Yesterday I was in Lowe's to get some plumbing fittings and other items. I walked in the contractor's door because I can park close to it and walk less since I have arthritic knees. I am not always steady on my feet so I watch where I am going, especially looking at the floor to avoid slipping or stumbling. I have checked play sand as possible ballast but it is too big and has magnetic particles in it. I was passing the play sand in Lowe's when I noticed what looked like very fine sand on the floor. I turned and there, right at eye level, was a pallet of Commercial Grade QuikCrete Fine Sand, several bags of which had leaked a little. The size of the sand looked great so I got a magnet and tested the sand. Non-Magnetic!!! I bought a bag, 50 pounds for about $5.00. It is real rock and a lot bigger than a bag of Woodland Scenics ballast. It is light colored. I am making a diorama for taking pictures of what I work on so decided to test play sand, Woodland Scenics Ballast (I don't know the color name,) and the fine sand. Play sand is too big. The other 2 are about the same size. I was too lazy to go all the way up to the attic for the gallon of white glue so I bonded the ballast with diluted matte medium which was close. I used 70% alcohol to pre-wet the ballast so the matte medium would flow through and bond. I thought the plain sand was too light in color for my idea of ballast. Next I used a grey alcohol wash to pre-wet the ballast. It doesn't look much different in pictures but loots a lot different when looking at it on the diorama. Last I tried a brown wash which ended up a lot redder than I had intended. I will probably use a darker grey wash for our layout because I have decided to use this sand for ballast. Here's a look at the diorama with some "not yet done" projects on it.
