Scenery help

[cpNscale]

I am starting to ballast and lay my ground foam now.I am trying 70% Isopropyl rubbing alcohal for my wet water.Dish soap and water didn't seem to work with the results i was hoping for.
1) what ratio should the Isopropyl be mixed with water?
2) when gluing the ground foam to the scene,is it affixed the same way as the ballast?
3) what exactly is a matte medium?

Thx and checkout my layout progress here;
http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=12791

 

[Biased turkey]

1) Use pure ( undiluted ) isopropyl alcoohol for soaking the ballast before gluing it

2) No
For gluing the ballast ( after wetting it with the alcoohol ) I use a mixture of 1 part white glue ( Lepage brand here in Montreal ) and 2 or 3 parts water. I use an eyedropper to distribute the glue on the ballast.

Fixing ground cover ( turf etc.. ) is made by spraying a more diluted solution of white glue and water: I use 1 part glue and 5 or 6 parts water. That's a cheap version of the Woodland scenics Scenic Ciment ( described as a ready to use matte medium )

 

[ejen34]

I have always used a 50/50 mix of isopropyl alcohol and water to soak my ballast before gluing, then I go for the gusto... hmmm

 

[Will_annand]

Soaking before?

In the N Scale world, we simply spoon on the ballast, then take 50/50 water and white glue with several drops of cheap no name dish soap. Put the mixture in a plastic ketchup/mustard bottle, the ones with the small spout, then just squirt away, apply liberally down the center of the tracks, get everything nice and wet. Then after about 30 minutes, take an ink eraser and rub along the top of the tracks.

When there are two of us, we can do alot at a time, first guy spoons, second guy glues we work for about 20 minutes then we both grab the erasers and clean the tops.

 

[cpNscale]

thx for the replys,but i dont really need help with the ballast.That is start forward,my question in in regards to the ground foam.

Do i pre soak and then use a 50/50 mix or water and glue or is there a better way?

 

[countyofficer]

I use a first 50/50 mix of glue/water on the bare area I plan on landscaping by pouring a bit in a puddle and spread around with old paint brush,then fill the area in with turf, soak with water/dish soap mix ( you will see in some areas where the glue actually comes to the surface) Then I use a 70/30 mix water/glue in old vinegar bottle as stated above and just drop in areas, the glue seems to spread out nicely over the area. Then I will build with my colors and repeat steps 2 and 3 a couple of times as needed and continue till the blend of color is the way you like.

 

[Will_annand]

The way county officer does it is the way I do it as well. Don't know if my mix is that watered down, but it has more than 50% water.

 

[ejen34]

Soaking before?

In the N Scale world, we simply spoon on the ballast, then take 50/50 water and white glue with several drops of cheap no name dish soap. Put the mixture in a plastic ketchup/mustard bottle, the ones with the small spout, then just squirt away, apply liberally down the center of the tracks, get everything nice and wet. Then after about 30 minutes, take an ink eraser and rub along the top of the tracks.

When there are two of us, we can do alot at a time, first guy spoons, second guy glues we work for about 20 minutes then we both grab the erasers and clean the tops.

Will, I am also an n scaler and I also do as you, with the exception of first wetting the ballast with the alc/h20 solution ahead of time. I really do find that my glue travels farther and penetrates much better when I put down a pre-wetting stage first, just my 2 cents :thumb:

 

[umtrr-author]

As a base for my ground foam, I paint acrylics like Ceramcoat (available in bottles craft stores) and white glue together in the area I want to scenic. The exact ratio isn't that important; I just spread some paint, squirt glue into that, and go from there.

When necessary, and it usually isn't, I also use a roughly 50/50 white glue and water mix with a few drops of dish detergent mixed in.

 

[Will_annand]

Will, I am also an n scaler and I also do as you, with the exception of first wetting the ballast with the alc/h20 solution ahead of time. I really do find that my glue travels farther and penetrates much better when I put down a pre-wetting stage first, just my 2 cents :thumb:

I will have to try that on the next section of track we are ballasting.

 

[60103]

3) acrylic matte medium is something artists use. (they also have gloss medium). It's a liquid that you can mix pigment in to make something like paint. It also works as a finish.
You can also buy it in other forms than acrylic, but we like water clean up.