# Gravel road



## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

This is my first attempt at a gravel road. I'm using an HO ballast spreader with holes drilled for a shaft to which wheels are attached. In this case I used gears because that's what I had that gave a good height. 

For gravel I'm using sanded grout with fine ballast m mixed in and then sprayed with a fine sprayer with a water/alcohol mixture. 

I taped off one side of the spreader giving a one inch opening. That gives about a12' road in N scale. Still a little wide I think. I think the best way forward is to modify the center opening of the ballast spreader to open it up a bit and tape off both sides. I want the road to be a bit wider than your average gravel road, closer to 10ft maybe. Thoughts? Keep in mind it's still wet. 































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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

Now that it's dried I actually think the width is ok. I just need to remove the divide piece for the rail. That will c clean it up some. I had to use a paint brush to even out the bare spot and that didn't work so great. I also need better wheels that are a little smaller maybe.
















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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

That looks really good. Excellent contraption! 

I've been trying to come up with a "sled" that I can use to make the wheel ruts of an older well used driveway or country lane.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

For O gauge, I make ballast by running white play sand through a window screen. I use what doesn’t go through the screen for ballast after coloring it. I use the fine stuff that does go through the screen for gravel after I color it. For gravel roads, I sprinkle tire paths with the gravel by hand after I have put down the grass.


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

I made a little sled using a popsicle stick and a scrap piece of wood that was just thick enough to keep the runners of the sled about "wheel width."

I played around a bit with it last night, but didn't get to teh point where I was ready to fill in the ruts with dirt/gravel. I'll post some pics when I can get to it.

I need to fabricate a DIY gravel dispenser that will drop a narrow path of gravel in the ruts. I was thinking perhaps drilling a 3/32" hole in the top of an empty plastic water bottle, with the hole situated as close to tee end of the bottle cap as possible.


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

I'd like to see it. I think if I can find smaller wheels I'd be set. The ruts are a good idea though. 

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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

vette-kid said:


> Now that it's dried I actually think the width is ok. I just need to remove the divide piece for the rail. That will c clean it up some. I had to use a paint brush to even out the bare spot and that didn't work so great. I also need better wheels that are a little smaller maybe.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I know first hand that pictures don't always show what the eye would see.
In some of the pictures, some of it looks too lumpy?
The last picture I can't see them. Did you smooth it out?

I would do it by hand, Like Lehigh's. (Lehigh.......do you plant your grass the same way? By hand, bit by bit?)

I do ballast by hand too. But that is me. Little by little.😎

You going to run 18 wheelers on the dirt road?


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

The lumpy bits are fun trying to smooth over the gap left where the task would be. That should get sorted out of I remove the plastic there. 

18 wheelers on gravel road... you betcha. I've seen them on worse roads than this will be. 

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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Alrighty then, I grabbed it on the way out to take my wife to the dentist. She has to take meds to calm her down so I'm the designated driver. Went to the LHS and spent $175 that she will never remember. 

Anyway, here it is. Pretty simple.


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

Ah, makes sense now. For some reason I wasn't able to put that together in my head!

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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I knew where he was going with it. I generally just use a beat up old die cast car I have.


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