I bought a package of Real Water, it is small rubbery beads which are to be heated in boiling water and poured into the area the water belongs in. There are no instructions or tips on how to use it except for the heating part (nothing about tinting or other prep). Has anybody used this and can you give me some ideas to try with this. I figured I'll start out with a small creek to go with my Barbarosa entry but I'm not sure if I can tint the real water or if I should just paint the bottom of the creek. At some point I'd like to do deeper water such as a river under a bridge.

Thanks

Be careful with this stuff; it can melt your plastic. You might be better off with "Envirotex" epoxy or acrylic gel medium built up in thin layers. You can tint both the Envirotex and gel with acrylic paints. Check out this tread for more information:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/12380&page=1

TEST TEST TEST and Test some more.
If the stuff you have is from Woodland scenics do not pour it over a completed water bed until you have tried it on a test bed first.
I have used this stuff and found it limited at best. All you do is heat it in a temporary aluminum foil (kitchen stuff) pan that you crimp and make (don't use good pots cuz it'll ruin them). Then when its heated you pour over the area you want water. Here is my experience with it - it cools quickly and you don't have a lot of working time. It has a yellowish tinge to it. Because it cools quickly it was difficult to get it into crevaces around detail etc.
It would be good for small bodies of water - puddles, small streams etc.
Make sure you put down rocks and gravel for a river bed first, then paint it the color you wish. Then pour the water. Since this stuff has a short work time I don't think you can tint it.

Of course if this isn't the same product - testing still holds but I cant say about the other comments..

Here is what I use for water
https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/150
Its pourable, tintable, doesn't affect any plastics that I have found (test first though), decent work time, fairly inexpensive, you can do deep water and it comes in clear too.

This is the stuff I use


this too

Thanks, I guess I'm really going to have to start asking questions about what to use BEFORE I buy stuff. Oh well it was cheap, I guess I'll use it for puddles and such and look into these other products for deeper water.

Dear Corporal,

The water beads from Woodland's Scenic is about the only bad product they make. I don't like the 2-part epoxies either, because they are not forgiving. Woodlands makes two other water products for smooth or rough water that are easy to work with. Also, as others have written, gloss medium in thin layers over a painted bottom works wonders. You can use lighter colors for shallower areas and darker colors to represent deeper areas, blending the colors at the edges to simulate sloping. Be sure to affix any rocks, debris, etc. to the botoom before adding the "water". Try brusing the "water" product around the debris to insure everything flows together uniformly.
For shallow streams, there are some good products in model railroad stores with varied sizes of river bottom rock that is just perfect. Try the smooth water, with a little disturbed water spreading out in a "V" shape behind rocks or branches or tires, etc. that protrude up from the top of the water using "Water Effects" or gloss medium with the smallest amount of white acrylic paint possible. God luck.

Sealhead

what about the ready to pour woodland scenics stuff? is that any better?

envirotex is the best thing you will ever find for water.it's expensive ,but well worth it.like the box says"one coat is like fifty of normal varnish.it can be tinted or done in layers if you want to add water plants,etc.a hair dryer will give you waves.

envirotex is the best thing you will ever find for water.it's expensive ,but well worth it.like the box says"one coat is like fifty of normal varnish.it can be tinted or done in layers if you want to add water plants,etc.a hair dryer will give you waves.

I have used woodland's realistic water and water effects. They are very simple, and here is an example of what you can do with them
http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0TQByABEXcn377St7eH1Y1y6g8ootEhhp7Tou2LCzpaeXpxcz0c!6N5tzQsNjhq4oJHUWZ5Yo2JvyaY6pZiPO!tgtFqKm2AOzCPnmteuC1LZ5k68hTer37A/ebay%20001.jpg?dc=4675434682952687026" BORDER="0">
hope this helps

someday I will get the picture thingy right. The pics are in the gallery if it doesn't work here

Is this the real water (the rubbery beads you melt) or the smooth and rough water product mentioned above?

Snip



By gloss medium do you mean something like a clear polyurathane varnish type product?

the product i meant is woodland scenics, but its already in liquid form.
its £13 a bottle, so rather expensive.
i wanted to hear any opinions or experiences with it before i buy some
cheers
joe