water

[Daylight4449]

can anyone make suggestions as for what to use to make a lake on my ho layout, thanks.

[SteamGene]

Woodland Scenics makes a new "just pour" product which I have used.  Great stuff.  You need to plan as it should only pour 1/8 of an inch deep.  It is possible to make a second pouring after the first has dried 24 hours.  They don't recommend a third.
Gene

[Paul M.]

Woodland Scenics' Realistic Water, Magic Water, or resin generally seem to produce realistic results. Do NOT use real water.

[Daylight4449]

thanks and real water is a bad choice with electricity.

[Bill Baker]

Daylight,

I've been meaning to reply to your question some time ago, but I kept forgetting.   

About two months ago I finished replicating the Arkansas River for my new layout.  I used a section of plywood for my base over which I spread a thin layer of patching plaster.  After sanding it as smooth as I could get it, I spray painted it with green and brown spray paint and feathered the two colors together.  The edge was sprayed with a sandy spray paint.  By using the darker colors in the main channel where the river is deeper and the lighter colors towards the bank, it gives the illusion of depth.  After it had dried I poured two pint cans of MinWax clear latex over the river.  I poured about 4 layers of the clear latex in thin layers ( abt. 1/8 inch) and allowed each to dry throughly before applying the next layer.  MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR SEAMS PROPERLY SEALED or you'll have your "water" flow onto the floor.  The MinWax leaves a clear gloss layer that looks remarkedly like water.  Also it is many times cheaper than the Woodland Scenics water.  One other hint.  If you use spray paint near some track or scenery, be sure you cover it with newspaper or old cloth.  The over spray will wreck havoc with your track.  I learned the hardway and spent many hours cleaning my rails.

Good luck,
Bill

[glsummers]

This is just my opinion. I have put a lot of water in my layout and the Magic Water is the very best I have ever used. The Woodland Scenics "realistic water" you have to be very careful or you will get bubbles. I was extremely careful and still got air bubbles that I had to use a sharp point to get out. Magic water is a two-part system and when I mixed, 8 boxes, I never had any trouble with the bubbles and one other thing. With woodland scenic's material if you are going to pour very deep it has to be layered where as the Magic Water you can pour as thick as you want to. This is strictly my opinion. Larry