Im a fourteen year old train modeler who doesn’t want to die lol.
I love the hobby but I have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and I worry about a lot with the hobby, Toxic Paints,Plaster. Just to name a few.
Lately though, I have been using styrofoam, The beadboard stuff that gets messy, and have been carving it alot. I have heard talk of fumes from this. I use a serrated kitchen knife to cut, not the melting foam cutter things.
Do I have something to worry about?
Should I use a different type of styrofoam?
I really appreciate all your help. Every one on here is so great despite my age.
Unless you are burning it, you don’t have anything to worry about. If it is heated, it can produce fumes that would be better off not being inhaled. I wear a respirator when I use a hot knife on it. For regular cutting, it is harmless. - Nevin
Don’t burn or eat any of it and you should be fine.[:)] On a serious note though, you should be ok with a little ventilation. If you are going to be painting, you may want to try to do that outside. Water based acrylics don’t give off nearly as many fumes as enamels or spray paints.
As far as the foam goes, blue or pink extruded foam is stronger than bead board. It’s also a not as messy. If you live in a southern climate you may not be able to find the blue or pink stuff though. Good luck.
P.S. Don’t use spray paints on styrofoam. It will melt it.
It is technically dangerous, but in real use, it is not. To burn it in a fireplace would be bad. I use Styrofoam (Blue, pink, yellow, green) and carve it with a hot wire. I try not to do it for more than an hour or so at a time.
I stopped by a construction site just today and picked up the equivalent of 4 sheets of 2in stuff. There were 4 half sheets in the pile.
Hi Alex, Styrofoam is like a number of “toxic” items. In the presence of sufficient air there should be little problem. One of the gases released is formaldehyde which doesn’t do anyone any good (it is very toxic) but the quantities should be low enough and with plenty of ventilation to dissipate any real nasties. Just keep your exposure low and you’ll get a few decades towards living forever!
As long as you don’t burn it (or cut it with a hot wire cutter) beadboard is about as toxic as sand. Your biggest problem should be keeping it from flying all over while you are cutting it.
I have used quite a bit of beadboard, since extruded foam is very difficult to obtain here in the dessicated desert. It’s like a lot of other things (rubber, for example) which can generate toxic fumes if burned but are completely inert in normal use.
I carve bead board with an old steak knife in the presence of a Shop-Vac. Otherwise, it gets all over the place. Is it toxic? Only if you burn it and inhale the fumes or if you try to eat it maybe.
One of the best tools I’ve used is an electric knife, like the one you carve turkeys with. It works great but it will get hot from using it. If so, let the motor cool down and then continue. I’ve even used a normal wood crosscut saw to cut through 12" and larger pieces of foam. That can get a tad messy.
How about a meteorite hitting you through the roof? Or an electrical short that can give you a fatal shock? How about getting driven down to the hobby shop, one of the most dangerous activities you can engage in?
I’m not trying to be a smart aleck here. My stepdaughter also has OCD. I know that no matter how much we reassure you about one aspect of the hobby, you will find another one to worry about. Almost no one dies at 14 and you won’t either. I don’t know if you are getting treated for your OCD but there are good therapists out there that know how to use behavior modification so you don’t live your life in fear. You’re way too young for that. Please get some help if you haven’t already.
I would like to tell everyone that the way to help people quit OCD is NOT to give them assurances. That only helps them continue with there problems. Someone close to me suffers from it and my family have been informed that we should not help the person in this way. Of course there are probably as many opinions as there are doctors and it probably varies between countries and states. But here at least we should not answer these questions more then is necessary. I.e it is not dangerous when cut with a knife but can be if you burn it.
Magnus.
P.s There is a lot of shrinks out there which can help, there are also good medication that really helps to fight it. My advice would be to go out and get some help. I’m really trying to help, please do not think that I’m trying put you down or something.