First time foam sculpting, looking for advice

I see you are a digital subscriber. Check out Run 288. There is an article on using spray foam for scenery. I don't see why you couldn't use it over the 2 inch foam.

I don't know about using spray foam, but I do like blue board . This area is about 8X12 Tearing down what was there(the track stayed) and finished was less than 30 days. Basic build on the layout was three sections when all the build up was done I moved into the Garage and did all the hot wire carving out there. then back into the basement to see what it looked like. then back into the garage for more carving , additions and latex paint and weathering. then its last trip into the basement for texture and trees. and some paint. Its not the best, but its done. I had a hard time staying focused on this for a month. My problem I like scenery but I don't like to do it. I don't like painting, plaster,  glue, and you sure need to do those three things. Everything was carved with Hot Wire Foam Factory tools, that I bought at York. Next is the other side of basement to finish the last area about 10x12 little more work it will include a narrow gauge. But will be done the same way.

Clem

Clem, that's some seriously good rock work! I used some carved green board, but generally wasn't very good at it and resorted back to Sculptamold, rock casting and general plaster work.

Thank you TRAINMAN2001... I really don't like plaster type stuff such a mess all over, I really like the great results you can get from that !! I'm just not going to do it. I have a hard enough time waiting for the contact cement to dry. I like working fast to get it overwith.

Plus 1 on the foam sculpting Clem. That's some serious work there. Looks great  

OP     JHZ563

Just jump in with your carving tools, nature is full of different textures, shapes, and colors.   

Holy Cow Clem - that's a lot of foam!!

 I will post some pics of my very humble start in the next couple days.  I am working on a Halloween display layout. The start for the whole thing is a tunnel entrance built out of a Halloween plastic skull decoration. Right now I am still working on getting the rough foam built around the decoration. I will be attaching the plastic skull to the foam with liquid nails foam safe glue.  

Please feel free to post comments or suggestions for a foam work newbie.

Go to the Hotwire Foam Factory site, there's some good information there, and good ideas. They do Halloween.  

I would recommend that you try using Gorilla Glue, the brown colored formula on the foam board.   You use a spray bottle and get one surface damp with a water mist, then apply the Gorilla glue.  It expands slightly, so you can use bamboo barbecue sticks , or 3 inch decking screws, or a some weight (gallon jugs of water, or paint work well)...  I tried several tubes of the foam safe adhesives and got tired of waiting for it to completely cure...  the Gorilla glue pretty much sets up in 2 hours or less....  If it expands out of the joint, cut it off with a knife, it's very similar in texture to the foam.  

Yes you can use spray foam to fill in areas.  However, the spray foam leaves many, many air bubbles, so if you cut into it, you can expect to find a lot of cavities.  It doesn't look too bad.  I'll post a pic of the bluff I made using foam and spray foam.

When I made a bluff with foam board, I adhered the boards together using construction adhesive.  It doesn't melt the foam and creates a great bond.

Clem,

that was certainly some intense scenic work. It was well worth the effort.

The building suppliers around me stopped carrying the Dow board. I have to buy skids from a wholesaler if I want it. The builders are using foil faced anything, so that's what the suppliers are carrying. The blue board foam is definitely the best that I worked with.

Thanks for posting your adventure.

I just fillet the black or silver skin.  It usually peals right off.  I use long wooden dowels to align the layers while the glue dries.  For safety reasons I like to skim coat the foam with plaster.  The smoke from a foam fire is poison.

Another lesson i learned. for embankments, do not just lay a foam plank on an angle and carve topography into it.  It warps.  I find more stable forms come from layered wedding cake construction.  Humm, I'm hungry.

Clem: That scenery sculpting work you are doing is shaping up (pun intended) very nicely! I certainly do hope to see your layout in the magazine in the near future!

Don't be afraid to mix media when building terrain. Carved foam, plaster-over-cardboard, strips of paper, broken ceiling tile, crumpled tin foil, real stone, wide masking tape, crumpled newspaper under plaster-dipped paper towels, spray foam.... they can all coexist on the same layout. As has been said, nature is infinitely varied. Once you add ground cover, it all hangs together.

