# Help with an indoor mountain/tunnel



## Lauren G. Bibbs (Jun 27, 2010)

I am just getting ready to start a indoor mountain/tunnel project. I would prefer to make it out of something other that plaster. It will not be setup year round. Just want to set it out each winter when we set up a large layout. Any direction would be great. 

I was thinking fiberglass? I am open to ideas. I run all G scale. 

Thanks,


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## Mr Ron (Sep 23, 2009)

I'm thinking a wire mesh base covered with the insulation foam-in-a-can stuff would be both rigid and light weight. The foam can be sculpted with cheese graters. The foam will hold any trees you may want to poke into it. I haven't tried it, but I think it would work. Just my 2¢.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

you might try the method, Vsmith is using. blocks of styropor or other precut foam, cut and rasped down to the desired form. 
the advantage - you just glue it together with cheap white carpenterglue and you dont need a structure to keep it up. 
disadvantage - either you are restricted to waterbased colors, or you must give it a basecoating with plaster or crackfiller. 

as Mr Ron mentioned - foam. 
advantage - once a base with chicken wire or wiremesh is built, it is aplied easy and gives a sturdy structure. 
the disadvantages are the same as for foam, plus a lot of cutting, till the roundish foam bubbles gets a stone surface. (and the price!) 

most mountains, i have built, were made with chickenwire, household or toiletpaper, painted with crackfiller and a coat of cement-mix upon it. (mixing crushed old, hardened cement with new cement. no sand) 
the biggest disadvantage of these weak structures were always my cats. they loved to settle down on the highest peaks to watch the trains. 

fiberglas 
the fiberglas mats are just the structure for pouring resin. it is a pain in somewhere, to bring in form before pouring. 
if you want to use resin, you might think about doing the same as many boatbuilders do. instead of using fiberglas mats, they use very coarse cloth (like old fashioned potato sacks). 
resin mountains should be stable and light. (never modelled with resin. just used it to repair watertanks, feedingtroughs and our pool) 
the disadvantage of using resin would be the surface. not rocklike, more like cooled lava. so either you have to work with a grinder, or have to glue a lot of stuff to it (sand or sawdust or whatever) 

for your idea of a mobile mountain i would try foamblocks or resin on sacks.


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## Mr Ron (Sep 23, 2009)

Another method I just remembered is featherrock. It is a light weight lava like material that can be carved and textured with handtools. It should be available at garden supplies. A store like Michaels or Hobby Lobby has a green styrofoam that comes in sheets and blocks. It is also used for flower arrangements. A method that was used dating back to the early years of model railroading was paper mache" over a wood and wire mesh frame.


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## Lauren G. Bibbs (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for the ideas. I want something portable and light weight but strong enough to stand up to all the kids abuse. I'll send pics of the project. I run a car dealership so a body man is going to help me with fiberglass.


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## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Lauren, 

Might want to check out Bragdon Enterprises geodesic foam method. It is very lightweight, stays flexible, easy to do, and his rock castings can be made out of the same material. 

http://www.bragdonent.com/foam.htm 

Mike


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## Richard Schmitt (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Lauren,
Here is what we use on our layout to create rocks and mountains that are light weight. The base material for the rocks or mountain is constructed using extruded foam board (not the beaded styro-foam) that is glued together with Gorilla glue. Next take foam rubber (4" thick) and tear apart to make two 2" thick pieces. The tear creates the rock facing. Now glue the foam rubber (torn face out) to the extruded foam board again using the grollia glue. Once the foam rubber is attached, coat the face with tile grout and adhesive. You can add acrylic paint to the tile grout for the base color of the rocks. Once the grout is dry you can then color the grout with the various shades of acrylic paint or use dry color powders.
Here is a link to our web site. Follow the link to our progress and new module construction. You will see different stages of the rock formation as described above.
Good luck and happy modeling.








http://www.sundancecentral.org/gallery/

Richard
Sundance Central Modular Railroad


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## Lauren G. Bibbs (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for the great ideas...I went to the website but I can't find the materials you are talking about. Your modeling is amazing... I welcome anymore ideas. Thanks,


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## Richard Schmitt (Jan 2, 2008)

Lauren, 
When you go to the "Our Progress and New Construction of Modules" click on the "2009-2010 Remodel" link and look at all the photos and you will see the construction of the rocks and mountain. 
Richard


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