Gerlach Tower is now thankfully free of all flash and wayward blobs (some quite large) of casting resin and ready to have all the holes patched. However, I've had re-think. If you've ever used green hobby putty, it's a bit of a nightmare:
It's sticky, goopy, and stinks to high Heaven. It adheres tenaciously to every surface it meets, except the one you're trying to patch. You end up with a thick crust of it on your fingers, tools, and table, but none on your model. Its sole redeeming features are that it doesn't shrink in drying and it files very well afterwards.
So, I've decided to try a bit of DAS air-drying clay:
It does shrink slightly, but it's much easier to control when wet. I've applied a few test patches and we'll see how it turns out:
If it doesn't work, I can always scrape it off and go back to green goop.
While I was at the art supply store, I saw some artist's panels. It's a very thin sheet of canvas bonded to a piece of what appears to be 3mm (1/8") MDF that's been sanded and stained:
The price is very reasonable and it comes in four different sizes. This one is 12"x16" (30.5cm x 40.6cm) for $5. That turns out cheaper than the sheet styrene I've been contemplating!! It will need a blast of polyurethane wood sealant to ensure it won't warp, but this thing has real terrain possibilities!! I'm still left with the dilemma of how to create different ground levels, but at least it's a cheaper option.
PostScript: Now that the clay is dry, it just doesn't seem to hold on too well. So green goop it is.
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