What really is a scale soil substitue?

[Anonymous]

I am in the middle of building a diorama and I had soil from Western New York State used for a dirt road. It was sifted with a tea strainer but I was not at all satisfied with the scale boulders' mixed in. While this seems to be good to represent a creek bed, it's certainly not an applicable for this; I had no other choice but to use it here and here only. There HAS to be a way to represent a dirt road and have the dirt not look like a football team spilled their equipment all over! I have seen photos of MRR layouts the have great looking dirt roads and ask myself, "WHAT DO THEY REALLY USE?!!!!!".

PLEASE HELP ME

[V][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?]

[Anonymous]

I am in the middle of building a diorama and I had soil from Western New York State used for a dirt road. It was sifted with a tea strainer but I was not at all satisfied with the scale boulders' mixed in. While this seems to be good to represent a creek bed, it's certainly not an applicable for this; I had no other choice but to use it here and here only. There HAS to be a way to represent a dirt road and have the dirt not look like a football team spilled their equipment all over! I have seen photos of MRR layouts the have great looking dirt roads and ask myself, "WHAT DO THEY REALLY USE?!!!!!".

PLEASE HELP ME

[V][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?]

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

I think the real "pros" use the finest dirt possible.
This would be Dust Mite droppings.
Apparently they can be vacuumed from anyone's bedsheets by an aggressive Filter Queen or Kirby vacuum salesperson.[}:)][;)][;)]

Yes I'm kidding.

My word, it's hot today...90F
Time for my meds.
[ A beer. ]
regards \ Mike
Meaford Ontario

[Anonymous]

I think the real "pros" use the finest dirt possible.
This would be Dust Mite droppings.
Apparently they can be vacuumed from anyone's bedsheets by an aggressive Filter Queen or Kirby vacuum salesperson.[}:)][;)][;)]

Yes I'm kidding.

My word, it's hot today...90F
Time for my meds.
[ A beer. ]
regards \ Mike
Meaford Ontario

[Anonymous]

Only 90? It's 102 here in Missery, er, Missouri.

[Anonymous]

Only 90? It's 102 here in Missery, er, Missouri.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by flee307

Only 90? It's 102 here in Missery, er, Missouri.

Wow....that's hot, guess when you say "show me" to the weather guy, he really does. Wish I could send you a nice cold Canadian 5% beer.
regards \ Mike[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by flee307

Only 90? It's 102 here in Missery, er, Missouri.

Wow....that's hot, guess when you say "show me" to the weather guy, he really does. Wish I could send you a nice cold Canadian 5% beer.
regards \ Mike[:D]

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine used dried silt harvested from beside the shore of the Fraser River in British Columbia. Dried river silt is incredibly fine. So he took me down to his "harvesting shore" about two weeks ago and I got my load for the layout. I sifted it through a screen window screen.

I plan on using it everywhere. It is very light in colour, almost a blonder sand colour. I decided instead of using paint as a base coat for the layout, why not real dirt. I will still have lots over it, just as you have lots over a base coat of paint, but if anything shows through, you will be looking at real dirt, not paint.

I harvest about two quarts of the stuff.

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine used dried silt harvested from beside the shore of the Fraser River in British Columbia. Dried river silt is incredibly fine. So he took me down to his "harvesting shore" about two weeks ago and I got my load for the layout. I sifted it through a screen window screen.

I plan on using it everywhere. It is very light in colour, almost a blonder sand colour. I decided instead of using paint as a base coat for the layout, why not real dirt. I will still have lots over it, just as you have lots over a base coat of paint, but if anything shows through, you will be looking at real dirt, not paint.

I harvest about two quarts of the stuff.

[tomwatkins]

I model the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, so I need red clay. Fortunately I live there, so I have an unlimited supply. I baked it in the oven on a cookie sheet to dry it.
Then I put it in zip lock bags and pounded it with a hammer to start making it finer. Then sifted it through successively finer screens to wind up with really fine material.
Most kitchen and cooking stores have very fine sifters available. They are much finer than window screen.

[tomwatkins]

I model the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, so I need red clay. Fortunately I live there, so I have an unlimited supply. I baked it in the oven on a cookie sheet to dry it.
Then I put it in zip lock bags and pounded it with a hammer to start making it finer. Then sifted it through successively finer screens to wind up with really fine material.
Most kitchen and cooking stores have very fine sifters available. They are much finer than window screen.

[Anonymous]

I forgot to say the scale is HO. [8][:0][:o)]

[Anonymous]

I forgot to say the scale is HO. [8][:0][:o)]

[Anonymous]

Wooland Scenics fine brown ballast. Looks great!

[Anonymous]

Wooland Scenics fine brown ballast. Looks great!

[orsonroy]

Look on the sides of gravel roads for "blow sand". It's very fine sand that's been crushed by cars and trucks driving along the road. The stuff is VERY fine, and once screened, makes for a vrey realistic road. And if you want it to look even finer, just sand it a little.

[orsonroy]

Look on the sides of gravel roads for "blow sand". It's very fine sand that's been crushed by cars and trucks driving along the road. The stuff is VERY fine, and once screened, makes for a vrey realistic road. And if you want it to look even finer, just sand it a little.

[Anonymous]

You can just dig a small hole and use the dirt from that.

[Anonymous]

You can just dig a small hole and use the dirt from that.

[darth9x9]

Get yourself a cheap blender and grind up the finest dirt or gravel you can find. You can pulverize the dirt into incredibly fine dust.

[darth9x9]

Get yourself a cheap blender and grind up the finest dirt or gravel you can find. You can pulverize the dirt into incredibly fine dust.

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by darth9x9

Get yourself a cheap blender and grind up the finest dirt or gravel you can find. You can pulverize the dirt into incredibly fine dust.

Yeh I can see the look on my wife's face now[}:)]
Then there's the guys with the white jackets[:o)]

I'm just wondering if fine coffee grounds would work?

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by darth9x9

Get yourself a cheap blender and grind up the finest dirt or gravel you can find. You can pulverize the dirt into incredibly fine dust.

Yeh I can see the look on my wife's face now[}:)]
Then there's the guys with the white jackets[:o)]

I'm just wondering if fine coffee grounds would work?

[darth9x9]

Walmart has very good cheap blenders for $20-$25. Your wife will probably pay for it herself just to keep you from using hers in the kitchen.....

[darth9x9]

Walmart has very good cheap blenders for $20-$25. Your wife will probably pay for it herself just to keep you from using hers in the kitchen.....

[dehusman]

Paint the area with dirt colored latex paint and then sift plaster onto the wet paint. Gives you a little texture, but very fine particles. An alternative is diatomaceous earth (used in swimming pool filters).

Dave H.

[dehusman]

Paint the area with dirt colored latex paint and then sift plaster onto the wet paint. Gives you a little texture, but very fine particles. An alternative is diatomaceous earth (used in swimming pool filters).

Dave H.