How to Carve Rock from XPS Foam for your Model Railway or Diorama

Well, this was a first for me: carving a rockface out of XPS foam, but I got there in the end! This video shows you 'how I dun it'.
I've technically made up my own techniques, but they're simple and effective, so feel free to take them home with you.
Cheers
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[@user-vx7ts9uo8p]

That looks brilliant! Good enough for a mini-me to go climbing on it!

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Good point! I’ll have to fit me on somewhere 😅

[@stuartmiller8053]

Stunning result and great tutorial.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thankyou so much, I’m glad you think so

[@TobysTrains]

I am looking forward to visiting the real Nat Gwernol on the 3/4/24! I think that’s how you spell it! 😂

[@Falcon_Works_1878]

Nant Gwernol

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Have a lovely time!

[@brianroberts6751]

For an American....how does 009 relate to what we're use to? Is it more like N gage?

[@GWilliamsonModels]

@@brianroberts6751 the track is the same as N gauge (with wider spread sleepers), but the scale of figures and scenery are 1/76, so OO, or close to HO, if that helps. The locos are larger than N, but not by much

[@BoxtankEngine]

@@brianroberts6751Hey, I don’t exactly understand the question but here is my answer: 009 is 00 scale running on n gauge track. It means, that it is used to portray narrow gauge locomotives. As for you being American, does H0n30 ring any bells? 009 is just the British version. I hope that helps. If it doesn’t, please just notify me with clarification on what you meant. Have a good one!

[@chugwaterjack4458]

Excellent job! When you were impressing the chisel edge I had my doubts, but the result is VERY convincing. Carry on.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Yeah, it’s best to see the final results before making a decision on a technique!

[@peterthomas7623]

Superb modelling as always!

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thankyou so much

[@JohnRich1415]

Cool soundtrack, quite a bit of "Blade Runner" going on there 😊

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Totally my style 😅

[@ianhughes-zf1ll]

Well mate I happen to think they look amazing well done

[@GWilliamsonModels]

I appreciate that, thankyou

[@cerisekappes580]

Gorgeously crafted! ❤😊❤

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thank you! 😊

[@cerisekappes580]

@@GWilliamsonModels you are welcome 🤗

[@JockeB70]

Impressive!!!!

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Cheers!

[@gs425]

Great stuff George!

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Cheers!

[@Jude-72]

Love how that looks! With that said I'm glad what I'm making doesn't have a rock face.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thanks, yeah it’s a bit of a faff, but it’s fun to do

[@Jude-72]

Well you've convinced me to build the layout, but I'm not doing rocks.

[@modelrailfan37]

I need to make a rock face for the layout I’m currently working on, so this was really helpful! I was just going to buy some rock molds, but it looks like these techniques give you just as good, if not better results than rock molds, and for a fraction of the price!

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Great to hear, sometimes it’s just a matter to testing different things until you find something that suits you

[@modelrailfan37]

@@GWilliamsonModels very well said!

[@T3DSK1]

Hi your little tool with the chisel edge is in fact an engineers scriber they are generally hardened steel once made by Eclipse . It really was a surprising video to watch from a load of tentative slices scratches pokes to a realistic rock face ,then adding the paint a really first class piece of modelling. Trepidations slain you do yourself a disservice Sir you should have no fears now . regards Ted

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thankyou Ted, I’m glad you enjoyed the process, I didn’t have much confidence when I was doing it

[@OTRWA]

That tool is a wood scribe used for marking timber. Great Lil film

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thanks, yeah I wondered if I’d got it from a DIY shop or the like. Either way, it’s pretty good!

[@user-br9hv5ku2o]

Well done. I really wasn't sure it was going to work until quite a long way into the video but the end result looks good. A few shots or stills of the real rock you are representing would've been useful.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

I’m glad you think the end results ok.

[@thomaswillis2053]

George did an excellent job adding the features on the background layout.👍

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thankyou, yes I need to finish that one off at some point

[@colinlea009]

A lot of work scribing, but worth it for the custom look. Great job. I still think WS rock moulds would have worked well and saved a lot of time, especially if customised to the Nant Gwernol rock look, but if you have the time to devote to it then your scribing method certainly looks a million dollars.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Yes possibly, but I wanted to give foam scribing a go as it looked like fun!

[@plutoyaldnil4750]

Hey i know i might be a little late but....one thing ive done in the past to make nice irregular looking stone work is... use your drywall saw drag it across the face of the styrofoam... because the teeth of the saw are different angles and lengths you get many different angles and depths cut it anyhow just a thought

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Interesting, I’ll look into that

[@PrinceStreet]

Well done! This turned out really well. In the final scenes I like how your colour choices connect the cut stone of the retaining wall, supporting the station, to the rock wall behind it. They stone all feels like it came from the same place.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thankyou, I’m glad that’s coming through, as it was something I was conscious of portraying!

[@Andrew-iq8zf]

Great job. You have achieved some great realism in those rocks......rock on...

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thanks Mate, lots of work, but worth it

[@JamesandPeter]

This is brilliant, looking forward to the next episode already. It’s starting to come together. Regards James

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thanks, next Friday, usual time 😅

[@JulianSaunders]

Well done. Thank you for some great painting tips.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

No problem, have fun testing it out if you do

[@user-fv4tj9hu8q]

OMG! 😮

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Yes, I’m very good at this

[@AlphaKing-ux6oc]

Looks great really nice texture. I have seen another creator use an actual rock to hit the foam, which creates indents into the foam that captures the rock texture. Its interesting and works really well, also quite fun to do.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Yes I almost went with using rock to texture it..but by the time I remembered to do it, I’d finished painting 😂

[@AlphaKing-ux6oc]

@@GWilliamsonModels haha 🤣 always the way lol - well for next time give it a go, looks good from what I have seen. But I don’t think the texture would been what you have done for a flat rock face, your fit the bill and looks better the way you done it

[@MaryJohnMoody-uu6oy]

Love the rock face modelling. Bought some what was called xps foam off Amazon and I can’t dent it!!! Please can you let me know where you sourced yours from. Many thanks

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Sometimes you need to use a knife, then sent along the cut. I’m sorry I can’t remember where mine was from now, I’ve had it for years, but it would have just been eBay or similar. I got it in the blocks that you see on the video, I haven’t cut them down to that siE

[@MaryJohnMoody-uu6oy]

@@GWilliamsonModels Many thanks, I’ll keep looking. Great videos btw, inspirational and informative.😀

[@thedembot]

Phwoar look at that scale compared to the train. Will be a shame to cover it all up - but it’s certainly going to look the part.

[@GWilliamsonModels]

Thanks, yeah iim pretty happy with the scale, definitely looks like a rock face! But yeah, most of it will be covered up, so hopefully it will look good peaking through the plants