Oasis Foam Replacment

2234 Views 8 Replies 7 Participants Last post by theakerr, Mar 26, 2009

tom

Discussion Starter · Feb 10, 2009

I want to completly landscape my new layout, with rolling hills, small cutouts, rivers etc...

I thaught of using Oasis Foam (the stuff florists use) but it will cost about £10,000 to put a 10cm deep cover all over the layout.

Does anyone have any cheaper ideas? I thaught of foam, chicken wire polyfiller but I want a really smooth finish that I can easly landscape.

Any ideas,

Tom

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16A

· #2 · Feb 11, 2009

Try some polystyrene foam (like the stuff used for packing electrical items in boxes) You can buy it in reasonably thick sheets from builders merchants as they use it for insulating wall cavities. This stuff is very lightweight and is easily carved to shape if somewhat a little messy.

Mike

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Chinahand

· #3 · Feb 11, 2009

Hi Tom,

I too have been looking at possible ways of filling up areas of my layout to achieve a rolling landscape and am thinking of trying poyeurethane foam. It comes in an aerosol can and can be purchased at good aquarium shops. I have used it in the past to build up aquarium landscapes and found it easy to use, very light and very easy to carve into shapes e.g. railway cuttings.

Be sure to have the room well ventilated if you try this as the fumes can be quite powerful.

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Brian Considine

· #4 · Feb 11, 2009

As 16A says polystyrene foam is messy - use the styrene foam (which is virtually the same as florists use) - this is more dense & carves/saws/cuts easily & just leaves some dust rather than the granules that you keep finding with polystyrene. The styrene foam is also more rigid - you can often get damaged sheets for nothing from the wholesalers - they cannot always sell it, so it would cost them money to get rid of it.

Look up the contact details in yellow pages.

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upnick

· #5 · Feb 11, 2009 (Edited by Moderator)

Hi Tom,

The wall insulation marterial is superb and by far the best way to form landscape shapes though mess as has been mentioned, i have used it on my layout ''Morganth'' http://www.modelrailforum.ycom/forums/inde...5965&st=105 (previous postings ) shows how i built the scenery up ...... carving it for a rock formation couldnt be easier a hacksaw blade /knife/ and a half inch wide paintbrush to brush out the bits after initially shaping the foam with the hacksaw blade cut horizontal parallel to the surface of the foam the more cuts the better ..... if the knife drags change the blade for a sharp one aa serated edged vegatable knife works well ........ eventually the foam will give way and create rock strata as in the pictures on my thread, Of course it can be covered in scenic scatter as an option or a combination of both.

If you lay it in sheets a lake/canal can be easily be cut out ......... i hope this gives you some ideas for you layout

I did see an article about Oasis placed in a coffee grinder/blender used as an option for ground cover ........ many time a florist will throw scraps of oasis ..... a visit to them might be useful to ask if they have any scraps .

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Brian Considine

· #6 · Feb 11, 2009

QUOTE (upnick @ 11 Feb 2009, 10:30) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I did see an article about Oasis placed in a coffee grinder/blender used as an option for ground cover ........ many time a florist will throw scraps of oasis ..... a visit to them might be useful to ask if they have any scraps .

Only when SWMBO is out !

I have heard also about dying various forms of foam, drying, freezing & then using the blender to get some very cheap ground cover.

Of course, you could get some brownie points by giving SWMBO a nice new grinder/blender & saying - "Oh, by the way, can I have the old one please ?".

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7113

· #7 · Feb 12, 2009 (Edited by Moderator)

QUOTE (Brian Considine @ 11 Feb 2009, 10:49) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>"Oh, by the way, can I have the old one please ?".

Just buy one for yourself maybe - saves all the hassle.

Regards

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upnick

· #8 · Feb 12, 2009

QUOTE (BRITHO @ 12 Feb 2009, 12:37) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Just buy one for yourself maybe - saves all the hassle.

Regards

True

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theakerr

· #9 · Mar 26, 2009

See my recent post on
scenery structure thread

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