Ballast method
- Thread starter billk
- Start date
C
Catt
You don't have to be a member to read the ATLAS Forum ,just to post there.
It reads like a good plan "BUT" I'm so far from ballasting I'll most likely forget about this by the time I'm ready for it.
It reads like a good plan "BUT" I'm so far from ballasting I'll most likely forget about this by the time I'm ready for it.
I've tried a similar method but instead of using glue, I just paint the roadbed and subroadbed, and then pour the ballast over top of that. I'm not sure who I got the idea from - I think it might have been somebody on this forum????
At any rate, it works well. The only thing to remember is to let the paint totally dry (at least 24h) before getting rid of the excess ballast. Otherwise you'll have bare spots (I would presume the same goes for the glue system).
At any rate, it works well. The only thing to remember is to let the paint totally dry (at least 24h) before getting rid of the excess ballast. Otherwise you'll have bare spots (I would presume the same goes for the glue system).
Tyson - The Atlas forum is not "Netscape friendly", at least with earler versions of it - maybe that's your problem.
It also popped up on the Trainorders site:
Trainorders site thread
It also popped up on the Trainorders site:
Trainorders site thread
did you guys check out the way paul (shamus) does it using wall paper paste looks like a good way to do it from the look of his
layout
layout
Hi Guys,
I tried Shamus way of ballasting several weeks ago and it worked great. It worked fast and no mess. I hated the old way so read the Gauge as how he did it. Out here in the boonies I could'nt find the wallpaper paste that you mix. All they had was ready mixed stuff so i bought the thickest they had. Its the way to go.
Ron
I tried Shamus way of ballasting several weeks ago and it worked great. It worked fast and no mess. I hated the old way so read the Gauge as how he did it. Out here in the boonies I could'nt find the wallpaper paste that you mix. All they had was ready mixed stuff so i bought the thickest they had. Its the way to go.
Ron
hey there wyomingite you model n-scale don't you going to use shamus way if i ever get that far working on cleaning out the shed where the layout going to go got do some mouse hunting first got a whole family out there
I've always used the old soapy water and white glue method but changed it up a bit and used rubbing alcohol instead of the so called "wet water" in the spray bottle. Sure does dry a whole lot faster.
But the next time I get the urge to ballast some track I'm gonna try Shamus's method....Looks like that's the way to go!!
But the next time I get the urge to ballast some track I'm gonna try Shamus's method....Looks like that's the way to go!!
Ballast
Hey Rich & Vic,
What I did to get the hang of it was layed a old piece of track on some road bed and piece of plywood. Yes, Rich I do model in N-gauge. Have fun with those mice and good luck with the new railroad. It looks like your from my home state of Penna. I worked twenty five years in the underground iron ore mine in Morgantown. Vic I figured if the master went that way it was most likely the way to go. Good luck to both of you.
Ron
Hey Rich & Vic,
What I did to get the hang of it was layed a old piece of track on some road bed and piece of plywood. Yes, Rich I do model in N-gauge. Have fun with those mice and good luck with the new railroad. It looks like your from my home state of Penna. I worked twenty five years in the underground iron ore mine in Morgantown. Vic I figured if the master went that way it was most likely the way to go. Good luck to both of you.
Ron
what was the name of the paste you used wyomingite and my grandfather,great uncle and great grandfather were coal miners of up state rich
Ballast Methods
Hi Rich,
I got this at Ace Hardware, its Golden Harvest GH-34. I bet back there you can get the wallpaper paste that you mix yourself. Like I said I live in the boonies and things you folks take for granted I need to drive a hundred and fifty miles for. Have Fun'
Ron
Hi Rich,
I got this at Ace Hardware, its Golden Harvest GH-34. I bet back there you can get the wallpaper paste that you mix yourself. Like I said I live in the boonies and things you folks take for granted I need to drive a hundred and fifty miles for. Have Fun'
Ron
planeshavings42
Member
Here's A Copy
I copied the article and here's a copy, AT&SF Duey
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've ballasted track using the conventional method that many have described in the preceeding thread titled Ballasting Nightmares, with good to moderate success. However, about 2 years ago I learn a method of laying ballast that was so easy and produced such good results that this is the way I've done it ever since. This method is so quick and easy, you can do 10 feet of track in 10 minutes!!! I know, I know, it sound like bologna, but it's true!!! Yeah, I know what your thinking, "What's the catch?" There's no catch. This method works best on cork and/or Homabed. I'm sure it can work with Foambed as well.
If you are skeptical, I urge you to test his method on a 3 foot section of flextrack.
Here's what you'll need:
- Ballast - Woodland Scenics OR the brand of your choice (fine or medium)
- Spray Bottle - For use with wet water (or alcohol if you like)
- White Glue - Elmers or equivalent
- Acid Brush or a small paint brush
- Large Glue Bottle - Elmers school-type for 50/50 glue/water dribble mix
- 3/4" Masking tape
- Dustbuster (Yes, a dustbuster!)
- Paint brush - 1 to 2 inches wide
Now let's get down to business!
1. Lay down your cork roadbed or Homabed. If using cork, sand down the sharp edges with coarse sandpaper or Stanley Surform Tool.
2. Lay your track following whatever method you use. Note: Make sure you take great care in this step! Bullet proof trackwork is ESSENTIAL for problem free train operation!
3. Weather the majority of your track now if you like, and you can touch-up and enhance later.
4. This next step is similar to masking locomotives and rolling stock for painting. However, in the case our "paint" is Elmers Glue. Take the 3/4" masking tape and tear off managable strips (about 12" to 15" long). Place the sticky side of the tape strips on the end of the ties so that the piece of tape is now standing vertically, with its bottom edge butted against the top of the roadbed. You can continue overlaping the strips of the tape to extend the "masking tape wall". Do not bend the tape over! Let it stay straight.
