Home-made Sculptamold® Alternative

[@davidbutscher6537]

Saw someone used sawdust, it looked like it worked pretty good ... you might try it let us know how it turned out....

[@sharkytampy]

i know your video here is now 4 years old but ive just done what you did with the toilet paper and brought a blender and yeh its come out great so a big thanks

[@rolandhersom239]

I use soft toilet paper. I eliminate the wet section of the process by standing about ten sheets vertically in the blender. Works good.

[@JoeG-firehousewhiskey]

My wife says I need adult supervision most of the time!!! There may be a lot of videos on this, but i haven't seen three methods like this. Thanks for all the different options we can look at!

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

You know, All wives aay that - they just don't get us, do they Joe? You're quite welcome, thanks for watching & your comments. Best, John

[@jamesmiller6299]

I’m not allowed to have bills larger than $5 or sharp objects.

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@OtterCreek]

3:1 3 parts Shredded government documents to one part plaster! Got it. I'll be doing this this weekend! Unfortunately I just dumped my sawdust collector a couple of weekends ago. I had about 50lbs of sawdust I could have used. Which is your favorite type?

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Hey Dennis. Shredded gov't docs should work well - especially as fine as you have them shredded. I like both the paper shreds & the sawdust. The sawdust sets up quicker and is much harder when dry, but the paper shreds give you longer working time. I used both depending on the application.

[@OtterCreek]

@@SchuylkillRiverValley Yup, worked like a charm, 3:1 just like you suggested! Thanks JOhn!!

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

@@OtterCreek Great to hear Dennis! Glad you liked it. Thanks.

[@jebus3497]

came for the paper mache and learnt about the sawdust - many thanks!

[@4hedgesfamily]

I've used sawdust for making flock a lot. I never tried making Sculptamold with it. What a great idea! Since I have a couple of terrain projects coming up and a 5-gallon bucket of sawdust... What happens if you add some white glue to the water? Does that help make things stronger, or is it kind of pointless?

[@blank-dr8vg]

I use the TP method. I use a tool I made, bottle cap and wire. Take about 30 sheets, grind it up, let it dry. Nice and easy technique

[@toddrf4058]

This is really helpful. The sawdust option is really compelling because it requires no processing and I have lumber mills close by

[@Goldchucker1]

As I have access to plenty of saw dust, I would opt for that mixture. Maybe even color the sawdust ahead of mixing it with the plaster. Thank you.

[@ciarajeanr]

I haven't seen sawdust used before! That's an excellent idea!

[@howardlowry6412]

Looks very good, and I am sure it is much more economical than ommercial sculptamold

[@CM-ARM]

John a year late but a dollar saved. I really liked the saw dust one but something for you. I put my cheep T P in my shredder and skipped the water treatment. It wasn't easy to get through the shredder but it worked great. Just thought you might like this. Thanks again for your help, Chris

[@BillMastersMRR]

Good video! I never would have even thought of that. Time to pick up some extra TP.

[@OtterCreek]

Great video John, thanks for sharing I hadn't seen anyone use saw dust before great tip!! ~Dennis

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@overtonnelson6122]

I like your video of making home made sculptamold

[@edhorst7212]

Great use for paper shedder bits instead of plastic bag to dump /landfill.. certainly trying your method, thanks☕️☕️

[@rolandhersom239]

Enjoyed your video. I use a soft toilet paper for mine. I test off 10 sheets and stand them vertically in a nutri bullet blender. I give it a short whizz and get a good fine of paper fluff. I use no water at all and thereby eliminate the squeezing out and baking process. Should work the same in your blender same as your blender

[@outlawrailroad3702]

Hi John ,l like how you did the saw dust one that was cool idea will be trying that out ..

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@Steelerfan820]

Thank you exactly what i wanted

[@captainmikie3499]

I thank you, I have a crosscut shredder and lots of junk mail. I don't need a lot of this stuff so I will try a little. I think the crosscut shredder would eliminate the blender as it chops the strips in small bits.

