I laid out some flex paste over styrofoam last night and woke to find many areas that need smoothing. How in the world can you smooth out something that flexable? It says on the bottle that it can be sanded, that is why I bought it. Is there any way to smooth this stuff out?
Would hydrocal have been better. If so can you substitute any construction mud, drywall mud, for hydrocal and get the same results?
Thanks again Charles
About Scenery Paste and Mud:
Art Daehler, founder of "Polyterrain" products, once revealed to me that his "Polyterrain Paste" was just artists Acrylic Modeling Paste, and that "Polyterrain Mud" was simply drywall compound. The Paste was preferred for it's better adhering and flexible nature, while the mud was preferred for its ability to be carved and/or sanded & smoothed. The recommended procedure was for using paste to bond laminations of styrofoam together and as a surface coating once the foam was shaped to the desired contours. This coat sealed th porosity of the styrofoam and provided a good surface for the mud, which was then applied over the paste for final smoothing, or simulating rock rock outcroppings. In the case of rock outcroppings, several thin layers were used to build up enough thickness to be carved/chipped into "rocks", since the Mud had a tendency to crack when applied in thick layers (also drying times were longer in thick layers). Either the paste or Mud should work over Hydrocal or Plaster, but the reason they were originally marketed was to replace the plaster and provide for lighter weight scenery (in conjunction with styrofoam), especially for modules and portable display layouts. Woodland Scaenics products with similar names are copykats of the original PolyTerrain products (Polyterrain was marketed first), but they have better marketing resources. While Art was still alive, he did a lot of promotional clinics at trainshows and conventions, and showcased a 4x8 HOn3 layout made of extruded foam (no wood framing!) which weighed less than 20 lbs complete with tracks, turnouts, simulated water and terrain (but no structures or trees). Unfortunately, he passed away 10 or 12 years ago, and without his hard work doing promotions, Polyterrain Products seems to have joined the lengthening list of "Fallen Flag Model Railroading Manufacturers".
Regards, Bill Oakland Park, FL
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