For sealing polystyrene, a mix of 50:50 PVA and water, then add flour till you get this kind of plaster style paste, then a teaspoon of salt.Plain Flour and Salt. Coat that over and you get something thats completely rock solid, and doesn't crack as easily as plaster.
@@jeromemarchal1131 The salt kills the any and all bacteria that would cause it to rot. You mix a decent amount of salt inside, I always use a tablespoon
I just have to say... I HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS LOOKING FOT THIS VIDEO. No joke. I was getting really depressed that I'd never find it, and then it fell out of the sky like an Angel!!! You are an Angel! Thank you so very, very much for posting this. I am very happy. :D
Spent the better half of an hour looking for a guide to working with polystyrene. Could not for the life of me find safety tips. This video was exactly what I needed and more.
I was excited about the tutorial but I find it unfortunately hard to watch with the sexist comments about the wife coming home and screaming etc. Like only men are the ones who are interested in this... too bad.
I've heard the word yeah more in this video than I have throughout my entire 30 yes of life! However, the information sprinkled in between the yeah's was wonderful. Lol
I'm just starting to get into the whole terrain building scene for my next D&D one-shot and let me tell you - it is daunting. It doesn't help that everyone on the internet has different opinions and advices on what's the best way to do stuff. It's helpful that you get to the basics and consider those of us who are new to the hobby and can only use the most simple stuff to begin with. Thank you.
To say that I really liked that video would be an understatement! I feel like you taught me so much more than other TH-camrs who might have better editing but they don't even come close to teaching me this much about something so interesting.
Glad you found it useful mate. Once PVA is completely dry, it's easily painting with most paints mate. You shouldn't need to seal the paint when it's dry but if you're desperate to, just give it a thin coat of watered down PVA mate. If you can hold on, I'm working on a set of videos covering foliage etc now mate.
Mel is in fact the man. THE MAN! Your newest subscriber-for-life thanks you for your educational channel. And it's "expanded" polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam. Of course. Yeah?
These are great tips! I'd recommend running a vacuum while cutting these near the intake. It helps to limit the mess quite a bit. Also, for the paper mache coating with paper dipped in thin PVA, I would recommend using strips of the plainest paper towels.
Gene Jordan I do when i'm working with expanded foam mate, quite often I get one of the kids to hold the vacuum and I pretend I'm a surgeon and shout 'suction!' every so often :-D
Thank you so much for your invaluable tutorial on polystyrene and other incredibly useful tutorials. I had to build the mountain at the back of the Rorke's Drift Battlefield and I was in a mess!! We can't get proper styrofoam in South Africa, so using the real "bobbly" stuff, although slightly more compacted, was a challenge. My husband and I have just built the battlefield of Rorke's Drift which is 119cm x 2,475cm and is 1:72 scale. This is in 3 panels and is not a wargame, but a proper depiction of the battle. We have built it for Fugitive's Drift Lodge which is situated there. We are complete amateurs at modelling, (my husband builds model WWII aircraft and ships) but the reaction we got from the client was fantastic. so thank you again for all you wonderful tutorials.
thank you so much for this. i don't build your sort of thing but am a crafter heavily into recycling. you have given me great solutions and ideas to recycle polystyrene packaging and to make into stamps for printing x
ok, i have now learned as much as i needed to know regarding the medium of polystyrene. thanks so much, i have been making models for 40k for over twenty years, but still i have had no idea how to make modular terrain. now i feel much more ready to make my own, thanks once again.
Absolutely brilliant tutorial, am just getting into terrain building and this has been a great help. Really informative and has made the prospect of making my own board so less daunting, thanks and keep up the good work
Great. Yeah I found it hard to get a nice coat over PVA with acrylics but I suppose I just need to add more coats. I am glad you're a PVA pusher, as I pretty much thought it was God's grace of wargame terrain and crafting needs. I'll be keeping up with your channel and backtracking a bit also. Cheers.
You could watch them and see what you would now do different, better.. and they are fine sir.. because it is how most of us are.. in the dining room, kids running about..
A couple of other tools that I've found useful: * Woodworker's rasp - Pretty much a cheese grater with a handle. This will rapidly shape foam moderately precisely. But it's about the messiest thing you can do without fluids. Make sure you're running a shop vacuum constantly when using this. * Bandsaw - Best tool I've ever used for making straight-ish cuts in foam. You can tilt the head to cut on a consistent bevel and you can feed the foam as fast as you like. The cuts are consistent and very smooth. Of course it will cut off fingers almost as fast as it will cut off bits of foam, so know what you're doing before you even think about turning it on -- it's hungry for your blood. 8-)
superbly articulated and easy to follow and I know exactly what to use whilst being on a budget for the cheaper but nonetheless just as effective results. class.
