I am just starting to put ballast on my layout.
Here is what I did for the rail yard:
Put 100% white glue on the sides of the track, and lay some ballast on the glue.
Take a medicine dropper and put some water on the ballast with five drops of liquid detergent.
Take the same medicine dropper and drop on the ballast a 50:50 mixture of white glue and water.
This worked OK, but not up to my standards.
For the next portion of the layout, I plan on spreading the ballast on the track, shaping it, using a hairsprayer with water and a couple of drops of detergent, and gently wetting the ballast. When it's soaked, take a medicine dropper and dropping on some 50:50 mixture of glue and water.
Got any other tips for me? I'll post pictures when I get home.
I used to use the detergent/water mix for a wetting agent, but I've switched to straight isopropyl alcohol. It works better, and I don't have to mix anything. Yes, I could probably thin it down a lot and it would still work, but it's already very cheap, and not having to mix it saves a step.
I use one pipette for the alcohol, and a different one for the glue. Since I don't dilute the alcohol, I don't want to get glue into the bottle.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Your planned method is the exact same one I use. I find that using a turkey baster rather than a medicine dropper is much faster and easier.
BTW: That method is called the "Bonded Ballast" method.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
The bonded ballast method is what I use. Get the ballast the way you want it dry then use the sprayer with soap & water to moisten the ballast. I use a squeeze bottle like the one the waitress in the restaurant gives you for katsup to add a 50-50 mix of Elmers yellow Carpenters Glue. Add the glue between the rails and carefully beside the rails along the ends of the ties. Saturate the ballast then wait about two days for the glue to set.
A mix of Woodland Scenics ballast as follows was used. 2 Parts Buff 1 Part Dark Brown 1 Part Brown and 1 Part Grey Blend. The mix was put in a three pound coffee can and shaken up until totally mixed. I used medium size.
Thanks for the tip.
Do you guys generally go with one type of ballast (one color), or do you combine a little of different ballast colors?
I'm thinking about picking up a slightly darker color to go along with the Fine Light Grey color I already have.
As others have mentioned, 'wetting' the dry ballast with alcohol works great. I do NOT use white glue or wood working glue. That will work, but the ballast is now 'rock hard' and the layout will be really noisy when you run trains. I use 'matte medium' as it dries to a softer consistancy and will not turn the ballast into a sound board. You can pick up the stuff at art/craft supply stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby....
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
If by support structure you mean nothing, then yes.
The layout is only 2.5 ft by 4 ft. I plan on adding some support structure this weekend. Any tips? I need something that is extremely lightweight yet somewhat supportive.
gatrhumpy wrote:I am just starting to put ballast on my layout.Here is what I did for the rail yard:Put 100% white glue on the sides of the track, and lay some ballast on the glue.Take a medicine dropper and put some water on the ballast with five drops of liquid detergent. Take the same medicine dropper and drop on the ballast a 50:50 mixture of white glue and water.This worked OK, but not up to my standards.For the next portion of the layout, I plan on spreading the ballast on the track, shaping it, using a hairsprayer with water and a couple of drops of detergent, and gently wetting the ballast. When it's soaked, take a medicine dropper and dropping on some 50:50 mixture of glue and water.Got any other tips for me? I'll post pictures when I get home.
Using a medicine dropper is a good idea. It helps to distribute glue without washing away the ballast and all that hard work you did. Here is what I did.
I worked on putting the ballast inside the ties first. I used a hair spray bottle with water and two drops of liquid detergent inside to wet it down. Since I was unsure if Alcohol would change the color of the ties that I had painted, I was hesitant to use that. I then blasted the crap out of the ballast between the ties with the hair spray bottle water. I then used scenic cement in an eyedropper to glue it down. Final drying time is like 24 or so hours with the scenic cement from Woodland Scenics.
I used a mix of white glue and water and painted the sides of my roadbed, then sprinkled ballast on top (just a little to give it some tooth). After waiting approx 12 or so hours, I applied the other ballast on top with the final look that you want. I then repeated the steps with the hair spray bottle and the eyedropper with the scenic cement and so far (knock on wood) is has been going well.
I used the link http://trains.com/mrr/objects/pdf/ballast.pdf for guidance and it helps out.
Good luck!
Modeling the N&W freelanced at the height of their steam era in HO.
Daniel G.
Two tips I use...
1>...I use one of my old contact lens cleaner bottles for scenic cement,white glue or whatever your using....it has a micro small hole in the tip and it makes it easier to spray or dribble the glue "exactly" where you want it to go..
2>...Once I have brushed the ballast how I like it...I take a pencil and lightly "tap" the top of the rail....this helps "settle" the ballast and keep your rails "stone free" when you glue...
A true friend will not bail you out of jail...he will be sitting next to you saying "that was friggin awesome dude!" Tim...Modeling the NYC...is there any other?
Even after all the years of ballasting, and when you don't think you can find any better way, there's always some great new methods.
Take for instance, a fellow club member has a great way of getting all those stray grains off the tie tops. After spreading and the ballast is ready to wet water and glue, he will lightly blow on the track at a sharp angle. This removes all those unwanted grains. A squeeze bulb helps in some tough spots.
Painting the roadbed edge with glue first and applying the ballast does help in shaping the profile and acts as a small dam to hold the ballast as the rest is done.
I really find that using alcohol works good also. I don't use it straight, just add it to the wet water about 50/50. The fumes are a little easier that way. The alcohol dries so quickly, the ballast, track and roadbed won't stay soaked which could cause troubles on any wood substrate.
Ballasting is always a "chore", but it does go rather fast using the hints that everyone has mentioned.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Use Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement.
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
gatrhumpy wrote:OK, so if I go to the store to get some isopropyl rubbing alcohol and mist it full strength using a hair sprayer, and then using a ketchup bottle, dribble on some 50-50 mixture of glue/water, then the ballast should stay where I put it?
Just remember, NO SMOKING!!!!
Ha!
The method that I described in order to wet the ballast and put glue down worked like a charm! I'm very happy with what I have accomplished so far. I plan on finishing the ballast work by Friday. Pictures to follow.
A ketchup bottle does not have enough control. Try a mustard bottle with the adjustable tip. Or an old white glue bottle with the orange adjustable top.
Rotor
Jake: How often does the train go by? Elwood: So often you won't even notice ...