[ebaykal]

Highly effective method.

Once you pour the ballast on to the rail do not use a brush to spread it. Brushes tend to act as catapults kicking the tiny particles around even on to places that you have already smoothed.

Instead use your forefinger (make sure its dry) to spread out, gently tapping. You will notice that the tapping and partially moving along as you do it, the ballast fully fills between the sleepers.

Next, perform the usual ritual, spraying, gluing etc.. Now if there are any tiny bits and pieces of ballast in unwanted places, like sleeper/traverser tops, use your forefinger again to pick does nasty critters. This time, since the ballast is wet , your forefinger tips will act like magnets and those pieces will stick on to it to get rid of very easily.

Hope this helps.

Baykal

 

[ebaykal]

QUOTE (randolph @ 5 Mar 2009, 08:14) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>This might be slightly off the subject but once the ballast is spread how do you add colour, for instance an oil patch where a loco stops at a station - do you use paint or what?

Randolph,

Most people use airbrushing while I stick to good old brushes to do these effects.
Once you choose the color to use ( mine is always water based acrylics) dilute it with water or with thinners. The amount of dilution is critical here. Too little thinner/water, the paint will be coarse and you will not have the effect, it will merely paint the ballast. Too much,you won't see any effect.

Now once you have settled with the dilution, pick up a no:6 -8 brush and dip it into your paint and touch the region you want to change the color on the ballast. You will see that since the laid/glued up ballast is porous it will suck in the excess but leave a good amount of residue changing the color giving a very nice effect of your choice.

Hope this helps

Baykal