Hello all, anybody had the same problem as I did. When I made the diorama the still water was transparent but turned opaque after a few years. The diorama was stored in a showcase totally away from sunlight.
Anybody has an idea why ?
Search the net and you will find that other people have had the same issues. Lots of conjecture on why.
Most believe that as Vallejo Still water is a water-based polyurethane dispersion type resin, it suffers the same issues as similar products used for industrial coating uses - it is not fully water resistant. This means it can be effected by moisture in the air, especially in humid areas. The Still ater is self levelling, so I can see you have used it built up in layers to get the effect you have (as you are supposed to do), but there is no real binding into previous layers - it sits on top, rather like paint.
For still water I do not use fancy new and expensive products. I have used solvent based exterior floor sealer for years. I have a dio with a bridge over a placid stream that is now around 35 years old, and the finish is a clear as it was the day I poured it.
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can you tell us a brand and how you poured it
I don’t still have that one so the brand I cannot say for sure, but was probably a Wattyl or Cabots product.
However I raised the dio up at one end and poured just enough for it to run along the middle of the stream most of the way. I let that cure, then repeated with another run, tipping sideways to get it to run a little toward the side and then downward (you get the characteristic V shaped ripple of a gentle stream. Keep doing that until you get the depth and effect you want. Lastly I used an eye dropper to add the sealer behind rocks so it would flow around the part submerged rock and create ripples. Careful prodding with a toothpick allowed me to also add a bit more ripple effect around the rock and the few twigs that also stuck up.
Hello ‘petbat’, thanks for your answer. Just as ‘steviecee’ I am trying to decide what to use instead. I would also prefer to buy ‘non brand’ stuff but buying a minimum of 1 litre proffesional stuff is a bit overkill for me. What is your idea of AK’s resin water? Will that stand the test of time/humidity?
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Never used it myself. Only the test of time itself will answer that one.
thanks. I’ve been thinking about trying some clear deck varnish and i will try out your method on some scrap wood
Google ‘clear casting resin’. You should find a lot of options.
bruce
The same happened to me, after a few years storage in a dark cabinet the content solidified in my bottle of Vallejo Still Water (never opened).
cheers
Walter
Marc, I have been using the AK Puddles for a Dio I am close to finishing.
The puddles is already tinted brown but you can see down into a little way once it dries.
It is self leveling, and for probably anything over 3mm or say larger areas of puddle / still water it is best to build it up gradually.
This is the first time I’ve used it, but on first impression it looks pretty good and it has a nice reflecting quality.
I have no doubt it looks good now but the problem was and is, will it still look good in 3 years from now?
I dont know how long you keep your dioramas, but I like to keep them in original condition longer than than at least…
I contacted a shop in the Netherlands were I bought resin for moulding and this is what they suggested →
For water Tarbender might work:
or else our new product Fairpoxy:
I think I will try that tarbender…
To all, thanks for your replies.
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hello friend don’t worry I had the same problem, still water, it is a water-based resin, what I recommend you to recover its crystalline color, is to apply ultra violet light, with a lamp, and the problem will be solved issue.
I passed the still water to me, it turned white in the bottle before I applied it, and in order not to throw the product away, I did several tests, and the only one that worked for me was putting it directly under the uve rays.
Greetings and I hope it helps you
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Thanks for that tip. I would try it if I had a UV lamp…