Foamboard (& other scratchbuild stuff) in Germany - Information repository

[mad_milchmann]

Hi there,

since it's much harder to get Foamboard in Germany and they usually sell it in different sizes and qualities than in the USA you need some additional Informations if you want to make some of the awesome FT Scratchbuilds yourself.

There are a few threads on this already but the Information is quite scattered around in the FT Forum and the rest of the mighty Internet.
So i wanted to start a Inforamtion repository where we can gather Informations which make it easier for fans from Germany (and maybe other european countries) to get the Foamboard they need in the right size and quality (maybe even for a decent price )

I started to look for Information a few days ago and already got some, but it is for sure more than incomplete.
If you have additional Information just post them and i will update the first post.

Places To Get Foamboard
online

• https://www.architekturbedarf.de/
• https://www.modulor.de/
• www.ideeshop.de (sells the lightweight XPS Foamboard)
• http://www.boesner.de (search for "Modellbauplatte" 50x70 2,39€; 70x100 3,93; they just ship 10 or more boards)
• http://www.foamboarden.de/

local shops (by Zipcode)
8....

• http://www.schoergers-papierkiste.de/ (München behind the TU, 500x700x5mm ~2,70€)

Isopor makes a variety of foambords, but sells only to companies. It may make sense to ask them for a vendor in your area.
Sizes of Foamboard

Since the FT guys don't talk much about specs (at least in the Episodes I already watched) it's hard to get Information on the Foamboard the use.
In his Article where he compares foamboard rcspaceflight gives us some Informations on Dollartree Foamboard which help us.

Sheet size: 20" x 30" x 3/16"
Total weight of sheet: 115grams

3/16" = 0.47625 (so 5mm Foamboard which we get here should be fine)
20" = 50.8 cm
30" = 76.2 cm

a common size in Germany seems to be 50 cm x 70 cm which should work with some minor changes to the Scratch Build Plans.
Another vommon size seems to be 100 cm x 70 cm wicht leaves some spare foamboard for repairs

Other Informations
KAPPA Foamboard

• I read in another Thread that the Foamboard called "Kappa" is made with cardboard instead of paper and therefore is to stiff to be bent well.
• Also It is made of Polyurethan (PUR) which is 80% heavier
• leightweight Foamboard is made of XPS (Extruded Polystyrene)
• There's also Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) which has a more coarse structure (it's known as styrofoam).

Foamboard Tools

• FoamWerks Tools are sold by Boesner and modulor
• X-Acto foam cutters are sold on amazon --> they seem quite awesome since they can cut 90°, 45°, and v-cuts

unfortunatelly, spare blades on both of them have special sizes and are quite expensive.

Foamboard weight comparison

Brand	Height	Width	Surface	Weight	Weight/m²
Dollartree	508mm	762mm	0,387m²	115g	297g/m²
Foamboard.at	594mm	841mm	0,5m² (A1)	275g	550g/m²

 

[Balu]

Another common size is 100x70cm which leaves a little room for replacement parts

Don't use Kappa. The biggest problem with Kappa is not the paper, but the foam core. It's made from a different, about 80% heavier material called Polyurethan (PUR).

The lighter foamboards are made from Extruded Polystyrene (XPS). There's also Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) which has a more coarse structure (it's known as styrofoam).

A manufacturer that only sells to companies is Isopor. They have a wide variety of different types of XPS foamboard. The most interesting ones are "Creat'Premier" (Airplac1) which is sold by Modulor as "foamboard white, white core" and "VisualFoam" which is made from more dense material and heavier paper (but seems to be available as 3cm strips only according to their brochure?).

It might be interesting to ask them for local shops that sell their products.

 

[mad_milchmann]

OK, Thanks.
Added some of the Infos to the initial post.

 

[Kronblom]

Hi,

I've posted this in another thread, but its good to get it in one place. I'm still waiting for a stack of foam to arrive from www.foambord.at.
This is what I ordered.
This is a dutch site I think. I ordered the A1 size since it fits the dollar tree size the closest. A1 = 59,4x84,1cm
And the price was also an issue. The sheet price of my order including shipment will be around €6, which is somewhat more than $1/sheet.

I'll give you an update as soon as it arrives.

 

[Balu]

I've just ordered my foamboard directly from Isopor. They don't sell to individuals though, just companies. I've ordered 70x100cm 5mm AIRPLAC1 boards for 3,45 € per board. You have to order 25 boards plus ~13 € Shipping which totals in ~100€...

Here is to hoping that FT finds a way to distribute the cheaper stuff all over the world.

 

[Balu]

Ideeshop seems to be interesting if you don't want to buy bulk. They have a network of shops all over Germany. This way you can buy single sheets and avoid shipping costs.

I've contacted them and asked what kind of foamboards they have. Will reply here if I received an answer.

 

[Balu]

Ok, Ideeshop has the XPS foamboard we are looking for - even the right sizes. They actually buy at ColArt who didn't wan't to tell me their manufacturer though. I've just ordered 50 sheets from Isopor, so I will have enough for a while. But after that I'll have a look at my local Ideeshop.

 

[mad_milchmann]

ok thanks for the Information sounds, like i should visit the Ideeshop here in Munich.

what is the correct German name for XPS Boards (In case you have to ask for it in a shop, it might be useful since not all employees might speak that good english )

I also found that also Boesner has foamboard (http://www.boesner.com/shop/plastis...bauprodukte/modellbauplatte-unkaschiert#54957) but i think to shop locally you need a special card which only businesses get. but anyway their foambaord is quite cheap.


another thing that might be of interest is, that modulor and boesner sell the Foamwerks tools http://www.foamwerks.com/
also the x-acto foam cutter tool might be interesting, you can get it from Amazon.de

 

[mad_milchmann]

Hi,

I've posted this in another thread, but its good to get it in one place. I'm still waiting for a stack of foam to arrive from www.foambord.at.
This is what I ordered.
This is a dutch site I think. I ordered the A1 size since it fits the dollar tree size the closest. A1 = 59,4x84,1cm
And the price was also an issue. The sheet price of my order including shipment will be around €6, which is somewhat more than $1/sheet.

