How is everyone installing their cork roadbed. Been thinking about gluing it down with some spray adheasive. Also thought about using staples. Stuff is tough to bend to O-31 curves so its hard to keep it flat on the table surface without buckeling. Any ideas?
Thanks STEVE
I haven’t had a chance to work with it yet. I think people use two skinner strips (HO size) which bends easier. Maybe you can cut yours in half. You can glue it down with elmers, or tack it down with small nails if it holds the curve for you. Once you have the track ballasted (with the glue/water holding it down), remove the nails to cut down on some transfer noise. Did I get it right boys?
Wes
I used contact cement to keep my cork roadbed in place. Not sure I really like the results, but it did hold it in place, and when I built my addition and had to remove some of it, it came up fairly easily.
For the new addition, I used Woodland Scenics foam roadbed, and used Tacky Glue to hold that down. Sure it would probably also work with cork.
Try cutting radial slits in it, it should be in two pieces cut right down the middle, lay your inside radii first and cut the radial slits on the none beveled edge, it should nestle right down, I use elmers glue with thumb tacks. Once the inside radius has dried come back and do the outside radii, you should not need to cut any slits in it, just but up the edges nicely and wipe away any excess glue. Happy track laying!
Sounds like a plan J Daddy. Never thought about the relief cuts. It should work. Where is Highland Mi at. I’m from Owosso, right near Flint and Lansing.
Thanks STEVE
back in my HO days (yeah it sounds bad, but I’m tired and can’t think of another way of putting it [;)]) we soaked the cork in water which makes it more pliable. There should also be a slit down the middle, seperate the two sections, soak then the form to fit.
I wouldn’t use spray adheasive because that stuff gets on everything, including where you DON’T want it to go. I bought a gallon of contact cement at Lowes to adhere my ceiling tiles to the plywood underlayment, the stuff works great but stinks up a storm.
Here is a side question: I had used the cork roadbed many many years ago on an HO layout. After awhile, it appeared to dry out and crack. Does modern cork dry out or do you think that my experience was a unique occurrence? As always, many thanks.
I used clear polyseamseal available at Lowe’s. It is an adhesive caulk that can be applied with a caulk gun. Nice thing is the semi-flexible nature of the caulk which I thought might help in reducing noise transmission. My subroadbed is homosote. I used push pins to keep the cork laying flat around the bends. This worked very well for both 42" and 31" diameter turns but more pins were needed for the tighter turn.
I used the adhesive that is meant for vinyl baseboard from the flooring dept. at either Lowe’s or HD. Use the water based, easier to clean up and it doesn’t give you a buzz. I used a staple gun with 1/2" staples to hold the cork in place as I set it on the layout. As to drying out, there is no way for me to know now that it’s all ballasted.
your right down the street! well about 35 minutes… I live near m59 and Milford Road… I too am building a layout… one in S gauge American Flyer and the other O guage…
I noticed this too. However if I completed the ballast with white glue and setting agent it seemed to seal the cork so it wouldn’t crack. This cork can be so expensive though, especially for O and S… I am looking at replacing it with cardboard and then ballasting over, will let you know how this it goes…
I used #19 x1/2" nails. seemed to take 031 curves ok once the track was screwed down. Haven’t noticed any cracks after 10 years.
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On my last layout (new layout doesn’t have roadbed yet), I used cork that I secured with 5/8" brads. I was able to bend the cork under my 27" and 42" curves and they stayed in place for about 5 or 6 years until I had to tear the layout down. It did take quite a few brads to hold the cork under a half circle of o27 track.
It worked good enough on the last layout, that I’m toying with idea of buying an electric staplegun that will shoot brads as well before I start the roadbed on my new layout.
J White