[@sidabaccoiii641]

Cant find scultamold in my country... sawdust is a great option.. something i could easily get for free.. thanks for posting

[@mccoy79productions66]

Nice video!

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

Thank s for sharing this vedeo like this ,

[@thomream1888]

Just wondering, if, uh, you might want to use WHITE tp... (2:39)!!!! LOL! But seriously, some really great ideas. And the best part is we can all adjust this to what resources we have locally. First-time viewer, new subscriber. I look forward to learning more from you John. Thanks. Ghost of the SP

[@yvonneknowles9616]

Thanks for sharing some great ideas!

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@fnorazril]

I was wondering how different materials mixed with plaster would work. I use toilet paper myself, but the sawdust mixture is a good idea. Got plenty of wood workers in my family so might have to collect some to experiment with.

[@jess65963]

Good job!

[@honestgbfan5324]

I'm coming back to videos I saved long ago that I thought would come in handy. And of course, this one is a good one :) I like the shredded paper idea as I have a lot of that from my paper shredder at home. I had not thought of that. I have used Paper Mache instead on several occasions, and also the type of paper foam insulation used in attics. That type, the insulation type, is cheap and I get the "green" kind that is all paper fiber and less "other" stuff. But that comes in a huge bag so unless you would like to leave most of it to your kids, and grandkids, it may not be efficient to keep it around lol I have also used the sawdust idea myself as a material for making my own trees. it makes a great tree trunk bark texture. I obtained my sawdust in a regular paper shopping bag at my local Home Depot, DIY store, from the wood cutting area near the back. The guy that I asked was more than happy to help as it left less for him to sweep up lol. A full bag lasted me a very, very long time, for many different uses, including making ground cover, tree trunks, and a scultpamold type material etc.

[@frankymontens]

great video, thx for the tips

[@nordia1976]

I really like the sawdust solution; it gets a fine texture and a nice greyish yellow colour; plus, no shredding since it comes directly from my table saw dust collector.

[@draadhaai]

Sawdust! Now there's something :D . I will absolutely try this. My neighbour is a woodworker and keeps his sawdust in a large bin apparently. Since I already have the plaster, I'm really excited to see how this works out.

[@GalgormHall]

Neat ideas there for the sculpta mould John, the nd product looks very good. Paul

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Thanks Paul. The second variation does produce a smoother finish, but doesn't yield as much fiber. I like the sawdust for open rock areas - more natural appearance, which you'll probably see in future videos. Thanks again for watching & commenting. Best, John

[@collinsngauge5493]

Hi John What a fantastic way of doing that kind of thing very well illustrated. Colin

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Thank you Colin! I certainly appreciate the sentiments. I enjoy finding alternative ways of doing things. Glad you enjoyed. Best, John

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@yrunaked4]

I have considered trying this someday and now I can see that it works and also different methods. I never considered using sawdust. Great video John. Thanks for sharing. Cheers Rob

[@WisenheimerYZTV]

I've seen many home made scultptamod vids with tp, but not with paper shreds. Nice & cheap, great idea and looks like it works good, too. The sawdust looks useful for certain things, as well. Thanks for sharing, John! - Brad

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Thanks Brad! I have more paper shreds than I know what to do with - had to find a use for them! I really like the sawdust mix - in certain situations. Thanks for the comment. Best, John

[@apitheous194]

Great tip, thank you for the demonstration.

[@darrylcarpenter903]

I really like the saw dust method. Less prep time and the final result looks quite similar. I'm gonna give it a try. Thanks

[@bethanythedford9226]

How do you make it the consistancy of clay?

