I really like your idea!! I'm going to get my son and grandson a crawler. Was wondering how to make a small course so they had something to crawl on. Thanks to You now I know. Awesome!!
Modular is an excellent idea! After watching this I’m doing my last two boards as a modular park. I’m using 4, 4’x4’ backer board and all are light and mobile. Mostly scrap material except the expansion foam, paint, and epoxy for my river. Dollar Tree comes in clutch!
You need to be 100% dedicated, patient, deep pockets and accept that once done you might bore quickly with it. I decided to make a square 4 ft x 8 ft floor enclosure and started bringing home various rocks as I found or even bought some. Laid them out, stacked some, use some in combination with wood ramps, elevated sections etc. Then used some foam to fill in large cracks and to overall smooth the coarse out. Using a combi of real rocks/foam/wood seemed to be more substantial, realistic and looks great. I attempted 100% foam and it was a $$$, mess disaster haha..
Try using the interlocking foam pieces (look kind of like a puzzle piece around the edges) you see on floors, in kids play rooms etc. and they lock into each other to make a new course whichever way you want. If you let the expanding foam cure all the way and then "mist" on the first layer or two of spray paint and let it dry completely it won't eat away the expanding foam. Like the other ideas given for texture you can use spray glue on the foam and sift on some sand, gravel or bark for textures while keeping it lighter and still a little flexible. For when I get around to finishing my modular course, I have designed in some objects that by itself my SCX won't currently go over so there is still some challenge in it, but those same objects matched with the other pieces create something drivable if that even makes sense. Good job on the pieces, it's good to see what everyone else is using and does for other ideas.
I like the modular idea. That's the direction I've been going. It allows me to experiment more with construction materials and techniques, as well as add variety to my indoor crawling 👍👍👍👍
I'm so glad I saw your video. I'm about to build me a crawler course and I love the idea of being able to move to units around to change up the course from time to time
I had this exact thing happen to me. I plan on trying a few different things. One idea was to paint the bottom at the same time hoping that it pulls in all directions the same to cut back on warping or use really thin sheets of plywood that are cut to shape or finish them on a full sheet of plywood then cut them off once finished
Yes sir! I just did this in my basement over the winter but with 8 islands that are made to be swapped around over the top of a pool table. For scale the 8 pieces cover the entire full size table end to end. about 4 feet higher than the table at its peak….not exactly meant to transported like yours because of the size but what I’m tryin to say is this is an awesome idea!
I did the exact same thing but I made them snap together with neodymium magnets. I made all the peices tetris together so they would fit perfectly in a storage bin.
It’s the propellant that melts the foam. You need to hold the vertically and spray from 8 - 10” away. When you spray down on it all the propellant hits the surface of the foam and melts it.
Great idea! Definitely will be trying something similar. One thing I would do is take a sheet of plywood and cover it with felt and then get some Velcro strips to put on the bottom of your obstacles. Then your obstacles are secured but can be rearranged or swapped out with other ones
Thankx for the ideas on building a cheap 1/24th scale course, I needed some ideas. I do so much mail ordering I have plenty of boxes to work with, lol. You inspired me brother.
Put some fishing weights in the foam. Use a mixture of water and modge podge and just throw dirt or sand on it as your base layer maybe the paint wont penetrate and deform the foam.
Cool. My daughter and I just use random stuff to make obstacles inside. And we play a game of crawl/4×4... which is like pig with a ball. Super fun. A few guitar cases, pillows, books. So much fun on a rainy day or st nigjt
That foam wont melt if its not cut. The key is to under apply and do more layers and build up, not reduce. Also its urethane foam, they make spray urethane clear coat you can prime the cut areas with, but its cheaper and easier to use generic school glue mixed with water and brush it on Krylon vs. Rustoleum, they have different solvents and propellants which will react with the foam, i beleive krylon will not react with it.
Awesome idea. One option I have used is get plaster cloth sheets and put it over the foam after you carve and then you can pant it as much as you want with out it getting destroyed. I also built mine on 1/4 OSB board to prevent the warpage. The foam grabs on really well to the rough side.
Really great ideas and I like the concept of it being modular. I don't know where you live, but where I live that foam stuff is like $10 a can. Plus, with asthma I don't like the fumes. I'd love to see you expand on this concept using something like paper mâché as that would be fully paintable without any drawbacks. Also, maybe put some kind of weight in the center of each one to make it less prone to slide when the vehicle attempts to scale it. You really hit on something cool with this!
This is an amazing idea, the wife used great stuff when building her bearded dragon enclosures, she used a tile grout to give it a rock texture. I am planning on building something like this, but instead of paint, I will use grout and let you know how they turn out.
I have had good results mixing plaster, sand and water, and some paint in there for color as well. Gives it a very durable and textured surface, and if you were to wear it down it has color in it, so you don't end up with exposed white/tan bits of expanding foam or styrofoam. I have also used homemade sculptamold (dry paper pulp from shredded toilet paper and plaster), and that stuff is awesome. Very durable and easy to shape into very realistic rock surfaces. Kind of like what the diorama and train crowd use.
A foam shaping technique I recently tried is to set heavy rocks or objects on/in the foam as it expands. I put the rock in a plastic tash bag to keep them from becoming part of the foam ;). The rock is easily removed, and the bag separates from the foam.
