Hi all,
New to your forums today and thought I would start with a question, Foam Cutters.
I have been experimenting with using foam insulation board for a while now and have never really been happy with the results when forming the initial building blocks around complex curves using various knives and saws so was looking at alternatives when a friend gave me an old clapped out trigger solder gun probably knocked up in Willy Wonkas Wok shop by the look of it.
A little modification later by introducing a 3mm wire and I had a serviceable if somewhat fierce foam cutter, Now at the time I was looking to install on my new N scale layout a tunnel on a curved upwards gradient the floor of which was required to form a structural component of the layout and this tool provided the answer on how to form a flat based arched tunnel simply and efficiently.
Sadly I was so busy building it I did not think to video the process but it went like this, Having formed the basic shape from two layers of insulation board and then using the cutters fitted it snugly into place I then inverted it and outlined the tunnel profile using a ply template, Then carefully bending the cutters wire to the correct and smooth profile proceeded to cut out the tunnel using the ply template as a guide in one piece, The result was a perfectly formed tunnel some six feet long requiring only a ply floor base with the track already installed to complete it.
Problem is this thing is like using a flame thrower to make toast control being the issue here, and was wondering if anyone could recommend a better product that would allow me to fit various cutter wires that can be profiled to suit?.
Look for Woodland Scenics Hot Wire Foam Cutter.
I use serrated knives myself, but have heard others get good results with these tools: https://hotwirefoamfactory.com/
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
mlehman I use serrated knives myself, but have heard others get good results with these tools: https://hotwirefoamfactory.com/
I use the serrated knives. I started out using a saw, but way too much foam "saw dust" sticking to everything, and floating around all over. I quickly turned to the knives. You can slice just like filleting and make the shape your looking for.
Mike.
My You Tube
Welcome to the forums.
As noted, there are a number of ways to cut foam. In addition to hot wire tools and various kniives, there is a hot knife, I have one from Harbour Freight, but haven't used it yet.
With hot tools, be sure to have good ventilation.
For finishing, I like a Surform 21-115 Shaver. It' small head makes shapiing curves quite easy.
Two things to keep the mess to a minimum. First a shop vac to clean up all the little bits and second a can of anti static spray. Makes cleaning up much easier, especially when you don't have to clean yourself or remove "stuck" bits from everything in and out of sight.
Have fun,
Richard
Thanks for all the replies Guys, Am looking at a possible candidate from those supplied for ordering later this week, ya gotta love the intraweb.
Layout board work is built in my free roof space so ventilation was recognised as a problem early on, outside is the best place to deal with this. and yes a shop vac is a must have tool.
I have built up a small arsenal of tools for dealing with fine shaping this past week or three, not least of which is a power file but as pointed out a Surform is just as good in most cases, The Hot wire tool though is going to be a bit of a must have as there is a lot of shaping on not so much the front of the scenery but the back fitting it around the various timbers in the trusses.
Once thats all done I can start looking at the one issue I have not found a solution for yet among many, That of modelling scenery were there is nothing to the scene and not have it look as if something fell off the layout. Type 'New Holland Bulk Services' into Google will give you some idea of the problem, ignore the modern clutter, This little corner of Lincolnshire was once a hive of activity both passeger and frieght, two stations, Paddle steamers on the River, and even right upto the late fifties sailing barges in and out of the Dock basin with a small but very busy little locomotive depot in the area between the road and the current Rail location, Picked this one not because it was going to be easy thats for sure but because everyone I spoke to regarding modelling it almost to a man said the same thing, ''Cant be done, hence why no one has tried it before'', but thats for another time.