I'll give you an update as soon as it arrives.

I think foamboard.at is basically the same site as foamboarden.de, so I don't add it to the list in the initial post.
but looking forward to your experience with their foamboard

 

[mad_milchmann]

sorry for triple-posting, but i just fond this offer:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/NEW-X-ACTO-P...326?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c3f00385e

two exacto foam-board cutters (can cut 90°, 45° and V-cut) for ~12€ including shipping to germany. so basically you get two for the price you'd normally pay for one.

Anyone interested in sharing a double-pack? shipping in Germany shouldn't be that expensive.
If not I'll order them and have one spare

 

[Balu]

what is the correct German name for XPS Boards (In case you have to ask for it in a shop, it might be useful since not all employees might speak that good english )

It's called "Extrudiertes Polystyrol". But the chances are quite high that your employee speaks English than that he is a chemist .

I also found that also Boesner has foamboard (http://www.boesner.com/shop/plastis...bauprodukte/modellbauplatte-unkaschiert#54957) but i think to shop locally you need a special card which only businesses get. but anyway their foambaord is quite cheap.

That's not foamboard, that's just foam as far as I know. It doesn't have the two layers of paper. The foamboard at Boesner is the heavy Kappa board. You can buy at boesner without being a business.

another thing that might be of interest is, that modulor and boesner sell the Foamwerks tools http://www.foamwerks.com/
also the x-acto foam cutter tool might be interesting, you can get it from Amazon.de

I don't like that you need special blades for these kind of tools. They wear out faster than I expected (at least for the Kappa boards I've used so far), so I'm using a simple "scalpel" with cheap replaceable blades. Perhaps I will switch to tool blades(?) like you use to cut carpets.

 

[Kronblom]

Its been almost two weeks since i ordered from foamboard.at, and still nothing delivered. They say the shipment was sent on the 4th of April but 12 days from the netherlands to sweden feels a bit long. Oh well, all I can do is wait.

 

[mad_milchmann]

It's called "Extrudiertes Polystyrol". But the chances are quite high that your employee speaks English than that he is a chemist .

That's True

That's not foamboard, that's just foam as far as I know. It doesn't have the two layers of paper. The foamboard at Boesner is the heavy Kappa board. You can buy at boesner without being a business.

ok.. pity there's one nearby and it seemed reasonably priced... maybe I'll go there anyway sometime and have a look.

I don't like that you need special blades for these kind of tools. They wear out faster than I expected (at least for the Kappa boards I've used so far), so I'm using a simple "scalpel" with cheap replaceable blades. Perhaps I will switch to tool blades(?) like you use to cut carpets.

OK when I saw the prices for the replacement blades my enthusiasm was gone...

I use a scalpel and a tool blade or whatever it's called in english (cutter, oder Stanleymesser in deutsch ) the scalpel for the more detailed cuts an the the tool blade for long straight cuts. But i wanted something that makes cleaner 45° and maybe v-cuts... maybe I'll try build something myself out of gorilla plastic or scrap wood.

Its been almost two weeks since i ordered from foamboard.at, and still nothing delivered. They say the shipment was sent on the 4th of April but 12 days from the netherlands to sweden feels a bit long. Oh well, all I can do is wait.

sounds bad, how did they send it? with which delivery company i mean...

 

[Balu]

detailed cuts an the the tool blade for long straight cuts. But i wanted something that makes cleaner 45° and maybe v-cuts... maybe I'll try build something myself out of gorilla plastic or scrap wood.

http://flitetest.com/articles/hinges-and-folds-made-easy

 

[mad_milchmann]

i thought of something like that... but maybe a tool blade fixed to a wood block in a 45° angle. so I'd be able to adjust the lenght and change the blades easyly...

 

[Kronblom]

Seems the postal services in Sweden is to blame this time. Apparently they tried a delivery on the 8th of April(!), but I wasn't home. For some reason the courier skipped to leave a note. After I sent an email to the shop, I got a tracking number which showed it sitting and waiting for me at my local pickup place for the past week.

I finally got it home and further information will be coming up. So far it looks a lot like kapa even though it's not supposed to be that. The foam between the paper doesn't look as dense.

 

[mad_milchmann]

could you put it on your kitchen-scales ang tell us the weight of a sheet? then I could inclued the weights of the different manufactureres we try out in the initial post. :applause:

 

[Kronblom]

Yesterday I folded a wing for the FT duster build, and it was my first attempt at the folding technique. I used the new sheets I got from foamboard.at. It was a bit tricky but I used some deep score lines and the wing folded nicely.

They are A1 size and the sheet weight is 275g. A1 = 594 x 841mm = 23.4 x 33.1 in.
Seems it is still heavier than the dollar tree foam.

 

[mad_milchmann]

thanks. I`m visiting relatives at the moment and have no proper pc just my mobile phone. gonna add a weight/price table for all foboards someone tests in the initial post when I'm home again.

 

[Norbert42]

Hi,
I build my FT Flyer out of 6mm Selitron, bought at Sonnen Herzog in Düsseldorf. The sheets were very big and really cheap. For gluing I used HobbyKing Epoxy Glue, but I think hot glue is working as well (will test it in a couple of days when building the Dart). Obviously I had to do some minor changes in the plans, because the thickness is different and there is no top and bottom layer of paper. I adjusted the position and size of the holes connecting power pod and wing and used “Ruderscharnier Fast`n EZ CA extra stark” as rudder hinges.