help ballasting
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QUOTE (millsie @ 19 Jun 2008, 09:44) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>what is the best mix of glue and water fir ballasting..
cheers
Hello.
50% Pva & 50% water with a few drops of washing up liquid to break the surface tension. It also helps if you give the ballest a little spray of water before you start to glue it down.
cheers
Hello.
50% Pva & 50% water with a few drops of washing up liquid to break the surface tension. It also helps if you give the ballest a little spray of water before you start to glue it down.
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9,967 Posts
*** Hi Millsie
Tony has quoted you the mix that seems to be perpetuated forever but (sorry Tony) it works but it really is way too much glue!!
here is a copy of a post I did ages ago - since followed by several list members with excellent results. It was written in relation to ballasting points, but the overall technique works as well with plain track too.
(take your time and it will go well)
(1) use a thin mix of PVA and water - no more than 5:1 water to glue - less preferably. You want to hold the ballast fiurmly but NOT create concrete as 50/50 mixes do!
(2) take a cotton bud with a wee bit of vaseline on it and wipe between the blades and the stock rail to stop glue sticking to them. Do the same each side of the tie bar. put a tiny bit of oil on the blade pivot too. (Less is more - it doesn't need much!). If U warm the vaseline so it is more liquid you can use a cheap fine paintbrush for this.
(3) brush the ballast carefully in place and pick out any bits between blade and stock rail with tweezers
(4) mist the new ballast area with METHS not water - this is a better "wetting agent". Put the meths in a window cleaner misting bottle. It semlls a bit but will soon dissappear - much faster than with water!!
(5) use a syringe the same as is supplied for refilling printer cartridges not an eye dropper to apply the glue
(6) Apply it quite sparingly to the ballast between each sleeper. a couple (or three) drops is all thats needed if U wetted it with the meths properly - it will flow into the ballast really well
(7) when glue application is done apply another light and gentle spraying with the meths
Wait until its almost set then work the point by hand 2 or 3 times - if its stiff then add a bit more meths with the mister and keep working it a while.
Pick out bits of ballast that are in the way with a toothpick and tweezers gain. Clean off the rails with meths and a cotton bud and U should be good to go.
(using the syringe U should have almost no glue where it shouldn't be anyway!)
Regards
Richard
DCCconcepts
Tony has quoted you the mix that seems to be perpetuated forever but (sorry Tony) it works but it really is way too much glue!!
here is a copy of a post I did ages ago - since followed by several list members with excellent results. It was written in relation to ballasting points, but the overall technique works as well with plain track too.
(take your time and it will go well)
(1) use a thin mix of PVA and water - no more than 5:1 water to glue - less preferably. You want to hold the ballast fiurmly but NOT create concrete as 50/50 mixes do!
(2) take a cotton bud with a wee bit of vaseline on it and wipe between the blades and the stock rail to stop glue sticking to them. Do the same each side of the tie bar. put a tiny bit of oil on the blade pivot too. (Less is more - it doesn't need much!). If U warm the vaseline so it is more liquid you can use a cheap fine paintbrush for this.
(3) brush the ballast carefully in place and pick out any bits between blade and stock rail with tweezers
(4) mist the new ballast area with METHS not water - this is a better "wetting agent". Put the meths in a window cleaner misting bottle. It semlls a bit but will soon dissappear - much faster than with water!!
(5) use a syringe the same as is supplied for refilling printer cartridges not an eye dropper to apply the glue
(6) Apply it quite sparingly to the ballast between each sleeper. a couple (or three) drops is all thats needed if U wetted it with the meths properly - it will flow into the ballast really well
(7) when glue application is done apply another light and gentle spraying with the meths
Wait until its almost set then work the point by hand 2 or 3 times - if its stiff then add a bit more meths with the mister and keep working it a while.
Pick out bits of ballast that are in the way with a toothpick and tweezers gain. Clean off the rails with meths and a cotton bud and U should be good to go.
(using the syringe U should have almost no glue where it shouldn't be anyway!)
Regards
Richard
DCCconcepts
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560 Posts
QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 19 Jun 2008, 14:16) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>*** Hi Millsie
here is a copy of a post I did ages ago - since followed by several list members with excellent results. It was written in relation to ballasting points, but the overall technique works as well with plain track too.
Regards
Richard
DCCconcepts
He sent me a txt to ask what I'd done on my layout so I pointed him in the direction of you last posting about ballasting and here you are taking all the fun out of his search
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Top tips though and much appreciated. thanks again Richard
![]()
Andii
here is a copy of a post I did ages ago - since followed by several list members with excellent results. It was written in relation to ballasting points, but the overall technique works as well with plain track too.
Regards
Richard
DCCconcepts
He sent me a txt to ask what I'd done on my layout so I pointed him in the direction of you last posting about ballasting and here you are taking all the fun out of his search
Top tips though and much appreciated. thanks again Richard
Andii
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