Aqua Magic

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ajames2746
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:13 am

Aqua Magic

Post by ajames2746 »

Hi All
Advice please on using Aqua Magic
I added the liquid to a canal on my layout, which I had sealed with pva and painted the base green.After 25 hours the Aqua Magic had cracked in several places. Any ideas why it has happened would be appreciated. Thanks
Dad-1
Posts: 7294
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:05 pm
Location: Dorset - A mile from West Bay.

Re: Aqua Magic

Post by Dad-1 »

I've used it on several Dioramas and had no trouble.
So a few questions to start with :-
How deep did you pour it ?
They do say not to exceed 3.0 mm.

How dry was your PVA sealing ?
I've found the acrylic water causes even small surface deposits of
PVA to cause a white cloudy bloom that takes many days to clear.

Where I've wanted a deeper layer, second deposits have been added,
again without any problems.

Did you add any colour ? if so what type ?
I've added some water colour paint mixed with water, but don't exceed
10% water volume.

Did you try to accelerate drying by keeping in some heat zone ?
I ask because 24 hours is not usually enough to fully harden, but you
say it cracked after about 25 hrs.

As a single compound that can be thinned slightly with water it's some
sort of acrylic that will and does shrink as the water content evaporates
as it hardens. Hence the multi layering for deeper deposits.

And at this point just one other question. How stable is the base onto which
you poured it ? If it could bend when picked up then I could understand the
possibility of it splitting.

I'm certainly curious as to why you've had the problem. I still have half a bottle
with an intention of getting another into which I fancy adding a darker brownish
colour to go with my current greeny mix.

Geoff T.
Dad-1
Posts: 7294
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:05 pm
Location: Dorset - A mile from West Bay.

Re: Aqua Magic

Post by Dad-1 »

There was me thinking I'd used water colour to get my
greeny water. However on reading back at :-

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=28436&start=150#p637644

I see I added water based food colouring. Probably because it had
a much greater colour pigment factor.

I think page 13 of the same thread has my slow running stream where the Aqua
Magic has some embroidery threads to represent weeds.

Geoff T.
ajames2746
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:13 am

Re: Aqua Magic

Post by ajames2746 »

Hi
The pva had been left for several weeks and I only had 2mm depth of the liquid.
I have pulled it out in one strip and I did notice the paper layer on the foam board was damp so I suspect the seal from the pva was not sufficient.
I still dont know why it cracked.....
Dad-1
Posts: 7294
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:05 pm
Location: Dorset - A mile from West Bay.

Re: Aqua Magic

Post by Dad-1 »

MMmm Foam Board ?

I'm wondering if there is any interface problems when laying
onto that material. My under surfaces have always been
enamel (Humbrol) painted ply with the only contaminant
being some thinned PVA run-off from adjoining scenic work.
That run-off has always been dried away to the best of my
ability using kitchen paper towel.

You would never peel my ply surfaces, the oldest was laid
towards the end of 2017 and still perfect.


Geoff T
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