Fast glue for foam block scenery?

[vsmith]

I've been completely spoiled rotten now by the CA glue on my workbench, but now I'm beginning to tackle the scenery on my tiny layout and I'd like to find a fast adhesive to glue together the foam blocks that will be the basis of my scenery.

I'm using the green foam blocks used for flower arraingment. YES, I know its crap but I got a ton of the stuff and I plan to use plaster cloth over it. The question is ...is there an adhesive that will allow be the set the blocks together in a speedy manner?

I hate the thought of " glue down a block, wait 1 hr, glue down a block, wait 1 hr, glue down a block...."

[rrinker]

Latex caulk stick well to extruded foam and foam rubber roadbed, it might work on the floral foam as well. It doesn't 'dry' super fast, but it IS quite tacky in minutes, and will allow you to keep working without waiting for a full cure.

--Randy

[orsonroy]

Probably the fastest foam safe adhesive is foam safe rubber cement. Cover one piece with cement, press them both together, pull them apart, wait five minutes, put them back together, and you've got a permanent bond. Rubber cement's not cheap, but for a very small layout it shouldn't break the bank.

I prefer caulk as a foam adhesive these days, btu I haven't yet used it to glue two sheets together, so I have no idea how long it;ll take to dry. Wood glue and Liquid Nails take well over a week!

[vsmith]

Ray

I should point out that while a refer to my layout as tiny, it is fact a G gauge indoor layout and about 8' x 20' overall, Tiny..... by G gauge standards....[(-D]

the main area in question will be about 3' x 5' and consist of stacked brick size blocks with smaller cut up leftover pieces filling out the massing. I'm going for a southwest Monument Valley sort of look .

[rrinker]

Actually, I can let you know the answer to that later tonight. One of the changes I did required complete removal of a turnout, and I wasn't going to waste the Tortoise, so I pulled that out too. I used a block of foam to fill the now large hole, and used my caulk to stick it in, and then built it up smooth across the top. That was last weekend - and it's a VERY large fill. I'll take a look tonight and see if it has dried yet, or if it's still white.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

I just use elmers. Dont know if thats fast enough for you.

[Anonymous]

There is a special adhesive available in cauking tubes made specially for attaching foam. Can't recall the name - "Liquid Nails" brand? Anyway local building supply firms should carry it and know what you should use.

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know how Liquid Nails for Projects compares to a latex caulk in terms of tackiness, bonding time, types of material it can bond?

Getzen

[Anonymous]

I use hot glue on my green foam scenery. Whatever that green stuff is made of it doesn't melt even if I leave the glue gun tip on it.

[rrinker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Getzen

Does anyone know how Liquid Nails for Projects compares to a latex caulk in terms of tackiness, bonding time, types of material it can bond?

Getzen

I tried using the Liquid Nails product to bond the foam to the wood benchwork. Heavily weighted it with about 12 year's worth of MR on each 2x8 foam piece. A week later - it was easy to pop right off. So I said forget it.
Repeated the process, this time with yellow glue. Now, it doesn't come off.
The liquid nails (or that PL something or other that Jim Kelly used in the Turtle Creek articles - HD around here doesn't carry that, just Liquid Nails) may work well to fasten the roadbed tot he foam, and/or the track to the roadbed, but I suspect it dris a lot harder that latex caulk, and I also suspect it will be much harder to remove track and roadbed without damage should you ever need to change anything. The latex caulk never dries rock hard, there's a little 'give' in it, which helps keep things quiet.

--Randy

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Getzen

Does anyone know how Liquid Nails for Projects compares to a latex caulk in terms of tackiness, bonding time, types of material it can bond?

Getzen

Exposed to air, caulk wins hands down. Liquid Nails takes 2-3 hours to set up & dry completely, and it's a weak bond. It doesn't self-level at all, and it's hard to smooth. Caulk gives you a good working medium, sets in 20-30 minutes, and is dry in an hour. It self-levels somewhat, and bonds really well.

I haven't yet used caulk between large sheets, but I use it exclusively to lay track. When I used to use LN for bonding foam sheets (I use wood glue now) it took between 1-2 WEEKS to fully dry, and the bond still sucked.

[TBat55]

I use construction adhesive in caulk gun tubes. It's commonly used for holding things like ceramic toilet paper holders so it's strong and surfaces can be a little dusty. At $1.49 a tube, it's worth a try (available at almost any hardware store). It's thick and tacky; sets up fast enough (may need brace for a few minutes). I use it for sticking Hydrocal rock castings onto hardened plaster cloth.