Thanks for the advice. I have an additional question: What is a basement? I live in northeasern Alabama...basements are rare. All kidding aside, I would kill (or nearly so) for a basement or anyother area that would allow me to keep my layout useable and in a controlled environment for more than 3 days. I have to deal with what I have and that means not running trains in the heart of the winter or summer; removing wooden structures to the house, and folding up the layout when I am done "playing".
Your advice about an external air source for a furnace is on target. Most newer furnaces are equipped to have an external air intake installed. I would add one should never spray paint (or air brush) in an enclosed space unless one is using an externally vented spray booth. Depending on the CFM of the blower, this may or may not mitigate the danger of explosion.
In addition to my original post and for the record: I did use an acrylic-latex paint (Valspar Universal Umbar Interior Flat) but brushed it on instead of using a roller...which would have been easier and considerably faster. The painted surface was allowed to air dry for at least two days before anything was attached to it.
"Keeping my hand on the throttle...and my eyes on rail."
rrebell wrote: grayfox1119 wrote: As for paint on foam, you must use LATEX based paint not acrylics. Acrylic based paints, such as those in spray cans, will eat into the foam. There are now LATEX paints in spray cans, so look for them if you want to go this route. I chose not to, I use a roller because I was in a windowless room. I used a floor fan anyways to keep the odors/fumes out of the room and out the open window in the next room.If you have a layout in the basement, and there is in most homes a furnace ( oil or gas fired ) located there also, you must be VERY careful of fumes from ANY sprays, paints, chemicals, etc. Your air intake for ignition of your furnace could make things go very bad in the basement in a hurry. For this reason, I decided on the side of safety and had a sealed air intake pipe installed to the outside of the house for furnace combustion air intake. Very inexpensive 4" pipe and 4" cored hole in basement wall, only took 30 minutes to install.Acrylic is water based so no problem with foam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
grayfox1119 wrote: As for paint on foam, you must use LATEX based paint not acrylics. Acrylic based paints, such as those in spray cans, will eat into the foam. There are now LATEX paints in spray cans, so look for them if you want to go this route. I chose not to, I use a roller because I was in a windowless room. I used a floor fan anyways to keep the odors/fumes out of the room and out the open window in the next room.If you have a layout in the basement, and there is in most homes a furnace ( oil or gas fired ) located there also, you must be VERY careful of fumes from ANY sprays, paints, chemicals, etc. Your air intake for ignition of your furnace could make things go very bad in the basement in a hurry. For this reason, I decided on the side of safety and had a sealed air intake pipe installed to the outside of the house for furnace combustion air intake. Very inexpensive 4" pipe and 4" cored hole in basement wall, only took 30 minutes to install.
As for paint on foam, you must use LATEX based paint not acrylics. Acrylic based paints, such as those in spray cans, will eat into the foam. There are now LATEX paints in spray cans, so look for them if you want to go this route. I chose not to, I use a roller because I was in a windowless room. I used a floor fan anyways to keep the odors/fumes out of the room and out the open window in the next room.
If you have a layout in the basement, and there is in most homes a furnace ( oil or gas fired ) located there also, you must be VERY careful of fumes from ANY sprays, paints, chemicals, etc. Your air intake for ignition of your furnace could make things go very bad in the basement in a hurry. For this reason, I decided on the side of safety and had a sealed air intake pipe installed to the outside of the house for furnace combustion air intake. Very inexpensive 4" pipe and 4" cored hole in basement wall, only took 30 minutes to install.
Actually, there are also solvent based acrylic paints as well available at hardware and paint stores. You have to specify acrylic-latex if you want waterbased acrylics in a paint store.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
The question I have for all is painting the Styrofoam after it is in place. I have a fold-down layout that features a 5/16" plywood base. To save weight, I decided to forego my usual underlayment of Homosote and went with 1" Styrofoam. After gluing down the Styrofoam, I painted the entire surface with latex tan paint. My problem is that the paint will stick to, and is removed by, anything that is set on the layout for a couple of hours or so.
Understand that my track is already glued down (and I ain't going to remove it). Will this cause problems with track/roadbed adhesion in the long run? Will my future scenery additions (grass, dirt, bushes) be compromised by the paint? This was my first excursion into Styrofoam sub-bed and I think I would have been better served sticking with Homosote. No one was of any assistance, at our local Lowe's, because Styrofoam insulation isn't ordinarily painted. Any thoughts?
MECman wrote:Hi,Does it bother any foam users that the product is flammable and and gives off highly toxic gas when burning. Building codes require foam to be hidden behind a gypsum drywall fire barrier. Just food for thought.David
Nope. I don't plan on burning it. Besides, as a 911 police and fire dispatcher, I'm sure I could get them to my place in about 90 seconds if need be...
