EASY METHOD FOR APPLYING SCALE BALLAST Ballasting track is a tedious and agonizing process, but when done correctly, looks terrific! It's well worth the effort. Here is our process for adhering ballast: (1) Anchor your track to the roadbed; (2) Pour small amounts of ballast between rails. Gently shovel ballast forward with BALLAST SHAPER #MR002. Cover roadbed bevel on sides. Dust off ties and rails with soft watercolor brush. (3) Pre-moisten ballast by spraying "Wet Water" (1-qt. water & 2 tsp. dishwashing liquid)* over 2-3 feet of track. (Not much is needed...just enough to break the surface tension of the dry ballast. It shouldn't hurt your track.) (4) Prepare a 1:4 mixture of MATTE MEDIUM (1-part Matte Concentrate (EX0030) to 4 parts water). Use an eye dropper or squeeze bottle to dribble matte between the rails. (Try not to get Matte Medium on the rails...its tough to get off later). The capillary action of the moist ballast will spread the MATTE MEDIUM to the edges. Allow to dry. (It may take several days for your ballast to dry depending on the depth of stone and grade). (5) TIPS: Work in small manageable areas. Have all your materials ready before beginning.