[@thomream1888]

If I can jump in for John a minute: one of the best things about this hobby is there are very few hard and fast rules. "Experiment" is the freedom to ignore the rules and see what works. Don't be afraid of 'failure' - it's just a lesson that taught you something unexpected. Don't be afraid of failure, unless you keep repeating it! Make up 3-4 batches, add different amounts of paper/plaster/water and see which one YOU like, Figure out which one YOU can work with best. Why do you think we have erasers on pencils? And the most important key on your computer keyboard is the DELETE key. If we could just figure out a delete key for our mouth! OK, Philosophy 101 is almost over... As I'm getting into my elder years (OK, I'm OLD!) I find that age is a wonderful teacher, but take notes! I hope John doesn't mind me answering your question, and I hope you can find YOUR answers. But if not, keep looking. And if you're not involved yet with your local model RR club... give it a shot. It's a great place to get answers to issues like this and you can meet some really nice people! Highball the Rollby, Ghost of the SP (thanks John!)

[@AlirezaSadreddin]

Great job man ! Save us a lot of money!!!

[@terrytaylor8866]

Good on yer mate, quite interesting. Cheers from down under, Tezza

[@forrynz7308]

great Video. What type of plaster do you use please?

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Sorry, I just saw this comment. I use standard plaster of paris - the brand I usually use is DAP

[@joellekarma]

I really like how you made that. I have a question My layout is mobile and I try and keep it light and a little flexible,insted of plaster a paris . I use elmers with paint added to shredded paper mache. I add the paint

[@chuckyork6716]

Celulos insulation....blow in insulation...is preshredded paper. It is readily available at all home improvement centers in the US. Add Dura Bond powdered drywall compound and add water. If you need to do alot of terrain at once, use 90 minute Dura Bond. It dries slower. If you only need a little, use 20 minutes. It dries rapidly.

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@IronHorseModelRailroad]

Excellent video. Very easy to follow instructions and very easy stuff for almost anyone to get together without much expense. The warning was a good addition. I need to stop being so lazy ! I think I like that John Wayne toilet paper (rough tough and don't take no poop off no one :-) )the best. Could the blender part be skipped? I think I like the way the sawdust looks though.

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Thanks Brian! Yeah, I was shocked at the amount of paper dust the first time I did this - I learned quickly to wear a mask. Didn't want anyone else to learn the hard way. I like using the sawdust, although it doesn't stretch the plaster as far - not a big deal, plaster is cheap. I haven't found a good alternative to the blender. I can't think of a better way to get a nice fine fiber. Maybe a drill with a wire wheel, but that would get kinda messy. Thanks man! Best, John

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@IronHorseModelRailroad]

Congratulations on Reaching 2k views. Whoaaa! Great Job !

[@IronHorseModelRailroad]

Beginning This project myself today! I look forward to reporting the results.

[@caladamstrains3206]

I have a wood shop so the sawdust idea sounds perfect and I only buy the plaster material which I get at Lowes and is a lite weight material. Thanks!!

[@stevearnold2304]

Thanks John. Sawdust is my choice then. It’s all really fine and not coarse

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

You're welcome Steve. Work in relatively small batches - it sets up quicker than just plain plaster.

[@DiggerEvans]

great video i had no clue about using sawdust for sculpta mould either, it looks like a good natural surface

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Hi Digger. The sawdust works well, especially for areas of open rocks - cuts, etc. It really does look like a natural surface. Thanks for watching and your comments, my friend. Best, John

[@jeffholt9437]

Cheers - just got to get my hands on an old mixer....

[@tanzj]

John, Great video. I believe you could use a crosscut shredder because it creates fine confetti bits. Since I have lots of it, I will try your method when I get back to doing scenery....John

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

I had thought about the crosscut shredders, but I don't have one. I think the finer pieces might work well, and save a couple of steps. I'd love to hear how you make out. Thanks for sharing that. Best, John

[@mccoy79productions66]

Nice share

[@possumbayou8238]

I have put dryer lint in mine before

[@damuses1452]

This was magnificent. Thank you for this.

[@johnnyrailer]

What a great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Hey John, glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your kind words, man. Best, John

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@PKWModelwerx]

Great Tutorial as usual. I know this is one of your classics by now and I’m just getting to it, but it’s still a good one!

[@abhinavsharma9243]

Thanks for providing the alternatives. I'm a beginner and your video is helpful. I'd like to know what that plaster was that you mixed with sawdust? Can we use just plaster of paris over EPS?

