Razelim Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Hey guys, While waiting to get all my stuff for making miniatures ready, I recently been trying to make a HUGE arena out of Styrofoam (I have a large quantities of it) by layering about 2 to 3 layers of Styrofoam panels on top of each other and then coming down on it with a Soldering Iron to add terrain details such as craters and more detailed stuff like leveling the terrains height and depth, and ect.... But as you guys know, Styrofoam sucks when putting and moving things around it, so I need to find a way how to sculpt my terrain out of foam, and then add somehow something to harden the foam. I was thinking about putting Putty on it, but thought about not doing it cause it might be too heavy when it hardens, which I don't know if it would break the foam below it - Tho I plan on putting putty to connect multiple panels side by side. Pretty much I would use anything like a spray or something of that type that just seals it and hardens it without melting anything (after alot of hard work and smelling that burning foam for hours that would suck) Seriously guys, I have a crazy craving to put stuff up on this forums, but somehow there's always some kind of obstacle... Just want to say also thank you for helping me guys, u guys have been awesome! :confused: PS: I have on me the about 8 sheets of White Styrofoam, the ones you buy at Homedepot (the ones u get when you buy a TV, Ect...) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
chromedog Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Skimcoat or plaster filler works. I've made sand berms for tank dioramas out of white foam, pva glue and sand (several layers of glue and sand and glue) before. When done properly, it sets like concrete and you can't tell it isn't sandstone and not foam without digging into it (it ended up with a 3mm crust). Most of my terrain is made from the white stuff, so I've learned what to apply to it. While the extruded (blue or pink) foam is preferred, the white stuff is generally used as packing and free (we just got a new kitchen. The 2" thick sheets of white foam off the oven, dishwasher and beverage fridge will come in very handy). Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/#findComment-2861817 Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_starrise Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Several coats of varnish followed by an overspray of matte clear coat will go a long way toward hardening it. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/#findComment-2862211 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watcher in the Dark Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I have in the past used cheap flat latex paint with texture added in to it. Hit up your local Home Depot or home improvement place. You can usually get it mixed the color you want, have texture added to it, and can buy it in gallons or half gallons. Grab a cheap foam bush (usually like a buck or so, don't buy a good painting brush as the texture will ruin it) and voila. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/#findComment-2862467 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elric the Silvercoat Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Do watch for sprays because some will melt foams. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/#findComment-2862489 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razelim Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 Thanks guys, really help narrow down my search by alot! I am going to try this options, but also at work I was told that perhaps Fiber Glass the hell out of it without using the cloth, just brush the liquid on it. Hopefully it aint too expensive. What I'm doing is a Styrofoam made arena that is about 60 inches long, and 40 inches wide. I have a peace of thin ply wood as support. Then Im gonna stack up like about 3 (tho now I'm thinking about 5 layers) of Foam and burn them down with the Iron. Im trying to make an "Urban" Terrain, so i need to make space for buildings (which will be alot) also half of the map would be kinda of like a desert gray style to add that look like if a nuke had been dropped near by and half the city is burned down to ashes. Lets see what happens... I will deffinitly show work in progress as i go along. :down: (sorry for misspells) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/#findComment-2862733 Share on other sites More sharing options...
chromedog Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Oh, fibreglassing also works. It's how Surfboards are made (foam core, fibreglass shell). It's noxious as all hell, though (did some fibreglass work in an FX workshop and the smell takes a week to leave you). Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/#findComment-2862863 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razelim Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 Hummm... is it safe to use indoors?? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/#findComment-2862888 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirDuck13 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 There's some serious fumes and dust problems with doing it indoors. I have an uncle that used to shape surf boards and they did it in an enclosed clean room that was highly ventilated and even then he still wore a particulate filter mask like you'd see on an industrial site. For what you're doing, I'd really recommend doing it outdoors or in a garage with the door open. SD13 Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/237335-hardening-styrofoam/#findComment-2863453 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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