Marvellous tutorial. Good presentation, structure, and of course content. Precisely what I was looking for as I was looking at how to start off with polystyrene. Subscribing and going to look at more videos from you.
Brilliant guide chap! I noticed some comments ask where to get the thin sheets and that's exactly why I went looking for the DIY. I get them with electronics, small furniture and the like (packing-holding material), was looking for exactly the process to seal up those foam-beads, on to the farm fields next! :D
I'm extremely happy I found your channel. All of the others are much too exquisite and advanced for me because, quite frankly, I don't know a thing about building terrain. Thank you so much for making videos for guys like me on the basic level; it gives me hope that I actually can make decent terrain!
TheTerrainTutor it has helped immensely, thanks! I have a question about obtaining foam. I’ve been looking at local builders merchants and most of them only have Celotex or Kingston foam board insulation. Both brands have the silver foil backing. Is it possible to remove the foil without damaging the foam too much? Is it worth just buying the proper modelling stuff and if so who’s your preferred supplier? Thanks TT!
Was looking for a way to seal some terrain pieces I am making, I just brushed petrol onto the blocks of packing styrofoam and it gives a really nice organic varied shape. Think I will go for water, pva and a little bit of matt emulsion paint.
Back in the day of very tightened purse strings, I hand-made a hot-wire cutter using an old, unloved junior hacksaw and some fusewire. I taped a sock around the handle for insulation, wound the wire taut across where the blade would've gone, then simply heated the wire over a gas ring. Surprisingly effective if you happen to be broke and desperate!
Thank you so much! I have a diorama for an underground hangar I have to build for my design project. I now have a pretty good idea on how to go about it and what to use to create the rock faces.
Hey Mel, really enjoyed the video. I was watching it whilst I painted some miniatures and you made me remember how easy polystyrene terrain was to make. I went and found some in a cupboard and had two gateways finished before the end of your video! :-) Cheers for the advice. Keep posting. Great work!
Great stuff! Unfortunately, it is difficult here in Sweden to get anything but white bubble s-foam. In your view, can the techniques you use work just as well with the white version?
There are online companies that ship all over. Theres different grades of the foam stuff like blue green and pink. You would have to ask TheTerrainTutor for more detail on difference between them but u can get it. The ones i found sell in multiples of ten sheets approx a tener a sheet
Hi! A tip from one Swede to another: Getting the dense foam isn’t too difficult actually. It’s usually called XPS and it can be found at any store that sells construction materials. Got a pretty big sheet från ByggMax yesterday for just 60 kr. Dense blue foam, no balls.
I'm looking at differing materials and techniques for modelling railway scenery, this video is very helpful giving pro's and con's to widely available materials which primarily could be up-cycled from cut off/redundant building materials or packaging, cheers.
Brill vid ! Just what we newcomer modellers need to help us.........and a face mask safety reminder too, some materials are more dangerous than people often think.........keep up the good work that man !
Very detailed presentation. Appreciated. I've recently begun to delve into the terrain building hobby for my RPG games. I testing using mold building and cheaper versions (like Styrofoam) methods. I already had tools (hotwire tools /glue gun, etc) so it's good to see how to use them. Thanks for the clear explaination of the various types of material.
outstanding video! thanks dude. I make surfboards and its ironic if that's the right English word but that good dense insulation foam is obviously more expensive than the EPS but ironically nearly as expensive as proper polyurethane surfboard foam blanks .A moulded blown blank of Polyurethane Foam in UK costs around £65 and its moulded into a basic rocker shaped surfboard (but bigger) you still have to shape your work of art board. The insulation foam is in sheets which have to be glued together thicker than a surfboard shape, and then still wire cut with the super large wire cutter, come to about £40, quite expensive, then you still have to glue them together and insert a wooden ply stringer in the middle of the board for strength. After that you've still got to protect the foam so you would use something like speckle or pollycell fine plaster the type used for repairing walls prepping before painting . This gives a good firm harden protective surface, so the epoxy resin resin doesn't eat the foam.So try speckle or pollycell in a thin coat on your foams but don't use the powdered pollycell use the speckle paste premix one. and for the difference in £25 I'd rather purchase the £65 polyurethane blank because ironically the ordinary polyester resin is half the price of the eps epoxy resin . so the most expensive foam but cheaper polyester resin compatible /compared to eps foam coated with pollycell paste and expensive epoxy resin which can destroy unprotected uncoated foam. SURFS UP GREMIES COWABUNGA GAMERS BANZAAIIII!! thanks for the great video!
