# foam



## azdave

Can anyone recommend a good foam that I can use to make a cobble stone road. I see so many you tube videos, but I can't tell what kind of foam they use. Nothing in the comments. Cuts easy, paints, and glues.

Thanks


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## Owen E Oulton

They're probably using common "foamcore" board with the paper covering layer peeled away, which is usually a real pain in the buttocks. I've found a good foam in my local hobby store which may be a good substitute. It's called Cellfoam 88 from Midwest Products Co., Inc. It's essentially the same thing without the paper covering, i.e. a sheet of expanded polystyrene foam which comes in 11 1/2" square sheets in 5mm and 3mm thicknesses I got a pack of 3 sheets of 5mm (3/16") for $6.99 last summer. It can be textured easyly by a number of methods. Cobblestones or bricks can be inscribed on it with a #2 pencil. It takes any foam-safe hobby paint, including Testors' Model Master spray enamels.


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## John P

Do they still make Balsa Foam? That was always the go-to for carving things like that.
I used it for the base I made for my "Nude Raider":
http://www.inpayne.com/models/figures/lara-005.jpg

My wife has her own technique for her dollhouses: Spread a thick layer of artist's gesso over a piece of foam core, and carve the rocks into that:
http://www.inpayne.com/dollhouse/cellar.html


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## btbrush

I used to get polyurethane foam from a place called Jiffy Foam. Been a long time. but I'm sure if you google polyurethane foam you could find some. I'd carve rock walls and bases for my figures and give it a coat of two-part clear casting resin (like Envirotex) to seal it. Can be painted with anything.


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## hal9001

John P said:


> Do they still make Balsa Foam? That was always the go-to for carving things like that.
> I used it for the base I made for my "Nude Raider":
> http://www.inpayne.com/models/figures/lara-005.jpg
> 
> My wife has her own technique for her dollhouses: Spread a thick layer of artist's gesso over a piece of foam core, and carve the rocks into that:
> http://www.inpayne.com/dollhouse/cellar.html


John, what does your wife use for the clear liquid in her jars?

Carl-


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## John P

She says, "Woodland Scenics realistic Water colored with Deco Art glass stain."


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## hal9001

John P said:


> She says, "Woodland Scenics realistic Water colored with Deco Art glass stain."


_*Merci, Monsieur John P!*_

Carl-


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## John P

John P said:


> http://www.inpayne.com/models/figures/lara-005.jpg
> 
> My wife has her own technique for her dollhouses: Spread a thick layer of artist's gesso over a piece of foam core, and carve the rocks into that:
> http://www.inpayne.com/dollhouse/cellar.html


I've been corrected - she says she uses plain ol' hardware store spackle.


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## Owen E Oulton

Dern wimmen, always confusing the issue with facts!


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## Alien

You could always give epoxy putty a go.
Roll it out thin and flat over your surface and 'carve' away before it cures.
Do small areas at a time as it can cure pretty fast.

You don't need (Knead!) to use the expensive specialist hobby varieties like Milliputt. For a largish surface, a standard hardware store variety should be fine.

Alien


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## roadskare63

I get my common foam board at the dollar tree...the paper comes off super easy...once you get the paper off, all you need is a medium ball point pen, and a plan...the blue ot black medium ball points don't tear the foam nearly as much as a fine point...some folks score the foam with an x-acto knife THEN "carve" it out with the pen


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## trekman

You could go the Home Depot/Lowes route and use pink foam used for insulation. It's economical,rigid,and once sealed can be painted. My go to glue would be Liquid nails extreme strength. It dries very good and has good adhesion.


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## bucwheat

Owen E Oulton said:


> They're probably using common "foamcore" board with the paper covering layer peeled away, which is usually a real pain in the buttocks. I've found a good foam in my local hobby store which may be a good substitute. It's called Cellfoam 88 from Midwest Products Co., Inc. It's essentially the same thing without the paper covering, i.e. a sheet of expanded polystyrene foam which comes in 11 1/2" square sheets in 5mm and 3mm thicknesses I got a pack of 3 sheets of 5mm (3/16") for $6.99 last summer. It can be textured easyly by a number of methods. Cobblestones or bricks can be inscribed on it with a #2 pencil. It takes any foam-safe hobby paint, including Testors' Model Master spray enamels.


That is what I would do ,foam core board they have them for a dollar at the local dollar tree.


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## bucwheat

roadskare63 said:


> I get my common foam board at the dollar tree...the paper comes off super easy...once you get the paper off, all you need is a medium ball point pen, and a plan...the blue ot black medium ball points don't tear the foam nearly as much as a fine point...some folks score the foam with an x-acto knife THEN "carve" it out with the pen


That's what I used to do,then I found Walmart has it for 88 cents each,I buy 10 at a time.i us what is called a spade in the jewelry business,it's what we use to install and remove watch pins.


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## Owen E Oulton

How do you get the paper surface off cleanly? I've tried to peel it off, but always get a layer of torn paper residue left, which makes it useless. I tend to buy sheets of foam at my local hobby shop, but foamcore is much cheaper, so if I could use foamcore it would be much easier on my miniscule budget.


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## Milton Fox Racing

Two things I can think of is 

1) if you have acces to a dollar store buy it there. there is a reason it is cheaper there - less glue and cheaper glue are two of them!

2) have you tried soaking the paper before you tear it off? cut the piece down to the size you need and then soak just that piece. that should make even the better glued on foar core product easier to peel away.

okay thought of another

3) peel away as much as you can and then soak the left over bits and you only have to deal with that portion of the stubborn places

:cheers2:


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## bucwheat

Some times I use a spray bottle with just water and it works,but I have never had a problem peeling dollar tree boards.


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## Owen E Oulton

Thank, guys. I'll try it. The other recommendation I've heard is to use a heat gun, but buying one kinda defeats my budget... Would a hair dryer work?


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## roadskarekustoms

Yeah, I get most of my foam core from dollar tree BECAUSE it has the cheaper glued on paper backing...honestly, I just pry up a corner and slowly peel the paper off the foam. I usually peel both sides to stop warpage though....then ballpoint pen in hand, I just set to carving bricks, castle stones...or cobblestones for whatever project I am working on.
Cheers,
Carl


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