Hi All --
I'm modeling a particular area of an engine terminal facility circa the 1940's. The area consisted of a water tank, a couple of crew shanties converted from old wood sheathed boxcars, a brick boiler house with attached coal bin. The prototype had all those elements within a 50 ft by 110 ft. rectangle.
Since its more or less a diorama of the prototype facility, the relationship of those elements need to be fixed: i.e. I'm not going to be moving them around with respect to one another.
Ergo, I'd like to mount all as a group on a base that can then be set onto the foamboard layout base. At first, I thought I'd mount them all on styrene but the commercial styrene sheets aren't large enough (6.9 in x 15 in in HO scale)
What material/thickness mounting board would be best?
Thanks,
Ed
I would use some thin plywood.https://www.homedepot.com/p/Columbia-Forest-Products-1-4-in-x-2-ft-x-2-ft-PureBond-Poplar-Plywood-Project-Panel-Free-Custom-Cut-Available-2908/204853843I’m currently working on a 18” x 48” Diorama for taking pictures and the project board works very well.
For a small project like yours ⅛" would work very good. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Would something like masonite work? It's strong, thin, can be cut to almost any shape and size, and usually pretty inexpensive.
cnjman721 but the commercial styrene sheets aren't large enough (6.9 in x 15 in in HO scale)
If you live in a large town with a plastic supply house, you can find 4x8' 0.060 sheets for around $30. You can use the rest for scratch building.
In Gerry Leone's recent series Spaces to Places, he was doing what you proposed. He stated he didn't want to use cement or pliobond to glue the sidewalk to the styrene because of fears of warpage so he used transfer tape. In the next episode, the base was badly warped. He solved that by mounting it to the plywood with track spikes, but did not comment on why it warped.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I mounted my RH/TT on Kerdi board and moved it back and forth to my desk when working on it. I would think 1/4" plywood would work well or just see what is kickin around the house.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
At the closest Hobbytown USA (120 miles away in Tampa), they sell 3/16" birch plywood made by Midwest. It is available in pieces up to 12" by 12" or 6" by 24" (both 1 square foot).
This stuff has proven to be great for interchangeable building scenece I used on my most recent HO layout. I could remove a building and replace it with another on the same sized plywood base.
I also use this material for movement trays for my wargaming armies. It does not warp, it lightweight, and should meet your needs.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
cnjman721...I'd like to mount all as a group on a base that can then be set onto the foamboard layout base....
It sounds to me like an extra, and unnecessary, step, but if it's more convenient on which to work, why not cut the needed size from the layout's foamboard, add the structures, then plop it back into place. This eliminates messing around with dissimilar materials, and allows you to use material that you already have on-hand.
Wayne
I use "For Sale" signs from Walmart. They're easily cut and liquid cement works great for attaching styrene kits, otherwise, I use Walther's Goo. For buildings that need interior access, I either leave the roofs unglued, or a small cube of foam glued to the base inside the walls of the building. If you cut it very carefully, it creates a friction fit that allows you to lift the building from the layout.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Medina1128 I use "For Sale" signs from Walmart. They're easily cut and liquid cement works great for attaching styrene kits, otherwise, I use Walther's Goo. For buildings that need interior access, I either leave the roofs unglued, or a small cube of foam glued to the base inside the walls of the building. If you cut it very carefully, it creates a friction fit that allows you to lift the building from the layout.
What a great idea!!!! Large sheets at a cheaper cost than Styrene at Hobby prices.Thank You very much!
EDIT:I have gone to using tiny Neodymium magnets to attach both structures to the base scenery and the roofs to my structures.
Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
All --
What great ideas! Thanks to all. Can always count on MRR Forums for great advice!
Thanks again,
Do you know how thick are the Wal Mart signs? .060", .080", thicker?
I had used styrene "For Sale" signs I got at Home Depot, for various things on the layout. After about ten years they went brittle and fell to pieces. Fortunately it was nothing important that I could not replace. I even had two that were on the shelf under some other things not exposed to the light and the same thing happened.
I use gator foam base since a long time for my models.
This lightweight material is very rigid and easy to cutin form and very stable in time
When great surface are needed, I reinforce the base with some hot glued gator foam lattice under the surface.
I have some really big models constructyed like diorama and glued on gator base.
Gator base is excellent too fo access hatches which need to be removed becauseof the weight.
Foam poster board from a craft store or office supply store might work. It is cheap and easy to cut. Since it's about the same thickness as HO scale roadbed, it can be used to bring the base level of trackside structures up to track level.
Just be careful getting it wet. That can warp it or damage the paper coating.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
cnjman721 Do you know how thick are the Wal Mart signs? .060", .080", thicker? Thanks, Ed
I'll measure them.
MisterBeasley Foam poster board from a craft store or office supply store might work. It is cheap and easy to cut. Since it's about the same thickness as HO scale roadbed, it can be used to bring the base level of trackside structures up to track level. Just be careful getting it wet. That can warp it or damage the paper coating.
Why not use Gator Board instead. More expensive, but gets rid of the paper coating, and is much stiffer.