Great vid. You're very informative! Covering both types of foam plus all sorts of different tools was amazing, and very helpful for someone about to enter the terrain building scene.
What would be the best foam for a funnel on a model rocket launcher for airsoft? something that can really get beat up and thrown around and still hold its shape and rigidity.
Hi, first of all, great video, it really helped me to look for ways to turn styrofoam into the scenery I need for warmachine/hordes. I have a question tough, at 14:35 you say "blow gun" ? Since I'm not a native english speaker I don't know if you refer to a hair dryer or a heat gun.
Hey just wondering if you have an update on where we can source some of the thick pink foam here in the uk now? No luck with any of the diy stores. I have checked panel systems they have the thinner blue and green stuff - but really want some very thick stuff for a Christmas terrain. Btw loving your channel have learnt so much so huge thank you for your videos 👍
will PVA itself work for a 3x3 frostgrave game board? right now it is pink foam and dents pretty easy...I been told about one option but want to be inexpensive on build. going for snow look so not want a lot of texture on most of it. thx for your videos, when I finish board if u would like to see it where might I post it? 😃
With sandpaper as a viable choice, how about an anlge grinder to shape a XPS sheet into nice gentle hills? With a finer grain sandpaper to smooth afterwards?
This video is still super useful. I have never used hot wire cutter, and im afraid im gonna burn myself (im rather clumsy) would it be safer to use gloves?
Okay that bit at the end was what I needed, "battleproofing". Cheers buddy, earned a like! Only tip for the video, a cardboard sign up with each thing you're talking about would let folks jump to what they need, otherwise great stuff, but possibly contemplating this fun thing called...."smiling"!!! :D Have fun with it! Enjoyable video nonetheless
What's the best Avenue to get better at sculpting it ? I mean I know working alone is a big help but im trying to find all the tutorials on the sculpting part !
Hi. Tx for the tutorials. Very informative. I have just started out. Did a styrofoam mountain but did not seal before i painted. Can i use the pva after painting or what would you suggest.
My parents used this stuff when I was a kid to make tombstone decorations for Halloween. We discovered that there was a kind of automobile paint in aerosol that would eat away at it to give it a worn look. The more paint, the more it ate away to make deep grooves. I'm not sure if it's a specific brand or color, though. It's been about 20 years...
+EdwardHowton All spray paints dissolve it mate, it's the propellant they use, although you can get foam safe sprays that don't use solvents as propellants
TheTerrainTutor Thank you very much for that information! I really like the effect spraypaint has on foam, but now I know to paint the stuff with a brush instead of a can if I ever try my hand at it.
Is there any problems that can occur with heat tools, if there's very little depth to your foam? I'm thinking of doing some craters and rivers I can place on top of a flat surface, but I want their ground clearance to be quite low. If I was to heat gun with very thin pieces of foam, is there anything I should be aware of?
It depends on how hot they are, how long they're held on one area. Obviously you need to be careful of fumes and burns from melted polystyrene while it cools down. If you're worried about going straight through, base the piece with 3mm mdf, that won't melt mate, so no holes!
I was really shocked you didn't have more views but then I realized this video is new. I have been back into wargames now for a few months, used to do it when I was teen, and I was all over youtube just for some quick tips...long story short(er) I'd have saved some time if I found this. Cheers mate, a worthy watch. Before I watched this I tried the paper mache seal just before I watched this. Q1: how to seal the paint? Q2: Advice on painting over PVA? Legend mate. Cheers!
Just wondering, what sort of thickness of foam do you find most useful for terrain pieces? By which I mean, hills, cliffs, building up bases etc, general purpose sort of stuff, rather than say, buildings.
Being that you have such knowledge of Styrofoam. My question is I found a large piece of Styrofoam shaped like a boat. I have used it on my leg. But I would like to paint it, what do you think is the best method for my styrofoam that I would like to go in the lake with?
im looking for this diorama old guy i watched as a kid . cant find anything but his work was amazing and all i can remember is his signature australian like "yeah" he looks abit like u. anyone know where i can find him?
+TheTerrainTutor You pissed Chuck Norris off! Run! Facts: -Chuck Norris can spell roundhouse kick with five letters: death -Chuck Norris round house kick breaks the sound barrier and makes you go deaf when it hits you -The Nuclear Stockpile of the United States is just a cover up for the deadliest weapon ever. Chuck Norris roundhouse kick in a can.
but it is pain to spread it around evenly with brush or something. Separate this procedure: PVA spread, put on your sand, and after it dries put another mixture of your paint/PVA. You'll get rockhard stuff.
Hi there bro, ...im kinda lost here, whats the best paint option for craft/modelling blue styrofoam? should I apply PVA first? thanks man, really appreciated!