MAbruce wrote: mainetrains wrote: My other question is how do you get a smooth elevation transition? Carving? The tried and true tape and paper with whatever on top?I used the Woodland Scenics Inclines. While I'm generally not a big fan of their overpriced products, I have to admit that this is a very useful product:http://www.woodlandscenics.com/items.cfm/Inclines
mainetrains wrote: My other question is how do you get a smooth elevation transition? Carving? The tried and true tape and paper with whatever on top?
My other question is how do you get a smooth elevation transition? Carving? The tried and true tape and paper with whatever on top?
I used the Woodland Scenics Inclines. While I'm generally not a big fan of their overpriced products, I have to admit that this is a very useful product:
http://www.woodlandscenics.com/items.cfm/Inclines
This is what I'm doing for the inclines on my own layout as well. My benchwork is in the form of 2'x4' modules built from 1x4 lumber with 2" foam insulation board mounted to the top with latex caulk for the scenery base. I'm then using additional 1" and 2" foam pieces for the raised scenery along with the Woodland Scenics risers to get the track to the correct height.
Modeling the fictional B&M Dowe, NH branch in the early 50's.
Byron - thanks for jogging my memory and I will add that address to the database as I still may need to visit them soon.
It seems the question of where to find extruded foam in CA comes up every week . It's available, though not widely, for the reasons noted above. I've been told it is often used with radiant heat floors, which are virtually unknown in mild-winter areas like most of CA. Here's what I wrote the last time the question came up, with a reference to the thread on finding foam:
cuyama wrote: This comes up pretty often. Here's a past thread where I describe how some of my clients and friends have been able to find the foam, even in mild-winter areas -- and yes, even in California.http://cs.trains.com/forums/1270007/ShowPost.aspxThe key is to use Dow or Corning's dealer finders and then to call first. The dealer finders will list dozens of Lowe's and Home Depots that do not actually carry the foam. Don't waste your time with them. Instead, try the contractor supply houses, insulation suppliers, etc. But call first before driving!
This comes up pretty often. Here's a past thread where I describe how some of my clients and friends have been able to find the foam, even in mild-winter areas -- and yes, even in California.
http://cs.trains.com/forums/1270007/ShowPost.aspx
The key is to use Dow or Corning's dealer finders and then to call first. The dealer finders will list dozens of Lowe's and Home Depots that do not actually carry the foam. Don't waste your time with them. Instead, try the contractor supply houses, insulation suppliers, etc. But call first before driving!
In SoCal, you may be thinking of:
Foam Sales and Marketing1005 West Isabel Street Burbank, California 91506
Telephone: 818 558 5717
As always, call first before driving.
ByronModel RR Blog
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
Jake--
Whoah, FORTY DOLLARS!? Back in the good ol' days six years ago here in NorthernCal, at least in Sacramento, you could get it for about $8, until Home Depot stopped carrying it and substituted the 'beaded' variety instead.
SOMEBODY'S making a killing--unfortunately, it's not the hobbyist who likes to use it!
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Bikerdad - is that the place in Burbank? - the name and address escaped me now - but anyway, I called them and they want $40 for a 2x8' piece of 2" Styrofoam - but they have it and many other sizes. Wish I could remember the name?
So I am cheap. I waited until my camping trip to Eastern Sierras and stopped in Bishop, found 4x8' 2" sheet for the $40 - STILL TOO Expensive compared to the East but ----- to live in a moderate climate!
Tom, you're welcome.
Regretfully, while I enjoy blaming every shortcoming of California on the various fruits, nuts and other assorted human oddities y'all have scampering about down there, the relative dearth of Styrofoam and other extruded foams in SoCal has little to do with the various emanations of the People's Republic of California's love for regulation. 'Tis pretty much just a market thing. The expanded (i.e. bead foam) is far more susceptible to frost damage than extruded, so extruded foam rules in the Frost Belt. Down in the Sunbelt, the lower cost of bead foam gives it the advantage, big time. In short, can't be puttin' this one on the poor Spotted Owl, or even the lesser known yet even more nefarious Pearson's Milkvetch Weed! (Just ask any long time SoCal off-roader ....)
In case you didn't know, there's a place over in the San Fernando Valley that supplies extruded, expanded, closed cell, open cell, pretty much any type of foam you can think of, to the entertainment industry. (Duck, they're throwing foam boulders at us!!) If you're ever in the area, you might want to check 'em out and report back to let the rest of us know what they've really got there.