Laying track on MDF

[m1racleman]

Hi guys, got a qick question for you all.
Everywhere I looked, before I started on my baseboards, it seemed that Sudeala was rubbished so I opted for MDF. I am having so much trouble getting track pins in that it is driving me mad  .  I even phone Peco to find out the best way!!!!!!  All they said was " Should have used Sundeal boards, we never us anything else !"  Very helpful and like I said, according to interner research they must be the only one who do use it!
Is there any easy way to get those pins in or do I have to drill a pilot hole for every one?? I cant understand it myself coz I paticularly bought a soft MDF so that I could get pins into it.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated. HELP !!!!!!!!!! So far I have laid about 5 mtrs of track and used 7 packets of peco  track laying pins.

[poliss]

People who have used Sundeala report that it sags badly.
Instead of using track pins on MDF use diluted latex based glue such as Copydex to secure your track in place. This prevents damage to your track that track pins can cause and makes it very easy to lift your track if you decide to change the layout.

[Tank]

I use MDF as well. I use double sided tape for the track, and temporarily use screws on tight bends whilst the ballast dries, then remove screws and fill any holes. The ballasting always holds everything in place.

[porkie]

i had my base boards made for me by whiterose works, and they used mdf. Give them a call and see what they recomend to fix the track down with.

[Chris]

All of my track is stuck down with double sided tape. On the flextrack the tape runs the full length to keep its shape until the ballast has fully dried. A few weights on the track also keep it in place until fully set.

[Lawrence]

Dock Shunter has done an excellent  "How To" here http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=404.msg2633;topicseen#new

Must admit I gave up with MDF and used well framed 12mm ply, pins go in a lot easier and it is much lighter for this old back to handle 

[zwilnik]

I use PVA to stick the track down and then put weights (tubs of 1p coins ) on it to hold it in place while it dries. If I do need to replace the track or adjust its position, the PVA tends to peal off the wood fairly easily (although typically I'll have rendered a layer of scenery on the wood first anyway) especially with a bit of water.

Watch out when dry ballasting though, you'll need the weights again to keep the track in place sometimes when you're dripping 50/50 PVA/Water mix for the ballast as it can wet the PVA used to glue the track

[Wingnut]

I,ve covered my MDF in 4mm cork floor tiles after which I'll be drilling a few holes in the flexitrack sleepers and aligning using cut down track pins that don't penetrate the MDF. Once I'm happy that all is well and not too doglegged, track will be PVA'd at the ballasting stage and pins easily removed once dry.

Regards David

[cupoftea]

Another vote for double sided tape here. I use the same method as tank and Chris and it works a treat. Double sided tape is also very easy to remove when making the inevitable changes prior to ballasting.

[michael]

in the past ive always used 20mm plywood, get for getting pins in but useless if you dont have loads of 2x1 (or preferable thicker) screwed to the underside

[Sailor Charon]

Well, I had no problems using track pins, but I gather that opinion is that it's better to use something else. Oh, and I used mdf, at least I'm pretty sure I did. I can't quite remember, but if I remember rightly, it had to be mdf because sundeala is only available in metric sizes.

[m1racleman]

Well guys, I solved my own problem. The answer is to get a Gaugemaster pin push!!!   It works a dream and will even push pins through that hard plastic on setrack.
The best buy I have ever made and thoroughly recommend it to anyone else having problems with pins.

[poliss]

Please tell me you didn't pay the £7.95 that Gaugemaster charge for their pin push when you can buy one made by Draper for £2.10.

[m1racleman]

Good point! If you'll excuse the pun !
Those draper ones are hopeless, dont support the pin tightly around the shaft and still allows the pin to buckle in the tube. I have one and it is totally Manuel  " A Waste of Space ".
And £7.95 seems cheap when I look at what some fools pay just to have a model railway that runs itself !  I must be getting ( or got ) old coz I just don't get the DCC lark, CAB Control always worked perfectly in thhe past and it will do for me nicely thanks. But I digress as usual.
Yes I did was the answer