I was wondering if any one has ever used old card board boxes to make your mountains instead of the foam? I thought of laying it flat and gluing it together tapering the sides into a hill or a clif or what ever you want. What would the pros and cons of using it be? Thanks. Mike
Mike,
That is a lot of cardboard if you want more than just a few little hills! Yes, it would work as many things do, but you may want to try a skeleton setup using cardboard strips over a frame. You could use thick cardboard to build the structure (I used scrap plywood) then cover it with a “mesh” of strips made with scrap cardboard boxes. Finally, you will use some disposable shop towels soaked with plaster to cover the cardboard. Foam is prefered (easy to add details/scenery), but isn’t always the norm. I used the old school method of plywood and screen/plaster soaked towels. If I did it again, I’d use foam…but that stuff can get $$$. I am a person who likes to use the best and cheapest method, so experiment and see what you think. Good luck ----Rob
I will wait to see what you learn. Sounds like the hard way, but so did foam before I tried it. I am still able to get foam from construction sites, but I must admit that the last couple months have been empty and I will need some by April. I tossed a lot of cardboard this fall, maybe that was my next mountain. I will follow this thread to what what is learned.
[#ditto] If you use decent quality towels and hydrocal plaster, the result is called hardshell - as in next closest thing to indestructible. I’ve been collecting cardboard boxes to cut into strips for my own future mointain building (I model a part of the world where the scenery stands on edge!)
Linn Westcott was an early advocate of hardshell construction. Books on the subject, including finishing techniques, are available from Kalpubco.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with, eventually, hard-shell scenery)
Thanks for the input so far, I have access to all the cardboard I can haul off from my new job, is the reason I am asking. If this will work, It will save me several $$$$. Thanks, Mike
Mike: What you’re proposing is extremely labor intensive (voice of experience). Better to go with beaded polyboard. I’ve been using it for years without any problems. Yes it makes a mess when you’re cutting it. Yes it looks ugly as * before it’s painted and scenery is added. It takes paint (latex) very well and if the ground cover and scenery is done properly, people looking at it will never guess that it’s styrofoam.
I use cardboard to make ribs, supports and joiners. I glue them together with a hot glue gun and then cover the “skeleton” with aluminium screen. Then you can use the plaster/paper towel method to put the hard shell on it. A bit labor intensive as mentioned, but if your getting the cardboard for free?Oh well! Foams pretty darn $$$$$.
Don’t use fiberglass screen. It sags too much and doesn’t give good support.