Curved backgrounds

[Steve B]

I'm working on the backscene for Craven Bridge. I plan to use one of the 10 foot photo backgrounds from International Models, but I'm running into a problem. The instructions say to lay flat and apply like wallpaper. The backround support, however, will have a 90 degree bend, with a 4 inch radius curve at the actual corner. Has anyone had experience applying this sort of background to this sort of support? What is the best material to use for a curved corner support like this?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Steve

[brossard]

I have had great success using Pritt glue sticks with Townscenes backscenes on painted hardboard. You should use a roller to make sure the glue is well distributed. I've got some of the IM backscenses for a future layout.

 

John

[kandc_au]

Have you thought about a narrow piece of 3mm ply?

Cut so that it bends vertically. Where it meets each side use a filler and sand off smooth then apply backscene.

 

Khris

[Chris Nevard]

Or use Bendy MDF from B&Q www.bendymdf.co.uk - the finish is very good and smooth. But of course being based in the USA that's pretty useless advice!

[Kenton]

I use a clear plastic sheet that is sold for greenhouse roofing - it is quite flexible and can easily be bent to a 3-4" curve. It can be secured to uprights or formers with no more nails type of adhesive and cut with a stanley or even a sturdy pair of scissors. The plastic has a slight blue tint and a peel off protective film. A very light random spray with white matt gives it a convincing (to me) hazy sky appearance.

[dseagull]

Wickes 3mm Ply bends easily enough - I just used that and used Spray glue (Big tin from The Range, can't remember the exact Brand, probably 3M though) to fix lining paper to it.

 

A rubbish picture (Mobile phone camera and shed with one low-power light in it I'm afraid!) that shows how it looks is here - clicky . Note that I cut the lining paper into manageable - but accurate! - chunks as I'm going to cover it anyway.

[Kallaroonian]

I have one curved backscene support - no actual backscene as such yet because I'm still building the layout. I've use normal 3mm ply that I curved using steam from a kettle.

 

I marked-up where I needed the curve to start and finish and then positioned the ply - already cut to suitable slightly over-length rectangle of course - over the edge of a workbench with a weight on the top and the kettle underneath. Keep boiling the kettle but make sure you don't scald yourself. Once there's plenty of stem and the ply is wet and getting warm you can start bending it by gently pressing down on the free end. Keep the process going until you get the curve you want and then cut off any unwanted surplus.

 

rgds

[Giles]

In theatre, when we are building scenery, props or furniture that requires tight curves like this, we usually use bendy MDF (fire codes allowing!) as it tends to give the best results and not strain the fixings. You also don't have to contend with the grain showing through, as it so often does with plywood.

[davegreenly]

I have filled in two corners of a backscene with a square piece of expanded polystrene and then sculpted the inside curve in it using a Surform tool and coarse glasspaper.

the actual fabric backscene covers any slight imperfections.

[The Yorkshire Pud]

Interesting post !!

 

I'm at this stage now ......... having built the baseboard, I was wondering what my best option for the backscene/board would be, given that I want the corners curved.

 

I read this post a week or so ago, and tried to find the bendy MDF mentioned ....... none at B@Q and my local Wickes didn't stock it. Looked into the plastic sheet option too, but it seemed a bit pricey, so I've opted for 3mm thick MDF sheet from my local Wickes, which I will scribe with vertical lines in the back of the curved sections to help ease the curve into it.

 

Wasn't too expensive either, so we'll see how it goes ..........

 

Simon.

[Ben Alder]

Picture framers often use 2mm MDF, which curves easily, and should be able to sell you some. If your backscenes are not too high you might even get offcuts for next to nothing. It is terribly hydroscopic though, and would benefit from sealing if in a damp atmosphere.

[The Yorkshire Pud]

Hi everyone

 

So ...... I had a crack at using the 3mm thick MDF board for the backscene on my fledgeling layout.

 

I'm really pleased with the end result, but only after ditching the first attempt !!

 

Originally, I decided to try cutting vertical lines in the outside of the curved areas, to ease the bend in, but the end result was more like a thruppeny bit than a nice smooth curve ........ Yikes !!

 

So ....... Plan B ....... and armed with half a dozen strong plastic clamps, I chanced my arm and forced the board to bend into the corner, hoping not to hear the sound of splitting MDF ....... luckily, it had just enough stretch in the wood to form a nice curve without any damage.

 

I left it clamped up for a while, and on removal of the clamps I was pleased to see that the board had retained some of the curve, which then made it easier to fit second time around, after a liberal coat of PVA adhesive.

 

Here's the finished article .........

 

 

 

 

I'm relatively new to model railways, having only once attempted building a layout a couple of years ago, which came to a grinding halt pretty early on, so I'm picking things up as I go ........ I love small, compact scenes, and what I have in mind is inspired by (but not a copy of) Cement Quay by Chris Nevard (Brill layout) ........ I've "borrowed" his idea for the water at the front, and am currently making buildings ........ some kits, and attempting to scratchbuild a couple too !!

 

Reckon I might start a Layout thread ........ nothing like a bit of feedback or help, if I get well and truly stuck with something (which is bound to happen eventually !!)

 

Cheers.