Fastening track to insulation foam board?

[vabchrog]

Happy Holidays everyone. I am in the process of getting everything together to build a showcase track for my Grand Prix cars. I plan on building a small fully detailed track on insulated foam board. I'm thinking hot glue or a silicone sealant to secure it down. What would you recommend?

[Pappy]

Dabs of Shoe Goo might work. It will come off if you want to change something.

[BIG E]

Yeah, white glues such as Alene's Tacky Glue (sold in craft stores like Michael's) or "Canopy Glue" (used for the windows on R/C aircraft) will work, too. It's inexpensive, water based, dries clear, and also can be removed and re-done.
Just another suggestion. Good luck with the project. -- Ernie :>)

[mrstumpyHO]

I've been using extruded Styrofoam insulation board (NOT the typical white packaging "bead board") for portable model railroad layouts and slot and slotless car tracks for some time. Did my first in 1999! Slot car tracks are plastic and white glues will work just "ok" and only if the track is kept level. White glues and carpenter glues are made to bond less dense materials together, not plastics.

I prefer silicone sealer or caulking. They are strong enough to take some abuse without coming loose and will withstand the putting the layout on edge for storage. Additionally you can slide a wide putty knife under the track and carefully pry the track up off the Styrofoam if you need to change the track design or reuse the track elsewhere. The sealers and caulk can be scraped off the Styrofoam if you're real careful so it can be reused too.

Do NOT use silicone glues or construction cement as you'll never get your track off again without damage to it and the Styrofoam! Also, solvent glues and paints will dissolve the Styrofoam, leaving you with a gooey (and costly) mess! Use only acrylic or latex paints.

Another neat thing about extruded Styrofoam is that it can be cut and carved with a hobby or steak knife to make light weight risers for track grades and hills for scenery. It has a surface texture like concrete or rock so it looks right painted gray for those uses. I keep "cut offs" from extruded Styrofoam projects for all kinds of uses.

Stumpy Stone in Ahia :character-oldtimer:

[vabchrog]

[Cincyslots]

I have a 1/32 Carrera customer that laid his track out on a sheet of foam core. He traced it and cut it, all the way through, out. He then laid that on another sheet so the track was counter sunk and he had track walls all the way around. This way you don't have to glue your track unless you need to for storage. Just a thought.

Bruce

[RV Racing]

[vabchrog]

There very well be one to christen the new track when its finished. One thing about the videos, it show a newly constructed track. Its interesting to see where and how they graded the dirt curve barriers. The love the simple advertising banners that were laid over the dirt or hay. There is a large ESSO Boy laying down in the first video it must have been too windy. I wish my French was better.

[RV Racing]

It truly is a spectacular circuit carved through the countryside. The dirt berms and the hay bales lining the course certainly add to the atmosphere, along with the simple advertising banners of the time. The piano sound track and the French commentary in the second video transports me to France. Very stylish!

Cheers,
Rick V.

[TuscoTodd]

I was wondering the same thing (best way to glue to foam) - as my hollow core door is a bit smaller than the layout I finally settled on (will fit nicely on cut down foam though!) - so definitely appreciate the sharing of attachment thoughts guys! :D