# adding a lake



## hokie1525 (Jan 13, 2015)

So as I understand, I need to cut a 1/8" deep lake into my foam (blue foam from big box store). Any recommendations on how to do this? I'm thinking the "cleanest" way is to score lines in the area I'm cutting and chisel it out with a spackling trowel. It doesn't have to be perfect as I'm going to cover it with plaster.


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2016)

You can also build up the ground around the lake and use the foam as the bottom.


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## RCJunction (Feb 7, 2016)

Country Joe said:


> You can also build up the ground around the lake and use the foam as the bottom.


This would probably make it easier to simulate differences in depth by fading the lake bed color to darker shades, where you want it to appear deeper.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

cleanest cheap method [imo] is a razor knife or other type of long blade utility knife, clean cuts and easy cleanup


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Stanley makes this inexpensive tool, called the Surform Shaver that is excellent for shaping the foam. I found mine at my local lumber yard/hardware store. It has replaceable blades. It does make a lot of shavings, so be sure to have your vacuum handy!

http://www.stanleytools.com/en-us/p...files-surform/714-in-surformreg-shaver/21-115


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Two practical options offered so far: lay foam "terrain" around a bare plywood lake bottom, but seal the edges with some caulking, or scrub or sand a depression. You'll use more of the water medium, which adds cost, the rougher and more uneven the lake bottom. If you sand, you can control the depth AND make it smoother so that you need less of the medium to fill up to the level you want.

There is yet a third option: Only have part of the lake showing, with its bulk 'off' the layout and invisible, but imagined. Simply cut out the foam nearest the edge of the layout, where the fascia might be when you get around to installing it, caulk the edge, maybe fill it up to a decent level with a second layer of plywood so that your banks aren't silly steep and deep, and then paint the bottom. Pour over your bottom two layers of medium, and you have a mirror-like lake. Stipple a thin painting of gel or liquid gloss medium over the surface and now you have realistic wavelets and ripples when it dries clear.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

The easiest and neatest way is simply to build up the surrounding terrain. I have done this several times using Sculptamold and scrap pieces of foam board. The Sculptamold seals the bottom and sides so that your water product doesn't run everywhere.

If you want to dig down, I would make a rough cut with a steak knife, and give it a thin coat of Sculptamold or plaster to seal it and give it its final shape.


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## hokie1525 (Jan 13, 2015)

Thanks Fire. Out took about a half hour. It was quite messy but did a very nice job and didn't require any sanding.


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## hokie1525 (Jan 13, 2015)

Colored. Next I have to add ground cover.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

hokie1525 said:


> Colored. Next I have to add ground cover.


Well, first I would add something to hide the cross hatched pattern of the plaster cloth: plaster, Sculptamold, joint compound, or something.


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## hokie1525 (Jan 13, 2015)

CTValleyRR said:


> Well, first I would add something to hide the cross hatched pattern of the plaster cloth: plaster, Sculptamold, joint compound, or something.


I joint compounded inside the lake. I probably should have done the same outside the lake but I got a little lazy. Based on my previous experience, it won't show once I add the ground cover. It was more important to do the lake since that's where the water is going to be setting.


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