Hi folks.
I've just started building a 4x8 N-scale layout with my 9 year old son. My first questions, regarding bench work, was in this thread. We've got the table constructed; not coincidentally, it looks a great deal like the first image in that thread.
I'm placing a 1/8" sheet of fiber board over the joists, then foam on top of that for the topography. We're going to have at least a couple different levels of track.
My next question - I think we'll have a water feature or two (pond or stream). Is 1" of foam deep enough to create such features? I have a sheet of 2" foam and 1" foam - I was thinking the 1" sheet would go down first and would be the lowest elevation of track, with the 2" foam on top of that for the next elevation of track.
Any feedback appreciated. Thanks!
FEH,
I will be using 3/4" thick foam on my HO shelf layout and I will be adding a canal since I am modeling the Miami, Fl. Please check out Lance Mindheims "Voodoo & Palmettoes Florida layout, specifically the East Rail Layout. His work is fantastic and his canal was cut through using only 3/4" dow foamboard. If you do two applications of Environtex as the water medium, you will hardly exceed 3/16 of an inch in total depth. I am enclosing a photo of my canal on my old shelf layout that was cut from 2" foam. Once the foam was cut, I had to build up the base about 11/2 inchs and then cut the banks back. This was a major pain. I would have pulled the 2" foam, had it not been glued to the wood base. Check out Lance Mindheims website for an excellant canal using 3/4" styrofoam. I also included a photo of the hot knife I used to cut through 2" foam. Available at Lowe's for about 22.00.
Larry
www.lancemindheim.com
Feh, with it being N scale 1 inch is 13.3 foot which will make for some deep gullies. My self I would use the 2 inch depending on what kind of terrain you are looking for. I like mountains so I would like the 2 inch. At 2 inches with out a grade you could add some bridges and have a line run under the bridge. I run HO and used 2 inch and wish I used 4 inch.
Little tip on buy foam at Home Depot, find one that has damage and find the sale department manager and ask for a discount! I normally get 75% off.
On the water effect, I have yet to do one but, from what I understand is it only take about 1/16 of a inch or so. It is painting the bottom that makes it look deep.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Unless you want really steep and deep banks, 2" should be plenty for water features like ponds. You really don't need a lot of physical depth and the impression of water depth is created with the way you paint the bottom of the pond. Dark in the middle getting lighter towards the banks. Just a few 1/8ths of an inch of envirotex of Unreal details Magic Water is plenty to give the impression of a deep pond when painted well. Take a look at their web site for some neat ideas.
http://www.unrealdetails.com/
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
I'm focusing on getting a 4x8 2" foam for my layout. Also, simon1966 makes a good point. The famous Model Railroader Milwaukee Beer Line (Featured in the 75th Anniversary issue) was constructed on 2" foam. It turned out marvelous. So far, if it's for a younger one, I would chose 2", for your likely not to have big landforms...
Good Luck!
Josh
One other resource I just thought of, take a look at Dave Frary's latest DVD on water features. I have it and found it to be really helpful.
http://www.mrscenery.com/
You don't need to stack foam base-to-top like a layer cake. You can support the upper levels further above the benchwork with just a bit of wood. This is what my layout looks like underneath. I'm using 2-inch foam. The supporting "trestles" are 1x2 lumber:
The foam on the left side is the base level, where my subways are. The next level is a couple of inches higher.
You really don't need more than a half-inch or so to create "deep water" on your layout. This is the preparation for Moose Bay. This only goes down about a half inch into the base foam:
After painting and adding tinted Envirotex in several layers, it came out like this:
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.