I would like to put extra ties under my tubular track and would like to no if there is a way to do it where I could get supplies from a hardware store. I also have a inch and a half of foam on top of half inch plywood. What size screws should I use to tack the track down?
Use 1" screws to hold the track down. You don’t want the screws to penetrate the wood.
Jim
on my layout I used #6 1/2 inch screws for the track and made over 5000 wood ties out of popsicle sticks, I woulkd cut them to size and get two ties out of each stick. I would mass paint about 100 at a time using flat black, brown and grey spray paint. I would use three betwwen each standard tie spacing on Lionel tublar track. The thinness of the popsicle stick allow them to slide right under the rail and the height allows for easy balest installation.
you can use up to 1 1/2" screws without hitting the plywood. I used some walnut I sliced to size. the walnut has a good color and a fine grain that looks shows well in that small size. I didn’t use any other finish on them. you will need access to a good table saw with a 0 clearance throat plate to cut these safely.
I added extra ties to my Lionel tubular O gauge track with 1/2 x 1/4 basswood painted black. Each piece of basswood was cut 2-1/2 inches using the Craftsman Handicut. It made a nice straight cut without splinters. I used cork roadbed and the 1/4" thick wood was a perfect, snug fit under the track.
If you are in a hurry or a little lazy, you can buy them in large batches. Check your CTT adds.
Great job on those ties, Crabby! Nice photo of your layout.
Jim
Thanks Jim. My track may not look as good as your Fastrack but I enjoyed doing the work with the ties and the roadbed. After spending a lot of time cutting and painting the ties, I saw a whole bag full of premade jobbers at the Greenburg show in Wilmington. If I ever rebuild or expand, I would still use tubular track with my handmade ties. All is well in Red Sox nation.
Crabby -
You’re a Mass. guy! An ever growing contingent. All IS well in Red Sox Nation! Even Manny wants to stay here. Your ties look like they were professionally produced. Great job!
Jim
I used 1/4" black foam board cut to size for the ties. It made a huge difference in the appearance, inexpensive also.
Jim
Me Too! I just kept cutting away with a sharp carpenter’s knife. I used to get damaged pieces for a big discount at a craft store (Charette’s). One sheet about 3 x 3 went a long way.
Not to sound like the lazy one here, but I used “O” Gauge ties from 3r Plastics. Look for their ad in Classic Toy Trains. They’re beautifully embossed with wood grain, tie plates, and spikes, and the tie-plates fit sugly around the base of the tin-plate rail.
They come in “O”, “O-27” and “S”. I highly recommend them. You also go through a LOT less ballast when using ties!
Jon [8D]