I'm putting up a small passenger stop and need to mount all accessories to the wood so when I bump into it they won't move. A few of the are pre drilled to use screws, most aren't, I was thinking of using small dabs of hot glue for those that do not have holes. Foam double stick tape is not an option.
Any ideas appreciated, I have yet to make it past getting ready to wire it up.
I'm installing on a 1x8 piece of lumber.
Thx
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Aside from drilling holes and screwing them down, hot glue would be my next choice!
Why not try holding the accessory in place with magnets??
I've found today's 'super magnets' of Neodymium to have all sorts of uses in the hobby for keeping things in place...roofs, figures, vehicles, whole accessories, etc.....but easily removable for repairs/maintenance/storage.
We (LHS) sell them from our Science department. They come in all sorts of button sizes....round, square, cubes, etc.. I should think that four (4) neodymium button magnets of about 1/4" diameter should be sufficient to keep an accessory reasonably in place from table-bumping, but some experimentation/experience might indicate otherwise. Oh yes, they're VERY affordable, too.
If the magnets can be flush-mounted to the accessory base, then a corresponding flathead steel screw or steel washer countersunk flush into the baseboard should be sufficient for the 'grab'. But it seems every situation for which I've incorporated these magnets has required some creativity in their adaptation. Nothing extravagant....just some forethought.
Of course, if you REALLY want to maximize the 'GRAB', use two of these aggressive little buggers...one embedded in the baseboard, a mating one attached to the magnet. HOWEVER, you'll need a glass of merlot....or two...while keeping the polarities of the mating pair correct as they're mounted. Otherwise, you might end up with an accessory that 'puts up a fight'...or even hovers?!?
...to stay in the correct position!!
FWIW....
KD
Hot glue on the underside of an action accessory seems a cheap and easy "counter-acting solution" to unwanted movement, but you may regret that "fix" when comes the time to remove the accessory for repair or replacement. Suggestion: use glue to attach the "fuzzy side" of a Velcro strip to the bottom of the accessory and glue the "hook" side of Velcro in position on the layout platform. The grip of Velcro will hold it in place, but a gentle tug will release it. I used Velcro for convenient "parking" of Lionel LionChief controllers at the fascia board of my layout.
Carry on ...
Mike Mottler (ritrainguy)
mottlerm@gmail.com
dkdkrd posted:Why not try holding the accessory in place with magnets??
I've found today's 'super magnets' of Neodymium to have all sorts of uses in the hobby for keeping things in place...roofs, figures, vehicles, whole accessories, etc.....but easily removable for repairs/maintenance/storage.
I like this approach.
Not sure how big/heavy your accessories but a starting point might be 6 x 3 mm discs. Drill a 6mm hole into your 1x8 and you can flush mount a disc. Need more holding power? Stack 2 or more discs to make a taller/stronger magnet. Less holding power? Push the disc further down the hole.
As KD says you can put a magnet on the accessory side too - minding the alignment of North-South as to attract rather than repel! 
I've noticed most craft stores now carry Nd magnets too. Or search eBay for "neodymium magnet". Needless to say, they come in all shapes and sizes.
Now by using magnets... one on the accessory and one on the base, one does NOT want each magnet touching but just missing touching each magnet by a width of a piece of paper.... correct?
Oh and from the photo below, what is the size of that small one, third in from the left?
Thank in advance for your response.
3mm diam x 1.5mm thick.
Not aware of paper separation method but that's just my ignorance. I can understand protecting the contacting metal surfaces from scratching, chipping or cracking after repeated attach-detach operations.
prrhorseshoecurve posted:Now by using magnets... one on the accessory and one on the base, one does NOT want each magnet touching but just missing touching each magnet by a width of a piece of paper.... correct?
Not aware of this as a requirement....not sure why it'd be necessary. It can sometimes be challenging to get the magnet to fully engage at the same time the accessory/item is fully seated. For most of my applications the trade-off hasn't been worth the worry, though. (Pickers-of-nit are yawned upon when judging my work!
...)
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Thought it would be helpful to share the website for the magnet company we (LHS) stock. We sell a LOT of these. Gamers, model railroaders, R/C folks....they all gradually learn how handy these little dynamos can be for a firm, but not permanent, 'grab' of mating parts, devices, game pieces, etc., etc.....
LOTS of handy choices!
KD
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