Hi Mel. Is PVA the best way ti get a smooth seal on styrofoam/packing foam? I want to use some packing foam that I have from christmas deliveries to make some crystal pylons terrain so the end finish has to be smooth not textured and the styrofoam has big bobbly bits (ooo eer!) which I am guessing would show up through a prime and paint?
For sealing polystyrene, a mix of 50:50 PVA and water, then add flour till you get this kind of plaster style paste, then a teaspoon of salt.Plain Flour and Salt. Coat that over and you get something thats completely rock solid, and doesn't crack as easily as plaster.
doesn't the flour rot overtime ?
@@jeromemarchal1131 The salt kills the any and all bacteria that would cause it to rot.
You mix a decent amount of salt inside, I always use a tablespoon
Yeah 😂
I just have to say... I HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS LOOKING FOT THIS VIDEO. No joke. I was getting really depressed that I'd never find it, and then it fell out of the sky like an Angel!!! You are an Angel! Thank you so very, very much for posting this. I am very happy. :D
Happy to help mate
Spent the better half of an hour looking for a guide to working with polystyrene. Could not for the life of me find safety tips. This video was exactly what I needed and more.
Yeah..White stuff .. yeah .. BnQ .. yeah .. Pink stuff .. yeah .. Wickes .. yeah .. or Search for .. Space Board Eco Insultation .. yeah.
Hope that helps yeah? ;o)
Yeah
Awesome video, yeah.
I was excited about the tutorial but I find it unfortunately hard to watch with the sexist comments about the wife coming home and screaming etc. Like only men are the ones who are interested in this... too bad.
@@qwertzisi lol
@@qwertzisi cry
I've heard the word yeah more in this video than I have throughout my entire 30 yes of life! However, the information sprinkled in between the yeah's was wonderful. Lol
I'm just starting to get into the whole terrain building scene for my next D&D one-shot and let me tell you - it is daunting. It doesn't help that everyone on the internet has different opinions and advices on what's the best way to do stuff. It's helpful that you get to the basics and consider those of us who are new to the hobby and can only use the most simple stuff to begin with. Thank you.
This man was ready to throw it all away just to help out some nerds, what a hero
on the end of a sentence im like, wait for it... wait for it... yeah
Yeah?
@@realmofdoors9605 here we say eh, yeah
Yeah
@@MrAvian huh?
why is "every" norwegian starting many answers with "Neeei"? Why do the danes do the same only using "Ja men..." ?
This is 7 years old and still golden
instablaster.
I have just started modelling, this is a really useful intro to the ins-and-outs of polystyrene.....keep up the good work that man !
So happy to have found your channel! I'm new to the hobby, mostly using cardboard. I'm watching your back catalogue and learning so much!
To say that I really liked that video would be an understatement! I feel like you taught me so much more than other TH-camrs who might have better editing but they don't even come close to teaching me this much about something so interesting.
Glad you found it useful mate.
Once PVA is completely dry, it's easily painting with most paints mate. You shouldn't need to seal the paint when it's dry but if you're desperate to, just give it a thin coat of watered down PVA mate.
If you can hold on, I'm working on a set of videos covering foliage etc now mate.
Mel is in fact the man. THE MAN! Your newest subscriber-for-life thanks you for your educational channel. And it's "expanded" polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam. Of course. Yeah?
These are great tips!
I'd recommend running a vacuum while cutting these near the intake. It helps to limit the mess quite a bit.
Also, for the paper mache coating with paper dipped in thin PVA, I would recommend using strips of the plainest paper towels.
Gene Jordan I do when i'm working with expanded foam mate, quite often I get one of the kids to hold the vacuum and I pretend I'm a surgeon and shout 'suction!' every so often :-D
@@TheTerrainTutor Does this still work eight years on?
Thank you so much for your invaluable tutorial on polystyrene and other incredibly useful tutorials. I had to build the mountain at the back of the Rorke's Drift Battlefield and I was in a mess!! We can't get proper styrofoam in South Africa, so using the real "bobbly" stuff, although slightly more compacted, was a challenge. My husband and I have just built the battlefield of Rorke's Drift which is 119cm x 2,475cm and is 1:72 scale. This is in 3 panels and is not a wargame, but a proper depiction of the battle. We have built it for Fugitive's Drift Lodge which is situated there. We are complete amateurs at modelling, (my husband builds model WWII aircraft and ships) but the reaction we got from the client was fantastic. so thank you again for all you wonderful tutorials.
thank you so much for this. i don't build your sort of thing but am a crafter heavily into recycling. you have given me great solutions and ideas to recycle polystyrene packaging and to make into stamps for printing x
I here to help bud
it's going quite well as it happens! will send some pics xxx
ok, i have now learned as much as i needed to know regarding the medium of polystyrene. thanks so much, i have been making models for 40k for over twenty years, but still i have had no idea how to make modular terrain. now i feel much more ready to make my own, thanks once again.
wait till you get to the blue foam vid ;-)
cant wait, im sure it will be a blast, as usual.
