I was at the local lumber yard. They have the pink owens corning insulating sheathing in 4x8 sheets, but they also have a generic 4x8 sheet of white styrene. They both seemed quite sturdy, but the white generic sheet didn’t have as smooth a surface. Any reasons why the white generic wouldn’t work as a subroadbed (it was $5 cheaper a sheet)?
Thanks. Mudekk
Styrene? That’s a hard plastic. It’s what most model rolling stock and structures are made of.
What you want is “extruded” foam, like the pink stuff. The only white foam I’m familiar with is the packing material, like they use for cheap foam coolers and for packing stereo equipment, etc. That is OK for mountain-building, but it’s not as stiff or strong as extruded foam. It also makes a mess when you try to cut and shape it. It would not make a good layout base.
You can use the white stuff (even though there are those that say you can’t), I do but then that is because the pink stuff it is hard to get out here. My advice is to use the pink for the base as for the other it is easier to use for landforms if you are going to cover them with plaster cloth, as a hot wire cuts it easier.
I’ve heard that the white stuff (called beadboard) releases toxic fumes when cut with a hot wire cutter. I’ve had good results using it for layout scenery. It DOES make a mess, but then, we ALL have a shop vacuum, right?
Stack and glue foam sections (I’ve used Liquid Nails for Projects, but have had good results with Gorilla Glue)
Carve to shape with knives, wire brushes, whatever works.
Cover with thin layer of plaster.
Color with stains made with acrylic paints (the cheap ones found at Wal-Mart).
Cover with ground foam (Woodland Scenics).
Toxic fumes are an urban legend with white foam as long as you keep the temp below 450degrees (Woodlands has their cutters at 425degrees).
rrebell, thanks for clearing that up…
As an added note, if you use a cutter other than WS’s then check the temp, should say on the package.
I just insulated my basement with a pink product called Foamular (Owens Corning) and I had an entire sheet plus scraps left over. I also have a few sheets of the ‘white stuff’ and am using both. They both give off fumes when cut with a WS hot wire and make an equal mess when shaped. There are some people that swear by the pink stuff and granted it is stiffer but for me I can see no real difference - yet.
Yea they stink but the fumes are non toxic, but go above 450 and the fumes are hazardous!
I am interested to know the source of the 450 threshold. A Dow Material Safety Data Sheet for blue Styrofoam (extruded, closed-cell polystyrene foam) indicates that fumes from melting by hot wire or similar exposure can irritate the eyes. Woodland Scenics only claims that their material, which is expanded foam and not the same product as the Dow, can be cut with hot wire safely but cautions against use of the hot wire with any other foam. No mention of a 450 degree threshold.
Dante
Got the data from research, the 425 for woodland scenics hot wire comes from something submitted by WS to I think UL but it was researched long ago. The 450 was from a couple of industrial safety sites, would have written down the sources if I had thought it would be of interest. You see before getting too far on my current layout I researched and practiced with everything. Most people it seams take legend for truth and in model railroading it is rampant. One of the most funny is the one about the pink or blue foam being illegal in California, total bogus!
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They are all polystyrene products.
Did a little more research and found out that the actual temp for release is 482 degrees, I guess 450 is only the safety benchmark, me bad!