I would like to try a static grass applicator on a few places on my branchline, specifically in the end-of-line yard and some spurs which want to give a real weedy look to. The commercial applicators I've looked at are way too expensive to justify for something that will probably only be used once or twice. I've looked at a couple of the videos on this sight on how to make a home made applicator but I'm still a little unclear on how to wire them. I'm wondering what others have done in making their own applicators.
LION builds subway trains. A tree may indeed grow in Brooklyn, but there is no grass in the subway.
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jecorbett ...I've looked at a couple of the videos on this sight on how to make a home made applicator but I'm still a little unclear on how to wire them. I'm wondering what others have done in making their own applicators.
Here's a link to one which I constructed:
bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic
It was easy to build, not expensive, and works well.
Wayne
Thanks, Wayne. I'm at least month away from getting to the scenery stage of my branchline but this looks doable. I'll give it a try.
I have made two, both from $4.00 fly swatters. They both have worked really well even though they look like garbage. The first one I used for quite a while with batteries and then I wanted to see if I could up the power by using an adapter from my box full. I always keep the adapters from everything I throw out. It did work well with lower voltage adapters but I fried it at nine volts. A $4.00 experiment, no big deal.
As far as wiring them. When you open up the handle you will see two wires going out to the screen. Cut these and wire one to the screen on the container holding the grass and the other to a pin or nails you stick in the ground where you are sprinkling the grass.
Here is the first one that I fried. I just used a Ziplock sandwich container on it.
The MARK II.
Flyswatter handle, a piece of scrap ABS pipe left over from all those reno's the Wife makes me do ( I hate DYI TV ) and a bit of screen off something, held on with a hose clamp. This applicator is better than the last one because of the smaller end on it. It is much easier to get in around buildings and other things with the small end. The wiring is the same. One wire to the nail, the other to the screen. Like I said they both work(ed) great.
Some grass.
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Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Not home made, but I bought one of the low-budget Grass-Tech applicators from eBay for about $25. It works great.
Static grass is a great scenery technique, and I'm glad I started using it. It's now just part of the process of doing scenery for me. It's very easy and not particularly time-consuming.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley Not home made, but I bought one of the low-budget Grass-Tech applicators from eBay for about $25. It works great. Static grass is a great scenery technique, and I'm glad I started using it. It's now just part of the process of doing scenery for me. It's very easy and not particularly time-consuming.
Ditto.
Well, except the eBay part. Mine was purchased elsewhere, but while they were having a sale, so I paid $27.50.
Works really well, and not at all bad at any price $30 or less. (Even at $40 it would be a steal compared to the other commercial ones out there that are all over $100 each.)
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
MisterBeasley Not home made, but I bought one of the low-budget Grass-Tech applicators from eBay for about $25. It works great.
Was it anything like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EASY-MINI-Static-Flock-Grass-Applicator-SCENIC-MODELLING-O-HO-N-Scale-Layout-/231451074540?hash=item35e38f1fec
I was considering building one, but now I'm thinking about purchasing one-- at roughly $30 once you factor in shipping, it seems comparable to the cost of materials and labor to make your own if you don't have the right stuff lying around already.
P
pt714Was it anything like this?
Yes, that's pretty similar. I think the basket part on mine is a bit larger, but fundamentally it's the same thing.
I'm not sure how Noch can even justify the price on theirs when there are plenty of options for $40 or less, and of course as shown the DIY method using a $4 electronic flyswatter - and it's all the same. You could probably build the circuit yourself, too, but you probably wouldn;t beat the cheap flyswatters. Even if you wear out 5 of them until you get your layout finished, you're way ahead of the game.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
When I was wondering about static grass applicators, I went to Youtube to check it out. It appeared that the homemade applicators had to be MUCH closer to the surface than the Noch. And I wanted to see what I was doing while I worked. And avoid coming in too low. So I paid the admittedly high price for the Noch. And it worked just as I had hoped.
Ed