Pliobond alternative (Europe or thereabouts)

[TinyTurner]

Evostick or Pattex are some brands that are easier to get, even if the shipping is still silly for tube of glue.  When I know what works best, I would bulk buy.
Used for shoe repairs so must be quite tough.

https://www.pattex.co.za/products/central-pdp-v2.html/pattex-contact-adhesive/SAP_0201FSP03EI1/variation/301028.html

I am even looking at whats on Aliexpress right now, there are several contact adhesives.  It might take a tube of each for trial and error.

Cyanoacrylate can be used, but it is more brittle and wont flex.

For those of us that don't have easy access to Pliobond, but need to stick nickel silver rails to wood ties, has anyone found a good European alternative?

[NtheBasement]

Contact cement is used to adhere laminate sheets like Formica to cabinet bases when constructing countertops.  You could start there.

[robert3985]

Evostick or Pattex are some brands that are easier to get, even if the shipping is still silly for tube of glue.  When I know what works best, I would bulk buy.
Used for shoe repairs so must be quite tough.

https://www.pattex.co.za/products/central-pdp-v2.html/pattex-contact-adhesive/SAP_0201FSP03EI1/variation/301028.html

I am even looking at whats on Aliexpress right now, there are several contact adhesives.  It might take a tube of each for trial and error.

Cyanoacrylate can be used, but it is more brittle and wont flex.

For those of us that don't have easy access to Pliobond, but need to stick nickel silver rails to wood ties, has anyone found a good European alternative?

Hmmm...so, what's the problem with using a PCB tie every fifth tie and not worrying about gluing NS rails to wood ties??

I started doing this back in the 1990's and my Code40 trackage, which is on portable modules, has stood the test of time. 

However, when laying ballast, and because my wood ties are sanded down to be the same height as my PCB ties, the rails get glued to them with the flexible mixture of Matte Medium, water and a bit of Dawn.

I've found, now that I don't use Matte Medium any longer, that the same durability and flex is achieved using Mod Podge Matte, in place of the Liquitex I used to use, even though there is no express attempt to glue the rails to the wood ties...it just happens due to flooding the ballast along with the rails too.

Here's a section of my Code40 rails on my Echo Canyon module...Micro Engineering C40 rails, Micro Engineering PCB tie strips cut to length every 5th tie, on Midwest Cork Products N-scale ballast, with long-out-of-business Highball Cinders Ballast...

Photo (1) - Park City Branch out of Echo Junction at the mouth of Echo Canyon using hand-laid Code40 PCB trackage:


When initially experimenting with hand-laying Code40 trackage, I used Pliobond as per an article in the February 1976 issue of Model Railroader, which also had Gordy Odegard's alternative rail attachment protocol using PCB ties every fifth tie.

As for "easy access" to Pliobond, Fast Tracks sells it, along with some bottles and glue-tips, and has plenty in stock.  Every time I've ordered from them, they've always had excess and I've never had to wait.  Here's the link: https://handlaidtrack.com/shop/?v=0b3b97fa6688#611b/classic/m=and&p=2&q=pliobond  (yes, I do use it periodically for various applications).

As for it being available in Europe, I did a quick Google search and it came right up in Deutschland...for actually less than what Fast Tracks is selling theirs!  Here's the link: https://www.micro-tools.de/en/Adhesives-Glue/Adhesive-Pliobond-1oz-Tube.html?isextsearch=alist

Or, you can get it in the UK from Adams Aviation in 1/2 US Pint screw-top tins if you want larger quantities.  Here's the link: https://www.adamsaviation.com/products/oils-paints-chemicals/chemical/sealant-adhesive/273070-pliobond-20-industrial-adhesive-brush-top-tin-12-pint-can

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[TinyTurner]

Excellent thank you,  there's a few things I did not know.
I spent a long time looking for that Pliobond and it would not even show up.
I have had the same issues on Ebay looking for ordinary stuff that I know is actually there, but it's as if some mystical bias hides everything.
It's not like it's some of those bargain finds that are listed as 'N scale locomotive' either that turn out to be what you have hunted down for years.  Ahh, the Internets!

I kind of knew about the every fifth tie thing, but had no clue about not actually using cement to stick down wood ties. Just assumed it had to be done, as that's what I got from the Fast Tracks ply bases info.
The complexity comes from the need to make track completely off the model, if that's how I do it, as I need to be sat down and comfy.  I might even make track on very thin sheet material, into what would be my own sectional track, at least at first until I am happy with it.
I had also planned on using the Mod podge, as 'pva' is too glossy, but it is cheap.

Going to have a shootout and see what works best out of:
Evo stick, the red label one (also known as evil stink by modellers, apparently)
Thixofix Alhpa (supposed to be equivalent to Barge cement)
Everbuild Stick2 (which is now owned by Sika, lots of good products)

I will also grab some 'Evostik Timebond' when I can, which is supposed to give you a bit more working time.
I guess that could also be know as 'evil stink time bomb'
The 'hazardous shipping' cost on solvents is shocking.