Ok, so I have my roadbed down (foam from WS), my track in place, my tunnel figured out (sort of), and am ready to start installing my ballast. I tried a short section of track, sprinkling and leveling the ballast, making sure a car wouldn’t derail, and got all set. Went out and got some Elmer’s white glue, got my cup of water, mixed it 50/50, or there abouts. So, I’m already, right?
Well, when I applied the glue mix, at first it just sat there. Then, as I went further, it would soak back to the original spot. The ballast on the sides of the track and roadbed washed away. Do I need to mound up the sides? Put down way more than I think? Am I using the right glue?
This is my first attempt and I know that it will not be picture perfect. I can accept that. What I want to do is to figure out what I am doing wrong, how I can fix it, and how to get better. My layout is a 4x8, and I am using the “HO scale Madison Central” track plan out of MRR’s “Basic Model Railroad Track Plans” book.
I build up the sides a little ,but i use a spray bottle, and spray it…works great for me …hope that helps…just remember… time and patience is the key…
happy balasting
carl,
To help the water & glue mix get into the ballast, use a little denatured alcohol with water to reduce the surface tension. It lets the glue/water mix flow into the ballast instead of washing it away.
You can also use “wet” water to break surface tension. Put some water in a spray bottle along with a few drops of dish detergent. Spray it over the ballast and then add the glue mixture.
But remember to spray gently! The airflow from one of those spray bottles will blast your carefully placed ballast all over the place. I was getting tips at the LHS, and the resident expert suggested spraying above the track and letting the wet-water float down gently. A bit messier, but it works. By the way, you will end up with a bit of soap film on your track. Clean it off before running trains again. I suppose alcohol spray wouldn’t do that, huh?
For wet water, I use a couple of drops of dish detergent. My Elmer’s mxture is about the thickness of 2% milk.
I applied the glue with a pipette, which may be the French word for “eyedropper.” The LHS had a package of 8 of them for about $3. So far, I’m still using the first one. This technique allows good control of the glue and keeps it off the tracks. Incidentally, don’t you DARE put any glue anywhere close to the moving parts on your turnouts.
In normal weather in a room-temperature environment, it took 24 hours or so for this to dry to a hard shell. After only 8 hours or so, it was still a bit soft.
The water/glue mixture needs a few drops of dish detergent in it too to help it flow. I soak the ballast first with “wet” water (dish detergent added) then dribble on the glue/water/detergent mix. It soaks right in. Heed the warnings above about spraying gently. Until the ballast is soaked, any kind of direct spray will disturb it. Don’t forget to clean off the rails in case any glue gets on them.
This was perscribed by and old friend of mine. What you do is mix DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue (you can find it at your local hardware store) with the ballest. There is no exact mixture but I find that either 50 ballest to 50 glue or 35 ballest to 65 glue works. After you lay down the mixture the way you like it. Mix up some “wet” water and use a spray bottle to put it down. Once it drys just scrap the sides and tops of the rails and tie to uncover them (the ballest doesn’t always stay put). Then run a test and your done. The funny part about this method is that it preserves cork roadbed. I had to pull some track up and found the cork was like brand new.
I mix rubbing alcohol with Scenic Cement from Woodland Scenics. I wear contacts so I have
empty eye drop bottles. I use these bottles to apply the glue mixture and it works fine. The
spray bottles tend to blow the ballast everywhere but where you want it. Good luck, Dave
I use an epoxy applicator (kind of like a giant plastic syringe). I found these at Menards. They come two to a pckage. I’m still using the first one. Simialr to applying the glue with an eyedropper or pipette but with more capacity.
Tom
Did I mention that besides the cost of the ballest the Glue only cost $5.00. And lasts for quit a while
I have used white glue, and matt medium both. The latter is more expensive, but more tollerable to mistakes. You can peal the ballast up with a spackeling knife, and it comes up like rubber.
In any event, I apply adhesive with an eyedropper. (pipet, etc.) I check my mix, and add dishwashing soap until NO DROPLETS FORM on top of the ballast. I “flood” my embankment, and when the glue floats out the side or rises to the side of the ballast, I know I have enough in place. The Wet Water is the key to successful ballasting.
Good Luck!! [^]
what ive heard you could do, ive heard its an old method, is go a few sections at a time, before track is down, but after your bed is down, paint with a thick layer of earth coloered latex paint, put the track down, and then the ballast while the paint is still wet, sections at a time…after everything is done go over it with an elmers glue or matte medium mix to hold it down…but in your case youd have to pull up track, and i dunno if u wanna do this, ive never done it, dont know how well it works but its an option
hmm i dont have peoblems with the spray bottles ,you just ajust the flow go gently ,but yes! clean your track when your finished,wait about 5 hrs to clean your track
Spray the dry ballast with “Wet Water” (water with a couple drops of dish washing detergent). Then follow-up with your 50/50 glue/water. Try using a bottle with an eye dropper type dispenser on the top to help control the flow of your glue. With a little practice it will flow nicely and leave your ballast where you put it. If it does run and leave rivulets or craters, fill the with more ballast while the original ballast is still wet. Just don’t put too much. Pat it down with your finger. This technique works for me.
TIP: make sure your spray bottle is set for a fine mist. Otherwise you may blast the ballast out of location.
Happy Ballasting!
TrevorG[:D]
I’ve got 3 different spray bottles for applying wet water: an old Windex bottle–coarse spray but lots of water, a spray bottle from a $ store–a finer spray, and some old eyeglass cleaner bottles from the optometrist and hair conditioner spray bottles from my wife–a fine mist. I usually start with one of the finer mist types until the ballast or scenery is wet, then soak it with the coarser spray. I also use 3 different types of glue applicators: an old white glue bottle for large flow to saturate an area, a 50 ml syringe (no needle) for more precise application and a 10 ml syringe (no needle) for pinpoint application. The glue doesn’t harden if kept in the syringes–they’re pretty airtight. Like randybc2003 I find the white glue easy to remove. I’ve taken up a lot of track and cork roadbed lately making changes, and most of it was re-useable. I just soaked, and I mean soaked the track with wet water, waited a few moments and scraped it up with a putty knife. Same for scenery–it came away clean.
Hmm, “wet water”. Guess that is what I was missing. I have the pipettes, got 8 of them for like 3 or 4 bucks. The first one is still usable. And build up my layers. Spray bottles full of wet water. I thought about the spray bottle, but was concerned how that would affect the track. So as long as I clean the track pretty good, then there should be no problems. Got it!!
Ok, now another question. Should I just follow the profile on the roadbed, or should I build it up and mound/round it up?