How To Make River Beds, Streams And Lakes Using Future's Floor Wax & Modge Podge

Started by Powersteamguy1790, September 25, 2016, 05:51:05 PM

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Powersteamguy1790

Making River beds, streams and lakes with Futures Floor Wax and Modge Podge is an easy procedure. You can get Future's Floor Wax at any supermarket or Home Goods store such as Home Depot or Lowe's. The cost is nominal compared to the cost of Realistic Water by Woodland Scenics. Also to be noted, the Futures Floor Wax won't shrink or change dimension after it is poured and set up.

On the "new" JJJ&E, I used four inches of pink foam on top of a 3/4" plywood base. I cut out a river/stream bed and lined the riverbed/stream bed with Hydrocal. I mixed the hydrocal and removed any air bubbles in the mix, by tapping the mixing bowel on a firm surface such as a work bench. Any air bubbles in the hydrocal mix will rise to the surface. This is the technique I learned in Dentistry as I practiced Prosthetic Dentistry for over 30 years and used all kinds of hydrocal/plaster every day. The resultant hydrocal mix which was firm, was poured into the River bed and allowed to set up overnight.

Once the river bed was set up I used two colors for the River bed. An earth color around the periphery and grimy black for the rest of the River bed. I don't use the color blue or green at all. Again, I let this dry overnight. After the paint has I dried I paint the Futures Floor Was into the River bed. I let this first pour of the Futures Floor Wax completely dry overnight. I again paint Future's Floor Wax on the River bed two or three times, letting it dry completely after each pour. Before the final pour I add gravel stones along the river bank as well as some fallen branches into the River bed.

Then I make the final pour. Each pour of Futures Floor wax is about 1/8 of an inch. Instead of painting in the final pour, I pour in small amounts of the Futures Floor Wax into the Riverbed, so the Futures Floor Wax wets the gravel and stones on the edge of the Riverbed.

I let this set up for at least another 24-36 hours. At this point I take some Modge Podge and paint some on the rivers surface in a swirl like manner (almost half moon) in the direction you want the river/stream/lake to flow. Let this completely dry, approximately another 18-24 hours. You then can assess the way the river/stream/lake looks and can always add more Modge Podge.

Here are the results of this technique. The Fish Pier was built over 15 years ago and was used on the "original" JJJ&E. It was the signature building on that layout. The Fish Pier took about 20 hours to complete and weather. It is now a signature building on the "new" JJJ&E.









A sepia photo of the Fish Pier and Monterrey River. Modge Podge creates the rapid water movement.





The Monterrey River In The Monterrey River Valley

A panoramic view of the Boat House, Monterrey River with San Marino in the background. This part of the "new" JJJ&E is elevated with a 1 1/2% grade on the right side of the "new" JJJ&E. The grade runs about 40 feet from one end of the town of San Marino into the right turnaround area back to the edge of San Marino on the far side of the layout. The radii in the turnaround are 23.5 inches. The radii on the rest of the layout is 30 inches which equates to 60 inch radii in HO scale. The distance from the Monterrey River to the town Of San Marino in the distance is about 16 feet.



An overview of the Boat House and the Monterrey River. There is plenty of activity at the Boat House. This part of the Monterrey River feeds into the river under the Fish Pier.



A close overhead view of the Boat House & Monterrey River in the Monterrey Mountains.



The Boat House and Monterrey River is nestled in the Monterrey River Valley.



The Origin Of The Monterrey River East Of San Marino

The origin of the Monterrey River with the San Marino Freight yard and Monterrey Mountains in the background. The Monterrey River winds around the perimeter of the turnaround area east of San Marino. The turnaround area of this part of the "New" JJJ&E is 50" x 50" and three mainline tracks with radii of 23-24 inches pass through this part of the layout.



A view of the Monterrey River at it's origin. The San Marino freight yard is in the background.



Another viewing angle of the Monterrey River which is nestled in another corner of the turnaround area east of San Marino.




Have fun with this technique of making water on a layout. It isn't messy and is easy to do in any scale.

Stay cool and run steam...... 8) 8)












Powersteamguy1790

You're welcome Jan. This is an easy technique to learn and works in all scales.

Stay cool and run steam..... 8) 8)

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