Building the Pinacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR

[HOexplorer]

Drew, Thanks for stopping by. Pond to upper track is 6.5 inches. Upper track to top of the cliff is 13 inches. By building logging and mining layouts in small spaces allowing one to have enough track for operations and running can be done by switchbacks. I decided running was important to me thus this redo allowing a loop. Jim

[HOexplorer]

One of the problems with using 'water' products on our layouts is that when you pour them they find the unsealed spots and drip out on to the floor. They all do it and here is the cure.

I use clear silicone sealant around my pond/lake edges. Assuming you use plywood for the bottom of your lake/pond then if you apply clear silicone around the edges you build a barrier to keep the 'water' from creeping. Try it you will like it. The water products blend in with the silicone. Jim

[tootnkumin]

Is there any time limit to applying the 'water' to make sure you get adhesion between the 2? Is it better to use a non-acid cure silicone?

[HOexplorer]

I'm looking at the tube of silicone and see nothing about acids. Coming from the boating world I've used silicone all my life and never heard of acid issues. I use GE waterproof silicone, (kitchen/bath/plumbing). It is ready to go in 3 hours and mold free.

There is no interaction between and of the many 'water' products and this silicone. Once dried and cured (over night) it blends in very nicely with 'water' products. This is much easier way to seal ponds, lakes, streams and river banks. The best thing is it contains the 'creep' common to all 'water' products. Jim

[tootnkumin]

The reason I asked is because there are 2 types of silicones available, the Acetic acid cure and neutral (non-acid) cure. The latter is the one used where there could be a chance of interaction with the product being sealed and is the safest if there is any chance of such occuring. The one you are using, being for use on plumbing etc, would be the neutral cure type.

[Pom in Oz]

Wow Jim, i'm on my third cup of tea and second handful of biscuits reading your thread, great reading and very intuitive.
Looking forward to the next instalment.
Cheers
Darren

[HOexplorer]

Pom and Toot, Thank you. Good to see our friends from Downunder participating.

Now as promised: A better way to do ponds/lakes?

I think so. First, paint your pond/lake bottom blue. No art stuff here just paint it. Let dry overnight. Second, spray the bottom with spray glue. Move the glue to the sides with your finger.



Third, add fine ground foams to the bottom. Darker first, to show depth, the lighter colors out to the sides. I used brown for the shallows near the shore. You can do this anyway you want. Be sure to blend/overlap your shakes.



Best part is you don't have to be an artist. Darker to lighter, it doesn't get easier, or more realistic when the 'water' is added than this method. Elapsed time from first photo to last 4 minutes. Jim

[Railrunner130]

Forgive me, but I'm not familiar with ground foams. Please enlighten me!

Thanks!

[HOexplorer]

RRunner, No problem. Ground foams are a generic term for the wall of ground covering foam bits for coloring your terrain at your LHS. Looking at the name of these items I guess I should have used the word 'turfs.' Jim

[Railrunner130]

Thanks. Got ya. Got plenty of that stuff.

I'm mentally trying to figure out how to build a small pond that will accompany the retaining wall for the water wheel on my mill. I think I see where this lesson fits- it will add depth to the murkiness of the pond.