someone once told me you can use play sand for ballast? can you ? i was thinking it might be a little small? im talking the kind you buy at home depot or lows in the bag
Hi Craigh I have used sand before, I built a 3x5 N scale layout and used cement sand then I sifted through a screen to get the smaller grains then mixed it into other commerical ballast to change the color Good luck Darren
Craig, thanks for the layout updates. I'm also preparing to put down the subroadbed on my layout. I have saved some good quality cement sand for use on the layout. I almost think its too fine to use for balast but may make a good subroadbed layer, or work well for gravel roads or lots, such as around the Olathe team track. Best Regards,
I know this is an old thread, but since I'm going to be purchasing some roadbed here shortly, I think I'm still going to stick with cork roadbed. It has never failed me. I haven't had the rumble problem most folks seem to have. I tend to go Midwest. Anyone have any other suggestions?
Manny: If you are comfortable with Midwest cork then my suggestion is to stick with it. It is easy to find, reasonably priced compared to other options, and simple to use. Just my two cents worth!
I'm always looking for a bargain, which doesn't always equate to the smartest decision, but what I like thats even cheaper than cork is Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. I use Tacky glue to hold it down and once the track is laid, I run a bead of the same glue along the edges, even it out with a small brush, then cover it with Woodland Scenics Medium Light Gray ballast. I think it has really good sound deadening qualities and the last time I bought any of it, I think I paid $6.50 for a 24 ft. roll. Pat Moreland, Union Mo.
Has anyone besides me ever thought of using those pool noodles for road bed material? They come in 6 foot lengths and could be cut easily with a foam knife. They bend easy too. Well it should work in theory at least. They are a lot cheaper than cork and all you have to use to secure them is a good foam compliant glue. Let me know if anyone tries this as I have not yet.
Pat Moreland mentioned cheaper alternatives to Midwest cork so here is another one, maybe. It has been reported on at least one other forum that either Home Depot or Lowe's, I can't remember which one, sells Homasote in ripped 4" strips for use as form dividers in laying concrete sidewalks. These are the places that serve as expansion joints to keep sidewalks from buckling or cracking. The only issue seems to be that this product is not 100% uniform in thickness, but does seem to work, it is true Homasote, and is REALLY cheap!
Another cheap route is to use Fiber Bracing (FB), some lumber yards will try to sell you Celotex, but it is not the same. Fiber bracing is more dense than Celotex, and not quite as dense as Homasote, has an asphalt colored finish. The stuff is Black-ish has Purple lettering on one side saying well, "Fiber Brace". I have bought it for $7.00 a 4'X8' sheet, it comes about 1/2 " thick. I have seen it used in expansion joints as well. Cuts easy with a sharp utility knife but a jigsaw with a knife blade goes thru it like a hot knife thru butter and virtually no mess that way. It is an excellent sound deadener takes paints and glues well, the color works well under switches and other places where you might not want ballast or glue going. Made several templates between 36" and 72" from 1/4" Masonite and laid them out on FB sheets as needed, and just made stacks of different radius sections. Did the same thing for the 3/4 OSB sub-road bed and used the scrap for joints and L girders. allot of cutting and saw dust but not too much waste, stagger your joints. One of the best tricks learned was to use a good grade of 1" 1/2 round trim 8' long, with 3/4X1/2 blocks with little nail holes glued and scewed to it on one side, wrapped it around where the curves were laid out, tacked it to the FB with small finish nails and just laid track against it all day long. believe it or not it worked like a champ for putting easements in the curves and kept the curves steady and graceful, got lucky and the same stick last for the whole building process (so far). Cheers, Tom Holley|-|
