Bruce, personally, I hate working with foam, it gives me the willies, like fingernails on chalkboard, but I must admit it's a great medium in the right hands! Your contours are looking great...can't wait to see what it will look like when you're out of the " pink" stage... Regards, Otto
I really love how this is coming out and I'm a little envious because I've wanted to do this myself for years, but always got stuck on adding more track. Now I don't have any place to do this because of all the track. :tb-mad: Anyway I love it and will be watching. Thanks for all the photos. That will be a big help If I ever decide to start over again. biggrin:
I threw on a quick coat of 'earth' paint (acylic or latex ONLY!...enamels and laquers will melt the foam!) to give an idea of the actual texture of the foam after using a hotwire tool (the upper rock strata) and a 'surform' rasp (the sloped area)...for background relief, apart from extra painting and shading, this stage would be sufficient...(if one takes just a little more time in laminating the layers of foam together-I didn't!-there won't be any visible 'seams' between the layers...of course, if you can find a single piece of this type of foam that is 10-12 inches thick, then it's even more simple...no laminating at all!...However, I'm going to continue the laminating on the large mesa, even experimenting with various thicknesses of foam, to help define the starta layers...also, i'm going to use a different type of glue for laminating the upper rock foam layers-the latex liquid nails is just a little too thick for 'fine' detail work; it's perfect for the laminating of the layers of foam that will end up being the sloped part of the mesa, though) I'm going to add some more texture on the slope, in the form of fine sand and various sizes of talus. Normally, I would apply the talus and sand BEFORE a first base coat...but it can be added after. you can still see some 'pink' through this layer of paint, but you can better visualize a finished product when you add the first 'real' tones of color... Thanks for looking, Bruce
Hello, a few more steps on this test piece... I've proven the concept (to myself)...I feel confident, at this point, that I'll be able to use these techniques to bring the scenery on the 'Santa Fe Room' layout to life, based on the results of this little piece. There are some things I'll do differently on the main mesa; namely use different adhesive for the vertical exposed rock layers...the thickness of the latex liquid nails that I spread onto each layer is way too obvious, it doesn't carve like the foam, tends to 'bead' under the hotwire tools. However it will be perfect for all the sloped areas... I'm illustrating the extra steps I'll add to the scenery, although in 'reverse' order than I'd normally do it... Normally, I'd carve the basic shape add the detail to the vertical strata apply sand and boulder 'ground cover' THEN paint the entire piece with a base color paint the horizontal variances in sediment apply a series of washes to blend the scnery add large specific 'loose' boulders', add any natural growth In this case, I haven't settled on my base color (I want to replicate the reddish-terra cotta color that dominates this part of the Southwest), and my accent colors for the sedimentary layers, so I just painted the base coat with what I had 'on hand'-a Home Depot mix matched for Pollyscale's "Earth"...BTW...Pollyscale's "Earth" color should be the base for just about every other scenic application one could imagine in modelling 'terra firma'...it's a great 'natural' neutral 'dirt'-'soil'-'sand' color that one would find in just about every region of the world... Even with the red color dominating this layout, I'll still use the earth color as a wash and as one of the variances of sedimentary color. Here, I'm adding 'boulders' made from breaking pieces of scrap foam-I don't throw away any of the foam I cut-carve from the layout-i can always find a use, somewhere, for even the smallest pieces of scrap..
last installment for today... adding a base layer of 'sand'...in this case, actual sand, un-sifted, from the area around the house (here in coastal Alabama, the top layer of soil is sandy) I just used a wide brush to 'paint' an area with scenic cement, then drizzled a thin layer of sand from a 'saved' Parmesan cheese shaker (I save these and use these for dispensing ground foams...a lot cheaper than buying the Woodland Scenics shakers!) Thanks for looking, Bruce
Well.... this will be the last time this little project will show up in this thread (save for it's new use as a backdrop for loco and rolling stock projects) it's been a quick, fun build...and am completely satisfied that I can build the larger one to a standard that I'm pleased with... I've added Woodlands Scenics med green ground foam clusters to simulate the juniper bushes found all over the SW...(in Austin, TX, they call them 'cedar' bushes!) Again, Thanks for looking! Bruce
Ok....gotta ger the Atlas code 55 track down (now that my fears have been put to rest_...but before that, the fascia needs to be installed ..but..before that.. the other side of the layout needs to be extended a few inches (I want to add a team track-set out track-spur for a loading corrall...whatever... ....so... before getting ready for work this evening...ran down to the garage, grabbed some lumber, hit the table saw, a drill, some glue, and a few screws later... The DOOR is growing!...lol.... of course I'll have to add four foam layers just as I did on the extension to the other side and end cap.... Quickly put the "El Capitan" together with some recently detailed F units, just to remind me what i'm gunning for.... Thanks for looking, Bruce
Hello all... had to get this part going...can't get the track down until the fascia gets 'up'...so...put the extra layers of foam on the new extension... also, wanted to show the extra 'stringer' added in the corners to assist the fascia around the curve... the extension on this side serves the same purpose the other one did..it reall gives the layout some extra 'real estate'...without crowding!...still not quite sure what I'll do with the extra space!
