Bushel86 Yeah my idea is Based on the possem valley done by Jean Simonet, on how he did his. He built his open grid benchwork with wood riser, He used plywood as the cookie cutter method then put foam between the bench work and the plywood on his grades. he has a website that has a photo of his benchwork. the only difference is just wondering if i can get away with using luan.
Yeah my idea is Based on the possem valley done by Jean Simonet, on how he did his. He built his open grid benchwork with wood riser, He used plywood as the cookie cutter method then put foam between the bench work and the plywood on his grades. he has a website that has a photo of his benchwork. the only difference is just wondering if i can get away with using luan.
Oh good, there is some public history about it. Again, just speculating....I think foam is considered rigid enough for layouts, provided the support joists, or risers, are close enough together. The plywood attached to the foam is more for holding track nails and possibly switchmachine mounts and things like that, where the screws and nails wouldn't hold too well in the foam itself. Folks tend to use caulk to attach things to the foam subroadbed for that reason. There are just preferences and a comfort factor too.
I would think luan would give enough bite for a nail, and anything thinner is probably wasted effort, but others with more experience should probably weigh in.
- Douglas
I think spline is wonderful stuff. I used hardboard (masonite). You get over 40' of roadbed for under $10.00. It transitions so smoothly it's hard to tell where the ups and downs and rights and lefts actually start. I used 1" wide 1/4" thick x 7 strips wide for mine.
I had a bit of a problem getting the tops even on the first couple of strips. To resolve the issue I clamped the entire strip firm to the next one making sure it was dead even at the top. I then would unclamp about two feet at one end and glue that with the glue gun. Once that was set I unclamped the rest of it and glued away. It went back against the next one the way it had been clamped. Make sure you put a screw through every foot or so. Drill a pilot hole first.
Using a rasp and a small level I put a bit of super elevation into a curve or two easily. Course sandpaper would do the same.
After having layouts built with all the methods I wanted to experiment a bit and try something new, so I used foam and spline on this one. So far I am delighted with the results. I have about 65' of spline on this layout. At $.15 a linear foot, the price sure beats the foam risers and unlike plywood there is little waste.
One more thing, when using spline you don't need a cork or foam roadbed as you caulk your track directly to the spline. If you are interested in seeing more go to Google images and search "spline roadbed". It is another option.
Here you can see the beveled shoulder of the spline roadbed.
Here I am raising the foam up to the roadbed. I am doing this all over the layout. My hills are hollow.
You can use more than one method on the same layout. For scenery I have used foam, concrete, grout, thinset and plaster of Paris dipped sheets and towels. Think different products! It can solve a lot of problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXrYeMHw5j0&context=C3252b13ADOEgsToPDskLU1ohLLwpcdro7vyvEP1JQ
Good luck.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Thanks for the idea's And as far as scenery i plan on using foam and the plast cloth method Beings I kinda changed my layout design a little bit its 2'8" x 5' with a 2'8" x 3 foot kicker to make an L shape I Don't need much and the masonite idea sounds good. i will look into it. thanks for the idea. just one question how do you make the curves on the risers?
Bushel86 just one question how do you make the curves on the risers?
Yeah i was just looking at sites about it. But I don't think it be best for my situation. due to the Small size and the tight curves. if my layout was bigger I would probably go this route. But i think with the switch back and 9.75 curves, it might be to much to try. I might just do the door skin where i can cut it into shape. and just put foam between the risers for support. And being's I am doing code 55 i will be glue the track down not nailing it. But it sounds like a good idea. Just to much for my layout.