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Post by dungeonmistress on Feb 26, 2014 10:24:47 GMT -9
Please, help stop the bends!
I have tried many ways to stop foam board from curling/bending when laminating/gluing tiles on to create dungeon floors and corridors. I've used stick glue, thickened wood glue, thinned wood glue, laying then on a flat surface with heavy books on top to weigh them down. Still, I get the curves and the bends! It's very frustrating!
Any helpful hints would be very much appreciated.
DM
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Feb 26, 2014 10:51:13 GMT -9
How big of a board are you making? Have you tried some Super77 spray glue? I use Super77 on large flat areas. Just make sure you've got a well ventilated area - the spray glue can get messy if you're not set up for it.
I build tiles in 3" and 6" increments a-la WWG's Terrainlinx system, and since the tile textures are wrapped around the foamcore, there's very little glue actually involved in holding it together, so I've never had warping with my tiles (that I can tell...)
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Post by squirmydad on Feb 26, 2014 12:31:48 GMT -9
Never had a problem with foamcore bending, I always use glue sticks or adhesive paper for attaching tiles and such. When I work with big sheets of cardboard (4'x8') when painted on one side they would warp badly from the material absorbing moisture. To fix this we would first paint the back side of the sheet with a random basing color, then the material would warp while drying, then we'd paint the business side with it's base color, which would then warp the other way and pretty much even out.
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Post by bravesirkevin on Feb 26, 2014 12:32:10 GMT -9
The reason it warps that you're using a waterbased glue. If you use a glue with no water content then it won't warp your components. Spray glue is solvent based so, as mproteau (Paper Realms) suggested, that will do the trick nicely.
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Post by josedominguez on Feb 26, 2014 14:53:21 GMT -9
Yup, water based glue makes one side swell. You can sometimes fix it by putting glue on the other side, it can compensate. I use the spray glue suggestion.. You could also print onto self adhesive paper, that's got a low water content too. Other option is MDF, the thin stuff is cheaper than foam core and usually be cut to size in store. Also comes in bigger sheet sizes. Only really an option for big boards though.
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Post by cowboyleland on Feb 26, 2014 18:17:34 GMT -9
dungeonmistress: On the subject of "waste not want not" etc. if you only need a little bit you can upcycle those styrofoam trays that come under meat (and Lord help us, sometimes CUCUMBERS!) into foamcore. 1. If using a meat tray, wash styrofoam thoroughly with dish soap. I use the water at the end of a sink full of dishes. 2. When dry trim to size with a hobby knife and straight edge. 3. (The secret) Cut your printed tile out of the paper leaving tabs on all of the edges of your tile and then score the tabs so they wrap tightly around the edges of the Styrofoam. 4. www.thistothat.com recommends Weldbond for gluing paper to Styrofoam so that is what I have used. It doesn't really stick very well when it dries but it doesn't matter because . . . 5.(secret # 2) glue a piece of scrap paper big enough to cover the bottom of the tile completely. Since all four edge tabs are connected to each other by the scrap piece the foam isn't going anywhere even if the paper separates from the foam. So, if you can find trays large enough (I've got one 6"x12") you get no warping without spray glue and it is practically free!
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Post by dungeonmistress on Feb 26, 2014 20:50:58 GMT -9
Thank you all so much for the info. I am on a really tight budget, so buying spray adhesive, well, I'll wait until summer when I can use it outside.
Paint both sides? I'll try that.
Never thought of using meat trays, Cowboyleland. Hmmm. I don't use get many of them, but I'll start keeping what I do get.
As far as size goes, I buy 2'x3' sheets of foamcor from the dollar store, then I glue my pieces to the sheets (largest pieces so far 2"x10" and 6" square), trying to use the space as economically as possible, Then I cut them apart when dry. But it is frustrating when your corridors bend up so you end up with a wave effect.
I'll try your suggestions and buy the spray adhesive this summer.
Again, thank you all.
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Post by WackyAnne on Feb 27, 2014 0:48:58 GMT -9
My best suggestion, aside from glue sticks which have always worked for me, would be to use both sides, so the equal pressure should even things out. I've nothing bigger than 12x12 so far, but no issues.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Feb 27, 2014 16:39:26 GMT -9
I will see if I can make that work. Good tip. Thanks!
