Author Topic: Gluing UNITRAK  (Read 2549 times)

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eja

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Gluing UNITRAK
« on: February 20, 2014, 02:23:11 PM »
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I am curious regarding how you folks that use Unitrak glue down .  I have seen folks use a glue gun on wood.   Sounds that that would work but raises a couple of questions in my mind  - is it removable when I later change my mind or discover that plan won't work and how much "work time" does it allow.

Also what do folks use on foam ?

Comments and suggestions much appreciated ....


eja

Philip H

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2014, 02:37:42 PM »
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If by "glue gun" you mean hot melt glue - I'd shy away from that for a number of reasons.  If you mean an adhesive product, then latex caulk seems to work well for a lot of applications in track laying.  Yellow carpenters glue spread thin seems to be another.

For gluing foam sheets together - Liquid Nails makes a special foam board construction adhesive, but the latex caulk workd too.  Some guys even spread a thin layer of Great Stuff expanding foam in the can.
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Ed Kapuscinski

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2014, 03:36:33 PM »
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I have a friend who's had pretty good luck using a glue gun.

Or at least, he's said so. I don't have many details beyond that though.

Bob Bufkin

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2014, 04:31:28 PM »
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I just use a white glue and after the tracks are adjusted the way I want I add weight and let it dry for a day.  Then I move on to the next section  Might be slow but it stays in place and can be easily removed or adjusted .

seusscaboose

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2014, 05:09:42 PM »
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I have a friend who's had pretty good luck using a glue gun.

Or at least, he's said so. I don't have many details beyond that though.

Wait a minute. You got a friend?
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Bob Bufkin

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2014, 05:14:15 PM »
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Wait a minute. You got a friend?

Everytime he looks into a mirrow.

Flagler

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2014, 05:34:30 PM »
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On foamboard use white glue,just pait a thin amount along the edge at the joint on each side of roadbed

eja

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2014, 06:44:47 PM »
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If by "glue gun" you mean hot melt glue -

That is what I meant..

Kentuckian

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2014, 06:53:02 PM »
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I have used liquid nails for projects to attach it to foam.  When I go to remove it, the glue sticks to the roadbed and rips up the foam, so I have to scrape it off.
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packers#1

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2014, 08:42:50 PM »
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I've used a glue gun and it worked fine, but I've also used latex caulk from Lowes and that works much better; still easily removed and it has a much more firm grip
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jpec

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2014, 10:09:15 PM »
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I use a DAP caulk product, it's in a red & white tube...Kwik-Seal Plus. Costs about 4 bucks a tube, get the clear. Put a dab about the size of your thumbnail on the underside where the nail hole drill out is, weight it down overnight and you're good. If you want to take it up later, slide a wide putty knife and it'll come up easily...I took up about 30' of O scale track up as well as the cork it was on that I laid 4 years ago without a hitch...

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Flagler

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2014, 04:17:43 AM »
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Only use foam & white glue. I had a 100ft long x 3 foot wide layout and purchased some used tunitrack that had been aattached with caulk,what a mess to clean out the pockets that hold yhe unijoiners

Flagler

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2014, 07:44:42 AM »
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Warning Will Robison. DO NOT USE CAULK. The white glue is also a very fast method,not a slow process at all.
Pour the white glue into a empty coleslaw bowl from Chic-filet.Have the kato track perfectly in place.dip a 1/8"-1/4" soft paint brush into the glue.Paint a 1" long line along the edge on each side of the roadbed at the end of the section of track.When it dries clear a few hours at most it will stay in place.

Catt

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2014, 07:53:27 AM »
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I've been using LOCTITE PL 300 foamboard.It may tear a bit of foam when you pull it up but on plywood it comes up clean.Liquid nails is fine if you really have the track the way you want it but for me it just tears up the foamboard if I need to remove it.

JMO,YMMV.  :D
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Scottl

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Re: Gluing UNITRAK
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2014, 08:10:25 AM »
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Given that Unitrack can easily be reused, I would not adhere it with glue of any kind.  I would use caulking, which will peel off the Unitrack cleanly if you pull it up.

Caulk works well for regular track too.