I just glued down some track to foam roadbed with a solution of 1/4 elmers, 3/4 water, and a bit of rubbing alcohol. The mix has settled pretty well but some of the spaces between the ties are pretty much full. My question is, will that go away when the water evaporates and leave some space for ballast? Also, how long does it take to dry?
Thanks.
Well the general mix for white glue and water for ballasting etc. is 50/50 but I would not recommend it for securing track to roadbed. It may and I say may work if you have track nails holding it down and only remove them after ballasting or just leave them in. White glue is water soluble so as soon as you go to secure your ballast the track is going to lift. I’m not sure why you put the alcohol in the mix as it’s generally used as a wetting agent when you ballast track. A wetting agent is penetrates the ballast and goes down to the roadbed when you add the 50/50 white glue to secure the ballast it travels through the ballast via the wetting agent to secure the ballast thoroughly. If you don’t use a wetting agent ballast will typically float or clump up. Some guy prefer “wet water” a few drops of dish detergent mixed with water as a wetting agent. Photo developing fluid has also been used but I suspect is harder and harder to find these days.
To effectively glue track to roadbed a lot of guys use Yellow carpenters glue which is not water soluble or the some what newer method of using latex adhesive caulking. Hope you didn’t glue down too much, it’s going to have to come up and be redone.
Never heard of gluing track down with a diluted white glue solution. That is usually what ballast is glued down with. Most folks use a full strength glue or latex caulk to attach track. Since I doubt that the solution will soak into the foam roadbed I presume it will stay between the ties. Have no idea on drying time.
Let folks know if this holds the track.
If it does hold, I would think it might soften up a little when you put the glue solution on the ballast, thus help hold it down.
Experimentation can lead to interresting results.
Good luck,
I just used full strength white glue to glue my flex track down to my WS roadbed.
Another option is Aleene’s Tacky Glue. Goes on white, drys clear. Comes up pretty easy with a putty knife if you need to make small adjustments. You can find it at Walmart, Michaels, etc.
I’ve used both tacky glue and adhesive caulk to fasten track down, and I much prefer the latter, because the track is more likely to stay where I put it. I’ve never heard of using the dilute white glue – that’s what I use for scenic materials and ballast.
When I use that mixture for ballast / scenery, it generally takes about 24 hrs to dry completely, but that’s in a cool, dry basement. Your conditions may change that time significantly. Since there is some glue there, I’d imagine that it will hold your track in place, but probably not very well, and if you get it wet it will sure as sunrise come loose.