What Water?

[msh]

Quick one here - for my lake... which product should I use?
EnviroTex, WS EZ-Water, WS Real Water, Heavy Clear Varnish.
I'm ready to order my scenic materials and need to know before hand so I can save on those silly shipping charges.

 

[Ralph]

Hi there msh,
The answer may depend on how big an area your lake is and how well you can safely ventilate your railroad room. I like EnviroTex myself for the relatively mild odor. I've heard mixed reviews about EZ-Water and wonder if it might be expensive for a larger body of water. Varnish is a great old stand-by but it sure stinks and the clean up can be a mess. I'm curious to hear what others think.
Ralph

 

[msh]

SIZE

Sorry to have left that part out. Not big... very shallow and only about a 9 x 6 ovalish shape.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

I use what must be an Evirotex like product, I buy it at the local lumber yard and it is a two part liquid mixed 50/50, intended for things like bar tops. No odor I can notice, drying time depends on how closely you adhere to proper mix. A couple hours give or take a 1/2 hour. I really don't concern myself too much with details! For about 15 minutes towards the end of the drying time, you can use a palette knife to pull the material up for ripples or waves. If you try too soon, the material simply settles back to flat. Wait too long and the knife will mar the surface.

I also use gloss medium on top of this occasionally. Or by itself for shallow water. I have never used Woodland Scenics water. I find it incredible how successful they have been selling highly priced products. Wish I had thought of it!

Gary

 

[RI541]

Gary,
I think your talking about the two part epoxy finish. Runs about $50.00 for a half gallon?

I used the EZ Water once for a real small pond about the size of a light bulb. Don't think I'll use it again. You got to heat it up on the stove then pour it. it wasn't a whole lot of fun.

 

[Catt]

I prefer using Gloss Medium myself. It ain't cheap but it don't stink either.

 

[Matthyro]

I just use dry wall plaster so I can make it smooth or wavy. I then paint it gloss black in the centre and brown towards the edges. Then about three coats of spar varnish.
Here is what the dock looks like on my layout.

Here is wavy water at my sawmill.

 

[pcentral]

I used WS EZ Water on my modular layout. It looks good but I made it too deep. The water is too clear for the depth. Oh well, live and learn. I used an old soup can to heat it up in and a pair of plyers to carry and pour it out with. The nice thing about EZ Water is you can use a heat gun to mold and sculpt thewater to your liking. Before it set up I pushed some tall grass (paint brush bristles) into the water for cattails and reeds.

 

[JeffGerow]

I have heard horror tales of WS EZ water cracking or turning more yellow.

I have used Envirotex (2-equal part epoxy) that doesn't smell, Casting resin (two-part, resin and hardener) that does smell, and WS "new" water (pourable "resin"?). If you have a deep area to cover, use one of the casting plastics -- they can cover deeply without waiting forever -- the casting resin is supposed to stay clear longer, but my Enviortex, now some 15 years old, is still quite clear (like I can tell with the "murk-y" bottom beneath it). The new WS "water" is quite clear, but it takes forever to dry if it's too deep. It has the added advantage that, after it's "set", it is still pretty flexible -- in one area on my module, I had to peel the water away and re-do it -- and I could.

Remember to prepare the lake bottom first, dark in the center feathering out to your dirt color at the edges. Add any debris (actual dirt, sticks, stones, etc.) to the bottom. Before you pour any "water" over such details, make sure to seal it all (I didn't on my last "water" and ended up with tiny bubbles on the bottom, sneaking out from under the "details"). I think a coat of Gloss Medium before the "water" would help avoid the bubbles, or a few coats of clear paint (like Krylon clear gloss).

Just jump in an have fun -- worst case you'll have to do it again -- and just think how much more you'll know for the second try...

 

[msh]

Thank you

That's great everyone - thank you.

Since the plan for my little lake calls for it to be no more than 1/8" deep and that the painting of the bottom will create the "illusion" of depth, I will use a combination of a resin for the water itself and gloss medium for those nice ripples. Not too concerned about details on the bottom 'cause it's intended to be pretty deep - and it's one less thing to have to worry about.

 

[Edavillenut]

i am modeling winter and want to make a frozen pond right now i have a piece of white plexi glass but want to use somthing else what can i add to make it look like ice if i use enviro tex or something like it