Burlington Bob
Well-Known Member
I didn't know they had anything like that available. What or where did you get one?
Running Bear's Coffee Shoppe LIX
- Thread starter bnsf971
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I didn't know they had anything like that available. What or where did you get one?
I'm assuming you are also using Woodland Scenics ballast...which is crushed walnut shells...so it is very light and eadily displaced.
my system for ballasting is to work in 1-3ft sections. I only use eye-droppers to apply my "wet"water and my wet glue.
my "wet" water is a 50/50 mix of rubbing alchol and tap water and my glue is a 40/50/10 mix of water/ yellow carpenters glue/rubbing alcohol. I thoroughly but very carefully wet a section of ballast,about a 1ft length, using an eyedropper then very carefully apply my glue mixture with an eye-dropper.
This stuff is what I'm using. It's like sand and well it pisses me off using it. The only time its been good is without roadbed at all.
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Chessie, I always brushed regular white or yellow, undiluted, on my road bed slopes first in say tree foot sections, one side at a time and then went along and sprinkled on the ballast, possibly even carefully pushing into the glue here and there. Then when you have both sides done go back and add the ballast between the ties.
Another way you might try if you want to spread all your ballast at once is to use an eye dropper with your diluted mixture and carefully drop a bit here and there without getting things to wet which it sounds like your doing.
If your using a spray bottle to apply your glue mixture I'd try and use a finer spray is possible and only apply a little bit and let it set up and go back for a second coat.
A base coat of glue on the slopes sure solves a lot of problems though.
LOL! You beat me to it! I've not ballasted any track yet but reading the posts this morning it popped into my misshapen haid that putting glue down and then ballast and then more glue was going to be my suggestion and I see now it's already been time tested and proven!
EXCELLENT!
No exciting weather around here, just boring old cold! I wish it WOULD snow here, it's warmer when it snows!
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I didn't know they had anything like that available. What or where did you get one?
I picked it up at Big Lots for $5.
Burlington Bob
Well-Known Member
I'll definitely be looking into one of those!
Genetk44
Active Member
I'm assuming you are also using Woodland Scenics ballast...which is crushed walnut shells...so it is very light and eadily displaced.
my system for ballasting is to work in 1-3ft sections. I only use eye-droppers to apply my "wet"water and my wet glue.
my "wet" water is a 50/50 mix of rubbing alchol and tap water and my glue is a 40/50/10 mix of water/ yellow carpenters glue/rubbing alcohol. I thoroughly but very carefully wet a section of ballast,about a 1ft length, using an eyedropper then very carefully apply my glue mixture with an eye-dropper.
PRR Modeler
Well-Known Member
Chessie- There are several ways of ballasting. The glue I use is equal parts of water, rubbing Alcohol, and Elmer glue.
After putting ballast down with a ballast spreader and I am happy with it I spray straight rubbing Alcohol on it so that it is throughly wetted, then I use an eye dropper to drip glue on it. If you run a bead of glue on the base of the ballast this will help keep the ballast from drifting. I hope this helps.
After putting ballast down with a ballast spreader and I am happy with it I spray straight rubbing Alcohol on it so that it is throughly wetted, then I use an eye dropper to drip glue on it. If you run a bead of glue on the base of the ballast this will help keep the ballast from drifting. I hope this helps.
chessie_system3
Well-Known Member
This stuff is what I'm using. It's like sand and well it pisses me off using it. The only time its been good is without roadbed at all.
Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk
kbkchooch
Verified Human
I've got a technical question guys. I'm doing a custom paint job for a friend, and decoder install on an Athearn RTR SW1200. Originally it was an SP unit with a full compliment of SP style lights. 4 bulbs for each end of the loco. I'd like to set it up so that the lights are different, with headlights, gyra-lights and red warning lights. Problem is Athearn wired them all in parallel, so I need to split the feeds off. I see holes in the board, but the traces are nest to impossible to follow. Does anyone have a schematic for this thing, or should I rip it out and hardwire it myself??
Burlington Bob
Well-Known Member
Strange how something in HO can look SO much different from the similar item in N.
Trussrod
Well-Known Member
Chessie, I always brushed regular white or yellow, undiluted, on my road bed slopes first in say tree foot sections, one side at a time and then went along and sprinkled on the ballast, possibly even carefully pushing into the glue here and there. Then when you have both sides done go back and add the ballast between the ties.
Another way you might try if you want to spread all your ballast at once is to use an eye dropper with your diluted mixture and carefully drop a bit here and there without getting things to wet which it sounds like your doing.
