# Any Ideas



## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

If you have been following the Circuit Genovia build yo know its a detailed track on 4 inch insulated foam board.

I am ready to start working on the sides and the back drops. I want to use 1/4 poster board. My question right now is what would make a good temporary fastening system for this. I want to be able to take it off and replace the backdrops until I get the look I'm looking for.

I'm open to any ideas :wave:


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## Omega (Jan 14, 2000)

Since my wife home schools, she has I lot of stuff she takes up and down and she says the best thing she found for this is the blue poster putty.

Dave :wave:


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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

That would work good fro the fastening the backdrops to the foam board. What I wasn't clear enough on was how to attach the foam board to the base of the track where it would hold good but could take it apart until I was ready to hot glue it.


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## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

.
I used 1" x 1" aluminum angle attached to the bottom of my display tables...
Of course, they were mounted to 1" x 4" slat framing with screws...
Not the foam core you're using...

Maybe vinyl corner molding and double-sticky tape, instead of screws...

John
.


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## Dushkwoneshe (Apr 27, 2012)

Dushkwoneshe said:


> .
> I used 1" x 1" aluminum angle attached to the bottom of my display tables...
> Of course, they were mounted to 1" x 4" slat framing with screws...
> Not the foam core you're using...
> ...


*This is holding 1/4" plexi-glass, but used the same idea...*










*Here's the foamcore poster board mounted with the aluminum angle...*









.
John
.


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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

What do you think about wall anchors. The big plastic ones the you screw into the drywall then screw in the screw. If I use a big flat washer on the out side and 4 anchors to each small side and 6-8 on the long sides. I will have to do a test run.


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## tabcomary (Jun 2, 2010)

*retaining foam*

Binding things to foam, and cutting clean holes in foam have always been problematic! I usually try to put a screw through it (when going top to bottom), then anchor the screw to something with a lot of surface area on the other side. 

The big plastic anchors sound like a good idea. The large threads should distribute the load on the foam. It is at least worth a test!

One solution may be to bond a strip of 1/4" thick plywood (the kind used for sub-flooring under tile) to the edge of the foam with Loctite PL 300 (or similar adhesive designed for the foam), then use a T-nut in the plywood to hold a screw.

If you can bore a hole in the foam, you could insert a dowel with a threaded hole from top to bottom, then meet it with a screw from the back. This technique is use in furniture (think IKEA) all the time. You would want to use the largest dowel possible to spread the load against the foam.

I have had the best luck forming "neat" holes by using auger bits that have large, sharp side lobes that slice the foam before the main portion of the bit scrapes the material out of the hole. Everything else I have tried results in cavernous holes going the wrong direction, or a large diameter plug being pushed out the other end. I have never tried any "hot poker" techniques. My concern there would be controlling hole diameter as you get deeper into the foam.

Good Luck, and let us know how the drywall anchors work out!


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Magnets.

-- D


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Gotta go with the inherent strength of the material. Casino promotional game displays consist of a rigid steel or wood framework. ALL the backdrop portions are constructed of large sections of foam-poster board. The chosen method of attachement ?

Velcro! It's about displacing the load, NOT centralizing it on a point with a fastener.


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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

Hadn't thought about Velcro. I may have to try both methods.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Uhhhhh.... you got the grandyuns! The tear away feature is the way to go. A hard/fixed fastener used in foam core doesnt stand a snowballs chance in hell with the wee'uns in proximity.

I used to be one.


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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

The more I think about Velcro the better it looks


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Roger, the brushable contact cement worked best for us, or 3M #77 aerosol in a pinch.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Bill beat me to it... by like a month or so.

Velcro

They'll soon build cars with that stuff...


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