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Post by simplyloco on Sept 24, 2020 7:38:05 GMT
Thanks for the tip Wilf, I can 3D print that quite easily! John |
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waggy
Statesman
Posts: 747
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Post by waggy on Sept 24, 2020 8:03:41 GMT
Morning John,
“I now have to find an aquarium shop for the gravel.”
I bought a display track some years ago that used an off white cat litter as ballast. You mix it with PVA glue and trowel it on. Mask the sleeper tops first though, the chairs and rail being fitted after the goo dries.
Looks the part too, I dripped some old engine oil onto the ballast where the cranks, etc sit.
Waggy.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2020 8:06:48 GMT
Good choice John, 4472's display track is also made using PnP track. Slightly longer than yours at 2.3 meters...  I had forgotten the lengths of track bought but looking at the offcuts it looks like they were 2.8 mtrs? Keep up the good work... Pete |
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Post by simplyloco on Sept 30, 2020 17:02:22 GMT
The Right Ballast? I did some research and apparently the 'normal' ballast size 'in the beginning' was 30mm, later increased to 50mm, so I went to the aquatic store and found some black gravel, 2-3mm in size. I bought a 2kg bag to try and I like it! Trouble is, at £3.00 a kilo I might need quite a bit more... I'm going to have to do something about those non-prototypical screws! John  |
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Post by steamer5 on Oct 1, 2020 0:19:26 GMT
Hi John,
Looks good.
Now you just need to stick the gravel down so you don’t upset SWMBO.......back many moons ago I used diluted PVA glue, it dries clear, but I’m sure things have moved on, or you have a cunning plan.
Did you get scale weeds to go with the gravel? Ok I’ll go stand in the corner
Cheers Kerrin
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Post by ettingtonliam on Oct 1, 2020 2:07:49 GMT
From my time doing railway bridge inspections, you also need some scale beer tins and scale used toilet paper----.
More seriously, when I was a child in the 1950s, one of my grandfathers worked for the local granite quarry and had a sample box of different grades of crushed granite, down to large grit size. He gave me some to make loads for the wagons on my Hornby Dublo layout. Would have been ideal for scale ballast, but I don't suppose its available now. All the North Warwickshire quarries are closed now, for one thing.
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Post by flyingfox on Oct 1, 2020 6:45:55 GMT
Greetings, if you mix Cascamite powdered wood glue with your ballast, spread it as you want, and when happy, spray water onto it, which activates the glue, which hardens into a solid mass, with the now invisible glue, but you can if you want chip it off, to recover the track. This glue is used in wooden boatbuilding.
regards
Brian
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2020 8:02:08 GMT
Looking good John....are you leaving the rails bright or painting them? I sprayed mine a rust colour and then sprayed some thinned black wash down the middle. There are plenty of pictures showing the track in my thread that should show what I'm trying to describe.
Keep up the good work sir...
Pete
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 1, 2020 8:32:15 GMT
Looking good John....are you leaving the rails bright or painting them? I sprayed mine a rust colour and then sprayed some thinned black wash down the middle. There are plenty of pictures showing the track in my thread that should show what I'm trying to describe. Keep up the good work sir... Pete I'm going to have to rethink the rail colour, sleepers and chairs: they look completly out of place in this era! John |
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Post by andyhigham on Oct 1, 2020 8:49:14 GMT
From my time doing railway bridge inspections, you also need some scale beer tins and scale used toilet paper----. More seriously, when I was a child in the 1950s, one of my grandfathers worked for the local granite quarry and had a sample box of different grades of crushed granite, down to large grit size. He gave me some to make loads for the wagons on my Hornby Dublo layout. Would have been ideal for scale ballast, but I don't suppose its available now. All the North Warwickshire quarries are closed now, for one thing. There is other material between the tracks associated with the used toilet paper |
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kipford
Statesman
Building a Don Young 5" Gauge Aspinall Class 27
Posts: 576 
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Post by kipford on Oct 1, 2020 9:11:51 GMT
John, Kerrin
50/50 dilute PVA with a drop of washing up liquid to eliminate surface tension is still the most common way to fix ballast in the smaller scales. Apply it with a suitably sized pipette. There are other products around but they are all variations on the same theme.
