I am just about ready to start building my first layout in many, many years- (15+) I have a case of cork roadbed up in the attic- unheated etc. It is still in the original cardboard box. I have not retreived it from the attic yet but am wondering if after 15+ years I should even bother as it probably will be dried out and hard? If so is there any way to soften and salvage it or should I just not even bother and toss it out? Suggestions definitely appreciated. Thanks.
Doesn’t hurt to try. Give some a soak in water and see what happens. Your going to seal it with ballast and glue anyhow.
I agree with Loathar. Slip a half-strip in the bathtub with a little water and see what happens. Another restoration agent might be a light oil such as 3-In-1 or Wahl’s (although I don’t recommend you fill a bathtub with either!)
Regardless of the results, ground-up cork roadbed can be used as a scenery and texture material - similar to ground foam. A yard-sale blender makes a good “cork grinder.” Cut the cork into small chunks, say, 1/2 inch lengths, and grind them up.
chicochip
Found this entry in another thread - “Curving Cork.”
“After separating the 2 halves of the cork, it bends quite easily unless it is ancient and dried-out-hard. Sometimes you can reclaim old stuff by rehydrating it with water, but for the cost of new, not worth the effort.” posted by George
chicochip
I would probably not try the oil. It might repel the ballast glue and keep it from soaking in, but I agree wholeheartedly that ground up cork makes good ground cover.[tup]
I had a 3’ x 7’ n-scale layout with cork roadbed but no track laid on a sheet of Homasote; that’s as far as I got before it went under the bed 13 years ago along with two additional cases of cork roadbed. This was inside the house so I did not have temp or humidity concerns as you do. Anyway, last year I pulled it out and worked on it–all the cork already laid with track nails was just like new and I was able to pull it up and reuse it. Also used some “new” cork out of the stored boxes without problem. Jamie
If you are planning to re-hydrate your old cork, you might want to add a couple of drops of liquid dish detergent to your water. Just as with ballast and scenery, it should help the water penetrate.
I, personally, don’t use the stuff. Here in the dessicated desert it has a short half-life before it dries out and starts to crumble. (We’re having a high humidity day today - actually above 10%, along with 102 degree temperature - which is lower than forecast.)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in a Mojave Desert garage)
You might as well try. I always used the AHM self-stick stuff, and now use the Track-bed from WS, so I never really had this problem.
I’ve been reclaiming my old cork pulled from an old layout two years ago. It’s dried out, maybe 10 total years old and caked in white glue. These were sections out of staging yards and sections I never ballasted. The wife would kill me if I stopped the guest room tub up with Highball ballast! I dump dozens of sections in a tub of hot water bubbled up with dishwashing detergent and let it soak over night or even several days. I run my hand up and down to dislodge the glue, then lay it out on an old bath towel to dry. The stuff is good as new and I’m currently curving it to lay track in my helix. I figure I’ll use the money I save to invest in scenic materials.
I am using cork roadbed that was purchased years ago, used on one guy’s layout, pulled up and stored until I was ready to use it. It is still plenty supple – that much said 1) I never stored it in a hot attic but in a rather cool and even humid basement and 2) I am not trying to curve it to sharp curves. My sharpest curve so far is 38" radius. It is a bit more brittle than brand new cork, in that you can snap off pieces very easily. Quite possibly I’d be unable to use it if I was trying to lay 22" radius curves.
Since you are starting with what sounds like new out of the box cork I suspect it is still usable, certainly for tangent track and under turnouts. The test will come if you are trying to curve it to very sharp curves. I’d only try soaking it as a last resort. If the soaking works then it seems to me the cork would be holding water for a time which is what you do NOT want on a layout.
I think the crucial thing about old or used cork roadbed is to store it flat and straight as when it ages it seems to accumulate a “memory” for curves and bends.
Dave Nelson
Folks:
I wonder if the same glycerin-alcohol solution could be used on cork as is used on lichen?
I salvaged cork that had been on my layout for about ten years. The layout was in a hot shed in Florida. Anything that had ballast on it was useless. The unballasted cork was not as flexible as new cork but it was usable. Anything money you can save can be invested in some other part of the new layout. Every little bit helps.
One thing you should keep in mind if you mix old and new cork is that new cork might be thinner. I saw a difference of about 1/16th of an inch.
Hi!
Like folks said, if it isn’t dried out, use it. If it is dried out - and the money for new is not of significance - then throw it out. If money is a factor, spend SOME time in trying to bring it back to life.
I “capped” the word “some” as about 15 years ago I spent several hours over two weeks trying to bring 15 year old lichen to life. I was partially successful, but made lots of mess and in hindsight it was surely not worth it. Hopefully, your job will be less of a problem.
ENJOY!
Mobilman44