Hi, if I pour Envirotex to form a 12"X12"ish sized river scene, is the Masonite facia at front edge stringer only held in place temporarily until EnvtX has cured ? Otherwise, how will we know how high the cut out in the facia should be which goes along front of water and up front of banks ? The banks are same as Mntns and hills running up to any facia. But, the EnvTx is going to seek its own level and depth and could cure lower than facia or run over facia top edge. Is it merely that a deep temporary ridge is in place til plastic cures/dries ? Then perminant facia is cut to match water's surface ? Is this the ploy ?
Use green masking tape pressed very thoroughly into the surface of the wood at the edge of your pour. Get the stuff that is about 1/5"-2" wide, tear of one long length, and press it into place such that its top surface will be clear above the surface of your cured ETex. On the outside of your tape, screw a sheet of waste masonite or plywood, ideally with a semi-hard bead of caulk to act as a gasket against the tape's outer surface to form a better seal. Later, once your masonite and tape have been removed to reveal a thickness of cured epoxy, you can measure and cut your fascia material to meet the top surface of your epoxy layer, or undercut there to show the thickness, as I did.
I used packaging tape to form a dam. I painted the fascia with clear gloss paint before taping to create a good seal.
Sounds like you are headed in the right direction. One other tip you might appreciate. You don't want to pour it all at once. Pour it, at about 1/4" and allow it to cure, between pours. This time actually gives you a chance to do some interesting 3D edge work. No glasses required. I had a boss that wanted to pour it all at once and the darn thing never did cure. Still sticky to the touch and every so often a trapped air bubble will work it's way up the edges. Funniest thing I've ever seen.
Rick, was this a two-part resin and hardener, or some other product? The product I use, called Nu-Lustre 55 from Swing Paints, advises that the two liquids are to be poured and combined in strictly equal measure, and that they must be mixed for 5 minutes. Failure to combine them in equal quantities, or to mix them thoroughly, will result in a tacky surface. After mixing and pouring at least 10 batches over the past seven years, I can proudly state that not one of them failed to harden fully. The mixing does encourage bubbles, but those bubbles always rise up to just below the surface. Taking a soda straw in my mouth, I gently blow through the straw, holding the straw's lower end about one inch off the surface. The bubbles instantly pop and disappear.
Crandell and of course everyone tuned in here, Enviro-tex, a two part compound to be mixed exactly as you described. Best poured in layers. None of my mixes or pours has ended up in the condition, I previously described. Remember, this wasn't my pour it was my former boss that mixed and poured it. Who listens to anything I advise, anyways. Grin!
So, my cept was right. A dam is formed prior to pouring. Then correct facia height to that ... As I am nearing end of track laying I am at beginning end of scenery/ballast laying ...Interesting, last night I visited my friends at the Slim Gauge Guild in Pas. Ca. They have some of the most astounding rock work and meandering river work I've ever seen !! The river through the Royal Gorge ( 4' high crevice ) is just beginning to be colored/filled. But, all they do (a Mark there) is blue-black base paint/then greens/blues/then merely acrylic gloss on top with essentially no physical depth; all an optical illusion. The waters they DO have in look A1 pro ! Not sure how they depict ripples, foam (beer ?), currents.. Thanks for the replies
Cut the facia even with the bottom of the water. Put a dam up and paint the top of the facia and then let the envirotex cover that. Scenery should run over top of the facia.
I understood it to be someone you knew and was unsure if you knew why it might have remained tacky...so I was just passing on what I knew thinking you might be able to relay it to him. I haven't used ETex, but it makes sense that it would also be mixed in two parts. You must be as fastidious as I am, not wanting any goofs by taking shortcuts, which some of us sometimes take. I am glad to know you have had good success with your pours, Rick.
Crandell, My plan was to sneek in some Friday night, my weekend on duty, remove the pond and by the time the boss returns Monday morning. Well, that was the plan but it never happened. We'd be off topic if I shared the whole story. You are so right. I'm a stickler for details and having it done right. Some of my local friends call me anal, bolt, nut, and rivet counter. Others just Loco? Some friends! Let someone get in trouble and you can ask them who they go to, to solve the problem. Usually not me, they don't want to hear it. Grin! Despite it all we have loads of fun, helping each other out...working on each other's railroads. Nothing like the pay off of a good running and smooth operating model railroad. Happy Halloween, looks like the kids are getting dressed up and heading out to Pine Knot, for some Trick'r Treating. The community discourages going house to house. Where's the fun? Some houses are spooky without decorations.
You can dam it any number of ways, as long as the dam is fairly rigid (for the depth) and well sealed. My advise is to never pour anything over 1/8" in depth at a time. If you need 3/8", then pour it in three sessions. I'm still not sure how much depth you can use before any painting underneath just blurs into a dark blue-green-black, especially with EnviroTex. I usually model deep, swift-running rivers, and have found that black paint for all but the shores works best. When I used a deep purple-black, it was a disaster. I use light-colored pea stone near the banks, applied thickly, and that gives me the effect I like for shallows near the banks.
