Planting cattails and other things in Woodland Scenics realistic water

Attach them to a wire; drill matching size holes and plant them?  Then pour "water"....

Glue to base with minimal epoxy or clear silicone?

I considered both of those options but:

Woodland Scenics directions say the stuff will find any size hole and run out so I ruled out the hole drilling. The floor and sides of the marsh are sealed with something called flex paste with acrylic on top. I tried pouring a small spot in a pond area where i couldn't be sure the flex paste would cover and it did run out.

I thought about hot gluing in place one at a time but it also says to only use their Water Effects to glue things down with or risk clouding the water down the road from a chemical reaction. I shot over to Andrews shopping center and got a bottle of the stuff.

The plan is to put groups of 10 or so in 3 or 4 different spots so again the problem is how to get them to stand upright while the glue sets.

Thanks

Joe

I put in two coats of woodland's water, then drilled the necessary holes.

The drilling shreds the edges a little but when you "plant" the rushes it pushes the edges inside.

Then I add a coat or two of water again.  It runs around the rushes and seals them in place.

The extra coats also give more depth.  Keep each coat thin.

Dave

Thought that might the case.  Was also why I stated matching holes - seal with Goo/CA when planting them or even hot glue from below.

Maybe some thinner cardboard like from the back of note pads supported a bit above the "water" - cut holes in it to hold them upright like a template?

I just use an ice pick to make the hole and then glue the plant stem in with tacky glue.  Let it dry overnight to seal the hole and pour the first layer.

George Lasley

I have never used that particular product for water.  I always use/used a product found in art supply stores.  Self-leveling clear gel.  Color can be added to the gel itself, before pouring.

I pour it in several layers so it does not crack while drying, but first I make my own cattails with painted piano wire and florists foam for the top, then I use long pine needles, treated in glycerine for the foliage.  I always plant the cattails before the pour.  As I am using a pretty thick piece of pink foam as my base, there is no chance of the gel dripping through.

Don't know if this helps, but thought I would throw in.

This pic is poor light balance, but it shows the cattails planted before the pour.

Not a great picture, but you can see them just to the right of the engine.

I cannot find the pics that show after the pour.

Dave

Dacs posted:

I always use/used a product found in art supply stores.  Self-leveling clear gel. 

 

 

Interesting product.  How thick a layer do you pour at a time?  How many layers do you pour to build up a stream or lake or whatever?  Setting times?

I never pour more than 1/8" at a time.  Sometimes less. Usually the less.  More than 1/8" and it will crack as it dries.  Setting time varies with the amount of humidity in the air.   Then the pour is ruined and will have to be removed.  The cracks will never fill after that.   It pours white, but as it dries it goes clear.  When completely dried, it is totally clear.  Then the next pour can be done. 

The pour for the backwater above, was a total of 5 pours.  I would pour and just leave it to work on something else.  It's not an overnighter.  It took four days to do the five pours.  It is something you do not want to rush.

The amount of layers is actually, up to the individual.  I have used it for small back water or streams only.   As it dries clear, you can give it the appearance of depth with color or shading the base or bed before the pour.  Also, as the color is added to the gel, you can make it muddy, clear mountain stream/no color, etc...I also notice I forgot to add the word Medium to the product description.  So it's:  Self-leveling clear gel Medium.   It comes in different viscosities.  The medium, from my point of view, is the best for doing this work.

The effect is really nice!   Yes, it isn't an instant thing, but I have found that anything in this regard, slow is good!

One more note here:   This product is used by artists, to give their paintings a lot of texture.

Sure wish I could find that file!

Dave

Dacs posted:

I never pour more than 1/8" at a time.  Sometimes less. Usually the less.  More than 1/8" and it will crack as it dries.  Setting time varies with the amount of humidity in the air.   Then the pour is ruined and will have to be removed.  The cracks will never fill after that.   It pours white, but as it dries it goes clear.  When completely dried, it is totally clear.  Then the next pour can be done. 

The pour for the backwater above, was a total of 5 pours.  I would pour and just leave it to work on something else.  It's not an overnighter.  It took four days to do the five pours.  It is something you do not want to rush.

The amount of layers is actually, up to the individual.  I have used it for small back water or streams only.   As it dries clear, you can give it the appearance of depth with color or shading the base or bed before the pour.  Also, as the color is added to the gel, you can make it muddy, clear mountain stream/no color, etc...I also notice I forgot to add the word Medium to the product description.  So it's:  Self-leveling clear gel Medium.   It comes in different viscosities.  The medium, from my point of view, is the best for doing this work.

The effect is really nice!   Yes, it isn't an instant thing, but I have found that anything in this regard, slow is good!

One more note here:   This product is used by artists, to give their paintings a lot of texture.

Sure wish I could find that file!

Dave

Thank you!  Medium - good to know!