Foam Construction

[blueriver]

Hi,
I will be starting on my basement layout soon. As I started the design I was thinking about using the Woodland Scenics Subterrain system. Creative as it is, it seems a little pricey and that there is a lot to do before you ever run a train down the rails. I would like to know if there is a book or series of articles that would teach me the ins and outs of extruded foam construction? Including things like: What type of glue to use, What kinds of stuff harms or damages the foam, Steps from start to finish, and Sceniking. I know there have been several articles and threads about this but where I am now starting to look into it, it would be nice if I didn't have to search through tons of stuff to find what I am looking for. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.

blueriver

[Anonymous]

I haven't seen any books on using foam. Lots of articles and references in the magazines. Someday someone will write a book on "Benchwork Using Foam" but don't hold your breath.

[okane]

I just finished the benchwork. Before doing anything I decided to purchase the WS Sub Terrain manual and Video Tape. It is very basic but provides a step by step instruction on how to use their products for the sub terrain.

It was interesting, raised a lot of questions, however I began to formulate how I could use other foam products such as the pink extruded foam to do the same thing.

I have not decided yet but I think I will at least use their inclines and risers.

[selector]

Blueriver, Model Railroader magazine pulbished a How-to Guide for beginners before Christmas, and I still see some of them in store magazine racks. Inside is a complimentary DVD that is, in my opinion, very good. I recommend it to you.

However, to get you past any point at which you may be 'stuck', I offer the following:

a. Use extruded foam, not the beaded kind that falls apart when you shape it. Inexpensive summer picnic coolers are generally of the beaded type. That material is not particularly suitable for modeling. The extruded foam is closer in feel to 'sponge toffee'. Use layers of 1 or 2 inches of thickness. The sheets are avaiable at builder supply stores, but I hear that they may be hard to get in the warmer states (I'm in Canada)

b. The only safe adhesive is either Liquid Nails, PL200, or PL300...as far as I know. Contact cement or modeling cement for styrene will dissolve foam in a hurry.

c. Use latex paint throughout the model surface (a light...repeat "light"...shade of flat tan). Acrylics will be best for models and rock molds.

d. Steps are: i. build a sturdy table with 1/2-5/8" plywood top of a size and shape that fits your space AND will permit you to reach over and pick up fallen/derailed articles.
ii. lay the extruded foam inplace and glue it to the plywood with PL300.
iii. lay out your intended track (note: this is a whole different area of consideration, and worth taking a bit of time to read about and plan. for example, minimum of 22" radius on your main line curves, lots of staging track, wiring and control, and so on)
iiia. if you will have tunnels or hills to negotiate, bridges too, you'll have to rough them in first with more foam layers. Afterwards, you lay the track and see if everything will mate up, end-to-end. Also, power up the track and see if your train(s) will negotiate your grades, crossings, tunnel portals. If yes, good, but be carefull not to change much as you complete the layout. If no, find the fault, and correct it with finer adjustments. A wire brush works wonders on finishing grades and approaches to even them out. Trains don't like sudden changes in direction, vertically or horizontally. Sudden can mean as little as 1/4 degree!!!

iv. Shape your hills, cover gaps with plaster cloth, and add rock faces and water features, and so on. This will take a great deal of time to do right. Go slow and learn as you go. One nice thing about foam, you can always rip it up and start again.

v. Once you are happy with the shapes, lay your track, confirm its utility once more, and then cover it with 2" painters' tape. At this point, you will begin painting a section at a time, and immediately sprinkling at least two colours of fine ground foam in thin layers. Follow those with some coarse ground cover foam. Then move on to another section.

Does that help you to plan and get going?

[blueriver]

selector,
Thanks for the great information. It helps a great deal.

okane,
Thanks for the dvd info, maybe I'll pick one up this weekend and give it a look over.

I appreciate the replies so far. It has helped a lot.

blueriver

[Anonymous]

I have just finished laying my track. I used no plywood just 2" foam as a base. I started out using the wooland scenics risers but found it is easier to use 1" foam subroadbed, and slicing small wedges and risers to elevate the 1" sub bed. Long sheets/strips of 1" will be pliable yet stiff, and help to prevent any dips and bumps on the inclines/declines

[banjobenne1]

I suggest you build a test section that inculdes a turnout. See how much trouble you have with switch machines, their linkage, wires, and other hardward that you would mount under the layout. You may have to use sheets of Luann Board here.

[rrinker]

Again I point to my web site, or that of the North Bay FREEMO Modular group, for a method of mounting switch machines in foam, from the top, with no need to have plywood or masonite underneath the foam.
The only thing WS I've used so far is the track-bed for my roadbed. But I will be using some of the inclines to make a flyover on the expanded part of the layout, just because they are so easy to use.
The biggest way to save money but still use WS products is to NOT USE THEIR GLUE. Talk about overpriced... a tube of latex caulk at home depot cost < $2, and I have laid track AND roadbed for a double track mainline around an 8x12 layout and I'm STILL on the first tube. For the scenery part - you can get Elmer's glue in gallon containers at HD and dilute it yourself instead of buying the Scenic Cement.

--Randy

[selector]

Good advice from all above, blueriver. Perhaps the best advice is what you don't appear to need...do a lot of reading and research before committing to any course of action. You have that one cold, I am happy to see!

We are all full of useful hints, such as adding about two drops of dish detergent to your diluted carpenter's glue solution so that it breaks surface tension and gets absorbed, rather than running off or beading on foam cover and track ballast. Who'da thunk? It was welcome news to me!!

Good luck.

[rrinker]

Although I've had FAR better luck using 70% Isopropyl alcohol instead of the detergent. I tried a test section and used the "wet water" overspray, using water with detergent. Then tried to dribble on white glue diluted with water and a few drops of detergent. It still beaded up. The next test, I tried diluting the glue with alcohol, and it soaked right in, no beading or puddling. Once dry, the alcohol section was MUCH nicer looking. YMMV depending on your water - our tap water here is very hard.

--Randy

[orsonroy]

In truth, the archives of this forum have the best information on building a foam based layout anywhere. Do a few searches for "foam", and you'll find dozens of discussions on how different modelers use the stuff.