This is great! I'm just working on my first terrain project, and this is a really solid primer. Thank you so much for making it!
A great intro to using foam - thanks. Thanks especially for the summary of sealing and gluing - really useful.
Wonderful tutorial covers all I need to know about how to make Styrofoam mountains for an Alpine train layout.
Absolutely brilliant tutorial, am just getting into terrain building and this has been a great help. Really informative and has made the prospect of making my own board so less daunting, thanks and keep up the good work
Glad it helped buddy!
Best intro to the medium. About to build a table and this is priceless thanks.
Great. Yeah I found it hard to get a nice coat over PVA with acrylics but I suppose I just need to add more coats. I am glad you're a PVA pusher, as I pretty much thought it was God's grace of wargame terrain and crafting needs.
I'll be keeping up with your channel and backtracking a bit also. Cheers.
Love watching the old ones again...
I can't watch them lol
You could watch them and see what you would now do different, better.. and they are fine sir.. because it is how most of us are.. in the dining room, kids running about..
A couple of other tools that I've found useful:
* Woodworker's rasp - Pretty much a cheese grater with a handle. This will rapidly shape foam moderately precisely. But it's about the messiest thing you can do without fluids. Make sure you're running a shop vacuum constantly when using this.
* Bandsaw - Best tool I've ever used for making straight-ish cuts in foam. You can tilt the head to cut on a consistent bevel and you can feed the foam as fast as you like. The cuts are consistent and very smooth. Of course it will cut off fingers almost as fast as it will cut off bits of foam, so know what you're doing before you even think about turning it on -- it's hungry for your blood. 8-)
I never even thought about using a rasp! thanks for the tip!
Glad you're finding them useful mate
Most informative video, glad i stumbled upon it. answered every question i thought about, pertaining to Polystyrene. Two Thumbs up!
+Jake Whebbe Glad it helped bud
superbly articulated and easy to follow and I know exactly what to use whilst being on a budget for the cheaper but nonetheless just as effective results.
class.
+Edward Borell I'll take that as a win anyday mate!
Marvellous tutorial. Good presentation, structure, and of course content. Precisely what I was looking for as I was looking at how to start off with polystyrene. Subscribing and going to look at more videos from you.
+Ívar Gunnarsson You'll love my back to basics playlist then bud ;-)
It looks like nowhere stocks it at the mo, when I find an alternative supplier, I'll let you know. yeah
Where are you getting foam from these days mate?
Excellent video. Really informative, loved seeing the difference between expanded polystyrene and the polystyrene foam! Thank you so much!
Just brilliant, thank you for your time, enthusiasm and great advice
Brilliant guide chap! I noticed some comments ask where to get the thin sheets and that's exactly why I went looking for the DIY. I get them with electronics, small furniture and the like (packing-holding material), was looking for exactly the process to seal up those foam-beads, on to the farm fields next! :D
I'm extremely happy I found your channel. All of the others are much too exquisite and advanced for me because, quite frankly, I don't know a thing about building terrain. Thank you so much for making videos for guys like me on the basic level; it gives me hope that I actually can make decent terrain!
Glad you like it mate, I try to pitch the tutorials for beginners and then look to build on the skills as we go along, glad it's working!
Can I use Mod Podge in the same way as PVA glue?
The number of times you say Yeah is hard to get used to. Just trying to make you aware.
These videos are simply the best. I have built terrain for some years but still pick up some good tips from them.
Hi Mel, just googled, who invented polystyrene, came up with Eduard Simon, lovely video, thanks for sharing.
The man! the legend!
Great video mate. Nice to see it broken down into easy steps and made easy. Down to TP tomorrow for some pink foam! Haha.
Keep up the great work!
Hope it helps buddy!
TheTerrainTutor it has helped immensely, thanks!
I have a question about obtaining foam.
I’ve been looking at local builders merchants and most of them only have Celotex or Kingston foam board insulation. Both brands have the silver foil backing. Is it possible to remove the foil without damaging the foam too much? Is it worth just buying the proper modelling stuff and if so who’s your preferred supplier?
Thanks TT!
Was looking for a way to seal some terrain pieces I am making, I just brushed petrol onto the blocks of packing styrofoam and it gives a really nice organic varied shape. Think I will go for water, pva and a little bit of matt emulsion paint.
