I have mentioned before that I dabble in model railroading. I was looking
for a way to make hills, etc., on my layout. I stumbled onto a couple of youtube videos about using foam core and a hot wire foam cutter.

I tried it out for the first time yesterday. I started by practicing on
some bits of foam that were used as packing material. It is a softer
material than foam core boards you find at the DIY stores. Boy, that cutter sure cut through that foam real quick! One word of caution is that this
foam also puts off some noxious fumes that may last a while, so be sure you
are in a well ventilated area (like an open garage or even outdoors) and
wear a mask.

The cutter went through the foam core boards pretty easily, too, even
though they are denser than the test foam. It also didn't stink as much
but I would still recommend cutting it in a garage or outside. Took me a
while to figure out why what I was cutting was "backwards" from what I wanted... I finally figured that out and got a few good pieces made.

This task would have been much more difficult trying to cut the foam with a saw. Foam core is dense enough not to warp easily but also lighter than
using sculpting products. The lack of extra weight on the layout is a plus.

Now to get the pieces assembled on the layout.

Mike P


* SLMR 2.1a * A wok is what you throw at a wabbit.
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On 3/5/2024 10:45 AM, Mike Powell wrote to All:

I have mentioned before that I dabble in model railroading. I was looking for a way to make hills, etc., on my layout. I stumbled onto a couple of youtube videos about using foam core and a hot wire foam cutter.

I tried it out for the first time yesterday. I started by practicing on some bits of foam that were used as packing material. It is a softer material than foam core boards you find at the DIY stores. Boy, that cutter sure cut through that foam real quick! One word of caution is that this foam also puts off some noxious fumes that may last a while, so be sure you are in a well ventilated area (like an open garage or even outdoors) and wear a mask.

It reminds me of a time when I was working in a warehouse to die cut sheets of fiberglass. I was given a white jumpsuit to protect me from the fibers, but back then
there was no thought of protection from ingesting the fibers.

I now have COPD and never smoked. My guess is that it had to be working with fiberglass and not wearing a mask. Something as simple as that could be the cause of
getting COPD.

I love pickleball but I don't have the stamina to play anymore.

Mike Dippel

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I now have COPD and never smoked. My guess is that it had to be working with >fiberglass and not wearing a mask. Something as simple as that could be the ca
se of getting COPD.

It could very well be. A lot of places over the years did not really
emphasize protective gear like masks or goggles. A lot of people are
paying for that now. ;(

Mike P


* SLMR 2.1a * O'Brian's Law... Murphy is an optimist.
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I have mentioned before that I dabble in model railroading. I was looking
for a way to make hills, etc., on my layout. I stumbled onto a couple of youtube videos about using foam core and a hot wire foam cutter.

I tried it out for the first time yesterday. I started by practicing on
some bits of foam that were used as packing material. It is a softer material than foam core boards you find at the DIY stores. Boy, that cutter sure cut through that foam real quick! One word of caution is that this
foam also puts off some noxious fumes that may last a while, so be sure you are in a well ventilated area (like an open garage or even outdoors) and
wear a mask.

The cutter went through the foam core boards pretty easily, too, even
though they are denser than the test foam. It also didn't stink as much
but I would still recommend cutting it in a garage or outside. Took me a while to figure out why what I was cutting was "backwards" from what I wanted... I finally figured that out and got a few good pieces made.

This task would have been much more difficult trying to cut the foam with a saw. Foam core is dense enough not to warp easily but also lighter than using sculpting products. The lack of extra weight on the layout is a plus.

Now to get the pieces assembled on the layout.

Mike P

* SLMR 2.1a * A wok is what you throw at a wabbit.

Reading about You making a Hill for the Train set.
I met a guy in the 1950's, his Father was a member of a Model Train Club.
The Club met in their basement and built a O Gauge down there.

A Hill was made of Hardware Cloth covered over with some material.

I think many years ago I wrote You abt the Club.
Ed
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A Hill was made of Hardware Cloth covered over with some material.

That is interesting. I thought about using some sort of cloth, shaping
it to how I wanted, and then putting something on it to "harden" it a
little so it would keep its shape. It might look more realistic (to me)
than the foam board.

Mike


* SLMR 2.1a * SHOCKING TRUTH: 50% of all people are below average....
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That is interesting. I thought about using some sort of cloth, shaping
it to how I wanted, and then putting something on it to "harden" it a
little so it would keep its shape. It might look more realistic (to me)
than the foam board.

Mike

* SLMR 2.1a * SHOCKING TRUTH: 50% of all people are below average....

The layout was built hip high for adults .
The hill actually looked like a mountain and had a tunnel through it.
There was a rectangular section on the top of it to open in case the train derailed while traveling through it.

The club had a really impressive set up in that basement.
There were 2 or 3 tracks and operating stations for each track.
They even built a Roundhouse.
When I see something about model trains I always think of their set up.

Once I was driving by a location of a Club and saw their sign had a date that a model trains show would be there, I visited the place and took some pictures of several set ups there.

Don't have any Lionel or American Flyer trains here, just only played with my older brothers train set when I was young.
Ed
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