I'm getting ready to begin a new layout, but becuase of space considerations ii will be on a plastic 30 x 72 inch folding table. It's a fairly sturdy table.
I would like to cover the table with a sheet of foam. Every once in a while I will have to fold the table legs and put it in a closet. This will be in a guest room and will need to move when it is occuoied.
What would be the best way to secure the foam to the table for when it has to stand up on edge? Also, what would be the best way to attach track and other scenery items under the same scenario?
Are there any other things I shoukd take into account. I've done several layouts before, but never a "portable" one.
Thanks.
LePage offers PL 300, an adhesive meant specifically for use with styrofoam. You'll need a caulking gun to apply it, and it's available in two sizes. Most home improvement sites and hardware stores likely carry it.
Wayne
I used PL300 to stick down all of this on an open grid. Just a word of caution, the instructions say push in place then remove to vent the glue. I pushed in place and could not pull it off to vent the glue no matter what. I am lucky I put it in the right spot the first time as I was not moving it.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Thanks, this is very helpful.
How about once I have the foam in place attaching small items like people, trees and structires? This is going to be N scale and I can't imagine using a caulking gun for that.
I would also like this to me removable so I can change some of the small items.
I use caulk or rubber cement for attaching a lot of things including people. Having a small tube for needing little bits is convenient. I put a bit on the bottom of their feet, butt or whatever and use a toothpick or tape or pins to hold them upright like a cheap drunk until the little creatures sober up.
Removing them is very easy.
wblockHow about once I have the foam in place attaching small items like people, trees and structires? This is going to be N scale and I can't imagine using a caulking gun for that.
1. I'll second Brent's comment about a small tube of caulk for most things.
2. I found that for trees, I used some caulk, but I would push the tree into the foam slightly. I imagine you could even drill a small hole to put the tree trunk into, but I found the foam soft enough to just press the tree trunk into it.
York1 John
I have now built 4 layouts with ''sheet'' foam.
PL300 will work but its overkill. IMHO. All I use is plain ole latex caulk,your choice of color.
All my track roadbed[when I used it] buildings people whatever is held in place with caulk. To remove just slip a knife like tool under the ithem and it will pop up.
For small jobs ,squese a small glob on some thing and use a knife,tooth pick,or finger to transfer what you need.
You should not need to glue the sheet to the table in order to run trains or work on layout,wheres it gona go?
You will need to glue every thing down, or remove it all for storage.
I will suggest you rethink this, having to dismantle everthing, and then rebuild every time you get the urge to work on or run trains will get old fast. Could cause one to lose interst
PL-300 is the best item to glue the foam to the table top, but it will be permanent.
You will probably end up glueing some foam to other foam for landscape profiles, and caulk will work just fine for this, but PL-300 will work too.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I agree that caulk would work as well, however, that fact that you will be moving it around I would go with the glue. Your table will be a write off as getting PL300 off will not happen, with caulk you can just peel it off and use the table again. Food for thought.
For gluing small items, they do make a foam safe CA (super glue). Normal super glue will melt foam, but the foam safe one is pretty popular for model planes. It wouldnt really be removable. I know some people have had success with using small magnets, but I don't have any personal experience with this approach.
Alex plus again would probably be your right choice.
That unitrack is expensive. You don't want nothing permanent in case you want to change something or start over on a new layout someday and be able to reuse it.
TF
wblockI will be using Kato N scale Unitrack. What is the best way to attach it to the foam?
I would use Elmer's white glue. It will soften with a little bit of water and you can get your Unitrack back.
UNCLEBUTCH You should not need to glue the sheet to the table in order to run trains or work on layout,wheres it gona go?
I want to highlight this point in case it gets lost amidst the rest of the excellent advice. I don't think you should glue the layout down to the table at all. Just make your base foam nice and thick (1.5 or 2"s) and just rest it passively on the table. When you want to dismantle, lift it off and store it up against a wall somewhere safe, and do whatever with the table. As a bonus, without being attached to the table, it'd be easy to expand in the future... Just get more foam and a bigger table.
I speak from experience. This is how my current layout works, except it's 2x11ft. The base layer is 2" of foam for sturdiness. Then I cut track width strips of 1" foam, to put under your roadbed, leaving narrow gaps between strips for wires. That way you have space below track level to install wiring, turnout motors, make terrain go lower than track level, etc. Then use leftover foam to fill in wherever you want before scenicking, though it's best to leave narrow channels between pieces of fill in foam to route future wires.
I guess you could also cut holes in the bottom of the base layer and work from below but I find I prefer to just work top down.
LastspikemikeThe Woodlands Scenic system implies that 1/2 inch thick base foam will be rigid enough when combined with the corrugated vertical backing sheets and foam track risers. I am sceptical but open minded about that.
The Woodland Scenics system is just fine if you follow all their instructions. I have seen a few layout built entirely on 24 inch wide foam shelves of 2 inch thich pink foam.
I don't use this method because I am compfortable with woodworking and I have all the tools.
Foam is just fine.
I wish I had pictures, but I never photograph other people's home layouts...
