I’m slowly but surely getting my (first) N-scale layout completed, and was wondering what techniques others like to use for spreading ballast. I’ve laid my track on cork roadbed; the ballast spreader I’ve been using lays down a little more ballast than I like for my taste. Other than moving the spreader over the track a little quicker, any other technigues I could use for spreading my ballast?
When I lay ballast (Woodland Scenics) I just pour a little into the shaker top abd slowly shake it out over the rails and side of the roadbed. I get plenty of control over where the ballast goes this way, and have never bothered with a ballast spreader. After I’ve laid some ballast, I go over it with a soft, fairly large paintbru***o move the ballast into it’s final shape, and to get stray ballast off the tops of the ties. Works like a charm.
Hello, I use a tea spoon and lay some down the center of the track, I then use a small soft paint brush and move it to cove the ties, I do the same on the outside of the track, I then wet it with water before i use the glue mix to hold it.
MLR Manufacturing has a ballast spreader that takes all the agony out of it.
http://www.internettrains.com/ho-scale-mlr-manufacturing-track-tools-ho-scale.html
http://www.internettrains.com/n-scale-mlr-manufacturing-mlr-track-tools-n-scale.html
Jay
I’m with pacificnorthern; I use a regular spoon (I keep a supply of plastic ones on hand for all my scenery work) along with a large supple brush - my brush is actually a makeup brush, like ones used for applying blush. I do tend to pile it up fairly thick, though, as I prefer it this way. You ought to be able to spread it as thick or as thin as you like though, with such manual tools.
some people haven’t had god results using the MLR ballast spreader. I used it once for my HO layout, and didn’t like it.
How do you guys recover ballast if you put too much on?
take a handy vac, put a lady’s nylon over the end, vacuum up lost ballast and hold over can, turn vacuum off and watch the ballast fall into the can.
Jay
By “handy vac,” do you mean a shop vac or a dust-buster? I use a dust-buster, but they don’t have very much power. Thanks for the tip on the nylon though.