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

I'm glad you found it useful. Yes, I use standard plaster of paris - it works well. Thanks for your comment! Best, John

[@abhinavsharma9243]

@@SchuylkillRiverValley Thanks for your quick reply. I have some more queries. If I just use plaster of Paris will it be fine without any shredded paper mix? Also what if we just use tissue paper and apply a mix of glue and water which will eventually dry up hard.

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

@@abhinavsharma9243 Using just plaster of paris could work, but there are some things to keep in mind. If the plaster is too thin, it will be quite brittle and easy to break. If you'll be digging or drilling into the plaster for planting trees, etc - the plaster alone is much harder than it is when mixed with the paper shreds. It can be difficult to dig or drill into without breaking. I've never tried using tissue paper with glue/water mix. Marklin of Sweden (KZbin channel) uses that technique to make rivers, lakes, etc - with really good results. The only thing that would concern me is if you are using this in an area where you'll be adding ground cover and soaking the area. If you use simple white glue (PVA) it could soften up when you soak it.

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@pdrrengineer1404]

Great video John. Sure, it's a little work to start with, but actually looks like fun. Plus you aren't always thinking about how much that extra layer is costing.

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

You know Art, it was kinda fun! And I love to save money on stuff like that. Every 5 or 10 bucks I can save on that stuff = 10 or 20 I can spend on trains! Thanks for the support. Best, John

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@dacuzzz]

hi John... that was a great tutorial...thx for sharing...vinny/cuzzzz

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Thanks Cuz! Glad you enjoyed it. I appreciate the support. Best, John

[@davidbutscher6537]

Sorry, I see now your doing sawdust. I wonder how a combo with egg cartons would work?

[@tomatoes3]

John, some nice ideas and mixes there, thanks for posting .

[@michaeldunn5280]

Hello John. A Five gallon can of joint compound cost anywhere from 13-17.00 in Chicagoland. Is it possible to use that straight out of the can. Five gallons covers a lot of terrain for little money and a lot lot leas labor intensive. What do you think. Joint compound good alternative or not?

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Hey Harleymike! I've never used joint compound. The problem with plaster is, it doesn't like to stick to vertical surfaces until it starts to set-up. The joint compound wouldn't have that issue. I'd think as long as it isn't put on too thick (so it doesn't crack) it should be a good alternative. The joint compound would be less work, but for those on a budget - an equivalent amount of paper shred mix would cost around $2 - $3 - just saying. The joint compound is certainly worth a try though. Thanks for watching & your comments. Best, John

[@NikaLovesImagination]

Thanks so much for making this video. It was an interesting comparison between the different techniques. It shows how easy it is to use the three methods. As we have all of those "raw materials" at hand, my son and I will be trying them out ourselves. We very much like the idea of using paper shredder grindings as my wife's shredder pulverizes the papers. We also have a lot of sawdust. Thanks again.

[@hobbytimewithpapadan8436]

Great tutorial thank you very much for taking the time to show this. I have a large layout and sure wish I had seen this before. Thanks again. Papadan

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Sounds like my life Papadan - day late & a dollar short! Yeah, this would have gone well on all those mountains you're building. Wish I had gotten it up in time for ya! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your support buddy. Best, John

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@caprilpardopicui4449]

Bom dia amigo parabéns pelo vídeo acompanho o seu canal do Brasil 🇧🇷 d

[@davestrains6816]

Great tutorial. I never thought of using sawdust,I will have to try that out. Thanks for sharing.

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Hey Dave! The sawdust does give a great texture. Not to mention a great way of getting rid of it (I always have too much). Thanks for your comments - they're appreciated. Best, John.

