Medium Woodland Scenics ballast too big

[nkalanaga]

I used to use WS ballast, many years ago, and never had trouble with it floating.  that was probably because I sprayed instead of flooding  the ballast, then applied the glue with an eyedropper.  I can confirm that it sticks to rail very nicely, and seems to be prone to static.  As for it being walnut shells, it is almost certainly some kind of wood-like material, and mice will eat it.

I liked the Highball ballast I tried later, but the color I wanted wasn't available, as Highball is crushed limestone.  The GN in Montana used mostly pink quartzite or granite, and similar colors were available from AR&M, so that's what my present layout uses.

WS "iron ore" makes fine N scale pine cones, and the various grades can match most sizes of cones.

[SkipGear]

In the Woodland Scenics world.....

Coarse = O scale Ballast
Medium = HO scale Ballast
Fine = N scale Ballast

Not that this is exactly scale but that is how they are intended to be used.

[peteski]

Well then, if you want to stay with Woodland Scenics then I recommend B1393 Gray Blend Fine Ballast Shaker.  Fine is smaller than Medium.

[Flatrat]

Thanks. I'll try to grind the bag of ballast i have down finer with my old coffee grinder and sift it thorugh a strainer. If that doesn't do it i'll just set it aside and buy finer ballast.

I appreciate the advice.

S

[Flatrat]

FYI;
I just ran my WS "Medium grit" ballast through my old coffee grinder tonight. It's a cheap grinder I bought at some dollar store for about 7 bucks and.... it works!
SO...if you bought a larger grit ballast, like I did, or some other scenic product that you wish was finer than what you purchased. That solution may work for you.

s

[nkalanaga]

I've mentioned it before, but if you want CHEAP rock ballast, and aren't concerned with color, "standard" mortar sand is very close to N scale.  A building supply or masonry dealer should have it.  And, yes, there is a standard for mortar sand, it isn't just common sand poured into a bag!

I bought mine about 15 years ago, but at that time, it sold for $20 a ton here in northeast Kentucky.  The concrete block dealer I went to sold it by the truckload, and trying to measure a cardboard box full was a little hard.  Based on an old NP MOW guide for crane operators, and  the volume of the box, we decided it was probably about 80 pounds of sand, so called it a dollar and we were both satisfied.  I've been using it for scenery base and fills ever since.  The only problem is that the only color they had was yellow-brown, the same as common dirt in this area, so certainly NOT what I wanted for ballast.  The ground in the part of Montana I model is the same color, though, so sifting on some fine dirt/dust from our yard makes great ground cover. 

[Flatrat]

Mortar sand is a great tip. Thanks.

As to grinding medium grit ballast with an old coffee grinder as I am doing tonight. I'm now finding the 45 cu in bag produces more ballast after it's ground down finer than it did in it's medium grit form. Not much more. But, a little. It would still be easier to just buy fine grit I'm sure.

I'm just reporting this in case, like me, you were unhappy with what you bought and thought there was no alternative but to pitch it and buy finer ballast material.

the grinder method does seem to work.

S