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Blue foam for baseboards


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One thing I’ve learnt regarding building a layout on a hollow core door, is that they are heavier than you expect. I don’t intend to repeat the experiment. 

 

I’ve now acquired a folding outdoor ping pong table on wheels, which I am considering as the next iteration of this layout. There are various issues arising; I don’t really want to perforate the top with track pins, wiring holes etc, for one thing. Another is that 9’x5’ is an odd size for a layout, in terms of track geometry; 10’x6’ would be much better. 

 

I’m looking at using the blue foam board as a top layer, this would allow a larger top (6” bigger all round) and protect the surface. However there seem to be numerous forms of this, and prices are all over the place.

 

Has anyone used this? What specification, where from, what cost? 

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I added 2" thick foam to my ply top.  The idea was to enable landscape texturing below track bed height.  I may still be able to do that but I think now it was a lot of effort (and cost) for not a lot of benefit.

 

Another thing is, if you plan to use under baseboard point motors you may have to dig out the foam and insert a piece of ply to mount the motor:

 

P1010150.JPG.a2c26a23261a4b68476d6101f0c9cf7d.JPG

 

I doubt I would do this again.

 

John

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Hi,

 

I use 1" thick XPS (no foil) as the baseboard on my N Gauge layout, it's rigid and as long as it is braced underneath you shouldn't have any problems with it. 

It is very easy to work with using a non-serrated blade. I have used it to build up layers for my high level tracks, and after 4 years I haven't had any issues with it.

 

One word of warning, if using a rattle can to paint the surface the paint solvent can eat into the XPS so it needs to be done very sparingly or not at all.

 

Regards,

 

John P

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Get the "nekkid" stuff without the foil covering.

if it's the proper type, it should be very rigid.

Use thin Ply edging, deeper than the foam board, to give protection to the edge of the foam sheet and to provide extra rigidity; then there needs to be minimal or no bracing underneath.

 

Lots of advice online about the correct type of adhesives and paints to use, to avoid chemical reaction with the XPS foam.

 

 

.

 

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Our club bought several sheets of the blue foam from Panel Systems of Sheffield. If I recall correctly, the member who made the enquiry phoned and was sent a few samples of different versions and had a helpful chat with the sales office. We got a pack of 600x1200 sheets which were 50 thick although it seems they can supply any thickness. The note I made at the time was that 6 sheets cost £80 with £12 postage.

 

The material was 'Close tolerance cut Styrofoam' but I see from their website they now call it 'Ravatherm XPS'. Full details on the website below.

 

https://www.panelsystems.co.uk/product/styrofoam-ravatherm-xps

 

.

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13 hours ago, KalKat said:

The only foil covered material I have seen is Kingspan/Cellotex which is polyurathane..........

 

AFIAK polystyrene (both EPS and XPS) come 'nekkid'

 

 

Emma

Cellotex isn't polyurethane it's polyisocyanurate, if you take the foil off,  take it off both sides or there's a chance you'll get a banana. 

 

I make a base board by taking a sheet,  gluing on ply all round the edges, ( non solvent glue)  with wood inserts in the corners glued and screwed.  Then put more foam on top  onto which the track is laid.  The top layer is the one carved into landscape above and below track level. The only holes in the base layer are for point motors. 

The landscape is then covered in pollyfilla / PVA /water, mix. Lately I've been adding cheap acrylic paint from " The Works" to the mix,  to give the background , grey for cliffs,  green for grass etc.. 

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This is all interesting stuff. 

 

I paid £15 for that door, from the “seconds” rack and a new one would only be about £35. It certainly doesn’t look viable for the proposed extension module to the O27 layout. Might be useful to extend the ping-pong table to 10’x5’, though. 

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