Lightweight Spackle

[BCR751]

Do you have a Home Hardware in town? They have a lightweight spackle under their house brand "Beauti-Tone":

Nope, don't have one of those either

Doug

[tom mann]

So maybe I'm not getting it, but why is this better than Sculptamold?  Spackle has a tendency to crack when applied thickly.  I can see it working if your foam is perfectly contoured, but the cool thing about Scuptamold is that it can be built up to cover imperfections. 

[C855B]

So maybe I'm not getting it, but why is this better than Sculptamold?  ...

Same question here. Other than "more readily available", that is.

MRRs have a long history of co-opting generic building materials for modeling media and then swearing by it, so why should this be any different? 

[DKS]

I confess spackle (lightweight or otherwise) would not be a terrain material of choice for me. It's a bit on the soft side when set, tends to crack when thick, and is a mess to tint (I always tint scenery materials). Sculptamold is my go-to terrain product, although I know some folks don't like the texture--but it's quite easy to give it a much smoother finish just by rubbing the surface with your fingers before it's completely set. It's harder than plaster, and it can be drilled, carved and formed in ways spackle can't. But... different strokes, y'know...

[wazzou]

I can't speak for others, however I use both Sculptamold and Lightweight Spackle.  As far as the spackle is concerned, I use it primarily to cover and smooth seams in foam prior to further development.
I also use the spackle to make roads and other asphalt areas.  I like it because you can smooth it with a damp sponge or fine sandpaper.  I have easily tinted it with drops of India Ink.  I mainly use Sculptamold for landforming and to blend rocks into terrain.   To each their own, right?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I use it to give my styrene roads some texture.

[davefoxx]

Now that I have tried 2" foam sheets and lightweight spackle, I can't imagine going back to plaster.  Not only do I not have to mix up a batch each time I go building scenery, but the excess is put back into the jug and ready for the next session.  No waste.  Nor is there a risk of clogging the drain when I clean my putty knives and other scenery tools.

Here's a perfect example of not only how lightweight spackle can be sculpted, but also cut, modified, and repatched.  These hills were formed before the trestle was built.  Later, I cut into the hillside, placed the abutments, and reformed the hills to "plant" the trestle:


If you look close to the left of the bent that is just left of the track, you'll see a ditch that I made that goes between those two bents.  Sculpting like this with lightweight spackle is easy.

Oh, and a tip for you guys that want to buy lightweight spackle for the first time: You'll know you have the correct product, if it's ridiculously light when you pick it up.  If the container is heavy for its size, then you picked up regular spackle.  Keep looking.

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I used regular spackle on my shelf. It's, well, heavy.

I was afraid, however, that the lightweight stuff was light because of air mixed into it, and that the bubbles would create a texture I didn't want.

Does that turn out to be the case?

[davefoxx]

I used regular spackle on my shelf. It's, well, heavy.

I was afraid, however, that the lightweight stuff was light because of air mixed into it, and that the bubbles would create a texture I didn't want.

Does that turn out to be the case?

Nope, it takes on the same consistency as the 2" foam after it dries and can be carved or sanded just the same as foam.  There's no perceptible bubbles.

DFF

[M.C. Fujiwara]

I have used lightweight spackle on every model railroad project from my Mt. Coffin & Columbia River through every Free-moN module I've made / scenicked through the HO layout I'm making now.

NEVER had an issue cracking.
From applied as-is to the thinned-with-water-&-craftpaint "concrete".
In fact, I like using it because it has some "ply" to it.

Only issue has been initial layer of said "concrete" was to "frothy" and, when settled, didn't cover the ties well enough.
Second batch did fine.

Lightweight spackle = double-plus good.

[mmyers]

Actually, lightweight spackle does have more air. Its light weight comes from the use of micro sized spheres instead of a dense solid powder. The spheres (full of air) are what makes it light weight. never tried it on scenery but use it a lot finishing 1/1 houses. Need to try it out.

Martin Myers

[JMaurer1]

We've (our train club) and I have used it forever and it works GREAT (especially when working with foam). Dries hard and never had a crack, no matter how think it was piled on. Woodland Scenics actually sells 'Foam Putty' which (or so I have heard) is just lightweight spackle. Even since then, we have just bought the stuff direct from our local big box hardware store. I would never even think about using anything else ever again. Give me foam and spackle and I'll give you the world (in N scale).

[BCR751]

Well, that's the end of it for me.  DAP lightweight spackle is not available in Canada. Have to stick with the vinyl stuff (no pun intended)

Doug

[wcfn100]

Well, that's the end of it for me.  DAP lightweight spackle is not available in Canada. Have to stick with the vinyl stuff (no pun intended)

Doug

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/dap-fast-n-final-lightweight-spackling-473ml/6000124060468

Should be the same thing?  I don't know your postal code but it's listed in stock a several locations.


Jason

[rsn48]

Doug where do you live?