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@KerleyExpress]

Nice DIY so what one is the best to use? Thank you for showing use how to do it

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Not real easy to say Dwight. As far as simple cost-effectiveness - paper shreds is the winner. They're free and actually yield more fiber than the TP. But, you do need a shredder (or access to shreds). The sawdust is also free, and does give the most natural-looking result - great for rock faces, cuts, blending with rocks, etc. But it doesn't stretch the plaster as far. Of course, plaster (in bulk) is cheap, so this may not be an issue. The TP works great, and is probably a little easier & slightly faster than the shreds, but doesn't yield as much fiber. You do have to buy it, but at around 20 cents a roll, it's not a big investment. For me, I use the paper shreds most - especially for covering large areas. For open rock areas - the sawdust - it gives a more natural result. Thanks for watching & commenting. Glad you enjoyed it. Best, John

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@nfordf450]

Grate ideas

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Thanks a lot Nickolas! I really appreciate your support. Best, John

[@mightygoodmagic]

This is the best video on the subject!

[@stevearnold2304]

Hey John. I just ran across this video. Awesome and I want to employ this. Which do you prefer. The shreds, TP or sawdust? I’ve got tons of sawdust

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Hey Steve, thanks for watching! They all have their pros & cons. The TP is fine, I just included that for people who don't have access to sawdust or shreds. The sawdust wins hands-down as far as ease goes. There's no prep, just mix with the plaster & water and you're good to go. The downside, is it doesn't stretch the plaster as far. Of course, plaster is cheap (especially in the large bags). I use mostly the shreds because I have tons of shreds - more than I could use. I do use the sawdust, especially when I want to carve rocks into the terrain. The sawdust sets-up quicker & much harder, so it's a better choice for carving. If you have tons of sawdust - that's the way I would go. The finer the saw dust - the better, obviously. But if your sawdust is coarse, you can always soak it in water for a while before using. Good luck. I'd be curious to hear how you make out. Best, John

[@Ayeshaharshani1234]

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[@RicktheRecorder]

'Plaster'? Is that Plaster of Paris, gypsum plaster or something else?

[@rolandhersom239]

Previous post should read tear off , not test off My mixing and application methods are the same as yours with the same results

[@soledude]

👌👌👌

[@DruSteel69]

Great tutorial video, John. Now I’m hungry for a piece of cake for some reason. Ha ha. What brand plaster did you use? - Drew

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Now you had to go and mention cake, didn't ya? I don't have any in the house! haha! I use a lot of plaster - one of my favorite modeling mediums. So I buy the 25 lb bag for about $12 - $15 bucks at Lowes / Home Depot. This was DAP. Real good quality plaster, although that probably doesn't matter so much for this purpose. Thanks my friend! Best, John

[@DruSteel69]

Ha ha more icing please. I’ll check out DAP. Thanks John.

[@ronselliers6951]

I checked to see if this could work for me. Sorry but no like simply because I model outdoors in G-scale and need to stick with S type mortar over hardware cloth for the great outdoors.

[@cowboyvalley]

Nice, John! You could probably use vinegar to retard the drying with the sawdust.

[@SchuylkillRiverValley]

Thanks Claude! Good idea about the vinegar - never thought of that. I've used salt to speed-up the curing of plaster, but the vinegar is definitely worth a try to retard it - could come in handy, at times. Although, for carving rocks in the plaster, I usually prefer the quicker set time - I'm not a patient guy. Best, John

[@en2oh]

Get a cross cut shredder.

[@fabianot44]

Great job boy, but please stay more concise ;-) We modelers have no time to waste (smile)

[@user-dn9vd9xg9p]

Oh and ya can sure get pneumonia from the paper dust..... At least I did.

[@RiponBlogBanglaHabib]

Nais

[@TheLocutus70]

Also known as John Wayne toilet paper...It's rough and tough and doesn't take shit off of anyone.😁

[@shawnsmith6950]

Sculptimolds only like 10$ a bag. Your time is worth more than you save with this. Just buy sculptimold.

[@allanbardon146]

Add 2 tbs. cream of tarter to slow setting speed

[@nathanbrehm1085]

Jamming to the music here. Rock on!

[@ajknaup3530]

I'm unable to get past the "Green Garbage" commercials