There is a shelf layout here in town that was built with the DCC bus in a recess in the foam, and all the switch machines on top hidden in buidings. It is all 16 inch wide foam on brackets completely hidden in the foam.
It is completely clean, no wires or hardware visible, and is beautiful.
You can get very creative using just foam for a base. I have built a few things on sheets of it and found it easy to move around with the stuff on it. Long term it will not take a real beating around the edges but 2" foam can be all the base you need depending on what you are doing. The things that suffer the most when moving a lightweight layout around are the things you attach to it as no matter how hard one tries that stuff gets bashed.
Did someone say foam?
I love working with foam just as much as I like working with wood.
I do know of a superior wood glue for both interior and exterior but I needed to find a superior foam glue as the top of the risers supporting the cookie cutter are only 1" x 1 1/4" not providing much contact area.
I did an experiment testing quite a few adhesives, foam adhesive being one of them. I glued foam T's together and left them to dry for 72 hours. I found 2 in 1 poly-seam-seal to be the strongest.
If you are going to store your fold-up table layout in the closet this sure will subject all your work to a lot of vulnerability.
You may consider the idea I have for the future when I take my layout to train shows. It will have a luan box top that will fit over the layout fastened with wing nuts to protect it. Your Luan box top could be stored in the closet where your layout will go periodically.
I would build a frame out of 1 x 2's with the boards laid flat that can be screwed to the table top from underneath and then glue your foam to the top of that so you have the wood edges to install your (wood/machine thread) screws projecting out the sides for your wing nuts. Oblong (U) slots on the edges of the Luan box. Then you're light weight box top can be easily taking on and off for storage. Your modeling work will always be kept safe.
wblock I'm getting ready to begin a new layout, but becuase of space considerations ii will be on a plastic 30 x 72 inch folding table. It's a fairly sturdy table. I would like to cover the table with a sheet of foam. Every once in a while I will have to fold the table legs and put it in a closet. This will be in a guest room and will need to move when it is occuoied. What would be the best way to secure the foam to the table for when it has to stand up on edge? Also, what would be the best way to attach track and other scenery items under the same scenario? Are there any other things I shoukd take into account. I've done several layouts before, but never a "portable" one. Thanks.
I used a Home Depot foldable workbench to put my layout on along with a 1/2 sheet of plywood with one inch foam board. I am getting started and decided to use Kato Unitrack. I am learning and look forward to getting to know how to learn through videos and forums. Thank you!
"If you can dream it, you can do it."
Walt Disney
DSquareRR is an homage to my Father who was a Chemistry Professor. He always initialed this D2 for D D.
"If you can dream it, you can do it!"
I am an HO modeler but this can be applied to any scale... squeeze the caulk out onto a disposable surface such as cardboard etc
( think cereal box)
then use a micro brush or toothpick to apply small amounts I do this with Formula 560 ( canopy glue) as well
dbduck How about once I have the foam in place attaching small items like people, trees and structires? This is going to be N scale and I can't imagine using a caulking gun for that.
As stated earler in this thread, having a small tube of caulk is very convenient for when you need tiny amounts. Regardless, if it comes out of a caulk gun or a tube I put a dab on some tin foil and then apply it with a toothpick or brush.
Our club built a light weight wooden frame for a portable Thomas layout that fit around the perimeter of our folding table. Makes wiring easy- the two inch thick foam board just drops down in the frame.
Ed
I'm going to take a slightly different approach to your question based on my use of foam board on my current and former layouts. First, you do not mention the scale. Would it be safe to say "N"? (Anything larger and you're well on your way to creating a non-operating diarama or a decent size trolley car layout.) Is foam board available in the diminsions you are working with? The 6' dimension is no problem; the 30", hm, unless you're prepared to cut it. Permanently mounting the foam on the table (regardless of the cement you use) will make the layout unwieldy the few times you do have to fold it. Also, be prepared for a lot of cleanup the first few times you flip it on its side for storage. (Buy more ballast than you think you'll need.)
I would be concerned about the flexibility of the plastic table top. Much easier to mount the foam on plywood and attach this to the table with strategically hidden bolts. Now you can remove the top and then fold the table.
An added benefit of using a plywood base is that you can attach a 1"frame that will also serve as a mounting surface for a fascia board that will serve as protection for the highest item on your layout. True, you will now have to reach in and down to rerail rolling stock, but that pales in comparison to the sickenng sound of scenery or buildings snapping in half.
I'm no great fan of a pink scenery base, unless foam comes in a more natural color, I suggest applying a base color as the fist step. Some modelers will apply scenery directly on wet paint, but I find the foam absorbs the paint too quickly.
Most of my layout is a city scene with in street track so I don't need a roadbed. The rest of the layout uses cork roadbed. The easiest way to lay cork is to use a tacky glue and then use pins on the curves. The hardest way to lay cork roadbed is to use tacky glue... when you decide that two of your turnouts don't really belong where planned. I tack everytthing with pins. Want to ensure the pins don't lift? Apply Elmers Glue-All to the tips of the pins.
I built a portable shelf layout using the method I've described. Would I use this method again? YES. Have fun and stand back for an avalanche of criticism