I had to make a couple of changes to newly laid track that was only down a few months. Now I have quite a bit of flex track with silicone all over it and I have not found an easy way to get it off. it’s GE silicone caulk. any tips would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance.
captwilb
I prefer nails, but I recall reading that the preferred caulk for track laying is the latex variety. That’s certainly not much help with your current problem, but may be of use for your next attempt. [swg]
Wayne
If you can’t answer the question then why bother posting?
If there is enough that it needs to be removed, you used too much. Spread it VERY thin.
Silicone is EASY to remove. Just rub it off like rubber cement or if it is a little thicker just pull it off. It likes to come off all at once, albeit the ties will be a pain in the caboose: there are just so many of them. Still take your time and in an evening or two the tracks will be just like new.
ROAR
You are correct in that I didn’t answer the question. However, I did offer a solution to avoid this problem in the future (two solutions, if you consider the mention of nails). [swg]
I won’t ask for an explanation of why you didn’t answer the question, as I wouldn’t want to put you in this position a second time. [:-^]
Wayne
mactier_hogger
Wouldn’t that same criticism apply to you and your post?
As to the OP’s question, there are chemical solvents that will remove silicone caulk.
Rich
mactier hogger!
Come on dude! This is a friendly forum! There is nothing to be accomplished by being critical of another member’s post. Please be nice.
Thanks
Dave
Try soaking it in straight hot water, I use the bath tub and after a little soaking, use a soft brass bristle brush. That is how I reuse my ballasted track and I usually get it all back including the ballast, just put a rag in the drain to keep from plugging it up. Just get the wife’s OK first or to be safer use a 5 -6 gallon bucket, Jim.
Hi,
I suggest picking / rolling it off with your fingers or CAREFULLY using an Xacto chisel blade (bevel side to the ties) to get it started. It may end up being a process of “more trouble than its worth”…
Next Time - as previously suggested - use track nails or a super thin layer of Latex caulk - the cheaper the better. Note that the use of nails vs caulk has been debated a few times here, with no clear “winner”.
I had the same situation with about ten lengths of Atlas flex that I pulled out of the Netherworld for re-use. Ended up rubbing the caulk off with my thumbs. Gave me something to do while sitting on the throne.[:-^]
Don’t know what good soaking in water would do. Silicone caulk is SUPPOSED to be waterproof…[oops]
Likewise, solvents that will attack caulk are likely to be plastic tie hostile…[xx(]
Why did I lift the flex? So I could re-lay a staging yard with raw rail (no ties) and save a millimeter of overhead clearance. The yard surface is a plain pine board…[alien]
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
91% rubbing alchohol might work. It works for virtually anything elese that I have used it on. You will need to get some sort of shallow, narrow tub or tray, put the track in it, and then empty a bottle of alchohol to cover. Wait for it to soften the caulk and then clean the caulk off the track. It does not take long for it to work, so you can do your track in batches, depending on how much track you are trying to clean. It is messy and can be a bit tedious. Good luck.
Do you know that for a fact or are you speculating?
I don’t ask that to criticize you, but I am interested if 91% rubbing alcohol would remove silicone caulk which I doubt.
Rich
Fair enough Rich. It has worked on everything else that I have used it for, and I assumed that it will work on silicon. Perhaps I should have indicated that he might want to try a small test with it.
I was wondering about denatured alcohol which I use to clean track, both vintage American Flyer track and nickel silver HO track, but who knows. I never use caulk on track, just nails, but as doctorwayne pointed out, better to use latek caulk. I use silicone caulk for some outdoor projects because it is waterproof, but I would never consider it for track. Way too permanent and way too hard to remove as the OP has found out the hard way.
Rich
Acetone and automotive Prepsol are the only products that I have found that will soften, not actually disolve the silicone. Even if this doesn’t attack the ties, any solvents will allow silicone to coat every portion of the track. Scrapping or rubbing it off is far better. 100% silicone is a real tough material, I would never recommend using it to glue track.
Rubbing/picking it off is probably your only chance. If there is a thick layer remainign on the track, you used too much. I’ve had no problem pulling up and re-using caulked track, but I use cheap latex caulk. Not latex caulk with silicone or silicone.
Every time I see a caulk thread where someone suggests silicone or the blend caulks I try to suggest NOT doing that. Now you see why. Plus, silicone caulk gives off objectionable odors while it cures. Latex, especially spread as thin as it should be for track laying, is essentially odorless. Unless you have alatex allergy, in which case just use nails.
–Randy
I used to think that the odor emanating from freshly applied silicone caulk was vinegar which is what the odor smells like. But, I later found out that the odor is caused by a release of acetic acid during the curing process.
GE Silicone I, the original product, produces a strong acetic acid odor during the curing process.
GE Silicone II, a newer product, generates a “neutral” cure, such that the odor is much less apparent.
Still, silicone caulk is best avoided for securing track because it is extremely difficult to remove.
Rich
I use this stuff:
I put a small bead down the middle of the roadbed then use a cheap plastic scraper to spread it so thin that I can see through it.
It holds tight, and the track can be easily pried up if needed. I have taken track up and reused it with no problem at all, and no significant residue on the ties.