Years ago I heard using baseball diamond dirt was the best real dirt to use...something about the clay content made it better than other sources (something about other dirt having 'sparkly' characteristics that this particular type of clay doesn't?). I took this advice and headed to the park and got a coffee can full of dirt (I took a bit from several places so I didn't make a dangerous divot someone could twist an ankle stepping in, also, the top layer is the best stuff, if I remember correctly; this was 20 years ago and still have quite a bit leftover)..
When I got this stuff home, I first sifted it through regular window screen, then through an old pair of pantyhose. I remember this took a while...I poured a few large spoonfuls into the toe-end of the pantyhose and gently bounced this into a smaller can. Be careful, the elastic nature of pantyhose can cause larger particles to fall through (the more you stretch, the bigger the holes are). If I did this right, I'd end up with a pile of dust in the can, which makes scale looking dirt. Leftover in the toe, will be something similar to sand, but a bit smaller; I used this for coarse gravel, it's bit bigger than HO scale gravel so don't use this for your roads (well, you could, but personally I don't like the way it looks). I kept the dust and the next larger grade and returned the big stuff to the baseball diamond (might as well return what I didn't use, rather than throw it away!). The dust is a bit difficult to work with, but I really like the results. WS foam 'turf' or sand from a sandbox, or anything like that, doesn't look right to me; I guess as long as it's sifted to a very fine grade, anything will work (I don't like over scale-sized gravel or ballast, but encourage anyone to try it; it might look good to you...and that's all that matters).
I used this baseball diamond dust in the scrapyard on my 4x8 layout, you might be able to see it here (in the S&W Layout album):
http://delray1967.shutterfly.com/pictures/5
SEMI Free-Mo@groups.io
Arizona Rock and mineral is real stone at the right particle size. You can make the topsoil closely match the real thing. Same goes for Scenic express fine dirt. Many try to mimic the prototype for soil for the area of country that is being modeled. Correct color size and texture really make a layout standout.
Its a great scene of natural dirt and cover, but a bit big for the size constrained small scale modelers.
Bill D
model in O. the Western NY and Ontario Railroad
Matt
Very nice!!!!!
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Best way? How about using real dirt
Seriously though, there are some really good tips in this posting. Many of which I'll try on my HO layout.
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website
Arizona rock and mineral makes some great powders...which I'm going to try soon.
These dirt / gravel roads were done with somewhat larger size covers for O.
Did you receive the DVD with Mr. Dick Elwell. It was sent out by Model Railroader to get folks to look at the DVD's and Tapes made over the years by Allen Keller, as a promotion, the first DVD is really good and I like the idea. In the first presentation Dick demonstrates how he builds a dirt road and his roads look most realistic.
I do it the same way. Sifted dirt,(real), with a basecoat of fine sand, covered by finely sifted top coat, (real dirt), then color it Rit Dye, (powered form). White glue used for the under coats; after the glue dries I sand the subroad bed made from the dirt, then the dye is spread over the unfinished road, dusted on then spread with your fingers.
I think they look great and they are fun to do.
Thanks,
Robert Sylvester, WTRR
Jumijo Has anyone suggested grout powder? It can be as fine as baby powder and comes in any number of colors.
Has anyone suggested grout powder? It can be as fine as baby powder and comes in any number of colors.
I guess you're the first. Tile grout both sanded and the extremely fine "non sanded" or a mix can work quite well for many scenery purposes. It comes in such a wide range of colors too. The only trouble is that we need such a small amount and the sanded grout only is available in 10# bags/ 5# cartons, I guess $$ wise it's propably no more a cost than WS bags of dirt, ballast cinder etc.
I still like to use plaster, Duham's, Durabond and cap w/ sands or soil.
