Killashandra - Irish Nn3

[Dave V]

Take this advice or leave it...  Every model railroader gets frustrated now and then.  I've lost my temper more than once when things didn't go my way.  But in the end the hobby should give you more joy than stress.  If that ratio is reversed, you need either to reexamine your approach to the hobby or consider another hobby.  You don't need to be perfect and neither do your projects.  Failing at one aspect of one attempt at one project doesn't mean personal failure or failure at everything.  Take a break and come back again when your mind is back in the right place.  I don't know you personally, but your online persona is one of someone who is entirely too hard on himself.  Don't beat yourself up.  No one becomes a @Chris333 or a DKS overnight.  You can aspire for better while accepting that of which you're capable now.  Most importantly, don't get too used to giving up...it becomes a hard habit to break later on in life.

Free advice from someone who has mentored countless young adults.   

[Chris333]

It would at least be nice if products said how high they tend to creep. If I only want a 3/32nds" deep river, am I going to have the same amount of creep up the banks? If I do a 1/32nd" pour and it results in an additional 1/32nd" of creep, if I then make another 1/32nd" pour will the second pour creep up another 1/32nd or will it stop at the height of the creep from the first layer? If the second layer also creeps up an additional 1/32nd", can I make a 1/64th" pour that will only creep up to the height of the creep from the second pour?

This was just brushed on Gloss medium gel. Maybe like 6 layers.
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/NScale#5199964400167364066
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/NScale#5199964447412004338
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/NScale#5199964477476775426

I didn't see any creep at all, but you don't just pour and walk away. You brush it and form your banks with the brush. It is white at first then dries clear.

[VonRyan]

I had meant to post this once the re-scenicing was done, but I suppose now is ok too.

I took the suggestion of @Chris333 and decided to turn the corner adjacent to the river into a sheep pasture, so for the close-cut grass of the pasture I put down some blended turf. The exposed areas will get static grass, plus a few little spots in the pasture.

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[davefoxx]

Cody,

First, the layout is more than presentable as it is.  Most layouts never get finished, so no one is going to accost you for presenting an unfinished layout.  Besides, it shows some of your construction techniques, and it will give you something to talk about, i.e., your plans to install the river and repair the banks.  Who knows, maybe someone at the show will give you some new ideas or techniques to try.

Second, we've gone over this.  Gel Gloss will not creep.  It only goes where you paint it.  But, my recommendation is not to put over a detailed bottom, because Gel Gloss will not necessarily smooth over the bottom like Envirotex would.  But, a smooth painted river bed will look great underneath the Gel Gloss.  I'm really not sure why you're so obsessed with creeping water products, like Envirotex.  All you need to do once the "water" dries is go back in with your scenery materials, e.g., ground foam or dirt, to hide the creep.  It's not that hard.

DFF

[nuno81291]

I second the idea of the harbor freight fly swatter applicator-- mine works as good as my pals Noch unit (that plugs in...) I built mine in 30 minutes and was practicing the use within the first night... The only issue is in my experience you need to get your grounding pin pretty close to the work you want to impart the charge on- my grass stand proud and tall and I would put it against any higher power unit any day of the week-- sometimes it's not about the tool-medium and there are multiple ways to arrive at the same goal.

Also if you want any detail of that stream bed to be visible just go ahead and get some envirotex! (Or the equivalent sold at Home Depot is what I used) .

And big + to Dr. V; I have been modeling "seriously" for 4 years now and while the quality of my work has vastly improved- I have nothing on someone like Mike Confalone who has been doing it for 30+...the skills come
With time and those around you see with the best skills were not afraid to keep carrying on and messing up- you develop your skills through trial and error and earnest reflection. You seem like maybe taking a small step back for a breather may breathe some new life into the project-- it shouldn't all be frustration! The layout looks
Good and there are many reasonable things suggested that could bring it forward- if you want to see some work that deserves a landfill look at my first few cracks at layouts- all dead, all dead...