Nevermind I used too much petrol and now I just have a bunch of napalm. Going to try and use it like I would sprue goo.
Great tutorial! Thanks for this! Drinking game for the self-hating: take a drink every time he says "yeah". :)
LazySpoon Utensil you stole my toughts sir xD
Bombasticuso its spelt thought 💭
Dear god, might as well skip the shot glass and just take a sip from the bottle. Won't have time otherwise.
Thats a quick way to get into the ER
Im not sure if you’d either die of alcohol poisoning before the end of the video or you’d just drown
Back in the day of very tightened purse strings, I hand-made a hot-wire cutter using an old, unloved junior hacksaw and some fusewire.
I taped a sock around the handle for insulation, wound the wire taut across where the blade would've gone, then simply heated the wire over a gas ring. Surprisingly effective if you happen to be broke and desperate!
Chris King I did something similar when I first started mate, couldn't be without my pro-tools now though mate
Thank you so much! I have a diorama for an underground hangar I have to build for my design project. I now have a pretty good idea on how to go about it and what to use to create the rock faces.
Is the PVA glue used to seal the foam watered down or brushed straight on?
+travh20 watered down to a 50/50 mix mate
Hey Mel, really enjoyed the video. I was watching it whilst I painted some miniatures and you made me remember how easy polystyrene terrain was to make. I went and found some in a cupboard and had two gateways finished before the end of your video! :-)
Cheers for the advice. Keep posting. Great work!
glaxnor7 Excellent mate, post the pics to my facebook page
Great stuff! Unfortunately, it is difficult here in Sweden to get anything but white bubble s-foam. In your view, can the techniques you use work just as well with the white version?
Yes with the exception of craving details/engraving, that's for purely for the high density stuff mate
There are online companies that ship all over. Theres different grades of the foam stuff like blue green and pink. You would have to ask TheTerrainTutor for more detail on difference between them but u can get it. The ones i found sell in multiples of ten sheets approx a tener a sheet
Hi! A tip from one Swede to another: Getting the dense foam isn’t too difficult actually. It’s usually called XPS and it can be found at any store that sells construction materials. Got a pretty big sheet från ByggMax yesterday for just 60 kr. Dense blue foam, no balls.
I can't concentrate on watching every time this guy says "yeah", I LAUGH T_T
Hi great video..where do you get the pink xps foam from please
Hardware store mate
Excellent info YEA ❤
I'm looking at differing materials and techniques for modelling railway scenery, this video is very helpful giving pro's and con's to widely available materials which primarily could be up-cycled from cut off/redundant building materials or packaging, cheers.
Thanks for getting this out mate looking to make some terrain for my D&D game!
No worries mate
Fantastic tutorial exactly what I was looking for
Brill vid ! Just what we newcomer modellers need to help us.........and a face mask safety reminder too, some materials are more dangerous than people often think.........keep up the good work that man !
Could you build various terrains and hills etc on to a wood base? Would polystyrene stick to the would well?
Keano Powell Easy mate, i normally mount my polystyrene onto 6mm mdf bases usi8ng PVA
Very detailed presentation. Appreciated. I've recently begun to delve into the terrain building hobby for my RPG games. I testing using mold building and cheaper versions (like Styrofoam) methods. I already had tools (hotwire tools /glue gun, etc) so it's good to see how to use them. Thanks for the clear explaination of the various types of material.
outstanding video! thanks dude. I make surfboards and its ironic if that's the right English word but that good dense insulation foam is obviously more expensive than the EPS but ironically nearly as expensive as proper polyurethane surfboard foam blanks .A moulded blown blank of Polyurethane Foam in UK costs around £65 and its moulded into a basic rocker shaped surfboard (but bigger) you still have to shape your work of art board. The insulation foam is in sheets which have to be glued together thicker than a surfboard shape, and then still wire cut with the super large wire cutter, come to about £40, quite expensive, then you still have to glue them together and insert a wooden ply stringer in the middle of the board for strength. After that you've still got to protect the foam so you would use something like speckle or pollycell fine plaster the type used for repairing walls prepping before painting . This gives a good firm harden protective surface, so the epoxy resin resin doesn't eat the foam.So try speckle or pollycell in a thin coat on your foams but don't use the powdered pollycell use the speckle paste premix one. and for the difference in £25 I'd rather purchase the £65 polyurethane blank because ironically the ordinary polyester resin is half the price of the eps epoxy resin . so the most expensive foam but cheaper polyester resin compatible /compared to eps foam coated with pollycell paste and expensive epoxy resin which can destroy unprotected uncoated foam. SURFS UP GREMIES COWABUNGA GAMERS BANZAAIIII!! thanks for the great video!
