I am presently building new layout using spline for elevated trackage. My solution was to use 1& 1/4 wide X 1/8" hardboard ( masonite ??) sandwiching 3 strips of 1&1/4' X 1/2" styrofoamboard SM or other similar product. Glued up using LePage No More Nails tubes. This method gives you natural easements into the curves. I am also incorporating minimum 20" radius
Jacobo
thatboy37 hey this is some really nice work you got going on here. wish i could do the type of woodworking work you do. i've been looking at your work over on trainboard and what an amazing job you have done all the way from start to finish. keep it up and cant wait to see you in the magazines in a year or two. again keep up the great work. you inspire alot of people to want to be in this hobby.
hey this is some really nice work you got going on here. wish i could do the type of woodworking work you do. i've been looking at your work over on trainboard and what an amazing job you have done all the way from start to finish. keep it up and cant wait to see you in the magazines in a year or two. again keep up the great work. you inspire alot of people to want to be in this hobby.
Wow thatnks for the kind words! I hope my posts and blog can be of help to someone getting started. For now though, I think the only magazine article would be something along the lines of how to remove wood glue from your hands. Jamie
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I also used 1/4" MDF. It was easily bent, did not snap, and was easily tapped with a drywall screw or a track nail. One 4 X 8 sheet ripped at 15/16" provided enough 8' lengths for over 60' of splines at six-ply (HO).
Hi: Another choice of material is 3/16" luan underlayment plywood. I think it's easier on saw blades and Surform blades.
Here is a great explanation of spline roadbed:
http://s145079212.onlinehome.us/rr/howto/splines/index.shtml
I am very happy I chose this method. My $12 sheet of 3/16" Masonite yielded about 75 feet of raodbed and the only waste is the sawdust. Jamie
Being "N" scale I would go with 1/8 Masonite as the curves are a smaller radius than "HO". Make sure you put a screw down into your supports when done. I also put drywall screws through the sides, alternating sides every couple of feet or so, just because I like to overbuild things. If you put screws in don't forget to drill pilot holes. I used a hot glue gun and could put a lot together in a short time. I used a sureform plane to level any flaws and scrape off any glue, but Masonite sure does dull blades. It's looking good though.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Anyone care to explain this "spline" style construction to us less knowledged?
I just completed two sections of my new HO layout using pine shelving & 1/4" plywood ripped into splines. although a cheap way to go I definetly will not use it again. I might try using the masonite spilines I understand your reasoning for going with the 3/16' over the 1/8" but I would thik you get more flexability with the 1/8" just a thought.
UPDATE: I decided to use five strips of 3/16" thick hardboard for my spline roadbed for a total width of 15/16". To me, this gives just enough "shoulder" room outside the ties for a nice sloping ballast profile. The plan is to use HO-scale cork roadbed atop the splines for the mainline and N-scale cork roadbed for sidings (trimmed down to 15/16" wide). Here is a picture showing the first three 3/16" thick splines installed on the layout:
By the way, the major reason for going with 3/16" splines over 1/8" splines is that there are two less splines to laminate (five 3/16" splines vs. seven 1/8" splines). This is a significant time saver, although the 3/16" splines are much less flexible than the 1/8" splines. I have several snapped splines that will be used for short filler sections. Once I get the cork & track in place, I will put together a "cutaway" picture to show how all the layers of my design actually look when built.
Jamie
If you decide to use the MDF, make sure to save the sawdust from the rips. It makes a great base for foliage and bushes. Just use some thinned acrylic paint to tint and mix in some thinned elmers and apply. I'm sure there are several other uses for it. It's very similar to ground foam, maybe being a bit more dense, but fluffy.
I am not sure masonite would be the best suited material for the spline. I don't believe it will handle glue well, is fragile, and doesn't like nails. You may be better suited using MDF (medium density fiberboard), which is available in 4x8 sheets in 1/2 and 3/4 thick. It is fairly cheap, glues well with wood glue, and takes nails good . You can push track nails in with a pair of needlenose pliers. You of course will need access to a tablesaw to get the 1/4" rips. Around my neck of the woods, the box stores also have it in "handy sheets" which are either 2x2 or 2x4' sections, but the cost is alot higher as compared to the full sheet.
For quick perspective, Atlas N Scale sectional track curve radius suggests 1.25 inches on center difference. So, as a starting point, lay two pieces of track side-by-side on 1.25 inch centers, and make your adjustments from there.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
I am getting close to completing my benchwork and am starting to put some serious thought into my roadbed. I plan on using spline roadbed constructed from 3/4" wide strips of either 1/8" or 1/4" Masonite hardboard. How wide should my roadbed be? My original plan was to use 6 strips of 1/8" Masonite for about a 3/4" wide roadbed, but this was just a round number guess to use for rough planning purposes. Jamie