Considering a diffrent Scenery method.

[basementcalling]

I'm going to regress and give plaster cloth over cardboard webbing simply because I needed to do something with the box the 40 inch TV came in. Seemed a reasonable way to keep the mountain hollow so I can access that space through the valance on the reverse side for storage cabinets above the layout.

It's late and my brain must be shutting off, but that onion ring foam method is not making sense here. Any step by step shots around? I do have 2 inch and some 4 inch foam I mooched for a sweet deal that I will be using other places.

[Erik W]

I used foam on open girder bench work.  I glued the foam with liquid nails and then carved it with a steak knife.  Once that was done I put a layer of sculptamold on it and added rock castings.  Here are some photos of the general sequence.













Erik

[LV LOU]

 I almost gave up on trains before foam.I could never get the level of detail I wanted,plaster is horrible to work with,and rock molds were a pain.No matter what I did,it looked like plaster.I don't do anyting fancy,I cut out the foam to basic shape,and glue it together solid with a mix of Elmer's white glue,water, and Weldbond adhesive.I screw it together temporarily with a little electric screwdriver I have.I go to great lengths to carve all my rock right from the foam,the level of detail is amazing.I use a hotwire scrollsaw I made to cut it.I use mostly 2" foam for the main base,and the second level is always 2",since it's the perfect height for bridges,ETC.Here's a pic of part of my last RR..THere's not a spec of plaster,all the rock is carved in the foam..

[LV LOU]

This is the saw,a few pieces of 1X2,a piece of Masonite for the top,a piece of 1/4" round stock,a switch,powered by a 6V wall wart that was a Power Wheels battery charger..I also have other foam tools,a small Black & Decker battery powered cutoff saw,another foam hot knife that looks like a coping saw,and the "SHARK"..[be patient,LOL!!]I use Woodland Scenics wire..

[LV LOU]

Here's another old RR pic.All the mountains are removeable in this pic,they just lay there,disguised by trees,grass,ETC.Even the breaker is just laying there,only the actual tracks to it are permanent.There's a two track main under it.

[LV LOU]

This is the "Shark"..I call it that because it devours foam.It will eat through 2" of solid foam in a few seconds.It's an old Skill Screwdriver hooked to a computer power supply.It runs on 3V,and has a reversing switch built into the supply.I put a set screw into the shaft,so I can change over to different brushes and cutters to do different jobs.I just got a new camera,I'll get pics of some other stuff up as soon as I get a chance..

[BCR751]

I will need to do all of my final terrain shaping once the foam is glued into place.  I don't suppose a regular knife blade will work on foam very well so how would I do that?  I don't think I could get that Masonite hot knife in the layout very easily 

Doug

[jnevis]

My wife got me a hot wire cutter from probably MicroMark or Michaels last year for Christmas.  I finaly got to use it the other day on a foam hill for a diorama for a guy at work.  Basically used three layers of 1.5in foam and cut down the layers to get a hill about 4in tall.  The top "summit" formed out at around 1/2in, and the others were blended into it then covered with spackle to even it all out.  I'll try and get pics today or tomorrow.  The cutter itself came with a few sized loops that heat up.  One was about an inch across, the other 1/4in and a thrid had a chisel point about 1/2in.  There was also two straight wires that could be bent to the desired shape.

[MichaelT]

I will need to do all of my final terrain shaping once the foam is glued into place.  I don't suppose a regular knife blade will work on foam very well so how would I do that?  I don't think I could get that Masonite hot knife in the layout very easily 

Doug

A box cutter, a pocket knife, etc. any blade can be used to cut the foam. Go to Wal Mart or the big box HD or Lowes and pickup a knife there cheap. Use a rasp, file, sanding paper or blocks, etc.

lots of ways to cut and shape the extruded foam.

[Scottl]

Hot wire cutters do a nice job, but produce some fumes which are almost certainly not good to inhale.  Personally, I use a utility knife for that reason.

[LV LOU]

I will need to do all of my final terrain shaping once the foam is glued into place.  I don't suppose a regular knife blade will work on foam very well so how would I do that?  I don't think I could get that Masonite hot knife in the layout very easily 

Doug

Doug,I just use a regular old keyhole saw with a straight handle for some roughing in jobs..Leaves a rock like surface..

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hot wire cutters do a nice job, but produce some fumes which are almost certainly not good to inhale.  Personally, I use a utility knife for that reason.

I once got seriously high working in someone's basement with a hot wire cutter.

It wasn't as fun as it sounded.

[LV LOU]

I once got seriously high working in someone's basement with a hot wire cutter.

It wasn't as fun as it sounded.

My cutter gets only hot enough to cut the foam.I use an alligator clip under the saw to regulate the amperage.I don't cut the wire,I just install it in one piece.The further away you hook it up with the clip,the colder it operates.I use mine in the house all the time,you can barely smell it after a few cuts...I don't have it set up to cut terribly fast,though.If the edge of your foam turns color,it's really hot..If you look at the flames I cut out,there's no melting to the edge at all..

[Cajonpassfan]

I used foam on open girder bench work.



Erik

Erik, that's very very nice. Ridges and valleys, railroad running *through* natural looking scenery. Remove the tracks, and it still looks natural. Well done!
Regards, Otto K.

[nkalanaga]

Many of my foam layers are nailed together.  I used 8d nails, just push them in, and left them.  If the glue doesn't set right, and it sometimes takes a long time, the nails hold it together anyway.  If you decide to make changes later, and run into a nail, it pulls right out.

The only place I used wire mesh, in my case half-inch hardware cloth, was over a hidden track.  I wanted to make sure there was plenty of clearance, in case I had to crawl under the layout and retrieve something, so a quarter inch of wire mesh and plaster-soaked bedsheet worked very well.  Just make sure you'll never need to make changes!  Tin snips wouldn't cut the stuff, as the bedsheet gummed up the cutters...