Not sure if this is in the right place, am modelling in N gauge but i am based in the Uk and have decided to use the blue extruded foam for my baseboards. It seems to like PVA glue but i am wondering what other glues it likes or dislikes. Also any idea what to stick them together with as using PVA doesnt seem to work. Cheers Dave
I used Liquid Nails for projects, the Latex version. Worked real good. You will want to make sure you use a latex product as it will not interact with the foam and melt it.
Liquid Nails is a construction adhesive that is very similar to caulk. http://www.liquidnails.com/index.jsp I have found that this works WONDERFULLY with foam, and it gives you a little time to fiddle with the foam until you get it into place. One thing to keep in mind though....if you put your foam into place and then try to use a foam cutter (the hot wire kind) you may have some problems. Try to get the foam pretty close to the final shape before adhesing it. If you use a knife, then you won't have many problems...except those darn foam flecks everywhere!!!
I have had good lick with both Liquid Nails and Titebond. PVA (Elmer's) seems to never get hard between layers of blue insulation.
PVA requires air to evaporate the water/solvent in it, as foam is an insulator it allows no airflow and therefore will only dry around the edges. Any solvent based glue will generally react with the foam especially Toluene or similar, so check the label for 'foam or plastics' safe. Incidentally 'Tipex' is great for doing 'Alien' SFX on white bead packaging.
What they said. Cept I dont use the name brand liquid nails, I use a cheap construction adheasive (no name crap) and it does just fine for what we use it for. Liquid nails is about $3 or $4 a tube, and you can get the cheap stuff for about $1.50, or less than a buck if it is on sale somewhere. For what we use it for, the cheap stuff works just as well as the name brand stuff.. Or, just get a quart can of floor adheasive, that is about the same stuff and works just as good too.. which ever is cheaper per oz. of glue.
Dave, do not use PVA glue. Here in Canada, the adhesive used with pink or blue extruded styrene foam is Lepage Bulldog PL 300. I suppose it is equivalent to the liquid nail for project available in the U.S. I don't know what's available in the U.K. One Model Railroader editor, David Popp uses latex caulk such as DAP kwik Seal http://www.dap.com/media/product_photos/KWIKSEALKitchen.aspx Jacques
Dave, I also live in the UK and I got some off cuts of that 3" yellow foam with the silver paper, I'm sure you know the stuff. I just peeled off the silver paper and then used the foam. To glue it together I used Liquid Nails Interior, Multipurpose, solvent free adhesive. Red and Gold tube. I can't find a product number on it but the bar code is 5-010426-704081 Works great. Where are you sourcing your foam from? They only foam I've been able to find is from B&Q and is called Knauf Space Board Loft Board Insulation (T)52.5mm the problem is that it is about 2" thick and I was after some one inch. Cheers, Alan.
bkasson, Try sniffing the glue rather than licking it, you get much better results :tb-biggrin: Cheers, Alan. disclaimer:- Tinhare does not condone the practise of glue sniffing
Is it best to cover the foam with something like plaster of paris, or is it just ok to paint it in acrylic paint? Dave
Whatever gives you the look you want. Plaster of Paris sets up too hard and quick for me, so I've used drywall compound as a "skin" over foam hills, but in some cases the texture of the foam edges gave me what I wanted. Once you are satisfied, slap on some paint! The face of the hill is gouged foam with paint: These hillsides are foam with a drywall compound skin, then covered with latex paint and ground foam:
I've used the Generic type of Liquid Nails. The CHEAP stuff. Works fine. I've also used the generic brand of adhesive caulk, it's the cheap stuff also! Work good too! I just buy what I can get the best/cheapest price on. AND BOTH TYPE MUST BE LATEX BASED. Latex base and water wash up. I'll use just about ANY type of foam board I can get. Many companies will give you all the foam board you can carry, if you will just take it with you. Items that come into the company packed in foam board, and the companies don't want to fill up their trash containers with foam board, if they don't have to.
Foam The LK&R Ry. used the pink insulating foam for the basis of the scenery. Latex Liquid Nails applied with a trowel for floor tile glue was used to spread the Liquid Nails. After the Liquid Nails dried the foam was carved into the desired shape. Texture paint was then applied and allowed to dry. Then came a earthtone brown paint followed by ground cover.
I have used foam scenery for the base here is Aussie and then a friend showed me how to use toilet paper and acrylic paints with white glue mixed to a slurry. It takes more time to explain than it does to do, I am going to try to attach some photo's of what it looks like when finished. Mine was HO but the guy that showed me how to do it was N scale modelling. Pics did not work, probably because I don't know how to get things on here, but basically you use the glue and the acrylics like paper mache' and a hardshell stippling the toilet paper sheets on to the foam using a cut down 1" paintbrush. The good thing with the system is that if you want to cut out a piece of the hardshell to set in a building or other details you simply just cut out the section and pull it away from the foam. It comes out and leaves a hole for the building to sit in and if it gets knocked it just bends with the foam and does not leave any white nicks anywhere. If you want more info send me an email and I will get back to you. Rob Modelling Cajon in 1949
I have used both Liquid Nail for Projects and PL 300. The PL 300 comes out as a purplish chalk and has a strong odor. They both work fine but I couldn't take the smell of the PL 300 so I went back to Liquid nails. Did anyone else come across the same results I had with PL 300?
I have used texture paint instead of plaster or drywall compund. to smooth out the extruded foam especially where it has been worked with a surform blade. It not only smooths out the rough spots but adds a base color and also serves as a fixative for ground foam scenery.
I have a different Foam Question. I live in Southern California (Los Angeles/ Ventura CO. Area) and I cannot find Anywhere that carries the Blue/Pink foam. Anyone from the area know where to buy it?
I had the same problem in San Francisco. None of the big box stores carries it; I finally found some at a local building supply store. Try contractor supply stores or lumber lots. Good luck.
Alan, A quick search and I found this site which sells 25 or 50 mm thick foam sheets. I also used the B&Q space board as I could not find anything better when I was looking.