These pics show a mix of the plaster/ sand and finishes w/ washes and WS and Az rock scenery material.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
The best material that I've found for making dirt roads, gravel roads and asphalt roads is from Arizona Rock & Mineral. They have a great selection of material. http://www.rrscenery.com/
It makes fantastic roadways and parking lots. I mix Elmer's White glue with water, 4 parts water to 1 part glue then make a mud like mix, like when your were a kid. Spread it out with a standard drywall blade and let it dry. I model HO scale so I use a 1" blade for narrow dirt roads in my mountains, 2½" blade for my gravel roads and a 4½" blade for my paved roads. On the dirt roads I use a vehicle with working wheels to make ruts after the mix hardens a bit. They look like the real thing after they dry. The asphalt looks better if you coat it with a thinned mix of white glue. I use yellow auto stripping tape for the yellow center strip, 1/16" works good for HO.
This is a view of my mountain road made with the Arizona Rock & Mineral #1230 Tan Granite. (Base Color Powder)
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2009/09/august-13-2009-road-crew.html
Mel
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
I've recently made some nice looking dirt roads using WS Fine Buff Ballast, mixed with dark earth weathering powder and light weight hydrocal. Just kept adding the weathering powder until the desired color was reached, spooned it on the layout followed by a light misting of wet water.
Wayne
Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
hey guys...i use Durhams powder mix and mix it with earth tome woodland scenics and sprinkle some fine sand ballast...i do about 2 layers of this and it comes out great! While its still wet, i take some old HO cars and create tire marks on the road...LOOKS SO REAL.
jfugate wrote:Jon:Boy howdy, those weeds have gone wild ... better invest in a big can of roundup! Lookin' good there ...
If it's normal retail grade mix it about 1.5 - 2 times stronger than they say and add a squirt of high quality washing up detergent (Fairy liquid in the UK). This puts it up to commercial strength and stops it being washed off. Trust me... I've used the stff on Manchester sewage farms...
PS keep the kids and pets off for a bit longer than the instructions...
Joe Fugate Modeling the 1980s SP Siskiyou Line in southern Oregon
Marlon, as promised, here are a couple of new pics - the weeds seem to have sprung up overnight (don't you just hate that)
Jon
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Dave Vollmer wrote: modelmaker51 wrote: Stop Wasting Energy! The critters you can kill in an oven in 2 hours can be killed just as easily in a microwave in 10 minutes. NO! Don't microwave your dirt. You may find in a spectacular display of indoor lightning that there are ferrous (i.e., metalic) particles in your dirt... at the expense of your microwave and personal safety. So, NO! Bad dog! No dirt in microwave.
modelmaker51 wrote: Stop Wasting Energy! The critters you can kill in an oven in 2 hours can be killed just as easily in a microwave in 10 minutes.
Stop Wasting Energy!
The critters you can kill in an oven in 2 hours can be killed just as easily in a microwave in 10 minutes.
NO! Don't microwave your dirt. You may find in a spectacular display of indoor lightning that there are ferrous (i.e., metalic) particles in your dirt... at the expense of your microwave and personal safety.
So, NO! Bad dog! No dirt in microwave.
Should be fine in a plastic microwave-safe container....with a vent, natch.
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
THAT is one great looking dirt road.... Just add a few weeds around the edges.
Thanks Marlon.
I'm on with 'planting' grass and weeds around that area at the moment. I'll post a pic when it's done.
