Here it is again
I've posted this before but I don't know where so here it is again. Hope that it helps
WET WATER METHOD FOR APPLYING BALLAST
MATERIALS
White Glue or Artist Matte Medium
Water
Ballast
Liquid Dish Detergent or Rubbing Alcohol
Spoon...To apply ballast
Spray Bottle
Large Eye Dropper
Small Brush...To shape the ballast
PREPARATION
1.These instructions assume that the track is in place and has been fastened down using track nails or glue.
2.Prepare a 50-50 mixture of white glue or matte medium and water. This mixture should be "watery" thin. If the initial mixture seems too thick add more water. This mixture willkeep for several weeks if stored in an air tight jar. Mix well so that all of the glue disolves in the water. **
3.Fill the spray bottle with water and add 5-6 generous drops of liquid dish detergent.Shake this mxiture well.
3a.I prefer to use rubbing alcohol instead of the water and dish detergent. It makes the applied ballast dry much faster. If you use the alcohol do not add the detergent to it.
APPLYING THE BALLAST
It is very important to not try to do a large amount of ballasting at one time. I like to complete3 - 4 feet at a time and then continue on after the section I have done has dried. This way I can check to see if my glue mixture is right and that the ballast is bonding properly. After you have gotten your glue mixture right you can do longer areas.
1.Using the spoon place some ballast between the rails. Then take the brush and arrange it so that the ballast is just to the top but not on the ties. Continue doing this until you have done about 3 or 4 feet.
2.Next do the outside of the rails and ties. Use the brush to shape the ballast into a more or less uniform distance from the ends of the ties. If you are using cork or similar roadbed use the spoon and the brush to shape the ballast up the sides of the roadbed until the desired shape is achieved.
BONDING THE BALLAST
1. Now using the spray bottle throughly wet all of the ballast that you have arranged. Spray gently so that you don't dislodge the ballast or cause it to "float" away but be sure to get itthroughly wet...NOT JUST DAMP BUT WET!!
2.Using the dropper apply the glue mixture to the ballast between the rails. You will see the glue mixture flow through the ballast, under the rails and out to the sides. If it does not do this then wet the ballast again and apply more glue mixture. Don't worry about getting glue mixture on the ties...it will not show up when its dry.
3.Using the dropper apply more of the glue mixture to the ballast outside of the rails. If any of it "washes" away just push it back with you fingers.
4.Allow the ballast to dry...will take 8-12 hours.
FINISHING UP
After the ballast is completly dry check to see if it has bonded. It should not crumble when you touch it. It should be quite hard. If it did not bond correctly then your glue mixture was too thin. Add more glue to your mixture, re-wet the ballast and apply more glue mixture as above.
No doubt you have gotten some of the glue mixture on the rails and now you don't have a good electrical contact with them.....not a problem...simply clean them with an abrasive track cleaning block or some very fine emory paper.
If you have ballasted around a turnout/switch and the movable points are stuck from the glue mixture just "pick" around them with a sharp Xacto knife until you get them free.
** White glue is more or less permanant once it has dried. If you think that you will be taking the track up at a later time use the artist matte medium instead of the white glue as it does not "bond" the track to the underlying material as tight as white glue does.