Now I could buy some - but nah! I enjoy the modelmaking part of this hobby probably the best. I have drawn up a plan to give me 8' x 4.5' layout. I have been to the local DIY store and picked up some 9mm MDF and 2" thick polystyrene insulation board - the helpful chaps cut it for me to 2' x 2' - they both came as 8'x4' sheets.
The basic plan - drawn at 2 inches to the foot. The key point is that the road features leave at the middle of the 2' boards, and make it possible to change things aroun.
and with scaled buildings added from "post it's"
The basics - MDF & Poly
PVA and some tools
So it's off to the garden to make a start
Wow, ambition! I love it, can't wait to see the results!
ReplyDeletecheers
DeleteA great project, Dave. I´m sure it is going to be a wonderful terrain.
ReplyDeleteThanks Juan - hope so .. well the practive will be good!
DeleteIt's so much more fun to look at terrain that someone has built themselves. Best of luck to you with this project Dave!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anne -
DeleteNow whilst I wish you well and look forward to updates I have to confess I am a little confused. I seem to have lost 5 inches in all this! What happens down the middle of the boards?
ReplyDeleteAh yes - so there will be 4 lots of 2 foot x 6 inch boards that run down the middle - which carry the the Denver & Rio Grand railroad and a road which makes u the main street. The timely or otherwise arrival of the train can give all sorts of scenarios!
DeleteAh-ha! All is revealed, makes perfect sense now, thank you.
DeleteNot all people use this trick, but make sure both sides of the MDF and all the edges are painted with emulsion. It seals it against dust! No matter how you try, you'll get dust without sealing it.
ReplyDeleteNext time your're down I can also show you "Tancast" foam. Its a graded urethane. You can get some that a finger can push into through to a grade that you cannot indent with a ball hammer!
I also have a grinding plate from "Croatia" (I think) that allowed me to grind a 6 degree slope on 12 mm MDF directly. It is a brilliant tool.
Yes top tips alright, .I have sealed the mdf with PVA, and will give it a coatof e,ulsion as well.
Deletethe strong foam sounds interesting. And yes you can't beat having the right tools!