I purchased some plastic carrying cases designed for Hot Wheels and similar cars. I want to use them to store my HO scale vehicles that we use on our display layout. I figured that the extra space in each slot could be used for some type of protective material that would prevent the HO vehicles from banging around the case. The problem is, as many of you know, that some foam rubber dries out and crumbles after a while. And some may even react with and stick to painted surfaces.
So what do I use? I have a different carrying case for freight cars that I lined with thin foam over twenty years ago and that foam is still fine. Why? I sure don’t know. And I have no clue where I got that thin foam rubber.
Does anyone know if there is a difference between foam rubber? Or do you have any other ideas on what materials could be used to protect the vehicles? Short of going to a Hobby Lobby or JoAnn Fabrics and hunting around, I haven’t been able to come up with any good ideas, so anything will be appreciated.
I would think the foam used as carpet underlayment might be a “better” grade of foam than some. No experience, but just a guess. Over time, I presume, that manufacturers have “improved” the formula of foam, which may mean that what you have is no longer available.
My suggestion would be to try something that seems right. You could put some sort of liner or wrap the vehicles in most of the sections. Leave a couple on the foam to see if they react.
Sorry I don’t have a better answer. Maybe this will get you up the page again and someone with a better answer will see it.
Will try to stop by your booth next month in Springfield.
Thanks for the ideas. Maybe I’ll stop at a few stores and see what I can find out, because the more I thought about it, furniture cushions are often filled with foam and some of them seem to last forever. I just thought there might be a “foam expert” out there somewhere. [:)]
While You are out looking around…Take a look for Blue dust/lint free Mechanic’s shop towels, see if they will work for You. I use them to wrap models in to put back in boxes.
I think I’ve found what I can use. I had forgotten about this stuff, but I have some that I’ve used for years to wrap our display models when we go to shows. I just never knew what it was called. The only problem is that almost nobody sells it in small quantities, so I may just opt to get a whole roll and replace the old stuff I’ve been using to wrap models as well as cut it into small pieces for the vehicle trays. I think there is almost no chance of this causing any problems.