Oasis foam, which one?

[Radleigh]

Hi guys,

Just looking at Oasis foams and there is 'wet' and 'dry' types, which one is best to use? Looking at sculpting a shape then taking a vacform from it.. does it really matter which one I use?

TIA..

[tigger]

Hi radleigh

My suggestion is not to use that foam as it is too soft to bac form over unless you seal it with several,layers of resin, then back fill the resin shape with plaster to provide support. I know it is a long winded method but I have used it several times successfully.

John

[Radleigh]

Hi John, glad you replied.. remember you doing this to a Lightning?

What else is there to use to make a shape, I can only think of Oasis foam. (I want to avoid using Balsa if possible)

Thanks mate,

Radders

[Bangor Lad]

I agree, Oasis is much too soft. I use the green stuff for diorama groundwork and even when sealed with a couple of coats of PVA it still has some give.

Ah, Balsa!

Dave

[tigger]

Hi radleigh

Balsa, mdf, basswood, any type of wood really. There is a model board I have no idea of its trade name which is a resin style material too. Hope that you manage to do what you want?

John

[Shane]

There is a model board I have no idea of its trade name which is a resin style material too. Hope that you manage to do what you want?

John

Maybe Balsa Foam - which is NOT balsa or wood at all. Has no grain, no memory, comes in several hardness grades, used by pattern makes, designers, sculptors etc.

Can be quite expensive. I bought a small sheet 25mm thick and about 400x200 which cost me more than many models - but I made a large number of patterns with about half of it, then misplaced the rest in a house move.

(May be called EPP or EPS foam, but don't quote me. Use "Balsa Foam" ijn a search will find it)

Shane

[Will Vale]

The resin board might be Balsa Foam?

I'd avoid using Oasis for any kind of shaping work as well. I used it to make some "concrete" blocks and it creates nasty dust and has no structural integrity whatsoever. Took lots of gesso to seal it sufficient to paint.

Will

[Black Knight]

Depends on how big an item you want to make, try Polymer Clay, known better by their trade names of FIMO or Sclupey.

Its a plastic clay. In its first form its like plasticene. Work it like plasticene, then cook it in an oven at 130 degrees. This cures it and makes it solid. It will then hold its shape for further carving, and it will also take the heat of plastic over it for vac forming.

A small block of FIMO, 58g are about £1.75 but you can get giant packs, 1/2 or 1 kilo for about a £5.

[Radleigh]

Hi guys, thank you all for replying. The reason why I asked about Oasis is I can get it free, and have got 6 dry blocks of it today..

I'm looking at doing something Russian, around the An-26 size in either 48th or 32nd, fuselage will be made from Oasis then as Tigger says, covered in resin etc, wings I will tackle when I've managed to sort the fuselage.. see how I get on.

Thanks again.