Envirotex problems

[budinoh]

I am in the middle of doing the waterfront scene for my layout. It consist of a canal emptying into a larger body of water. The larger body is designed to be about 3/8" deep. My problem is I have poured my first layer, which is about half the depth the pour will be. After 3 weeks, it is still tacky to the touch. None of it has hardened. I used the 8oz packages and mixed up both bottles entirely so I know the mix was right. I never got the bubbles I have heard others mention, but why is it not hardening? Is the pour too thick? It hardened on everything it dripped on

[Larry]

Yep, the pour is tooo thick. Push on it w/a pin & see if it is wet underneath.
It's like anything you pour that hardens, even paint or Polyurethane like I use for water. You can't pour 3/8th's of an inch anyway. That will use up probably a gal. of your stuff. It only takes an 1/8th of an inch or less to get the depth you need. The depth look is in the base paint. You will probably have to try to remove what you've poured or cut out the top & start over.
Been there done that. Someone else might have another idea, but, that's my 2 cents worth.

[Railphotog]

A friend had a similar problem on a small water scene on the front of his layout. He did it twice with the same results, had to remove all of the water. He was using a generic brand of a product, which did not come with instructions like those with Envirotex. I asked how long he mixed the two liquids together, and he told me not very long. I mentioned the Envirotex instructions tell you to stir the mixture vigorously for two minutes, thats what I had done and mine hardened fine. He tried the two minute mix on his next pour and this time it worked.

So how long and how fast did you mix your product? And has been mentioned 1/8" at a time is best.

[montanan]

Agreed. The pour way too thick. I used Woodland Scenics "water" for this river.
By air brushing the riverbed before pouring, it will give the illusion of depth, and the pour was roughly a eight of an in thick for the first pour. I screwed up because it waws my first try at this and I didn't get the shore line right. I made a second pour about a week later and it seems to have worked. Even though it has been set up for well over a couple of years, it is not totally hard. If I were to set something heavy on it, it would leave an imprint of the object. It is solid to the touch, but still barely pliable. I used the side of an old paint brush, lightly "slapping" the surface before it set up to give the impression of moving water.

[gregamer]

I had the same problem when I poured a river a couple of years ago, it's still tacky and spongy. I thought I had the ratios right, and mixed it like crazy. I haven't tried it since, kind of gun-shy now.

[budinoh]

Ok, to clear up one thing, I can't tear it out. I have a custom laser cut wood structure of a boathouse and pier set in the water. I cannot replace it. Could I mix up another batch and pour over the first? If mixed correctly, could that coat setup?

Jeff