restoration and maintenance of a variety of Brass |
| pre-made stream bed. The stream had already been | | | | Model Locomotives. Through her years of expertise, |
| landscape with rocks, wood, brush and the like. There | | | | Mrs. Ball has perfected the art of train restoration |
| was a stop at the end of the stream. I poured the | | | | often spending countless hours preserving vintage |
| hot plastic gradually and watched the flow pattern | | | | Brass Locomotives to running condition of even the |
| just like a stream and solidify with unique qualities like | | | | newest Brass Model Replicas. |