glue

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cmdr.WedgeAntilles

I'm not really much of a tool guy so I'm not quite sure what a saber saw or a jigsaw is. Will a box cutter work?

Hmmmmmmmmm,

OK if you're not much of a "tool guy" I would have recommended you buy the pre cut stuff from http://www.homabed.com/

We built one layout with Homasote (because the client had the stuff already), it is messy, itchy and a general nuisance.

OK so that is strictly my opinion, suffice to say given a choice we never use the stuff.

[Anonymous]

I am assuming you are younger. The idea of using a jig saw to cut the homosote is a good one. Maybe you have an uncle, father, grandfather, adult friend who can lend you a hand with cutting the homosote. Jig saws are cheap and are one of the first power tools some people acquire, so some adult should have one. You might have to buy the suggested knife blade but they are cheap.

Don't scrap the homosote, its a good product to use as long as it is supported by plywood; its a poor product without plywood support.

[Anonymous]

I'm not really much of a tool guy so I'm not quite sure what a saber saw or a jigsaw is. Will a box cutter work?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cmdr.WedgeAntilles

what should I use to cut the Homasote?

Use a knife blade in a saber saw (jigsaw). It will kick up a LOT of dust, so use a mask--honest, this isn't just a disclaimer--but it will make less dust than if you use a serrated blade like the kind that cuts plywood.

[Anonymous]

what should I use to cut the Homasote?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cmdr.WedgeAntilles

I am not sure if I should cut the Homasote. I was wondering if it would be possible to just paint on the Homasote.

The size of the layout and the way the track is laid makes it very difficult to make mountains.

Also I have plywood under the Homasote.

How high should the roadbed be?

The Atlas layout book had a picture of a table with plywood and Homasote. That is why I have the homasote table.

(I have 1/2 inch of plywood then on top 1/2 inch Homasote.)

Cut the homasote to be slightly wider than the track. (This is "roadbed;" "subroadbed" is what the roadbed sits on, in your case, plywood.) The homasote plays the same role as cork roadbed. It is not meant to be the entire covering of the layout base.

THEN you make the landforms on top of the plywood and paint that with the latex.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure if I should cut the Homasote. I was wondering if it would be possible to just paint on the Homasote.

The size of the layout and the way the track is laid makes it very difficult to make mountains.

Also I have plywood under the Homasote.

How high should the roadbed be?

The Atlas layout book had a picture of a table with plywood and Homasote. That is why I have the homasote table.

(I have 1/2 inch of plywood then on top 1/2 inch Homasote.)

[Jetrock]

Directly painting plywood or Homasote doesn't sound like that great of an idea unless you're trying to model a railroad running across the Bonneville Salt Flats. Even in the flattest parts of the country the terrain isn't perfectly flat--it looks better to model our layouts to reflect that fact.

Personally, my recommendation would be to cut the Homasote to serve as subroadbed, on top of your plywood or foam or MDF or whatever you've got underneath the Homasote--that is, of course, if you're dead set on keeping the Homasote.

Once you've got your track raised up a bit from whatever base you're using, you can add some textured scenery--big ol' plaster mountains on a cardboard or extruded-foam base, or little rolling hills of Sculptamold, or sidewalks and streets from styrene. Now it's time to add your earth-color paint (more than one color--too uniform will look pretty fake) and sprinkle it lovingly with appropriate ground cover on the places where you want grass to grow (as opposed to scrub brush, trees, buildings, roads, etcetera.) Then it's time to glue on some lichen (white glue is fine for this) and plant some trees!

[Anonymous]

Should I:
1)Cut the Homasote to be like a roadbed then paint the plywood with the earth color.
2)Paint the Homasote.
3)just scrap the Homasote all together.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cmdr.WedgeAntilles

what should i use to glue things to Homasote. I am trying to put grass down. Should I use a Grass mat and then put different types of growth (lichen,moss) or should I get rid of the Homasote?

Not sure why you're gluing grass to homasote. The Homasote goes ONLY under the track as roadbed; it should only be about 2" wide and it sits (well, it's glued) on top of the rest of the layout base, be it foam or plywood, which is where the grass goes.

Don't use a grass mat. They look silly. Like a golf course.

There are lots of article on how to do this--including on this site--but, basically, you paint the surface with an earth-colored latex paint, then sprinkle the ground foam on it. Don't pile it on our you'll end up with another golf course. Seeing some brown is good. The paint holds the foam in place.

Once the paint is dry, vacuum up the excess foam, and you're done.

[Anonymous]

I use a 50/50 mix of white glue & water for all of my senics. I brush on the first coat apply grass, and spray a light coat of thinner glue(75/50) after

[Anonymous]

PLEASE HELP!

[Anonymous]

what should i use to glue things to Homasote. I am trying to put grass down. Should I use a Grass mat and then put different types of growth (lichen,moss) or should I get rid of the Homasote?