Dear modelling friends. In all of the video's posted on the Model Railway, whenever they are buidling the base layout they have masses of often pink foam blocks from which they build the basic structure. Where do you get this from? I've searched my local craft shops and Amazon and come up blank. Is this a special kind of styrofoam?
Many thanks - a newbie to model railwaying.
to the MR Forums, Phil A!
You can get pink (or blue) foam at big box building supply centres, such as Home Depot and Lowes. You'll find it, in various thicknesses and sheet sizes, in the insulation section of those stores.
Wayne
Yes, pink foam (and blue foam, same thing, different manufacturer) are home construction materials, not craft or hobby items.
If you live in the southern part of the country, SoCal, the Gulf Coast or Florida, you may have trouble finding it at Home Depot or Lowes. There isn't much demand there. They can order it for you.
Some modelers here have luck dumpster diving at construction sites for broken and scrap pieces.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
You can use beaded foam too, also from the likes of HD.
MisterBeasleyThey can order it for you.
There are other threads on foam board and Southern California and parts of the southwest, where it cannot be found. The minimum order from a big box store is pretty big. Some insulation installers use it, but one person who tried to buy some from one of those, found out they did not wanted a big mark up.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Thank you all for the comments that I need building supplies and not craft. That males it easier. I know which box stores I'll be visiting at the weekend :-)
Hello all,
rrebellYou can use beaded foam too, also from the likes of HD.
I use 1-inch extruded blue foam for the base of my pike and the expanded type for some landscape features.
The extruded foam is denser than the expanded foam. On my pike the bench work supporting the foam is a grid of 33- by 24-inch centers.
The extruded foam, because of it's density is easier to cleanup. The expanded foam produces something more like sawdust that is statically charged- -it will stick to anything.
I would suggest using the extruded foam for the base and not the expanded foam.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
jjdamnit Hello all, rrebell You can use beaded foam too, also from the likes of HD. I use 1-inch extruded blue foam for the base of my pike and the expanded type for some landscape features. The extruded foam is denser than the expanded foam. On my pike the bench work supporting the foam is a grid of 33- by 24-inch centers. The extruded foam, because of it's density is easier to cleanup. The expanded foam produces something more like sawdust that is statically charged- -it will stick to anything. I would suggest using the extruded foam for the base and not the expanded foam. Hope this helps.
rrebell You can use beaded foam too, also from the likes of HD.
My local big box do carry blue/pink foam but only up to about 1" thick. I wanted 2" for my current layout. I found it at a construction supply store based on info from my LHS.
I wanted lots of special wire but none of my big box carried specifically what I wanted. Had to order from internet but I got the specific wire gages, solid/stranded and colors I wanted. Can find some of that locally but not the variety I find on internet.
Same for lots of other odds and ends....the internet is the answer. Almost impossiible to find most of the stuff I want locally (rural Arkansas).
Paul D
N scale Washita and Santa Fe RailroadSouthern Oklahoma circa late 70's
rrebellNo beads if using hot wires.
This sounds obvious but do this in a well ventilated area.
Unfortunately the room that my pike is in is not well ventilated. That rules out hot wire cutting in place on my pike.
A surform plane and small shop vac works for me with no toxic fumes and complaints from "she who must be obeyed".
PEDI wanted lots of special wire but none of my big box carried specifically what I wanted. Had to order from internet but I got the specific wire gages, solid/stranded and colors I wanted. Can find some of that locally but not the variety I find on internet.
We have an old-style electronics supply place. It's not right in town, but I'll take the half-hour drive now and then for wire, tools and other electronics stuff.
We use a lot of diverse materials in this hobby. I go to my LHS, but also the Local Hardware Store, and craft stores, too. Some stuff needs an electronics store. Some is better found at a big-box place. I went to a fabric place for Tulle, the stuff they make bridal veils out of. It's perfect for chain-link fence, and it's actually what Walthers puts in the box.
I use plastic cups and those little plastic ketchup cups from restaurants for mixing paint and epoxy resin.
And when you're ready to uncouple, the grocery store is where to go for bamboo skewers.
Always keep your eyes open. After a while, you'll be finding useful items everywhere.
jjdamnit Hello all, rrebell No beads if using hot wires. This sounds obvious but do this in a well ventilated area. Unfortunately the room that my pike is in is not well ventilated. That rules out hot wire cutting in place on my pike. A surform plane and small shop vac works for me with no toxic fumes and complaints from "she who must be obeyed". Hope this helps.
rrebell No beads if using hot wires.
rrebellUh, wrong as long as you keep temp below 467 degrees, smells, not bad...
Argue that with my wife!
jjdamnitA surform plane and small shop vac works for me with no toxic fumes and complaints from "she who must be obeyed".
rrebellUh, wrong as long as you keep temp below 467 degrees, smells, not bad though and not toxic untill you go above that temp (WS wire tool goes to 425 degrees).
"She Who Must Be Obeyed" isn't carrying a thermometer. Best avoid that peril if you can.
Hey just giving facts to offset all the rumors about varius things in this hobby.
I have bought materials at the local pharmacies, craft stores, hardware stores, art supply stores, and grocery stores. In a lot of cases, buying from these locations is cheaper than going on line or at the LHS. What is really funny is when I go to my local art supply store and they find out I am shopping for a model railroad layout, and the clerk always thinks that is cool.
My greatest buy at the art supply store was a small plastic squeeze bottle, maybe a 2 ounce volume, with a 2 mm metal nozzle. Ballasting a turnout is easy because you can literally drop one drop between the ties and not worry about gluing the point rails. Total investment was less than $3, and worth every single penny.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
The foam swimming pool "noodles", when cut into sections, are ideal holders for glue bottles, paint bottles, and hobby knives.
Phil A Thank you all for the comments that I need building supplies and not craft. That males it easier. I know which box stores I'll be visiting at the weekend :-)
I know you didn't ask this, but a good cost saver down the line...at least when it comes to ballasting. If you go to Home Depot or Lowes, or other hardware store to get your styrofoam, you might pick up a bag of paving sand in the garden center....you then get a couple of different size collanders for sifting...and sift the sand into at least 3 grades of ballast...fine, medium and course. Trust me, it is mucho cheaper than the ballasts you find online.... :)
[quote user="BeretDude"]
Phil A Thank you all for the comments that I need building supplies and not craft. That males it easier. I know which box stores I'll be visiting at the weekend :-) I know you didn't ask this, but a good cost saver down the line...at least when it comes to ballasting. If you go to Home Depot or Lowes, or other hardware store to get your styrofoam, you might pick up a bag of paving sand in the garden center....you then get a couple of different size collanders for sifting...and sift the sand into at least 3 grades of ballast...fine, medium and course. Trust me, it is mucho cheaper than the ballasts you find online.... :)