I use the container the ballast came in to pour on the track. Then use paint brushes to smoothout the ballast. Lastly, I use a tack hammer to lightly tap on the rails to settle the ballast. Then glue.
FYI
All Electronics happens to have mini vibrating motors in stock:
http://www.allelectronics.com/item/dcm-371/mini-motor-vibrator/1.html
Have Fun!
Ed
For ballasting,I used a foam brush behind the dispenser as I went along the track. Used a brush as wide as the ballast so that it is removed from the ties outside and inside the rails. After a little practice(repeated short strokes with light pressure)it works pretty well.
Quincy47....The biggest problem isn't what you use to spread it with....but how you get the ballast off the ties.
I mentioned a very easy and effective way to do that in my first post:
doctorwayne....To clean excess ballast off the tops of the ties, lay the brush handle across the rails, then, while loosely holding it by the ferrule, move the brush along the rails, rapidly tapping the handle using the fingers of your free hand.
The errant bits of ballast will bounce into the area between the ties, unless you've already over-filled those places.
Wayne
The biggest problem isn't what you use to spread it with (I use an old Dremel cut off disc container) but how you get the ballast off the ties. I take a long strip of blue painter's tape and run it between the rails, press it down gently with my fingertip and pull it up at an angle. The excess ballast comes off and leaves the rest slightly below the ties. It reduced the clean up by ninety per cent, which really helps when you about 300 feet of track
I like your idea!
You can see the lab spatulas that I use in the photo of my earlier response. I'm thinking I can hollow out the handle where you see the cross-bracing and put the batteries there. I have some cheap, rechargeable camera batteries that would fit right in there!
In my employment we used lots of vibratory feeders of many shapes and sizes to transport powdered metals. Makes me wonder (slap hand to forehead) why I didn't think of that!
Good Show!
Regards, Ed
I use a small paper cup - less refills than a spoon. And a cheap foam brush. I had one of the MLR tools once and it was way more trouble than it was worth, it was hard to open and close since the ballast grains get caught in the moving parts. Plus the shoulder still needed some cleaning and shaping. I found it easier just to sprinkle the ballast on with a small cup and then gently brush it to shape and to clean off the tie tops.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Rob: Brillant on using the sppon. I also do that. I also use a cheap 1/2" brush from HD to spread the ballast along the track. Ballasting is quite easy once you get into a groove.
wp8thsub doctorwayne I'd think a spoon to be too slow and not very precise either. You just need my Mad Spoon Skillz.
doctorwayne I'd think a spoon to be too slow and not very precise either.
You just need my Mad Spoon Skillz.
Through trial and error I've decided on using a spoon to spread the ballast being carefull not to get too much between the rails. I groom the area between the rails first using my forefinger and then a foam brush cut to the proper size.
An old credit card is usefull in grooming the area where the ballast meets the layout.
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
I like the widgets these monks are using.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HhInqnBXxw
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
doctorwayneI'd think a spoon to be too slow and not very precise either.
Rob Spangler
Along the lines of the folded credit card that dave Nelson suggests, I use a laboratory spatula as shown in the foreground of this photo:
I was fortunate enough to find some being disposed of at work but maybe you could look for something similar on Amazon or ebay. Lab scoop or scoopula.
With the pointed end it is easy to control the placement and all I have to do is lightly tap the tool to shake a controlled amount of ballast in place. It holds a fairly generous dose of material.
Good luck, Ed
I'd think a spoon to be too slow and not very precise either. I use a paper cup: holds more and can be squeezed to get precise application where needed. For spreading and arranging the ballast, a soft 1/2" or 3/4" brush works well - the handle should be almost parallel to the roadbed, to avoid having the bristles flick ballast all over landscape.To clean excess ballast off the tops of the ties, lay the brush handle across the rails, then, while loosely holding it by the ferrule, move the brush along the rails, rapidly tapping the handle using the fingers of your free hand.
I had a large layout to ballast and discovered how much better the foam brush was when testing different ideas.Still use the finger meathod outside the rails as it is faster.
floridaflyer Like rrebell, I'm a spoon and foam brush guy.
Like rrebell, I'm a spoon and foam brush guy.
Rich
Alton Junction
Good suggestion. I also use those fake "your name here" credit cards (and the similar "membership" cards from various organizations once they expire) as a throw-away spatula to spread adhesive caulk when tracklaying, as a disposable pallet for mixing paints or holding cements which I then apply with a toothpick.
Those which are perfectly flat (i.e. no raised letters or numbers) I also have used as a shim under cork subroadbed. There are many uses for them and I save them all.
For bulldozing the ballast between ties and making the ballast even with the tops of the ties I use an old piece of cork roadbed since it has just the right combination of rigidity and flexibility.
Dave Nelson
wp8thsub For my money, this is the only ballast spreader that's worth having.
I'll go even cheaper (unless you're bringing those spoons home for free from the office coffee pot). I tried several and found the best for me was one of those fake credit cards you get in the mail with various offers. Fold it in half. Nose it into your bulk ballast to load, then tap as you go, similar to using the spoon. The card holds a little more and directs things more squarely down the centerline. Then dress as recommended. I use a soft ~1" broad artist's brush, as the soft bristles tend to avoid flinging ballast grains every which way.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Just spoon it on and use a foam brush, works great and goes fast once you get the hang of it.
Any of the commercial ballast spreaders more or less work, but you sill have to invest a fair amount of effort to dress the ballast with a brush before gluing. None of the tools work that great around turnouts.
For my money, this is the only ballast spreader that's worth having.
I saw some ballast spreader tools made by Proses, do these work well?