Dave
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2020 9:18:00 GMT
John, Kerrin 50/50 dilute PVA with a drop of washing up liquid to eliminate surface tension is still the most common way to fix ballast in the smaller scales. Apply it with a suitably sized pipette. There are other products around but they are all variations on the same theme. Dave I poured watered down PVA over my ballast and let it set before painting. I even added a little lichen to represent weeds. This all set 'rock hard', I have hoovered the track a number of times over the years and nothing has moved, it's set like concrete. Pete |
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 1, 2020 13:53:49 GMT
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barlowworks
Statesman
Now finished my other projects, Britannia here I come
Posts: 878
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Post by barlowworks on Oct 1, 2020 16:56:20 GMT
John, Kerrin 50/50 dilute PVA with a drop of washing up liquid to eliminate surface tension is still the most common way to fix ballast in the smaller scales. Apply it with a suitably sized pipette. There are other products around but they are all variations on the same theme. Dave If you can find some, mix a bit of black powder paint into the pva mix. That way when it dries clear it does not have that glossy appearance that straight pva does. Also a fine plant sprayer with water/ washing up liquid in it will help it to soak in. Looking good though. Mike |
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uuu
Elder Statesman
your message here...
Posts: 2,861
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Post by uuu on Oct 1, 2020 18:59:49 GMT
I had to read that twice - I thought you were mixing explosives into the glue!
Wilf
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Gary L
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,208
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Post by Gary L on Oct 2, 2020 0:12:37 GMT
I would endorse that...  P1000798 This is a 5" display track for a Speedy made 10yrs ago (-ish) from MRSC components. Hidden under the wood plinth is a set of HD casters. The ballast was also supplied by MRSC, stuck down with aforementioned PVA spray. Once laid it can be coloured to taste with suitable paint spray. Back in the days of the Stirling Singles it wouldn't necessarily have been granite ballast, early track was often ballasted with cinders/ash I believe HTH Gary |
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 2, 2020 8:02:46 GMT
I just discovered this supplier of track kits. Not cheap, but it's the way to go with my loco, so does anyone want to buy some PNP components...? Edit. Thanks Adam for the link on Facebook! John I would endorse that... SNIP HTH Gary Thanks for the confirmation Gary. I rang the proprietor before purchase and it quickly became apparent that they knew their business! I like your castors idea. How about six of these rather neat ball transfer gadgets underneath? www.rosscastors.co.uk/1000-1-flange-fixing-type-ball-transfer-with-a-1-ball.htmlJohn |
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 2, 2020 17:53:15 GMT
Lamp Irons and Tender Hooks
I'm slowing down in my old age: it's taken me ALL DAY to make two lamp irons and one draw hook! However, I just love using the jewellers' saw. I've put them on the base plate rather than drill holes for them in my lovely tank! Nearly there though, I'll chemically black them tomorrow as it's much neater than painting!  
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Gary L
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,208
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Post by Gary L on Oct 2, 2020 22:30:40 GMT
Why not? They are very low-profile. However they will put a point loading on whatever the display track stands on, and if that is wood, it will be dinged and grooved as the balls move. My display stand used just the usual 4 casters, so there was a significant issue of strength/rigidity with the base structure. Even the 1in ply would not be rigid enough to spread the weight of a Speedy, so there was a significant wood frame underneath it and alongside the casters, approximately the same depth as the casters. The fascia is oak skirting board. The industrial casters with white rubber tyres give a soft line contact, much kinder to wood floors or furniture. And you probably won’t save much height with the ball transfer gadgets, because you will still need a very solid frame under the baseboard. Hope this helps Gary |
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 3, 2020 8:29:27 GMT
Why not? They are very low-profile. However they will put a point loading on whatever the display track stands on, and if that is wood, it will be dinged and grooved as the balls move. SNIP The industrial casters with white rubber tyres give a soft line contact, much kinder to wood floors or furniture. And you probably won’t save much height with the ball transfer gadgets, because you will still need a very solid frame under the baseboard. Hope this helps Gary Thanks Gary, and I take your point about the balls. Great idea and the skirting board really gives the model some presence! John |
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I had forgotten the lengths of track bought but looking at the offcuts it looks like they were 2.8 mtrs?
