No photos showing.

Yeah, I can't see anything either. 

OK I see photos,but i will post them again,see if you can see them now.   Thanks, Gerald

The page you requested is not available. Please go back and try your request again. Reference ID: 42539260809721194[1882483180][-1371202990]20.8.b158.3a7df82-db075.ps001

This is what shows when you click on any of the images

Gerald,

Found this on the Woodland Scenics website...

Two months after pouring a 3/8 inch ...

Two months after pouring a 3/8 inch deep n-scale lake, of roughly 16 inch diameter, several thousand tiny bubbles have formed, completely ruining the effect. Substrate is dense foam insulation board, with the lake bottom well sealed with acrylic paint. Wish I had seen all of the other reports of failed ... Realistic Water projects before wasting so much time, money and material. Remove this stuff from your product line until you get the formula foolproof. » hide

- Dwight

Response from Woodland Scenics

Hello Dwight, We are very sorry to hear that you are having this problem with your Realistic Water (C1211). Unfortunately, it sounds as though your foam substrate is out-gassing into your Realistic Water which is causing the bubbles. There is a way to prevent the out-gassing from happening. The instructions recommend sealing a water feature first with Plaster Cloth (C1201) prior to applying the Earth Colors Liquid Pigments or 100% Acrylic Paint. After the area has dried, we then recommend pouring your Realistic Water in 1/8" increments up to a maximum depth of 1/2". You will also want to let each layer cure for 24 hours before pouring the next layer. You can correct this problem by cutting away the Realistic Water, and gently prying it away from the layout to start again. You will then add the Plaster Cloth and start again. If you have any questions, you can contact our customer support Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST at 573-346-5555. Thank you for taking the time to send us your comments.

Might this apply to your situation?

Charly, Thanks for your response,i have printed it out,so if i decide to redo it,i will be able to do it right,did you see the photos ok?

Yes, I could see them

I used WS Realistic Water to make a pond/swimming hole.  The thin pours were done per WS's guidance and I like how it looks.  The issue is that the surface remains slightly sticky and the Artista swimmers placed on it (after setting) adhere to it - as does flakes of ground foam from overhanging trees.  Anyone else experience this with the product?

Ed Rappe

My 2 cents:

1.  Stay away from Woodland Scenics water products:  I don't think you did anything wrong.  I have heard from at least 5 members of my local clubs complain about the same thing.  And I've read copies of "sorry to hear you had problems" emails from them to other frustrated customers.  

2.  I have used ENVIROTEX to make 3 rivers and 4 ponds, not a single problem and the results are beautiful (in my opinion).  No bubbles, no cracking, no stickiness and very fast drying times. 

I'll post a few pictures of a recent pond I made using Envirotex.  It's not cheap, but neither are Woodland's products.  They have another product that I think draws in many newbies because it's cheap but requires you melt the product over heat before pouring.  IMHO, that's a dangerous and even worse product than their 'easy water'.  

In any case, I buy Envirotex at Michael's and always use their weekly 40% to 50% off coupon to apply to one item. If I need more than one kit, I have my wife come with me and buy another with the same coupon. (coupon available on smartphones). 

KEYSTONED  ED,No,i didn't have any problems with anything sticking just all the bubbles that came out.

    Ogaugedream,Your ponds look terrific ,i will give some serious thought to using envirotex if i re-do the scene,thanks for posting the photos.

I used the Envirotex also but while mine was curing it started to bubble too and I used a bic lighter and used the flame to pop the bubbles are they formed. It was really easy, just running the flame over the entire surface made them all pop right away. I'd try that before I ditched the material you have and buy another....

Paul

My Dad and I used to be "Train Show Weekend Warriors" quite a number of years ago and I built a diorama that we used to showcase some of the products we sold.  It had a small water feature on it and I used Envirotex for the water.  I vividly remember having to use a hair drier while the Envirotex was curing to eliminate the bubbles that would form during the curing process.  This technique was per their instructions and it worked like a charm!  The water feature came out  better than expected and IIRC there were no issues what so ever.  I WILL use Envirotex for water features on my new layout that is currently under construction. 

