Ballast

[PJR]

Hi Guys

I have just done some ballasting on my track. I used a grey ballast and fixed with 50 50 pva after using wet water. However after 48 hrs it look like its wet and a lot darker with a shine on it.

Any ideas welcome

Thanks

Paddy

[Noel]

Hi Guys

I have just done some ballasting on my track. I used a grey ballast and fixed with 50 50 pva after using wet water. However after 48 hrs it look like its wet and a lot darker with a shine on it.

Any ideas welcome.

 

Hi Paddy, it should be fairly dry within 24hr if you used 50/50% water and PVA mix. If the ballast is actual stone of some kind (rather than synthetic materials) it is known to sometimes darken depending on the stone type, and some granite stone actually almost goes black. There shouldn't be a shine on the ballast after 48hr. PVA mix usually dries and become invisible. Is there any chance you may have pre-wet it with water too much before spreading 50/50 mix on it (i.e. effectively diluting the mix)? It is fairly normal to spray the dry ballast with a mist of water to help capillary action when you subsequently drop 50/50 pva mix on it. Noel

[Dave]

Hi Paddy,

 

PVA will dry to a gloss, some ballast looks ok and some can be glossy when dry. Using a matt medium over it will dull it down. Drying time is dependant on the environment your layout is in. In my last workshop ballast took up to 2 weeks to dry because it was cold and damp. In my new workshop it only takes a few days. All ballast will go a bit darker when the glue is applied.

[PJR]

Hi Paddy,

 

PVA will dry to a gloss, some ballast looks ok and some can be glossy when dry. Using a matt medium over it will dull it down. Drying time is dependant on the environment your layout is in. In my last workshop ballast took up to 2 weeks to dry because it was cold and damp. In my new workshop it only takes a few days. All ballast will go a bit darker when the glue is applied.

 

Thanks for your comments and suggestions lads. Dave can you suggest the colour/ colours to light the ballast

Thanks in advance

Paddy

[Noel]

Thanks for your comments and suggestions lads. Dave can you suggest the colour/ colours to light the ballast

Thanks in advance

Paddy

 

Hi Paddy, you may find some of the pics in the thread link below interesting. Noel

 

http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/6024-Track-bed-ballast-experiments