Hi: I have ballasted using a white glue-rubbing alcohol mix and it works fine. advantage is if have to remove the track, pour on some more rubbing alcohol and the track will come free of the ballast. but it does leave the room smelling like a hospital. cheers ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Karnes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "s-scale" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 11:45 AM Subject: {S-Scale List} Re: LIGHTWEIGHT BALLAST
> > Posted by: "David Engle" [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Mon Jan 8, 2007 6:48 pm (PST) > > How about just enough liquid dish-soap, a few drops, or so, to break the > surface tension? > ===================== > Dave et al -- > > Doesn't matter. If the stuff floats on plain water, it'll float on > soapy water. > > A recent Model Railroader magazine (either Dec. 06 or Jan. 07) has an > article on applying Woodland Scenics ballast (made from ground-up nut > shells) that prevents floating away. It's a multi-step, multi-day > process. Basically, they spread the ballast between the rails first, > then spray it with isopropyl alcohol, then dribble on white glue to glue > it down. This is followed by spreading glue along the outer roadbed > slopes and sprinkling ballast on the glue. When the glue is dry (maybe > 36 hours), they come back and apply the finishing layer of ballast on > the outside of the track, including between the ties, then overspray > with alcohol, then apply glue. The previously-applied ballast on the > downslope prevents this last layer from washing down the slope. > > For those of you who think stone ballast doesn't add significant weight, > think again. I have gone through 50 pounds of stone ballast, and am on > my next 25 pounds. However, you'll never catch me rying to use (again! > Once is enough!) lighter-than-water ballast (nut shells, cork, > whatever). The fact that MR had to publish a fairly long pictorial > article on the nut-shell process says to me that there have been copious > reports from readers about dissatisfaction with non-stone ballasts. > > And watch out for that isopropyl alcohol! While it's lighter than water > and thus less inclined to carry your nut shells away, it produces > copious fumes as it evaporates. The stuff can knock you out -- and it's > poisonous. > > Dick Karnes > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
