SIMBA1OFF Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Hi I'm building a layout with a sundeala top and would like some views as to laying cork before commencing track work or can I leave the cork track base out? Would the sundeala deaden the sound enough? Regards to all! Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Hi IMO ditch the Sundeala and go for Ply - Birch or Marine quality. Sundeala has really poor performance and sags unless very well braced underneath. Though Sundeala can be used on top of a more stable material like Ply or even MDF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMBA1OFF Posted June 25, 2011 Author Share Posted June 25, 2011 Hi Thanks for getting intouch! I've used ply as a box frame along with ply cross members. The sundeala is what I had lying around. It's a 6x1 shelf style layout. Regards Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I agree completely with Brian. Ditch the Sundeala, it is more trouble than it is worth - and it is pretty worthless anyway. Noise is caused by the drum that you build (ie the underneath of the drum skin) using cork (a harder surface than the sundeala will increase the drumming effect. But not by as much as the supporting frame that you will need for the Sundeala. I expect you are going to use track pins as well ? - possibly the only excuse for using Sundeala. Ditch them as well then you don't eben have that excuse. The best way to avoid drumming is to build using an L girder type track base. Remember most of the world is not flat - so you don't have to have a 6ft x 1 ft flat to build the layout on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted June 25, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 25, 2011 I would also suggest forgetting the cork. It won't improve your running and depending on your ballasting, it might do nothing for your sound deadening. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMBA1OFF Posted June 25, 2011 Author Share Posted June 25, 2011 Hi Thanks for the advice! Will ditch the sundeala! Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted June 26, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 26, 2011 One use for sundela or cork is as strips under the track to raise the track slightly on an otherwise flat board. It looks more natural if the track is slightly higher than the adjacent ground. Even in cuttings the track is usually higher than the bottom of a cutting. That's my view anyway. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 See http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gansg/2-track/02track1.htm just over half way down the page for track and ballast geometry. Wherever you are you have to allow for drainage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren01 Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 HI I stopped useing cork on my layout as i found it did nothing for the running of my locos, so i now use foam underlay from C+L . Cost the same as cork and if you ballast your tack with copydex and not PVA ,which set like rock . Since going over to foam undelay i have found my locos run a lot better now. Sundela board are only good for sticking pins into on notice boards, do not know why they still sell this stuff to model railway builders. Darren Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Chambers Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 HI I stopped useing cork on my layout as i found it did nothing for the running of my locos, so i now use foam underlay from C+L . Cost the same as cork and if you ballast your tack with copydex and not PVA ,which set like rock . Since going over to foam undelay i have found my locos run a lot better now. Sundela board are only good for sticking pins into on notice boards, do not know why they still sell this stuff to model railway builders. Darren "Why"- because if you prime Sundeala as the instructions recommend and it is well braced,it will stay flat,it takes track pins well(yes, some of us are happy to use them!) and you can cut holes for point motors with a Stanley knife.What please is wrong with that.Tim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
number6 Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I have to agree with Tim here. Its certainly not the worse material you could use. Maybe its not ideal for a 'proper' layout but I had a Sundela topped layout built for me as an 8 year old. My Dad made great bones about how expensive the stuff was back then. I only slung the last piece of that original board into the recycle this weekend gone - 36 years later. Never had any warping problems and it was endlessly adaptive. I must have relaid endless layouts [using track pins] over those years - and cut my teeth on building many different layouts on it. The surface has a nice soft finish and a good neutral dull colour - so in those early years it saved me from ballasting etc. You could get up and running really quick. The Sundela tops could also be lifted and nailed down over and over. Easy to cut if required. There is also nothing wrong with a bit of recycling and using what is lying around! And to answer the OP I wouldn't bother with cork - maybe it is my poor skills at gluing it down but I would build a superbly flat ply board and then add endless undulations by gluing the cork down on top. No two pieces of cork sheet are exactly the same depth and its near impossible to tweak the level of it by sanding - and once it starts to flake and crumble... Argg. The C&L foam. Is that any different to the stuff you can buy at Wickes? Seems pretty similar? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted June 28, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 28, 2011 I used Sundeala; it warped terribly (moisture from ballasting, combined with not enough bracing - although there seemed to be plenty - and excessive heat). I have basically had to tear everything up and am back at the start, gutted to have to tear up three years hard work but the warping and uneven trackwork made running and looks just unbearable. I will be using ply from now on, definitely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted July 1, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 1, 2011 I've used both sundeala/model board and ply on past and present boards, and provided the framework is well built there should not be a problem with either. I have used cork for mine as I had it and it has not posed any problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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