Building the Pinnacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR


Sherrel, Yes, Scultamold with take color even after drying. I will probably go that route on the other side of the layout which will have reddish sandstone colors. More carving angles on this side I'm thinking. Color will begin transitioning at the canyon. Jim
 
Next up is a job I really don't mind doing. I used to, but these days I just accept it as a necessary evil and get on with it. Of course I'm talking about soldering.

Since I'm using predominantly sectional Code 83 track on this layout I have soldered each piece of track together. In the photo below you see a pair of feed wires soldered to the bottom of the track. I've found through the years that feeders every 8 feet or so and before and after each turnout is more than enough for DCC. Spending time soldering feeders every three feet is simply and expensive waste of time. Time better spent getting on with the job of finishing your layout. Trust me, there is no more than .01 drop in voltage in 40 feet of track from two feeders to the opposite side of the layout. You could have and 80 foot mainline with only .01 voltage drop. Not enough to be noticeable or cause running difficulties. So why do we put feeders in every 8 feet or less? I'm thinking in DCC the issue is running multiple locomotives thereby using more voltage. So, it behooves us to use more feeders. In DC feeders are necessary almost everywhere because if you use multiple locos and blocks, each block needs power and a button to turn the block off and on. All the more reason to go DCC! If you simply run trains like I do, "runner", then a full DC or DCC layout need less wiring for single locos. Again the more locos you run or think you will run in a session is the decider on feeder wire frequency. Jim:)

IMG_5807.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've got the track glued down to the foam roadbed. I use WS Foam Tack Glue. Also you can see foil on top of some Sculptamold for the rocks. You can see I've started plaster cloth on the folded paper to the left of the track. I couldn't finish because I ran out of plaster cloth!

IMG_5809.JPG

I'm going to keep using the Sculptamold product. I'm intrigued by it. Here is the test 'rocks' using the foil. I can live with these rocks. I won't use foil on all the rocks just most on this side of the layout. These 'rocks' are not colored. This is what Sculptamold looks like after 14 hours drying time. Jim:)

IMG_5811.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Aha very nice! I didn't know you could use the sculptipmold over the tin foil. Now there's two ways to do this. It looks good, I'll have to try that out too.

What I meant on mine, what I did was press the tinfoil into the sculptimold to form it, then remove it. But looks like you can layer the sculptimold over it also.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Michael and Erik, Wait, the Sculptamold is UNDER the foil. In the second photo above I've just pealed off the foil. The other foils are recently pressed on. Jim:)
 
Aha ok I couldn't really tell either. Looks great though. If I had to suggest something, maybe a little less crinkling so the rock edges are bigger.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Michael, Thanks. Actually I thought about less crinkles earlier today. I want different rock throughout this layout so I will do that for sure. Jim:)

Edit: Went into the layout room during halftime of the Colts/Titans game and took the foil off. The foil did its job and the Sculptamold was still soft enough to work with. I'll take a photo tomorrow and see if I got some the crinkles out! Jim
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Jim, there is one more technic that you may want to try.
A gentleman in a former club that I was in ... Would take 6-8 single edge razor blades - wire them together - and scrape them along the plaster face .. Making a very nice stratus layer of rock.
A very effective look where a cut was made through dirt which had rock outcroppings.

Don't know how it would work with the sculptamold?

P.S. Not too crazy about the tin foil look.
 
I'm sure you said but I can't find it so - why did you elect to move away from stucco in favor of sculptamold?
 
Sherrel, I'm with you on the foil. I haven't given up on it, but I'm having some difficulties that's for sure. If you look back through the photos here you will see that I to, use the razor techniques.

187, I love stucco. But as with all my modeling endeavors I just have to try something different the "next time." The issues I seem to have with Scultamold were not a problem with stucco. I will say one thing in Sculptamold's favor, it has the ability to be carved and reworked through its life. With stucco you better get it right before it dries. Also remember that you all have seen and learned about stucco. Time to learn a new way to do the same thing (rocks) as this is a learning and resource thread. Jim:)
 
I mentioned that I laid some track. As with most things in this hobby there many ways of 'gluing track down." In this photo you can see I'm using foam roadbed. I've soldered my feeder wires and drilled a hole for them. Next I apply a fair about of Woodland Scenics Foam Tack Glue. It is formulated for foam so I use it. In fact I use it almost exclusively for everything. Also somewhere in the closet is a bottle Aleene's tacky glue. Good stuff too and a bit cheaper the WS glue.


Once you get the track where you want it I use some pins so it doesn't shift then I use anything and everything for weight. Let dry over night for best adhesion. Remember that during ballasting water and glue have a chance to loosen your track. So I do my ballasting last so the glue has a chance to fully cure. Jim :)

IMG_5810.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here is some latest progress. I'm a firm believer in 'testing' stuff out. This can be Sculptamold or some new color. Remember everything you do can, and may have to be redone for acceptable results. In this photo you see a week of 'backbreaking' rock work and track laying. The reach is tough and I will for the most part be building 'back to front' again.

IMG_5813.JPG

I've redone the rocks almost every other day. Mainly I just cover up the previous rocks with more Sculptamold. On this section I have the rock look I want and I'm experimenting with colors. These rocks will chance consistency and color as we move to the other side of the layout.

I used foam, because it is a quieter track bed. Also, don't forget to paint your track before you lay it down. Do your soldering first then paint. Right now I'm using one of those track painting pens. Not really in love with it because the felt tip becomes frayed and you have to sharpen it with an Exacto blade. The brown coloring is Woodland Scenic's Earth Undercoat. Jim:)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top