I have seen other scales using homemade static grass applicators. The results are amazing, but its looks like most static flock ends up being about 2-3 scale feet tall. That's ok for field grass I suppose, but for groomed lawns or even a slightly overgrown lot, is it too big for the scale? Do any of you use a static grass applicator? Did you buy yours or build one? Pictures of your results? Thanks folks. *not my picture
I saw a demonstration of the expensive static grass applicator last month at my club. It does seem to be too long for N gauge but I did not think to ask if the grass product comes in different lengths. It looks good and feels good but too long for N.
I like my grass like I like my ballast. Thick and out of proportion. IMO "scale" grass would be so thin and short and ballast so fine tour eyes wouldn't see the texture. Thicker heavier stuff gives my eyes the texture they want to see. I built my applicator from a fly swatter and a tea strainer, but haven't used it more than testing.
Static grass is fine for N, and even Z. You just need to choose the right size and color grass. There somewhere around 50 different options for static grass from Noch, Faller, Busch, Woodland Scenics. Sizes range from 2mm to 12mm length. I wouldn't use it for a manicured lawn but for wild grasses it is great. You can also grab an old hair trimmer to cut it down after you install it to make it the height you want.
This photo shows a couple different lengths of grass. Short grass on the lawn (yeah, the Dad should get out there and cut it, but it isn't too long), and longer stuff on the hills.
A fellow club member cuts his grasses with a regular small pair of sewing scissors. When Dave cuts his grass he cuts the grass at about a 45 degree angle and also at various lengths to give it the effect of the grass being different heights. He says there really is no ryhme or reason as to how he does it, he just makes everything as random as possible soit doesn't look all uniform.
My LHS (well, in Lodi), sells a static grass applicator for $39 by Grass Tech USA. The guys there (who I really trust) claim that it is on par with the expensive applicators. I'm not quite to the landscape textures stage in my layout, but I plan to buy one of these when I get there. Check it out:http://grasstechusa.com/
I use kind of a spotty application of static grass over WS foam. I used a Noch shaker bottle to apply mine, havn't used a static gun yet....Mike
SOoooooooooo...how many of ya have your 'grass' all done and have a $100.00 static grass applicator just sittin on a shelf...collecting dust ? LOL. It's one of them items I 'could use' but just hate the idea of spending that much for something that once you're done using it it's pretty well useless ;-)
George, that's a valid point, but you could borrow one from a fellow modeler if that's your only hangup. Or, buy one and resell it on eBay (or somewhere else) when you're done. I generally think that it's one of those things that if you want the kind of look on your layout, it wouldn't be a huge long term expense in the grand scheme of things. And, I think MANY modelers have the idea that they will either redo certain spots at a later date, or build another layout at some point so why not hang on to it. I haven't purchased one because a buddy of mine has one I can borrow, but I probably would have one collecting dust if not. I love the look...I model almost exclusively prairies and cannot wait to experiment with static grass. Hopefully it won't be too much longer...
I hear that Doug.... But...I live 200 miles from anyone who MIGHT have one...LOL. My layout is mostly 'flat' and I have a few small areas that are grassed and could use longer grass to make it look better. For now...it will just stay with the short green ground cover.
Scale grass The smallest 2mm static fibers are just over 1 scale foot in height, which might be a little long for a newly mowed lawn, but the appearance doesnt seem that out of proportion. Ive started using more 4 to 6mm fibers for most wild grass applications. 2mm fibers
Hey guys, I've been itching to play with static grass as well ! What we did was to pick up a the bundle of these; http://grasstechusa.com/products/grasstech/ We split the cost between three or four of our members and plan to share them. George, not knowing what your financial situation is, but I think the single unit for $35 will work just fine, and for the cost it was about the same cost to make one yourself. No I haven't tried it yet, but soon..
