I had experimented with spline roadbed construction on a previous layout that never as far as track laying (had to move before then) and liked how it worked, so I'm doing that again. My method is a little different from anyone else's I've seen. 1/4" hardboard would probably be the better choice, but I had a supply of 1/8" hardboard so that's what I'm using. I make a sandwich of hardboard and Styrofoam: two triple laminations of hardboard strips (one under each rail), with a strip of 1/2" Styrofoam in the middle for spacing, and then another strip of 1/2" Styrofoam down each outside to widen the roadbed (including as a scenery attachment point). It's all held together with yellow carpenter's glue, and I have no issues with adhesion, it's as solid as could be desired.
So how to cut all these strips? The hardboard I ripped into 7/8"-wide strips by first ripping two 4'x8' sheets of hardboard into four 2'x8' sections, then with the edges lined up, drill through all four strips and bolt them together so they can't move relative to each other. So I effectively had a 2'x8' sheet of 1/2"-thick (4-ply) hardboard. I then rigged up this guide frame & support with a 2x4 and some 1x4's on each end of my bench saw, carefully aligned with the rip fence, so I could then just set the stack of hardboard on one end and slide it through the saw without worrying much about alignment. It worked very well, all the strips came out nice and straight and uniform width.
But sawing hardboard produces dust. Lots and lots and lots of dust. A dust mask and eye protection are essential. This is what my saw looked like after ripping 4x24 8-foot strips, and that's with the shop vac hooked up to suck dust away. There was more than a grocery bag of dust just on the floor immediately under the saw, not counting all the dust floating around over everything. This is something that should ideally be done outside or somewhere well-ventilated which you don't care if you get dirty.
In the end I had a big pile of hardboard strips all set aside ready for installation. Now I needed to figure out how to cut 1/2" Styrofoam into uniform strips. I rigged up this simple contraption with 3 blades. I found that trying to cut the whole 1/2" at once was too much, but cutting 3/16" or so with each blade lets the sheet slide through smooth and easy. I just have this rig screwed to the wall and it's extremely easy to cut strips of Styrofoam from the 2'x8' sheet.
Then it's just a matter of sticking it all together. Pretty simple, really, as long as you have clamps. Lots and lots of clamps. I found these beautiful ones (oversized clothes pins) at the dollar store (10-pack for a dollar, can't beat that) and they have about a 2" opening (enough for almost all of it, but can't quite clamp with the last layer of Styrofoam on the outside. The inner notch just below the hinge is perfect for starting out, it provides tremendous clamping power for up to 3/8", which coincidentally is just the size of each set of hardboard splines, then the end of the jaws can hold the hardboard-foam sandwich together just nicely. I do also have some heavier-duty spring clamps and C-clamps, especially for the ends of each spline on curves where a lot of clamping pressure is needed to keep it from springing out of alignment.
I had experimented with spline roadbed construction on a previous layout that never as far as track laying (had to move before then) and liked how it worked, so I'm doing that again. My method is a little different from anyone else's I've seen. 1/4" hardboard would probably be the better choice, but I had a supply of 1/8" hardboard so that's what I'm using. I make a sandwich of hardboard and Styrofoam: two triple laminations of hardboard strips (one under each rail), with a strip of 1/2" Styrofoam in the middle for spacing, and then another strip of 1/2" Styrofoam down each outside to widen the roadbed (including as a scenery attachment point). It's all held together with yellow carpenter's glue, and I have no issues with adhesion, it's as solid as could be desired.
So how to cut all these strips? The hardboard I ripped into 7/8"-wide strips by first ripping two 4'x8' sheets of hardboard into four 2'x8' sections, then with the edges lined up, drill through all four strips and bolt them together so they can't move relative to each other. So I effectively had a 2'x8' sheet of 1/2"-thick (4-ply) hardboard. I then rigged up this guide frame & support with a 2x4 and some 1x4's on each end of my bench saw, carefully aligned with the rip fence, so I could then just set the stack of hardboard on one end and slide it through the saw without worrying much about alignment. It worked very well, all the strips came out nice and straight and uniform width.
But sawing hardboard produces dust. Lots and lots and lots of dust. A dust mask and eye protection are essential. This is what my saw looked like after ripping 4x24 8-foot strips, and that's with the shop vac hooked up to suck dust away. There was more than a grocery bag of dust just on the floor immediately under the saw, not counting all the dust floating around over everything. This is something that should ideally be done outside or somewhere well-ventilated which you don't care if you get dirty.
In the end I had a big pile of hardboard strips all set aside ready for installation. Now I needed to figure out how to cut 1/2" Styrofoam into uniform strips. I rigged up this simple contraption with 3 blades. I found that trying to cut the whole 1/2" at once was too much, but cutting 3/16" or so with each blade lets the sheet slide through smooth and easy. I just have this rig screwed to the wall and it's extremely easy to cut strips of Styrofoam from the 2'x8' sheet.
Then it's just a matter of sticking it all together. Pretty simple, really, as long as you have clamps. Lots and lots of clamps. I found these beautiful ones (oversized clothes pins) at the dollar store (10-pack for a dollar, can't beat that) and they have about a 2" opening (enough for almost all of it, but can't quite clamp with the last layer of Styrofoam on the outside. The inner notch just below the hinge is perfect for starting out, it provides tremendous clamping power for up to 3/8", which coincidentally is just the size of each set of hardboard splines, then the end of the jaws can hold the hardboard-foam sandwich together just nicely. I do also have some heavier-duty spring clamps and C-clamps, especially for the ends of each spline on curves where a lot of clamping pressure is needed to keep it from springing out of alignment.
James, I was looking at your pictures closely and noticed something I want to bring to your attention for your own safety. Any place house wiring goes through a stud you are required by code to place a nail stop on the stud edge. Take a look at the middle picture on my blog entry here http://www.lkorailroad.com/the-wheels-are-moving-slowly/. If you click the picture you will get a full size image. Look at places where the Romex penetrates the studs and you will see the nail stops. You really should put those on your walls before you cover then with backdrop, sheet rock, etc. They may very well keep you from getting a serious shock some day.
ReplyDeleteLKO Railroad
Thanks for the comment. I'm not sure if that's also required by local building codes here, but that's the way the house was built (4 years ago); it's not my own wiring. And that particular wall is beyond my layout realm, so will likely remain unfinished for the foreseeable future. The backdrop does not cover any wiring.
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