# foam



## derfberger (Jul 23, 2010)

anyone know how to make ground foam.

I have 2 sites that go into great detail but had no success.

I used open cell polyurethane foam. The directions said to use seat cushion foam. Cut it into 1 in cubes, added it to blender plus 1/2 cup water. I ended up with chunks but no fine material. The blender motor was smoking. 

I read another site where they said to use a meat grinder which i don't have.

could i be using the wrong type of foam


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Ground foam ??? For what ??? 

TJ


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## pete m penn (May 16, 2010)

It would be easyer to get from your local LHS or seikiexpess web site .Go to there web site and order there Catolog then be amazed at what you can get !


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Ask reckers I am sure he made some in his poor blender.:laugh:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Derf, the only blender recipe using foam I'm aware of uses pot toppers, not soft foam. Ed, I knew you'd love it if I could use the blender! Anyway, a pot-topper is a rigid foam disk or block that is sold in craft stores near the fake flowers. Generally green, they are a rigid, crumbly sort of foam shape that goes in the top of a flower pot. You can poke holes in it to insert fake flowers ro make floral arrangements. I've not tried it, but one of our other members does it. You can probably find the post by searching "Pot Topper".


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## dozer (Jan 2, 2010)

I use a coffee grinder and put small chunks of pink foam in it. Once ground up, i add a few drops of paint and stir, and have instant ground cover. It's very simple.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

My ground cover of choice is used coffee grounds. Works well and smells nice!

Hey, Ed! I'm thinking about running it through the blender!


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## derfberger (Jul 23, 2010)

*ground foam*

for the person who asked for what. It's sold at hobby and craft stores and is colored various shades of green, brown, yellow and comes in different particle sizes. to replicate grass, dirt, leaves, etc. Can get expensive

here are two sites giving instructions neither worked for me

http://www.all-model-railroading.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=6304

http://www.dansresincasting.com/Ground foam.htm

pot topper foam is known as floral foam and is a rigid polyurethane. Tried it with water and ended up with a very fine particle size. O K for grass but not much else.

Also tried grinding the pink poly scraps from my layout but again too fine.

Coffee grounds has been given thought for brown 

some use actual dirt that's been sifted and micvowaved.

I discovered tons of videos on U Tube on how to make everything from trees to water.

Saw dust, sifted and separated in various grades looked promising. Either color with dye and dry in microwave or spray with green aerosol while stirring

all the foam i have at work, home depot, is rigid

thanks all for the info


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## derfberger (Jul 23, 2010)

bought an electric meat grinder ata house sale

I'm now in business

would show a pic but don't know how


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Derf....about the coffee grounds. First, the color is perfect for plowed fields. Second, I tried mixing it with a glue/water/soap mix to make hills and was very pleased with the results. Once it's thoroughly dried, you have a little tweaking to do and then you spray it with a spray adhesive and sprinkle on Woodland scenic grass or your ground cover of choice.


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## derfberger (Jul 23, 2010)

last night went out of the foam making business.

Snapped the axil that the screw fitted into.

Obviously i am using the wrong foam.

It was just a matter of time that either something broke or the motor burned out


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## marx1 (Dec 11, 2009)

If a hobby shop can't help you with there large selection of materials, then try a boat store. I don't know how fine a material your looking for but they have a fiber glass dust that you can thicken fiberglass resin with. Also mother nature makes some easy to abtain materials.


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## derfberger (Jul 23, 2010)

marx1 said:


> If a hobby shop can't help you with there large selection of materials, then try a boat store. I don't know how fine a material your looking for but they have a fiber glass dust that you can thicken fiberglass resin with. Also mother nature makes some easy to abtain materials.


No problem finding the colored foam with four hobby shops and 2 Hobby Lobbies in town.

It's not wanting to pay $9.00 a container for each color and particle size. and any way making it is half the fun. I have a huge piece of foam left over from making couch cushions. Apparently it's too dense.

Called Woodland Scenics today and indirectly tried to fin out what kind of foam they use. Definately not polystyrene.

If i could find an old cushion that has partially oxidized foam i feel it would be the best.

Right now got to find another grinder, this time it'll be hand operated.

also colored saw dust looks pretty realistic


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

marx1 said:


> ... boat store ... a fiber glass dust that you can thicken fiberglass resin with.


"Micro balloons"

TJ


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## marx1 (Dec 11, 2009)

Derf, check out a auto juckyard for old seats, they have foam.


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## derfberger (Jul 23, 2010)

marx1 said:


> Derf, check out a auto juckyard for old seats, they have foam.


now why didn't i think of that plus lots of other stuff that has rail road possibilities.

now i got to find me another grinder

also saw a post about using a wire brush on a drill and in a half hour you have a 5 gal bucket of foam dust.

Got to try it. Have three 1/4 inch very old drills , back then they had high R P M so should do the job. will definately wear gloves as wire can hurt


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