Rough Ground

Discussion in 'Scenics' started by katwigan, Jan 27, 2019.

  1. katwigan

    katwigan Full Member

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    Hi,

    I have been looking for a suitable material / method of covering some Bare Earth areas on my layout Wigan Wallgate recently. The type of area that is not covered in grass or weeds on an embankment or a rough area towards the back of a goods yard area typically.

    Anyway the mind also strayed to some unfinished household jobs that have been on the backburner while I do battle with that C word. One job sent me scurrying out to the shed to locate some stored material.

    Some of which was soon daubed onto this test piece below ( ignore the granite setts that's not it )
    20190125_182830.jpg

    This is as applied with a small spatula, the grey,mottled material in the bottom R/H area.
    20190125_182855.jpg

    Several hours later as it is starting to dry
    20190126_054032.jpg

    20190126_054053.jpg

    Still not fully dry yet, takes about 24 hrs, but dry enough to give it a rudimentary spray of brownish colouring
    20190126_120920.jpg

    The next step I guess is to try it on a bigger area or embankment.

    I think it looks very promising, certainly from a surface finish PoV. It comes premixed in a 1Kg container for around A$17 , it dries slighly flexible due to the recycled rubber content and it is self adhesive.
    A rough calc. shows that 1Kg would probably cover a couple of sq metres at about 3mm thick, however a small area on my test piece is only 1.5 - 2mm thick and has bonded really well.
    The surface finish shown could certainly be smoothed more or indeed left 'rougher' if required and is workable for quite some time allowing for planting of weeds, grass or shrubberies. You could probably run tyre tracks into it to form dirt roads and tracks.

    I suppose I will have to tell you what it is now.

    20190126_121019.jpg

    Not sure if it is available in UK but I am sure there would be something equivalent.

    OR does it look B awful?

    Kevan
     
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  2. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    I think this product has merit, especially in our Aussie climate. I have used a similar product to DAS clay and that stuff just cracks up as it dries too fast, has no flexibility and becomes brittle when applied thin, even after applying a thin layer of PVA before application. I like the overall effect of what you have achieved here. Being a flexible product certainly has me won over ! I may even purchase a bucket myself.

    I would be interested to see if it can be used over a mold or have a mold pressed onto it to get a desired effect of paving stones...??

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  3. katwigan

    katwigan Full Member

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    Gary, probably pressing a mold or shape into it would work ( probably need to experiment with best suitable time to do it, given the setting time ) However it IS an adhesive in it's own right so using it in a mold could be problematic with removal, do you think ?
    Maybe a Silicon based 'release agent' would be suitable but would that then cause problems for subsequent painting?

    I guess more trials are required, however I think the ease of use and the surface finish warrants it.

    Hopefully I will get to spread a larger area ( about 60 x 5 cm ) tomorrow. It was going to be today but............

    Cheers Kevan
     
  4. Ron

    Ron Full Member

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    Could not find any Dunlop products here (UK), Unibond seem to fill the market!!
     
  5. katwigan

    katwigan Full Member

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    Ron, there does appear to be a 'flexible ' adhesive in Unibond's range, however it was in a 14kg bucket, so maybe a little excessive qty. Maybe there is a market opportunity opening up, Hmmmm.
    However, just tried adding a bit of green to my test piece, ( maybe a bit too green)

    20190129_210835.jpg

    But then again it is supposed to be N W England not OZ.

    20190129_213441.jpg

    20190129_213428.jpg

    Untitled.jpg
    Unpainted area that has been applied on the layout, looks more like spilt coal atm. still to add the Coping stones on top of the lower wall, also the wall faces need 'dirtying up' a bit

    Kev.
     
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  6. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Ken Pattersons video this week shows how he does roads, the product he uses (DAP) is only available in the U.S., but I do like the fact it is a rubbery flexible product, the nearest I can find in the UK is Tarmac Wet Mix Ready Mixed Concrete 8kg (from Homebase), a vast volume for little money! I wonder if it were not smoothed to be a road, that simply applied without trowelling may look like rough ground? I need to buy some and have a play!
     
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  7. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Gary, I disagree re the DAS, I’ve used it to make tunnel mouths on card board and it’s not cracked or anything?

    Are you air drying it too quick maybe? Not keeping it wet?

    Just a thought.
     
  8. katwigan

    katwigan Full Member

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    I haven't really tried 'smoothing' out the Resaflex product yet, I guess the granules of recycle rubber in it may get in the way of a perfectly smooth surface, but as practically no areas of concrete exist in Wigan in my time frame for me it isn't a concern. I will try it out later today and post what happens.
    I have most of the day to myself today and it's heading for 35c outside, so air cond. Railway room it is for as long as I can.
    Kev
     
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  9. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    It's just our weather down under Andy. At the moment Sydney is in the high 30*C (today was 38*C, tomorrow expected 41*C), winter here is only 7*C at the coolest, maybe 4*C through the night. Keeping it wet and keeping an eye on it is not really an option when it comes to time ! I even applied a thin layer of PVA underneath the clay to help it adhere to the baseboard.... :whatever: I found that the clay shrinks way too fast.

    Another friend of mine tried the clay approach on his layout and after spending several hours scribbing in paving stones, approximately two days after drying time, it to cracked up....

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  10. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    That’s a shame as it’s a great modelling material.. obviously it’s climate specific.

    Andy
     
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  11. katwigan

    katwigan Full Member

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    Tried smoothing an area out a couple of days ago to no avail.

    IMGP1345M.JPG

    IMGP1347m.JPG

    The two paler parallel areas running up the page are actually tyre tracks formed by driving a truck over the area about 8 or so hours after laying .
    The hole in the material was formed by me sticking my little finger into it during the truck driving .
    It is quite workable probably for 12 hours or so, but is quite dry after 24 hours.

    Kevan
     

    Attached Files:

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