Post by BAZman on Nov 28, 2019 19:56:55 GMT -5
Robert Ray and I did the same, micro-sawing the center strip of the Midwest N (2019, 25 pieces of 1.125" by 36" long). This makes 50 pieces. Then I thought to myself, 'Why cut down the middle to separate what easily pulls apart?'. It has the 2 beveled edges butted together, so why cut parts off instead of pulling apart and keeping the full bevel edge? Well, while I use the bevel side to the visual front (and square edge to the unseen back and filled with ballast), it doesn't really matter if the 2-piece strip is sawed or just pulled apart as the ballast covers that bottom cut off edge anyway. However, this half wide strip is now only the width of the track ties. This doesn't bother me as proto ballast generally slopes down at the tie ends anyway.
The Widwest product simply ripped apart can easily be formed to 195 mm radii. Elmer's white (or better yellow) along the center line of your track plan. I use simple push pins to hold it down (they do not have to be pressed all the way in, they form enough pressure to hold the cork to the would for an hour when the glue pretty much dries. I hold my finger on the cork while I pull pout the pins. To be sure every thing is level, I sand with an 80 grit sanding block.
I don't like IBL as it is too wide. When I ballast, I spread with a flat fan brush. While the ballast sorta stays in plae when I Wet Water with a fine spray, when I flood with the diluted glue which washes much of the ballast way at the edges of the IBL so I've had to touch up everything again. With the 'narrow' Midwest, its easy to run the flat fan brush right dowd the edge of the ties, mist with Wet Water and then flood with diluted white glue.
The Widwest product simply ripped apart can easily be formed to 195 mm radii. Elmer's white (or better yellow) along the center line of your track plan. I use simple push pins to hold it down (they do not have to be pressed all the way in, they form enough pressure to hold the cork to the would for an hour when the glue pretty much dries. I hold my finger on the cork while I pull pout the pins. To be sure every thing is level, I sand with an 80 grit sanding block.
I don't like IBL as it is too wide. When I ballast, I spread with a flat fan brush. While the ballast sorta stays in plae when I Wet Water with a fine spray, when I flood with the diluted glue which washes much of the ballast way at the edges of the IBL so I've had to touch up everything again. With the 'narrow' Midwest, its easy to run the flat fan brush right dowd the edge of the ties, mist with Wet Water and then flood with diluted white glue.