/mivacommon/member/pass.mv: Line 148: MvEXPORT: Runtime Error: Error writing to 'readers/pass_err.log': No such file or directory [TMP] "Elmers' Clear kids' glue for water effects" Topic

 Help support TMP


"Elmers' Clear kids' glue for water effects" Topic


16 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

Please do not post offers to buy and sell on the main forum.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Back to the Terrain and Scenics Message Board


Areas of Interest

General

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


Featured Ruleset

D6 Minis


Rating: gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star 


Featured Showcase Article

Cheap Scenery: Giant Mossy Rocks

Well, they're certainly cheap...


Current Poll


Featured Book Review


297 hits since 19 Oct 2025
©1994-2025 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?


TMP logo

Membership

Please sign in to your membership account, or, if you are not yet a member, please sign up for your free membership account.
Baranovich19 Oct 2025 8:57 a.m. PST

In a previous post I showed my first attempt at doing a still-water feature, a pond using a Woodland Scenics water effects get product.

I also made a couple more ponds, this time testing out Elmers kids glue.

It's very cool that we have products all around us that turn out to be pretty amazing for wargaming and modeling. I first spotted the Elmers clear glues at a Walmart a few years ago. I got the clear and the green clear versions. Elmers also makes a purple version as well as a glow in the dark version, which have a whole host of different hobby possibilities!

Turns out that clear Elmers works pretty much the exact same way that the Woodland Scenics products so. The Woodland Scenics has more gloss to it, but other than that I have to say they cured in the same way, settled in the same way, and look very, very similar when used for water.

That being said, I do not know if these glues could be used for deeper pours as a substitute for resin pours. My guess would be no, as it's not designed for depth and there would probably be cracking issues, as well as shrinkage and possibly inconsistencies in remaining transparent. I think for deep water projects where you want to see actual clear depth like on model railroad layouts you would still want to use a resin, either the toxic kind of acrylic.

But for doing a shallow pour of up to 1/8", the Elmers clear glue appears to be a success!

myxemail Supporting Member of TMP19 Oct 2025 10:17 a.m. PST

Very interesting

Perris0707 Supporting Member of TMP19 Oct 2025 10:37 a.m. PST

Well that's pretty cool!

SBminisguy19 Oct 2025 12:52 p.m. PST

I have done this before and found that over time the glue can shrink and pull back from the edge of the water feature

79thPA Supporting Member of TMP19 Oct 2025 3:17 p.m. PST

Interesting.

@SB, I wonder if a fresh pour around the edges would fix such a problem.

Personal logo McKinstry Supporting Member of TMP Fezian19 Oct 2025 3:41 p.m. PST

Nice to know. Thank you.

rustymusket19 Oct 2025 4:36 p.m. PST

The Green pond especially drew my attention. It looks more realistic than the resin one I got and painted to look like a pond reflecting surrounding trees.

Grelber19 Oct 2025 6:03 p.m. PST

I have a water lined crocodile I'm trying to paint in the brown waters of the Nile, rather than clear water. Right now, the base is brownish, but after seeing your greenish ponds, I'm thinking that brushing on the green Elmer's might give it a realistic look.

Grelber

SBminisguy19 Oct 2025 8:32 p.m. PST

Interesting.

@SB, I wonder if a fresh pour around the edges would fix such a problem.

It did, seems OK when I checked on it (been on shelf for a while)

Personal logo Old Contemptible Supporting Member of TMP20 Oct 2025 1:59 a.m. PST

This is a great idea. Would like to see it done on a larger body of water.

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART20 Oct 2025 5:23 a.m. PST

Thanks for the idea! I have been using the stuff to fix figures on painting sticks. Perhaps I could try putting puddles on bases with it as well.

FlyXwire20 Oct 2025 7:13 a.m. PST

Great results – and tip!

IronDuke596 Supporting Member of TMP20 Oct 2025 9:42 a.m. PST

These are excellent tips. Thank you.
I particularly like the green pond . I will try it at some point.
BTW what was the base color on the green pond before you added the green glue?

Oberlindes Sol LIC Supporting Member of TMP20 Oct 2025 9:58 a.m. PST

Definitely going to give this a try

Baranovich20 Oct 2025 11:06 a.m. PST

Thanks for the feedback folks, much appreciated!

@IronDuke596,

I used a craft paint mix of dark blue, green, and gray. Depending on how deep or shallow I want a body of water to look, I will sometimes add black to that mix, or just use a greater proportion of blue paint with the other two colors.

Baranovich20 Oct 2025 1:11 p.m. PST

So, just looking through the comments, regarding the glue shrinking, pulling away, etc.

If you look closely at the photos, I actually did try what 79th Pa. suggested.

You can see very subtle seams between the original pour and the secondary pours I did at the other end of the pond. So to be clear, I didn't attempt another pour around the perimeter, but rather I added a second pour to the side of the pound where it shrank back. Essentially just filling it in so that it would all be mostly the same depth.

At certain angles it looks very good, but from other angles you can see the obvious transition between the two pours. Although I guess one could say that the transition line is a subtle rippled caused by a gentle breeze.

For the most part it worked pretty well.

As to what Old Contemptible mentioned, I do think this would work with larger bodies of water. But I don't know how it would behave being spread over larger areas. I would imagine that you'd have most of the issues at the edges like I did with the smaller ponds.

The one thing I do know is that this is where clear resin, whether it be acrylic resin or the toxic version is a superior product for actually pouring for depth. Main reason being that resin actually levels good and true. Resin, particularly for large, still bodies of water really gives you that distinct water line at the shore.

If you look at really well done model railroad layouts, you can see where the canals, lakes, etc. have resin pours and that resin tightens RIGHT ALONG those banks and achieves that true look of water filling up a basin.

The glue on the other hand, while being glossy and creating a pretty satisfying still water look, doesn't stay tight up along the edges of the river or pond bank but rather wants to pull up along the edges. This creates a water feature where the water looks like it's sitting on top of something beneath rather than filling a basin like actual water does.

A lot to think about!!

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.