Sellafield fuel handling and processing buildings using foamboard as a base

[TravisM]

I'm finally going to attempt to scratch build some buildings for my Sellafield layout, which absolutely dominate the area, especially the fuel processing plant and need some tips on building these mammoth's.  It has been suggested that I use 'foamboard' for the carcasses as it comes in large sheets and relatively cheap.  Does anyone know anything about this product as I've never heard of it before and where I can buy it?  I've attached several pictures of mock ups that I've done using cereal packets but look 'too' small, they need to be much, much bigger.

 

I had planned on using thick plasticard for the carcass and then laminate using plasticard brick and steel sheeting for the outside walls, but I was told that's a expensive way of doing it and use foamboard for the main structure as it was stronger, lighter and cheaper the plasticard.  Any suggestions would be very helpful.

 

 

After looking at the few pictures I have of the site, the main building need to reach close to the top of the back scene

Edited February 26 by TravisM
Title change

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

My local supplier is Hobbycraft. I have knocked up a couple of 1:50 scoping models for an architect friend in my time, several feet in all dimensions. It's an expanded foam core with thick paper bonded on each side: cuts easily with a Stanley knife, bonds well with PVA. (For the purpose of being mobile and easily handled into the back of his Volvo estate they were glued to a piece of MDF ; the larger model was made in lower half and upper half as the overall height was too great as a single piece.)

[Oldddudders]

I have limited experience of working w foamboard, but found it rigid, lightweight and unlikely to warp - all good things. 

 

The crucial thing is that you must not use any form of solvent-based adhesive, otherwise the foamboard melts. So laminate with PVA, Copydex or similar. 

[Wheatley]

Foamboard is excellent stuff for large non-weight bearing* structures like large buildings. Provided you use a sharp (ie new) Stanley knife blade it cuts easier that card, a blunt blade will snag the polystyrene though. Clad it with whatever you like. I use hot glue to butt join the foamboard, which shouldn't work in theory but it does, and Pritt Stick, Evo Stick or double sided tape to glue cladding materials to the paper faces. 

 

If you work for any sort of largeish organisation go see your marketing and comms department as they seem incapable of presenting any kind of concept without sticking it all over large sheets of the stuff.  If you dont take it off their hands afterwards it goes to landfill. Failing that, Hobbycraft as mentioned. 

 

* You can actually use it for baseboards and diorama bases, but not anything you need to lean on. Its weakness is any kind of mechanical joint, eg attaching legs or joining to another board, you have to reinforce those bits with ply. 

[TravisM]

36 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I have limited experience of working w foamboard, but found it rigid, lightweight and unlikely to warp - all good things. 

 

The crucial thing is that you must not use any form of solvent-based adhesive, otherwise the foamboard melts. So laminate with PVA, Copydex or similar. 

 

Thanks for the heads up but without sounding dense (not that difficult), build the carcass and then stick the plasticard brick and steel cladding sheets to the foamboard with PVA?

[john new]

A slight negative for foam board is longevity.

 

Some time ago I made some 1:1 copies of the SLS nameplate on 66 957 and three replica tour headboards all to go on our display stand at shows. Why a negative, after a bit the paper began to delaminate from the foam core. I suspect in smaller panel sections that might not occur, are others able to add any observations on this issue? 

[Nearholmer]

What happened to good old plywood? I love the stuff.

[Andy Hayter]

I think it got horribly expensive.

 

[Nearholmer]

Nay, Sir! At least, not for the amounts in question here.

 

Try “Al’s Hobbies” at Wolverton. He specialises in materials for model boat and ‘plane makers, and his prices for plywood are very good indeed. Multiple thicknesses, several board sizes, and the best quality he can source (be prepared for a very long chat about how the Russian invasion of Ukraine has affected quality!).

 

 

Edited February 24 by Nearholmer

[Izzy]

For model building carcasses an alternative to use is mount board. Actually for lightweight baseboards although I started off using multi-layer mount board I now use 5mm foamcore with a 'skin' of mount board on each side. 

 

Bob

[brossard]

I make a lot of Scalescenes buildings in 0 gauge and foamcore is ideal for the structure.  It is easy to cut and if you make a mistake, fixing it is relatively easy.  I get the foamcore and regular card (1mm and 2mm) from an art supplies store because the quality is good.  Foamcore can also be obtained from office supplies places and maybe even Walmart.

 

My most recent project (Scalescenes T026/T026a):

 

 

The platform structure is also foamcore.

