So Saturday morning saw another great start to the day in Brisbane. So after a quick OJ and Bacon & Egg Muffin, it was down to the club. I was first down there so I got to have my first coffee of the day in peace and quiet... hummmmmm - nice.
Then it was into it. I decided to continue on with the landscaping of the left hand end of the main fiddle yard. Wednesday saw the foam carved and a coating of gap filler over them. So today I made up my "putty" out of the gap filler, a bit of paint for colour and a pile of vermiculite. Once I had used some Liquid Nails to glue the foam down on the layout, I was able to use my putty to fill any gaps, holes or areas than needed smoothing over. I also filleted the foam into place to make a more natural integration with the ground.
After the foam was down, and the putty skinned over, I got out some 50/50 water/white glue mix and brushed it over the foam. Then I got out a faintly redish dirt I had kicking around that looks to have been gotten from a natural drain up around the shale areas nearby. It really suit well, so I must relocate my source and grab a 20 litre bucket of the stuff.
With the foam carving I have started to hack into it a fair bit now and it seems to be working and giving, what I think, is a really good look. A bit of grass and tufts of scrub should finish this off nicely.
Once this area is done it will make running through the base of the peninsulas a bit nicer and more complete.
While I was at my scenery building, Peter A was at the bridge area again and working away with power tools. Dave was busy with point work and continued construction of the point control systems.
Rob, (B1) , was busy on the N scale exhibition layout getting into and around the small shop complex so lighting can be added as well as our new Miller Engineering flashing sign. We reckon this scene will become even more spectacular and attracting of the crowds at the shows. So here is the before, and soon you'll see an after.
G'day PK
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me the recipe for your No More Gaps - paint - vermiculite mixture please? It looks like the sort of stuff I'm after.
Cheers
Tony
Hi Tony,
ReplyDeleteMaterials I use are Parfix 475g White Gap Filler (3 Pack at $5.75 from Bunnings), Brunnings 5L Vermiculite ($8.98 from Bunnings) and for colour I use Crafty Colour 75ml Acrylic Paint ($2.20 from Bunnings and I use various colours depending on location it is going in).
I use an old ice-cream container and squirt in a tube of gap filler, then add maybe a level teaspoon of colour, maybe a tablespoon or two of water and then mix until uniform.
Then I add in the vermiculite - maybe 500 - 600 ml volume. You then need to mix carefully. Sort of fold the vermiculite into the gap filler mix - you don't want to over mix and beat the whole thing to death, as all this does is squash the vermiculite down in size and you end up with a pre-squashed mix and hence it wont work as well for you.
Now you can adjust the components until you end up with a really lumpy oatmeal looking mix. You should be able to grab a dollop in between your fingers and it stay in that shape.
I apply it with a small artists type spatula - I use the stainless steel ones I got at Riot.
I hope to write a small article for the blog over the next weeks with pictures and better instructions.
Hope this all helps.
regards,
PK
That's great PK. Thanks very much. I want to try it instead of plaster which I think is too smooth.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Tony