Baking Dirt - A How To - Not

[switchman]

Well, I decided to use dirt as a ground cover in some transition areas. I've read that you should sift it and then bake it at 500 degrees for about 15 minutes or so. So I asked my wife if I could use her oven to bake some dirt. She looked sideways at me. Then started laughing so hard she fell off her chair. Don't be concerned she's alright. But her interest was peeked and she said OK. I got a plastic container with about 3 or 4 pounds of dirt from the flower garden. Sifted some of it. But it was a pain so I decide to bake it first and shift later (everybody say uh-oh ). My wife programmed the over for 500 degrees. I covered an old cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spread the dirt out and put it in the oven. My wife went into her office and I sat down to watch the news and wait. About 10 minutes later I awoke, my eyes burning from the smoke pouring from the oven vents, the fire alarm buzzing. My wife all upset. After I had turned off the alarm, calmed my wife, she turned off the oven. I took the cookie sheet outside. The little pieces of burning wood smoldering embers, and other small flammable debris burned them selves out. But continued smoking for a while. I went back inside to clear out the smoke and pay attention to my wife's suggestion, of what I should do to my self, if I ever again, ask to bake dirt. While my wife was in the shower (not that I was afraid or anything, but discretion is the better part of valor) I went outside to bring the dirt upstairs. After all It's already well baked and waste not want not. See ya

[Railfan1]

Sounds like a lesson learned the hard way.

[cacole]

That is rather humorous, though I must say your dirt is certainly a lot different than what we have here in my part of the country.  If I were to ever put some Arizona dirt in the oven I would probably wind up with an adobe brick.

I have used lots of dirt on my home layout and a club layout without bothering to do anything but sift out the larger pieces, and nothing has ever grown in it.  The climate probably has a lot to do with it.

[loathar]

That's funny! I recently put some plaster castings in the toaster oven to "dry them out" Turned them into blocks of soft talcom like powder. Live and learn.

[rluke]

Thats one of the funniest stories I've ever read here.      You also have a talent for writing.

 

rich

[reklein]

You might try going to the hardware stoe and look at the different colored Tile Grout mixes and use that for you dirt. Much easier to control , not near the  amount of smoke ,and no need to sleep om the couch for a month.

[Beowulf]

The smoke problem comes from too high a temperature and too much mulch in the soil.  My father baked topsoil for many years as a way of sterilizing it before planting seeds.  Three hundred degrees is plenty.

[mlehman]

Gotta agree with Beowulf on this, 300 degrees should be plenty and 250 might be enough. You're just trying to kill any critters and non-model vegetation, not run an incinerator or making charcoal. Whoever said to run the oven up to 500 degrees is just whacked out -- or is a power company salesman.

[beegle55]

Im not sure that my oven even goes up to 500!! Funny story though, you learn as you go. I think 500 is crazy, and using real dirt hasn't really crossed my mind either. I hope it will work out for you, keep us posted.

 *beegle55

[Jetrock]

Here's a link to a post I left about how to bake dirt without inspiring the ire of the wife:

 

http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/351221/ShowPost.aspx

 

Two points: First of all, bake longer at a lower temperature. Second, sift it first. Third, do it while the wife isn't home. I realize that is actually three points, but you don't tell the wife about the third point, so two. I use dirt from the actual location I'm modeling (which, fortunately, is only about two miles away) and I find that low-quality dirt (like that found on an industrial site or former railroad property) gives better results than something from the garden.

[SilverSpike]

All the tips on time and temperature are spot on! A longer incubation period with a lower temp will have the same effect.

Also, the garden top soil stuff that was used is full of mulch type material and that is most likely the stuff that smoked. Next time you might try using soil that has been matured in your yard or other surrounding areas before baking it, not as much mulch material to deal with. Of course the sifting would have filtered out much of the mulch type material too.

[tcwright973]

Switchman,

Thanks for both your posts. They are really funny and as the "World's Greatest Modler," I hope you post more adventures in model railroading. I can't wait to see what you come up with for electrical, painting, or carpentry techniques. And I think your wife has a long lost sister, I married her.

Tom

[modelmaker51]

I use my microwave. It's faster, safer and more energy efficient.

To cure plaster castings, 10 to 15 mins on high (I usually do a stack of casting at a time).

To dry and sterilize dirt, 20 minutes per quart of dirt.