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Making a Base for Pouring Realistic Water

Ernie models HO scale and asks readers:

“What’s the best way to use Realistic Water?  I’ve tested it by pouring a small amount on course and fine styrofoam and even acrylic painted the bottom and it ate right through it. I tried a thin layer of plaster but that didn’t work either.”

2 Responses to Making a Base for Pouring Realistic Water

  • steven neely says:

    You need to have a non porous surface to pour into or on , I had the same experience and wasted the better part of a bottle learning how to use it .
    Different things I did trying that worked , , sprayed several as in 5 or 6 coats of clear enamel and sealing the sides with hot glue ,
    plastic sheets or cups , , I’ve used the plastic from blister packs , ,
    do a test pour with water to make sure you don’t have any leaks before pouring you modeling water ,
    I recently tried ” Magic Water ” and liked it , they give a lot of good advice on using it ,
    My most recent use I cut a hole into my platform and pressed a piece of screen into it then double lined it with a plastic wrap and poured the Magic Water into it , after it cured I was able to remove it from the mold and set it into the layout , the plastic wrap peeled off with out any problem
    Steve

  • steven neely says:

    something else I’ve done as an added detail to water scenes ; showing run off or over flow from a pond or spring is used a clear nail polish , painting multiple coats to show small puddles and wet areas
    the picture shows a pond that’s done on a piece of plastic , hot glue around the edges to hold the water in , and a small stream that’s come over the hill behind the tracks , also some wet areas beside the tracks , the small stream was done by painting nail polish to seal the styrofoam and then magic water , with the magic water which has to be mixed , I put the unused water in the refrigerator for several days to slow it from setting , and poured it over several days , it worked out well for me , I wish the picture showed it better
    Steve

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