I am at the point to begin thinking about backdrops. My RR is an island variety so it isn't attached to a wall and has aisles all around the perimeter. I am thinking about using hardboard attached to 1 x 3's with the edge resting on the plywood surface and painted basic blue sky and clouds. But would like to hear anyone else's ideas about materials, attachments etc.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
If your layout island is wide enough, many modelers use a 2'-3' high divider down the center, with rural or urban continuous scenes glued on. I use the sequential 7"x11" SceniKing sequential photo sections all the way around my 24'x24' around the room HO layout. They have a uniform blue top color, that grades to very light blue at the bottom (with photos of clouds, hills, rivers,and structures. I went to the paint store with a section of SceniKing, to match the blue at the top. I then painted the Luan laminate that I used for my backdrop. I would not place the backdrop around the edge of the layout, (as you propose), since reaching into the layout becomes difficult. Bob Hahn
The front train is HO scale. The rear, N scale, train is on a rough 2"x2" directly behind it. With the photo background of low distant hills behind, it gives one a feeling of great forced perspective distance.
I took this photo on my layout:
I've also got a table layout. To "promote domestic tranquility," as Thomas Jefferson once wrote, I can't really paint the walls of the family room. So, I bought a piece of thin quarter-inch foamboard from a craft store and sprayed some sky blue paint, leaving the already white surface for the clouds. This is a very small piece of foamboard, maybe 2 1/2 x 2 feet. I move it around and use it for a photo backdrop only.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
You could check out a discussion I had on "Backdrop Height" on the MRR site. At present I can't get into it because of a web problem that MRR has on the site.
Doc
It appears to be working now. Enter "Backdrop Height" into the seach area and check out the discussion.
Masonite (hardboard) can be bent into curves, where as foam board doesn't (just warps on it's own). You might want to consider contact cement or spray adhesive for attaching anything paper to the backdrop (and an extra set of hands).
You will likely be screwing down the partition from below (rather than gluing it down) makes it easier to change out or repaint.
John Pryke has some interesting and usefull techniques for backgrounds; multiple layer designs using paint, pre-prints, and flat in "Building City Scenery for Your Model Railroad". If you want the book, check around the web for best pricing.
Alan
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Co-owner of the proposed CT River Valley RR (HO scale) http://home.comcast.net/~docinct/CTRiverValleyRR/
I've used 1/8 -inch Masonite screwed or glued to shelf bracket stanchions and painted but my favorite is 1/2 -inch extruded BLUE foamboard - you don't even have to paint it if you don't want to.
I've used the blue foam glued to the back of foam "benchwork" and I've cut a slot down the middle of a roundy-round foam benchwork and slipped in a foam sheet as a view block.
As Doc said, bending foam doesn't work well, so you could consider foam for straight stretches and then do some coving with Masonite or similar if you round corners. I've never seen extruded foam warp though.
nucat78I've never seen extruded foam warp though.
That's right, extruded (insulation) foam won't warp. The stuff I used for that sky background might better be called "presentation board," because that's how they market it in office supply and craft places. This is the quarter-inch stuff which is paper coated on both sides. If it gets damp, it generally will warp, and it doesn't have much structural rigidity, either.
You can also get styrene sheets from plastic suppliers, or directly from www.usplastic.com. This is an alternative to hardboard, easy to curve, and not subject to warping or water damage.
I was thinking of the "presentation board" (see prior post) or foam core board, which will warp on its own, but really can't be bent.
If 1x3s are used, wiring can be run through them if structure lighting is needed.
I bought some cheap spring clamps to hold the back drops to layout. I can take it down easier to do any work if I have to. I'm using 1/8" masonite and 1x3 frames.
Doc in CTnucat78I've never seen extruded foam warp though. I was thinking of the "presentation board" (see prior post) or foam core board, which will warp on its own, but really can't be bent.If 1x3s are used, wiring can be run through them if structure lighting is needed.
Ah. Gotcha. I have no experience with presentation board.
Somebody here suggested metal roof flashing that comes in rolls. I looked at some at Menard's - comes in white and brown and is relatively cheap. "Course you'd have to paint it and support it somehow.
For an island-type layout, you could select your backdrop material (extruded foam, Masonite, etc.), then use clamps or brackets to hold it in place on whichever side of the layout you choose. This would allow you to re-position it on whichever side which is the back when taking photos. In other words, the backdrop would normally be on one particular side when operating the railroad, but could be moved to any of the other sides to provide a backdrop for photo-taking. I'd suggest something fairly plain, perhaps just blue "sky".
Wayne
MisterBeasley The stuff I used for that sky background might better be called "presentation board," because that's how they market it in office supply and craft places. This is the quarter-inch stuff which is paper coated on both sides. If it gets damp, it generally will warp, and it doesn't have much structural rigidity, either. You can also get styrene sheets from plastic suppliers, or directly from www.usplastic.com. This is an alternative to hardboard, easy to curve, and not subject to warping or water damage.
The stuff I used for that sky background might better be called "presentation board," because that's how they market it in office supply and craft places. This is the quarter-inch stuff which is paper coated on both sides. If it gets damp, it generally will warp, and it doesn't have much structural rigidity, either.
I have illustrations and charts posted on 1/4" foam core on the wall of my cube at work. They've been there almost 6 years, and are still as flat as the day they were mounted. We use the stuff all over the office to mount photos on. Admittedly, my office is allegedly air conditioned, but it get's kind of sticky in there on a day like today. I've had removable backdrops as described elsewhere in this thread made of 1/4" foam core and it's never warped. You have to buy the good stuff at an art supply place, which has a plasticized paper on the front and back. "Presentation board" is lower quality stuff that's meant to be used a few times and discarded.
I wouldn't saturate it with water or use it in conditions of high humidity (where you shouldn't have a layout anyway), but painting it with acrylic paints isn't a problem.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
I use the blue extruded foam from Lowes. It's even already the right color. Just cut it to size with a razor knife and set it in brackets.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Phoebe Vet I use the blue extruded foam from Lowes. It's even already the right color. Just cut it to size with a razor knife and set it in brackets.
My local Lowes doesn't carry any blue stuff and neither do HD or Menards. I'll have to try looking a bit farther. I know somebody carried the blue foam not long ago but I don't remember where I bought it.