J''s work has released several new silicone molds for making pavement and roadway sections. Russ Amott takes a look at the Large Cobblestones mold for us.

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Thanks!

thanks for the review Russ. The surface does look very rough and like you I haven't seen any surface like it. I think 1/35 scale figures would be difficult to pose on it.
It might be possible to fill the gaps between the stones with more ground work to make it look like a country lane perhaps?

I love the J's Work molds for bricks, etc. but have not had great results with their road surface molds. For one thing, it's very hard to avoid air bubbles, so the end results are pock-marked in the extreme. Filling those bubbles becomes an enormous PITA, so you might be just as well-off using a resin roadway.

Bill I have a few of Hirst Arts molds and I follow their casting methods with some of my own refinements. Refinements might be too strong a word

I place the mold on a piece of plywood and place the plywood over a long piece of sprue or a barbecue skewer like a seesaw. Then aften I pour the plaster I just agitate the wood until all the air bubbles rise up to the top of the mould. I put the plywood on a flat surface while the plaster dries out.

Tom, thanks for getting this up. Bill and Pat, thanks for the comments. I was a little surprised at how rough the mold was on the inside. With the number of images available on line and in reference books, I would have thought there would be a mold that more closely represents an actual road surface. Maybe they will offer a more uniform appearance in a later release.

Pat, your idea of filling in the gaps with dirt and grass is good. I had thought also of removing some of the stones to create a rocky field. You would loose your kidneys driving over a road like this.

Granted that J's Work has other products you've used and liked. That's fine as far as it goes --- but unless my eyes deceive me, this product simply isn't very good.

For 6 bucks, modelers shouldn't need all the work-arounds and fill-ins helpfully suggested by the preceding commenters. I'd give this a 50% grade, and tell potential buyers on Armorama they would be better off looking elsewhere. As for J's Work, better luck next time!