Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
Hi everyone
I have metcalfe platforms and I want to ballast the station area. I wondered if: a) it is ok to ballast/glue up to metcalfe platforms and b) could I do it in such a way as to leave them removable.
Removable would be my preference, but I wouldn’t lose sleep if they ended up glued down (as long as they don’t get ruined).
Thanks
Dan
I have metcalfe platforms and I want to ballast the station area. I wondered if: a) it is ok to ballast/glue up to metcalfe platforms and b) could I do it in such a way as to leave them removable.
Removable would be my preference, but I wouldn’t lose sleep if they ended up glued down (as long as they don’t get ruined).
Thanks
Dan
My Layout Thread: http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Fo ... 22&t=30117
Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
Method 1:
Cover the bottom of the platform wall in cling film, ballast up to it, and once the glue is properly set remove the platform carefully leaving the cling film in place. It should peel off the glue if you use PVA or Copydex, any really stuborn bits can be disconnected with a sharp knife and left in situ, you won't see them once painted. Try it on a test piece first though !
Method 2:
Create some shuttering by putting a thin strip of ply,card, styrene sheet etc the same thickness as the ballast tight against the platform wall, glue it to the baseboard but not the platform wall. Remove platform, ballast up to the shuttering, paint any bits which still show.
Cover the bottom of the platform wall in cling film, ballast up to it, and once the glue is properly set remove the platform carefully leaving the cling film in place. It should peel off the glue if you use PVA or Copydex, any really stuborn bits can be disconnected with a sharp knife and left in situ, you won't see them once painted. Try it on a test piece first though !
Method 2:
Create some shuttering by putting a thin strip of ply,card, styrene sheet etc the same thickness as the ballast tight against the platform wall, glue it to the baseboard but not the platform wall. Remove platform, ballast up to the shuttering, paint any bits which still show.
Portwilliam - Southwest Scotland in the 1960s, in OO - http://stuart1968.wordpress.com/
Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
Thanks for the reply stuartp
A couple of good ideas for me to try.
Thank you
Dan
A couple of good ideas for me to try.
Thank you
Dan
My Layout Thread: http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Fo ... 22&t=30117
Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
This ^^works. The tip I would add is to put the platform down in the middle of a piece of clingfilm, and wrap and seal it completely, putting the joint on the platform top surface which glue isn't going anywhere near.stuartp wrote:Method 1:
Cover the bottom of the platform wall in cling film, ballast up to it, and once the glue is properly set remove the platform carefully leaving the cling film in place. It should peel off the glue if you use PVA or Copydex, any really stuborn bits can be disconnected with a sharp knife and left in situ, you won't see them once painted...
Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
Nice idea bigmet
That would stop spills of glue etc too
Thanks
Dan
That would stop spills of glue etc too
Thanks
Dan
My Layout Thread: http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Fo ... 22&t=30117
Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
And one more thing! Make sure that the platform (or whatever) goes down dead right for position relative to the track. The last time I had a hand in this was on a friend's layout, where the platform was on a long constant very large radius curve. And it went down 3" out of position, which ate a lot of space required for the next trackside structure. There was no way to 'move the platform along', because the ballast was a mould of the platform wall, and all the little irregularites were locked in, and between them 'bumped' the platform about 2mm further away from the track. It stil annoys him that the next structure had to be compromised a little, but it was that or rip up the track and start again.
Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
No pressure then?!
My Layout Thread: http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Fo ... 22&t=30117
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Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
Thanks for the cling film tip. I'm getting to the ballasting in platform stage too and was thinking I'd like to be able to remove mine ideally too.
- Ironduke
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Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
Perhaps you could use a weaker solution of PVA in that location to make the ballast a bit less permanent.Bigmet wrote: but it was that or rip up the track and start again.
Regards
Rob
Rob
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Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
How strong you need to mix your PVA really depends on whether you will need to move you layout a lot, a little or never. For an exhibition layout constantly on the move and being erected and dismantled all the time the ballast needs to be rock hard. If it's more of a "demountable for decorating or when Aunty comes to stay" layout it's not a disaster if a few grains fall out and it needs a bit of patching up. (It might end up looking more realistic with odd repairs and renewals). If the layout is built into place the glue can be quite weak, you only need to stop the ballast moving around. I treat mine as if it will never be moved and ballast can be lifted with an old plastic kitchen spatula just pushed under it. Changes to trackwork etc are quite easy.
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
My Layout, My Workbench Blog and My Opinions
My Layout, My Workbench Blog and My Opinions
Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
To which good counsel we might add, PVA is not the only adhesive. Copydex (latex) can be thinned down with water and used to create a nightmare appearance when applied to your beautifully laid ballast. But then it goes off and it all looks fine! The bond is 'tough enough', but the track is much easier to lift should that ever be necessary. After much ballast secured by PVA, I am now a convert to the strange pong of Copydex. (The pong also goes away once cured.)Bufferstop wrote:How strong you need to mix your PVA really depends on whether you will need to move you layout a lot, a little or never...
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Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
I don't have any Metcalfe platforms to be able to check, but be aware that the surface of a platform should be no higher than 12mm above rail head in 4mm scale: http://www.mrol.com.au/Pages/Vu/OOScaleMeasurements.
One thing I commonly observe is platforms which are far too high, most likely because they are designed to be used against track sitting on underlay, but of course, when underlay is not used, the track sits much lower.
One thing I commonly observe is platforms which are far too high, most likely because they are designed to be used against track sitting on underlay, but of course, when underlay is not used, the track sits much lower.
- Ironduke
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Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
You got any pics of that?Bigmet wrote:To which good counsel we might add, PVA is not the only adhesive. Copydex (latex) can be thinned down with water and used to create a nightmare appearance when applied to your beautifully laid ballast. But then it goes off and it all looks fine!
Regards
Rob
Rob
Re: Ballast, but leave platforms removable.
I have no pictures of my own - no digital camera - but see this link for how it looks while newly applied and wet, fifth post in the thread:Ironduke wrote: You got any pics of that?
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index ... nt-4126957