HOMA JUNK!

[claycts]

After waiting for 3 weeks to get the Homasote from a local lumber compnay the product came in. I TESTED the sample and it worked great as far as moisture and such then the order came! NOTHING like the sample. HUMPS, BUBBLES, Starts at .623 thick then drops down to .524 then BACK UP to .636. Nice wave! anyway sent it back. HELP!
1. FOAM, PINK, 1" can this support the bench work? supoorts at 16" O.C.
2. SHould I ADD .5 OSB under the 1"?
3. SCRAP above and just use 2"?
4. If I can find 1.5" is this the better choice dropping the plywood?
Track is code 83, Tortoise Switch Machines, full DCC.
Getting tired of this pre-construction game!
Thnk for putting up with me and this STUPID quest to build it right the first time.

[cwclark]

I know a lot of folks like homasote or foam for subroadbed...I've never used one or the other but prefer cork roadbed and have used it extensively for the past 25 years...I just couldn't bring my self to change over to something that i haven't worked with before...I use cork roadbed on 3/4 plywood and haven't had trouble with it ...some things tis' better to stick with something that works than try new avenues...chuck

[Anonymous]

George, I used 1x 4 pine framing with 1/8 inch lauan glued and screwed to the the frame. Then just glue whatever thickness of foam board you want on the surface. It allows for a light weight, but rigid setup and it's not labor intensive. My railroad is a shelf unit running around the perimeter walls of the room which is attached with wood cantilevered support units. Most of the sections built like this are 2' x 8' with cross supports every 24 " or so. It doesnt have to weigh a ton to support your railroad.

Larry

[claycts]

Thank you, 2 good points. Old school with the plwood and new school with the luan and foam. Will use BOTH I am workin on a 1600 sq ft room with shelf and Island. (when and IF I ever fini***he cad design!) Again thanks for the quick service![:)]

[Anonymous]

Clayts,

I am currently using homasote. I'm not sure that it is worth it unless you want to hand lay track (I'm doing a little of that, mostly ME flex and turn outs) . You happened to get a bad piece at the lumber yard. If they have a stack, go through and pick ones that don't have as many humps. Homabed is another option.....

All the train guys I know use Hoamsote. Many of them are expert modelers who have had work in MR and other places. Not sure if it is a case of old technology not keeping up with the times or if they know something I don't. My last layout used cork and it was fine...

Anything you use will have drawbacks. As the ad says, Just Do it!!!

[rrinker]

Check my site. I use 2" foam, framework of 1x4 16" O.C. Tortoise machines. NO plywood or OSB.

--Randy

[gmpullman]

Steer clear of OSB or any kind of "chip board" It's a real pain to start/drive screws into also have you seen any particle board that got damp? It expands like crazy and soaks up moisture like a sponge. If you use foam board remember you'll need something to screw the switch machines to and trying to adjust the throw on a tortoise actuating wire gets tricky when the roadbed is very thick as the fulcrum point is so far away.
Half inch plywood is good, 5/8 better and 3/4 gets into overkill.

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gmpullman

Steer clear of OSB or any kind of "chip board" It's a real pain to start/drive screws into also have you seen any particle board that got damp? It expands like crazy and soaks up moisture like a sponge. If you use foam board remember you'll need something to screw the switch machines to and trying to adjust the throw on a tortoise actuating wire gets tricky when the roadbed is very thick as the fulcrum point is so far away.
Half inch plywood is good, 5/8 better and 3/4 gets into overkill.

I agree. Also, I've read that MDF doesn't support as well as plywood, It's very heavy, and is murder on saw blades.

[Anonymous]

I am just about finished with the bench and trackwork of my layout. The only wood has been 1x2 L-girders and joists. The base is 2" foam and the track elevation is all done with 1" foam. Foam is incredibly fast and easy, and pretty stable as well.

[eng22]

I say again, do not fear the foam, you will love it. I used 2 " foam on 1X4 pine crossmemebers, 12" on center. The other night while reaching into the center of the layout I realized I have been leaning all my weight on one arm while detailing a road. No problems, not even a worry.

[Anonymous]

Allright guys, help!!!
I'm almost ready to buy material to start my new layout, and I'm becoming more undecided if I should go plywood / homasote or foam. The layouts my dad built when I was a kid were homasote, so I'm comfortable with that method. I like the idea of the thicker foam for terrain possibilities. So here are my questions. Do you have plywood under the foam? How do you hold the track down? Glue? Track Nails? If glue, what kind and how east is it to rearrange track if necessary? Do you use roadbed? Foam? Cork? Homabed? My layout will be 5' x 9' maybe 10' and will need to be moved and stood on edge for storage at times. How will this hold up? What do you about the nasty pink color during construction phases? It will take me a while to get to scenery, and I don't think I can look at that color for long. Do you paint it. Sorry if this hijacks this thread, but I'm trying to not fear the foam.

Dave

[rrinker]

2" pink foam, no plywood. Track laid on Woodland Scenics roadbed. Latex caulk used to hold roadbed to foam and to hold track to roadbed. Has to be the easiest and fastest system I've ever tried.
Yes, right now I have the big pink praire, but waiting in the wings is an earthy brown gallon of latex paint that I got off the Ooops rack at Home Depot which will go on as soon as I get all the track in place.
I have a half piece of foam i use to test various things on, I just set it across a couple of sawhorses to work on. It has no wood framing. I've moved it around quite a bit and stood it on edge, etc without any problem. However, the edges on the rallayout wil be covered with a fascia of some sort, probably 1/8 masonite, for protection of the edges. In a pinch, I COULD dismantle what I have and move it - I built 4 identical 2x8 frames of 1x4 lumber which are bolted together and the foam is glued on with yellow carpenter's glue. I laid the track and roadbed right across the gaps, but I COULD cut it and unbolt the sections if I had to. I already have plans to expand futrter around the walls, and I will continue by building more of these frames for each section as it progresses.

--Randy

[cmrproducts]

My layout is built with 1x2 L-girder and OSB subroadbed. I then use Homasote on top of that and then I use HO and N scale cork under the ties. The Ho cork is on the mainline and the N scale cork is on the passing sidings and branches

The track is laid on the Homasote in the yards and sidings.

The poor surface of the Homasote in the sidings just makes the track work look more real with the ups and downs. If I have different thickness of Homasote next to each other I either shim the track or rasp the other piece down in the track areas.

I paint the OSB and then when the Homasote is glued on it is also painted. I do not have any problems with the Homasote or OSB when doing scenery. The benchwork will support my 200 plus pounds if I have to get up on the layout. We are still in the building stages and doing a multi-level layout, I have had to get up some of the unfinished areas to mount the upper levels.

BOB H Clarion, PA