im still developing my layout design but i was wondering how thick should foam be that will be the base for the layout 2",3"…? and my old layout it what just plywood without the foam layer and i could nail down the track, how do you nail down or secure the track with the foam? cause i dont think nails hold well in foam.
I use 2-inch pink insulation foam. I support it with boards spaced every 16 inches. This seems to be more than adequate, as the foam is quite rigid and doesn’t sag at all. There’s no plywood, just the 1x3 pine support rafters. I’m modelling in HO.
I use Liquid Nails for Projects (which comes in a caulking tube) to glue the foam to the support rafters, the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed to the pink foam, and the track to the roadbed. It stays put once it sets, but it’s still possible to put a putty knife under the ties and gently lift the track up when I make a mistake.
For wiring, I have a bamboo skewer that I poke straight through the foam, and then I can thread a wire through the hole. I don’t even need a drill. I’ve got an ice pick I use for thicker wires. If I need a big hole, I use a knife to cut through.
There was an article in the August 2003 issue of MR about using DAP All Purpose Adhesive Caulk to hold down the track. You lay down a bead and used a putty knife to spread it out thin so when the track is pressed down onto the adhesive, the caulk does squeeze up between the ties.
http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=I&MAG=MR&MO=8&YR=2003&output=3&sort=A
does that cause any prolems with the track and how it conducts electricity?
I agree with MisterBeasley on the Liquid Nails for Projects.
I used it to secure my foam, roadbed and track. It works great and its also really easy to work with.
Hope this helps
Is it easy to just cover up with ballast does it leave any trace of it ? cause i use liguid nails alot and it is nice to wrok with never sure if it was safe to use to hold down track
I’m copying off MisterBeasley so far, my next step is laying the track.
Also, for a temporary, or semi-temp set up, you can use sewing pins to hold the track in place. Go right through the track and cork into the foam.
90% of my 325 worth of track is secured this way. But then agian, mine was built to be removed some day
i used tacked nails in my old layout but they stook out and took away on realism, i thought i might put it down with the tacts then once i fully tested it and its working ill glue it down. because i dont plan on removing it in the future.
Try using Latex paint. I found that it holds quite well mostly by accident, as I spilled some paint on the layout foam and it ran around the ties. As it was not going to be moved (the track that is) I just left the paint dry. I found that it is holding the track tight.
BOB H – Clarion, PA
Since Randy Rinker has disappeared on us, I must mention what he always touted… use the cheapest Latex caulk you can find. I did as he suggested, and found it works great. Place a bead down the track center line then spread thin thin thin with a putty knife. I used it to place cork roadbed on the foam and track on the cork. If you need to change or repair, it’s removable with moderate effort using a putty knife (more easily removable than with Liquid Nails for projects which can hold like a bulldog). It goes on white, but dries clear and invisible.
The liquid nails is easy to cover up if you don’t over apply it. When I first used it I put too much on and it oozed up between the ties. I learned that if it is spread with a puddy knife, it doesn’t take much for it to hold well.
k thnx for all this information ill look in to the laytex
What would you use if you thought you might need to remove the track later?
Alexander
i heard about a laytex culking thats easier to remove then some glues and dries clear not sur ethou
the 2" blue/pink foam is a great base, the cheapest latex caulk is a great adheasive as well. I have done my son’s 4x8 this way with great results. I didnt use the pink/blue foam though, I had two sheets of the white bead board foam, many people dont like it cuz it makes a huge mess when you cut it. this is true but if you can handle that mess, it works just fine.
I used the caulk to ahear the cork down, also to adhear some WS foam roadbed too. it all works well.
I pulled apart a 2x4 that i had started, i used the caulk on that foam too. i can atest that it does pull up very well. no damage either AS LONG as you DONT use TOO much caulk. if you use a lot, you can kiss your track good bye.
the latex paint will work too. in fact I use latex spray paint to adhear the track down to the road bed. I used the speckle paint, it has structure to it so the more you spray the thicker the layer of paint is. I used it as my ballast. two birds one stone.
some pics are here:
http://www.vermontel.net/~kevin_ondre/HO%20Train/
the track paint folder has pics of my test track that was done in sept of 2005, today it still looks as good as it did then and the paint has not cracked even when you press on it. its painted over the WS foam and flexes.
Kevin
thncx for the info ill probly look into that nice layout so far also 