@@UpperLeftRC I also dyed my Mid Podge with a dark color craft paint. That does 2 things. First, it makes it easy to see where I need more coverage. Second, it gives a dark base coat to give more depth to the painting.
Next time before you paint take blue shop towels get them wet. Lay them on your course and then cover with Elmer's glue let dry. ( I do two coats). Then paint the towels then that won't happen. It also will keep your course from leaving rubber all over your house
I did this and used my pool table as the track base..except I used ♻️plastic bottles ,and sprayed that exact foam on it,and interchanged the two by one foot plots. ,add some spray paint and gravel to foam b4 it dries..many course combinations
@@UpperLeftRC I left the cover on ,it's the side rails that locked m in..one can get a near free table off Craig's list..ur buikd brings back fun memories
Maybe use shapes cut from 1/4” plywood for the base. It will weight it down as well and keep the edges from curling up. Haha I use plastic dip spray to coat everything on my mini course made of wood scraps.
Good idea for the livingroom, i also don't have space for a big board. Only part i would have been really interested in was how you "carved" the foam. I would not bother with painting at all, don't have a place to paint and even if i had i would not want to mess with toxic spray paints and stuff.
Great idea to make table top moular obstacles. Get a table cloth from a thrift store and paint it to look like dirt. You can also use latex caulking and mix it with acrylic paint, apply it and sprinkle real dirt you find outside and dry with a sifter to make a grippy surface you can fold. I dont know why you and every other guy go buy expanding foam and laquer paint to make these. You can literally use trash, hot glue diluted white glue, plaster and cobcrete powder and real dirt. How did you not know laquer attacks foam? Of you had used wayer based materials it would not happen. Use white free polystyrene packing material and or free cardboard and hot glue next time. You can use a thick card board base but dont have to. If you dont you can flip the obstacle over and drive the under side too. Good idea bad material and execution. At least they look good and can work. All you needed to do to fix the turtles is slice the folds push the wings flat and hot glue n some foam, cardboard or other trash to wedge it flat. You can use crushed milk containers and melt plastic juice containers with a heat gun to make obstacles. Use free trash and natural foraged moss, dirt ect. Buy your wet and dry mayerials and tools. Always check the off mix paint tables.
I’ve had good luck with water based latex outdoor paints applied with a brush on the foam. The airsoft bb mudpit is awesome! Definitely adding that. You running oversized wheels on the Bronco?
I've been thinking about modular too. There are some sprays that don't eat foam. Rusto primer or Tremclad....I don't recall but I had one that worked well. Or you can use a brush on primer. I've mixed primer in the grout and then brushed them on together which awesome.
Excellent video,very useful I've been collecting "building materials" for quite a while with the intention of doing something ?? like this, just need a kick up the ass (inspiration)👍👍👍Liked & sub'd from U.K.
Dunno about that foam in particular but heat may help you manipulate its shape. Some heavy paper board (chip board) as a base will give you a nice flat bottom. Nice lookin tiny obstacles though. Y'all have a badass day 🤘🍻🤘 Edit: those wheels and tires look awesome on the deadbolt. I wanted those for my c10 but I didn't get em yet 🤘🍻🤘
Nice, I'm going to have to try this. I wonder if you put down a thin layer of foam and then a piece of tag board then more foam if that would help keep it from warping?
I'm sorry... I was wrong and out of line!! I've been watching ur channel since the beginning and you keep getting better even w dumbasss like me leaving unproductive comments. Again sorry!!
I think you did great looks fun! CHeck out real terrain hobbies, and a bunch of other hobby/train set channels. Tons of info on easy and cheap terrain building. You can make pretty much anything with hard Purple foam and glue. Add some little trees! Lol
For the next set you build, you should take a look at the Liquitex spray paints. They're a water base acrylic so they shouldn't melt the foam. Granted they're on the expensive side for spray paint but it might be worth it if it saves you a bunch of hassle.
After the foam cure’s paint it with drylock paint before spray painting it. I make grave stones for Halloween with the pink foam and the drylock paint helps the spray paint paint from eating the foam.
I just covered crumpled newspaper and junk mail in expanding foam and trimmed them into rocks that I hit with a little hot glue to individually place them. It might work for what you’re going for too while not overusing all your foam making huge blobs and trimming them down 😁👌🏽
I had the same sliding problem. I bought a cheap yoga mat and placed the obstacles on it. Used the mesh shelf liner as well on the bottom of the obstacle. Keep up the good work!
I made a whole bunch of these for my sons supercross/ monster jam modular course. First I cut rectangular 1/8 plywood the size of each feature. Then I use spray foam to shape feature once crusted carve and shape. Then I use stuco patch over the features. Add tire ruts here and there. Then paint and modge podge over that. Boom your done and they are solid pieces!
I've done something like this. The hardest part is approach and departure as the vehicle tends to push the obstacle or kick it out from under it as it leaves. Still working out how to make the bottom grippy to the surface it's sitting on
Mod podge works to seal foam projects before paint. The solvents used to thin paints for spraying melts the foam. Boylei hobbies trick of adding an acrylic paint to the mod podge helps to ensure coverage. Thanks for the idea for terrain.
I have been contemplating some sort of modular design as well. I like your ideas and video. A lot of people cover their foam and other substrates with plaster cloth. I like the effect that process creates. Great video thank you!!!
