Can someone clarify for me the current offerings on HO cork roadbed please. Mail order places used to describe their cork roadbed as ‘split cork roadbed’, but now they describe it as ‘bendable’.I have walked into hobby shops accross Australia in recent weeks and all I can see there is a fairly ordinary offering marketed under the AMRI label, being single unsplit strips at, what I consider, to be fairly steep prices.What I want is the ‘split type’ which, when separated, allows you to lay the strip precisely on the centreline of your track plan, and forms 45deg. shoulders either side. I look like having to send to the US for the stuff (unless an Aussie or NZ Forum reader can point me in the direction of local supply) but I need to know before ordering that, for example Trainworld’s HO cork roadbed is the split type.Time differences make a simple phone enquiry to a US supplier difficult (you guys are still eating breakfast when I want to go to bed, and you’ve all gone home to watch the evening news when I eventually wake up…have you considered altering your clocks to Australian Western Standard Time ?)Any input will be appreciated.
Another big help would be anyone who has a jig design for cutting your own cork…I can get inexpensive 1/8" (or any other thickness) cork sheeting, but I find cutting it accurately a challenge (both 90deg and 45deg) - it tends to creep away from the knife blade and go really cooked spagetti like…and it has a tendency to want to tear…any tips appreciated.
Midwest cork roadbed is split with 45 degree slope. Check Walthers catalog for prices, if you get on their mailing list their sale catalogs sometimes have it for less. Some ads or online sites will give brand others don’t. I have some generic, but don’t know the brand.
We’re preparing to set our clocks back an hour this weekend, makes afternoons dark early. Have you concidered changing your clocks to Eastern Standard Time? (Probably would mess you up as much as our changing ours to your time would do.). You’ll just have to stay up and watch the late show, or get up for the early news to catch someone in the store to ask what theirs is like.
lyctus is there a cheap way to ship to Austalia, I like ebay and the downunder has some stuff thats rare in the states but buy the time you add shipping it’s $$$$$. Don’t mind if it takes a long time to get here either.
rrebell - No. Its a l-o-n-g way US to Oz. I have just purchased 6 boxes of 25pces HO cork roadbed from Standard Hobby Supply and to ship by air was going to cost $134. Surface (read 'it will get here next year ’ !) is costing $58…that’s over half the cost of the roadbed !! I have been importing stuff I just can’t source in my LHSs for twentyfive years and the freight is a killer.But, if I want it, I don’t have much choice.I mostly go Air Freight, but stuff like cork roadbed is not required until early next year so slow boat is OK. And it isn’t so ‘I want it now’ like a loco or cars and coaches.
Oz is one great place to live, but it is far away from almost everywhere!
Check a local home supply store and see if you can purchase cork floor underlayment in Oz – it comes in large rolls and even various thicknesses here in the USofA. It doesn’t take much effort to cut it into roadbed width strips. If you are dexterous enough with a hobby knife you can even make your cuts at an angle so the roadbed has the correct taper.
Wow Lyctus! $134 to Oz, shop around to different stores, I got an F7 shipped to Brisbane for $US40 at Internet Hobbies, I did look at another store who had a policy of sending overseas orders by UPS only and it was like $US220[B)] Discount Model Trains Online tend to be a little less again for shipping, I think it is because they are in California which is closer to the east coast of Oz. Not sure about Western Australia?!
With regards to the cork, I’ve found the same problem of AMRI cork only. I just cut pieces out of the inside corners like a pizza. I am going put ballast over it anyway!
Hi Nige, I didn’t go the airfeight this time ! I asked SHS to send it surface. Still $US58 ! No hurry though. Yeah, the AMRI stuff might do, but I’m getting choosy in my old age. I actually have got some cork sheets from a floor place, but cutting it is a pain. It wants to follow the blade and getting it in parallel strips is too hard,I find, I have actually thought of a jig to hold it while I cut it, but I’d really rather be doing more interesting things.6 boxes of underlay should get me out of trouble for the new layout. I have tried a few mail order places over the years and generally the freight factor is not a big deal. My underlay strips in my preferred split strip type will cost about $A1.45 each which I can live with (landed cost). Good to hear from you Aussie !
If you can get access to a table saw you can make your own from sheet cork. We also use to cut homesote that way for roadbed. A table saw cuts strips and makes 45’s all day long. Its fun and cheap.
I “roll” my own. I bought rolls of cork from a place on the web and simply cut strips. They aren’t beveled, but they’re a fraction of the price of retail strips. I’ll still save even with the extra cost of ballast filling in the edges to create the bevel.
Plus if you hand cut the bevels they look more like the real railroads roadbed. There are no perfect beveled 45’s in the real world no matter how hard those Flanger/Spreaders try. Go look at real roadbed. Have Fun and Happy Modeling!!!