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Hey everyone,

I'm working on a project to construct a modular future city block, and I'd like to have one (or several) highways, all nice and futuristic curvy and sloped, possibly with an exit or entrance ramp.. My only ideas are using pvc pipe as supports and then carefully cut pink styrofoam, but the foam doesn't seem very durable, nor ideal for what I'd like (slopes and curves). Has anyone done this before, and if so, any pointers or sites?

Thanks!

try looking into cardstock profiles as support and just laminating a few layers of printer paper over it all. With some creative thinking this will work quite well for the relatively simple curved forms that such highways could take. If you don't have access to a good hotwire cutter that will be faster, and it's sturdier in either case.
Vacuum cleaner tube has a nice ribbed look, try to get some of that around a pvc pipe for a good futuristic look

Have you had a look at Warmills stuff? It's not curvy and is more industrialised futuristic, but it might appeal. They have raised highways with, IIRC, entrance and exit ramps.

 -Loki- wrote:
Have you had a look at Warmills stuff? It's not curvy and is more industrialised futuristic, but it might appeal. They have raised highways with, IIRC, entrance and exit ramps.

Are they still in business? I haven't see anything in their P&M blog in months.

Yes, I have seen Warmill's stuff, and it's just too expensive for the project I'm looking to do.

Check out the terrain thread, I'm going to update it today with more links and stuff so you might want to wait.

Warmill don't really have any community presence anymore, I think they are just very busy but it's a shame. It was very much the main selling point for me.

Would need a bit of work but have you considered using a Scaletrix track?

Look for toy car playsets in your local toy store. Don't underestimate what you can find in those things.

I recently bought two dollhouses and a train set. They all fit well on the tabletop.

Excellent suggestions - thank you both very much! I'll start looking there!

 Casey's Law wrote:
Check out the terrain thread, I'm going to update it today with more links and stuff so you might want to wait.

Warmill don't really have any community presence anymore, I think they are just very busy but it's a shame. It was very much the main selling point for me.

We're still alive, various things have left Ed no time for it and I've moved to helping my girlfriend with her business. Basically no time to do anything, so no updates, plus we were doing a lot of shows which kind of left us burned out on the whole thing.

You guys need to cut out some MDF versions of yourself to stand in for less urgent tasks/appointments

You can do a reasonable amount with card pressed and glued over formers - if you have a cheap bit of MDF and cut out "ribs" using a thin bladed hacksaw (or similar) to form the card over - will give you lightweight and reasonably strong roads which conform to pretty much any shape. Use paper templates for unusual bends and so on in the road to make sure your cardboard isn't being wasted. You can cut the MDF to any shape and trace it to make up lots of internal braces of the same shape and size.

 WarMill wrote:

 Casey's Law wrote:
Check out the terrain thread, I'm going to update it today with more links and stuff so you might want to wait.

Warmill don't really have any community presence anymore, I think they are just very busy but it's a shame. It was very much the main selling point for me.

We're still alive, various things have left Ed no time for it and I've moved to helping my girlfriend with her business. Basically no time to do anything, so no updates, plus we were doing a lot of shows which kind of left us burned out on the whole thing.

I'm really glad to hear from you! I completely understand that you don't have enough time. Are you saying you've stopped production completely or is it just the interaction that's been put on hold?