I'm just here to help buddy:-)
Great vid. You're very informative! Covering both types of foam plus all sorts of different tools was amazing, and very helpful for someone about to enter the terrain building scene.
+Kris Simons (xXAnfalasXx) Glad you found it helpful buddy :-)
Links aren't working mate, any chance you could give me the sellers info?
does filler work over the top of a PVA sealer? or can I mix wall filler and pva together to get a different texture?
yep and yep, and also through grit in the mixture, and paint ... check terrain gloop vid mate
thanks mate I've just finished putting my board together all your tips have helped out massively :) i'll send you some pics on Facebook or something
imperitor titan
awesome mate
I once had a fracture along the ball line... painful. Haha. Good video 👍🏻
What would be the best foam for a funnel on a model rocket launcher for airsoft? something that can really get beat up and thrown around and still hold its shape and rigidity.
Crazysniperman Sorry mate, I've no idea really :-(
We need basics vids like this. Constructive feedback: You say "yeah" a lot, which you probably know by now. But this tutorial was great, thank you!
This was an absolutely excellent video! Thanks!
Will either of these be able to be super glued? Would coating it with pva or filler allow for it?
Why not just use pva?
Hi, first of all, great video, it really helped me to look for ways to turn styrofoam into the scenery I need for warmachine/hordes.
I have a question tough, at 14:35 you say "blow gun" ? Since I'm not a native english speaker I don't know if you refer to a hair dryer or a heat gun.
Sergio Chacón Excellent mate, I meant a heat gun, hope that helps :-)
TheTerrainTutor Thank you, I'll get one as soon as posible :)
Where do you get the dense stuff in the UK? Is there a brand name for it? Great video.
large orders, panel systems ltd, small bluefoam.co.uk, say I sent you ;-)
Hey just wondering if you have an update on where we can source some of the thick pink foam here in the uk now? No luck with any of the diy stores. I have checked panel systems they have the thinner blue and green stuff - but really want some very thick stuff for a Christmas terrain. Btw loving your channel have learnt so much so huge thank you for your videos 👍
Good tutorial, thank you from USA 🇺🇸
will PVA itself work for a 3x3 frostgrave game board? right now it is pink foam and dents pretty easy...I been told about one option but want to be inexpensive on build. going for snow look so not want a lot of texture on most of it. thx for your videos, when I finish board if u would like to see it where might I post it? 😃
Will pva work for what mate? little confused? gluing, sealing?
+TheTerrainTutor sealing the foam itself to keep it from denting when models pushed around or dropped on it 😃.
Sgt Oddballz
mix a little pva with your basecoat and i'll be fine mate
+TheTerrainTutor right on thank u will try that 😃
Im in the states and id love some of the condensed foam thats about 2 inches or so thick and 48x48, where can i get something like this?
With sandpaper as a viable choice, how about an anlge grinder to shape a XPS sheet into nice gentle hills? With a finer grain sandpaper to smooth afterwards?
I'd go for a rotary sander mate
Cheers, mate. Much appreciated!!
Brilliant tutorial and summary dude
Thanks man great tutorial even after 7 years
Hoping to make a big prop and was wondering can I buy insulation foam from b&q, sculpt it and cover it with Eva foam?
Hi Mell, if I use expanded polystyrene in modelboatbuilding I like to have waterresistant glue. What glue will you recommand?
Boatbuilding pva?
This video is still super useful. I have never used hot wire cutter, and im afraid im gonna burn myself (im rather clumsy) would it be safer to use gloves?
Okay that bit at the end was what I needed, "battleproofing". Cheers buddy, earned a like! Only tip for the video, a cardboard sign up with each thing you're talking about would let folks jump to what they need, otherwise great stuff, but possibly contemplating this fun thing called...."smiling"!!! :D Have fun with it! Enjoyable video nonetheless
Noted!
I have to say I really enjoyed this video too! Very well done. In my case, I'm feeling partial to the heat gun...great textures! Thanks
Cool mate, give it a go and see what you can come up with. Let me know how you get on.
Xps foam how do you coat it and make it stick
What's the best Avenue to get better at sculpting it ? I mean I know working alone is a big help but im trying to find all the tutorials on the sculpting part !
no idea soz, i'm not a sculpter mate
TheTerrainTutor thank you!
Hi. Tx for the tutorials. Very informative. I have just started out. Did a styrofoam mountain but did not seal before i painted. Can i use the pva after painting or what would you suggest.
Brother weredo you get your polystyrene broads from cant find big sheets the pink suff
Its ok brother i found them lol
My parents used this stuff when I was a kid to make tombstone decorations for Halloween. We discovered that there was a kind of automobile paint in aerosol that would eat away at it to give it a worn look. The more paint, the more it ate away to make deep grooves. I'm not sure if it's a specific brand or color, though. It's been about 20 years...
