There is a guy called Nightshift on YouTube. He has a channel there and builds awesome dioramas . He videos the process and did a number with resin pours, including solutions for the bubbling. You might want to check him out Ken!
Ken, you probably already made your pour but I will comment briefly.
I was concerned about the resin pour for my sawmill but Carl Laskey and Brett coached me through it.
Do a trial pour with a scrappable model piece where you can observe the look of the colored resin over the painted pond bottom. It will make you confident you are going in the right direction and not be dispppaointed with the result.
Resin creep is a real thing and I tried to minimize it by painting the shoreline to the proper finished level. I believe I had mixed results but no one but you will really notice once you are finished.
I blew through a straw to eliminate the bubbles with my self made carbon dioxide. Be careful about saliva because once it is in the resin, it is in the resin.
Lol…if I use that method on the bubbles I’ll try and keep it dry.
I like the test of the opacity and color before the final pour idea Mitch. Should be easy to do and thanks for the note. No, I’m not even close to doing the pour yet. The diorama needs to be completely done with water the last thing to do.
Ken, Yes, capillary action is a definite issue wit resin pours in narrow spaces. Wish I had a solution. But you can be pretty certain someone has figured something out. Possibly just making the "creep" look like a small wave. Not sure how that would look, however. Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
Ken, FWIW. I am basically a woodworker. In doing my mesquite wood projects I encounter many voids and cracks in the material. I use two part epoxy tinted to fill these imperfections. Even when I mix very slowly to reduce bubbles in the mixture some always appear in the pour. As previously suggested by Carl I have found the best method to get rid of the bubbles is to use a hair dryer. However, you will notice the blowing action may make the surface of the epoxy move, "creep". This may be less than desirable for flat surfaces that will not be sanded. On my projects I have the luxury of sanding to smooth the surface when the mix is cured. Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
Thanks for your input here Dave. I agree on the resin wicking up a bit on whatever it contacts is likely unavoidable. The surface wave texture I'll be doing after the main water has hardened should make this unnoticeable in the end.
To avoid the creep up plaster work...use a rubber cement or one of the liquid masking agents available..."paint" it down to the water line about 1" up the bank...pour....then peel off the rubber cement....will work on wood too....but the wood needs to be sealed with a matte medium to avoid the wood absorbing the rubber cement carrying agent....test it first obviously....
The 'creep' is more realistic looking to my mind. I've never understood people trying to prevent it. A wall/piling/rock in the water will be wet above the actual water level due to waves/ripples/lapping, also water soaking up. Likewise a sand/dirt/gravel shoreline will be wet/damp above/beyond the water level due to the water soaking into the substrate and also the waves/ripples/water movement.
I don't think I've ever seen a perfectly dry shoreline where the water meets the 'edge'. If you think about it, we should embrace the 'creep'.
I agree Karl, I don't believe its going to be an issue. Appreciate the thoughts here Art. we'll see how it goes and I've already put down some textured material along the shoreline so masking might screw that up. I believe Karl's correct, that any creep is or can be made to appear natural. Fun stuff planning the whole thing...
In the end...is does it look right to you....some of the products do tend to creep too far...others not so much....since it is tidal water...Karl is right with saying that the moisture would show up the wood or beach some.....now in a pond....unless there was and earthquake....it wouldn't be as much...if you like the way it looks...I like the way it looks....
Have a small update for those following my Shelby's build.
Planted the Bait & Tackle Shop and stair sections leading to the floating dock. Between the landing and the floating dock will be a ramp that will move with the tide level. I placed several spacers under the floating dock so the "water" will be at an appropriate level after the pour. The lighting is hooked up and tested for the interior.
Completed most of the tedious track work save for the section running from the main building across on the trestle. Have not planted the main structure to allow better access to detailing around the hoist house.
As outlined in my previous builds, I hand lay code 55 rail and then add scratch built rail joiners and rail spike heads. This took an entire evening to do as the spike heads are tiny sections of solder, blackened and installed one-by-one.
Ken the track looks fantastic. The spikes look about right and one per tie would be enough for a little used siding. The riol joiners on the inside of the rails might interfere if this was a track that you would be using for freight cars. The building and stairs look really good. All I can say is you had better be in shape if you plan to go fishing off that floating dock. Randy
Thanks Randy. Not sure I have seen one spike per tie before? Also, rail joiners have an outside and a matching inside plate bolted together (see photo as an example). Right...long way to the beach!
No worries Randy...now granted, my scaled joiners are too big for the rail but to make them any smaller I wouldn't be able to have the NBWs on them...I'm using the smallest ones that you can still see! lol.
Appreciate that Emery, but I just figure out how to hide them!
Comments
Great prepwork on the water base and the base layer scenery, what a great foundation for the next steps. This is going to be fantastic.
Thanks much Karl.
I was concerned about the resin pour for my sawmill but Carl Laskey and Brett coached me through it.
Do a trial pour with a scrappable model piece where you can observe the look of the colored resin over the painted pond bottom. It will make you confident you are going in the right direction and not be dispppaointed with the result.
Resin creep is a real thing and I tried to minimize it by painting the shoreline to the proper finished level. I believe I had mixed results but no one but you will really notice once you are finished.
I blew through a straw to eliminate the bubbles with my self made carbon dioxide. Be careful about saliva because once it is in the resin, it is in the resin.
I like the test of the opacity and color before the final pour idea Mitch. Should be easy to do and thanks for the note. No, I’m not even close to doing the pour yet. The diorama needs to be completely done with water the last thing to do.
Yes, capillary action is a definite issue wit resin pours in narrow spaces. Wish I had a solution. But you can be pretty certain someone has figured something out. Possibly just making the "creep" look like a small wave. Not sure how that would look, however.
Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
FWIW. I am basically a woodworker. In doing my mesquite wood projects I encounter many voids and cracks in the material. I use two part epoxy tinted to fill these imperfections. Even when I mix very slowly to reduce bubbles in the mixture some always appear in the pour. As previously suggested by Carl I have found the best method to get rid of the bubbles is to use a hair dryer. However, you will notice the blowing action may make the surface of the epoxy move, "creep". This may be less than desirable for flat surfaces that will not be sanded. On my projects I have the luxury of sanding to smooth the surface when the mix is cured.
Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
A wall/piling/rock in the water will be wet above the actual water level due to waves/ripples/lapping, also water soaking up.
Likewise a sand/dirt/gravel shoreline will be wet/damp above/beyond the water level due to the water soaking into the substrate and also the waves/ripples/water movement.
I don't think I've ever seen a perfectly dry shoreline where the water meets the 'edge'.
If you think about it, we should embrace the 'creep'.
I know Ken will get it looking great either way.
Planted the Bait & Tackle Shop and stair sections leading to the floating dock. Between the landing and the floating dock will be a ramp that will move with the tide level. I placed several spacers under the floating dock so the "water" will be at an appropriate level after the pour. The lighting is hooked up and tested for the interior.
Completed most of the tedious track work save for the section running from the main building across on the trestle. Have not planted the main structure to allow better access to detailing around the hoist house.
As outlined in my previous builds, I hand lay code 55 rail and then add scratch built rail joiners and rail spike heads. This took an entire evening to do as the spike heads are tiny sections of solder, blackened and installed one-by-one.
More later.
Ouch so harsh..............
Outstanding work as always.
Appreciate that Emery, but I just figure out how to hide them!