What is the best scenery plaster ?

[Silverton]

I have always used hydrocal for my forming of scenery with paper towels. And I've always used hydrocal for rock molds. But what would you recommend for workability and an extended length of working time? A plaster that is durable and still some what as strong as hydrocal. There is virtually no working time with hydrocal.

Thanks,

Chris

[Larry]

I use a good Patching Plaster w/aluminum screen stapled to a rough wood outline for mountains, hills, streams, lakes & everything else. You can mix it so it stays pliable for as long as you want & it gets hard enough to stand on.
I also use Expansion Foam in a can w/a screen base.
Stopped using Plaster of Paris many years ago.

[joed2323]

Quick set drywall compound. They sell it in 30-60-90 and i believe 120 min dry time.

60min is plenty if you ask me. Gives you plenty of time to mix and take your time applying the mud mix.

Better yet its 6-7 bucks a bag at home depot.
Btw- do not buy the ready-mix mud in a bucket!f

Btw- go to walmart and pick up aluminium window screen in a roll for under 10 bucks
You can form whatever shape,mountain/hill with the window screen
I then put a coat of ready mix mud over the screen.
Sometimes i apply 2-3 coats of mud

[D&J RailRoad]

I plan to buy several buckets to do the base scenery on the D&J Railroad. Mixing it from dry powder would make the scenery work unbearable.

[joed2323]

To be honest, as long as you get a mixer that attaches to a drill, its not hard or that time consuming at all to mix up whatever amount of mud needed.

Even the stuff in the bucket still has to be mixed slightly before you go slapping it on your layout

[Silverton]

All these ideas are really great. In my initial question about length of time and length of workability, I was also referring to the use of plaster for patch work, or filling in something, or making a road, or a lot of other misc. things.
thanks,
Chris

[D&J RailRoad]

Originally Posted by joed2323

To be honest, as long as you get a mixer that attaches to a drill, its not hard or that time consuming at all to mix up whatever amount of mud needed.

Even the stuff in the bucket still has to be mixed slightly before you go slapping it on your layout

Ummmm, when you're doing over 500 square feet of scenery, mixing the water into a dry mix is time consuming.

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