Track adhesive

[ezdays]

I guess a follow-up question to the white glue issue for tracklaying... Because white glue does soften up again once it gets wet, does this mean there might be a danger of loosening the track when one goes to ballast?

I'm going to be using primarily Kato Unitrack for my first layout, but I will be gluing it down to pink foamboard. In related projects, I've had a lot of success with LePage's "No More Nails" adhesive... at least for gluing foamboard together. However, since it is not a clear-drying substance, I'm hestiant to use it on non-Kato track. At least with Unitrack, I'm gluing down the roadbed, not really the track itself...

Using white glue is great because it gives you the option to easily make changes as you go. I'd be in deep you know what if I couldn't do that. To answer your question, when you lay the balast, it will loosen up the glued track, but the ballast and the rest of the trackwork should hold it in place until it dries again.

 

[Drew1125]

I just use white glue also…it takes about two hours to cure…I use either map pins or weight the track down with something…
What I like about the white glue is that it makes a nice temporary bond before the track is ballasted…if you need to pull up, or re-position the track; all you need to do is gently slide a putty knife under it, & pop it up…
I’ve never been very good with hot glue…I always end up with a mess, &/or 3rd degree burns…!
I have used liquid nails, & I still use it for gluing together foam insulation board, but it’s on the messy side, too, & it’s just too much glue for N scale track…

 

[ezdays]

I just use white glue also…it takes about two hours to cure…I use either map pins or weight the track down with something…
What I like about the white glue is that it makes a nice temporary bond before the track is ballasted…if you need to pull up, or re-position the track; all you need to do is gently slide a putty knife under it, & pop it up…
I’ve never been very good with hot glue…I always end up with a mess, &/or 3rd degree burns…!
I have used liquid nails, & I still use it for gluing together foam insulation board, but it’s on the messy side, too, & it’s just too much glue for N scale track…

We seem to think a lot alike here. I do the same thing, using liquid nails for gluing foam, I don't like it for anything else because it is unforgiving, you can't change it without a mess once it sets, and secondly, if you use a little, the rest gets hard in the caulk gun and you waste most of it.

You're lucky, only 3rd degree burns with a hot glue gun? I can get that with the gun unplugged:cry:... Yeah, I do use the hot melt glue on some things, but aside from the 2nd or 1st degree burns, ops: I wind up with glue cobwebs (or are they gluewebs?) all over the place.

With the white glue, as I also said, you can make adjustments to your track or roadbed easilly. I usually soak the track and it comes right up. I've even done that after the tracks were ballasted. Just a few seconds is all it takes. You can't seem to soak the roadbed off, I use a razor saw to pull it up with little damage to either the foam or cork.

 

[CalFlash]

I used adhesive caulk out of a tube to glue flex track to homasote and see no reason it wouldn't work with your combination(s). It's quite fast going but with enough work time for positioning etc.

 

[dwight77]

When you are using the white glue to hold the track in place (including flex track I hope) do you use the glue full strength?....or dilute it?
Thanks
dwight77

 

[Clerk]

I use it full strenght but just run a "very thin" bead and pin the flex track to it until it sets.:thumb: :thumb: If you have to adjust the track a trifle after the glue sets, put a very small amount of water on the ties so it soaks into the glue and move the track. You shouldn't have to reglue it. just pin it down until it sets again.