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Author Topic: Foam or MDF  (Read 1081 times)

Offline italwars

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Foam or MDF
« on: April 07, 2019, 08:04:10 PM »
Hello
After years of laziness and games spoiled by lack of appropriate terrain/scenics and with an eye to low budget I decided to have a try at making buildings ecc by myself..I game principally in 28mm and above all 19c. And Colonials ..my first needs would be Middles East type walls, ruins ecc..I be jus bought some tools and cutters for cutting foam and just experimented my hand on some foam Hamburgers packages that I had for dinner..well I really enjoyed it and I think I could be able, with some practice and some patterns , to do what I meed..I read that some PVA and some textures will reinforce everyting..on the other hand, according to some articles on line, foam will not be enough strong for such things as walls, buildings , ruins and forts..they suggest using MDF..but I should buy and set up an electric cutter ecc..
Please gents which are your ideas, choices, suggestions?
Many thanks

Offline Codsticker

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Re: Foam or MDF
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2019, 01:44:37 AM »
I use both foam (the dense stuff, aka Styrodur in Europe) and MDF. The foam holds up well as long as you aren't too rough with it: it is perfectly fine for walls, buildings and ruins. I use products from Firedragon Games. There are quite a few good terrain builders out there that use foam such as "bishmeister" the man who made the Mierce miniatures terrain board at Salute this year.

Offline Will Bailie

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Re: Foam or MDF
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2019, 02:14:06 AM »
Another product to consider is cork.  Matakishi's Tea House is a great source of inspiration for cork projects. After much frustration with foamboard (it needs a very sharp blade to cut if you want to avoid tearing) I have fallen for cork.  Easy to work, holds well with ordinary white glue, already comes with built-in texturing!  For more info, I recommend Matakishi's:

 https://www.matakishi.net/making-things.html


Offline italwars

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Re: Foam or MDF
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2019, 07:37:15 AM »
thanks for both interesting suggestions...the shop you pointed me too sells some very useful scenics adds to complemente my buildings...
I've deeply visted Matakishi site and considered cork..i must buy a shit or that material and see how easy i can cut it with simple tools..

Offline Daeothar

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Re: Foam or MDF
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2019, 11:20:51 AM »
There's a bit of difference between types of foam, but how much that impacts structural integrity, I don't know.

One thing you can be sure of is that Styrodur, especially when shaped with a decent cutter, is a great material to build with.

I was always of the opinion that foam would not be sturdy enough for gaming, and I swore by plasticard (or acrylic) and MDF. But eventually I have had to admit that you don't always need bomb-proofed structures on your table.

Gerard from Shifting Lands once gave a workshop for a group of my friends, and when asked about the resilience of his buildings (by me), he demonstrated by casually tossing an entire tower made from Styrodur (and completely detailed and painted, looking very nice indeed) over his shoulder back into the bin he had taken it out of. And it was completely fine.

Foam buildings will not stand up to a person putting their weight on them, but any other tabletop handling will be absolutely fine. In fact, dropping a plaster, resin, MDF or plasticard building onto the floor by accident will always result in (near) catastrophical damage, whereas foam buildings will all take it in stride and come out completely undamaged, because they're so light.

I'm still in the 'build them as strong as possible' camp, and love MDF 'base' structures, but I now also have a Proxxon foam cutter that will see more and more use in the near future...
Miniatures you say? Well I too, like to live dangerously...
Find a Way, or make one!

Offline italwars

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Re: Foam or MDF
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2019, 01:33:20 PM »
thanks for taking your time for such a detailed description and suggestions....i'm beginning to enter into the idea that foam could be my cup of tea..i appreciate MDF but, at the moment i do not have skills and resources to buy a good electric cutter which i suppose is compulsory to work with MDF ...about foam or Styrodur which tickness do you suggest me?.
thanks