How do you go about attaching a structure to the layout ? My thoughts were just a couple small dabs of silicone so that it is stationary enough to landscape up to ( roads or parking lots ) but if you have/want to move it you don't have to destroy it in the process .Opinions or alternatives?
attaching structures
- Thread starter jim81147
- Start date
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
I use two methods. One is to use Woodland Scenics "Scenic Accents Glue", http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/a198. It's an adhesive that is normally used for items that you may want to re-position like figures. I dab some in each corner of the underside of the structure and about an hour later I set it in place. The second method which I mostly use is not really attaching them, but positioning and stabilizing them. I mark each inside corner of the structure on my plywood base and then drill an appropriate size hole to insert a piece of a wooden toothpick into. The toothpick only needs to stick up about 1/4". This anchors the structure in place but allows removal etc., if you want to do additional detailing or clean-up in the future.
Willie
Willie
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
Magnets. Mount magnets to the layout and small steel plates in the bottom of the structure (or vice versa). The rare earth magnets will hold them really tightly. A fellow at my club does this so he can use the structure on the layout as well as on portable dioramas. I like this method for the modular units so the structures can be stowed safely as the units are transported to and stored between shows.
Red Oak & Western
Active Member
I still have half a tub of "Quake wax" we got while living in California. Its also known as "tacky" wax. Between that and the scenery around the base, structures stay in place fairly well, but then, the whole layout if fairly stationary.
jdetray
Well-Known Member
These are all good ideas, but what's the best way to make the structure look like it is actually embedded in the earth rather than simply resting on top of the layout?
One method I have read about but not yet tried is to slightly "excavate" the layout below the structure so that it sits slightly below the surface. Then wrap the structure in plastic wrap ( such as Saran Wrap), set it into the excavation, and add scenic materials around the structure. The scenic adhesive won't stick to the plastic wrap, so you'll be able to remove the structure after the adhesive dries. You are left with a depression closely surrounded by scenery material. The structure can be set into the depression which both keeps it from moving around and makes it look like the structure is growing out of the ground. Yet the structure can be easily removed.
To make the effect even better, fashion some sort of foundation that runs around the perimeter of the excavation. After all, real structures always sit on a foundation.
The object of all this work is to hide the bottom edge of the structure walls so the structure does not appear to be "perched" on top of the layout. Somewhere, on some forum, there is a "how-to" with step by step photos, but I can't find it!
- Jeff
One method I have read about but not yet tried is to slightly "excavate" the layout below the structure so that it sits slightly below the surface. Then wrap the structure in plastic wrap ( such as Saran Wrap), set it into the excavation, and add scenic materials around the structure. The scenic adhesive won't stick to the plastic wrap, so you'll be able to remove the structure after the adhesive dries. You are left with a depression closely surrounded by scenery material. The structure can be set into the depression which both keeps it from moving around and makes it look like the structure is growing out of the ground. Yet the structure can be easily removed.
To make the effect even better, fashion some sort of foundation that runs around the perimeter of the excavation. After all, real structures always sit on a foundation.
The object of all this work is to hide the bottom edge of the structure walls so the structure does not appear to be "perched" on top of the layout. Somewhere, on some forum, there is a "how-to" with step by step photos, but I can't find it!
- Jeff
montanan
Whiskey Merchant
I do not permanently mount any structures to my layout. If I have a building, say a farm house sitting in grass, I'll set the building in place and put the grass right up to the building and some white glue will usually get up the the base of the structure and can easily be removed (if it's plastic). With wood structuers the grass goes down first and the building will set on top of the grass.
In the photo below, the street are made from "for sale" signs and glued to the plywood surface. The city blocks and sidewalks also made from heavier for sale signs are then glued to the streets. The buildings are then set onto the city block which have been scribed showing the seams in the sidewalks. The sidewalks in the park area and around the residences are also glued to the streets and the buildings set on top of the grass. At some time in the future I may want to light the interiors and that would be an easy fix.
In the photo below, the street are made from "for sale" signs and glued to the plywood surface. The city blocks and sidewalks also made from heavier for sale signs are then glued to the streets. The buildings are then set onto the city block which have been scribed showing the seams in the sidewalks. The sidewalks in the park area and around the residences are also glued to the streets and the buildings set on top of the grass. At some time in the future I may want to light the interiors and that would be an easy fix.
logandsawman
Well-Known Member
Many of my buildings I just set in place. Sometimes I will use fine sifted sand/clay (dry dirt) and make a little bed then set the building in it then use an eye dropper and soak the dirt with Scenic Cement.
Ground cover material like very fine ground foam can be sprinkled on like the short packed down grass around the building.
Come to think of it, you may want to soak the area just prior to making the bed.
Ground cover material like very fine ground foam can be sprinkled on like the short packed down grass around the building.
Come to think of it, you may want to soak the area just prior to making the bed.
Greg@mnrr
Section Hand
Like others, all my buildings are set in place with scenery secured around the the base. I find that most structures need to removed for repairs, dusting additional details and other tasks so not securing the buildings akes it easy to remove the building(s). For the most part they stay in place.
The people and details are secured using Woodland Scenic's Accent cement or a non-drying hobby glue which is cheaper and works the same as Accent Cement.
Greg
The people and details are secured using Woodland Scenic's Accent cement or a non-drying hobby glue which is cheaper and works the same as Accent Cement.
Greg
Raincoat2
Well-Known Member
Willie - I like your second approach, drilling holes inside the structure base and into the plywood. I assume you don't drill all the way through the plywood, just far enough for the toothpick to set into the hole? I like this approach because it stabilizes each structure, but if you eventually move one you can easily saw off the toothpick and the hole pretty much disappears (if you need it to).
Thanks for sharing.
