Ballast glue thinning?

[centenary]

What's the panel's musings on the glue to water ration to ensure consistent fixing of ballast?

For example, how much would you thin copydex or PVA (yes, I know some dont recommend PVA) glue with water, 1 to 4, 1 to 10?

[Phred]

I've only ever used 50/50 PVA and water with a dash of washing up liquid. Still rock solid after many years.

[Peterm]

The last time I ballasted I used metho (meths). I got the idea from the DCC Conepts site. Worth a look.

[FatController]

I've only ever used 50/50 PVA and water with a dash of washing up liquid. Still rock solid after many years.

I'm with Phred.

[Dad-1]

Yep Phred,

The old method works fine, apart from the 50/50 PVA/Water and those drops of washing up liquid
you also MUST dampen the dry ballast before dripping the glue mix on.
I have some old Avon Cosmetics spray's from the wife that I use to dampen, with again water and a
very small amount, literally 2/3 drops of washing up liquid.

As to long levity my 'Thomas' layout built winter 2014-5 has done over 50 exhibitions and travelled
around in various vehicles, some not a secure as I would have liked, but the ballast is still 'As New'
If it's that good why do anything else ??? Thinking back 'Two Short Planks' was built back in 2009, now
in my loft and the ballast there is pretty good, a few cracks where the boards have flexed, but the
ballast was stuck onto a melamine surface, not exactly the ideal, as things are not supposed to stick
to it !!

Geoff T.

[Bigmet]

...how much would you thin copydex

1 part Copydex, 2 parts water, when I most recently used this, plus the drops of washing up liquid. I am given to understand that Copydex can be somewhat variable in viscosity - mine was like double cream - and thus the dilution is approximate; the important factor is making it sufficiently runny to find its way around the ballast by capillary action, so a little trial to find the optimal dilution with the stuff as supplied is the way forward.

Unlike PVA the securing effect is not 'concrete', but more than sufficient to hold ballast in situ for a 'never leaves home' layout, and yet can be
easily lifted if some change to the track plan is ever required.

[centenary]

Thanks all. Dont use a coloured washing up liquid unless you want green tinged ballast! And no, I havent!

I dont know what mix ratio I used, I went with the airbrush technique of the solution looking a little more fluid than milk. The PVA I have is quite thick and that isnt because of its age!

Just done a quick check and the ballast is firm although I have missed some places which will need a re application.

[aleopardstail]

Thanks all. Dont use a coloured washing up liquid unless you want green tinged ballast! And no, I havent!

I dont know what mix ratio I used, I went with the airbrush technique of the solution looking a little more fluid than milk. The PVA I have is quite thick and that isnt because of its age!

Just done a quick check and the ballast is firm although I have missed some places which will need a re application.

colour shouldn't come through unless you use way too much.

note dishwasher rinse aid can work even better

usually 2 to 3 parts water to one part copydex here

[centenary]

Thanks all. Dont use a coloured washing up liquid unless you want green tinged ballast! And no, I havent!

I dont know what mix ratio I used, I went with the airbrush technique of the solution looking a little more fluid than milk. The PVA I have is quite thick and that isnt because of its age!

Just done a quick check and the ballast is firm although I have missed some places which will need a re application.

colour shouldn't come through unless you use way too much.

note dishwasher rinse aid can work even better

usually 2 to 3 parts water to one part copydex here

Thanks for that!

[aleopardstail]

Thanks all. Dont use a coloured washing up liquid unless you want green tinged ballast! And no, I havent!

I dont know what mix ratio I used, I went with the airbrush technique of the solution looking a little more fluid than milk. The PVA I have is quite thick and that isnt because of its age!

Just done a quick check and the ballast is firm although I have missed some places which will need a re application.

colour shouldn't come through unless you use way too much.

note dishwasher rinse aid can work even better

usually 2 to 3 parts water to one part copydex here

Thanks for that!

the "airbrush technique with it like milk" is perfect.

I did some ballasting earlier, will check it tomorrow, if its not fully stuck I'll redo it, better the mix is a bit thin that a bit thick

[Phred]

Peterm wrote:
The last time I ballasted I used metho (meths). I got the idea from the DCC Conepts site. Worth a look.

I haven't heard of using metho. Does the meths replace the water, i.e. 50% PVA to 50% meths? Or does the meths replace the washing up liquid?

[Peterm]

Peterm wrote:
The last time I ballasted I used metho (meths). I got the idea from the DCC Conepts site. Worth a look.

I haven't heard of using metho. Does the meths replace the water, i.e. 50% PVA to 50% meths? Or does the meths replace the washing up liquid?

Yes, Use the metho to spray the ballast and mix with the PVA. I can't remember the ratio, but it's all on the DCC Concepts site.

[Phred]

Yes, Use the metho to spray the ballast and mix with the PVA. I can't remember the ratio, but it's all on the DCC Concepts site.

Cheers Pete!