Go get a scrap piece of foam, make yourself a $10 fly swatter and get to it! Oh and Watch out for the sparks; startled me before I developed a good balance of closeness to the area you are working on and distance from your grounding nail

[peteski]

Friend of mine used Enviortex on his layout and of course it crept up. He simply used brushable Dullcote, from the glass bottles, not spray can ( I think this trick was already mentioned here earlier). It worked well.

If you want the static grass to come down rught to the edge of the water, leave the stream's edge bare, pour the Envirotex, then when it sets, apply glue right over it and apply static grass. No creep.

[VonRyan]

I tried the applicator again on a piece of foamcore board yesterday before I left for classes, this morning I blew all the loose stuff away and it appears that it had a reasonable success rate.
When I tried it on the layout just now, not so much. Not as thick of a coverage as on the foamcore board, and all of a sudden it started going "Zzzzzzzzzzzz" and making little crackling noises. At first I thought my solder connections in the new socket for the power supply were touching, but that proved false. Then I thought that perhaps I had nicked the lead wires to the ion generator one too many times when I was filing the casing away to fit it into the aluminum flashlight handle, so I slipped a piece of cardstock between the lead wires and the generator, but it still makes the noise when I turn it on, and I can feel a tingle in the hand that is holds applicator. I did get a few little zaps, but I was nowhere near the grounding pin (plus the grounding aligator clip has a rubber cover over it) and I can't find anything that could be shorting...

[VonRyan]

I should also mention that yesterday's test was performed while the applicator was still in pieces. The power was connected only with clip-leads, and the screen-bowl-container-thing wasn't glued onto the aluminum flashlight handle.
It seems that the biggest problems occur when things are together...

All my internal solder joints are either covered in heat-shrink tubing, except the solder joints for the power socket which are bare, but are inside the screw-cover-housing-thing.

[Scottl]

The aluminum body worries me, especially when if the energized screen is secured to it.  You could be getting the charge through your hand.

[VonRyan]

The aluminum body worries me, especially when if the energized screen is secured to it.  You could be getting the charge through your hand.

The energized screen is only attached to the plastic lid of the plastic 4oz container that is held to the aluminum handle by epoxy, and the screen is of course wired into the generator.

I suppose I'll have to break the epoxy bond once more and take everything out of the housing and do another bench test.

[Philip H]

Dude you have he generator inside he aluminum body correct? Even without a wire nick to leak voltage the generator is going to zap you holding it. It's metal. Metal and electricity don't mix. My guess is the aluminum body is bleeding enough voltage somehow in a way that makes it not work since it worked outside the metal body. Go get a one dollar cheapy plastic flash light and reassemble it. I bet your problem resolves itself.

[VonRyan]

Dude you have he generator inside he aluminum body correct? Even without a wire nick to leak voltage the generator is going to zap you holding it. It's metal. Metal and electricity don't mix. My guess is the aluminum body is bleeding enough voltage somehow in a way that makes it not work since it worked outside the metal body. Go get a one dollar cheapy plastic flash light and reassemble it. I bet your problem resolves itself.

Only thing is... The generator was still inside the aluminum flashlight housing when I did the bench test, and all my inspections show nothing electrical contacting the aluminum flashlight body. My mind is thoroughly boggled.

[peteski]

When the generator is working properly, nine thousand volts can find some unexpected paths to travel.  I suspect that most commercial static grass applicators use 1000-3000V.  Even then, special care needs to be used to handle high voltages.

[Dave V]

When the generator is working properly, nine thousand volts can find some unexpected paths to travel.  I suspect that most commercial static grass applicators use 1000-3000V.  Even then, special care needs to be used to handle high voltages.

I share @peteski's and @Philip H's concerns over the safety of having a metal body on this device.  Please be safe.

[davefoxx]

I share @peteski's and @Philip H's concerns over the safety of having a metal body on this device.  Please be safe.

I agree with Powdered Toast Man, but I'll admit that I like his forum name of Dr. Hotballz better. 

DFF