Fortkentdad wrote: I was surprized to find that the local dollar store sells an N Scale Ballast dispenser, two for $2.99. Comes in Red and Yellow to keep two colours on hand. Apparently they can also be used to dispense mustard and ketchup too. I've used these and they are very handy. Thats my Ballasting Tip.
I was surprized to find that the local dollar store sells an N Scale Ballast dispenser, two for $2.99. Comes in Red and Yellow to keep two colours on hand. Apparently they can also be used to dispense mustard and ketchup too.
I've used these and they are very handy.
Thats my Ballasting Tip.
Well, that's no bargain. I can get those same yellow and red ballast administrators for 2 (one of each) for $1.00 !!!! Furthermore, I found that the round bamboo skewers they sell in a gajillion in a package for a whole $1.00 make good scale sized logs of differnet types for N scale and also for HO scale!!!If the Dollar store near you doesn't have them now, wait umm 3 months and they should!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I agree with Crandell. Joe's ballasting clinic is the best that I've seen so far and it his methods work very well. It's also in last year' issue of How To Build a Realistic Layout near the beginning.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Nothing wrong at all, just incomplete. Have a look at Joe Fugate's tutorials in the Clinic on Realistic Scenery (sorry, I haven't got it in my favourites as I have become highly familiar with the contents long since).
Yes, you use a small spoon to pour a small line of the stuff between the rails, then use a somewhat stiff brush to spread it along the axis of the rails. Leave only enough to cover the roadbed between the ties. You want the believable look, not what you see in a photo necessarily...it will be very difficult to achieve in N-scale anyway...but do as you are determined to do. Experiment until you find a good method.
Next, pour thin lines of the stuff along the outer tie ends and use the brush. Add more to get the lower rim of the ballast looking natural...not as straight as the rails, but conforming to your scenery at the base of the roadbed.
Once you have a nice profile in 3-4', and the ties are clear, or very nearly so at their ends and on their tops between the rails, then dribble a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water in a slow series of drops between the ties, and then soak the outer ballast the same way. Don't be cheap on this, make sure the outer ballast is quite wet. Then, dribble a light mixture of white or yellow glue, matte medium if you insist, and do this slowly so that you are not washing the ballast down onto the scenery surface. Go slow, be deliberate, be patient, and you will be surprised at how quickly you can get this done...probably 10' within 30 minutes or less with practise.
Don't forget to wipe the tops of the rails right away where you know you dribble glue. Wrap a damp clean rag around one finger, and just gently place the very tip of the finger on the rail top and wipe, keeping your sleeves, watch, other fingers, and whatever else off the ballast.
Walk away and let it dry for at least 6 hours, usually 10, and that is if you train room has less than 60% humidity.
What you have missed so far is taking a fine flat screwdriver and cleaning the inside web of the rails, and as well the tops of the ties, inside and outside the rails. This last grooming step will make it all look realistic as far as the ballast goes, although you will now want to paint the rails and the ballast between them to look used and weathered. Joe's fine clinic covers those aspects very nicely. I use Polly Scale Railroad Tie Brown on the main line rails, and Floquill Rust on the sidings and industrial tracks.
I've never done much with scenery before. I recently got Woodland Scenics Subterrean Scenery kit that is a mini scene. I'd drop a link but the Woodland Scenics web page isn't linking friendly. This is their N-Scale 12"x24" diorama, the SubTerrain Scenery Kit.
I did some ballasting of a small area that is in the tunnel and I'm not that impressed with my efforts. I was wanting to get some tips on what I might do differently next time. I followed the recommendations in the book of filling the center with pouring in a small amount and then I used a brush to spread it so that the ties still showed and little/no ballast was on the ties as best I could. I then gave it a light spray of the scenic cement that came with the kit and wandered off to let it dry. Upon returning it looks like it settled a bit with the liquid cement, and when rolling a car across it seems a bit rough. Are you supposed to clean up the track afterwords with anything? Or did I do something wrong.