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hunter48820
Fireman
6029 Posts |
 Posted - 06/20/2009 : 1:20:13 PM
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Hi Rick,
What do you use for getting the areas next to and around the tracks so flat? I try to sprinkle the ground cover on the flat areas but it never looks as nice as what you have done. I usually have to use a brush or other tool to smooth it out. When you add the ground cover, do you spread the glue first and then sprinkle the cover? If not, exactly how do you apply the ground cover? Do you use a pre-wetting agent like alcohol? Look forward to another tutorial!! Thanks in advance!
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Best, Andy Keeney
Look out for #1, but don't step in #2! |
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Carrie Creek
Crew Chief
USA
984 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2009 : 7:15:31 PM
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Those trees look awfully great to me, Rick. I think that if one was to build up the trunk with putty or clay you would have a foreground tree. But then the time involved would increase.
Your layout is looking great. Your single major industry concept is intriguing to say the least.
Phil |
Phil
POR (press on regardless) |
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Harsco
Fireman
USA
1107 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2009 : 06:48:26 AM
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Thanks Phil....I suspect you're right about the putty; I'll have to try one or two to see how it works out. Andy: there's no special technique involved; in fact I sprinkle the ballast and ground cover directly onto the raw, unpaintd Homosote using an ordinary plastic Dixie-type bathroom cup (don't tell Mrs Harsco). The sprinkling method is nothing more than either tapping the cup with a finger or gently swinging it back and forth to cover a wider/longer area.
I use denatured alcohol as a wetting agent delivered via a used eye glass cleaner pump bottle (the spray is very fine)and a 60/40 water-white glue mix. The initial "pass" as you see in the pictures is very thin - just barely covering the Homosote since I figure to go back and add more foliage and texture later when the mood strikes. |
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hunter48820
Fireman
6029 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2009 : 08:33:40 AM
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| Thanks Rick, it sounds like you and I are doing basically the same thing. I'll just have to concentrate on layout the ground cover a little more smoothly! |
Best, Andy Keeney
Look out for #1, but don't step in #2! |
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akimmons
Fireman
USA
1354 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 10:38:39 AM
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Hi Rick,
It was great to meet you last night and see the Harsco in person. The big steel mill and related structures are very impressive! I enjoyed talking trains and trading ideas. I'm looking forward to following your progress. Let me know the next time you're operating and I'll try to stop by.
PS: thanks for the "dirt." |
Arnold Kimmons
General Manager
Royal & Edisto Railroad
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19182 |
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hunter48820
Fireman
6029 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 11:24:37 AM
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Dirt, DIRT, I want some dirt!![:-eyebrows] So tell us, just what kinda dirt is this??
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Best, Andy Keeney
Look out for #1, but don't step in #2! |
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Harsco
Fireman
USA
1107 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 09:35:08 AM
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Thanks Arnold....I'm looking forward to experiencing some of the renowned RnE hospitality in the near future! Andy: one of our many discussions that evening focused on ground covering, ie: dirt. I was lamenting how much work it is to sift regular ole backyard variety dirt so that there's no basketball sized chunks. Arnold mentioned grout, which I have been using for cinders and asphalt; in his case, he uses it directly as "dirt". Since the RnE resides in the South Carolina coastland, he requires a lighter, sandier shade than what I need for Central Pennsylvania. Like me, he tried sifting sand, but the granules are simply too huge. We compared notes and I showed him a shade of grout that was entirely too light for me but apparently great for his application...hence the reference. What I can't recall at the moment is the exact shade of grout I gave him...it looks very much like sand.
Based on our discussion, I'm going to experiment with a shade called "Mocha", which is a very light tan by applying it next to a regular dirt section to see how it fares. One thing about the grout: it is VERY fine, which should make it an excellent choice....I'm very happy with the Midnight Black shade for yard cinders. |
Edited by - Harsco on 07/02/2009 09:39:57 AM |
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akimmons
Fireman
USA
1354 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 09:40:10 AM
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Sorry to disappoint, Andy. I know you were expecting something far more nefarious than grout. We're pretty boring here in Jersey, except for Mark, of course!
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Arnold Kimmons
General Manager
Royal & Edisto Railroad
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19182 |
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Harsco
Fireman
USA
1107 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 09:46:05 AM
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| Just a quick follow up: one of the things I've noticed using regular dirt is that it dries much darker than it was before being glued; while not necessarily a bad thing, I did want the option of having lighter shades too....which the grout can do. I also plan on trying grount OVER the existing dirt to see how that comes out... |
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hunter48820
Fireman
6029 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 11:28:54 AM
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Hi Rick and Arnold,
Great subject!! This is something that I've been trying to figure out for sometime now and different people referencing grout has caught my interest. I used a brown grout for the ceramic tile that I laid a year or so ago and I actually took a bag of it down to the layout room but not sure if I ever experimented with it. Rick, I'm also going to get some of the black grout for my engine facilities!! If you guys would post some pics of your work as you do it, it would be greatly appreciated. I'l1 plan on doing the same!! |
Best, Andy Keeney
Look out for #1, but don't step in #2! |
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Harsco
Fireman
USA
1107 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 2:52:55 PM
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| Andy: See page 41 for the pictures of the Midnight Black and Raven dark gray grout being used in the Maclay Street Yard....I also used the Raven color to model an asphalt road near the Forge Shop.... |
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hunter48820
Fireman
6029 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 7:25:43 PM
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Hi Rick,
Those colors look very nice. Do you know what the namebrand is of the grout you used? I wonder if the color varies between manufacturers?
Thanks again!
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Best, Andy Keeney
Look out for #1, but don't step in #2! |
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9329 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 10:48:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by akimmons
Sorry to disappoint, Andy. I know you were expecting something far more nefarious than grout. We're pretty boring here in Jersey, except for Mark, of course!
[:-bigeyes] Now wait a minute Arnold, I can be boring too!
As for the grout, I must say that I am very impressed with the grout Rick and Arnold have used. From what I've seen on Rick's layout, it's applications are endless. It makes for great cinders due to the size, and mixing the various shades makes it suitable for so many applications. Rick's asphalt roads look better than any I've seen. I will be using this technique on my layout. |
Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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hunter48820
Fireman
6029 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2009 : 07:43:56 AM
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Hi Rick (or Mark),
Without looking back through your many entries, have you given a synopsis of how you made your asphalt road using the black grout? If not, it would be interesting. I'm interested in the process such as, after applying the grout, do you roll it to give it a smoother finish or just spread the grout and glue it down?
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Best, Andy Keeney
Look out for #1, but don't step in #2! |
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9329 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2009 : 12:00:45 PM
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| I can't take any credit for Rick's scenery work Andy. He is definitely the master at scenery and I'm learning from him on this one. But I will say his asphalt roads are the best I've seen. The whole grout thing is amazing and works well is so many ways. I think Rick needs to do one of his fabulous step by step tutorials on making roads! |
Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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Harrisburg Terminal Railroad (HTRR)
