My wife and I would like to build a small (3' X5') Christmas layout. What are some cheap and easy ways to model snow?
Woodland Scenics makes snow in a sprinkle-top (shaker) container.
You might like to try using Borax, (It's cheaper than WS snow), but don't let it get wet! Or use a coffee grinder on some Styrofoam. A light coating of spray adhesive will keep it in place. I use an old coffee grinder to make fine foliage foam out of green Florist's foam.This foliage foam can be spray painted in Fall leaf coloration, as seen on my AVATAR Bob Hahn
One of the old tales about John Allen' G&D was that he decided to model a snow scene for a photograph. So he carefully sifted some bleached flour onto the railroad, then cleared rail tops and beat footpaths through it.
The photos turned out fine, but he had to vacuum it up quickly. Seems his birds were flying south...
One problem with snow as a permanent feature is that it gets dusty and loses that pristine whiteness - okay (I guess) if you model a place where local industry is fired with soft coal, but potentially ugly if you want that Christmas Card look. That's why Miyukidani, my 'way back in the mountains ski resort, is at the very bottom of my priority list.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Baking soda is dirt cheap...again, keep it powder dry. Maybe some aquarium filter sands can be had for a song and in the right size/colours.
I used Woodland Scenics in the clear plastic liter bottle. Looks very good and it vacuums up nicely.
I use the rolls of thin cotton batten that you can buy at the department stores for a few bucks...they have some metallic sprinkles in them which helps with a somewhat toylike snow effect. This is for my Christmas them layout, the temporary one.
-Crandell
Didn't think about the dust problem making the snow dirty. Although living in Hawaii with its red dust I should have. Since this is to be a seasonal layout, I guess my best bet is to use something cheap that I can vacuum up.
Mahalo, Werner