+EdwardHowton All spray paints dissolve it mate, it's the propellant they use, although you can get foam safe sprays that don't use solvents as propellants
TheTerrainTutor Thank you very much for that information! I really like the effect spraypaint has on foam, but now I know to paint the stuff with a brush instead of a can if I ever try my hand at it.
Is the Yelofoam X2i insulation from Jewsons suitable for terrain building?
sure mate
TheTerrainTutor Cheers
Brilliant. You have a great teaching technique, so accessible. Thanks.
Goffic Glad you found it useful mate ;-)
Just the kind of video I was looking for! Thanks!
+Max Vázquez Glad it helped mate
This video makes me think I can have a go without spending a fortune on equipment, great stuff!
Is there any problems that can occur with heat tools, if there's very little depth to your foam? I'm thinking of doing some craters and rivers I can place on top of a flat surface, but I want their ground clearance to be quite low. If I was to heat gun with very thin pieces of foam, is there anything I should be aware of?
It depends on how hot they are, how long they're held on one area. Obviously you need to be careful of fumes and burns from melted polystyrene while it cools down. If you're worried about going straight through, base the piece with 3mm mdf, that won't melt mate, so no holes!
thanks!
Thanks so much for this mate. Couldnt get my outcrops to stick. didnt think to use sticks to pin them!
Still cant get enough of your tutorials dude :D
Excellent mate
I was really shocked you didn't have more views but then I realized this video is new. I have been back into wargames now for a few months, used to do it when I was teen, and I was all over youtube just for some quick tips...long story short(er) I'd have saved some time if I found this. Cheers mate, a worthy watch.
Before I watched this I tried the paper mache seal just before I watched this.
Q1: how to seal the paint?
Q2: Advice on painting over PVA?
Legend mate. Cheers!
Am glad I found this video it was exactly what I needed thank you
Glad it helped
Just wondering, what sort of thickness of foam do you find most useful for terrain pieces? By which I mean, hills, cliffs, building up bases etc, general purpose sort of stuff, rather than say, buildings.
+Mooncabbage 2 inch mate, typically that's thick enough for a 28mm to hide behind
+TheTerrainTutor Thanks mate, got a few offcuts and a cheapo cutter today, should be able to make some sweet hills :P
Nice video my friend, where do you pick up your foam?
Jackodur mate
Being that you have such knowledge of Styrofoam. My question is I found a large piece of Styrofoam shaped like a boat. I have used it on my leg. But I would like to paint it, what do you think is the best method for my styrofoam that I would like to go in the lake with?
Gloss latex paint mate
im looking for this diorama old guy i watched as a kid . cant find anything but his work was amazing and all i can remember is his signature australian like "yeah" he looks abit like u. anyone know where i can find him?
now that i think of it he looks allot like u only most if not all of his vids were in his garage with garage door open
+Chuck Norris , Viv from RubbishInRubbishOut? Bill from Terrainaholic? Karloopian?
+TheTerrainTutor You pissed Chuck Norris off! Run! Facts:
-Chuck Norris can spell roundhouse kick with five letters: death
-Chuck Norris round house kick breaks the sound barrier and makes you go deaf when it hits you
-The Nuclear Stockpile of the United States is just a cover up for the deadliest weapon ever. Chuck Norris roundhouse kick in a can.
+TheTerrainTutor nope checked the first 2 out they arent the one im looking for last on got no search results. thx for the response btw
Can u mix cheap acrylic paint with pva glue and sand so u base coat it at same time?
Yep, shouldn't be a problem matey
TheTerrainTutor cool thank you :)
but it is pain to spread it around evenly with brush or something. Separate this procedure: PVA spread, put on your sand, and after it dries put another mixture of your paint/PVA. You'll get rockhard stuff.
good to know thank u :)
Was just curious Mel, how would the mess from the Styrofoam do for basing miniatures?
Game Talker It could work but it's very light weight wise so that could cause problems
Hi there bro, ...im kinda lost here, whats the best paint option for craft/modelling blue styrofoam? should I apply PVA first? thanks man, really appreciated!
pva first, then some house paints mate ;-)
thanks man!, ill try PVA with acuarium gravel for a "stone" finish, and then ill add normal spray paint
Hi Mel. Is PVA the best way ti get a smooth seal on styrofoam/packing foam? I want to use some packing foam that I have from christmas deliveries to make some crystal pylons terrain so the end finish has to be smooth not textured and the styrofoam has big bobbly bits (ooo eer!) which I am guessing would show up through a prime and paint?
I'd do a light sand first mate