built 'up' the new corner.... went ahead and roughly formed the 'curve' on this corner as well...you can see the added diagonal stringer/support for the fascia...
received a 50' section of the older style Rix overpass in the last order...wanted to use it to help visualize an idea i have for the foreground hwy bridge and road... i think it will work... so...have to order 4 more sections! thanks for looking! Bruce
Hello all... at some point this weekend, between work and Mardi Gras, I'd like to trial fit the fascia.... I'm going to cut the hardboard (1/8") to a height of 9 inches for the end cap segment, 4 inches for the 'wall' side, and 6 inches for the 'room' side... I figure it will be easier to do the work I need to do, if I divide it into 3 seperate pieces (optimally, I'd love to apply it in one continuous strip, but, since I plan to wood putty and fill the countersunk screw attatchments, once it's fixed permanently, I can wood putty and sand the two seams that three pieces will create). I say 'trial fit' because I'll fit and temporarily attach the fascia, trace, on the inside, the land contours that have already been created, then remove the fascia and cut away the excess. Then, I can permanently screw and glue the fascia to the stringers I added to the frame. I'll probably add a couple of cleats at points where the seperate pieces will meet, and on either side of the two bends, to provide more surface for screws...this should strengthen the fascia, and assist it in being part of the structure. The fascia is going to help support the curtain system I'm adding to the layout...serving two purposes-hiding the legs and storage underneath (a lot of room underneath-track level is about 54")-and assist the layout being integral with the room's flavor and decor (the curtains will be sewn from a Southwest/Native material) I had a chance to smooth the foam edges in anticipation of this...I haven't had to be that precise when building up layers of foam because I needed to do this step anyway... a simple surform rasp-my least favorite foam sculpting tool-the messiest- but a necessary tool, none the less...other than an industrial strength hot wire bow cutter and metal straight edge, it's the quickest, cheapest way to get a 'planed' edge on foam, although it's leaves a rough edge (no matter-the edges here will be hidden by fascia)
Put the fascia on the layout... this is my first fascia experience and the only advice I have after doing it is-try to have a helper, if at all possible-or, grow another arm! I used 1/8" hardboard, pretty simple to use... ...and I decided to screw the fascia in place, THEN contour it with a jigsaw...this was much easier than I had imagined it woild be. and, of course, was possible because I installed the fascia before any real scenery is done-I would really recommend this method. I countersunk the screws as best I could without punching them completely through the hardboard-after wood putty and sanding (I need to 'back' two seams and putty these as well) I can start laying track. I'm not going to paint the fascia until I have added everything I'll find that I need to add (cutouts for control panels, etc) Thanks for looking, Bruce
I KNEW I had some wood putty! (I had used some when redecorating the wooden staircase)... so I brought it upstairs and went to work on the fascia...it's a particularly noxious formula, but it's heavy-duty so I'm anxious to see the results. I'll wait a couple of days before sanding. I still need to trim the bottom of the fascia in a couple of locations, even thought he bottom edge won't be visible. Since the layout will sit high (the track level is at 54 inches) I'm adding a decorative skirting around the layout in the form of 'curtains' in a Southwest Native color and pattern. At this point in the planning, the fascia will be painted in a darker Terra Cotta color...remember, I want to layout to contribute to the room decor, at least in color and style. Also, having the curtain/skirt allows me to store items under the layout, as in the pics here. I have a rolling cart with all my 'at hand' tools...hot-wire tools, compressor, drill, jigsaw, etc... Also, you can see my little mesa prop set on top of the layout-I use this to help me visualize what the larger, main mesa will look like... Thanks, Bruce
THIS part (sanding the putty-filled screw holes) actually took a little longer than anticipated (I've been told I'm too anal to be a good contractor-I want to build it perfectly, and get miffed if everything doesn't look just right)...I sanded and sanded, until i can rub my finger along the hardboard and not feel a blemish or bump....I'm sure it'll payoff when it's time to paint... I'm actually going to attatch the curtain/drapery with velcro....velco stripping glued along the bottom edge, all the way around the layout...then a finished/gathered curtain, sewn to velcro strips...this way, I'll be able to store under the layout and keep the room neat. The search is on for curtain material-a quick visit to Hancock Fabrics didn't yield any paydirt ( Southwestern-y-New Mexico-style fabric)...I may have to search online...looking for Navajo-style patterns...earthtones, maybe some turquoise accents...etc hunting down the panels I'll need for the two throttles -A and B. I want a plug-in panel for each throttle on each of the two long sides...so, once i get those I can drill and open for those panels, then paint... Also, still haven't figured out, exactly, how I'm going to mount a control panel...I don't want it 'IN' the Fascia...somehow attatched to the bottom and projecting out over the curtain without interfering with it... another benefit of adding the stringer/fascia support, besides adding the extra room for a larger radius, is being ablt to mount hidden speakers behind the fascia..I definitelt want to include some type of 'off board' sound... Sincerely, Bruce
