Less sticky subject

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

In April I asked how to firmly glue down my track (PVA does just the trick for me) but now I have an almost opposite question.

I've just received the final section of dual gauge (OO9 and OO) track and bifurcating points from Just-Tracks that I need for a dual gauge bridge.  At first I want to lay it over three sections of Faller bridge-work but I hope one day to scratch build a more unique bridge structure.  I'm afraid that if I glue it with anything strong I'll never undo it again especially as Just-Tracks chairs cannot compete with a bit of masking tape when it comes to holding onto rail.  (And if my track were made of gold it would probably be cheaper and stronger.)

What is the weakest way of gluing down track?  I'e thought of double-sided tape but that looks hard to disguise.  I've thought of gluing my track firmly onto some Evergreen ts .005" sheeting and gluing that more firmly to the bridge, but it would also be hard to disguise.  I want a way to glue it down now and be able to gently dislodge it later.

Answers on a post card?

[Hobby]

You could use one of the stronger PVA glues. that way you could use warm water to dislodge it. Or you coud tie the track to the bridge using black or brown thread. Put the thread through the holes for the track pins and tie to the trusses of the bridge.

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

Oh, I don't think I knew (but I'm starting to forget a lot of things) about diluting PVA with warm water.  I think that's what I'll do.  Thanks!

[Graeme Dunbar]

A few disconnected thoughts...

I made the mistake of sticking down track with double side carpet tape. Admittedly it was bargain stuff so other brands may behave differently.

It grabbed dreadfully which made positioning track interesting. When finished, I propped the board up on end overnight and the following day it was hanging off in places but still stuck fast in others. Removing the rest was a nightmare. Any part that touched again in the attempt grabbed fast.

I'm intrigued by the variety artist's mediums available and feel sure there must be something suitable. Some stay flexible and I wonder if some will peel off a non-absorbent surface?

My wife uses glue dots for crafting tasks. They might be suitable for non permanent track fixing for a short distance such as a bridge? They appear to be the same sort of stuff that is used to stick free gifts to magazine covers and look as if they are applied in a more liquid form. I'm not aware of a consumer version of this glue.

Possibly one type of glue that is similar are the "foam safe" glues used for assembling foam radio control aircraft.

[MickT]

I think I'm missing something here! I think it depends quite a lot on what sort of baseboard/track base you are using.

On the rare occasions in my recent history that I've had an opportunity to lay any track at all, I have used some of my remaining stock of Sundeala board for baseboard material, liberated from noticeboards after an organisation I worked for was moved from the north of England to the south some 25 years ago and stuff like that was saved from skips and bonfires.

Track has been either laid directly to that off scene, or a sub base of cork sheeting or card has been used. Where a track base of this type has been used, that is tacked and then glued. I've used adhesive cork tiles cut up,  PVA woodworking glue "painted on", contact adhesive and double sided adhesive tape, no particular preference other than probably cuttingup adhesive cork tiles (when you can find them nowadays!)

So, no requirement for drilling holes etc for track pins as the baseboard/trackbase is fairly soft but also quite firm and in that case I have laid track using good old Peco track pins which can be pushed in with fine nose pliers and a little help where required from a very small tack/panel pin hammer. No need for adhesives. Once laid, alignment adjusted where necessary (easy without adhesives), then ballasting "in the normal manner" ie dry ballast of whatever takes your fancy, fixed with a mix of 10 parts PVA, 10 parts water and 1 part washing up liquid as demonstrated perfectly for 30+ years on Ted Polet's Craigcorrie and Dunalistair and that's it (notwithstanding wiring and painting under point tiebars where it is a good idea to NOT used ballast etc).

This may not be the recognised textbook way to lay track, but it has worked for me, so is offered as a suggestion.

Mick

[Graeme Dunbar]

(You've done what I do regularly Mick - miss the first post! The problem is fixing track to a bridge deck until an improved bridge is made.)

A bit of serendipity here - my wife (on her laptop just now on a craft web site) said "what's silicone glue?" "Dunno says I."  Might be a possible solution?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stick-Silicone-Glue-Tube-Transparent/dp/B0038EHV6Q

I imagine it might peel off non-absorbent surfaces such as plastic track and a bridge kit?

[clayliner]

If you're looking for the weakest way to glue down track the answer may not be in the adhesive but rather in where and how much (or little) you use.

I'd be tempted not to use adhesive all the way along, but just to tack the track down enough - maybe 25% or 50% of the length, say - to keep it in place, with either sticky tape or glue.

David.

[JulienW]

The issue is perhaps not how strong the adhesive is but how reversible it is.

Assuming that both the bridge and the sleepers are plastic then PVA can be reversed by soaking the joints in hot water - soak cotton wool in very hot water, pack around the joints and wrap them up in cling film. Another suggestion would be some of the adhesives used in museum conservation. There are a series of resins that can be dissolved in a solvent to make an adhesive and the same solvent can be used to take things apart again later. I've used Paraloid B72 a lot, but as that is dissolved in acetone it isn't so good with plastics (causes stress fractures in the plastic and will dissolve the High Impact Styrene that is used a lot in plastic kits) so as an alternative you could try Paraloid B67 which is soluble in white spirit (also known as mineral spirit / turpentine substitute) which should be OK with plastics. The resin comes as small pellets to be dissolved up to make the adhesive - typically 10 to 20% weight to volume (i.e. 10 - 20g in 100 ml) but you can add more resin to make a more viscous adhesive - and to undo the joints use cotton wool soaked in the solvent packed around the joints and covered in cling film (to keep the solvent in). This will soften the adhesive so it can be pulled apart and then the residues cleaned off (scrape off the softened residues or wipe of with solvent).

The principle supplier of these resin adhesives in the U.K. is Conservation Resources.

Hope that helps...

[Graeme Dunbar]

I think there also are various other terms that apply to adhesive strength. From the very little I understand on the subject I believe that what is appropriate in this application is a glue with fair shear strength so the track does not move but low peel strength so it can be lifted, a bit like the way Post-it notes work.

[Hugh Norwood]

I seem to recall someone saying they used Copydex?

[Hobby]

Yes, I've heard of that used for normal track laying as well, Hugh. I don't know what it's like if you want to lift the track later without damage, though?

[Graeme Dunbar]

I've not tried Copydex (latex) glue but I've heard of it being used to glue down ballast instead of PVA because it dries "rubbery" (as you would expect) and so did not transmit sound through the ballast as much as more rigid glues such as PVA.

I've heard it does age and crumble, but that should not be a problem if the bridge mentioned at the start is to be replaced in time. Water colourist's masking fluid appears to be the same sort of stuff as Copydex but runnier and more expensive.

I have used UHU contact adhesive. I had two virtually identical tubes, presumably bought at different times. One was solvent-based and melted (more like noticeably etched) the Peco plastic sleepers whereas the other peeled off nicely when the track was lifted.

[clayliner]

...a glue with fair shear strength so the track does not move but low peel strength so it can be lifted...

I did see an ad for Fixadent on the television the other evening - it seems to have just the required properties.

Apologies.

David.

[David Jackson]

I did read recently of the use of Copydex for fixing track & the subsequent use of a hair dryer to soften it to remove the track. Maybe a test piece! ?

[Phil Court]

Many years ago i used copydex to "pot" 2 LEDs and resistors in a plastic housing.
To my horror i discovered that copydex is conductive.
Dont know if the formula has changed - it was 40 years ago!!!!!