I would like to know what # drill bit to use to drill holes for spikes in Peco code 100 flextrack that will be mounted to 1/4" thick homasote over 1/2" plywood. Also along the same lines, what brand of spikes and length would you use for the above? Thanks.
Bob D
Hobby shops sell “track nails” which are about 1/2" flat head brads colored black. The black is most effective and the nails just disappear when driven into the ties. A tremendous improvement in looks over the typical hardware store brad which is bright steel in color. I was using something like a #60 drill bit in a pin vise to drill the ties. If all you have is a carpenters twist drill set, the 1/16" will be OK although a little big.
If you have a drill index, the way to select the proper drill size is to fit the fastener (nail in this case) into the various drill holes to see which one it fits best.
Since Peco turnouts usually have pilot holes cast into the BOTTOMS of the ties as certain locations, I’d assume they’d do the same for their flextrack. A #60 drill bit works, as does twirling an X-acto blade in the pilot hole until the point just sticks out (or until whichever track nails you choose to use will fit into it). You only want to open it up until the nail fits without much play.
David I want to use spikes not nails as I plan to use these on the outside of the rails to hold the radaii while the adhesive sets between the track and the homasote. If I used nails and inserted them between the rails I would probably drive them too deep and throw the rails out of gauge.
Bob D
Oh, so ultimately, you’ll be using adhesive to hold the track in place? Just use push pins! [:D] That way you can adjust the track if needed while the adhesive is setting, and remove the pins afterwards.
Good advice, though I’ve used common dressmakers pins into cork roadbed when I made an HO layout for friends or for a display layout for my HO model RR shop. Either way, as Arjay said, this gives you some flexibility to shift the track a little before the glue sets. In the old days, when MR built project pikes for the magazine, they placed the tracks on the base surface and marked the centerlines of the trackage to plot centerlines for gluing down the cork roadbed. I used this method to insure that the cork roadbed was properly positioned—but still used the dressmakers pins to hold the tracks in place while the white glue set (gluing ballast in place reinforces the white glue joint on the finished product).
From a practical standpoint, I use small head track nails when I am fastening track to plywood. When using Peco track I use a drill with the same diameter as their “almost” pre-drilled holes. Otherwise, I use a number 55 pilot drill and a number 62 drill for the plywood pilot hole. ( And keep a few extras on hand). I do not like to glue the track down especially turnouts because I find that I am always making changes. I mostly use Homesote. Even then, I still use nails on prefab track and only use spikes when I handlay the track. I believe if you are using Homasote , you do not need to glue the track down and if you are looking for realism, you can use only spikes in the pre-drilled holes. PS; I use Micro Engineering standard size HO spikes for code 100 and small for code 82 or under. Peter Smith, Memphis