What brand of glue for track

What is the brand name of the best glue to use for gluing Atlas c55 track to cork roadbed? It should have little odor to keep the wife happy! Thanks for any help.

 

I use very little Atlas track anymore, but when I did, I just use the same stuff I use now with Unitrack. I get the cheap low temp glue sticks to use with a glue gun. You can get it at any hardware, or hobby store. I am sure WalMart has it too even though I never darken their doors. But I am sure they have it too in household, fabric, or hardware isles. probably all of them.

 

Good old carpenters glue for the cork roadbed and Liquid Nails for the track to roadbed.
Liquid Nails is available in a smaller toothpaste type tube and is availble at most hardware, craftstores, and home supply stores like Lowes, or Home depot. Very, very thin bead applied to bottom of tie. Slow enough setting to allow positioning for awhile and use small pins pushed through the regular spaced holes in the tie centers to hold in place. The very small bead and minimal usage means minimal odor.

 

That stuff is a good adheasive, but good luck if you ever want to pull up a section of track for upgrade, or repair. That stuff is forever, lol... The low temp hot glue will stay as long as you want it too, and not to bad to defeat if you ever need to pull up some track without tearing it, and surrounding stuff up with it...

 

I used Weldbond PVA (carpenters/wood) glue to glue the cork down then the C55 on top of it. I lay a fine bead then run a finger along it to spread it thin. Wait a few minutes and lay the track down. It stays tacky enough to adjust the track for a few minutes and then sets up nicely and use weights if necessary to hold the track down.
Similar to John, I use map pins to hold the track in place but on either side of the rail and not through the sleepers.

If you need to change it before ballasting, just spray it with water and wait 20 minutes or so and you can lift the track relatively easily.

 

For gluing cork roadbed to the sub-roadbed and also for gluing the track to the roadbed, I used the cheapest latex caulk available at Wal-Mart. It holds well, but if necessary, you can remove the track from the roadbed with some warm water and a thin putty knife.

I'm using Atlas N-scale C55.

- Jeff

 

I use a thin layer of Titebond III wood glue. It holds the track well and won't soften when ballasting.

 

I use Polyseamseal All-Purpose Adhesive Caulk in the CLEAR variety. They sell them at Home Depot and Lowe's:


(this one is in the WHITE variety, you want CLEAR (it applies white colored but it turns clear when dry).

 

I use DAP
KWIK SEAL PLUS® Premium Kitchen & Bath Adhesive Caulk w/MICROBAN®


http://www.dap.com/product_details.aspx?BrandID=21&SubcatID=5

I like it because it gives you a few minutes to adjust the track position before setting.

Jacques

 

Because of the OOOPS ! factor, I use Elmer's white glue. It is water based and easy to pull up with a soaking.

Once installed, I have never experienced shifting of the track, even when rewetting and installing ballast.

 

I must be crazy! I tack my track down with track nails, solder all my joints, then ballast and glue. After 100% dry and hard, I pull out the track nails. I never glue the track! And if I wanna pull it all up, warm water on the ballast for a day will loosen it all up since I use quite diluted Elmer's glue or white all-purpose glue to do it. Seems like I may be doing it as close to the railroads as can be- I rely on the ballast to hold the track Rarely does it become a problem, especially when all rail joints are soldered....

 

are there any brands of double sided tape whose bond won't weaken when ballast is applied? there's an idea.

 

I like Titebond III, too. It sets very rapidly--I just hold it down with some cans for awhile until it sets--but if you want to change what you did, it's easy to just pop off the track by running a thin blade under it.

 

I glue my track, but in areas where I want to make sure everything stays exactly where I want it, I'll drill a hole in a tie and insert a nail. Then after ballasting is completed I'll pull the nail. Works great!

 

I use white glue with matte medium or woodland scenics white glue. I mix 80% white and 20% matte medium or WS as it makes the glue set up and still be slightly pliable so that if you have temp. or humidity changes; it won't break the glue bond as it is a little more flexible.

Brian