some guy wrote:
> The Stare wrote:
>> I'm planning on building a N scale railroad on a sheet of 4x8 plywood.
>> I keep reading about the blue foam sheets but don't understand the
>> advantages. Could someone enlighten me on the pros and cons of using
>> the foam?
>>
>
> -light weight
> -easy to carve/sculpt/cut
> -fairly rigid
> -available in several thicknesses (I commonly see 1/2 up to 2 inch, and
> have occasionally seen 4 inch)
> -fairly inexpensive
Seconded. It's a wonderful material! It's very quick, too -- see last
paragraph below. BTW, there's also pink foam, which is softer and easier
to work with, and black, with is denser and breaks in patterns that are
very rock like. Do not use white bead-board!
I've found the easiest way to cut the foam is with a paring knife, or a
bread knife for thicker sheets. Mark the desired contour, insert the
knife at an angle, working your way along the contour two or three times
until the piece falls apart. To make rock faces, slopes, etc, insert the
knife at an angle and twist. Keep the knife sharp. Don't use a saw, they
make too much dust, and don't use heated wire cutters, the fumes are
toxic. There is very little waste - all the scraps you cut off can be
used to build up scenery.
For track, mark out the centre lines, and glue cork in place. Use
water-based latex glue, the thin kind that comes in pint cans. You can
pin the track to the cork tem****arily until you've ballasted it - the
glued ballast will hold the track in place, and then some.
For scenic cover, begin by using plaster impregnated cloth. Buy the
cheapest available (usually at art supply stores.) Cut into
approximately 4x6 rectangles, dip into water, and apply. Very clean and
fast. Add rock castings etc as desired. After the plaster has dried,
paint all over with cheap latex paint in a sandy or rock coloured shade,
paint with washes of acrylic craft paints to get variety in rock colours
and earth colour under "grass", and apply ground cover etc as usual.
If the layout is to be ****table, make a frame of 1x2 with crosspieces at
about 12-16" centres, glue a sheet of 1/4" ply onto it (the cheapest
floor underlay is more than adequate), and glue a 1" foam sheet onto it.
Use a water-based latex glue. I've used construction glue in tubes, but
find it's too thick, and have looked for and found thin latex adhesive
in cans. I apply this with Popsicle sticks, or spatulas made of scrap
wood. Apply to both surfaces, wait about 5 minutes, and place foam
sheet. At 5 minutes, the glue is still workable, so you can make minor
adjustments, but locate the sheet as accurately as possible. Place
weights on top, and let set overnight. this will be the base or zero
level for the layout.
To glue pieces of foam to build up scenery, use the latex glue as a
contact cement. Apply, wait 15-30 minutes, and stick together. The bond
is instant, so test fit the pieces before you glue them. I also add a
couple of register marks when test fitting. to ensure the pieces go in
place as planned.
I built a 32"x48" N scale demo layout for a trade show in 7 days,
including one day waiting for the plaster cloth to dry, and working less
than fours a day! It was incomplete, which was actually an advantage, as
it showed visitors the stages of building. Adapted from "Oyster Bay" in
_101 Track Plans_, it has a tunnel, a bridge, a bay, a passing track,
and two spurs. I'm puttering away at it.
Have fun!
--
wolf k.
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