How much small detail stuff do you glue down on a semi-permanent layout?

[Phil Himsworth]

My layout is generally permanent, except for times like Christmas when we need the room and it has a brief holiday in the garage.

 

This means removing anything that isn't glued down, but then when it comes out again I often never quite get round to putting all the loose bits back.

 

To avoid this I'd have to glue pretty much everything down to avoid the layout looking a bit bare most of the time. But I'm hesitant to do this; what if I want to move little things round a bit, remove something I don't want, or add something new instead?

 

How does everyone else manage? Do you fix everything permanently in position, or spend aaaages setting everything out again? Or do your layouts just look a bit bare most of the time because playing trains or making new things is more fun than setting out a thousand little scenic items?

 

I assume on an exhibition layout you've got no choice; stuff has to be fixed down. But on a layout that only moves a few times a year, I'm torn.

 

I'd be interested to hear from others with almost-permanent (or not permanent at all) layouts about how you manage all the little fiddly bits...

[Wheatley]

It depends what the 'thing' is, how vulnerable to damage it is, and whether it could realistically not need to be there some of the time. So all figures are removeable because they are potentially posed differently each operating session. I knicked the idea from Trevor Potts' "Churston" in MRJ, although I haven't quite gone to the same extent of giving them all names and back stories (one day perhaps). Road vehicles are similarly removable if only because I've got far more than the layout can accommodate so they get swapped around. 

 

Buildings and larger vulnerable fittings like telegraph poles, signals, phone boxes, lamp posts, station nameboards etc and some trees  are removable if necessary, for maintenance or if they would be vulnerable when the boards are being moved for example. Buildings slot into a hole in the scenery whereas telegraph poles etc push into a bit of tube. The disadvantage with this method is that somewhere in the study is a small cardboard box full of telegraph poles, poseable gates, piles of barrels and pallets etc but I'm blowed if I can find it. 

 

Very small details - individual barrels and sacks, platform benches, the coalman's scales etc are all glued down. 

Edited April 18, 2023 by Wheatley

[davknigh]

I find that for things like figures that either need to be moved or that are still looking for their “home” a tacky/sticky wax does the job. It can be had from a variety of suppliers, mine came from a miniatures show but fly tying wax also works well. For something a little less likely to be moved some form of rubber cement usually does the job.

 

Cheers,

 

David

[Phil Himsworth]

On 18/04/2023 at 21:03, Wheatley said:

The disadvantage with this method is that somewhere in the study is a small cardboard box full of telegraph poles, poseable gates, piles of barrels and pallets etc but I'm blowed if I can find it. 

That's the problem I have, only I know exactly where the box is, I'm just too lazy to actually put everything back!

 

5 hours ago, davknigh said:

I find that for things like figures that either need to be moved or that are still looking for their “home” a tacky/sticky wax does the job. It can be had from a variety of suppliers, mine came from a miniatures show but fly tying wax also works well.

That is a really good idea, I hadn't thought of something that will hold stuff down but not as permanently as glue. I don't have anything like wax but I do have copydex, which I guess should do a similar job...?

 

 

[MPR]

47 minutes ago, Phil Himsworth said:

That's the problem I have, only I know exactly where the box is, I'm just too lazy to actually put everything back!

 

That is a really good idea, I hadn't thought of something that will hold stuff down but not as permanently as glue. I don't have anything like wax but I do have copydex, which I guess should do a similar job...?

 

 

No, it’s much less obtrusive than copydex. I have some Airfix figures which have been modified by removing the base, the merest hint of the tacky wax is enough to keep the figure upright - but I would not rely on it to keep the figure in place if the board was picked up!

[The White Rabbit]

On 19/04/2023 at 21:13, Phil Himsworth said:

... That is a really good idea, I hadn't thought of something that will hold stuff down but not as permanently as glue. I don't have anything like wax but I do have copydex, which I guess should do a similar job...?

 

Late response I know but I've only just seen this thread ... 

 

'Tacky Wax' (available via Gaugemaster and many model shops) does a good job. I used to sell it and have used it myself. In my experience, it will hold figures and [things like model milk churns] down against gentle movements and inversions. Though it won't hold things in place if you shake the baseboard violently or knock it against door frames! 

 

It will hold figures in place without leaving a residue on them or the surface they are stuck to, so you can reposition without leaving marks. Hopefully it will do the job for you with a move between spare room and garage so long as you and any helpers are careful. For applying it, a cocktail stick is useful, to dig a little wax out from the tub and smear on the figure's feet.