Cork Road Bed .. again .... sorry.....

[marxalot]

Armed with 100 push pins and some adhesive caulk I'm about half way in laying down the Midwest cork roadbed on the outer loop. Okay, things are working. The turns on this loop are 42" diameter. The rest of the turns will be 31" diameter. My question is: can this cork roadbed be bent around a 31" diameter without notching it? It put up a good fight agianst the 42" diameter circle! Thanks.

Jim

[jimhaleyscomet]

In the past I notched my corkbed and it was a real pain. I heard recently on this forum to instead split in in half along the length (that will be fourths because it is already split in half) to make tighter turns easier.

Jim H

[Dr. John]

Jim,

I have not had any problems getting cork around O-27 curves, much less O-31. I think the age of the cork may have something to do with it. Even a "new" box can sit on the shelf for years and the cork becomes less pliable over time. I think I've just lucked up on fresher cork.

If it bucks up, try using more pins as you lay it down. I would try to avoid notching it as cork tends to tear when you do. Work slowly and use plenty of adhesive. I've had good luck with yellow carpenter's glue myself.

[lyle_styles]

Mine too would bukle occasionally around the 031 curves so I used some small nails to keep it down until the liquid nails dried beneath.

The gentleman at the LHS I use had told me to try hot glue for tacking the cork roadbed down, and I have to admit that this way went much, much better. You are only able to put down a small amount of the hot glue do to it adheres very quick.

The bonus of the hot glue though is it dries very quick so there is no need to tack it down for drying time as with the liquid nails that I had used. It also is fairly easy to peel off if one wants to reuse the cork roadbed.

Plus you actually move right along.

Hope this may help.

Lyle R Ehlers

[Anonymous]

Heck, you can easily lay it on 27" curves, so larger curves are no problem at all. The cork roadbed comes split down the middle, and you have to separate it into two sections to use it in any case (orherwise you loose the sloped embankments that prototype roadbed has because the "slopes" are built into that middle split.

I'm not sure why you had any problems with O42 curves--those should have gone very easily.

Mark the track centerline; lay a bead of gluejust outside that centerline; split the cork section and turn one piece so the sloped edge is facing outward; lay it in place and hold it with upholstery tacks as you go around the curves; allow the glue to dry and then go back and do the same thing for the inside sections; and you should be good to go.

[marxalot]

Thanks for the comments. Perhaps this cork is a little old. I've worked with this before back in HO land so understand the basics on splitting, arranging, etc. Maybe I'll have to ask for some "fresh" cork next time! Perhaps a "Use By" date on the box could be started! Yep, and cows will fly! I was wondering if maybe misting the cork with some water would help. I guess it might be worth a try; anyhow I'll keep on bending this stuff!

Jim

[Anonymous]

You can do it on 0-31 I just did a bunch of it. keep the push pins handy because it will want to pucker more on you on the tighter radius. But it will work fine. I didn't believe it at first but, it does.

Good luck and stock up on the push pins!!