# 1 more time for borders!



## oddrods (Feb 6, 2007)

Loooking for p/n's from McMaster Carr or other border altrnatives for Tomy Track. 

Thanks in advance

Rob


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## Ogre (Jan 31, 2007)

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/3485/=g23915

1/4" x 3/4" track border - part # 93695K86


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

Cork an option?


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## Ohio_Danimal (Jan 13, 2012)

Ogre said:


> http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/3485/=g23915
> 
> 1/4" x 3/4" track border - part # 93695K86


This is what I used, but it is still not thick enough if used for Tomy track (which is closer to .26")

What we did was shimit up using two sided adhesive foam tape. Fits perfectly


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Here's some step by steps on what I did building my track(s).

Woodrum Ridge Raceway 2008

-Paul


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

We used the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. It has a line down the middle so you can cut it in half and put the flat side next to the track with the angled side out so it looks like a road shoulder:

http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/ST1474/page/1

This has the same problem as what Danimal mentioned above so we found this stuff had Harbor Freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/solid-nonslip-drawer-liner-65565.html

cut it in strips about 1/3 as wide as the roadbed and it matched the track height perfectly. Glued it all down with tacky glue, placed a 'boat' load of bricks around the track to keep it still for a couple of days and we were very pleased with the results. We used a whole sheet of the drawer liner to cover the area around the track in front of the driver's stations then put the roadbed next to the track. This made for a nice padded pit area.

Wish I had known about the McMaster-Carr item...looks like it would have been a little cheaper and maybe easier to work with the stuff that has the adhesive back.

Here's a pick of the driver's station area just after we glued down the rubber mat and the roadbed border.


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## oddrods (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks guys! This is exactly what I was looking for. I'm not sure which route I will take but this gives me options.


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Rob
I forgot to give credit to Paul...the method we used we came up with after reading Paul's step-by-step from his site, we just used different materials. After researching the whole track height thing for a year I think he has the current best solution: use a narrow strip of something as a spacer underneath the boarder material you decide on to bring it to track level.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I think it's important to keep our borders secure.


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## Ohio_Danimal (Jan 13, 2012)

beast1624 said:


> We used the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. It has a line down the middle so you can cut it in half and put the flat side next to the track with the angled side out so it looks like a road shoulder:
> 
> http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/ST1474/page/1
> 
> ...


So are you saying that the Harbor freight mat DOES fit perfectly, only requiring glue to hold it down?

Please clarify


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Yes. On our Tomy track we cut a strip of the harbor freight mat about a third as wide as the roadbed, glued it down next to the track then glued the roadbed on top of it and it brought the level up to the same as the track.


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## tasman (Feb 17, 2007)

*cover the top*

Another way to get HO train cork borders to the correct height is to cover the top. I used tool box liner cut and glued to the top of the cork to bring the level even with the track surface.

If you want to know more check out this link post#42

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?p=2210346#post2210346


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

I'm having real good luck with railroad cork strips over Popsicle sticks to bring the cork up to the right level. Just another option to throw in the mix. 

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showpost.php?p=3709922&postcount=115

Have fun,

Rolls


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## oddrods (Feb 6, 2007)

Well guys, with options in hand the first thing I did was picked up some cork and balsa and so far I like it. I just got back from garbage Freight with the tool box liner and I'll give it a try next. I'll keep you al updated.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

*Make a run for the border...*

One more thought, and it's cheap at $3-$4 a brick...... Modeling Clay.










It's been great for me in places that are hard to cork...

























In fact, it worked so well I built an island using it. (available in many different colors)

























Just a thought...


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## Rick Voegelin (Oct 27, 2006)

I've used the McMaster-Carr adhesive foam rubber and HO model railroad cork. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

Foam Rubber -- Pro: The adhesive-backed 1/4" foam rubber is easy to apply, and matches up to the height of Tomy track reasonably well. Con: Very difficult to keep clean, it's a dust magnet. So if you drift the tires off into the foam, they pick up the dirt and then you're slipping and sliding. When installing, you've got one shot to do it right -- when the adhesive bonds, it grips tightly and you can't reposition it easily. When I tried to remove the foam borders a few months later to accommodate a different layout, I had to scrape off the adhesive with a putty knife.

Cork Roadbed -- Pro: Reasonably inexpensive and readily available, flexible enough to conform to tight 6" turns, and very Old School in look and feel. Dense surface can be cleaned more effectively than foam. Con: Too thin to match up to height of Tomy plastic track. I made shims from mat board cutouts that I got from a framing shop -- the mat board is about 1/16" thick, and brings the cork level with the track. I used small brads to nail the foam/mat board to the table. Easy to remove and modify for subsequent track changes, but the cork tends to rise up between nails on tight radius turns.

After building tracks with both foam rubber and cork borders, I've decided that the best solution is to cut borders out of 1/4" masonite or hardboard, shim with poster board to match height of track, screw in place with small flat-head screws, and then paint with flat or satin black. A lot more work, for sure, but really the most effective way to make borders for plastic track, in my opinion.

Hope this helps,
Rick V.


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## mahorsc (Mar 26, 2008)

WE HAVE USED 3M double side tape for years the white tape with green xx on the tape protectorwhen you look at the tape you see the green xxs works perfect with cork exact same height as tomy track
the center pic shows tape we did not get it close enough to the track


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

Here's a whole thread on borders: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=203598

Take a look at this post for a quick & easy way to shim cork to the right height: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showpost.php?p=2210371&postcount=47

Bob B.
Clifton Park, NY


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