I’m building a 1x5 layout and I’m thinking about taking it outside to do the ballasting using the wet water method its going to be hot and humid today I will be working in the shade when everything is ballasts I was going to cover the layout with a tarp to keep bird poop off and leave it outside for awhile will the heat effect the drytime etc?
If hot means Phoenix today @ 113 I probably wouldn’t do it. Since you mention hot and humid, you must be with me on the right coast instead. A canvas or plastic tarp will prolong drying. Use something like a bed sheet instead.
Depending on your construction method, I would worry about expantion.
Your right I’m on the right coast.
Ballasting is not really that messy of a job, and I would worry about dry time in an uncontrolled environment, along with other “unforeseen problems” that could come up.
I have always done ballasting indoors… Less wind to blow around loose ballast that way.
If you want it to dry quickly, leave it indoors and put a fan on it.
Tom
Ballasting was not messy on my layout, I use an eye dropper to drop the watered down glue between the ties (one or two drops), and a small bottle with a spouted cap to apply the ballast individually between each tie. Then repeat on the outside of the rails.
Then I put a drop or two, using the eyedropper, indivudually between each tie again. I like to keep the glue off the ties for consistancy. I might rub a little dust into the ties to bring out the wood grain.
Sounds very tedious but you only have to do it once. No waste. No mess. I did my entire 14’ x 16’ layout this way. And, it didn’t really take that long.