Should I Use Sculptamold or Something Else?

[Kisatchie]

I'm trying to decide what scenery material I should use to make steep slopes down the edge of 2" pink foam to 0" elevation. Also, I'm installing several Kato double truss bridges on the layout (when I get around to actually building it), and I'll need about 1/2" filler where the bridge ends and regular ballasted track starts over the Kato abutments.

I've read rave reviews about Sculptamold as well as some bad ones. Not sure what else there is to use, but I definitely don't want to use straight plaster of paris. Any suggestions?


Hmm... not a clue...

[MichaelWinicki]

Luv using Sculptamold...

-It's relatively lightweight
-It's easily mixed
-You can make as small a batch as you want
-It covers nicely
-It yields a slightly rough texture which to my eye appears realistic
-It takes paint very well

I applied it both directly over-top of my styrofoam base and over a combination of balled-up newspapers/layer of newspapers:

[Chris333]

I love the stuff!

Used it around these rubber rocks:


Painted

[Kisatchie]

Thanks for the thumbs up, guys. I just went and ordered a 3 pound bag from M.B. Klein.


Hmm... nobody ever
orders a 3 pound bag
of bananas for me...

[MichaelWinicki]

Thanks for the thumbs up, guys. I just went and ordered a 3 pound bag from M.B. Klein.


Hmm... nobody ever
orders a 3 pound bag
of bananas for me...

You won't regret.

Just start off with small batches.

I think that's where folks get into trouble... They make too large of a batch at a time.

As far as consistency goes– When it's like cottage-cheese, it's ready to apply!

Just give it ample time to dry... As it dries it will change color slightly, but enough so that you can tell if parts are still wet.

[Dave V]

Love Sculptamold...  As @MichaelWinicki says, do a little at a time.

[Chris333]

I gotta add that my favorite mixing and spreading tool is an old butter knife.

[Brian M]

I've found it is very handy for various applications.  You can mix it a little on the "dry" side, which makes it tacky, and good for applying to slopes.  You can also mix it a little more wet, which can help in getting it into a tight spot that needs some filler.  And I've also gotten it quite smooth by letting it dry a little and then smoothing out any lumps with wet fingers.  It is a good material to have available.

-Brian.

[basementcalling]

I like how it stays workable and the texture, but hate the way it takes paint. Never had any luck getting it to match hydrocal or cast plaster rock faces when blending with it.

I switched to Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty - available at your local big box improvement store - and never looked back.

Sculptamold is a good product that works well for 99.9% of people who use it, but not me. Wonder if my skin oils or something react to it because I can't color it worth a damn.

[davefoxx]

Sculptamold is a good product that works well for 99.9% of people who use it, but not me.

I wasn't going to add to this thread, because, as Peter pointed out, Sculptamold works fine for 99.9% of the people who use it.  But, I'll add that I'm in the minority, too.  I use Lightweight Spackling, which works well with foam, dries to the consistency of foam, is much lighter than most plaster products, and comes pre-mixed.  I use what I need and then seal the container.  There's no waste or significant clean-up, other than wiping the putty knife off.

Hope this helps,
DFF

[MichaelWinicki]

I like how it stays workable and the texture, but hate the way it takes paint. Never had any luck getting it to match hydrocal or cast plaster rock faces when blending with it.

I switched to Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty - available at your local big box improvement store - and never looked back.

Sculptamold is a good product that works well for 99.9% of people who use it, but not me. Wonder if my skin oils or something react to it because I can't color it worth a damn.

Sounds like you tried coloring it as you mixed it Peter?

Never went that route... Just mixed it without coloring it.

Then just painted it after or stained it to get it to match if need be.  For much of my layout turf is covering the Sculptamold.

[basementcalling]

Sounds like you tried coloring it as you mixed it Peter?

Never went that route... Just mixed it without coloring it.

Then just painted it after or stained it to get it to match if need be.  For much of my layout turf is covering the Sculptamold.

Tried both pre tint and washes after curing, Michael. I will use it to fill in places where the color won't be seen, but my attempts at washes and such after the fact looked like a chicken used a brush, and sprayed on was not better. Pre  coloring is harder to match an existing color because the tint changes shades as it dries.

As I said though, it works great for 99.9% of folks. OK, adjusted to 99.8% now knowing that Dave also doesn't play well wit sculptamold.

[Tom L]

I  sometimes make a ground goop sort of thing using mostly Sculptamold with  Durhams water putty mixed together, maybe like 2/3rds Sculptamold and 1/3rd Durhams.  I played around with added unsanded grout as well, for more texture, but not sure it adds much to the mix.  I like to color it when I mix it up, so any chipping doesn't show up as white. I use small amounts of cement coloring, the stuff that you can get at Home Depot or Lowes for tinting cement.  It comes in a few earthy type colors and one drop goes a long way. 

I don't use this as rock faces but for a "dirt" covering of styrofoam base.  I have also mixed it really wet and brushed in on around track to get a sunken into the dirt look, you might have to pick out the bigger fibre lumps for this.  You can then sprinkle ground foam onto it while wet for a sparse vegetation look. I've wondered if running the scuptamold through some sort of grinder, like a small coffee bean grinder, would cut up the  larger fibre lumps for a finer texture. Haven't tried it though.

I model an area that has alot yellowish limestone out croppings, and for this,  100% Durhams water putty is great, the color is about right if you tone it down with weathering.

Tom L

[wm3798]

Another vote for Sculptamold.  I take those big cheap bottles of craft acrylic, such as Nutmeg Brown or Burnt Sienna, to blend into the wet mix.  It gives you chip-proof scenery (no white scars such as around freshly planted trees, etc.) and allows you to sprinkle some ground foam or other scenery materials right on while it's wet.



I use foam as a base, and you can wad up paper towels or scraps of newspaper to fill in larger voids.  You can't do that as effectively with plaster or spackling, which shrinks as it dries and cracks, requiring additional coats.

Also, don't bother paying postage to Klein's.  You should be able to find the big bags at your local craft store, such as AC Moore, Ben Franklin or Michaels.

Lee

[davefoxx]

I use foam as a base, and you can wad up paper towels or scraps of newspaper to fill in larger voids.  You can't do that as effectively with plaster or spackling, which shrinks as it dries and cracks, requiring additional coats.

Lightweight spackling does not shrink and crack like joint compound does.  It also dries to the consistency of foam, so it's not brittle like dried joint compound, either.

DFF