Has anyone ever tried to use foam from a can to make hills or small montains? The stuff around here is called "great stuff" low expansion foam. I was wondering if anyone has any feedback on the stuff. Seems like it would be easy to use.
I have.... I made a 6" hill 18" long with the stuff... I used cardboard forms to keep the stuff from flowing everywhere. (good idea) I piled it on, and let it dry for 2 weeks. (bad idea--should do one layer, let cure a few days, and do another layer) I found this out when I had the layout up in the sun for an outdoor show,a nd the foam expanded some more, and pulled up and away from the layout surface. I tried to shape it with a hot-wire foam cutter. (Bad idea. the stuff is toxic, and very hard to cut this way. Use a sharp knife instead..) Pics:
Mike: To me , the old tried and true foam method works the best. That my opinion FWIW.... Stay cool and run steam....
I used it occasionally to fill gaps in regular foam mountains. It's much harder to work with. There's also a maximally expanding foam. I've never tried it; I think it would be hard to predict what would happen.
It was more trouble than it was worth, but it worked. Plaster cloth, scenic materials, and some ballasting, that area looks a lot different now: (older photo from summer, but I don't have any good shots of this area, up close after basic scenic work)
The only time I use foam is for filling in scenery gaps and small hills. I use the "Daptex" expanding foam sealant in the blue can. It is latex and cleans up with water. It won't expand nearly as much as "Great Stuff". It won't get rock hard either. "Daptex" can be troweled. It will remain spongey even when cured. After it has dried, it can be cut easily with a knife. You can cover it with whatever material you like. I had the same experience as Hemi did with the "Great Stuff". Very messy. Before, as well as after.
Have used Great Stuff to fill in voids on former FoamRail module I had. Haven't gotten to a scenery point yet. Now, where can one find the Daptex material? Have almost 2 weeks off work between Christmas and New Years, so I might try and get some module work done, as well as several other things, maybe!
Is this the type of foam everyone is talking about? If so I can get them to deliver along with the wood I need. Things are looking up.