The grass on the right is mostly 2mm of my own blend with about 20% 4mm to add some randomness to it. I did a few areas of all 2mm, but it came out a bit flat looking, even on a non-level area. I applied it over a base of fine ground foam and dirt; the 2mm appears shorter than a scale foot tall over that base. More about how your eyes perceive it in the scene, than an actual scale length of the grass. It's all an illusion. I bought a Grasstech II; I found it worked well as is, but made a modification to it to get the grass application to work better. I replaced the screen top (standard size jar top), cut a larger opening in it, then put in some metal window screening. Then I put in a jumper with alligator clips from the end of the retaining screw in the base of the grass holder to the screen in the removable top. It seems to put a bigger charge into the grass this way, although it is easier to accidentally zapped. I also made a top with a smaller opening and screen for smaller area applications.
That's the one I mentioned on the first page of the thread. The guys at Roger's Railroad Junction in Lodi, CA say it's as good as any applicator! I held the thing, and it seems like a quality product.
I bit the bullet four years ago and bought a Noch Gras Master when MicroMark had 'em on sale. Still paid about $130 bucks for it, and although it sits in its box when it's not being used, I'm certainly very happy I've got it when I need it. I've been doing research and teaching myself how to use the thing to my satisfaction, because what I don't want is to have my grass look like a newly mown lawn. The lawns I've done for my friend Nate on his layout have been rural farm homes, so if the grass is a little high, it's not a big deal...in fact, I like the look. Other areas on both his and my layout have looked a lot like a butch haircut until I started mashing down the grass to look much more uneven. Also, I've discovered several manufacturers who have static grass that contains more than a single length in the package, which give a much more "wild" look. Problem in the western USA is that most "wild" grass grows in bunches...that's why it's called "bunch grass", and when you get out in it, you find out it's about three to five feet tall. When it gets a lot of water, like along a drainage ditch or by a stream or river, grass grows to well over 8 feet tall. I know, because I actually went out and measured it in various places. Yup, you can buy bunch grass...or grass tufts...but they're expensive...WAY expensive if you're gonna need to cover 30 feet of Utah desert alongside your track like me. I've thought about making my own, and come up with a method that might work, although I have yet to try it. If somebody else wants to try it, this is the idea: (1) You get yourself an aluminum non-stick cookie pan...shallow, then (2) you sit it on an old copy of Model Railroader to insulate it from the top of your workbench or kitchen countertop, then (3) you clamp your static applicator's ground clamp to the edge of the pan...maybe you have to scrape away some of the plastic-non-stick coating (I don't know yet)...then (4) you fill your applicator with static grass of different lengths...then (5) you blob little drops of either Elmers white glue (preferably real "Glue-All" methinks), or good quality matte medium...I'm gonna guess that you should apply about a 6" X 6" on the non-stick surface at first...more when you get better and faster...you don't want the drops to start "scumming over" before you start applying grass...(6)...apply static grass to your drops of wet adhesive. I'm thinking since the drops have sort of a spherical surface, the static grass will stick to them roughly perpendicular to the drops' surface, forming fibers that fan out. However, as the drops dry, they'll get less spherical, so you might have to touch the hairy drops before they dry and spread the fibers out a little...I don't know...I haven't done this yet. (7)...Let 'em dry (8) After they're dry, use a plastic pallet knife to scrape 'em off. You might be able to speed up the drying by applying a hair dryer...and maybe the fibers that aren't stuck to drops should be put back in the static grass container before you start using a hair drying on the drops. I'm thinking this should work, and the same sort of process might work for part of the process of producing cattails or other vegetation that grows in bunches...which most vegetation does. If you wanted to make bunch grass with seed pods on 'em, or blossoms (wild flowers) before you scrape off the dried hairy blobs, you could spray a little hairspray on the bunches and sift on ground foam of varying colors and textures...then after you've scraped off your bunches, wash the pan and do it all again. Hey...it might work! Here's a photo of my friend Nate's Riverside area that I've been working on for several years at one day a week. Grass is a combination of teased felt and sifted dirt, and static grass. Cheers! Bob Gilmore
What Bob said about tufts: I've been playing around with that and after a couple of tries, made some winter cattails that Lemosteam wants to put onto his new layout. Heki 2mm winter grass, then Silfor 4mm autumn grass, WS horsehair applied by hand, then powdered dead leaves glued to the tips. Bit of a blob of white glue on the left, but it should work. Forgot to add: Once the white glue is about half dried, pass a vacuum over it (with some cloth in the hose to collect the excess for recycling) to help the grass get more vertical.