Chief Bob (Retired)

I used Realistic Water in three places on my layout all with the same substrate (rigid foam and foam putty covered by latex paint).  One out of the three areas has the bubble problem.  The other two are fine.  The bubble area is in a steam at the base of a waterfall and the bubbles look a little like turbulence/rapids so I have lived with it.  After a few years the bubbles have multiplied and a couple of canoes are stuck to/sinking into the water, so I’ll probably redo that area one of these days.  I’ll probably try out the Envirotex

I used EZ Water one time and it melted the substrate so it never made it to my layout.

thanks for posting about to embark on a large waterfront project

second the motion to stay away from woodland scenics product.

Use magic water here

This is sooooooo good advice here. The stuff is excellent  for water scenes.

In any case, I buy Envirotex at Michael's and always use their weekly 40% to 50% off coupon to apply to one item. If I need more than one kit, I have my wife come with me and buy another with the same coupon. (coupon available on smartphones).

Larry

is it ok to pour a thin layer of Envirotex over WS Realistic Water.. The Realistic Water looks great, I just don't like that it remains sticky.

Ed Rappe

If I knew what the 2 products really were (chemically....) I might be able to hazard a guess

I see no problem with Woodland Scenics Realistic Water. I have it on my personal layout, and our clubs layout. Both with no problems. Even after several years.

Woodland Scenics. If you follow the directions as stated there are no problems.

which Envirotex product are you using?

For all "water" projects, both on my layout and for clients, I strictly use ENVIROTEX Resin purchased from Scenic Express only:

ENVIROTEX Resin 8oz. Kit#s 2008/2032.

I agree with Serows1 and PUFFRBELLY about the process of blowing across the ENVIROTEX Resin mixture as it cures, but I do the blowing with my mouth/breath across it. The bubbles, which appear to be part of the chemical reaction, disappear in due course. The 2-potion, 2-bottle product works perfectly well for me, as you may see in these photos of a water project, and has been what I use for all water scenes....

Moonson,

All I can say is WOW!! What a beautiful water feature!  I wish I was "O" Scale so I could go swimmin'.  This is what I'm talkin' about!

Chief Bob (Retired)

Thanks, PUFFRBELLY, your enthusiasm about my craftwork is much appreciated. The approval of my fellow-hobbyists is important to me.

FrankM.

I used WS water product on one ravine and Envirotex 2-part bar top polyester on the other. The Envirotext produces a dynamite finish. Hard as nails and easy to keep clean. The W-S produce has more surface features which work better for moving water. Any bubbles that form with the Envirotex are removed by blowing a hot air gun over the surface. In the future, all my water will be Envirotex. I did use the W-S water feature product to make the wake lines around the Loch Ness Monster living there.

This was W-S "real water" and Water effects for the flow lines around the bridge pier.

This was Envirotex plus some minor flow lines leading off the sea monster. You can catch the reflection off the surface. The faux stone wall on the cliff top is where my wife lost her cell phone in October of '13 at a ravine in Clifty State Park in Madison, IN. That phone is now adhered to the Monster's back (the side away from the camera). The grandkids sculpted "Cecil". 

You have to be careful about damming the ends before pouring the resin. I thought I was and had a big mess where it escaped. That was with the expensive W-S product. I was more careful with the resin. If I were to do it again, I'd engineer the dams better.

Even Dave Frary, noted author, professional layout builder, and scenery Guru has had the same problems with the WS Realistic Water, and these problems have been going on for a long time now (well over 5 years). This is the first time I have seen any acknowledgment of the problem by Woodland Scenics, but I think they are correct that it is a chemical reaction. After all this time, I'm surprised there is no warning or disclaimer in their instructions or packaging, there really should be. A friend had a similar problem on his HO layout years ago, but I can't recall if it had foam or plywood as a base under the water area. In any event, the layout came down when he moved, so it is now all water under the bridge (so to speak!).

Bill in FtL