Ballast Gluer Fixer 39006

[Penn1974]

Has anyone used this item to apply ballast and glue to HO EZtrack? Comments or suggestions appreciated. It looks like I could do a lot of track work fast and easy.

[Trainman203]

Nice, Wayne.  I'm on my rookie layout so my ballast work isn't as smooth as yours.  It's ok though because I am a shortline , and all the branches and shortlines I recall had less than even ballast work.  I used isopropyl alcohol instead of water, however.  The humidity of the Gulf South is just too high most of the time to allow evaporation of water  in a timely fashion.

[Woody Elmore]

I found diluted white glue to be too brittle. I used to use diluted artist 's matte medium. It worked great and was relatively cheap.

The ballast in the photos is really nicely done. 

[electrical whiz kid]

Wayne and Woody (hmm, sounds like a juggling team...)
Thanks for the great information.  I am probably going to use 1/4" hardwood ply-or a least am going to try it.  Would mixing white glue and matte medium work?  On thinking about it, the glue probably wouldn't get to the point of becoming completely dry.  I live in Western Connecticut, so I share the same consideration for humidity as do others.  On my structures, I brace the living daylights out of broad expanses, like roofs, etc.; which I would use Strathmore or Bristol board for.  Also, I seal said board with a good sealer.  So far, knock wood...  I haven't had any troubles with warping.
For roadbed, I would think a mix of 75% white glue, and 25%matte.  What are your thoughts?

RIch C.

[electrical whiz kid]

Wayne;
On the positive side, if the wind is blowing north'ard, you can pick up the distinctively floral scent of Solvay Chemical Co. (you know, those 'mints'?)...

[Len]

I use 1oz of Kodak Photo-Flo to a quart of water to make "wet" water for prespraying ballast before glueing. I mix 16oz of white glue with 16oz warm water and 1oz of Kodak Photo-Flo to make a quart of ballast and ground cover cement. I find I get better mixing of the glue and water if the water is luke-warm when mixing.

I've tried the liquid soap/detergent method of making "wet" water, but I get more consistent results using the Photo-Flo wetting agent. Although with digital cameras taking over the world, it's getting harder to find at the local camera store. So I'm having to order it on-line.

Len

[Penn1974]

Mr Bachmann

Is there any place that I can find instructions on how to use this item?

[Len]

Video showing how it works here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5joUz_9Ncx8

Seems like a lot of work, and clean up, for a short section of track. My experience is the method Doc Wayne posted is much faster for large areas.

Len

[WoundedBear]

You notice it says that Proses ballast is "special" and requires no soaking before applying the glue. I guess you need to add a step to the whole drawn out process if you use anything but their ballast?

Myself, I would have sprayed my ballast with a little Iso Alky, then stopped at the "fill syringe" step. Once the syringe is filled, I would just dribble it all over the ballast and save the effort of the little gadget.

What was it PT Barnum said..............?

Sid

[electrical whiz kid]

Len;
You mentioned 'photo flo' for a wetting agent.  I am wondering how this might be applied in a decaling operation, or if it wouldn't work.

Rich C.

[Penn1974]

I would like to thank everyone for their input. It appears that I will do the ballast like everyone suggested because the ballast spreader does seem a lot more work for such a small area. THANKS

[Len]

Len;
You mentioned 'photo flo' for a wetting agent.  I am wondering how this might be applied in a decaling operation, or if it wouldn't work.

Rich C.

I have no idea, I only use it for making 'wet water' and diluting white glue. It might work, but can't say for sure.

Len

[rogertra]

Wetting agent.

One or two drops of liquid dishwashing soap in a squeeze bottle is all you need for a wetting agent, no need to over think or over engineer this simple solution.

When you mix your white glue, my preference, and water mixture for ballast glue, just add one or two drops of liquid soap.  That's all you need to do.

This is what my ballasted track looks like using the above method: -






Cheers

Roger T.

[electrical whiz kid]

Roger,
In the 'water-based glue' dept., the only other types are like aliphatic resin or carpenter's glue-which, when dry, is relatively water tight. just thought I'd pass that along, for whatever it is worth...It has never worked for me in this application.  Logic tells me that there is too much of a conflict with the chemistry to work well.
Track-work: 
For what it is worth, my compliments to you on a fine job of ballasting.  I can only hope mine comes out that good, when I start it...  This is going to be the year, whether I like it or not.  I will be retiring this year; I have to have a reverse done on my left shoulder; and from what I understand, these procedures are complex, painful, and slow-in-recovery.  Well, I have enough going on in the layout dept.; so After this spring, it will be farewell to a wonderful love-affair with a great and rewarding career; and spending a goodly amount of time re-acquainting myself with my layout, such as it is.

Rich C.

[rogertra]

Rich.

Wish you well for your surgery and hope you have a speedy recovery.

I've successfully used white glue, the Elmer's stuff in the plastic squeeze bottle since the 1970s with no adverse results.

Reason I use white glue is because it is water soluble and makes altering track work and in fact salvaging track much easier than using water-tight glues.  See example below where I decided to remove a switch from the mainline to the interchange track and alter the interchange trackwork to make a more interesting access from the branch.

Phase one - Remove east end mainline connection to branch interchange track.  Here I've wetted the ballast and removed two switches.






Phase two - Showing new branch interchange connection crossing mainline and new trackwork replacing switches:




Cheers

Roger T.