carving roadbed out of foam

[subman]

Has anyone carved their roadbed out of the 2" foam that many use as their base material for their layout? If so what jigs do you use to control the depth of the roadbed cut and the angle?

[Medina1128]

I have one area on my layout that I used foam to transition from one level to another. It's a mountain road. I used a power sander to cut in the rough shape and followed that up with a hand sanding block.

[Red Horse]

Greetings Sub Man,

I would take a index card sized piece of thin wood like paneling and cut out a jig from that.

You can test your heights, and wideths as you go along, you have got a lot of very messy work ahead of you that is for sure, have a shop vac handy and good luck, your idea is very interesting and I'd like to hear about the problems and advantages you had in the making of this road bed.

Happy Rails, Jess Red Horse.

[cudaken]

 I use 1.75, inch foam for the base on my new section. I still use cork roadbed to support the track. Cutting the foam perfectly level if there are any grades will be a little tuff. Cork roadbed will help will in the little dips that will show up.

 

 After I get my roadbed down using latex caulk, I sand with an 8" sanding block to help level out the dips. I use 36 to 80 grit sand, paper.

 

                      Cuda Ken

[gandydancer19]

What you are talking about was written up in MR some years back. The contours were cut by a foam hot wire cutter. The wire inserts were bent to shape the roadbed and the ditches all at the same time. The problem that I saw was that you either had to have a very steady hand, or use something that the tool could ride on so you didn't end up with a wavy roadbed.

It is a nice concept, but I decided to go with WS foam roadbed and open up the ditches with a hot wire cutter if I had to.

[modelmaker51]

In some areas where I didn't add cork or WS foam roadbed, I used a Dremel router attachment and a 45' router cutter. It was a little messy, I followed right behind with the vacum, but it worked.

[subman]

Jay I imagine that you have done this before since this is the way that Dunham Studios does their roadbeed now and I remember you saying that you worked for Clarke off and on for 10 years some time agoo. Thank you to the others who responded to this post.

[subman]

Good memory gandydancer 19 I found the article in the June 1994 issue of MR on page 82. At the time this was revolutionary,not so now though. Thanks again

[cudaken]

 Hum, a Bubble Head? I work with a X Bubble Head, he is not just right But, neither am I, X 18th Air Born.

           Cuda Ken