I prefer cork roadbed, but a high (in my opinion) percentage of it comes with at least one edge badly beveled, leaving “flash” at the top. This isn’t a new issue, so I’m hoping someone has come up with a tool or technique for quick and relatively tidy removal. (I’ve decided it isn’t worth the effort to go through each box, dividing the strips, and returning the bad ones to my dealer. You may think otherwise.)
I generally just use a small Surform gadget once the roadbed is glued down, but it’s somewhat messy and not all that fast. Any ideas for improving on that or my utility knife sawing along the bevel?
On the section that I am using cork, I always runs a small hand-held sander over the cork once it is secure. Mine is just a small, disc-type rotary sander for light work. It seems to smooth the surface both quickly and effectively, and I guess could recontour the bevel if I needed it to. It even sucks up the “crumbs” into a bag on the back.
I use a ‘Sureform’ tool or my small detail sander to cleanup the edges. I like to ‘round’ the contour a bit to get rid of that 45 degree edge. I sweep up the cork granules for future use like filling in around turnouts.
Jim
I just used a hand sanding block with a piece of coarse or medium paper. It smoothed the top edge and also removed the irregularities at the bottom interface with the sub-roadbed.
I slice the offending material away with a utility knife. It comes off quickly and in large pieces that are easy to discard.
I use a palm sander with 80 grit paper. After rounding the cork roadbed, I use the “corner” to create scale ditches along the tracks [each railroad has a spec for depth and width]. I then paint the cork with gray latex paint to seal it and while the ditch paint is still wet, I carefully shake cheap sand on it to create a base for ditch scenery.
Have fun!
Dan
Hi,
On my previous layout, built in the late '90s, I nailed down the cork, painted it, and went on my merry way. The replacement layout, built in 2008, found me using caulk (and LOTS of pushpins) to install the roadbed, and then a followup of a medium grit sanding block was done. I was amazed at the debis this removed!
Most places I didn’t have any “flash” to deal with, but where I did, I used an Xacto knife (lightly of course).
Lastly, I ran a hose from the RR room shop vac, and that removed the debis. Then, two coats of grey latex was applied, and then of course - trackage!