Foam board

[GreenDiesel001]

Hello.

 

This is byway of a question please with an observation.

 

I recently purchased some 3mm foamboard off the internet. I don't know whether it was good value but I haven't been impressed with it.

 

It arrived in A4 sheet size and was distorted having acquired a curve. No amount of heating would straighten it. I also thought it would be foam between thin plastic sheets but it was infact foam between thin card sheets.

 

I used it for my station canopy. I did strenghten it with cross bracing however it just didn't look right.

 

My alternative, and I do not know what it is called hence the question, was a plastic sheet used by a local builder to advertise himself. It comprises 2 thin plastic sheets with cross stretchers creating a 3mm honey comb structure.

 

The beauty of this is that it is plastic and when scored across the cross stretchers produced a good clean crease.

 

I am also using it for my station walls because by putting in upright supports, made from kebab skewers, the board pushes over these giving an upright wall that I can simply lift off to gain access to my platforms.

 

From my vague description can a forum suggest what this plastic sheet might be please?

 

Thanks,

 

Jeff

[Lord Summerisle]

Sounds like 'corrugated plastic board' a search for that on ebay etc should reveal some suppliers, alternatively you could get friendly with the guy who puts up the local estate agents signs as they must get damaged/junked all the time and seem to be quite often made of this stuff.

 

Edited to add I've also seen it in an art shop local to me as well, so that might be a source as well.

 

A quick google suggests a trade name of 'Correx'

[BobD]

You mean something like this.

 

http://www.twinplast.co.uk/

[GreenDiesel001]

Many thanks for your postings.

 

That is exactly the product and down to 2mm thick too?

 

What's an estate agaent? I know I had a bloke come to see me some 10 months ago. He took photographs of my property and added them to a site on the web.

 

Could he have been an estate agent? How are they surviving?

 

Thanks again and Regards,

 

Jeff

[Bill Jones]

We use Correx extensively on building sites as protection to external doors etc. There are always plenty of sizable offcuts which get skipped, just ask anyone in the industry to pick some up for you.

[john new]

I have used both recently and definitely prefer foamboard.

 

Foamboard - only problem noted to date is that if the glue you use effects plastics, and can get through the card skin layer to the foam core, it will eat it! Had this problem with a spray mount coating getting through. Used with PVA it is an excellent material to work with.

 

Corex/The plastic version - used some advert boards glued face down (as picture below) for this baseboard top back in December 2008 with the vertical divider being stiff card. Have had problems with getting adhesives to stay stuck to it and that layout has gone into store with little progress since as the consequence. Intend to rip up what I have done to date and start again replacing the baseboard top with either foamboard or heavy duty card. Will be very sparing in my use of Corex in future

 

 

Edit - Corrective update to above posted on 2nd May.

 

Corex - Since making the above post I have been experimenting further as I have several salvaged sheets in stock and found that laminating it as a 3 ply with the direction of the cores at 90deg and then skimming the top with card seems to work. Light sturdy panels without the issues of getting things to stick to the top surface as that is now card. (Photo mounting board - again off cuts) Adhesive used = Bostick solvent free.

 

The layout board in the picture above is still as shown but what I will do now, when I resume work on it, is lift the track and cover the board top with card before relaying track.

[chris p bacon]

I have some foam board and was going to give this a try for some small buildings instead of plasticard laminates, I am useing South Eastern Finecast embossed brick for the cover but I am unsure what to use to stick it on with? I did wonder about something like "Copydex" which will attack neither but I do find it a bit "gloopy" and messy.

[chris p bacon]

"HOT GLUE" woeks wonders with foamboard

 

I never thought of that one, that would be useful for assembling the basic box.

 

Cheers.

[bbishop]

I've built an exhibition layout from foamboard. I used a quick setting araldite to glue the last inch of track on the two boards, the rest of the track floats. Blindheim is planned to last for 15 months before the definitive layout is started, and I wanted something light and simple. One constraint is that Blindheim has to fit on a 6½ foot long table and it can be carried using one finger I will report back on duribility in due course. The track between the glued section, including the points, will be recycled.

 

Bill

[PeterR]

Hi,

 

I used to be a 4mm modeller but advancing age has changed my scale (to the garden at 15mm to the foot); I make all my own buildings and use both Korroflute, and PVC solid foam sheet.

 

Korroflute is the plastic corrugated sheet and PVC solid foam is very useful as it is totally stable, and can be glued with Evo-stik.

 

A maker of it (no connection with them) is Vekaplan, and I use the SF sheets (weblink http://www.vekaplan.de/vekaplan/divers/en/vekaplan_sf.htm).

 

For Korroflute badger your local estate agent for his supplier of Korroflute and you can buy it in new form - unprinted. the full sheet size is 8ft x 4 ft., and variable thicknesses the thinner sheets are being more used now (about 2 or 3mm) - that is also the widthe of the corrugations that show on the outside of it.

 

This is the stuff that exhibition signs are made from; no card, just plain foam with a semi-matt finish on both sides (there is a gloss one side version - I would not use that - its harder to cut)

 

It is available in many thicknesses (see the spec sheet ) and is in sheets 8ft x 4 ft - though a supplier should cut it down for you I am sure. Could you do a deal with a fellow modeller to split the price??

 

This sheet is totally stable, waterproof, takes paint easily, and can also , in the thicker sheets be carved as well.

 

I think its superb, and use it for freight vehicles as well as buildings.

 

Yours Peter.