Any pointers on glues? How do you make a smooth turn? What type of material do you use to cover it (I am shooting for a gray gravel covering)? Thank you for your help, guys.
use silicone, some glues with their chemicals will eat away at it.
for a smooth turn make sure you mark where both sides of the roadbed will fall and if yuo run it riht between the lines it is full proof. I found liquid nails for projects workes well as far as adhesives go. Just make sure what ever glue you use is foam compatable like jadormdrache said.
Latex caulk works well on foam roadbed.
I use white glue. On most curves. the foam will lay flat with some help from push pins until the glue dries. For sharp curves, the WS foam can be split down the middle, like cork.
Lay the track, and cover it with ballast.
Nick
I use green contact cement (mine is lePage’s) – non toxic and doesn’t dissolve stuff.
For convenience, I use Woodland Scenics ballast and their scenic cement, but start the sides of the roadbed with white/yellow carpenters glue. I use either “wet water” (water with a drop of dishwashing liquid per quart) or alcohol to “wet” the ballast so that the cement seeps in.
Do a search on “ballasting” for enough opinions to make your head spin. [xx(]
Just make sure whatever glue you use that you spread it out evenly.
Personally I use 3M’s Spray77. I wouldn’t recommend it for a newbie though, you have to be fast and sure, with contact cement you don’t get a second chance!