2 questions

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

Hope you have some spare time to answer 2 quick HO scale questions: 1 - Where can I buy foam board or blocks - like the one described on page 74; figure 1, in last months MRR magazine? and 2 - whats the easiest way to make custom retaining walls?

Thank you in advance!

Greg Hopkins

[Anonymous]

I don't have last month's issue at hand, so I can't answer your first question. As for the second, I don't know what the "easiest" way is, but I do know of several "easy" ways to create retaining walls.

One is to use strip wood (I've used 3/32 square) to build cribbing and then backfill it with "scale-sized" pebbles, dirt, and/or ballast.

Another is to apply a coating of molding plaster or plaster of Paris over your hardshell forms and then after the plaster is about 80-95% dry, hand carve stone work in the plaster with X-Acto knives, dental picks, or nut picks.

A third is a variation on no. 2: instead of plaster, carve stonework in a coating of colored Sculptamold.

I've used all three methods; all three produce good results provided you make an effort to keep everything - especially the stonework - reasonably close to scale. In other words, don't carve stones so large that they resemble something only the ancient Egyptians with 100,000 slaves would have used.

[Anonymous]

As far as the retaining walls are concerned Dave Frary sells latex molds that really work well. Check out his website at mrscenery.com.

[Anonymous]

Hobby shops sell the foam blocks but the most economical way is to by either a 2,8 or 4x8 sheet of foam insulation at Home Depot, Menards or Lowes. This cuts easily with a sharp knife and comes in thickness from around 1/2" up to 2". We are doing some supplemental insulating around the house with these sheets and the scraps are ideal...Walt