https://www.flickr.com/photos/160645930@N02/shares/N7KN8P
I’m brand new here and thought I’d just introduce myself now that I started my annual Christmas layout. I know there has been numerous posts on roadbed but thought I’d throw out using machined ceiling tile. I sure hope the photo uploads. Flickr can be quite confusing. Moderators, could you please delete my previous post. My stumbling on the keyboard resulted in an offensive subject line. Thank you!
Looks like you have a good start to plenty of Christmas train action!! Please post a photo of the finished layout. btw I seem to remember a article in one of the train mags about 15/20 years ago about using ceiling tile for landscaping projects…
Ceiling tile, now that’s different!
Looks like your layout’s coming along nicely, and…
[#welcome]
Welcome jefe! (or should we say ‘el jefe’? [swg])
I like your roadbed. Would be interesting for you to describe how you made it? I.e. Did you freehand the bevels on the curve or use router table?
Yes there was an article some years back in MR or CTT about breaking acoustic ceiling tile and stacking the pieces (edges) to make natural looking rock walls. Break a piece and you will understand. It looked good and the author said one could go to a big box building store and get a good deal on broken tiles. (Ok, ok - I have been reading these mags for MANY years…)
[#welcome] aboard!
I get carried away on some projects. That was the case here so here goes:
First thing was purchasing some damaged tiles.
I then put together 3 circles of track, 0-31, 0-54,and realtrax 72 and measured each tubular track diameter to the edge of the ties. The realtrax was measured to the edge of the roadbed. I added 3/8 " to the diameter to account for the bevel.
I then used a thin strip of wood and marked it at “0” and the radius length of each of the tracks I am using. I also marked for the outer radius minus 3 inches to create a 3 inch wide bed for tubular track. I went with 4" for the realtrax.
I drilled holes in the wooden strip to pivot and insert a pencil for each arc
I drew the arcs on a 2 X 4 piece of luan. Each arc being two curve sections
I carefull cuyt the sections using a hand held jigsaw and smoothed out any irregularities with sandpaper. I now had patterns
I used carpet tape and attached the pattern to the ceiling tile and rough cut the tile to about 1/4 inch of the pattern
I then used a straight shaper bit with a top bearing to machine the tile to the exact pattern. This was repeated until all curved sections were done.
Straight sections were cut on table saw at 3" for tubular track and 4" for the realtrax. Staright sections were made in nominal 4’ lengths
Each piece was then machined with a top bearing conical bit using the wood pattern for the bearing edge guide. I used the fence for the straight sections
The roadbed shown was painted with Krylon “stone”. I don’t recommend the Krylon Stone. It’s $10/can and one can does about 8 linear feet. Gray or black works just fine
Welcome aboard.
Cieling tile for roadbed is an interesting idea. I’ll bet it is kind of dusty while it is being machined.
I’ve used the broken cieling tile method to build retaining walls. Works well, though my painting method did not do it much justice.
You need very good dust collection as well as wear a respirator!
Thank you for posting this !
Coincidentally, I am scoping out the hardware stores for sound deadening materials for roadbed. You have provided another option.
The noise level on laminate floors is amazing, and the Flyer can be almost as noisy as the Lionel. Every step is an engineering problem to be overcome…
Paul
[(-D]
It is definitely a more effective soundproof material than homasote. My wife even noticed it
The text of my post didn’t show. See above
Soundproofing is a consideration.I’ve been enjoying running the AF trains, now that I’ve got a loop of track running. They are much quieter up on the table, and the noise level is acceptable. The laminate flooring was amplifying the noise when I ran them on the floor.
I’ll keep the ceiling tiles in mind if I need to cut down on noise as I progress.
Paul