Just wondering what everyone is using for roadbed. IBL has cork roadbed sized for z scale. Has anyone used this product? Thanks
IBL is good sutff to work with, but I like to lay my own cork down. I go to Lowes or Home Depot, or a hardware store and buy several feet of either 1/16" or 1/8" cork. It usually comes in 4' widths. Actually the 1/8" is preferable since it gets the track up a bit higher than using the 1/16" and makes for easier scenery work, all the while giving better sound deadening qualities. Cutting your own is a bit more work and the edges aren't tapered, but I like it anyway. Loren
I'm with Loren on this issue. The cork I get at Lowes runs about $10 for one of the (24" X 48") big rolls and goes a long ways. A sharp #11 blade to cut the cork with works pretty slick.:teeth:
Yoshi; I to use basic cork tiles to cut my own roadbed. I roughly cut the cork to fit the area i plan to track, and glue it in place. Once the track is tacked down with glue, i come back with a large #2 blade, and cut away the excess at a 45degree angle away from the track. This will from the angled roadbed and berm. Here in the western US the UP and others built some very large banks when grading, to try and maintain as close to level as they could. The result is road bed that varies from a few feet to many feet off the orginal grade. I like 1/4" cork for this reason. For areas i want the roadbed lower, i bring the surrounding landscape up to meet it. Anyway.....Cutting your own cork roadbed is pretty easy, and is alot cheeper that buying individula pieces from IBL. Tony B.....
I use Midwest N Scale cork, and use my tiny table saw to cut it down the middle, getting two 3' strips out of each piece. It's the exact width of the ties when cut. Then I can have a very steep ballast profile, by using Arizona ballast.
Robert, Tony, and Gwyl have pretty much summed it up thoroughly and completely. I too cut basic strips and glue down. Believe it or not, I use contact cement to glue my roadbed in place. I have a line drawn where I want the center of the track to be and I carefully,, (and I emphasize "carefully") glue the cork strip in place. If I gently lay it in place I can always pull it up a bit and adjust before putting pressure on the cork which really sets the cork in place. By using contact cement, the glue bond is not compromised by any water used in applying ballast. Many ways to lay cork are acceptable, and it is only a matter of personal choice. BTW Tony, I prefer a #25 blade that fits my dental knife beautifully. To each his own, right? Loren
Thanks for all of the replies. I am going to experiment and see what I like the best. On another note, what is standard distance on center between tracks. Thanks
I got some Cork sheets some time back from one of these places real cheap but the problem was it was brittle and did not cut clean either. I guess there are different grades, keep a watch or try to dog ear them to see if they break easy Kim
IKEA (if you have one of those in a larger city near you) sells a set of cork placemats that are fairly thin (less than 1/8") in a set of 4 for about $5. these are about 16"x22" (or more, i haven't really measured them) and very flexible too. i bought some to use for roadbed, but haven't cut or installed any yet. but it's another possible source to consider. dave f.
HEKI has some prefabricated 3mm cork roadbed for Z-Scale. It's made off two 85cm long strips pre-cut 45degrees strips. About 2x4 lenght's in a pack if my memory serves me right. The part number is - Nr. 3162 http://www.heki-kittler.de I used it on this test module.
Not sure about HD but they should have a section you could use to make Bulletin Boards. Some come witha frame you could use in an office. Thinner ones can be cut to fit in a tool bin, parts drawer, shelf, etc. You may also find them in an Auto Parts store. The cork can be cut to make gaskets. I have some that were cut into 6" squares I use on my monitor shelf/desktop.
