WHAT IS THE IDEAL BALLAST FOR APPEARANCE AND ADHESION TO THE BOARD.

[Anonymous]

I SEE CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS FOR KITTY LITTER. SOME USE COARSE SAND. WHAT ABOUT GROUND ROCK FROM MY LOCAL LUMBER YARD (YES THEY STILL EXIST!) ? WHAT RANGE DIAMETER SHOULD THE GRANULES BE? THE COMMERCIAL BALLAST @ CHARLES RO LOOKED SO UNIFORM (MAYBE 1.5 OR 2MM) AND MONOTONOUSLY FAKE. THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST!

[FJ and G]

don't use kitty litter. been there, done that

I use crushed gravel from a plant in Woodbridge VA (spillage from gravel truck; particle size is about O scale. Some folks have reported success with chicken starter grit (not grits)

[Anonymous]

Check out my website for real crushed granite ballast: http://www.brennansmodelrr.com/ It looks just like the prototype.

[Anonymous]

I use roofing granules. They come in a number of colors and have a very realistic shape and form. They're much cheaper then what you'll pay for commercial ballast, but more expensive then chicken grit. You can find them a roofing supply store.

[jonadel]

Chicken grit, FINE. It looks great and 50# for about $5.00. You can get it at any co-op.

Jon

see it at:

http://jands.logicalgeek.com

[Anonymous]

The problem I've found with roofing granules is finding a realistic color mixture. Generally, you can find a very light, almost white, color. And, while the size and shape may be realistic, it's all one color.

Chicken grit has the same problem with the added bonus of sparkly flecks. Also, it has quite a bit of dust.

[jonadel]

Chicken grit has a very small amount of dust, however once you use the wet water and glue/water it's a moot point. The Boss is in charge of all of our ballasting and she has never complained about dust and we've never seen the sparkly stuff.

Jon

[Anonymous]

Jonadel,

I was able to find two different types of chicken grit in my area. One was made from crushed oyster shells and the other was crushed granite with some sparkles. Obviously, you don't want to use oyster shells.

At any rate, I was told that the shiny specks get the chicken's attention. Also, this stuff had a lot of dust with a warning on the bag about breathing it. And, like I said, it was all one very light color.

My guess is, you'll find different mixtures depending upon where you live, assuming you have access to a feed store.