If your using a spray bottle to apply your glue mixture I'd try and use a finer spray is possible and only apply a little bit and let it set up and go back for a second coat.
A base coat of glue on the slopes sure solves a lot of problems though.
Karl, If you know how to program the decoder (NCE?) to it's lighting effects, then why bother with the Athearn lighting board. If it's NCE it will come with wires you can attach to the plug. At least then you will have color coded wires for all functions. Where space is tight, those quick plugs are bulky and jamming 2 boards in where one will do it all has tempted me. Only thing stopping me is the knowhow knowledge.
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Good Morning All. 35 degrees and clear under the full moon this morning here in North Central Texas. It's predicted to be a beautiful day today with temperatures in the lower 60's. I'll be outdoors most of the day, primarily in the garden . Planting season pretty much begins this week with onions, carrots and radishes. I'm going to try parsnips this year as well.
CS3 - There are as many ways to do ballast as there are modelers, as you can tell by the responses. It does sound like you resolved your own crisis by realizing that you had forgotten to wet it first.
Chet - How did the search work out? Successful I hope.
How did everyone fare with the snowstorm? We saw Karl's picture of his truck...what about everyone else?
All right now, I'll read a few more posts, then off to the train shed to await sunrise and a little warmer temps before heading into the great outdoors.
Have a great and safe day everyone.
Willie
CS3 - There are as many ways to do ballast as there are modelers, as you can tell by the responses. It does sound like you resolved your own crisis by realizing that you had forgotten to wet it first.
Chet - How did the search work out? Successful I hope.
How did everyone fare with the snowstorm? We saw Karl's picture of his truck...what about everyone else?
All right now, I'll read a few more posts, then off to the train shed to await sunrise and a little warmer temps before heading into the great outdoors.
Have a great and safe day everyone.
Willie
chessie_system3
Well-Known Member
Good morning everyone. Eventhough I had it rough last night with my ballast project it turns out that it might have been a sign. I forgot all about installing my grade crossings. Or at least a template for my crossings. Which is a project I need to take on first thing this morning before I get too wrapped up in my ballast project again.
Justin
Justin
Good morning. It's clear and 25.
I was able to venture out yesterday afternoon, and while I was out, they plowed my driveway shut. I think I honked off a few people, while I left the truck sitting in the road and shoveled out the end of my driveway, so I could get back in...
I was able to venture out yesterday afternoon, and while I was out, they plowed my driveway shut. I think I honked off a few people, while I left the truck sitting in the road and shoveled out the end of my driveway, so I could get back in...
new guy
Active Member
LOL! You beat me to it! I've not ballasted any track yet but reading the posts this morning it popped into my misshapen haid that putting glue down and then ballast and then more glue was going to be my suggestion and I see now it's already been time tested and proven!
EXCELLENT!
No exciting weather around here, just boring old cold! I wish it WOULD snow here, it's warmer when it snows!
rhoward
S.L.O.&W. Trainman
Justin, here is how I do my ballast... Never have a problem (well except for an aching back).
As David said, brush undiluted white glue on the sides of the roadbed, then sprinkle and spread the ballast. I use a 50/50 mix of white glue and distilled water as the glue. Using an eyedropper carefully wet the ballast with 70% isopropel alcohol. Do a few feet at a time. Then I use an old drip bottle (I use a very old white glue bottle like they used to make, but anything that can release a small drop at a time will work) to carefully drip the white glue mixture first between the tracks, then on each side of the tracks on top of the ballast. The alcohol "wets" the ballast allowing the white glue to just go zip and spread into the ballast without disturbing the ballast hardly at all. I wait until the ballast has dried to carefully pick off any stray pieces of ballast. I can do about 6' or so in an evening before my back is screaming at me.....
Here is a finished area (Before I cleaned it of the stray pieces...):
As David said, brush undiluted white glue on the sides of the roadbed, then sprinkle and spread the ballast. I use a 50/50 mix of white glue and distilled water as the glue. Using an eyedropper carefully wet the ballast with 70% isopropel alcohol. Do a few feet at a time. Then I use an old drip bottle (I use a very old white glue bottle like they used to make, but anything that can release a small drop at a time will work) to carefully drip the white glue mixture first between the tracks, then on each side of the tracks on top of the ballast. The alcohol "wets" the ballast allowing the white glue to just go zip and spread into the ballast without disturbing the ballast hardly at all. I wait until the ballast has dried to carefully pick off any stray pieces of ballast. I can do about 6' or so in an evening before my back is screaming at me.....
Here is a finished area (Before I cleaned it of the stray pieces...):
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