introduction

J's Work, a diorama accessory company out of China, offers a new release in their "Dioramas Accessories Series." It is a silicone mold that can be used to cast a road section, offering a nicely textured surface replicating a surface made of stone. I received the Silicone Mold for 1/35 pavement 2 for this review, the second of two options J's Work provide.

the mold

The mold is very simple, made of white silicone. The detail is very nice, showing stones that are fairly uniform in size but set at different levels and providing for a very nice visual effect. There are a few bubbles visible in the surface of the mold that should be easy to fix with a little patching, or chipped to add further variation. The mold is soft and flexible. No instructions are included in the packaging, but you can visit http://jsworkmodel.com/ or view the instructions at Lucky Model on the product page, http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=JW-PPA3019 to see how the product works.

making stone pavemant

The process is simple. Mix some plaster, pour it into the mold, pound on the table top or improvise to provide vibration that will release the bubbles from the casting material, and wait for the product to dry. The silicone material releases easily from the material poured into the mold.

I used two different products, the first a product a smooth compound that does not heat up when prepared, and the second a product that states it can become "very hot" when mixed. Both went into the mold easily, set quickly and released from the mold without issue. You can see in the photos I didn't get all the bubbles out of the plaster, but again, I can use that to add variation, or do some simple filling. I will need to clean up the joints and the two sections can be attached. Painting is as the modeler desires. I also attempted a mold using basic spackling compound. The mold left a nice pattern and released easily, but the material was too fragile and crumbled on it's own.

conclusion

If you are looking for an easy way to make a paved surface, this is it. It is a very simple item to use and the end result is very nice.

J's work products are available exclusively through Lucky Model. This mold is $5.99 US, with free shipping.