Well here's the project I started.  Unfortunately the skull pieces are being a really p.i.a.  Because of that, I am giving up using foam for the structure of this entrance.  I am changing over to wood for now and then will cover things up with foam scenery.

Since I promised some pictures, here are enough to give you the basic idea.

Also the one spray can I bought of foam safe glue just made a mess.

Don't give up - use Glidden gripper primer or Gorilla Glue - Loctite PL300 if attaching it to something or something to it-it needs air.

Here's a test video - a little misleading - most of the insulation board is an extruded polystyrene and not Styrofoam.

But, the Glidden primer looks good - many guys just use Elmer's or white glue - you can get gallons at Lowe's.

You can also push some nails through for some added support, or barbecue sticks (bamboo)

Are you carving a likeness of the skull or mounting it to the foam?

JHZ536- I jumped in head first with my first attempt at foam sculpting. I used 2" blue board and carpenters wood glue. I kinda just went with an idea I had in my head. I did the carving with a Dremel Multi-max and a 1" straight blade. Good luck with the project, I'm sure you  will come up with something you are happy with.  Just check clearances as you go, especially if the piece is going on a curve.

ClemK- WOW that's some serious foam work! For someone who doesn't like doing scenery you do an awesome job!

Bob

Moonman posted:

Don't give up - use Glidden gripper primer or Gorilla Glue - Loctite PL300 if attaching it to something or something to it-it needs air.

Here's a test video - a little misleading - most of the insulation board is an extruded polystyrene and not Styrofoam.

But, the Glidden primer looks good - many guys just use Elmer's or white glue - you can get gallons at Lowe's.

You can also push some nails through for some added support, or barbecue sticks (bamboo)

Are you carving a likeness of the skull or mounting it to the foam?

I haven't given up- thank you for the encouragement.  I intend the skull to be the tunnel entrance.  Besides the glue not cooperating, the biggest issue is the irregular shape and flimsiness of the skull.  For the short term I am reverting back to wood working until I have a sturdy frame to hold the skull in place, after that it is back to the foam.

Bob- that corner looks really nice.  

All- is there any paint that can go straight on the pink foam?  In the past I have used white latex primer, but if not needed I would skip it.

Anything latex or acrylic can go straight on foam.

There's a couple woodland scenics products I like for filling in some of those little imperfections.  The foam putty is good for filling in cracks and smoothing things out. There's a sealant that goes over it.... its basically like a thick primer, as the foam putty remains workable if you get it wet.  Going over it with latex seals it and prevents it from becoming moveable in the future. 

Working with foam is easy. If you dont like it, just glue some foam back on and re-work the area. 

Boilermaker1 posted:

Anything latex or acrylic can go straight on foam. 

Thank you

Allan Miller posted:

Clem: That scenery sculpting work you are doing is shaping up (pun intended) very nicely! I certainly do hope to see your layout in the magazine in the near future!

Hi Allan...... That might be fun . However I have a few more areas to get in better shape before the world see's this display.    

Clem 

jhz563 posted:

Holy Cow Clem - that's a lot of foam!!

 I will post some pics of my very humble start in the next couple days.  I am working on a Halloween display layout. The start for the whole thing is a tunnel entrance built out of a Halloween plastic skull decoration. Right now I am still working on getting the rough foam built around the decoration. I will be attaching the plastic skull to the foam with liquid nails foam safe glue.  

Please feel free to post comments or suggestions for a foam work newbie.

JHZ563........ Actually I think I only bought two sheets, one 2" and one 1". I had some small pieces, and reused the foam that was down temporally.  A lot of this foam is on its third layout. Same thing for track and switches. Benchwork is on its fourth layout and second house.

Clem

RSJB18...... Bob that corner turned out terrific 

jhz563 posted:

Bob- that corner looks really nice.  

All- is there any paint that can go straight on the pink foam?  In the past I have used white latex primer, but if not needed I would skip it.

Thanks- I used acrylic art and craft paint. Bought it at Walmart and Michaels.

Bob

clem k posted:

RSJB18...... Bob that corner turned out terrific 

Thank you Sir!

Bob

polyurethane hot glue or great stuff will stick the pink Styrofoam together.    i then top with thin coats of lightweight joint compound and then you can use any spray paint.