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- Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad
- Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!cwatters
- From: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters)
- Subject: Re: Uses for foaming sealer?
- Message-ID: <1992Nov20.210140.15841@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
- Sender: news@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
- Nntp-Posting-Host: bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
- Organization: The Ohio State University
- References: <45460022@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM>
- Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 21:01:40 GMT
- Lines: 61
-
- In article <45460022@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM> js@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Jon Sawyer) writes:
- >
- [snip]
- >
- >I'd like to hear if anyone has used this product. How "stiff" was the
- >foam when it came out of the can? Could you make a free standing
- >mound of the stuff, or is it pretty "soupy"?
-
- It is about the consistency of whipped cream from an aerosol can, with a touch
- more "body". It is DAMNED sticky though, and you should wear protective (i.e.
- old) clothes and gloves. Working it while it's still fresh reduces the
- expansion (since you're breaking the bubbles 'natch).
- >
- >It strikes me that this might be a quick and easy way to build a
- >foundation for mountains. Squirt a pile of the stuff on a corner of
- >your layout, let it harden, do some rough shaping with a knife or a
- >Surform, then cover with Sculptamold (or whatever).
-
- Expensive for any sizable project, unless you want to build a form (cardboard
- web or similar - I keep thinking of using fiberglass window screening) and
- foam the outside of it. You don't need much more than a cardboard form with
- newspaper covering it to make a hollow mountain. The foam is VERY VERY
- sturdy (like, it takes a hammer and chisel to get it to release from
- painted wood!), and can stand a lot of abuse in thicknesses down
- to 3".
-
- It forms a nice skin if left to dry, and carves like extruded foam. It can be
- painted with latex paints without problem, and seems impervious to most other
- chemicals; it is designed to be exposed to the elements.
- >
- >Potential advantages: less mess than carving bead board; no framing
- >members needed as with hardshell techniques, thus less weight (a plus
- >for portable or modular layouts), ...?
-
- It seems to be compatible (i.e. it does not eat) extruded foam or beadboard.
- The extreme cohesive and adhesive features make it very nice as a "Glue" to
- hold structures made of these together. I'm planning on building scenery
- from extruded foam, and using a can of this as glue to hold it together.
-
- >
- >Possible problems: you'd have to make a cover for your tunnel tracks
- >to keep the stuff away from the right-of-way; leaks in that tunnel
- >when squirting could cause a messy "cave-in" that might be hard to
- >reach/fix; ...?
-
- You don't really want to work it in a solid pile, it releases (nasty smelling
- and probably bad 4 u) fumes. You could build it up gradually as a hollow
- shell - it skins quickly and hardens fairly fast.
-
- BUT! Practise with it outside, away from everything you don't want foam on,
- and WEAR OLD CLOTHES! This stuff is worse than instant glue! Until you
- practise, it is hard to get a decent control over the flow of the stuff.
- You need to learn to stop the trigger about 2 breaths before ending your bead,
- and allowing the remainder to expand out.
-
- -Coyt
-
- BTW - it makes a GREAT way to pull out hair from your arms if you leave them
- bare and come into contact with it!
-
-
-