canned foam?

[Anonymous]

How many if any of you use canned foam. I love everything about it but the cost.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Never really thought about using it. There used to be a product called Mountains in Minutes, which was a 2 part foam system. It would expand, very similarly to the way the canned stuff does, when the 2 parts were mixed. It might actually be the same material in a more user friendly form.

Mountains in Minutes was also expensive. I'm not even sure if they still make it. These days it seems like everyone just uses pieces of the extruded polystyrene foam laminated together to create topography.

I don't see why it wouldn't work. It might be kind of cool to put down a tunnel liner, and spray a mountain on top of it.

[orsonroy]

I've tried Great Stuff and Dow's foam in a can.

GS is OK for filling in holes and cracks on a foam-based layout, but that's about it. It's difficult to control it's expansion rate, it doesn't cut easily, it doesn't carve worth a darn, and it doesn't sand at ALL. And once you start cutting, you have to deal with all that swiss cheese inside. That's fine if you're modelling the cratered surface of Geidi Prime, but not for the rolling hills of Kansas.

The Dow stuff is poo. It comes out more like silly string than foam, and stays the consistency of wet cotton. It's useless for modelling purposes.

I'll stick with sheets of foam.

[davekelly]

I think Malcom Furlow did an article years ago using canned foam and rubber molds to make rockwork. Perhaps the mag index above can help.

[scubaterry]

On my last layout I did all of the mountains and hills as well as the slopes down from the tracks using Foam in a can from Home Depot. I used 1 inch styrofoam as a base cut to the shape of the scene. I would use several layers of styrofoam depending on how high the mountain or what ever was going to be to reduce the amount of foam needed. I took the base of styrofoam outside to my "portable outdoor working bench" ( my Harley trailor) and sprayed the foam in several small layers at a time. Letting each layer cure before putting on the next. The foam expands many times it size so it can be easy to put to much on at a time. On the high stuff I used some old quarter inch plywood cut to form sort of a mold to help contain it and reduce the amount of waste foam. Once cured I used a big ole bread knife (from the kitchen and never got caught) to get it close to the shape I wanted. I kept all of the scap pieces I cut off and used them where the track sloped down combined with a little scultamold. The lumps and bumps left over from the curing process actually looked quite realistic once painted and finished. I molded some large rock formations out of scultamold and stuck them on the side of the bigger mountains. Once shaped to what I wanted I smeared sculptamold into the surface of the foam to smooth it up a bit and add ledges and such. I then put in the trees, grass etc. I was very happy with the results. Down side expense... Up side very lite, easy to mold into desired shape, great for planting trees just poke a hole and put the tree in and glue, It provides a very solid stucture. I would use it on my current layout however I am modelling the NYC in a mystical place that is pretty flat. I went for lots of track and operation on this one and not so much scenery as on the last layout. Hope this helps. Make sure however if you use foam in a can you use the large crack filler type and not the small crack filler. If you are interested i can post some pics of my old layout. I think I have some close ups of the mountains.

Terry

[davekelly]

Terry.
Would love to see the pics!

Wacha ride? I have a 2000 FXST.

[scubaterry]

DaveKelly- I'll post the pics sometime tonight. I ride an 02' Low Rider. My son just bought an 05' Custom Sportster. Much nicer ride than the Sportster I had several years ago. My wife and I ride here in the FLorida Keys every chance we get. Just have to watch out for the crazies down here. One road in and same road out. Not much room to manuever. My wife is a State Trooper here and I hear on a daily basis first hand some of the goofy things people do behind the wheel. Of course I'm sure people drive like little angels up there in Texas..lol Anyway I will try to get to the pics before I hit the hay tonight.
Terry

[scubaterry]

DaveKelly-= Here are 3 pics. Not sure if I have them posted properly. If not let me know. Been awhile since I posted Pics. The rest are on Photobucket but don't know how to give access to general public???
Terry

[scubaterry]

Well how about Two pics. They are not enlargable so I guess I will go back and try it again.
Terry

[scubaterry]

Lets try it again. This should show 3 pics.

First pic shows the edge of the layout using scraps of foam to build up slope.

Second pic shows "big mtn"

Third shows "small mtn" you can see how I used one inch foam sheets to build up base to allow less canned foam to be used.
I never finished this layout. Got it about 90% done and we moved down here to the keys. Darned near destroyed it moving it. So I decided to rebuild. I have made my new layout in modules so when we move it will be much easier. Plus the new layout is much bigger and acually thought out...what a concept!!
Anyway hope you enjoy the pics. I have bunches of pic of old and new layout on Photobucket but don't know how to give public access? Maybe someone out there can help me out.
Terry

[ereimer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry
I ride an 02' Low Rider. My son just bought an 05' Custom Sportster.

cool ! i had a 1978 low rider that i bought brand new , rode it until 1982 when both the bike and i were damaged (the bike more than me , it didn't survive) in an accident with a car . driver didn't see me of course , because 600 pound harleys with 200 pound riders coming towards you with the headlight on in the middle of the afternoon are pretty close to invisible .

ride safe , never trust a driver in a car or truck

[scubaterry]

ereimer- How about a bicycle? Harley rider got smacked by bicycle rider down here the other day. No one seriously hurt but both bikes got beat up. Bicycler states he had the right of way so he entered the intersection and hit the Harley he knew was there. Legally the guy was right but dummer-en-dirt I'm thinking. So add bicycles to your watch out for list.
Terry

[scubaterry]

Machinate and DaveKelly - Any feed back on the pics? I got more and finally figured out how to post pics. It opens up a whole new world being able to post pics.
Terry

[Anonymous]

I tried it. .. but it is too sticky

[davekelly]

Looks good from what I can tell. I'm really glad you posted the pic showing the slabs under the canned stuff, makes it easier to understand. Did you try to use the foam with any molds? Would you use canned foam if you were to do it again?

Be safe and keep the rubber side down!!

[scubaterry]

acsxfan1 - yes the goo is really sticky until it dries then it is easy to handle and carve into what ever shape you want. I just leave it alone over night so I don't get tempted to mess with it too soon. It can be dry on the outside but still sticky on the inside.
Davekelly - I just cut the one inch styro for the desired footprint and layered the foam on it and when dry cut off the overhang and for the deep stuff I used more than one layer of one inch foam. The only mold I used was for the large mtn. I did the several layers of one inch styro and then stood quarter inch plywood scaps to form a box kind of thing to make the foam at least resemble the final product with allot less wasted foam. When dry I cut the foam away from the plywood and shaped it. I was really impressed with the results as the rough bumpy look actually looked quite mountain like. I did fill in some of the surface with scultamold just to smooth it out a bit. And yes I will def use foam again. When we move at the end of the year we will be buying a house and I will ensure I have a nice train room. The layout I am currently working on is the center sort of. Very flat. However in the new layout I will have mountains, hills, bridges, water etc around the outside of the current layout giving it alittle relief. I am not sure If I am being clear but yes I will be using foam again.
Terry