For a while, I have had a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood with foam glued on top of it sitting on an old table (yes I know, it’s not a good model railroad foundation). I recently found a 4 x 8 table plan in an old Atlas Custom Line layout book from 1986 that I am going to use. Would I be able to scrape the glued foam off of the plywood sheet and sand it off afterwards or would I have to buy a new sheet?
Thanks in advance.
Depending on what type adhesive you used to put the foam getting it up could be relatively easy or it could come off in chunks. In either case you should be able to sand the plywood sheet and reuse it.
Is there a reason you can’t leave the foam on the plywood and use it again. If you have track attached to it now, you could take it off with a putty knife at a low angle under the track and roadbed (separately). If you end up with a few divots in the foam they can be filled with Sculptamold or similar product. Smooth up the foam where necessary and use the other lumps and digs as part of the new scenery.
Good luck,
Richard
I agree with both the previous posts. It should come off easily–mine did I and glued it down with a lot of white glue.
The foam makes an excellent base for all types of scenic elements–drainage ditches, creeks, rivers, etc. and just plain uneven terrain–because when have you ever seen perfectly flat landscape.
I want to take the foam off because, when I start building benchwork eventually, i’ll have to fasten the sheet on the the frame with some screws and I don’t think i’d be able to do that if I left the foam on. I don’t exactly remember what I used to glue it, but I think it was liquid nails. I haven’t actually started building the layout yet, so all I have is a piece of foam with no hills, track or anything else.
I also agree with previous replies to your post. My layout sits on a 2" foam base, glued to a 3/4" plywood bench top. Actually my bench work is a shelving system that holds our various plastic storage totes full of family “stuff”, with a curtain that hides it all. Keeps everyone happy, wifey gets organized storage, I get a space for my trains. For higher hills, grades, etc, I just added more foam, and carved it to what I want.
One thing I should clarify, I’m talking the extruded type, the pink or blue board, and NOT the expanded bead board, which is white, like the throw away coolers you can get for a couple of bucks.
Mike.
For all the work involved in removing the foam, I would just get some angle brackets and use them to attach the plywood to the framing you spoke of from underneath. I learned the hard way about attaching from above. [banghead]
I would screw right through the foam and countersink the head until you hit the plywood. Then fill the holes with sculptamold. Why ruin a good sheet of foam?
I agree with eaglescout. I think you can run the screws right down through the foam and they will pull in. Doubt you need to counter sink them, just get them to the wood and they will pull in all that is necessary, they won’t be visible. You may need an extension on your driver to reach through the thickness of the foam, if you are using a drill type screwdriver.
Depending on what you are screwing into underneath, sheet rock or deck screws would probably be a good choice.
The holes will fill easily, as mentioned.
Good luck,
Richard.
Hi
I would drill right through the foam as mentioned.
Besides the issue with the foam…you say you have selected a layout pattern from 1986…for a 4x8…does it by chance have any 15"R curves???
If so, you might want to pick another plan, unless you want to limit yourself to smaller 4 axle diesels and or small steamers and only 40’ or 50’ RR cars only to run. bigger or more modern locos and longer RR cars don’t like 15"R curves!
18"R shoud be a minimum radius…
Ask me how I know…
Just a thought…ahead of time…’
[8-|]
If you want to fasten the plywood to the frame with screws, and don’t intend to put foam on top of the plywood, why not turn the sheet over and just scrape where the plywood interacts with frame members? I trust you intend to screw up from below. Driving screws from above, then covering them with other things (track, turnout motors, ground goop…) is an invitition to frustration.
OTOH, if you screw the plywood up from the bottom, using angle brackets, steel stud risers or just about anything else, you can simply leave the foam alone and build your railroad and scenic features on top of it. Since you’ve already secured the foam it would be a shame to waste it.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I was already planning on getting a new sheet to begin with. The foam is damaged on all corners and on some of the sides from stuff hitting it and stuff leaning against it. I haven’t actually done anything on it for 2 years.
If the glue you used doesn;t easily come off - flip the plywood over and use the other (not-glued) side for the layout base.
–Randy
Hi Hustle[#welcome]
Leave the foam, don’t waste your time trying to remove it. In terms of the damaged sections, as others have pointed out no terrain is perfectly flat, just sculpt the damaged parts so it looks like a ditch.
Which Atlas plan did you choose?
Derek
It also depends on the grade of plywood under the foam. If it is a cheap unfinished sheet it will probably tear / shred when you start pulling the foam up. Also scraping the adhesive off the sheet will also damage the wood. When its all said and done you will probably wish you had just gotten another piece of plywood.
DAFF
[alien]