Asymmetrical cork happens in HO too. Just adjust where you lay it to account for the off centeredness.
Could that be due to allowing track nails to be placed into the cork and not into the void between the two sections???
Please explain this to me further, as I'm again confused. Perhaps having not used nails for my track is a problem. Or, as the case may be, not one.
I think that's considering that the track nail holes in the ties (HO?) are on center and might want to spread the cork on insertion, not supporting the tie very well, possibly inviting tie distortion or breakage. That's my guess but I don't use nails so...
I don't use nails either. They are a PITA and totally unnecessary, but if you're worried about "spreading the cork" I want to know, are you using real railroad spikes? When I laid flex, I used HO cork for the mains, and glued it down tight to the plywood. I then used the classic yardstick trick to draw on the radius. on top of the cork, just as I had on the plywood.. If the two pieces were not the very same width, they weren't off enough to make a difference, and I glued the two pieces tight.. I relied on the like, not dhe center splice in the cork. Were my curves accurate to a radius? Doubt it but I know they were really close. And I used the line from the yardstick the pattern for the curve. That's what nice about ME flex- You farm the track into a curve and place it on the line. It's easy to adjust it as needed and hold sit's shape while you glue it down. But I will say I have noticed that the internet seems to make some people ready to overthink and overcomplicate things.
Instead of Elmers, we glue our cork with Tightbond II. It's waterproof once it sets. We found out the hard way that Elmers and other water soluable glue softens in higher humidity (it does occasionally rain in California, just not often) and the track can go out of alignment even if you have ballast.
Yes!! Exactly what I did. I smeared a very very thin layer on the cork, not enough to see the yellow, just enough to darken the cork, and pressed the track into it. I then weighted it down, at first with cans of food from the pantry, and then when I grew smarter, with things from a fabric store called pattern weights. The glue set time was only about a half hour, and it was on to the next stick. Fast, solid, and I could ballast the next evening. No lumps like with the adhesive caulk, no ripples like from nails. I love little things that save me time and trouble and make use better.
Slightly off topic but how many people who use cork roadbed sand the top of the cork to smooth or level it before laying track? Also, regarding the use of nails, I think this is an 'old school' method although I still see layouts on You Tube that use this method. I use "T" pins to hold the track in place and then use 5 minute epoxy at a couple of spots to secure it. Final hold is with white glue at ballasting time. Just don't go overboard with the epoxy. Can also get good adhesion with thick ACC; not so much with the thin stuff. Again, don't go overboard with it.
I use T pins to position flex track and a drop of CA about every three inches to attach. Then I paint the tracks with flat black and after it dries I add ballast and glue with a 50/50 mix of white glue and water. After that it is ready for weathering. Joe
"Slightly off topic but how many people who use cork roadbed sand the top of the cork to smooth or level it before laying track?" Ahha! when building our layouts bot David Haines andI used a belt sander on the glued-down cork.I was fortunate to have a Skill 2 1/2 inch belt sander which was just right for this. Don't believe anyone makes on in that size anymore, but as unreliable as it was it may be just as well, byt for dressing the cork befor track laying, it ws ideal. Just don't get to aggressive.
