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White foam

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  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: East central Missouri
  • 1,065 posts
White foam
Posted by Santa Fe all the way! on Friday, February 22, 2019 10:59 AM

I recently received an Appliance which came packed with a large variety different sizes of white foam. Is this phone okay to use for scenery? I have blue foam as a base, but was wondering if the swipe phone was okay to build up Hills with.

Come on CMW, make a '41-'46 Chevy school bus!
  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Yorkton, Sk, Cnd
  • 441 posts
Posted by wvg_ca on Friday, February 22, 2019 11:24 AM

you can use it for scenery, but be warned that it's pretty messy with a saw or a knife ... lots of beads flying around  .. not bad with a hot knife

  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 723 posts
Posted by UNCLEBUTCH on Friday, February 22, 2019 11:45 AM

Once covered with plaster/mud it serves the purpose.

But; it won't carve well,as stated you'll have a mess. Almost impossable to get any detail in it. I used it as a filler,with blue/pink on top.

I have so mutch blue/pink on hand I just look away and toss it

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • From: Philadelphia
  • 21 posts
Posted by Silverliner266 on Friday, February 22, 2019 12:03 PM

Roy Smith of UP Evanston Sub on YouTube has some videos where he explains how to use it. He had to because he lives in Panama and extruded foam is hard to get there. His channel is here if you want to check it out. 

Just an N scale guy in an HO scale world.

Reading Railroad in a small space. 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
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Posted by wjstix on Friday, February 22, 2019 12:12 PM

Only caution re hot knife or hot wire cutter is some types of foam give off toxic fumes when heated. If nothing else, try to cut in well ventilated area.

Stix
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Friday, February 22, 2019 12:35 PM

wjstix

Only caution re hot knife or hot wire cutter is some types of foam give off toxic fumes when heated. If nothing else, try to cut in well ventilated area.

 

A Woodland Scenics  hot wire dose not emit toxic fumes but others due because of their higher temp.

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Friday, February 22, 2019 1:23 PM

rrebell
A Woodland Scenics hot wire dose not emit toxic fumes but others due because of their higher temp.

Excerpt from WS product info: "Some foam products such as polyurethane foam may emit toxic fumes when heated. Use in ventilated area."

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, February 22, 2019 2:32 PM

Gordon Odegard used white foam when he built the N scale Clinchfield layout.

.

He shaped it with a Stanley Surform Rasp! That must have been an amazing mess to see.

.

Yes, you can use it. It is messy, and you will need to top the surface with mud or another filler.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 2,360 posts
Posted by kasskaboose on Friday, February 22, 2019 3:09 PM

I've used white foam before. It should work fine for you.  No question that most any cutting tool on the foam generates a lot of debris.  Have a shop vac ready and don't wear anything too clingy.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,565 posts
Posted by cowman on Friday, February 22, 2019 7:04 PM

Get some anti-static spray when carving/sanding any of the foams.  A valuable tool along with the shop-vac.

Have fun,

Richard

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: East central Missouri
  • 1,065 posts
Posted by Santa Fe all the way! on Friday, February 22, 2019 8:08 PM

Silverliner266

Roy Smith of UP Evanston Sub on YouTube has some videos where he explains how to use it. He had to because he lives in Panama and extruded foam is hard to get there. His channel is here if you want to check it out. 

 

Thanks for the link. 

Come on CMW, make a '41-'46 Chevy school bus!
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Monday, February 25, 2019 9:49 PM

Tinplate Toddler

 

 
rrebell
A Woodland Scenics hot wire dose not emit toxic fumes but others due because of their higher temp.

 

Excerpt from WS product info: "Some foam products such as polyurethane foam may emit toxic fumes when heated. Use in ventilated area."

 

Accually do resurch, the Woodland scenics cutter only gets to 425degrees, toxic is 467degrees.

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