Scenery Costs

[up1950s]

Lee needs white water around those rocks!

Not if its a slow lazy stream , during a prolonged dry spell in August , long after any snow melt .

[pnolan48]

I should add that most of my hardshell scenery is actually softshell--i.e, joint compound. I bought a five-gallon tub of it when I started in 2002. I probably have 3 gallons left. I think it cost less than $20. I use a tape web to make hills--lots of cheap 1-inch masking tape. Then I visit the "leftovers and returns" pile at Home Depot--I got a gallon of tan latex paint for $2.

[grant-sar]

One way to keep the cost of scenery down is to keep your benchwork narrow - lessening the amount of scenery that needs to be built.

This is the approach I took when I went to a double deck layout.  I narrowed the majority of my benchwork down to 12".  In theory I got twice the mainline run with the same scenic footprint.

All my scenery is Styrofoam WITHOUT plaster cloth over it, seems like just an added expense.  Works great and you can get some great contours using a knife and a sanding block.  Shape the styrofoam, paint it with latex and sprinkle some foam into the paint.  Go over it after and touch up any spots that need work with spray glue and more foam.  I find that ground foam goes a long way.  If your surface is prepped correctly, a good base color is put down then minimal foam is required as I think the soil should show through.  Rock molds are casting plaster applied wet directly to the foam.

I also handmake all my trees which saves significantly on scenery cost.  No sense getting carried away with scenery under a forest, just detail in about an inch.

[wm3798]

The kid in the innertube is a great idea.  I used to do that myself quite a bit.  There would be two kids, though, and a third tube with a cooler in it tethered to one of them....  Only this wouldn't be the best place... that part of the river is right next to the paper mill spillway...  You wouldn't have to file off the bottom of the kid... it would dissolve on it's own!

Now all this talk about hardshell and soft shell is making me hungry... Now where's my Old Bay?

Lee

[oakcreekco]

I've been using foam for years, and I cover it with a light coat of Sculptamold.

I fell in love with that stuff. I've found out that I can "color" it with various "earth tone" washes, and then use a lot less "ground foam", etc because the "base" can look so real.

Maybe I really like this stuff cuz it reminds me of oat meal..........mmmmm

[wm3798]

I'm using the same method.  Stack up some foam, stuff the cracks with newspaper, and "frost" it with Sculptamold.  I blend in cheap craft acrylics to dye it to a light earth tone, then apply several washes of darker browns, blacks and greens to finish it, then apply a coat of ground foam while the paint's still wet.

For track bed, I use a base of 1/4" luaun plywood with a 3/4 layer of foam on top, formed in the traditional "cookie cutter" fashion.  I then can set my grades, stack up the surrounding terrain, and blend it all together.  I used to get scraps of luaun from a local flooring dealer. 

Lee

[Mark5]

to echo some of the sentiments, I'm glad that I only have a small room to work with now. This gladness is in direct conflict with my desire for a  basement filling layout with scale miles upon scale miles of mainline track.

But as I have gone crazy with automobile projects in the past 7 years or so, I've come to realize that there can be too much of a good thing (I had 5 project cars at one point). Now when I think about this stuff I force myself to consider the maintenance aspect - these hobbies exist for my pleasure (as opposed to me existing to serve/please my hobbies).

As Clint said once - "a man's got to know his limitations"

[oakcreekco]

Scarey Lee I've used laun for years as "subroadbed" over foam. I changed to Vinylbed years ago too, over the laun.

I like Vinylbed's subroadbed, then roadbed for the mains. I super elevate curves by building up Durams Water Putty over the subroadbed, then laying down the roadbed. At track time, just lay the track ;D

[wm3798]

No, the luaun goes on the bottom of the sandwitch.  Having the wood gives you something to screw to risers, and to mount switch machines under the table.  The foam is the top layer, and I lay the track and cork on that with liquid nails adhesive screeded out to a thin film.

Lee

[Catt]

Plaster cloth? Nah use used drier sheets and diluted white glue bought by the gallon or soupy plaster mix that you dump the sheets in before applying to the layout.

You can also buy the drier sheet (unscented) by the yard in most fabric shops.

[tmlbk]

Just came back from vacation and was surprised to find so many replies.  Good stuff!

What about all those little things that make the best layouts the best layouts?  You know, the junk on the side of the ROW, the fences, the realistic vehicles, water features, etc.  That stuff is crazy expensive!

[tom mann]

Just came back from vacation and was surprised to find so many replies.  Good stuff!

What about all those little things that make the best layouts the best layouts?  You know, the junk on the side of the ROW, the fences, the realistic vehicles, water features, etc.  That stuff is crazy expensive!

Yes, it is.  But this is the stuff that can be acquired over years and years.  Start with a few select scenes and build them up over time.

[CoalPorter]

What about all those little things that make the best layouts the best layouts?  You know, the junk on the side of the ROW, the fences, the realistic vehicles, water features, etc.  That stuff is crazy expensive!

[/color]

It look at things as either dissposable or things to keep for a lift time. These are items you list are things you can pull off and save for the "next layout" ,so I don't worry about cost so much. But again, walk the train shows and swaps and look for great deals. You'll find them. I've picked up  all kinds of CMW vehicals ,for example, used for allot less than new LHS price.
The basic layout foundation of foam, plaster, paint etc. keep the cost low and its no big hit in the wallet to dispose of, if and when you decide to scarp the layout and move on.

[wm3798]

Those details don't have to be expensive, either...  Most of what you see in these views is crap that's accumulated in the junk box over the years.  Old gears, busted sticks, unused detail parts from other kits, and things found around the house or other unexpected places...










Again, a little imagination and a well-stocked junk box...

Lee

[tmlbk]

Here's my attempt at +/- 2,500 cheap trees.  The cheap camera and flash sure show the gray polyfiber.

They were created using Walmart pillow stuffing, Reit Dye (triple strength brown/black mix), a lot of very cheap hair spray, and various combinations of Woodland Scenics and Scenic Express turfs.  They cost about $.03 each.  Each tree was completely covered with foam to avoid filling in the "cracks" between the trees.