5. Now, decide how wide you want your ballast profile to be and then place another strip of tape on the subroadbed that distance away from the edge of the roadbed. To simplify this step, just place the strip of tape parallel to the edge of the roadbed (on the subroadbed.) Do this on one or both sides of the track and roadbed (It's easier and faster to do both side at the same time.)
6. Take the glue and spread it full strength, on the roadbed between the 2 pieces of tape. Again, you can do one or both sides. Use the acid brush to spread the glue down the length of track. You should now have a nice coat of glue on the slope of the roadbed all the way up to the ends of the ties.
7. Peel the strips of tape away from the ends of the ties and up from the subroadbed. You should be left with a perfectly masked strip of glue on the beveled edges of the roadbed.
8. Take your ballast and pour it on the glue. DON' T HOLD BACK! Cover the glue completely and then press the ballast into the glue with your hand.
Now the easy fun part...
9. Take the dustbuster (make sure the dirt collector trap is CLEAN!) and suck up ALL the loose ballast. You should be left with a nice thin layer of ballast on the beveled edge of your roadbed on each side. Pour the loose ballast back into the ballast shaker or cup. Already you've saved yourself time and money because you have efficiently used the ballast.
10. Now shake more ballast material between the rails. Not too much this time! Spread the pallast down the length of the track with the 2" brush being careful to remove ballast of the top of the ties. If you do puor too much, just use your 2" brush to spread the ballast further down the track.
11. Once you filled in and manicured the ballast between the rails, use the wet water technique to wet ALL the ballast. Spray out and let the mist fall on the track.
12. Once the track is soaked, take you glue bottle and make you 50/50 mixture. Open the orange nozzle and "dribble" the 50/50 solution on the ALL of the ballast and track.
BAM!!!
That's it! Go watch TV!
-sd80mac-
planeshavings42 (AT&SF Duey)
I copied the article and here's a copy, AT&SF Duey
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've ballasted track using the conventional method that many have described in the preceeding thread titled Ballasting Nightmares, with good to moderate success. However, about 2 years ago I learn a method of laying ballast that was so easy and produced such good results that this is the way I've done it ever since. This method is so quick and easy, you can do 10 feet of track in 10 minutes!!! I know, I know, it sound like bologna, but it's true!!! Yeah, I know what your thinking, "What's the catch?" There's no catch. This method works best on cork and/or Homabed. I'm sure it can work with Foambed as well.
If you are skeptical, I urge you to test his method on a 3 foot section of flextrack.
Here's what you'll need:
- Ballast - Woodland Scenics OR the brand of your choice (fine or medium)
- Spray Bottle - For use with wet water (or alcohol if you like)
- White Glue - Elmers or equivalent
- Acid Brush or a small paint brush
- Large Glue Bottle - Elmers school-type for 50/50 glue/water dribble mix
- 3/4" Masking tape
- Dustbuster (Yes, a dustbuster!)
- Paint brush - 1 to 2 inches wide
Now let's get down to business!
1. Lay down your cork roadbed or Homabed. If using cork, sand down the sharp edges with coarse sandpaper or Stanley Surform Tool.
2. Lay your track following whatever method you use. Note: Make sure you take great care in this step! Bullet proof trackwork is ESSENTIAL for problem free train operation!
3. Weather the majority of your track now if you like, and you can touch-up and enhance later.
4. This next step is similar to masking locomotives and rolling stock for painting. However, in the case our "paint" is Elmers Glue. Take the 3/4" masking tape and tear off managable strips (about 12" to 15" long). Place the sticky side of the tape strips on the end of the ties so that the piece of tape is now standing vertically, with its bottom edge butted against the top of the roadbed. You can continue overlaping the strips of the tape to extend the "masking tape wall". Do not bend the tape over! Let it stay straight.
5. Now, decide how wide you want your ballast profile to be and then place another strip of tape on the subroadbed that distance away from the edge of the roadbed. To simplify this step, just place the strip of tape parallel to the edge of the roadbed (on the subroadbed.) Do this on one or both sides of the track and roadbed (It's easier and faster to do both side at the same time.)
6. Take the glue and spread it full strength, on the roadbed between the 2 pieces of tape. Again, you can do one or both sides. Use the acid brush to spread the glue down the length of track. You should now have a nice coat of glue on the slope of the roadbed all the way up to the ends of the ties.
7. Peel the strips of tape away from the ends of the ties and up from the subroadbed. You should be left with a perfectly masked strip of glue on the beveled edges of the roadbed.
8. Take your ballast and pour it on the glue. DON' T HOLD BACK! Cover the glue completely and then press the ballast into the glue with your hand.
Now the easy fun part...
9. Take the dustbuster (make sure the dirt collector trap is CLEAN!) and suck up ALL the loose ballast. You should be left with a nice thin layer of ballast on the beveled edge of your roadbed on each side. Pour the loose ballast back into the ballast shaker or cup. Already you've saved yourself time and money because you have efficiently used the ballast.
10. Now shake more ballast material between the rails. Not too much this time! Spread the pallast down the length of the track with the 2" brush being careful to remove ballast of the top of the ties. If you do puor too much, just use your 2" brush to spread the ballast further down the track.
11. Once you filled in and manicured the ballast between the rails, use the wet water technique to wet ALL the ballast. Spray out and let the mist fall on the track.
12. Once the track is soaked, take you glue bottle and make you 50/50 mixture. Open the orange nozzle and "dribble" the 50/50 solution on the ALL of the ballast and track.
BAM!!!
That's it! Go watch TV!
-sd80mac-
planeshavings42 (AT&SF Duey)