Tutorial #1 - How to ballast HO track without roadbed
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2024
- In this tutorial the first of the Forest Creek Railway "Make a scene" series, I will show you how I ballast my track since I don't use any roadbed but instead have my track directly on my bench work. Please remember "My layout, My way" As long as the modeller is happy with their layout than any other opinion is mute. Having said that please feel free to comment and watch our other tutorials.
Hope you enjoy and happy modelling from Forest Creek Model Railway.
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Thanks for sharing your technique. I'll be using it for sure, once I get to this stage.
Hey! I'm subscriber #1 on Tutorial #1. Cool. Cheers, mate, keep up the good work.
Thanks Chris. Glad we could inspire you and give you some guidance.
[thank, you for you're great video]👍
Great video, clear and simple. Much appreciated.I have no roadbed, just glued to extruded styrofoam which is the way my local hobby shop guy does it. The alcohol idea looks good too. Will try it as I am now about to start ballasting portions of the my track.
Thanks Steve, glad I could help.
good vid... a eye dropper for application is way better then the old spray bottle method... takes forever to completely soak the ballast... and you always move the ballast with every spray of the bottle
Interesting comment about MDF, perhaps the off-gassing of formaldehyde? Would it help if coated with a sanding sealer? For prototypical logging applications, track ties were often laid right on the ground, so that may be the reason for our demonstrators lack of roadbed. An alternative might be a very thin cork layer that is available in the states. Hobby Lobby carries large rolls very reasonably priced.
Finally, a tutorial without underlay.
Thank you.
This is my first railway, and I'm a little concerned with ballasting around points.
Any advice?
Also, any idea how much ballast I need per linear metre?
I have a lot of track to ballast, a lot, and don't want to suffer high cost for low quantities when I can buy in bulk [without buying far too much!]
Thanks again.
Thank you for your comment. Ballasting around points is the same process just remember to take your time and ensure you don’t fix down or get ballast in the moving parts. Do small areas of the point at a time and always keep checking the mechanism and working it back and forth after the ballast has been laid in place. It’s hard to measure how much ballast you will need per meter but I had two bags of woodland Scenics medium grey and didn’t use it all so I would just work though a bag at a time. Or if you buy bulk and have left over use it in yards for gravel and other scenic areas. Just because it’s marketed at ballast does not mean that’s it’s only use. Loads in cars also is another use. Paint it semi gloss black and you have coal. Use it at the bottom of rock faces for small fallen stones the possibilities are endless. Hope this helps and if you have any further questions don’t hesitate to ask. Cheers.
Rotary tool mandrel
Thanks for this video. I’m a bit confused to the situation regarding underlay use such as cork etc Some do some don’t. Any advice?
Great tutorial! Thank you very much. I've enjoyed it. Now I have one question: how do you fix your tracks on the underground? My underground is made of XPS. So..., which steps do I have to take before ballasting my HO track without roadbed? I do hope you still write reply's for this older tutorial. With kind regards, Eveline
E. de Lange no problem at all. I made my layout semi permanent. I tacked my track down with small brad nails then used hot glue dobs at intervals to hold the track down. In your case with XPS I would pin down the track then ballast the same way and you will be fine.
@@forestcreekrailroad7179 Thanks a lot for your answer. I work also with modules so I don't want to fix anything permanent unless there is no other option. Your tip helps! With kind regards, Eveline
Great video. Wouldn't it be faster spraying the glue with a spray bottle instead of using a dropper?
Thank you for your comment and question. Yes it would be quicker to use a spray bottle your right, however I found it more difficult to get the penetration with a spray as well as the possibility of pushing ballast around with the force.
Depending on the conditions MDF will warp after 3-6 years and with it also destroy your rails if you glue it right on top of MDF board. Just a friendly warning...
Que rustico y desprolijidad. Por dios,
Do you have to clean the rails?
Yes. Once your ballast is dried and cured run your track cleaner over the rails to remove any glue that has stuck to the rails. Cheers.
I've been out of the hobby for 20+ years and I'd like you know your (and others) reasons why to NOT have a roadbed.
Again, remember, NOT being critical--thinking of getting back in to a game I've been out of since ..... a long time! haha
I'd never ballasted previously and had looked at about ten videos before I found this one. It worked perfectly. I didn't have alcohol so i used meths. No problem.
Happy to help. So glad the method worked well for you. Yes Metholated Spirits will also work to break the surface tension similar to IPA.
Do you have a video about ballasting points.?
To get the ballast off the sleepers you could use a electric tooth brush with would shake it a lot :) have an amazing day and thank you for reading
Bad (sorry) idea. Ballast would dance EVERYWHERE!