Tunnel Repair

Get the plaster cloth, just wet and lay and it dries fast and hard.

If there are some significant cracks to bridge, the plaster cloth would be what you need.  You would want to use several layers for strength.  Then, the plaster cloth's texture would not match the tunnel, so you would want to cover it with something like Sculptamold before painting.

If it is just dings and chips and nothing needing structural reinforcement, I would skip the cloth and just use Sculptamold.  If you haven't used it, you're in for a pleasant discovery.  It is a little like plaster but contains fiber: you mix it with water and it is the consistency of thick cottage cheese. You can cover the broken parts, smooth it out or leave rough, and even mold with it.  When it hardens, paint with flat latex paints.  

Sculptamold is a great layout material, and it's cheap.

Which tunnel did you get?  Post some pictures?

david

Why not put the plaster cloth on the inside, and fill the cracks with some taping compound? You could work the taping compound with your figures, it washes off.

Then touch up with a fine brush.

I have not fixed a tunnel this way, but I have worked with both plaster cloth and taping compound.

Lou's boy,

I would do this BEFORE you attempt any repairs. Be sure to include photos of damaged area(s). Proper advice can then be given. Why risk causing anymore damage?

Thank you for your suggestions.

 Once again I counted my chickens before they hatched , I had not actually received the tunnel only a few pictures and a description of someone else s.at the time I first posted

 As you can clearly see there is some structural damage as well as a missing chuck or two  , I guess any one in there right mind would send it back and hope for the best.however I really like the darn thing and would like to save it if I can.

The first for pictures sums it up the other is a over all to kind of give you a idea of the size.

 These things amaze me that they have survived it would certainly be a disposable toy today. 

Does any one have any idea of the time frame or the mfg of any of the type of tunnels like this? I have attached pictures of two other in my collection each with the same six inch Marx car for a size representation    My favorite is the mountain that is not quite a adult yet ,any one know or have his big brother.

 Thanks again for any help.

Gary Lisa and the Girls   

The thing is a 100 years old with a few chips. Leave it alone.

i have the same tunnel in very similar condition and will be interested in the outcome of this discussion. Cool tunnel I intend to put on my AF S gauge layout. 

If you really want to repair it, you could possibly try papier-mâché with strips of newspaper soaked in a flour/water paste, and build it up little by little.  The paint part is what end result you want.  To get a reasonoble realistic result, I would recommend airbrushing.  That would give you excellent results, but if your painting skills aren't at that level, then finish it the way you described with craft paints.  

Well I am glad to see there are a few others interested in trying to save Mystery Mountain, I went to the Hobby Lobby this evening and acquired a package of the plaster impregnated cloth to serve as a basis of a foundation, After talking to a person there and doing a internet search of paper machie restoration the suggestion was to use small torn up pieces of a egg carton with a warm water soak then add a little white glue to help secure the mix.

I was unable to find the fiber mix Sculptamold locally.so I may try the egg carton method separate from the tunnel first to see how it fits.If not I can acquire the Sculptamold via the internet .

 I am just a little concerned to let to much moisture come in contact with the original piece and it crumbling

 I also at Hobby Hobby found some acrylic paints that could be thinned / blended and air brushed to attempt a match color wise. I will again try this on the test egg carton mountain substitute 

 Lastly I will try to get my daughter to take some pictures to show and share the progress with any thing I learn along the way

Jim C

 Mr.Jim C, I understand your thoughts  but it is more than just a few saggy / raggy places I am sorry to report

Pick her up wrong  and it will be fit for road bed.  And a hundred years old , NAH , sixty maybe .however If I get a chance I will post a few pictures of two I have that are close to that century mark. Thanks for sharing

Gary Lisa and the Girls

After reading your response, I caught the mention of a used egg carton, (the gray pulp type), would be perfect for a repair.  You could try and take small pieces and kind of crush them, to break down the rigid stiffness, so it could be easier to try and mold.  I would do that, and combine it with papier-mâché strips to hold it onto the existing tunnel.    It doesn't have to be soaking wet, but wet enough to work it into the older part.  You will have to play with, until you get the results you want.  Good luck.

The portal could be repaired nicely along the egg carton line of thought. There is packing material (like an egg carton) used for the U shaped fluorescent lights. Cut out the bottom edge. They look like this:

I would brace the inside with the plaster cloth and touch up the outside with the Sculptamold. You'll like that stuff.

Finally got caught up a bit on chores so I thought I would start on the repair of Mystery Mountain.

After doing some research I thought I would start by filling in some of the bigger cracks with white glue ,picture one shows what I used.

In doing this I took the pointed end of the glue bottle and forced glue into the cracks then using the brush i smoothed and brushed out the edges

Once I had completed this process for all the areas I sat the tunnel aside to dry over night I have attached photos of this progress. 

I will post progress of step two of replacing / constructing  the missing peaces later in the week.

This for most of you is very basic work I am sure , but my hopes is that maybe it will inspire others to attempt similar repairs and join in on the fun.

Thanks Gary, Lisa and the Girls