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What really is a scale soil substitue?
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For really smooth dirt like dirt roads... one method is to use spackling compound and smooth it. After it's dry it can then be smoothed and sculpted further with spayed water and fingers. Work it until it suits you and then some more. Color it with watered acrylic washes and/or airbrush. Add fine ballast and grass/weeds to suit. It's not easy and takes some pratice and skill, but is worth the effort. Some other fine materials are Mount Saint Helen's volcano ash. My sister sent me some long ago and it was fine. I get really fine dirt here from dirt roads in the sticks. Also along where the streets and sidewalk meet you can find some nice materials. Cigar and cigarette ash work too. Some potting soils. I use lots of play sand from the lumber yard. I even have used coffee grounds and walnut shell sandblasting medium. Lots of this stuff is almost free. I use to joke I stole sand from the sandbox at the park, but was afaid someone might tell.
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