Ballasting Advice Wanted

[Knapdale]

My next project for my OO layout is to ballast the track, and have decided to use a mixture of OO and N scale ballast. My method of binding it I intend to use is the traditional teaspoon water/IPA. 
 

I would like thoughts on what the best ballasting material to use. I have come across the usual granite chippings, but have obtained another kind (Carr’s) that’s described as “manufactured from a light non stone material”. But it doesn’t actually say what it is. Has anyone used non stone material for ballast and been happy with the result?
 

I also want to use something that will last cosmetically and have read somewhere that granite chippings will turn a greenish colour over time if using a water/PVA/washing-up liquid mix to bind it. Does this depend on the quality of the granite chippings used, or would using an alternative loosening agent (such as IPA or methylated spirit) prevent this?

 

Advice and suggestions welcome! 

 

 

[Miss Prism]

Woodland Scenics. It is a light crushed-up husks sort of stuff. Various colours available. Doesn't transmit noise like granite or go green with PVA.

 

[Pete the Elaner]

Why are you using watered down PVA?

I am not condemning it. I am suggesting that you question things with each new layout build: Did that work well? Are there better alternatives available?

There certainly are alternative to PVA.

 

I was brought up with it but questioned it. I felt there must be something better.

Its advantages are that is is cheap, non-toxic & readily available.

Its disadvantages are that it turns granite-based ballast a slight green colour & but its biggest drawback is that it is a resin, so it sets rock hard. This means it allows no flex so any knocks will cause lumps to flake off, but also many of us lay the track on cork to deaden the sound a little then we soak the cork in resin so any sound deadening is totally destroyed.

 

There are alternatives:  Ballast magic is designed specifically for ballasting. I have not tried it but it is a specific product, not something that "will sort of do".

Wallpaper paste flakes are another. These are crushed & mixed in with the ballast, so it just has to be sprayed with wetted water to set. I have tried this & don't recommend it. It initially swells up & looks scary but it will shrink back. The problem is that it continues to shrink after it dries, creating cracks in the ballast.

Copydex is another. It gets watered down with a wetting agent, just like PVA, but it is latex based so it has some flex & is therefore quieter than PVA. It also doesn't flake off. It dries very slightly brown (but brake dust is brown so no problems there). It is more expensive than PVA & can wrap itself around a drill bit if you decide to drill a hole. It can also be carefully sliced away from somewhere you didn't want, like rail sides or sleepers. It also cuts very cleanly so a board join will be less obvious than ballast fixed with a resin.

 

Don't just use anything new on a layout. Try it on some old scraps first.

[Stephen Freeman]

Copydex/Latex has sound advantages if you can stand the smell. I believe that Carrs is/was crushed fruit stone too. I say was, because the Mill that supplied them burnt down some years ago, I expect they found a new  supplier subsequently. Another good source of ballast can be Chinchilla dust, if it is fine enough.

[2mmKiwi]

Has anyone considered /used this as an alternative to Copydex?

https://www.noch.com/crafting-tips/the-practical-use-of-latex-adhesive

 

They claim it has sound deadening qualities which is what I want. I don't want to use PVA which sets like concrete.

For ballast alternative try Attwood Aggregates - they have a great range, but are slow to respond to requests, that's all.

 

Steve

[Izzy]

Right across the scales range, from O-MF to 2FS I now only use Woodlands scenics ballast held in place using their S191 scenic cement. The latter is of low viscosity so seems like water and can be dripped on with a pipette and runs easily into the ballast, which I’m sure I’ve read is crushed walnut shells. Seems expensive but goes a long way and dries clear and matt. A couple of coats is best for maximum adhesion but still allows easy lifting for re-work. 

 

Bob

[andrewshimmin]

I'm planning to ballast my new 12mm gauge TT layout in the coming weeks, although not until I've played with the layout for a while to make sure the track plan is what I want.

Has anyone used one of these ballasting tools before: https://railsofsheffield.com/products/proses-pbs-fix-06-ballast-spreader-ballast-gluer-fixer-combo-for-tt-scale

Are they recommended?

Looks good to me, but wanted to check they work and are worthwhile.

[Knapdale]

6 hours ago, andrewshimmin said:

I'm planning to ballast my new 12mm gauge TT layout in the coming weeks, although not until I've played with the layout for a while to make sure the track plan is what I want.

Has anyone used one of these ballasting tools before: https://railsofsheffield.com/products/proses-pbs-fix-06-ballast-spreader-ballast-gluer-fixer-combo-for-tt-scale

Are they recommended?

Looks good to me, but wanted to check they work and are worthwhile.

I’ve used the OO gauge Proses ballast spreader with height adjustment and shut off. It’s excellent. Much quicker and neater than using the teaspoon method.
However, I’ve not used the equivalent glue spreader, so can’t comment on how well that works. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by Knapdale

[Andy_C]

I’m just commencing thinking about ballasting my n gauge layout. This thread therefore being very relevant…

[HansP]

Hi all, 

 

Just another question concerning using watered-down Copydex for ballasting; I have just laid some granite-based ballast (from Koemo in Germany) on the time-honoured test plank and found it soaked in really well having pre-wetted the ballast first. I wanted to test two sleeper colours at the same time, so half were painted using Vallejo Black-Brown and the others with Revell 84 mixed with a small amount of matt black (Revell 8) 

 

Once the glue had dried, I went back to my test plank - as expected, the ballast was all darker than before, which is fine, but the glue had made a right mess of the tops of the sleepers - some seemed fine, others had what looked like a coating on part of the sleeper that completely changed the colours I used into a rubbery light grey. Also, everything looks slightly shiny. 

 

The rubbery nature of the glue is fine - seems to hold all the ballast as I want it to - but I guess I'm looking for ways to not get the glue on top of the sleepers. Using a pipette and dripping glue only onto the ballast works really well until it doesn't, and glue floods over the sleepers. Any ideas from anyone?

 

Thanks, 

 

Peter       

[Lord of Narnia]

I was looking to go down the Copydex route with natural stone (wife is badly allergic to nuts so Woodland Scenics is a no no!). 
 

I would be interested to hear experiences with it. 

[Yankee Jack]

I have been using Copydex for gluing down the foam roadbed, then gluing down the track, then (thinned considerably) for setting the ballast. THEN, for cutting out a section of track/roadbed/ballast to install new points for a revised passing track. After cutting through the rails with my Dremel, and quick slice through the ballast and roadbed with a knife, I simply worked a 1" metal spatula underneath it all, and it came right off, fairly cleanly. A bit of Copydex remained on the poplar substrate with bits of foam, all of which came off with a bit of elbow grease with the spatula, and I was ready to proceed. I have also been able to lift track from the foam roadbed for alignment revisions with the spatula.

I use four basic forms of adhesives:

1.) Plastic cements for plastic elements of kits (doesn't work with resin)

2.) Superglues - rarely - in various consistencies for things that HAVE to stick in final position, for example: the adjusting nuts on my helix - when I KNOW I'm good.

3.) PVA for any open material, like plywood, timbers, and static grass installations, even right up to edge of the ballast line. Structural work is done with screws plus PVA.

4.) Copydex for sound control, the ability to edit, just about everything else. I have successfully used it to attach the Woodland Scenic 2% risers to the poplar ply decking (baseboard)