Ah, Quality Street. My British wife got some in Virginia to give as a gift. I have a lot of cinder ballast to put on my Peco code 83 Ho track of my D&RGW west of Grand Junction layout.
Jennifer thank you for this video. The dye in the glue is brilliant. I had always wondered if that could be done. This video shows how to ballast from A to Z.
After you have used the paintbrush to roughly disperse the ballast, have you tried tapping the rails gently with a spoon to get the ballast to settle and then gently spraying a very fine spray of water and washing up liquid onto the ballast, this reduces the surface tension allowing the glue mix to permeate more easily.
I like the sand idea. Here in the states it is pricey to buy ballast in hobby shops and it goes nowhere. I will try this tip. Thank you.. I like your layout and your channel.
Very useful video although i have bought my ballast now. I would also wet the sand with water and soap suds through a vapour spray bottle first. I find it soaks up the glue like a sponge very quickly dispensed through a squeeze bottle. Liking the finished colour and maybe something I will try in the future though and a great variation of ballasting..
Hi Jenny i use a similar device called a dougal from Golden valley ,only difference is ,it has brushes built in and i glued a electric toothbrush on it so it vibrates as it levels out the ballast, i live near a nice sandy beach FREE BAlLAST lol ,thanks again ,take care Mac
I tried the syringe, but found it can get a bit stiff from time to time, the resulting deluge can wash the ballast away - eye droppers also work well, and are available from any good pharmacy (with less questions :)). I do use the drop of black ink in my adhesive mix - though I'm wondering about changing the colors - maybe some grays?!
Jenny, when you were just a little baby I bought the Auto Ballaster from Micro Mart. I never really liked that way Because I be found I was always using or applying way to much ballast. I soon went to the teaspoon method. I employ this now. I use way less and I can control the flow much better. I do model in On3 and On3o. So I do prefer a few less granules of ballast near the point work. But to each his own. Take care and Run Trains.
I over-ballasted a small board on my layout. Think I'm going to have to use a flathead screwdriver or similar to remove excess from next to rail insides and sand the top of the rails.
Well done on the ballasting. You had better get the practise in Jenny as the cat is now, well and truly, out the bag in that you are an entrant into Channel 5's "The Great Model Railway Challenge". So is this where you keep disappearing to? Inclandestine meetings! Mike
No dont explain to the chemist you are not a smack head, let them think that you are as then you get syringes FREE, they ask no questions and make no judgments, they appreciate you are not sharing.
