Track fiddlerI've heard a hot wire works well but I don't like the fumes and if you pause with a hot wire it just keeps melting the foam
Sorry TF, I have to politely disagree with you. I have used a Woodland Scenics hot wire cutter to cut a lot of foam for my ex club's mountain scenes.
The first thing that I would say is that there are very few fumes created by using a hot wire cutter. Several club members expressed concerns about the fumes, but when I was working with the hot foam cutter right in front of them for at least two hours at a time, nobody noticed anything. If I was doing it every day for years on end as a career I would be concerned. As for cutting foam for a couple of hours at a time, I'm not worried. Other things will kill me sooner! It is up to you to decide what degree of risk that using a hot foam cutter creates.
The second thing I would say is that your contention that if you pause with a hot wire cutter then the foam will keep melting is not correct, at least in my experience. The amount of additional foam that is melted when using a hot wire cutter is miniscule. In fact it is barely noticable. The hot wire cutter does not produce enough heat to cause the foam to melt en masse.
All of the above may be different if you are using a hot knife. I have never used one.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
On the second attempt a convex sailor course would look much better and so far It did. Hope this doesn't get screwed up in the making.
We'll just have to wait and see tomorrow. It's only minutes till 11:00 O-Clock and I have to hit the rack
TF
That tunnel scene looks really nice Mike. I like it.
I don't care what anyone else says about you, I think you're all right
I remember that waterfall scene of yours when I was new around here
I agree with TF, a fine blade saw works best. Than sand for a finish. Even if you used a knive of some type, you'll still need to sand to the final shape.
Tunnel portal is done TF's way, only I didn't get as elaborate with the stone, I just carved an arch.
Mike.
My You Tube
About 15 minutes of time into this one but the jagged lines on the Sailor course looks good in N scale but not HO.
It was a barn burner, ... threw this one away and finished a new one.
Respectfully Dave, little by little, a thin slice at a time you can get through that stuff with a blade but foam is tough. Too much retention to cut all the way through it with a blade.
No matter what you cut foam with, once it starts clustering up on a sharp object, it starts shredding for a nasty unclean cut. That even happens with a razor saw.
A fine blade jigsaw has always been the best tool. Heard a hot wire works well but don't like the fumes and if you pause with a hot wire it just keeps melting the foam unlike if you stop with a jigsaw.
Interesting project TF!
I'll definitely be following along.
I'm curious to know why you used a razor saw instead of a smooth blade like an extendable utility knife.
It's fun, It's cheap, and it doesn't take much time.
A duplication of an N scale portal converted to Ho would be good. 1.839 times the size gets us there.
Why HO? Bigger joints to try out Ed's drywall compound for the mortar joint trick
A jigsaw at this point would be the best bet but the trucks to far away, a drill works as a router.
A plunge cut with the razor saw, the truck seems like a walk to Alaska.
Yuck, are you kidding?
Don't matter, no matter, a little sandpaper will be alright.
Fast & Final or alike is foams best friend.
Way more than this was done today but it takes so long to post from a phone. Catch up with you guys later