It isn't Modge Podge, as in hodge podge. It is Mod Podge. Also, it comes in two main flavours...glossy and matte. You want the matte.
It can be had very cheaply at your local Wal Mart or any craft store of a size...hobby lobby, Michael's, etc.
-Crandell
I have never heard of Modge Podge, do you dilute it like the white glue or not. I live in the wonderful number 1 tax state of Nj, have ay ideas where I might get the Modge Podge.
Midnight Railroader At a minimum, you ought to run your trains for days or weeks before ballastining so you can be absolutely sure the track is right.
At a minimum, you ought to run your trains for days or weeks before ballastining so you can be absolutely sure the track is right.
Words of Wisdom. Heed them well. It's much easier to correct problems before you ballast.
Some of the "standard" ballasting methods suggest spraying with a detergent soap mixture as a wetting agent prior to adding glue. I disagree with both spraying and detergent. Instead, I get a pipette (hobby shop eyedropper) and apply isopropyl alcohol straight from the bottle with the dropper. The alcohol could be watered down some, but it's so cheap that the effort of watering it down isn't worth it, and it works very well straight. Use of the dropper put the alcohol where you want it, and nowhere else. Spraying gets the wetting agent everywhere, and requires some cleanup later. Yuck. I've also found that using alcohol as a wetting agent causes the glue to dry much more quickly.
Hint: Go to a fast-food place, where they have the big ketchup dispenser and the little cups. If you find one with plastic cups, grab a bunch. Paper ones work, but don't hold up as well. Use these to hold the alcohol, because you can't get the pipette into the small-neck alcohol bottle very far. These little cups, by the way, are 1-ounce. They are nice measuring cups for things like Envirotex or Bragdon Foam where you need to mix measured quantities of liquid. Then think about the steam era, with vast yards of stock cars surrounding Chicago, bringing huge herds in every day. Think about ice-bunker reefers moving the slaughtered beef and pork to the big eastern cities. Man, now that was railroading...
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
thanks guys
Ballast should be the LAST thing you do, after the scenery is completed, etc., so it can hide the rough edges of the scenery where they come up to the track.
Ibflattop The best way to remove the ballast from the ties and web of the rail is to tap the head of the rail with the handle of the brush. This sends viberations thru the rail to the ties and bounces the ballast off of the ties and rail and actually seats the ballast. Then ya can apply the water / alcohol then dribble your glue the wet it down again. Kevin
The best way to remove the ballast from the ties and web of the rail is to tap the head of the rail with the handle of the brush. This sends viberations thru the rail to the ties and bounces the ballast off of the ties and rail and actually seats the ballast. Then ya can apply the water / alcohol then dribble your glue the wet it down again. Kevin
If you can tap at a frequency of 35 hertz and maintain a 10mm amplitude then you will be track stabilizing like the prototypes!
The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"
I've been using Modge Podge as an alternative to white glue. It's cheaper by volume, dries flat, and is water soluble and non toxic like white glue. You can get it at any craft store and I think even Wally World sells it also. I use it for all my scenery glue needs, ballast and ground cover, trees, etc etc.
Yes, ballasting is done after the track is down and tested. Ballast as carefuly as you laid the track, be sure to not get ballast into the moving parts of switches or inside the gauge of the rail. Clean any stray ballast chunks off with a hobby knife or small eyeglass screwdriver. Optimum ballast is level with the top of the ties.
Good luck!
Yes, that will work fine. I always use regular white glue diluted approximately 50/50 with plain water. Just get it runny so that it will soak into the wetted ballast.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
is there a special glue ? will elmers with 50% water do or is this hobbie glue? thanks
No, ballasting is done after the track is laid.
Spread the ballast out with a brush, taking care to keep it even and off the tops of the ties.
Spray the area with "wet water" (water with with a few drops of dish detergent or isopropyl alcohol) and then apply diluted white glue (approx. 50% glue/water mix).
hi
i was just wondering if i am doing this right so do i ballast the cork and then lay the track and ballast again because that is what i read in a few places is that the recommended way of doing it or is there a better way of doing this p.s. never ballasted before so i will try it on a seperate pcs of cork and track thanks