Hi gang.Does anyone know of a more affordable product than the 16$ a bottle woodland scenics water ? I love the stuff & it’s results,but a large project can get quite expensive.Are there any close substitutes from home depot type stores ?Any help will be greatly appreciated by my wallet !!! Thanks,Rodo
Welcome to the forum.
I’ve found Realistic Water for as cheap as $12.50 online…you just have to search around a bit for the supplier that’s dumping it. Woodland Scenics also makes a product called E-Z Water. It comes as a 16oz bag of crystals that you need to heat to dissolve and then pour. It runs between $7.50 - $9.00 depending on where you get it.
As far as commercial products go, there are several options. I have heard of modeler’s using clear resin, like that used on bar tops, but if anything, it’s usually more expensive than the modelling products unless you buy it in industrial size containers. If you don’t mind an opaque look, I’ve also seen dioramas that have semi-clear silicone for water but this will not self-level, so that’s a drawback. Some of the best water I’ve seen on a ship diorama was actually made from plaster and painted to look like the ocean.
It really comes down to the specific application and the look you want.
I have heard Future Floor Polish works nice (I have seen it used to make puddles, with some paint mixed in for color), but I don’t know what depth you cn make it and have it still cure. It’s only $5 a bottle
Rudedog: You can also buy a bottle in Michaels arts and crafts to make real water!, go to flower section and they have a liquid that is use for flower jars is transparent and dryes fast, you can add color depends how dirty you wanted or get resin at the same store and also the colors for water you can find them there…
I made my Normandy diorama with resin from Michael’s…
Good luck!
Gabriel Salazar…
I find that clear caulk does the trick good. It’s kind of tricky to use though…
Also have a look at acrylic gel, quiet a few companies like Liquitex, Golden etc sell them.
They come in a variety of thicknesses and bottle sizes.
Don’t be fooled by the whiteness of the product it dries clear.