As I am currently without a layout, the purpose of this build is two fold. I wanted someplace where I can display and photograph my trains for some current threads like "Do you have B&O...C&O", "show my your caboose..", to name a few. Secondly I want to be able to practice some scenery techniques I want to incorporate in my upcoming bedroom layout build.
Basically the diorama is mostly made up of materials I already had on hand. Namely, scrap plywood and particle board, 1/2 inch foam insulation board, 2x4's, etc. Although I did buy a 24x48 inch sheet of 1/8 masonite for the back drop.
My vision was an elevated track (easier for taking photos) above a wooded meandering stream. I was eager to try and make a stream using Woodlands Easy Water. The track is a stretch of reused Gargraves flex track that I've salvaged from a previous layout. The roadbed is some scrap particle board salvaged from an old computer desk. I beveled the edges 30 degrees as I cut it. Here are some shots of the initial stages of the build:
I hot glued, cardboard strips down the sides, forming a hill. Over which I will apply plaster impregnated gauze sheets to create the hillside.
I also made provisions for a retaining wall and culvert drain, to give the face of the hillside some character:
I've marked where the stream bed will go with a sharpie, scored the lines with a box cutter and gouged out the "squares" with a screw driver.
after exposing the stream bed, I used a rasp to smooth out the bottom and bevel the edges of the stream shore.
I applied the plaster sheets over the cardboard lattice. I protected the retaining wall by covering it with masking tape.
I then covered the banks of the stream will cell-u-clay (what I had on hand), although sculptamold will also work. Note the piece of bamboo that is a stand in for my culvert, I will eventually install.
Here I glued down some flat stones onto the stream bed. After all this dries I will pour Hydrtocal plaster all over the bottom of the stream to seal it in preparation for the addition of Woodland's Realistic water.
Jumping ahead...the track has been glued down, and basic scenery is in place. Now the difficult part...waiting for the glue to dry. The fan will help that along nicely.
Here I added some additional rock castings I made from simple molds of crumpled up aluminum foil. After applying the castings I painted on a layer of hyrocal and used a stiff wire brush to create the rock strata,
Meanwhile the back drop gets it initial coat of sky paint...
Here the stream bed is complete and ready for the Realistic water pour. Note the two dams added to each end of the stream to contain the "water". Also note the addition of some more vegetation along the base of the hill and the culvert has been installed...
This is just after the water has been poured. I added some Acrylic Burnt umber with a few drops of acrylic "Olive" to give the water a murky look. Looks like I've succeeded on that point.
After reading online on some of the horror stories of using Realistic water, specifically that is it doesn't dry completely, I was worried I made a mistake using this product. 48 hours after I poured it, it was still "wet" in the deeper parts of the stream. So I carefully moved the diorama outside and let it sit in the sun for a few hours. After 5 hours in the sun, the stream bed was dry to the touch, thankfully.
Now with the backdrop installed, and the installation of some cat tails in the stream, the diorama is complete.
Here is first shot of the diorama in use...
