Is ballasting really this extremely time consuming & tedious or am I doing something wrong?
Just for the record, yeh, I’m a perfectionist & trying get that absolutely life like prototypical look.
Please rate, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being one of, if not thee most time consuming & tedious tasks in this hobby).
LION sort of enjoys that kind of work. It does not take all that long. LION has four track mane lion with miles of track. Most is not ballasted, but some will be. Him uses cat litter since other brands are far too expensive. Can’t glue it or it will clump.
ROAR
Depends on how one spreads the ballast and then tries grooming the Ballast!
I have used the typical spoon to pour on the ballast and then using a small brush to try to get all of the ballast out of the inside of the rails and down to tie level.
While it worked - but it took a lot of time.
Then I tried using a foam paint brush that just fits inside the rails (I am in HO) and then just effectively moved the brush (which is laying on its narrow side between the rails) and it worked like a charm - it pulls all of the little grains of ballast away from the inside of the rails and spreads the ballast evenly between the ties.
It even removes the little grains from the tops of the ties.
Once I got on to using the foam paint brush - ballasting wasn’t that big of a deal.
I rate it now at a 4 or 5 instead of a 20 before!
I then glue it down with a misting of ISO Alcohol then I use a glue bottle with the adjustable top to adjust the flow of glue mix and apply it as typical shown in most ballasting articles and U-tube videos.
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Arto, I feel your pain. Ballasting the track for me is time consuming and tedious as I am a perfectionist as well. So based on your scale I’d rate it a 10
I do follow Cody’s recommendation for painting the shoulders with white glue and then spreading the ballast with a spoon on the shoulder. Vacuum off the excess once dry and the continue the ballasting process.
Good Luck
Derek
Things that make ballasting easier for me:
Code 83 track is easier to ballast than Code 100, at least with Atlas flex track. The ties have a lower profile and you don’t need as much ballast.
I don’t spray anything. I use a pipette and isopropyl alcohol straight from the bottle, poured into a small cup because the pipette won’t reach to the bottom of the bottle. This gives me much better “wetting” action and subsequent glue flow. The glued ballast also dries much faster with straight alcohol. I mix 1 part white glue with 3 parts water and apply from an old Elmer’s bottle.
After the glue dries, plan to take a small screwdriver or dental pick and remove the stray pieces of ballast from the tops of the ties. It is easier to do this than to do the extra work required to keep them from settling there in the first place.
IPA stands for isopropyl alcohol and also for India Pale Ale. Don’t confuse the two, but appropriate application of both IPAs makes the job more pleasant.
Ballasting is pretty much the last thing I do scenically. So, there is a great deal of satisfaction in being able to say, “It’s done.”
Sometimes you feel like ballasting, and sometimes you don’t. It can be a pleasant, zen-like experience if you’re in the right mood.
I rather enjoy ballasting. In addition to the good pointers above I might add:
If you are using cork roadbed be sure the shoulders are smoothed out where the beveled cut is made. Sometimes there is a little ridge left there.
Vacuum the area well then the next step I do like Derek mentions above, is to use your adhesive, white glue, matte medium or my favorite, Mod-Podge, and I brush it on, undiluted (or very slightly thinned), the beveled edge of the cork then lightly sprinkle the ballast over the glue. At this stage the only IPA I’m using is in a chilled mug.
I let this dry over night, I don’t see any reason to vacuum the excess up since I’m going to be adding to it, then continue to apply my ballast between the ties and level it out. The previous application to the shoulders really helps keep the ballast from spilling down the shoulder and, to me, makes for a better contour.
LESS is better when applying the stone. You can always fill in a little more a day, week or month later but it is very difficult to remove once set.
Just before misting I use a small block of wood to tap the rail to allow the ballast to settle in and make sure there is none stuck to the rails.
I use a vee shaped device called a sampling spatula that makes precise application easier.
(The two tools in the foreground) also, your misting sprayer should provide a very fine mist so as not to disturb the stone, then SOAK the area generously.
Slowly apply your diluted adhesive of choice. I mainly dribble it along the sides of the rails so as not to disturb the ballast and allow capillary action to spread it.
The other thing that I believe makes for a better looking result is to use real stone ballast. I have never had good results with the Woodland Scenics brand.
Once everything looks good and is completely dr
Thnx for all the replies so far.
I probably should have elaborated more. The part I’m finding so time consuming is simply (LOL) getting the ballast level with the top of the ties, both between the rails and outside. I’ve tried the angled foam sponge on a stick but it still tends to sweep ballast away from the top of the ties. I’ve had the best results so far by using the foam brush to tamp the ballast down but it seems I’ll still need to use a #1 brush to get any remaining ballast off the ties.
I was hoping there might be an easier/faster way of doing this but it looks like there isn’t if you want “that look”.
Not to put down anyone at Model Railroader Magazine, I realize they don’t want to discourage newcomers to the hobby (I’m an oldie) but I’d like to see a video of them doing it the “right way” in real time instead of just bits & pieces the fast & easy way. More like an “advanced” video. The results they are showing are not up to the standards I’m trying to achieve. Albeit, the last time I did this a couple decades ago it didn’t take so long, but the results were not anywhere as realistic as what I’m after this time around.
I was just hoping that maybe there was another way that I’ve overlooked.
Arto, this could prove to be an interesting thread for many of us.
Tell us how you do your ballasting, and post a photo or two from the prototype, showing the results that you are trying to achieve.
Rich
Work from prototype photos and take your time. Eventually you’ll achieve something that looks right.
I’ve used the above photos for inspiration on my layout. Ballast appearance varies from place to place. It may not be a as tidy as we picture it.
