Hello. All We good know a Well known method of PVA(white glue) ballasting: [video=youtube;Vr_2EdbCRFU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr_2EdbCRFU[/video] If You use thin plywood (in aim to decrease weight of modules , etc.) You must instal webbings in parallell to tracks, like this: http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/4402/vadimav.4/0_44896_b70e9eae_L But webbings cannot be applied, for example, at multi-helix or multilevel layouts, like my: 1) Upper view: 2) Bottom: http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/5413/5475818.a/0_67c8c_cc1a2b6c_L 3) Layout without helix: 4) View with helix: Plywood with PVA will be distiorted after drying! Therefore i propose new method of ballasting by EPOXY: : 1) Put the ballast and level it by brush. 2) Mix heated (60deg C) EPOXY(with plastificator) with Isopropanol. 50/50! Dont use ACETONE! it can dissolve sleepers! 3) Add hardening agent and mix. 4) Put mixture by using usual syrringe with needle for muscle injections. In favour of Izopropanol, mixture will go inside ballast as well! 5) Dry isopropanol by fan (heated fan) 2 hours. 6) Remove epoxy from top of rails by felt dampened in isopropanol. Also check and remove glue from all points. Continue drying by fan and polimerizing of EPOXY. 7) You can ride after approx. 10 hours. 8) Dont use fast epoxy glues. Use epoxy with time of hardening about 12 hours. ------------- Vadim
Very intriguing, Vadim.... I am skeptical that this would work. Have you tried it? Will the glue soak into the ballast before it dries on top of the ties in a blob that won't look good? Do you have to soak the ballast with a solvent that will allow the glue to soak in?
Yes, HemiAdd2d! I Not only tried, but already made my layout using this way! 1) Izopropanol delutes dense epoxy, so that You can use usual syrringe with usual needles without any preliminary soaking!!! 2) Izopropanol is stopping polymerization, and it cannot be polimerized before izopropanol drying. So that You have strong glueing, and water - proof ballast! It's work fine ! You can also do it! Use Epoxy selled as prepared with plastisicator with time about 12 hours. ---------- Vadim
Do you have any after photos of the finished product, ballasted track glued with epoxy in your method of application?
What would worry me is trying to remove section of track or a turnout for repair. I recently pulled up a turnout that had a broken throwbar and replaced it. A simple soak in water loosened the ballast enough to get it out. Can't see how you would do that with epoxy.
Hello Joe. Epoxy can be used where thin plywood is used. Points You can selectably ballast with PVA (white glue). ---------- Vadim
Actually I tride something like this. After putting down my cork road bed, I painted a very thin layer of 20 minute epoxy giving it a few minutes to smooth out. Then I laid down my track sections (flex code 55) and pinned them in place being careful not to mush it into the adheasive below. Once things were in place I sprinkled on the ballast (fine run through an old coffee grinder) and let it set. Clean off the loose ballast and your ready to rock and roll. Really, if you take your time the effect is amazing. I've done a lot using thinned white glue etc, and you get a mess of ballast on the ties and on the rails...this method was very clean. I don't use this around switches, there I use the flood method there with thinned white glue. Joe MTL
Hello! There is the look on painted epoxy tracks: http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/2712/5475818.a/0_69d50_7d4e7afa_XLimg] [img]http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/2714/5475818.a/0_69d4d_919a0663_XL ------ Vadim
Vladim, you certainly do things differently. Keep your creative approach, I admire the wealth of ideas you have to see what Most others ( including me ) wouldn't see. Have fun Michael
Thanks, Michael. I have compact and not constant housing, therefore i was forced to make modular compact multilevel shelf layout. Sometimes, to solve some problemms, i must use different technologies. ---------- Vadim
