I am beginging to piece together the roads on my layout. I am using the Foamcore as suggested by several forum members and as a followup question...What do you use to cover the "gaps" between sections? Attached is 2 pictures showing what I am referring to. Both are pictures of 2 seperate places where the transition from a rail crossing meets up to the adjoing flat sections.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I use fiber glass mesh drywall tape which will secure the joint and then coat it out wide of the joint a couple or three times with sheetrock dope and smooth it each coat with a damp sponge[as opposed to sanding].
I use regular 2" wide masking tape. Then I paint the tape and foam core with latex paint to seal it. This assumes you've glued your foam core to your base--otherwise it will warp. When dry, I then go over it with a skim coat of Durham's Water Putty. I mix in some black tempera paint with the water putty to give it a gray color. Any irregularities in the surface can be treated as cracks, patches or potholes.
Stogey, I just realized that you have my book, Realistic Modeling For Toy Trains: A Hi-Rail Guide. This technique is completely explained with photos.
Foamcore experts?
You just happen to have come to the right place. I have a degree in Foamcoreology from MIT.
And I firmly believe that Dennis's method will work.
Hi Dennis....Yes I have been reading your book over again and things that I missed before are jumping out at me. Many of the things you do in the boof are great if you are starting from scratch. Some of them are not so practicle if existing details/scenes are being modified. That is my opinion anyway. I will reread this section in your book and see if I can do it without making a mess of the existing scenery.....
It looks like you are going over the top of existing turf. Could you scrape off the excess turf with a putty knife, so that the slabs of your road meet up better?
I have painted the edges of pieces like that black. Then it looks like tar in the joint.
You could also lightly tap the high spots down with a block of wood and a hammer until flush with the adjacent low section. It will crush the foam in the core.
I find that cheap paintable latex caulk is very easy to use for filling gaps in scenery.
Or just say it's a very bumpy road!
I've modified existing scenery. It's not really a problem. Like kunde said, scrape off some of the scenery then glue the foam core over it. Is there a reason you can't glue it down?
Weeds keep growing in the cracks before I can get a chance to fill them.
Jim
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
