Thursday, December 31, 2009

What before the Silver Spike: the roadbed !

As an old popular sentence said that “What you do at the end of the year… you do it for all the year”…
My friend Alex Corsico give me a call and we’ve organized a short meeting with the idea to put some tracks down (a silver spike?).

But, as I’ve to dedicate my previous time to more “dirty” jobs as finalize the backdrops walls, fill it with expandable foam ( see my previous post )
…. we have just the occasion to test my “Cork roadbed production jig” and put in place some in preparation of tracks. But, anyway, it was a very good time!
I wonder how much “production” is able to do just a couple of friends…. And always image “how much ... more friends can put together in a couple of hours” !!! ... :)
See here the physical result of this couple of fellows:


And here the “theory” and the Jig to manufacture tons of cork roadbed, using a roll of cheap cork:
I’ve cut a piece of 1 meter long wood stock at 45° on one side, then make a cut in the middle, add a strip of wood in the middle (see picture) and glue the 3 pieces together.
To obtain a piece of roadbed with the proper angled sides, just insert the cork in the slot and using a new blade on the carpet cutter, cut the string. This way you have one side with a good angled shape (if you want a better and clean shape, just pass your “electric file” ( or whatever you call this tool) along the wood jig.
Then rotate the string and file the opposite side. You have a nice /______\ shaped roadbed in a minute.

Just 2 cents if you don’t have a commercial roadbed on hand!
Happy New Year to all ! Sincerely
Enzo
Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine - Totally electronic, totally interactive, totally free - Premier issue: January 2009