NKP-ish

[OldEastRR]

Cool.

[nickelplate759]

So now I'm filling in the little gaps around the pink foam.   I've successfully used DAP lightweight spackle (a.k.a. marshmallow fluff) where foam sheets but against each other, but I'm not sure how to address the gap between the foam and the hardboard (Masonite-like) fascia.  See below:



I could put lightweight spackle there, but since the hardboard will flex and expand and contract with humidity and temperature far more than the foam will, I'm not sure if that's workable or not.  It doesn't need to be seamless, and ground foam landscaping will hide a lot of sins.   Anyone have any experience to share?

[N Scale Train Boy]

If you have any shavings from the rough shaping of the foam, you can probably try to slide some thinner pieces down into that gap and glue them in there to fill some of the space, between that and ground goop/general scenery, you'll probably be fine. Only ever built one layout though, so maybe wait to hear from people with more experience, lol!

[Jesse6669]

So now I'm filling in the little gaps around the pink foam.   I've successfully used DAP lightweight spackle (a.k.a. marshmallow fluff) where foam sheets but against each other, but I'm not sure how to address the gap between the foam and the hardboard (Masonite-like) fascia.  See below:


I could put lightweight spackle there, but since the hardboard will flex and expand and contract with humidity and temperature far more than the foam will, I'm not sure if that's workable or not.  It doesn't need to be seamless, and ground foam landscaping will hide a lot of sins.   Anyone have any experience to share?

How about some acrylic caulk (you may have some laying around)? 

Or-- Acrylic Modeling Paste ;  I picked up a jar of this for making trees (the wire wrap type).  It has some flex to it and would work in this scenario as well.  I think it's the same thing as Vallejo model putty--such as is used to fill seams on plastic models.

[nickelplate759]

Hmm - hadn't thought about flexible acrylic caulk!    I had thought about stuffing the cracks with foam scraps, but there's still small gaps to fill.

Maybe combine both ideas?  Stuff the cracks and the caulk?    I may give that a try.

[Jbub]

If you go the caulk route, those gaps look wide so use something as a backer rod so it doesn't settle or sink too much.

[nickelplate759]

Caulk (w/foam scrap backer in the wide places) it is!

[nickelplate759]

Next question.

I want to paint the pink foam brown as a base color for scenery.   Does it make a difference to durability of the layout if I do that before or after gluing down the cork roadbed?

[MK]

No difference.  I paint the foam first on mine and then glued on the cork.  Not a single issue over 15 years in a basement environment.

[davefoxx]

No difference.  I paint the foam first on mine and then glued on the cork.  Not a single issue over 15 years in a basement environment.

Agreed that there’s no difference, because I painted the foam after I glued on the cork roadbed, and I also haven’t had a single issue in almost ten years in a basement environment.

DFF

[Angus Shops]

Acrylic painters caulk is very useful stuff…

[nickelplate759]

Acrylic painters caulk is very useful stuff…

I once knew someone in the building trade who would say "Caulk of white will make it right."

[nickelplate759]

The pink foam is now brown. 

 I didn't paint over the track lines I already had down in near New Haven, IN.



Ft. Wayne (as modeled) is flat...

[nickelplate759]

Here's a shot that shows how I'm transfering the layout design to it's physical form.



I print out the track diagram full size (I'm using Anyrail, but SCARM can do this just as well), tape it down, use a pounce wheel to emboss centerlines, then (I often go over the centerline with a Sharpie to make it more obvious), then lay roadbed.

One thing I've (re-)learned the hard way - paper stretches as it goes through a laser printer, and not consistently, so dimensions aren't exact and vary a little from page to page.  Some printers and some papers are more dimensionally stable than others - my current printer and paper aren't great in this regard.

In any event, even with perfect printouts, minor adjustments are necessary to get everything lined up.

[Mark5]

Nice. What paper size are you printing to?