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Nailing EZ Track to Plywood

Mike sent in this question. Perhaps you can help:

“I want to nail down to plywood my EZ track. I have some Atlas track nails which are long enough. Some of the track pieces need to be drilled in order for the nails to work. Do I use a pin vise or a mini drill? How do I determine the drill bit size I need? The hole is the size of the Atlas track nails. Thanks”

 

4 Responses to Nailing EZ Track to Plywood

  • Morgan Bilbo says:

    The first thing I will say is: I don’t like nails or spikes if avoidable. Use caulk. The caulk I use is DAP Alex Plus. A 10.1 oz tube/uses a standard caulk gun, costs less than $3 at HD or Lowes. Comes in colors or what I use is clear. Very easy to use. Very easy to pry up if needed. And a lot easier & quicker than nails. Nails can put dents in your track. Be sure to spread it thin. Just barely visible. I used a 1″ putty knife. I spread it on one surface only, put the track on immediately, weighed it down with 2×4’s and left it set for at least 2 hours or more. It does take 24 hours to fully cure. But if you don’t mess with it, the 2hrs is enough and you can keep on. I did 6′ at a time. Making it easier to do. All IMHO.

  • Frank B says:

    Drill size: just a fraction smaller that the nail. This makes it firm, but allows removal and repositioning.
    A set of micro drills is only a few dollars. Experiment to get the firmness you want.

    An electric drill is faster, but a pin vice or spiral drill (Archimedean drill) will work. Go electric if you are doing a lot !

  • Richard R. Duld says:

    I USE A DREMEL CORDLESS, ITS MUCH EASER. IM RUNNING N SCALE WITH NAILS AND GLUE THE SAME KIND THAT MORGAN USES. THE DREMEL HAS A EXT. ON IT.
    I ALSO USE A HAND CLAMP . I TAKE THE SOLID END THAT DON’T MOVE AND PUT A # 10 IN THE CLAMP THAT DOSEN’T MOVE. THEN USE THE CLAMP TO CLAMP DOWN ON GOING INTO THE WOOD.
    FOR NAILING TRACKS AND WOOD THAT U CAN’T CLAMP I USE A TACK HAMMER.

  • W Rusty Lane says:

    You can always use a micrometer to see what the nail diameter is and just go a tad smaller on the drill bit size so that it will have some “grip” into the plywood. On my layout I first laid down cork road bed which I glued down and then laid the track on top of the road bed. Then I tacked it down using small nails. I don’t think I even pre-drilled the holes. If I can remember I just tacked the track to the road bed using long enough nails to penetrate the road bed and sink into my substrate which in my case, was 1/4 inch plywood. The other part of my bench work was 5/8 inch pressboard. I then ballasted it with small gravel I sifted from a rock plant quarry and held down with 50% water and 50% Elmer’s glue.

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