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Author Topic: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)  (Read 8744 times)

Offline Atheling

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #45 on: March 03, 2020, 08:44:04 AM »
I’ve got maybe 15 different foam slab boards, all 40mm or 50mm thick. Some of them I made almost 10 years ago. They have lots of terrain features built onto them / carved into them. Not one of them has ever warped one jot. They are as straight and true as the day they were made. So personally, as long as you’re using thick styrofoam slabs (rather than thin white polystyrene sheets) I’d say bracing and edging foam boards is a waste of time and effort.

Which is the way I'm hoping to go. I suppose that i ought to do a test piece, though I don't doubt you're right.

Can't help but be a little nervous about it :)

Offline Captain Blood

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #46 on: March 03, 2020, 08:46:34 AM »
@cram - I used to get the big 1200mm x 500mm Knauf loft insulation boards, but Knauf inconsiderately stopped making them. They were cheap as chips and 50mm thick. But an awkward size. Although I have a dozen of them made up as terrain boards and they’ve served me very well.

I (and most people, in the UK at any rate I think) get their foam from Panel Systems.
https://www.panelsystems.co.uk/products/modelling-foam

For my recent desert boards I went for the 600mm square green foam boards, mainly because you get seven slabs in a box for 50 quid, because it’s 40mm thick. The equivalent blue foam slabs are 50mm thick so you get 6 in a box.
There is no difference in flexibility between the 40mm and 50mm thickness.
The blue and grey styrofoam are available in a host of different sizes and thicknesses. Not so the green, although as far as I can tell, there’s no discernible difference between the composition and properties of the three different colours of styrofoam. I’m sure there must be, but I can’t for the life of me see what it is!

BTW, I’ve had a dozen 6mm MDF terrain boards for 15-20 years, and they have never warped either. I store them flat in a stack. Maybe that’s what keeps them straight.
The foam slabs I store on their sides.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #47 on: March 03, 2020, 08:47:58 AM »
Captain Blood where do you get your styrofoam boards from? I've looked around for foam boards at a decent price and size without luck so far.

Though I have no direct evidence, I'm beginning to suspect that glueing the tiles to the mdf supports might be where the warping starts(?)

Offline cram

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #48 on: March 03, 2020, 10:37:06 AM »
A while back on another forum I read a topic relating to boards warping. There was someone on there remarking about their game boards. All his boards were styrofoam, they hadn't warped over time, with the exception of one.....the only one with an wood backing! All the other boards were just styrofoam. So I think you could be correct in your assumption.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #49 on: March 03, 2020, 12:18:49 PM »
A while back on another forum I read a topic relating to boards warping. There was someone on there remarking about their game boards. All his boards were styrofoam, they hadn't warped over time, with the exception of one.....the only one with an wood backing! All the other boards were just styrofoam. So I think you could be correct in your assumption.

That sounds reassuring. As do Richard's comments on the subject.

Offline Hu Rhu

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #50 on: March 10, 2020, 03:11:31 PM »
Though I have no direct evidence, I'm beginning to suspect that glueing the tiles to the mdf supports might be where the warping starts(?)

I have created a number of boards based upon MDF base with a blue foam upper.  The MDF varies from 12mm to 9mm and the foam from 10mm to 25mm.  I have never had one warp on me.  I use  good quality wood glue (Gorilla is my firm favourite and use a pile of books/magazines as weight until both dried. 

At first I would also drill into both wood and foam and add a dowel (usually bamboo skewers) but found I did not need them so junked that extra work for my later boards. 

I would guess that any warping is due to storage rather than construction.

Offline cram

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #51 on: March 14, 2020, 03:40:50 PM »
Captain Blood thank you for the reply! I somehow previously missed it, only just read it now! Seven slabs for £50 sounds pretty decent. Thanks again.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #52 on: March 14, 2020, 03:46:05 PM »
I'm still uneasy, despite what I would consider expert advice (thanks again Richard) about not basing them...... I think I'm just a worrier  :?

Offline Captain Blood

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #53 on: March 14, 2020, 05:18:43 PM »
Well, you pays your money and takes your choice  ;)
I can tell you unequivocally, that in my experience with almost 20 different styrofoam slabs, I have never had one warp on me. But if it gives you some reassurance to mount them on MDF or ply, then you should do what makes you happy :)
All I would say is that I know timber and timber based products do warp, depending on the conditions in which they’re kept. I’ve never seen styrofoam slabs warp yet, but there’s a first time for everything!

Offline Codsticker

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #54 on: March 15, 2020, 02:45:39 AM »
If you do mount them on MDF don't go thin (4mm); use 10mm-12mm as Hu Rhu has done.

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #55 on: March 15, 2020, 01:58:39 PM »
It is worth looking at how some of the model railway fraternity have developed light weight boards.

Gordon Gravett has built some astounding boards.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #56 on: March 15, 2020, 02:29:58 PM »
It is worth looking at how some of the model railway fraternity have developed light weight boards.

Gordon Gravett has built some astounding boards.

looked him up and you're not wrong!  :-*

Thing is, he tends to use an awful lot of wood which would make it very cumbersome and heavy.

I'll keep looking, maybe he has made some where he has just used the foam board?

Offline Charlie_

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #57 on: March 15, 2020, 02:36:25 PM »
I use mdf (9mm) and blue foam (20mm), with a wooden frame, and was in the same position as you a few years back.

I like the wood base and frame as it makes them seem more solid and durable.

I have both 2 x 2 ft and 2 x 4 ft boards.

The important point I've found is this - the only problems with warping I've had are in the 2x4 boards. The 2x2 square ones have had ZERO warping issues.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #58 on: March 15, 2020, 05:22:25 PM »
I use mdf (9mm) and blue foam (20mm), with a wooden frame, and was in the same position as you a few years back.

I like the wood base and frame as it makes them seem more solid and durable.

I have both 2 x 2 ft and 2 x 4 ft boards.

The important point I've found is this - the only problems with warping I've had are in the 2x4 boards. The 2x2 square ones have had ZERO warping issues.

Thanks Charlie, I'm trying to avoid using a wooden base for ease of movement if i can get away with it.

Offline cram

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Re: Step by Step for 2' x 2' Terrain Tiles (please!!) :)
« Reply #59 on: April 15, 2020, 09:35:16 AM »
Found these videos which you may not have seen and may be of use? Certainly be helpful to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9biWBwel5w    there's three parts to it.