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Plaster, Hardshell and Glueshell <- Scenery & Structures <- Home  Plaster, Hardshell and GlueshellRecommended Books:
Add some rolling hills...
Photo Credit Tim Moyers
Simple plaster method:
To make a hill, start by piling up scraps of wood into the shape
of the hill. Place screening material over it, and staple down the edges with
a staple gun. Bend and shape the hill with your fingers, until the desired
shape is chosen. Mix plaster of Paris in an old bowl (small amounts at a
time, as once it's dry, it's DRY!) and spread it on with a putty knife, over
the screening. While you are doing this, cover nearby track and the floor
with a dropcloth or newspaper. Once the plaster is dry (see the package for
drying times), sand it smooth to the desired shape. Water may also be misted
on to allow surface shaping, but don't add too much water. To make mountains,
simply use taller supports under the screening, and don't smooth the plaster
as much- real mountains aren't smooth. Just glop it on there!
Hardshell
Make a frame, as above, using cardboard instead of screening. That is, build
wooden supports and make a lattice or web of 1" wide pieces of cardboard
over it. Staple the pieces down on the corners. If it's a small hill, crumple
up newspaper and use masking tape instead of cardboard and wood. Mix the plaster
to be thin, such as pancake batter would be. Dip sheets of paper towels in it,
and drape them over the forms. As this part gets messy, be sure to cover the tracks and
floor. You can also buy plaster-impregnated gauze, which you simple cut into
sheets, dip in water, and apply. Then, putty-knife on a layer of plaster
as above, let it dry, and paint it with a latex tan colored paint.
Photo Credit Tim Moyers
Glueshell
Glueshell is very much like hardshell, except that it is lighter and more flexible. The basic idea is to use ripped cloth instead of paper towels and thinned white glue instead of plaster. Dip the sheets in the glue and drape these over your hill structure. If you're building a modular layout, glueshell is for you. Although it's more expensive, the glue is pliable and lets the structure flex as you move your modules.
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