Hi Chris

From my experience in ballasting Highclere I can offer the following advice...

1. I never apply the PVA solution straight to the ballast until it has soaked up some PVA first. The way I apply the PVA is to drip it next to the ballast (as close as possible) and the capillary action will 'suck' it into the ballast. I know others have wetted the ballast first but I havent tried that. Thats probably why you are getting 'balling' of the ballast.

2. Make sure you get enough ballast to do the whole layout. This is one of the problems I have with Highclere as even different batches of the same ballast isnt exactly the same.

3. I get the ballast that is the closest match to the colour I am looking for then use a combination of paint washes, dry brushing, and weathering powders to get it spot on.

4. I have found that the ballast sold as granite chippings changes colour quite dramaticaly when you wet it. Try to get some which is made from natural stone if possible. I got mine from Geoscenics.

I hope that helps.

Missy

Chris, ah... the subject of ballasting... quite a demanding master is this... I was quite surprised how tricky this can be given that it's a fairly basic skill. Last year I tried to tackly this on some finsecale track (first attempts, in at the deep end and all that)... I posted my resols in my layout blog at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/583/entry-4386-scenic-photodisplay-board-fourth-ballasting-attempt-2-steps-forward/

and finally got somewhere in the end with a display plank http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/583/entry-4628-scenic-photo-plankboard-complete-for-now/.

I'd had several failures beforehand... so, don't worry, you're not alone. Try searching this site for several clues... wish I new where they were now

Good luck, and keep at it

jon

Hi Missy, that IS really helpful as ever , thankyou

I have ordered some medium fine and some sand, and intend to try blending them - isn't this what you did on Highclere too?

Blending two grades seems to be a popular decision on 4mm anyway.

I never wet the ballast first, but I haven't seen so many bubbles before. You'd think I'd added too much washing up liquid!

Personally, I don't think it is necessary to swamp easitrac with ballast anyway, it si too shallow and its nice to see most of the sleepers - even though in Victorian times they seemed to ballast deeper.

I'll try another section on my test strip when it arrives.

Don - what do you thin the Copydex with?

Jon I've read your thread so thanks for that info.

Cheers,

Chris

Hiya Chris

I used the Meduim Dark GR600 ballast on Highclere. As you might have noticed in previous posts though it didnt go entirely to plan and I ended up putting all sorts of paint washes and things on it to lighten the colour. I am now stuck in the situation of trying to remember what I did as I need to repeat it on the second baseboard (hence the notes above).

I do agree with your comment about swamping the track with ballast though, make the most of the easitrac and ballast as shallow as possible.

Finally with regard to using Copydex, I tried this a while ago without much success. Although it keeps the ballast flexible I found it left a thin film of copydex over the ballast which tended to 'ball up' in places. I diluted it with water just like you would with PVA if you want to experiment.

Missy

P.S. Don is right, granite is natural stone! I meant in comparison to soft stone ballast.

Hi Chris

I have had much better results when ballasting by wetting the ballast with iosopropyl alcohol and then applying the glue, even where I've used the thinnest of layers.

It breaks down all of the surface tension in the material being used and just allows the scatter/ballast to suck up the glue.

Hope this helps

Many thanks for all your suggestions.

I'll experiment when the new ballast arrived.

I bought the Scenics light grey fine from a show somewhere because I was not happy with the grey ballast on my previous N gauge layout.

Chris