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Post by corikien on Aug 8, 2016 19:47:01 GMT -9
Thank you all so much for the info. I am on a really tight budget, so buying spray adhesive, well, I'll wait until summer when I can use it outside. Paint both sides? I'll try that. Never thought of using meat trays, Cowboyleland. Hmmm. I don't use get many of them, but I'll start keeping what I do get. As far as size goes, I buy 2'x3' sheets of foamcor from the dollar store, then I glue my pieces to the sheets (largest pieces so far 2"x10" and 6" square), trying to use the space as economically as possible, Then I cut them apart when dry. But it is frustrating when your corridors bend up so you end up with a wave effect. I'll try your suggestions and buy the spray adhesive this summer. Again, thank you all. One can of 3M Super77 is enough to fill 2 30x36 foam boards with floor/cavern tiles. Use in a well ventilated area (or outside) and wear gloves. It makes a mess of your fingers. Cut out your paper tiles and spray the backs. I don't do more than two at once. Place them CAREFULLY. There is NO repositioning. Cut them out of the foamcore after drying (about 5 minutes). And if you have a larger-than-standard room, Blick sells larger sheets of foamcore. Or go online for really large (4 foot by 8 foot) foamcore.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Sept 14, 2016 7:08:30 GMT -9
Thanks for that advice, corikien. It is most appreciated.
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Post by cowboycentaur on Sept 15, 2016 4:29:38 GMT -9
Speaking of foamcore, there's a specific type I've been looking for and I haven't had much luck in finding it at either Michaels or hobby lobby.
It's a black foamcore with a brittle, almost fiberglass like surface, rather than the posterboard/cardboard that is usually the surface on regular foamcore. I got two big sheets of it out of the track at my last job, which was used for promotional signs, but no one knew where it came from or what it was called as the guy who made signs and ordered it had quit.
I'd sure like to know what it's specifically called so I can get some more but I just don't know what to call it to ask anyone.
I managed to get enough of it for quite a few bases for map tiles (most of my stuff is either Wwg, or converted to fit TLX) and for rigidity and durability this stuff is really top notch.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Sept 15, 2016 7:41:46 GMT -9
I wish I had an answer for you, @cowbocentaur , but my three sources for foam core are (in order of preference) The Dollar Tree Cheap (paper peels off easily), Fred Meyers (Has faint grid lines and paper peels off easily) and Walmart (slightly better quality than Dollar Tree).
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Post by cowboycentaur on Sept 15, 2016 9:08:52 GMT -9
I wish I had an answer for you, @cowbocentaur , but my three sources for foam core are (in order of preference) The Dollar Tree Cheap (paper peels off easily), Fred Meyers (Has faint grid lines and paper peels off easily) and Walmart (slightly better quality than Dollar Tree). No worries, I have a feeling it's more of a specialty product.
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Post by jeffgeorge on Sept 22, 2016 16:48:08 GMT -9
Speaking of foamcore, there's a specific type I've been looking for and I haven't had much luck in finding it at either Michaels or hobby lobby. It's a black foamcore with a brittle, almost fiberglass like surface, rather than the posterboard/cardboard that is usually the surface on regular foamcore. I got two big sheets of it out of the track at my last job, which was used for promotional signs, but no one knew where it came from or what it was called as the guy who made signs and ordered it had quit. I'd sure like to know what it's specifically called so I can get some more but I just don't know what to call it to ask anyone. I managed to get enough of it for quite a few bases for map tiles (most of my stuff is either Wwg, or converted to fit TLX) and for rigidity and durability this stuff is really top notch. You may be looking for Gatorboard, which comes in all white (white paper, white core) as well as all black (black paper, black core). It usually comes from art supply or high-end office supply sources. Obviously, Gatorboard is a brand name; I think the generic name for it is "presentation board." It's often used for semi-temporary signage, as well as mounting large graphics for professional presentations (those charts and graphs congressmen like to put on an easel next to them while they yammer on, for example). It's both more expensive and more durable than regular foamcore, and comes in a wider variety of thicknesses. For the record, I'm not recommending the source I linked in particular--I just remembered the name "Gatorboard" and googled for it to be sure I remembered correctly. Hope that helps.
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Post by cowboycentaur on Sept 23, 2016 21:58:34 GMT -9
this looks exactly like what im talking about, Awesome! thank you so much Jeff!
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