jon grant wrote: I used Woodland Scenics Smooth-It for the first time when I laid this dirt track a week or so ago, and acrylic paint took to it well Jon
I used Woodland Scenics Smooth-It for the first time when I laid this dirt track a week or so ago, and acrylic paint took to it well
Well, Jon's actions speak volumes and his pics of his dirt road ARE worth a thousand words. THAT is one great looking dirt road, but then I've been making dirt roads this way for years. AND it works for making dirt parking lots as well. Just add a few weeds around the edges. AND you can almost hear that pickup groan when that guy drops that pipe in the bed.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
flee307 wrote: jfugate wrote: jeffrey-wimberly wrote:Why buy it when I can go outside and get it free?JW:Free isn't always the best deal if it isn't what you are looking for.Dirt from the outside is often way too dark under indoor lighting, and it may be the wrong color to boot. Dry powdered pigments like these from Crayola mixed with plaster is the way I go. For a few bucks (less than $4 per jar), I can get some black, brown, yellow, and blue powdered pigments, and for a few bucks more I get some white plaster of paris.With this combination of materials, I can literally mix any dirt color I need in a few minutes -- and if I match the color to a reference outdoor photo, it will look right under my layout lighting. Plus, if you include at least 50% plaster in the mix, all you need to do is moisten it with a mist of water and it's fixed in place once the plaster sets. It doesn't get much easier than that. NOTE: One thing to watch out for is the pigment and plaster mix can dry darker once you mist it with water. It's best to test your mix on a scrap of material first by misting it with water and see what color it is when it's dry. If it's too dark add more plaster to lighten it, and try again until you get the color you're after. While part of what you say may be true, $4 a jar and some plaster is at least $20 total, that's no small outlay for, say a 14 year old just starting their layout. If the real dirt is too dark, it can be lightened with some plaster, or painted after it's glued in place. We should be offering people ideaS and not steering them into believing that the dollar spending way is the only way to have a nice layout. Fred
jfugate wrote: jeffrey-wimberly wrote:Why buy it when I can go outside and get it free?JW:Free isn't always the best deal if it isn't what you are looking for.Dirt from the outside is often way too dark under indoor lighting, and it may be the wrong color to boot. Dry powdered pigments like these from Crayola mixed with plaster is the way I go. For a few bucks (less than $4 per jar), I can get some black, brown, yellow, and blue powdered pigments, and for a few bucks more I get some white plaster of paris.With this combination of materials, I can literally mix any dirt color I need in a few minutes -- and if I match the color to a reference outdoor photo, it will look right under my layout lighting. Plus, if you include at least 50% plaster in the mix, all you need to do is moisten it with a mist of water and it's fixed in place once the plaster sets. It doesn't get much easier than that. NOTE: One thing to watch out for is the pigment and plaster mix can dry darker once you mist it with water. It's best to test your mix on a scrap of material first by misting it with water and see what color it is when it's dry. If it's too dark add more plaster to lighten it, and try again until you get the color you're after.
jeffrey-wimberly wrote:Why buy it when I can go outside and get it free?
Flee old boy, you're my hero. heh.
gear-jammer wrote: Does anyone know if the alcohol that you apply prior to glue will kill the organisms? Sue
Does anyone know if the alcohol that you apply prior to glue will kill the organisms?
Sue
The alcohol won't necessarily kill them but if you put the dirt on a tray and place the tray at a fairly steep angle the bugs will all end up in a heap at the bottom...
hey some nice roads there
but after the glue I dont think much can live glued like a rock to the board
LOL
K-
Possibly, but not necessarily, Sue. Your best bet is 30 minutes @350 deg in an oven, or 5 mins on "high" in a microwave. Either of those will cause a great deal of grief to anything that can divide, copulate, or regrow legs.
If you are worried about molds, mildew, or bacteria, potassium meta-bisulphite (the white powder used to mix with water to sterilize wine and beer making paraphernalia). Mix a couple of liters, then splash it over the material and let it soak. Rinse in about 10 minutes, and let dry. Or, just let it dry and leave the residue in place. Shouldn't hurt anything.
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
Jeff
I notice your in Leesville, I'm up by Shreveport, have you ever visited Longleaf? If not, highly recommend if your at all interested in logging, sawmills, steam, old equipment.
http://www.forestheritagemuseum.org/sfhm.htm
You might like to think about what season you are modelling.
High summer on a dirt road usually means dust, Fall, winter and spring mean mud, mud , mud and more mud.
Dust gets everywhere into/onto vehicles, structures and foliage. Mud covers everything it can reach.
Hi Joe,
As always, you've got some great ideas and I'd like to take advantage of this one. I just went on-line and bought the Crayola color pigments you suggested (Blick.com was out of black so I bought it from MisterArt.com). I wondered if you ever tried to mix them with joint compound, which I have used for roads and terrain. The reason I'd like to use this stuff is it doesn't dry as fast as Plaster of Paris and therefore can be worked a little longer.
Thanks you,
Mondo