discussion Display base material

[Tim Marlow]

I wouldn’t go with the melamine board idea at the moment Dave, it‘s like hens teeth. I wanted to put up a shelf in my garage and looked in a fifteen mile radius for melamine shelf board and couldn’t find anything at all!

 

[RonGlass]

Unless I'm way off-base here (accidental pun), why not consider XPS foam board ? The stuff used as insulation in construction, can be found available in 4x4' and 8x4' sheets at DIY home stores (Lowes / Home Depot here) quite cheaply. Can be cut easily with a carpenter's knife / box cutter, quite easy to work with. And water proof. as well.

 

[RonGlass]

PS I've had success using the stuff with PVA glue, and the various commercially-available terrain goops , adhesion is excellent. It's quite lightweight but very sturdy nonethelesss.

 

[RonGlass]

Darn, just re-read that you only need it a few milli's thick Dave. My idea probably isn't suitable, sorry.

 

[Dave Ward]

Ron,
I had considered foam board, but in a seascape you would end up sculpting most of material away! At 1/350, you don't need a big depth to create big waves. 1" will give a 30' wave! If you use thinner foam board, then you will run into problems of rigidity & need a back up board anyway...............................
Dave

 

[RonGlass]

Yep, sorry Dave, lol, I wondered why nobody else had thought of it....

 

[Dave Ward]

Yep, sorry Dave, lol, I wondered why nobody else had thought of it....

Ron,
not a problem, I'm sure there are modellers who do it that way, it's the method you are most comfortable with. The air-drying clay may take a bit longer, but it's probably more forgiving of mistakes!
Dave