Paper, Rock, Scissors. Making rock faces on the cheap


Fergmiester

Fergmiester

M.E.S.S. Maker
Paper, Rock, Scissors & Paint. Making rock faces on the cheap

I posted this article on the MR Forum and thought I'd share it with you. Please note a lot of the detail is lost becaus the paper hasn't been painted yet but the details do come out and if done properly looks like excavated bedrock.

So here goes:

Materials: Wedding paper (Foil one side) or heavy brown packing paper (not as crisp edges), White primer (aeresol), Low expansion insulating foam (1 can will do about 10'

Step one: Start with Halmark wrapping paper if you want a really crisp look

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Depending on what type of rock you want to simulate you can fold, crunch, hammer, step on, etc.

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Once youve stretched it back out you may want to repeat process to put more folds in it. once that's done prime it (2 coats) with a can of primer.

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Now comes the tricky part as you will now have to shpae it and put it into place and trim off the excess. WARNING! Dont's trim it too much as you will find the foam expands and the paper may shorten with bulging

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Use low expansion foam as this stuff does expand over an 8 hr period and will push out the paper. Make sure there is a void behind the paper so the foam will be allow to expand away from the paper

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Once you've erected the rock face you will need to push and prod it gently for the next several hour to keep the expansion in check.

Most importantly check your clearances for the first hour or two.

This is a photo of a previous rock face
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Fergie
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nice! Will keep this method in mind for the great WPG expansion.
 
Cool Fergie! Great minds think alike [well, sorta...] I did something vaguely similar to that on the "old" Iron Belt ~10 years ago, using spray-painted aluminum foil - didn't put much effort into it though, it was mostly an experiment with a light bulb behind the gap to resemble hot slag being dumped. Here is a link:
http://trainweb.org/ironbelt/slagdump.html

(I was just discovering the joys of graphical image editing back then...:eek:)
 
Good idea, Fergie. Thanks for the tip.
How did you attach the paper to the layout? It looks like you left the top of the paper-form open.
 
RexHea said:
Good idea, Fergie. Thanks for the tip.
How did you attach the paper to the layout? It looks like you left the top of the paper-form open.
Click to expand...

The foam will seep into the cracks and fasten it to whatever is in the vicinity. I use "T" pins, staples and tacks to keep it in place. The key is to use the foam sparingly as it will expand. You will find that you'll have to shape it over a several hour period. I finished the last face this afternoon, painted two others and hopefully will have all painting done by Sunday, though I am doubtful.

I appreciate the comments.

Fergie
 
Looks real nice Fergie. I am, however, missing a step I think. Do you fasten the paper at the top, then spray the foam behind it? Or are you spraying on the foam then pinning it to the layout? I like the look very much and wouldn't mind giving it a shot myself (If I ever get to the building part).

Glenn
 
phatpony said:
Looks real nice Fergie. I am, however, missing a step I think. Do you fasten the paper at the top, then spray the foam behind it? Or are you spraying on the foam then pinning it to the layout? I like the look very much and wouldn't mind giving it a shot myself (If I ever get to the building part).

Glenn
Click to expand...

It all depends on where you have the face set up. for the most part I apply the foam and then apply to the section where it's going and tack it in place. Today as it was a really tight spot I had to pin it up in place then come in from the back. It wasn't an ideal situation. There have been times I've tacked the bottom and hinged it down and other times I tacked on top and hinged it up. I think once you try it it becomes very apparent very quickly what route you'll take.

Fergie
 
Hi Ferg! nice how to do it clinic. Read it earlier but just getting back to it now. I'm wondering just how touchy injecting the foam under the paper is? Do you remove the paper afterwords or is it stuck to the foam?
I've been carving styrofoam for my layout as a rock base, but this looks like a great way to get away from the mess of styrofoam shavings and static cling.

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Willis
 
WIllis! Once the foam is in that's it! You'll need dynamite to seperate it from the paper.

Anyway here is some photos with paint added. Well I just finished the paint and added another section. Unfortunately until I get a tripod I have to use a flash , which I find washes out a lot of the detail. There's a lot more colour but it has been wahed out.

I've compard the colours with actual pictures of rocks in the area and it is close. The pictures show more brown then what is seen by the eye.

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Fergie
 
Thanks Fergie, post 10 pic 3 pretty well shows it all, great idea. I'm thinking about using your method for the harbour area below the mine on my layout. Your method could save me a lot of work and mess.

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Willis
 
This is a great idea! Now I know how to take care of that unfinished area I've been wondering what to do with. Thanks Fergie. First day on the site and learned alot already.
 
Ill be giving this a try, i have just come up with the idea of having vertical rock faces extending down three feet from my layout to Roberts lower level layout, i recon if i use chicken wire on a light timber frame then the foam / paper method it will be a piece of cake and the weight will be pretty low as well,,,,, Cheer's
 
fsm1000 said:
Looks good. I visited your photo site and I thought you have done a good job so far. Keep up the good work. :)
Click to expand...

Thankyou for the compliments. I'm in the process of transfering my pictures from the old Railimages accounts over to the new site so I'll be turfing some old stuff and adding new:)

Regards

Fergie
 
Fergie, that looks great! I somehow missed this thread up to now. I will have to give this a try somewhere on the SLO&W.
 
I've done cast rock on hard shell and foam rocks and found weither to be paticularly expensive. The most cost was the $15 I shelled out for the molds. But that does seem to be quick and dirty and looks good.
 
SpaceMouse said:
I've done cast rock on hard shell and foam rocks and found weither to be paticularly expensive. The most cost was the $15 I shelled out for the molds. But that does seem to be quick and dirty and looks good.
Click to expand...

I have to admit the rock casts are better looking but saying that I think once I've added trees, bushes, rock fall, and other details it will change the appearance drastically. The driving force behind this was I had areas that had curvature and were large (3' x 1') that the standard rock faces would have been more difficult to cover.

Fergie
 
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