Yuku free message boards

Well, I finally got started with routing this track. Here's the plan that I ended up with.


I built frameworks for two 2'x5' sections. Straight is raised about 5", and I've planned to use the area under the straight for storage. I've also put in a "swapout" section, which I'll use to change the track between digital and analog. Here's what the framework looks like.


And, a friend helped get me started on routing the left side of the track. We used the flexstrip from "the oldslotracer", which worked wonderfully. The switchbacks aren't quite as radical as the original plan (because we were afraid the strip might break), but the strip worked wonderfully. The routing was actually easier than I anticipated, although this was a bit tricky because of how tight the curves are. Obviously, this is a squeeze section before going into the main straight so there will be no passing on the switchbacks!

slider2 wrote:

---

Looks really good so far Bill. But, ahhh, you do know, don't you?... Once you've put a router to wood, your soul is lost; you'll never go back. You'll find yourself planning the next one before this one is even half finished. Just a friendly warning, but it's already too late.

I hear you Greg, "Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny." Actually, this is already just a test track for a larger track. Still, I've got my highly scenic-ed 12'x6' already in the garage and won't be able to do anything significant with the router until that one disappears!

Okay, some lessons learned today. #1 -- if you undercut MDF, it's pretty easy to break MDF. #2 -- 1/2" MDF doesn't like to bend a lot (should have used 3/8", but couldn't find any at local stores). #3 -- I don't like working with "Bondo" very much, but it fixes everything...

So, here's the catastrophe ... it cracked in one place and broke in another place.



But nothing that can't be fixed with a lot of bondo. I blocked it on both sides of the break, screwed down the MDF, and patched it with bondo filler. Here's what it looked like after the repair. So, in the end, it just took some extra time, but no permanent damage done.


And, with both sides routed, a quick spray coat of gray primer, and here's what it's starting to look like. Now I've got to do the "swapout section" and then route the connections between the two sides.

Now the routing is finished, and I can start thinking about the scenery. I'm thinking desert oasis motif.



I'm not exactly sure, however, how to get the right color for the sandstone rocks. I think it needs to be a bit more orangish -- maybe I need some more raw sienna.