Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Securing Chooch HO Flex Wall

9261 views
37 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 10,582 posts
Posted by mlehman on Sunday, June 29, 2014 8:06 PM

For the OP's original question...

Yes, trying to stick to a rough plywood edge is marginal at best. Best thing would be either to sand it smooth or apply something over it to get a smooth surface.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 1,774 posts
Posted by cmrproducts on Sunday, June 29, 2014 6:28 PM

zstripe

 

 

 

Bob,

You took the words right out of my mouth. Big Smile

Take Care!

Frank

EDIT: I have yet to see a Formica kitchen counter top come loose, using contact cement.

Frank

Infortunately I have seen it come loose!

It is quite rare but Contact Cement isn't permanent!

Close !

Same goes for Construction Adheasive - It isn't permanent either - YET some trust their projects completely with it.

Screws and Glue - only way to go!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, June 29, 2014 4:55 PM

zstripe

 I have yet to see a Formica kitchen counter top come loose, using contact cement.

 

But, of course, the Chooch Flexible Stone Walls, are not Formica.  

If you haven't worked with this material, it is difficult to intelligently comment.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Sunday, June 29, 2014 2:39 PM

cmrproducts

I have had to resort to the Contact Cement as most of the time the surface I want to attach the Chooch Wall to is a wood surface which is rough!

I will just use some along the edges (as this seems to be the only areas that come loose) and then clamp or put a board up against the wall until the Contact Cement dries!

I have found that one doesn't have to do it according to the MFG instructions to get the stuff to hold tight!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

 

Bob,

You took the words right out of my mouth. Big Smile

Take Care!

Frank

EDIT: I have yet to see a Formica kitchen counter top come loose, using contact cement.

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 1,774 posts
Posted by cmrproducts on Sunday, June 29, 2014 6:05 AM

I have had to resort to the Contact Cement as most of the time the surface I want to attach the Chooch Wall to is a wood surface which is rough!

I will just use some along the edges (as this seems to be the only areas that come loose) and then clamp or put a board up against the wall until the Contact Cement dries!

I have found that one doesn't have to do it according to the MFG instructions to get the stuff to hold tight!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: Redmond, Wa.
  • 171 posts
Posted by glutrain on Sunday, June 29, 2014 12:01 AM

If you peel off the backer paper, you will find that the Chooch walls adhere best to smooth, sealed and dust free surfaces. The adhesive is very strong and will give a permanent hold. Where I have used the Chooch walls to cover a somewhat irregular surface-to make a better lake side retaining wall than the previously installed cliff- I coated the backer paper with a high tack,flexible white glue from Crafter's Pick called Ultimate Tacky. I used track spikes to pin the walls to the former cliff face and left them in for a couple of days. The Chooch walls have enough resilience that the spike holes closed up on them selves when I pulled out the spikes.

Don H.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, June 28, 2014 7:34 PM

First of all, I have to say that I am surprised that these "stone" walls did not hold for you.   I used a fair number of these on my double bascule bridge lift out section, and none came loose.

However, on another project, I did try to re-use some stone wall strips, and I did have a problem with corners and edges coming loose.  

I talked to Chooch about this and they indicated that glues and contact cements would not work since they conflict with the factory installed adhesive.

What I finally did was to use a pin vise to drill pilot holes, then tap in Atlas track nails.  That did it, and you really cannot see the nail heads.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Saturday, June 28, 2014 4:16 PM

Paul,

One of the best:

 

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 2,616 posts
Securing Chooch HO Flex Wall
Posted by peahrens on Saturday, June 28, 2014 4:03 PM

I added a curved Chooch HO stone flexwall that I added along the 3-4' edge of a 5/8" plywood grade, beyond an engine service area.  The flexwall length required several sections.  The product has a glue on the peel & stick backing. 

After awhile the wall edge started coming away from the side of the 5/8" plywood side where attached, creating a gap.  Unfortunately I tried a series of glues squeezed into gap, including contact cement, superglue gel, Gorilla glue, epoxy, etc.  Well, that didn't work in some areas and left me with a mess in three segments with a gap where nothing could work (except a staple gun) due to the varieties of glue there.

Today I went about it again, using q-tips and lacquer thinner and (alternating) acetone to remove most of the mess in the gaps areas.  It was easier to create a clean surface on the back of the (vinyl?) flexwall material than the plywood.  Eventually I got to where I was exposing real wood and roughed it up with sandpaper.  Then, I had to choose a glue and tried superglue gel, which seems to be working on the cleaned plywood and product backing. 

Of course, if doing again I'm not sure what I'd do, as the peel and stick backing seemed inadequate but I'm not so sure superglue (or any type) added to the joint would work well with the original glue still there.  Don't know if sanding the plywood edge smoother would have helped, mild heat, etc???

I do like the product, particularly after painting it over to better match the stonework on bridge piers and abutments on the layout.

You can see some of the wall in this older photo:

     

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!