Any cheap recommended modelling foam

Always looking for a cheap alternative to the hobby. Any cheap recommended modelling foams out there you can recommend. IE: packing materials, insulation boards & alike. Also, any recommended paint finishes as i realise some paints will melt many foam's. This could be for plane, boat, hovercraft.
Also, any foams to avoid. Thanks

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 12/06/2020 11:49:11

The obvious one is the foamboard sold by Hobbycraft in A1 size sheets, 4 for £10.

The Range also sell big sheets of foam-board - same price. Great for building really cheap models that fly well.

For small models you could also try Wickes Proplex corrugated plastic sheeting - £2.50 for a large sheet.

Here's my little "Chuckle" made from Proplex sheeting covered with coloured packing tape.

is proplex like correx?

Hi Nigel - Proplex is similar to Correx but slightly thinner and lighter.

Here are pics of my foam-board "Upstart"

the motor mount is a Bovril jar lid

AH, Tanks guys, a good bit of info. I forgot about the Range. What do you prefer for cutting this material? IE: Hotwire, Stanley, scalpel.
Like the jar lid. I may be older, so i will keep the Ovaltine lids. Also, i drink Douwe Egberts so coffee lids are out as i think the glass lid will make it nose heavy.

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 12/06/2020 14:20:04

Single-edge razor blades are great for straight cuts; #11 scalpel for curves. For glue I use hot glue gun or UHU POR. Remember foam-board is not rain or dew proof, so some packing tape around exposed edges is advised.

Like corrrugated cardboard the Proplex strength is in one direction only and it's very bendy along the internal corrugated flutes but stiff laterally, which you need to bear in mind when designing/building. You can slide a thin carbon rod down the flutes to make a stronger wing spar etc., although I didn't do this with the Chuckle as the tape gives extra strength and rigidity, and leaving it flexible gives it a slight dihedral in flight even though the wing is one flat piece of Proplex. When building, you need to be careful not to accidentally introduce a crease as that will be a weak point.

Thanks, Romeo, Can you remember if it was 2,3,4mm Proplex as for some reason there is a doubling in price from 3 to 4mm`Not sure why.