For my model boats, I use polyurethane floor varnish. This stuff is thin and can even be thinned further with water. It has only a slight smell, it dries fast and it protects and hardens the surface it is painted on. Usually I would apply maybe 4 to 6 thin coats with about 4 hours drying time between those coats. It is thin, so you retain fine details, easy to use, and it is not expensive. I live in Europe, so I'm not familiar with brands of paint in the U.S., but it is common stuff and should be at your local DIY store. Good luck!
luigi, Thank you for the update. I had been very interested in your first video and am glad to hear you have made progress in your material choices. Please consider leaving a list of materials you mentioned in the description of the video, or perhaps links on where to find them. Hope to see future videos on this topic! Thanks!
Well, Mark, wouldn't you know it. Right after I posted this video I came up with another experimental change in the hard-coating. After swearing I'd never go back to Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty, I'm now mixing Water Putty with even parts of the Dust Control joint compound. I get a much harder surface than with joint compound aloe plus a material that's much easier to sand than straight Water Putty. Learning all the time... Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching.
You know, since I posted this video I've again improved the hard coating. I now mix up a batch of Durhams and add an equal amount of joint compound to that. Now I get a coating more durable than joint compound alone yet much easier to sand than Durham's alone. Thanks for watching.
That's a great question except it's Sherwin Williams Extreme Bond Primer that I now use. The guy at the SW store told me that SW had bought out Glidden so I asked him if they had changed the formulation for the primer. He said he didn't know. So far, I've noticed no real difference in the two products. Thanks for watching.
I recently discovered your first video and was happy to see this follow up video. I have been considering foam sculpture to build some Halloween props and these videos sharing your experience is very helpful. I am curious though... what tools do you use to sculpt your foam? Knives? Xacto? Hot wire? Wire brushes? Any additional info on your carving tools and techniques would be appreciated! Thanks Luigi!
Thanks for your interest here. Regarding tools, if large sections of block are to be removed, I will "rough out" using a coarse carpenter's cross cut saw. I do most of my carving using Olfa (highly recommended) knives, both in the wide and narrow blade widths. The tool I use the least would be a hot-wire knife although I'm anxious to get better at this; I'm sure this tool has untapped potentials for me; I'm just more comfortable with blades. Wire brushes are more widely used with expanded polystyrene and, therefore, I really don't use them. One discovery I've made since posting this video: I now mix up a batch of Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty and them throw in an equal amount of the Dust Control Joint Compound. This gives me a much more durable surface than with just joint compound alone while giving me a much easier-to-sand surface than with just Durham's alone. Good luck with your Halloween props. Thanks for watching.
Have you published a book by any chance and/or do you have a website? I am an artist and I am intrigued by the prospect of trying to sculpt extruded polystyrene.
Question - have you discovered a foam coating process that would be suitable for architectural detail on a home? For example, Ekena Millwork sells corbels that are urethane and coated that do very well with UV, rain, wind, etc. I'd like to make my own exterior elements but need to protect them from the elements. Any ideas?
Well, BB, since I have your ear I will share further developments discovered since the posting of this video. Yes, Water Putty is way too hard but the joing compound is also on the soft side. I now mix equal parts (by visual volume) of the two and get a harder yet sandable coating. Thanks for your comment.
@@luigib2307 , thank you for the update. I will amend my notes. I have an upcoming project for which I will attempt your process. I appreciate not having to reinvent the wheel. You have already gone through the discovery process and created some exceptional art, and you have saved me a lot of time and expense experimenting with products. Thanks again!
