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Static Flock Grass

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Static Flock Grass
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 8, 2006 9:26 AM
I am tryinq to aplly Static flock grass from Woddland Scenics, but I donĀ“t have a special Tool.

Any body use this material? How can I?
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 8, 2006 11:15 AM
[#welcome] rcarras2

Here's an article that may help
http://www.ztrains.com/pages/workshop/static/static.html
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 8, 2006 11:21 AM
This suggestion from underworld was taken was from an eariler thread about Static Grass Applicators.

QUOTE: Originally posted by underworld

You can increase the static charge in the Palmolive bottle by first loading the grass fibers....shaking the bottle thoroughly....and then (seriously) rub the bottle with an inflated latex balloon. There are also many plans for static generators, and complete units available on line.

underworld

aka The Violet

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]


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Posted by bikerraypa on Thursday, June 8, 2006 11:38 AM
I know this sounds dumb but it works.

1. Apply the glue (I use Noch Grasleim)

2. sprinkle on your static grass, not too heavy but not too sparse

3. rub the balloon back and forth on your head

4. hold the balloon almost touching the applied grass. It stands right up





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Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, June 8, 2006 11:41 AM
OK, Ray. Now we need to know whether you've got a Beatle haircut or more the MIchael Jordan variety. That's a very useful and simple technique. I can just imagine my daughter's teenage friends watching me do that.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Thursday, June 8, 2006 11:51 AM
QUOTE: I can just imagine my daughter's teenage friends watching me do that.
Yeah! I can too. What a hoot that would be.

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Posted by bikerraypa on Thursday, June 8, 2006 12:14 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by MisterBeasley

OK, Ray. Now we need to know whether you've got a Beatle haircut or more the MIchael Jordan variety. That's a very useful and simple technique. I can just imagine my daughter's teenage friends watching me do that.


Just your basic short haircut. If I still had my big 1980's Paul Stanley hair, it would make an awful mess!!

[:D]
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 8, 2006 3:45 PM
That's the deal with getting older. You get hair in places where there was none before and no hair where it has always been [|(].

If you lack hair on your dome, try using a wool scarf or sweater after it has been in a dryer. (Omit the drier sheets)
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Posted by CSXFan on Thursday, June 8, 2006 4:55 PM
Or, if you have some extra foam board lying around rub it with a wool cloth, and then hold the foam over the grass. It'll do the same thing as a balloon
If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space...Wink
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Posted by rschaffter on Friday, June 9, 2006 7:44 AM
Here is a page on how to construct an applicator (in German[:)])

http://www.finescale.org/howtos/elektrostat/elektrostat.html

I'm not to scenery yet, so I haven't tried it myself.

Cheers,
Rod
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Posted by ARTHILL on Friday, June 9, 2006 9:35 AM
I have been looking for that diagram for weeks, But I don't read German. Any help out there?
If you think you have it right, your standards are too low. my photos http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/ARTHILL/ Art
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 9, 2006 9:58 AM
This is strange, I've been considering using static grass on my N layout and was wondering how best to apply. And viola, you guys magically appeared with advice. Amazing! Thanks for offering up your knowledge to us novices.
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 11:01 AM
Ok Thanks for your help , I will transalte the diagram (germany) and I will put in the Forum

Tahnks All
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 5:53 PM
The baloon is a lot cheaper than the 250.00 Noch wants for the alien machine
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Posted by jfugate on Thursday, June 15, 2006 12:00 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by unclebuck

The baloon is a lot cheaper than the 250.00 Noch wants for the alien machine


$116 at Scenic Express ...
http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NH60130

[swg]

Joe Fugate Modeling the 1980s SP Siskiyou Line in southern Oregon

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Posted by oleirish on Thursday, June 15, 2006 11:45 AM
--Joe Fugate__

Joe I have a question for you,do you know where I can get conductive paint! or conductive epoxy ???? I need to put a cam on the driver wheel of 2-8-2,last try I got the wheel a little to hot and warped it!!hot sodering iron don't work so good
Thanks
Jim[:-^][:D][xx(]
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 16, 2006 12:19 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by oleirish

--.....where I can get conductive paint! or conductive epoxy Jim


Jim
Any good electronics store (not Radio Shack) should have it. Or try
http://www.action-electronics.com/gcelect.htm#Paint
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Posted by trainfever on Monday, May 28, 2007 6:46 AM
sorry to have to revive an old thread but i have tried the balloon method and the palmolive bottle method but neither worked. the bottle was a no goer - just blows the grass around or lays flat on the glue. and the balloon static lifted loose grass which stuck to the balloon but certainly didnt make any of it stand up. have tried several types of glue and varying stages of tackiness from wet to almost dry. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks
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Posted by hminky on Monday, May 28, 2007 7:23 AM
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Posted by trainfever on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 2:53 AM
thank you for that info harold. your method certainly gives a good look. i will be down to the shops to hunt for suitable materials and give it a try.
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Posted by ne_trains on Thursday, May 31, 2007 8:51 PM
Hate to say it because its a bit pricey, but the Noch Grasmaster really does work very well. I just lay down a coat of 1:1 white glue and water with a flux brush and the machine does the rest. Gotta remember to ground it though.

Here's an example of completed static grass:

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Posted by Milwhiawatha on Friday, June 1, 2007 11:49 AM

I picked up the Noch set up when Walthers had it for 99.98 or something like that. I figued it saved my head and creates more static than a ballon or anything else. I think I made a wise investment purchasing it. I dont only use it to apply long grass fields I make prarie tufts and some other stuff Scenic Express has that I found ways to make with it.

I myself toyed with the thought of using Faux fur but to me it seemed sorta to perfect like to well groomed for wild grass. Thats just my thought.

Owner & Operator of Midwest & Northern RR and Midwest Intermodal (freelanced HO)
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Posted by petrosnz on Monday, June 4, 2007 5:32 AM

You and Milwhiawatha seem to be onto it. For anybody put off by the cost of a Grassmaster, you or a friend that knows a bit about electronics can make your own. There are static generating circuits in old photocopiers and in TV sets, computer monitors, etc, that can be adapted.

Fit a plastic jar about 2-1/2 inches in diameter to a handle and line the inside about halfway to the mouth with aluminum foil. Use metal core spark plug lead to connect to the static generator. The wire mesh across the mouth wants to be about 3/32 opening. Don't have the foil any closer to the mouth or sparks may fly. Adopt safe practices to avoid shocks but if you get one it should be no more hazardous or painful than from a spark plug.

White glue will work but matt medium works much better because it also reduces the glintiness of the flock fibres. 

Also remember that multiple coats are possible to create longer grass, and you can coat over the likes of polyfiber, ground foam, etc, to get great different effects. Some short (1/4" - 3/8") bits of WS field grass also enhance the effect of taller grasses.

For tufts to plant in open patches, create a sheet of long grass on some Glad Wrap stretched over cardboard. After a few days the grass will be strong enough to withstand being pulled off in small tufts or larger areas and applied wherever you like.

Keep up the good work.

Peter Ross, author of the May 2005 MR article.

 

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Posted by hminky on Monday, June 4, 2007 6:25 AM
 Milwhiawatha wrote:

I myself toyed with the thought of using Faux fur but to me it seemed sorta to perfect like to well groomed for wild grass. Thats just my thought.

 

Solved the uniform look at:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/mink_grass/

The figure is HO and the new material is at the bottom

 Thank you if you visit

Harold

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