Sculptamold, Hydrocal, Plaster of Paris?


MXD

Member
Can someone give a brief explanation as to when you would use these? I am about to embark on my first layout and I need some advice. From what I can tell, sculptamold is used mostly for terrain and hydrocal is mostly for molds?

Also, my local craft stores don't carry sculptamold and all of them tell me that Celluclay is the same stuff. Is this true?
 
Link to help, maybe :confused:
Actually I haven't used either of them. I use Plaster of Paris for molding rock etc. Crack filler spread over gauze as a sub base and that's about it for me. The rest of those exotic materials are just not available around here so I make do with what I can get. One thing to keep in mind, just because the experts use and recommend a material, it's not the only way a project can be done.
:D:D:D
Cheers
Willis

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All Plaster of Paris and crack filler for gyproc
 
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I use Patching plaster & buy it at my local hardware store in 35# bags. Sells for $11.00 a bag at Ace. It drys slow. So, if you want to carve it you have time. I also crumple up heavyduty tinfoil in a cup mold & fill it w/this plaster. makes good strong boulders.
I use an aluminum screen stapled to plywood forms for my mountains, streams & hills. Also use it to make roads.
 
One thing to keep in mind, just because the experts use and recommend a material, it's not the only way a project can be done.

I agree 100%. Scenery materials are a very personal choice. Try everything you can find, then use whatever you like best.

Celluclay is NOT the same as Sculptamold. Plaster (including Hydrocal) has the smoothest texture and Celluclay is the coarsest, with Sculptamold in the middle. Having said that, I actually prefer Celluclay over cardboard strips for scenery.
 
Hydrocal is much lighter than plaster, but otherwise serves the same purpose....if weight is an issue use the hydrocal, otherwise plaster is usually cheaper. If you are doing any terrain where you are laying a shell over some sort of framework, use the hydrocal/plaster.....dip the cover material in the plaster and apply to your terrain.. If you are using foam for your basic terrain shapes, then sculptamold is what you want to fill the gaps and "sculpt" your final terrain. Sculptamold also works really well to fill in gaps in molded rock structures (made from plaster/hydrocal). Sculptamold does NOT work for making castings...at least not in my experience. Celluclay is not the same as sculptamold, but I've never tried it on my layout, so I'm not sure how it would work.
 
I like Brandt's Paper Mache. It's taxidermist grade paper mache, not your average stuff. It's extremely workable and dries rock hard and you can put plaster rock molds over it. How hard it is to get, I don't know, I had some left over from when I lived elsewhere.
 
In the 50 years that I've been in the hobby I have tried everything. Some I liked for awhile until I had to buy it new in sheets(foam core insulation, celotex ceiling tiles, plaster of paris & a few other things. I'm cheap, so, I go w/the easiest for me. Try different things or do whatever other people do on this forum. We all have our favorite ways of doing things. The more things you do the more you will learn.
 
I think the correct answer is that all have their special uses.

I used plaster in some places for highly detailed areas like cast tunnel portals, rock outcroppings, etc. Sculptamold was used for a general cover over foam base (you can smooth Sculptamold to almost glass if you work it properly, but not much is that smooth in reality!).

Don't limit yourself to just some of the choices, use as many as you want!
 
Plaster of Paris is very good for molds, but sets very fast to use for anything else. I have made many very large mountains using it, but it is a real PIA giving only a couple of minutes to get it on. It does carve well.

On my present very large "plastering project" I ask the forum for suggestions with most replying that brand name "Sheetrock", Durabond, a type of joint compound found good for plaster patching and is very good for large projects. Unfortunately, there was none to be found around here. (Do not use regular joint compound that is used on drywall. It will crack, guaranteed, if used at any thickness beyond 1/4" and with any vibration, etc. Been there!)

After becoming very frustrated, I ordered some Hydrocal online from Plaster.com at a price much cheaper in bulk than any hobby store version (even with high shipping cost). It is very strong and lightweight. I have used hydrocal before in rock molds and it is excellent, but expensive when buying in small quantities and it doesn't take to coloring as some. It does give a better set time when mixed properly.

All the names you mentioned except P of P are expensive to use in large areas. They all work well, but only you can decide what you like to work with.

If you want texture added to your "plaster", go to your lawn and garden place (Walmart) and buy a bag of Vermiculite...it is used in flower pots, etc, to hold moisture. Only use around a 1/2 cup to 3-4 cups of plaster and pre-wet it so it doesn't suck out the water of the plaster mix.;)
 
I am having good luck with sculptamold so far but I can't get it to look smooth when I need to. It's always lumpy which is fine for ground cover but sometimes I don't want that look.
 
Here's a scenery material not mentioned, Structolite. This is a base or scratch coat plaster that contains perlite. I've used almost 100 lbs on my layout. I mix it approx 4-1 with Sculptamold. It has a fairly long working time, sticks to almost anything, and dries very hard. I got mine at Home Depot, a 50 lb. bag is about $20. Smaller amounts are available at Scenic Express, 5 lb. $9.98, 20 lb. $29.98. This is for Gypsolite, basically the same product. They work well with an underlayment of plaster cloth, but I've also used it on bare wood. DJ.

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Sculptamold should finish smooth without much effort. Lumps are usually because the stuff isn't completely mixed or it needs just a tiny bit more water so it doesn't drag on the putty knife or other tool you apply it with. For me it works best when it is about somewhere between cake mix and almost melted ice cream after it is thoroughly mixed.
For ground textures I use Gyps-A-Lite which seems to be hydrocal with vermiculite* or styrofoam* flakes in it. Gives a very grainy texture.

*Thanks Grampy. It's Perlite! I knew it but couldn't remember the name.
 
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