The Little World

I have a theory about the Universe: If it cannot be done with foam-core board, it cannot be done.

And I think I have Adam Savage to thank for that. He was seen on a YouTube feature constructing an architectural model of a house with foam-core board and hot glue. The facility with which he worked ( He may have done a model or two in his time…) made what would be hard work in any other medium seem easy.

He drew his plans – or pasted them from printed sheets – directly onto the board and cut it with a jigsaw or sharp knife and metal ruler. The hot glue set pretty near instantly, and the structure rose like magic before the camera. I had to try it.

I did. Officeworks, Jacksons Drawing Supplies, and Riot craft shop yielded suitable board. I had plenty of PVA glue and a big box of steel straight pins, and I could draw plans all day. Without knowing how to do it I made a service station in 1:18 scale and then a barn and a diner and never looked back.

Now I use the thinner sheets for 1:72 structures and the thicker stuff for assembly and painting jigs. You just have to be able to visualise topography and then draw it out with an old-fashioned square and compasses. For really precise jobs I use an Exacto jigsaw and it makes quick work of the paper and foam. PVA hardens visible edges and joins hidden ones. Pins provide instant assembly and later re-enforcement.

See how easy it was to make a set of throw-away jigs for the inter-plane struts of the Westland Wallace? The geometry is derived from an internet plan and a pair of school dividers was all that was needed to transfer measurements between the blocks.

There doesn’t even seem to be any need to buy more board. All the jigs and assembly clamps now come from the scrap box and if they get bent or damaged in use they can be binned with no regret.