New to Model Railroading need help building mont

[Anonymous]

This is my first mountian that incorporates a double pass from my HO track.
I am working on a 4x8 foundation to start.
I am trying to build the hills out of sheet foam and paper mache`.
The going is very slow and messy with cutting the foam.
Has anyone ever worked with foam that can give me some pointers on the right glue and cutting tool ect.
Thanks
dck50

[Jetrock]

Using a hot-wire knife instead of conventional cutting tools will make it go faster and cleaner. Are you using blue or pink insulation foam or the white foam? The white stuff is messy and not as strong...

[Anonymous]

When glueing the foam together do NOT use hot glue or model glue, it will melt the foam (by heat or chemically)

a sharp knife is fine and smaller than that silly hot cutter thing... moreover is way cheaper. the hot wire knife is good if your set on having super clean cuts.

I just went to a building class doing this. the idea is glue large chunks of foam together and cut off odd little random bits to avoid the uniform lines of the origonal edges... after all you never see a nice circular or square mountian.

the guy at the class was using like a plaster cast type of stuff then covering it with sculptamold tinted more blue grey and with an added squirt of woodglue.

You might have some minor issues with seeing the cut edges of your paper strips... if your flocking it all over that's no big thing or if your not super concerned about it.

ANother idea is rip your strips of paper slightly uneven rather than strait edges. It could hide some of the seams a bit more disgusing them as cracks of rock.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of ways to do it, more than I could list. But hey, there's a search engine in these forums that will let you read all about it. FRED

[Anonymous]

I'm useing white foam , because that is what I have available. I don't have too much money right now so I have to use what I have on hand.
I have a bag of paper mache' can I use that to cover the foam?

Thanks for the help.
Dave

[Anonymous]

use PVA wood glue to glue the foam - it doesn't melt it like most other glues will!

[ndbprr]

On a 4' x 8' you could do it the old way. Crumple newspaper and spray it with water to get the shape you need or want. The coat it with plaster or your material. You can also use masking tape to hold it is place. After your mountain sets pull out the paper and you are done. Foam is the latest method but whatever works is fine.

[Anonymous]

Liquid Nails now makes a adhecive for foam board

[Anonymous]

You can use low temp hot glue like WS uses for foam.

Paper machie isn't that great a material, it is heavy and not that strong. Almost no one uses it any more. Instead consider hydrocal, or various types of plaster. I have not used, but heard good things about Durabond 90 - gives lots of working time, doesn't crack and dries very strong - Home Depot and the like.