 

John

Edited February 24 by brossard

[Gwiwer]

My current show layout has its OO section (but not the OO-9 section) on a foamboard base. Superglue or UHU seem to work as adhesives. The edges have turned up very slightly which only notices when I hold a spirit-level across the board join. Nothing has delaminated yet. 
 

The layout was built to be carried by one person (me) so weight was always a consideration while retaining rigidity. 
 

I’ve been happy so far. 
 

[MyRule1]

I've used Foam board on a number of occasions both for structures and small baseboards. For baseboards I use a photo glue gun. The only issues I have had as some warping when I used water based paints also to get good joints cutting board vertically can be an issue. I use a couple of steel rulers on top of each other but special knives are available for cutting foam board.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

I’ve started an n gauge micro layout with a baseboard of Foamboard and cardboard boxes. Must get it finished! 

 

[fulton]

Must say I did not get on with foam board, many people have good results with it, my preferred material is mounting board, braced on the inside with more mounting board, glued with PVA, sealed all over, inside and out with Halfords spray primer, have constructed some quite large buildings with it, outside finished with Scalescenes downloads printed on thin card.

[Enfys_Rainbow]

I've built several buildings from foamboard (bought from the Range).

 

I used superglue to attach the parts together with no issues at all.

 

 

 

I also used the Range equivalent of evostick to attach embossed plastic to the shell and despite reservations, have had absolutely no issues in the 3 years since these were built.

 

Matt

[TheQ]

Note,

Some foam boards have a plastic skin over the cardboard, or even no cardboard at all, just plastic / foam/plastic.

 

A friend has built large radio controlled aircraft from foam board, just using thin ply to sandwich the undercarriage mounts and the internal combustion engine mounts.

 

I use whatever is available, swmbo is an amateur artist, so various off cuts, especially mount board become available at times.

Recently I had to make some weaving boards for a 3D weaving competition she was taking part in, this has meant there's thin MDF available, Also I bought some "fair price models" ( I can recommend them) which appear to be made from a hard thin MDF board (HDF?) They are listed as scratch aids, but they are fairly well detailed. But they are heavily modified for the new layout. So I started using thin 2 and 3mm MDF as a building base, it seems to work well.

 

Foam board is good for buildings, not needing any extra work, for baseboards you need to think of bracing , long term sagging, and taking bashes, especially on corners.

 

 

 

[Dr.Glum]

I have mixed views on the stability of foamboard when it is used as a base and card (greyboard) is glued to it. I made a scenic roadway module years ago, two sheets 5mm foamboard about 20mm airspace with criss-cross of spacers and over the years it has bowed upwards slightly.

I am careful to work on a flat surface and weight everything down when gluing, but some of my recent scenic modules do want to curl upwards (e.g. a lift of 5mm at the ends, over a length of 600mm) when cold (unheated conservatory), but will relax when its warmer. Matters are complicated by the fact that I suspect that gluing printed paper (e.g. platform tarmac surfaces and the dampness associated with that) is what is driving the process.

On the success side, I have made and used for a year now, a big lightweight lift-out section that has a wood spine and foamboard box girder construction. The only snag is I forgot to allow for the thickness of cork under the track (so there isn't any) and the trains make more noise running over it. The details are:https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/172987-large-lift-out-section-made-of-wood-and-foam-board/

[Longhaireddavid]

 

With severe arthritis I need a lightweight model railway so that I can easily turn it over to work on the electrics. I have been using foamcore for this for the last 10 years and have had no trouble so long as it is framed adequately. I laminate three layers for the side rails and the cross members - which I pit at 12" gaps. My current 8' x 2' layout can be picked up with one hand and doesn't flex at all. I prefer black foamcore (from Amazon in packs of 4 A1 sheets) for my baseboard. Here is a shot of the current layout plus one from underneath showing the three layers..

 

[TravisM]

I went out today to my local art/stationary shop and bought 4 sheets of foam board, which I'm pleased to say didn't cost me as much and I was given a load of advice about sticking plastic sheet to it (she drummed into me PVA, PVA and more PVA 😄).  As her father used to build structures for his model railway, she suggested that I use wooden batons at the base and tops to keep everything straight, as foamboard has a tendency to warp if left to it's own devises.

 

My question now is, as the fuel handling and processing buildings on site absolutely dominate the railway, do you think I should keep the sheets as they are, or maybe cut them down a little.  Obviously, given the sensitive nature and probably the official secrets act, BNFL are highly unlikely to give me dimensions of the buildings even for a innocent project like this, so I'm having to 'guestimate' using the few photographs I have.