What is the best way to lay cork or woodland scenics padded sub-roadbed. Its seems that laying the cork or woodland scenics product will be fairly difficult through curved sections of my layout? Doesnt want to negotiate the curves, wants to kink. Thanks for everyones help
The cork should be split in half, (you just pull it apart). Draw your track centerline and lay your cork one half at a time following the centerline. This will work without kinking unless your radius is smaller than 18", then you might have trouble with any roadbed.
The WS is foam and will conform as you glue it down, again not really design for curves less than 18" but it can be done.
Cork can be nailed or glued down, (but it’s best if it’s glued down), the WS foam should be glued down.
You can also use only pieces. I did so with left over pieces:
And the nearly finished module:
Wolfgang
Hi,
As mentioned already, separate the 2 halves of the cork, and lay the vertical side against your centreline. Use map pins or T-pins to hold it as the glue dries. Gluing the other side of the roadbed is easier as you need only keep it tight to the first piece. It doesn’t need to be perfect, as the ballasting will hide the joints. I’d advise trying to stagger the joints, as it is easier to prevent sharp changes in direction (cusps). Fitting under turnouts is usually done by cutting wedge shaped bits to fit in the Vee between the outside sections of cork. Again, ballast hides a host of joints; just keep it away from the moving drawbar of the turnout.
Also, after the glue is dry, slightly round the edges of the shoulders with coarse sandpaper. This makes it easier to get a natural rolloff in the ballast.
No rocket science here; suddenly you can see what your trackage will look like.
Have fun, George
One suggestion, when you split up the cork, one of the pieces will have a rough edge to it. file it down smooth, makes for better ballasting.
As others have said I draw the track centerline and glue the cork halves to that. I use push pins to hold it place. After the glue dries, I go over it with a Surform plane to smooth the joints and bumps as well as ease rises and dips.
Enjoy
Paul
The cork halves should easily form curves down to 15" and smaller in HO< N scale cork can easily do the 9 3/4" radius of the basic sectional track. The WS foam is marked but not cut through - on 24" and greater curves I had no trouble making smooth curves without cutting it, but for 18" radius curves it will probably need to be cut through on the centerline and each half placed seperately like cork.
–Randy
I use a thin layer of latex caulk spread with a putty knife to glue down my cork. Like others have said, split the cork down the middle and lay one half at a time.
The tackiness of the caulk holds the roadbed in place just fine. Sometimes on a curve I will use a push pin to hold the end in place.
No matter what you use to glue down the cork, after it dries you want to sand the top to make sure it is flat before you lay your track. I quickly run my palm sander across the top, it works fast so I am careful.
Craig