Foamular extruded polystyrene from Austech External Building Products is typically known for its insulation ability when used in houses and buildings.
Foamular extruded polystyrene has recently become ever more popular in the model making industry thanks to its lightweight nature, compressive strength and ability to be carved and sculpted. Foamular polystyrene is already used extensively in this industry and the trend is likely to continue. The model making includes model railways, model boats, surf boards, architectural modelling sculptures and table top games.
John Montgomery has been working with Foamular extruded polystyrene for around 15 years. With around 40 years experience in the field of model making, he has become a specialist in selecting the right material for his projects.
John specialises in model railways and started out by using wood as the basis for his layouts. He quickly converted to Foamular extruded polystyrene which proved to be more efficient during the construction of the display, largely due to its lightweight characteristics.
He says he ‘started with Foamular in the mid 1990’s and hasn’t looked back since’. Hi is also impressed with its compressive strength and commented that it can even be stood on.
John teamed up with friend Geoff Nott for their latest piece titled the ‘Charging Moose Model Railway’. The layout was constructed from start to finish in 9 months. Another layout assembled by the pair, compiled with Foamular, called ‘Muskrat Ramble’ is due to be shipped over to the U.S and put on display in North Carolina, in front of model making enthusiasts at a four day long convention. The display can be viewed from July 12-15 at the Baulkham Hills Council showground.
Extruded polystyrene sheets measure 25-100mm thick and can be cut and shaped into practically any shape or dimension. Boards can also be easily glued together with a polystyrene compatible adhesive to make thicknesses greater than 100mm.
Boards can be used to create a variety of shapes using conventional woodworking tools, creating realistic mountains, buildings, valleys and scenery. Extruded polystyrene is a closed cell board with high rigidity, meaning that even when carved it will maintain its structural integrity.
Model Making is just one of the many applications of Foamular extruded polystyrene. More information is available from Austech External Building Products.
