Gluing ballast

[Phoenix]

I'm finally back to getting the mains ballasted and found that adding about 10% Isopropyl alcohol to the 40/60 mix of glue and water makes a big difference. After getting the ballast in place I mist the area with ISOp before adding the glue. With the ISOp also mixed in the glue bottle I get no beading on the ballast, it soaks in really well. I then usually do a final mist of alcohol as the last step. Holds very well...!

 

[PMW]

I'm finally back to getting the mains ballasted and found that adding about 10% Isopropyl alcohol to the 40/60 mix of glue and water makes a big difference. After getting the ballast in place I mist the area with ISOp before adding the glue. With the ISOp also mixed in the glue bottle I get no beading on the ballast, it soaks in really well. I then usually do a final mist of alcohol as the last step. Holds very well...!

I recently started ballasting for my first time. I misted IPA as a final step too but with no prior experience I didn’t know if there was a benefit

I put a few drops of dish soap in the water/glue mix. Do you find that there’s a difference?

 

[Phoenix]

I don't think the soap works that well, especially if you have hard water. If the glue beads up when dropping on the ballast, it needs to be thinner. I just went and checked my work and it looks good. I mix 40 percent glue and 60 percent water in a large Elmer's bottle then add about another inch of alcohol. The alcohol also evaporates faster thus drying quicker. Years ago I read where someone used alcohol in the mix and I believe it makes the tedious job of ballasting a little easier.

 

[GGNInNScale]

I take a small sprayer like that used for eyeglasses cleaning solution, fill with isopropyl alcohol. Spray this liberally over the ballasted area. Then, I take Elmer's and water, about 50-50 in the original Elmer's bottle with a bit of alcohol added (shake well). Dribble the glue solution down the middle of the track. It will spread easily if you work quickly. Otherwise add some more alcohol. You might need to run some glue down the outside of the track ballast. Works well since the 1960's...

 

[Phoenix]

I take a small sprayer like that used for eyeglasses cleaning solution, fill with isopropyl alcohol. Spray this liberally over the ballasted area. Then, I take Elmer's and water, about 50-50 in the original Elmer's bottle with a bit of alcohol added (shake well). Dribble the glue solution down the middle of the track. It will spread easily if you work quickly. Otherwise add some more alcohol. You might need to run some glue down the outside of the track ballast. Works well since the 1960's...

That's pretty much how I did mine and it worked great on a 15 foot section of three track main. I checked the turnouts as it dried and found two that the the end of the throw rod bonded slightly to the ballast on the outer edge. They easily popped free and all works well.

 

[GGNInNScale]

Ooops. Forgot to mention that I do not put ballast around the moving parts of a switch, and take some 800grit sandpaper and slide it between the contact points of the switch rails. Then, clean the rail tops with a buff of hard eraser or 1000grit sanding pads.