# My first mountain build on my first layout



## alvinmiles (Feb 8, 2012)

what do you guys think?

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/mfh_anderson/trains/1st mountain build/


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Looks great :thumbsup: 
Before you get to far along with scenery it is easier to paint the tunnel a dark color or apply prints at this stage. I learned the hard way taking pictures on trains coming out of my tunnel. All you saw was the un-finished inside


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## alvinmiles (Feb 8, 2012)

yea i didnt even think about it until i took the pictures. going to airbrush it black on the inside.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

alvinmiles said:


> yea i didnt even think about it until i took the pictures. going to airbrush it black on the inside.



It looks nice, are you going to give the plaster cloth a little more plaster?

Are you going to put 2 separate portals on the other tunnel too?


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## alvinmiles (Feb 8, 2012)

yea i thought i needed to cloth the whole thing then work it, didnt take me long but the plaster dried and i could work it much. i have enough cloth to put a second layer on it. i really like the contours and dont want to affect that much. any suggestions.

the portal on the right side not sure if i have enough room between the tracks and cork for a center support. was thinking about just doing one large portal, not sure how that will look though. i could extend the mountain more so the tracks wouldnt come from same hole.

really open to suggestions, tips, and hints.

thanks


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## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

Looks real nice.

What was under the plaster?

Plaster soaked cloth is the same method used on my table 50 years ago. My Father used hardware cloth to support the plaster soaked cloth.

I also liked the paint job on the table


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## alvinmiles (Feb 8, 2012)

i just spray painted my foam just as a base, going to re do all that, grass, town, roads, dirt, and etc. i made the tunnel out of a post office flat rate box, then newspaper, then plaster cloth.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

To fill the holes, the easiest cheapest thing to do is. Lightly wet down the plaster cloth and rub normal drywall spackle onto it with your finger. The water is to keep the spackle thin and runny, your basically just putting on a skim coat.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

alvinmiles said:


> yea i thought i needed to cloth the whole thing then work it, didnt take me long but the plaster dried and i could work it much. i have enough cloth to put a second layer on it. i really like the contours and dont want to affect that much. any suggestions.
> 
> the portal on the right side not sure if i have enough room between the tracks and cork for a center support. was thinking about just doing one large portal, not sure how that will look though. i could extend the mountain more so the tracks wouldnt come from same hole.
> 
> ...


Don't waste the cloth just coat over what you have with plaster.

You know you can purchase portals to put on it?


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## alvinmiles (Feb 8, 2012)

yea, my size on the end is bigger than a double, guy i work used to work in special effects and he is going to mold them for me for the size i need.


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## alvinmiles (Feb 8, 2012)

i do like the design on that portal in your pic though


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

alvinmiles said:


> i do like the design on that portal in your pic though



Do a search on them there are a ton of different ones.
If your having someone make them it looks like he could make a double for there.
Just my opinion, but I think 2 would look better.

But you can take that statement with a "grain of salt".
That seems to be the general consensus of everything I have to say here. :smokin:


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## alvinmiles (Feb 8, 2012)

been thinking i want to do two also, should i try and put a divider up so it looks like two seperate tunnels?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Don't listen to Ed, we just tolerate him. 

We love you Ed, don't ever change.


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## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

2 tunnels would look good, and my add a little depth to the scene, but there are examples of 2 tracks in one cut.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Double tunnels,

More pictures of this one here,

http://www.undergroundminers.com/factoryvilletunnel.html











I think that with the amount of space you have between the 2 lines a double tunnels would be better for you. 
You mold in the middle with your cloth.

If you want.

It is your RR.


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