I have maybe 15 or so buildings with sidewalks and a couple of factories with loading docks, and etc. I want to populate them with people working, shopping, walking, talking, and etc. SHOULD I glue them with plastic cement on to the structures (permanent) or would you recommend a different way? Your advice and comments sincerely appreciated. Thanks.... (I really don't want to use putty but can)
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I'd go with one of the tacky yet removable adhesives like Scenic Accents Glue from Woodland Scenics.
Trace out there base and use double back tape.
I use the tacky white style glue that you find in craft stores. It looks like a thick Elmer's Glue. It hardens clear but melts away with warm water and holds very well.
All the best,
Miketg
I use an Archimedes drill to drill a vertical 0.5 mm hole in the leg of the figure and then CA glue a Peco track pin up into the leg, leaving about 12 mm showing (point facing down).
Then wherever I want to place the figure, I can drill a 0.5 mm hole and insert the pin into the hole.
The tiny holes are almost invisible - if I want to move the figure elsewhere.
Plus only using one pin, allows me to rotate the figure to face in a new direction if I decide to.
Cheers
It took me some time to figure out how to populate my garden railway with people that would not fall over drunk. Any first I tried the pin in the leg method, shoving the other end of the pin into the ground. This worked fairly well, but I have alot of concert slabs as station bases. Drilling 1/8" holes in the slabs is okay, but if my little people want to mosey on to another location they would have to ask the hand of god to help them out.
Finally, a few years ago, I started drilling small holes in the feet of the figures. Then I inserted 1/8" rare earth magnets. I found some thin sheet metal wafers about 1 1/2" about an inch and a half square. They are aluminized I believe. It's some sort of coating given to things like roofing metal. It will resist oxidation for whatever the warranty claims....LOL
So for O scale people, the magnet method may be a no go unless you glue small sheet metal bases to the figures feet and place magnets on the layout. That's one method. I'm sure there are others.
Don't use permanent glue like superglue - you'll want to move the people at some point, and superglue destroys both the figure and what you glue it to.
I use two options:
The first is museum wax, also sold as "tacky wax", which is actually made specifically for this purpose. It is pretty much reuseable when you move a figure, although it can leave a waxy residue where the figure was standing.
I also have great success in some situations using "rubber cement". It's transparent, it holds things in place well, and when you want to remove it, just rub it with a finger and it rolls up and leaves no trace.
The rubber cement works well when the figure will stand on its own while the cement dries. Some figures don't balance as well, and this is where the museum wax is great.
david
Your museum wax reminded me of another method that is reversible. Hot glue will easily come undone if you don't overdo it. It also lets go when it's cold, meaning 40 degrees or so.
Very nice.
Good luck , John
I use the tacky wax stuff (technical name 
). great for when I change my mind about where I want them.
Interesting topic! I have had good success using tiny dabs of clear silicone caulking on the bottom of the feet (or bases) of my figures. They have held firmly in place for many years now, yet are totally removable without damage.
I have a couple hundred people on my layout and want the removable myself. I glued small pieces of clear plastic to their feet and tacky waxed them down. Works great for me. I'll post some pics after work, if I don't forget.
RickO posted:I prefer the "Sticky Tack" putty myself.
Regardless, I like the idea of a removable figure, if for no other reason in the event a rogue hand or arm, whatever. knocks one over it can just "break away" without being damaged.
I'm still contemplating a "semi pemanent' way to secure my telephone poles. I knock them down regularly in their temporary placements.
I use Lionel telephone poles and mount them with thumb tacks to the table top, I use plywood for the table tops. Occasionally I knock off one of the telephone poles either by bumping into one or with a derailment, the thumb tacks come out when under stress.
Lee Fritz
I'm going to use LEGO mini figs. They stand on their own, easy to reconfigure, and are fun for the kids.
Superglue worked fine for me. I used a pin point to apply it.
It's not necessary to glob it on.
I don't suggest it on anything (layout surface) other than the small cut plastic pieces as shown in the picture.
Larry
Try Glue Dots.
The only thing to use, IMO, is a museum type wax. I use Mini-Hold, which was developed for the doll miniatures hobby many years ago. You roll a tiny ball of it with your fingers, then stick it at the bottom of the figure's foot/feet.
Eiline's Tacky Glue here. A tiny dot holds firm, yet you can knock the figure off if you need to. No muss, no fuss
MaxSouthOz posted:I use an Archimedes drill to drill a vertical 0.5 mm hole in the leg of the figure and then CA glue a Peco track pin up into the leg, leaving about 12 mm showing (point facing down).
Then wherever I want to place the figure, I can drill a 0.5 mm hole and insert the pin into the hole.
The tiny holes are almost invisible - if I want to move the figure elsewhere.
Plus only using one pin, allows me to rotate the figure to face in a new direction if I decide to.
Cheers
Instead of gluing, I second this idea of a pin-mount. You can use any small wire for the pin, like one strand from multi-strand wire. I've done this with HO figures, sometimes by using a soldering iron to heat the wire strand and melt it up into the foot/leg of the figure about 2mm, then cut off surplus below. Of course you need to be careful with the heat and get the wire centered in the leg. O-scale figures would be easier to work with and drilling could be a better option for them. It helps to have calipers and small-size numbered drills to get a good fit of wire in hole. The tiny mounting holes in your layout will be probably unnoticeable if you decide to remove the figure. With a wire pin mount you can bend or rotate the figure to get it positioned just right.
Standing HO figures have tiny wire up one leg and tiny hole drilled into the platform. Works for O-gauge too.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