Thinking about the process I use, I have a 1" artist’s brush with bristles that aren’t too soft or too stiff. The brush needs to be able to move the ballast grains without overly disturbing them. You may have to experiment to find one that works best for you. I can’t get results I like with a foam brush for example, but I know others who like them. I also keep some smaller brushes for working around guard rails and tight areas.
While I’m waiting for water and glue to dry, I often use a small brush and bamboo skewer to remove any stray ballast from around spike heads or anywhere else it doesn’t look right. Once the glue dries, I’ll go back with some track weathering paints and touch up any areas with excess glue or ballast.
Rob, you need to stop posting photos of your ballasted track because you are driving me crazy. I want to re-ballast all of my track so that it looks like yours. [Y]
From my own experience, I have concluded that the next time around, I will initially avoid the area inside the rails completely. Get the slopes done on the outside of the rails, and then come back and ever so lightly apply ballast inside the rails. The way that I did my current layout was to spoon the ballast inside the rails and work toward the outside of the rails. That is a major no-no.
Rich
That’s exactly how I do it. I apply to the area between the rails first, brush it until it looks right, then do the rest. Everybody needs to adapt to what works best for him.
I enjoy the tedious nature of ballasting but I must admit I had to psych myself up to get that last part done.
And yes. A nice ipa or a nice champagne of beers is required imho. [:)]
T e d
Rich, I know what you mean, I will also “paint” the roadbed shoulders w/ straight white glue and immediatly sprinkle on the ballast. This tends to help and act as a gravel stop and allows covering a usually hard place to cover (not having the roadbed show through.
Some may find troubles in ballasting, especially using the very light WS ballast. that ground walnut shell doesn’t like to lay down as well as a heavier rock/ mineral product. I too don’t seem to have much luck w/ a foam brush. maybe to initially move down the tracks the “spooned” on balast, but a med bristle brush, tends to work better for me. I note that blowing at the track at a sharp angle and tamping w/ a wood dowel/ screwdriver hanldle helps “tamp/ settle” the ballast and knock quite a bit of those stray grains from the tie tops.
Any elevated or sharp drop adjacent to the track, I place paper strips, even painter’s tape to collect the runoff. Fold and pour back to keep the waste to a minimum.
The first time around, don’t use so much ballast. Put some down and spread it. If you need more, add more. But, if you’ve put down too much it’s hard to get rid of it.
Two of the “most complained about” tasks in model railroading are painting the rails and ballasting.
As far as I’m concerned, two of the easiest tasks to perform are painting the rails and ballasting, and they are probably the two things which you will do that will give you the most “bang for your buck”.
If you’re in model railroading as a racing event, skip both steps.
I’ve seen and heard this discussed so many times I finally wrote out my procedure as a Word document. It’s not the only way to ballast, but it works very well for me: easy to do, relatively speedy, and very relaxing. Coupled with painting the rail, you’ll understand what I mean by “bang for the buck”.
I keep seeing comments about people dreading having to ballast their tracks, or, from people who’ve tried and not had success, about what a crummy task it is. What follows is my procedure for ballasting - there are others that work as well, but this one uses readily-available and cheap tools and materials.
The choice of ballast is up to you - I use Woodland Scenics Fine Ballast on my HO scale layout, but there are many other brands and sizes available, and plenty of colours. If you use natural materials, like sand, dirt, or decomposed rock, it’s best to use a magnet to remove any magnetic inclusions that might possibly damage the motors in your locos.
To ballast your track, I find that a small paper cup (such as those kitchen or bathroom Dixie cups) gives you great control over where the ballast goes. I usually move the cup along the centre of the track, tapping it as I go, to keep the ballast flowing. Less than you need is better than too much, although a soft 1/2" brush is useful for pushing around the excess or levelling what’s in place. Don’t use the brush to brush the ballast around, especially the WS ballast, as it’s very light and will fly all over the place. Instead, lay the
At one time I looked forward to ballasting, gluing, and then painting the rails with about as much enthusiasm as a non-hygiene-type trip to the dentist. Now I quite like it.
I use an aluminum pie tin and sprinkle a generously long bead between the rails, no higher than the tops of the rails. I use a brush I have saved to spread that in one direction toward the end of the ballast. I add more to the shoulders and groom it. I tap the rals rather smartly with a dowel and get all the grains off the ties and away from the webs.
I wet, glue, and tidy up what I absolutely don’t want to have to break up and fix later when it is dried. I dribble all liquids…no spraying because that will impact the paint job.
Later, with a small artist’s brush whose bristles I have cut about in half to stiffen them, I use a suitable acrylic paint to paint the webs and feet. Tamiya “red brown” seems to do a nice job.
Just by accident (or maybe minimally inspired impulse), I tried using a clean soldering brush to move and settle ballast- worked so well that I now keep that brush near the next section to be ballasted. Just stiff enough to move errant bits back to where they belong, not so stiff as to disturb the bits that are behaving themselves. Cost is favorable and the brushes are small enough to work easily around and within turn out rails.
Don H.
I haven’t done any ballasting yet, but I’ve seen a few videos that use a vacuum to speed up the process. This video says the technique was in a 1978 issue of MR magazine. If the suction is right, you can run the nozzle right over the rails and it will suck up everything above the ties but not below them. Obviously it requires some touching up by hand to make it look perfect but this would probably save some time.
Picture of my track ballast so far. It’s not finished. The track on the left still has ballast on the ties and there’s still some on the outside of the right track. Nothing is glued yet except for the inital ballast layer on the slope. After gluing in place I’ll be doing the finishing color touches to the rails, ties & ballast with powered chalk like Pelle Soeborg did in the MR July 2013 issue.
I’m not dissatisfied with how things are turning out - just how incredibly long it’s taking.
EDIT: ok, I guess I don’t know how to post pictures on this forum. Why isn’t the picture showing up like others have posted?
